Addition to chapter 3! I forgot towrite the ending I wanted so here it is! Please keep reviewing - it makes me so happy :)

Chapter 3 for my fabulous readers. Thank you to all the reviewers – especially those who tell me what parts they like so I know what scenes are leaving an impact. Things are heating up between Marco and Dylan…so send reviews so I can update again! I won't be writing again until Friday so I'm hoping for 8-10 reviews before then.

Enjoy!

Chapter 3: Standing Still in Time

"Hey Ell. You going out with Sean on Saturday night?"

"No such luck. Sean's visiting his parents in Wasaga this weekend so it's me by my lonesome – again."

"No it's not. 'Cause you're coming with Dylan, Paige and I to my first gay club," Marco insisted hopefully. Ellie looked at him skeptically. "Come on, Ell –please. If not for you than come for me…I need you. It's too intimidating."

Ellie rolled her eyes, "You know I can't resist you, Marco. Okay. I'll come."

"Thanks Ell. You're the best."

"I know…So what's going on with you and hockey star, anyways. He keeps inviting you to this gay thing and that gay thing, and he's always walking by your locker. You even admitted that he's flirting with you…"

"Shut up, Ell. I've told you a million times that it's not like that…we're friends. Yeah, there's a little flirting but that's what gay guys do. Come on, you flirt with your guy friends – Spinner-"

"I do NOT flirt with Spinner, Marco. Nice try."

"Okay. Well, like with you and Craig."

"Okay you've got a point there. But Marco, I have a boyfriend. I'm going out with Sean. And yeah, so it's true that friends flirt. But so do people who want to be more than friends. And I don't think you'd let yourself see the signs – even if they're being flashed right before your eyes."

"Stop it, Ellie. Dylan is my friend. End of story."

"Okay Marco. You are the resident expert on what 'gay guys do,'" Ellie teased as they walked to class.

"You look great, Marco. Come downstairs. Dylan's going to be here any minute," Ellie reassured. And Marco did look great. Slightly undersized muscle tank top, Diesel jeans, funky bandana. Even he had to admit that you would never believe that he had been in the closet just two months earlier. The style gene was fully active.

Horn. "They're here, Marco."

"Hey Marco…Ellie. Nice shirt, Marco." Dylan playfully ran his finger along Marco's bare upper arm, outlining his surprisingly defined muscle, as Marco slid into the front seat. Marco blushed.

When they walked up the stairs into the club, Marco was mesmerized by the sensual energy surrounding him – thumping beats, flashing coloured lights, men in bodyskin shirts, men in no shirts, touching, kissing, dancing. And a group of younger kids waving right at them. "There they are. Come on, guys. Ellie, Paige, these are the kids from the group. Meet James, Cory, Luisa, Anna," Dylan introduced the two worlds.

"Hello my lovelies," James crooned, kissing Dylan and then Marco on both cheeks. Marco laughed, "You see. I told you, Ellie. Gay men flirt."

"Hey Luisa," Marco smiled at her, "I'm glad you came. I wasn't sure if you were going to 'cause they chose a mostly gay guys club. I was so nervous about coming but Dylan invited me so I figured I should face the fear. I'm glad I'm not the only newbie, though," he laughed.

"Yeah. Me too," she empathized, "I wasn't sure if I should come either but I knew that people from the group would be here."

Marco looked interestedly at her, "People? …Or person?" Marco had noticed that she and Anna had been talking after the group the other day.

"Oh okay. You know anyway. I kind of have a crush on Anna," she sighed, "I mean look at how cute she is – spiky hair, blue eyes, short and fit. I just am not sure if she's noticed me."

"Please Luisa. I saw you guys talking after the group. And you've got that Italian beauty - curly dark hair, dark eyes. And besides…you're easy to talk to," Marco smiled at her.

"Thanks Marco. That was a needed confidence boost ….And what about you. Something is obviously going on between you and Dylan."

"Ahhh – why does everyone keep saying that? No really, we are just friends. I mean of course I think he's totally hot, that's kind of objectively the case, isn't it? But it's not like that with us."

"Well, Luisa, that's what Marco keeps telling me. ..But I'm not so sure," Ellie interjected.

"Yeah," Luisa gave Ellie a knowing look, "neither am I."

Dylan walked over to the group, "come on guys, let's get on the dance floor. Are you just going to chit chat all night?"

Marco soaked up the energy around him – pumping music, dancing bodies, beautiful men, surrounded by friends – twirling Paige, hugging Ellie, Dylan's constant touches on his shoulder, finger on his arm, eyes sparkling. He moved rhythmically to the fast paced music. The jarring voice of the DJ momentarily interrupted the trance,"Okay queens and women. We're going to slow things down a bit for a couple of songs here."

'Slow things down. Uh oh.' Marco thought nervously. He quickly grabbed Ellie as the first slow dance started playing.

"Marco, I'll dance with you. But, umm…that's not exactly the point of being in a gay bar…Besides, I think Mr. Hockey Player over there is looking mighty disappointed that your arms are around me right now."

Marco looked up just long enough to meet Dylan's eyes. 'Was that sadness? Disappointment? I'm sure it's nothing.' Dylan shrugged at Marco as Marco saw him ask James to dance.

"Dylan's dancing with James, Ellie. Besides, it's intimidating, okay?...I'm not sure I'm ready." Marco sighed as he put his head on Ellie's shoulder, but couldn't take his eyes off the blond curly hair with his arms around another guy.

Marco didn't take his arms off Ellie as the first song ended, knowing there was going to be another slow song, so he was surprised when he felt a hand on his shoulder, gently breaking up their dance.

"Hey Marco…I can't let you come to your first gay bar without dancing with a guy," Dylan smiled down at him as he saw the nervousness surface in Marco's eyes. "It's okay, Marco. We're in a gay bar. Guys dance together. It's really the same thing as dancing with a girl," he reassured as he gently took Marco's hand pulling him away from Ellie, towards his body.

Marco tentatively wrapped his arms around Dylan's neck, as Madonna's Crazy for You started playing. He felt Dylan's warm arms around his back, pulling him in. He felt Dylan's chest against his, Dylan's head on his as he rested his head on his shoulder and was brave enough to face his neck, breathing him in. Dylan's hands began roaming Marco's back.

Slowly now we begin to move, every breath I'm deeper into you. Soon we two are standing still in time…

"You know, Marco…I didn't really mean what I said about not letting you come here and not dance with a guy-"

"Oh-" Marco looked up confused.

"I didn't want you to dance with 'a guy'…I wanted you to dance with me…I wanted to dance with you." Marco looked up and saw for the first time, a seriousness in Dylan's eyes he hadn't seen before. His body responded all over… and he was terrified.

'Was that look for me? Those eyes were full of vulnerability - and was that desire? Could it be? For me?'

"It's okay, Marco." Dylan pulled him close as their arms wrapped around each other again.

I'm crazy for you. Touch me once and you'll know it's true. I never wanted anyone like this. It's all brand new…

As the dance ended, Marco bravely looked up at Dylan, "Yeah, well…I didn't have that look because I was nervous about dancing with a guy, Dylan…I had that look because I was nervous about dancing with this guy, …with you," Marco paused, "and this is so not like dancing with a girl." Marco had enough courage to give Dylan one of his shy smiles. Dylan was amazed at Marco's unexpected openness and he felt giddy, hugging Marco to him for the last moment of the dance.

"Thank you, Mr. Del Rossi" Dylan said elegantly as he broke apart and bowed playfully to Marco.

The group re-convened as the music sped up again but Marco couldn't focus. He grabbed Ellie's hand, "I'm dying here, Ell…I'm going crazy."

Before Ellie could respond, Paige leaned over to him, smiling in her satisfied way, "So how was that dance with my brother, Mr. Nothing's Going On. I don't know who's in worse denial, you or Dylan. You were steaming up the dance floor…Can you admit it now, Marco? You like him…And he likes you too."

Marco's body was tingling and his heart wouldn't stop racing. Could he admit it? He was so aware of every touch, each point of contact. Could he deny it? Coming out was one thing, but to let himself imagine…imagine what? Kissing Dylan?... Touching Dylan?...A boyfriend? He would have no idea what to do, what that would be like. But his body was telling him that he couldn't hide anymore. The feeling was so strong.

"So what is going on between you and Dylan, Marco?" Ellie looked him straight in the eye. Marco leaned against the wall and closed his eyes. When he opened them and saw Ellie's loving and excited eyes still looking for a response, he knew he couldn't answer anything else. "I don't know, Ellie. I just completely don't know…And it freaks me out."

Later that night, Marco found himself tossing and turning in bed, unable to fall asleep. His mind was racing and his body was still wired from the night. The thought just kept repeating in his head, 'I like Dylan. I like him. He's the first guy I can see myself hooking up with. I have a crush on a Dylan and I don't think it's going to go away. It just felt so good to be dancing with him. Achh! Why can't I fall asleep?'

After an hour of trying to sleep, Marco decided he might as well turn on the computer. Maybe he'd send Ellie an e-mail, try to sort out his feelings. It was 3:30am. As he began to write, he was surprised by another pop up text message.

It was Dylan. This was not going to help him get Dylan off his mind. Sigh.

IDylan: Marco? You're up?

Baddaboom: Dylan? Yeah. What are you doing up?

IDylan: I could ask you the same question.Just couldn'tsleep, I guess…thinking about the night.

Baddaboom: Yeah, me too.

IDylan: Hey – do you have a phone in your room?

Baddaboom: Yeah, I have my cell. Why?

IDylan: Great…How about you call me on my cell? I'll put it on vibrate so we won't wake anyone up.

Baddaboom: Uh, okay…isn't it a little late?

IDylan: Yeah, but neither of us can sleep and I don't know…thought it would be nice to fall asleep on the phone….

Baddaboom: I'm smiling….and you should be vibrating.

"Hey."

"Hey. I have to whisper so my parents don't wake up and freak out."

"So what did you think of your first gay club experience?"

"Well, I think I could be convinced to go again – good music, hot guys. Can't complain…oh, and I had my first slow dance with a guy," Marco flirted.

"Oh really? How was it?...was he hot?"

"He was alright…athletic, blond curly hair, blue eyes…yeah, I'd have to say he was pretty hot."

Dylan laughed, "Seriously, Marco. I'm glad you had a good time. I had a great time too," Dylan paused, "I had a great time with you." They listened to each other breathe for a moment.

"Yeah, it's funny, you and me. How we barely knew each other two months ago, and now how we're like-"

"like best friends." Dylan finished Marco's sentence.

'Woh. I can't believe he just said that,' thought Marco. "Yeah,... like best friends."

"I think I'm ready to sleep now…thanks for calling me at 3:47am," Dylan yawned.

"Good night, Dylan."

"Good night, Marco. See you on Monday."