by Felix Brooks
“You’re from Pennsylvania?” Waseem asked.
“Maryland, but I was going to school there. Huge mistake. I stuck it out for three semesters because they had offered me a scholarship. But I was so unhappy, I just couldn’t. So I loaded up on student loans like everyone else, and here I am!”
Claire was the most upbeat person Waseem had ever met. Or maybe she was just nervous and talking too much. Either way, she made him smile. His heart lightened a little.
Then it crossed his mind that Brent might like her, too. Waseem’s stomach clenched. Introducing the object of his desire to pretty girls—that wasn’t high on his agenda. But no point in resisting. Brent wanted to date. Waseem wouldn’t get in the way of that.
As they approached the track, Emmett and Demonté—Amber’s boyfriend—were walking toward them from the frat house. Emmett’s star power was evident even when he was at a distance, striding across the quad in gray sweats with the confidence of a king processing through his court.
Whereas Demonté was all swagger. He was a sophomore, a wide receiver like Waseem, with more ego than he had a right to. But he was talented and a hard worker, and his abilities would likely catch up to his high opinion of himself before too long.
Claire stopped and stared, mouth falling open. The rest of them waited with her, because she clearly wasn’t moving. She was awe-struck. That happened a lot around Emmett.
She shook his hand as Jake introduced them. “I can’t believe…Emmett Cross…huge fan.” She sucked in air too fast, hyperventilating.
Waseem put his arm around her. “Exhale,” he said. “Take shallow breaths, then blow out slowly.”
Once she had calmed down, Emmett stood on her other side while Jake took a photo with her phone.
As Emmett gave her the promised autograph, Waseem caught sight of Brent and Niels Juergensen heading toward them from off-campus. Apparently Brent’s dad had done some financial wizardry that made it cheaper for Brent to live in a one-bedroom apartment than to pay dorm fees. Considering how cheap it was to live in the dorms, Waseem didn’t see how it was worth filling out the extra forms. But whatever. Brent’s dad was the expert.
Waseem introduced Brent and Niels to Claire, and Niels chatted her up. She giggled a lot. Which was fine with Waseem. But Brent looked a little put out about it.
Waseem pointed her toward the student union, and she went on her way. The rest of them headed down the stadium steps to the track that ran around the football field.
They finished their warm-up, which apparently required a lot of kissing by the two couples in attendance. Some big frat meeting had kept them apart the night before.
Not that Waseem was jealous. But seeing his friends coupled up made it more painful to be around Brent. Fortunately, with Niels there, Waseem felt like less of a loser. Because that guy was totally a loser.
They got underway. Amber said to Brent, “I’m sorry about you and Karen. You doing okay?”
Brent kept pace beside her. “It happens. I should have realized a high school relationship wouldn’t last forever.”
“My sister married her high school sweetheart,” Demonté argued.
Amber arched her brows. “I wouldn’t put much stock in that,” she said dryly. “It hasn’t been forever yet.”
Waseem chuckled softly. Demonté was naïve and trusting, but Amber had a healthy dose of skepticism. She helped keep him out of trouble.
“You have any single friends?” Brent asked her. “Someone who might like a piece of this?”
She glanced over at him. “What exactly are we talking about? Because you’re on the rebound, and I’m not setting up a friend of mine to get her heart broken. But if you’re just looking for a booty call, I might be able to hook you up.”
“I’m not on the rebound,” Brent said, sounding annoyed.
Waseem had heard that song before—and listening to Brent’s plans for getting laid was not on his to-do list. So he ran up ahead to catch Emmett and Jake.
Niels was with them, too. He was tall and muscular with sharp Nordic features. Come to think of it, he and Brent were a similar type physically—but they were so different personality-wise that Waseem couldn’t even imagine being attracted to Niels. The guy was loud and ultra-competitive and never seemed to relax.
“Six weeks until the trials,” Niels said to Emmett.
“You don’t need to remind me of that.” Emmett’s voice was dry and emotionless. It had to be difficult for him to think of anything else. Expected to be a second or third round draft pick, he was training hard to keep in peak condition.
“It wouldn’t hurt you to go through the paces,” Waseem said to Niels, “if you want a chance to go pro next year. I could set up some workout routines. You and Emmett could train together.”
“That might be okay,” Niels said. “Maybe Brent could join us, too.”
That caught Waseem off guard. Spending more time with Brent was not a good idea for him. He needed to get the guy off his mind. “Wide receivers are tested on different skills than quarterbacks.”
But as soon as the words left his mouth, Waseem felt like a jerk. He didn’t want to exclude Brent, even if his gut twisted a little every time he saw the guy. “But that would be okay, I guess. If he’s interested.”
Jake wagged his head and said to Emmett in a gloomy voice, “Does that mean I’ll see even less of you?”
“I’ll always make time for you, babe.” Emmett gave him a sweet smile.
It was adorable. The big, tough, arrogant quarterback was smitten by the hot little twink. Although Jake hated being called that. A biochem major, he was hoping to go to grad school at Berkeley.
Waseem grew more anxious to talk to Jake about his struggles with Brent. Jake was a good listener. If Waseem aired his feelings, he might get over them sooner.
Or maybe he should just get laid.
Weirdly, the thought kind of disgusted him. He felt bonded to Brent somehow. Which was stupid. There was nothing between them except in Waseem’s mind.
Waseem picked up the pace, pulling ahead of the others. He was the fastest guy on the team and could only hold back for so long. He liked the feel of the air in his lungs, his heart pumping, his muscles working. Focusing on his body helped clear his mind.
After they finished their run, he and Jake went back to the dorm and showered. They didn’t have classes until later in the day, so Waseem dressed and went to Jake’s room, down the hall from his own.
The room was basically a box like all the other single-occupant rooms on the top floor, reserved for seniors. Bed, desk, dresser, closet. Jake also had a mini-fridge, and he’d decorated the place with some souvenirs he’d gotten on a trip he’d taken with his grandmother to Machu Picchu as a teenager.
Waseem sat on the bed and confessed to Jake what had happened between him and Brent on New Year’s.
“It was his idea,” Waseem said. “I wouldn’t suggest that to a straight guy. But I wanted it. I couldn’t say no.”
“And he was casual about it?”
“Yeah. Apparently he’s done it before.” Waseem bounced on Jake’s mattress. “I can’t stop thinking about it. I’ve always thought he was hot, but I’ve been able to control it. Now…I don’t know, man, I think I might be falling for him.”
Jake, sitting at the desk, scowled and gave him a stern look. “You know falling for a straight guy is completely hopeless, right? Unless, say, he turns out to be bisexual and shoves his tongue down your throat at a gay bar.” Jake smirked. Because that was exactly what had happened with him and Emmett.
“I can’t help wondering…” Waseem couldn’t finish the sentence. He didn’t dare let himself hope. Because if he went there, it would only be harder to get over these misdirected feelings.
He forced the images of Brent out of his mind. He needed a distraction, preferably one with a big dick and a tight ass. “Maybe we could go to the Parrot sometime, just the two of us, like before you and Emmett hooked up.”
“Sure.
I’ll check with Emmett about his schedule. I’m sure he’s got some frat thing coming up some evening soon.”
Jake and Emmett wanted to spend as much time together as possible while they still could. They didn’t know yet where Emmett would end up playing, or where Jake would go to grad school. After graduation, they’d probably be separated for weeks or months at a time until Jake got his PhD.
Waseem understood. But the fact was, they were his best friends, and he would be separated from them, too. Chances were slim that either of them would stay in North Carolina.
Waseem had loved his time at Coastal, and now it was slipping away. Time to start a new life and leave his friends behind. In another year, Brent would be just one more memory of Coastal, a past he couldn’t bring back.
Emotion clogged his throat. He brushed his hand against his chest, a stabbing pain gripping him. He was tight with Emmett and Jake—they would be part of his future regardless of geography. But Brent? Chances were, things would fade away between them.
Maybe that was for the best. Waseem’s feelings were hopeless, anyway. Seeing Brent just made everything worse.
Jake sat beside him. “I’ve never seen you this sad, except maybe when you and Garon broke up. You know you’re welcome to hang out with Emmett and me anytime.”
“I know. And it’s not like I don’t have other friends.” He shook his head. “Everything’s changing, and I don’t want it to change.”
“Me neither. At least you get to be done with school. I’ve got six years to go before I get my PhD.”
“But your boyfriend will be earning a pro football salary, so don’t expect any sympathy from me.”
Jake beamed but shook his head. “Don’t start counting chickens yet. I won’t feel comfortable until that signing bonus is wired to his bank account.”
Waseem nodded. He got it. An injury was still possible. And if Emmett didn’t do well in the scouting trials, it would be a great excuse not to sign the bisexual dude. “And meanwhile,” Waseem said, “I need to look for coaching jobs. I’m kind of wishing now that I’d kept my orientation secret. It’ll get in the way.”
“But otherwise, after they hired you, you’d worry they’d find out.”
Waseem shrugged. “I guess that’s true.”
Jake put his hand on Waseem’s shoulder. “I hate to see you like this. You’re usually the happiest guy I know.”
“A gay Muslim high school football coach, in the Bible Belt? I must be crazy.”
Jake chuckled. “You check off three diversity boxes in a role that’s generally dominated by straight, white Christians. Some school will love you.”
“Very funny.”
“I’m not completely kidding.”
Waseem hugged himself. He couldn’t shake this sense of being alone. “I feel like my best days are behind me.”
Jake shouldered him. “You’re twenty-two years old—strong, healthy, attractive—your life is just starting. You’ve never even been in love. Leaving college will be hard, but you’ll find something. You’ll have an education degree. Teaching jobs are abundant. If you can’t find a coaching gig at a school, maybe some private organization would hire you part-time.”
“Maybe.” It wasn’t exactly what Waseem wanted, but Jake was right. Not like Waseem would starve. Especially since his parents owned a chain of grocery stores. Ha, ha.
He fist-bumped Jake, then rose. He needed time alone to think.
Heading to his room, he’d barely stepped inside when a text came from Brent. Amber’s setting up a friends get-together to help me find a woman. You in?
And just like that, Waseem’s day went from bad to worse.
Chapter 4
Brent and his BFF Paige walked the two blocks from his off-campus apartment to the Italian restaurant where they were meeting friends. “This is a terrible idea,” Brent said.
“The idea was entirely yours, so…” She sighed. “Look, if you want to date, then it’s time to learn how. It’s a shame you didn’t while you were a teenager, and instead rushed into a committed relationship. But this is where we are, and you’ve got to start somewhere.”
“Oh, I rushed into a committed relationship? I thought that was you.”
She smirked.
Paige was a sculptor majoring in graphic and visual arts. Brent had known her since freshman year, when they bonded over their mutual addiction to Supernatural. They found it convenient when people started mistaking them for boyfriend and girlfriend, instead of assuming they were single. Less need to explain themselves, or in Paige’s case, fight off unwanted advances.
Paige was still dating her high school sweetheart, Holly. Having grown up in a small town, she’d found the campus overwhelming at first. She was pretty, with shoulder-length auburn hair that curled back away from her face. She used to get hit on a lot, until Brent rescued her.
Now, she was no longer the wide-eyed girl she had been when they met. Confident and poised, she could warn off guys with a look. No one messed with her anymore.
They entered the restaurant. Waseem was there with Claire, as well as Jake’s friend Seth, and a blonde Brent didn’t know. He’d seen her around campus but had never met her. Nice body, with curves in all the right places, and a sweet smile.
Waseem rose as they approached. “Hey, Paige, it’s been a while. Good to see you.” He hugged her, and she squeezed him back. They weren’t close friends or anything, but Brent liked how they showed affection for one another.
Waseem motioned toward the blonde. “Have you two met Glenda?”
She rose and shook their hands. She was short with a round face and tentative smile. Her floral dress brought out the green in her hazel eyes. She seemed friendly but not overwhelming.
Which was good, because when it came to girls, Brent was easily overwhelmed.
“I’ve seen you guys around since freshman orientation,” Glenda said in a melodic voice. “Nice to finally talk to you.”
“How do you know Waseem?” Brent asked.
“I live in Harmony Hall, down a floor. Amber and I are good friends. But I just got a text from her,” Glenda said in a mocking tone, holding up her phone, “saying she and Demonté can’t make it. Which probably means he talked her into having sex instead.”
Brent smiled. Amber was a serious person, but Demonté had a way of lightening her up.
“At least she’s got her priorities straight,” Paige said.
Waseem chuckled, low and sexy, and a strange tickling grew in Brent’s belly. Maybe he was hungry? He sat and picked up a menu, and the feeling soon passed.
“Hey, Seth,” Brent said to the guy sitting between him and Glenda. Seth Bearfoot was tall and slim with dark hair and eyes, his complexion a ruddy brown. He wore a trim beard and wire-rim glasses. It gave the impression he was hiding from the world. Maybe he was, because he spent a lot of time in the astronomy lab. He and Brent had a friendly relationship, though, even if they weren’t close.
“Good to see you,” Seth said.
“How did you get roped into this?” Brent asked.
“Amber says I need to get out more, and Jake talked me into it.” He looked back at his menu.
Brent had learned that the way to get Seth talking was to ask about his work. “Anything new with the Cassini mission?”
“There’s always something new, but not necessarily anything that would interest lay people. I feel a sense of urgency, because twenty years after the launch, the spacecraft is set to fly into Saturn on September 15. The Jet Propulsion Lab doesn’t want it to accidentally land on one of Saturn’s moons, in case there’s life there. So the best course is for it to fly into the planet, since Saturn itself doesn’t have the conditions for life. It’s mostly just hydrogen and helium. And anyway, Cassini will just burn up in the atmosphere.”
“I’ve seen some of the pictures from Cassini,” Brent said. “They almost don’t look real.”
“I know, right? Stunningly beautiful. The ring system takes my breath away.”
They were interrupted when the waitress came and took their drink order. No sooner had she stepped away than the door opened and Niels headed toward them. He pulled out a chair from another table, and it screeched across the linoleum. “Hi guys,” he said as he sat between Glenda and Claire.
“Who invited you?” Waseem asked.
“Demonté.”
Waseem shook his head. “What you mean is, you asked if you could come, and Demonté said yes.”
Niels shrugged. “What do you say, a round of beers?”
“We already ordered a couple pitchers of iced tea,” Brent said. “Waseem doesn’t drink, and I’m guessing Claire’s underage.”
“Guilty,” Claire replied. “Another year.”
“You guys are so boring.”
“No one even invited you,” Brent joked. He liked Niels okay—he was a good guy in all the ways that mattered. But he was an asshole. Which was maybe a way of saying he got what he wanted because he didn’t worry what other people thought of him.
Brent wasn’t sure how he felt about a loud-mouth like Niels muscling in. The night was supposed to be about Brent learning how to talk to women he wanted to date, and maybe figuring out a little more about his sexuality.
He didn’t know whether he was ace. Karen’s words kept echoing inside his head, until he couldn’t think straight. And Niels’ presence wasn’t likely to help, either.
“So Claire,” Waseem asked, “why did you transfer to Coastal?”
“I was at this little college in Pittsburgh that was desperate for female engineering students. They offered me a full-tuition scholarship, and how could I say no? When I got there, I realized why they have so few women. The entire department is this toxic atmosphere of misogyny. But I thought, hey, I can be strong, I’m not going to let them drive me away. Until I realized, why should I stay in the cold and the snow, when I could go to college on a beach somewhere? I don’t have anything to prove. This is my life. I’m going to live it the way I want. And my parents totally supported me. When my dad heard some of the stories, he said, ‘No one treats my pumpkin like that,’ and sent an angry letter to the dean. I don’t know whether anything will happen because of it, but it’s not my problem anymore.”