Thank you so much for the reviews. I'm excited because people seem to be hopping from one story to the next. Keep reading and reviewing! It keeps me writing…
One very interesting thing is the number of reviewers who are concerned about Marco and Dylan not being together (even though most seem to like the Southern accent). Here's what I'll say…Marco is exploring and facing the challenges of first year university. He will have new loves and new experiences but Dylan is in this story and you will see their friendship develop…as for more…well, I guess you'll have to keep reading to find out.
Chapter 2: The Sound of Silence
Marco laughed at himself as he huffed and chuffed his way up the hill to check out the McGill gym during his second week of school. He figured it was time to bring out his well rested gym clothes when he found himself out of breath on his way up to residence each day. I mean, if he wanted to be any use to his soccer team at all…The gym was bustling and noisy, perfect for creating that anonymity and much needed zoning time, as Marco hopped on to the first free tread mill and stuck his ipod ear phones into his ears. No one had to know he was a closeted Backstreet Boys fan.
After running for fifteen minutes and contemplating his topic for his sociology of gender essay, his thoughts were abruptly interrupted by the straight, dirty blond hair and aqua green eyes focused intently on lifting the bar of the bench press a few metres in front of him. Drew. He was thin, not totally built like Dylan, but with perfectly defined muscles. A runner's body, Marco mused. 'He is hot,' Marco smiled to himself. 'Uh oh. He just saw me.' Drew smiled when he made eye contact with Marco on the treadmill, and he got up from the bench, walking towards him. 'Why is he coming over here? Ahh - I am all sweaty and check out these crusty gym clothes…Wait. Okay, Marco. Straight boy doesn't care, remember? How much do you care when Ellie is sweaty in an old t-shirt? Right. So he cares less than that.'
"Hey Marco."
"Hey Drew. Good workout?"
"Not bad. The gym's pretty good, I've been a couple of times."
Marco stepped off the treadmill as the 20 minute beep stopped the machine, "This is my first time…which you can probably tell given how breathless I am after 20 minutes of running," Marco laughed, blushing despite himself.
"Hey, I don't know if you're finished your workout but I was going to go for coffee at the Alley if you want to come by."
"Coffee? Sure, cool. I want to do some weights first but I can come by when I'm done."
"Great. See you then."
Marco laughed at himself as he walked to the weight machines, knowing that his desire to finish his workout was only surpassed by his desire not to be in the changeroom at the same time as Drew.
Showered, and back in his faded jeans and classic t-shirt over long-sleeved-body-defining shirt, Marco felt much more at ease as he sat down with his cappuccino across from Drew at the McGill café.
"I am so out of shape," Marco laughed at himself, "so anyways, how are your classes?"
"You know, first year science - calculus, bio, chem, physics. How much fun could it be? I do have a music elective, though, intro to jazz, which is my saving grace. What about you? You're in arts, right?"
"Yeah. I'm kind of doing a combo to leave my options open…but honestly, the arts courses are way cooler. I mean calculus versus sociology of gender. Easy choice."
"What's that about?"
"The sociology class? Oh. Well, we're looking at how gender has been socially constructed by society – like, I don't know, how from a very young age, even birth, we set out expectations - like pink for girls and blue for boys – that shape how we perceive we're supposed to be in society…I never got to take anything like it in highschool. There's even a section on how sexual orientation is constructed for us…which I guess is going to be about how we're taught from a young age to be straight…even if we're not," Marco chuckled, paying close to attention to whether Drew was comfortable with the conversation. He had always been cool in a group, but Drew was quiet and they had never really spent time alone in a real conversation before and he didn't want to make him uncomfortable. But Drew, as always, was listening carefully and quietly, absorbing Marco's explanations.
A moment of silence. "Marco, when you came out, how did your friends react? …I mean, like you were just saying that everyone of course assumes you're straight…And if you don't want to talk about it, that's totally cool. I'm pretty quiet myself, so I don't mind if you're-"
"No. Hey…like I said at the floor meeting, I don't mind talking about it. And I'm not uncomfortable," Marco quickly interjected, secretly glad that Drew seemed to actually want to get to know him. Marco told Drew about Ellie, their intense friendship and brief romance, and that it sucked to hurt her, about Paige and Jimmy's solid friendship, and Spinner's homophobia turned big ally that meant so much to him. "But yeah…everyone assumed I was straight before I came out to them. Well, almost everyone…except for Dylan. Apparently he asked Paige the day I met him if I was gay…He was the first real gay guy I met, and I would so have not been ready to answer that question if he had asked me." Marco smiled at Drew and shrugged his shoulders, "guess I've come a long way."
"Well, even if you weren't ready at first, it sounds like things worked out with Dylan."
"Yeah…I guess if it's meant to be, it's meant to be."
Marco had agreed to do his calculus homework with Drew after dinner, but hadn't been able to eat with him and the rest of his floor because he had to finish registering for courses. As he made his way back into his residence, he rolled his eyes as he found himself in a small elevator with the oh so charming football guys from his floor. Marco stared at the ceiling.
"Nice bandana, fag," one of the dicks said. He didn't know which one.
"You're criticizing my sense of style?... Right." Marco quickly exited when the doors opened, cursing under his breath as he walked to his room.
"Hey Marco." Marco looked down to see Drew with his head buried in his math textbook sitting in the hall by his door. "Calc homework?"
"Oh, right. Right. Sure. Come on in."
Marco took out his text and sat down at his desk, still thinking about the incident. Okay – integration. Integration. Focus. Drew was sitting on his bed, buried in a problem.
"Marco?"
"Yeah?"
"How did you know you were gay?"
"What? Me?" Marco looked irritated and distracted, "Uh, I don't know, Drew. Same way you knew you were straight," Marco snapped, slightly annoyed from the night's events. He heard a textbook close shut and looked up as Drew stood up and moved to leave his room.
"What? Drew? Where are you going?" Marco looked confused and Drew looked at him silently for a moment, thinking about what to say next.
"What if, Marco,..." Drew paused, "that's something I never knew."
Drew was gone down the hall before Marco had even registered his own reaction.
'What? …Did he just say that?... Was I just that rude to him?...Should I follow him?...Questioning his sexuality – Drew? I am so oblivious…I need to talk to someone…Dylan.' He turned on his computer.
Baddaboom: Dylan? You around?
IDylan: Marco - Hey sexy…nice to hear from you…loved your e-mail the other day. Quite the shower scene. Smiles flirtatiously. Have you converted the straight guy yet?
Baddaboom: Well, funny you should ask, actually. …I kind of just screwed up big time. The "straight guy", Drew, was trying to ask me about how I knew I was gay. I was annoyed from an unfortunate sighting of the dicks, and I was kind of snarky when I answered like "dumb question - the same way you knew you were straight". Drew just got up and left my room, but only after he said that, well…that that was something he never knew….So yeah. Now I'm not sure he's every going to talk to me again…And he may not even be straight. How much does that suck?
IDylan: Marco. Hello - How much does that NOT suck!…Of course he's going to talk to you again…he's questioning his sexuality and you're his only gay friend. And Marco…let it register. He is not straight. Not straight. He's cute and intriguing, and oh yeah…not straight. Now go talk to him and apologize.
Baddaboom: Don't get me too excited, Dylan. We don't know he's not straight. We just know that he's not sure he's straight…But thanks.
IDylan: I can't pretend I'm not a little bit jealous…but you definitely deserve some excitement and fun.
Baddaboom: Please Dylan…the guy just isn't sure he's straight. He hasn't asked me to be his guinea pig…not that I would mind. Smiles.
IDylan: He may not have asked yet…but you taught me not to underestimate you, Marco.
Marco was still in shock when he said goodnight to Dylan and began walking down the hall to Drew's room.
"Marco!" A giggly Ellie jumped out of Dan's room and grabbed him pulling him in. Drew, Dan, Ellie and the sweet smoke of burning pot coming from the joint in between Dan's lips.
"Ellie – you are so high," Marco laughed staring at her blood shot, unfocused eyes.
"I so am and you know what, Marco?...It is so fun." Ellie giggled, handing Marco the joint.
"What the hell?" Marco said half to the group and half to himself, "I need to relax after this day." Marco looked sheepishly at Drew but quickly looked away, afraid to make eye contact.
When Ellie went to grab the Oreos from her room, and Dan was lying on his bed, completely high singing loudly to the Doors soundtrack, Marco walked over to Drew sitting on the window sill.
"Look Drew," Drew looked right at him, intently listening as always, "I'm sorry I snapped at you. I was in a bad mood because Rich and Joe made another comment in the elevator."
"Nah. It was a dumb question."
"No. It wasn't…not at all. And if you're questioning," Marco made sure to keep his voice at a whisper, carefully eyeing Dan who seemed to still be in a trance with the music, "well, that's cool. And I'm here."
Drew looked at Marco for a second more and nodded in acknowledgement, as Ellie walked back into the room.
"Oreos have never tasted so good… Yumm…have some, Marco. Drew."
"No thanks, Ell. I just ate dinner."
"Marco. You are so not high enough…you need another drag…And how about giving me a massage?" Ellie insisted.
"A massage?"
"Please Marco… you know I love your massages," Ellie sat herself down in front of Marco, legs crossed.
Drew took another drag. "Yeah, Marco. You give Ellie a massage and I'll give you a massage. Then we can switch directions."
Ellie looked amusedly at Marco, knowing she was going to get her massage. "Uh…okay." Marco began massaging Ellie's back, practically unaware of the distinction between his own and his best friend's body. His own mind was focused on the clearly strong hands now massaging his back.
"Is this okay?" Drew asked, "too much pressure? Not enough?"
"No," Marco answered, "it's perfect."
Even though it had been Drew's idea, they never switched directions.