by Ian Schrauth
‘Till I Find You 2
Ian Schrauth
Copyright © 2017 by Ian Schrauth All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author.
Kurz/Pocket read edition: July 2017
This novel is a product of the author's imagination. The events described in this story never occurred. Though, Buildings and businesses may exist. This story is to only entertain readers.
Dedication
To Gary’s first readers! Brandi C and Chloe E. Thank you!
Note from the author
This book is published with the same title with Kurz, an imprint of Starboat Press. The plot is the same, but the story is shortened and the NSA scenes are removed.
“Confession isn't a point of weakness”
Maribelle, “Shout”
Part one
Preface
Last day of high school
I have been with X since we had that little “incident”. It was the last day of high school, and I was about to move on to the next part of my life.
Thank the fucking lord!
I had signed up for Jackson Community College, and I know for a fact that I will be better than this hellhole!
I was sitting in the last class of my high school life– math – and I was reading –yet again.
“So, have a good summer everyone!” The teacher praised.
Damn right I will!
She must have had good timing because the bell rang after she said that.
I rushed outside and ended up bumping into X.
“What’s the rush?” he asked.
“I want to get out of this hellhole.” I replied. Well, that was a stupid question…
“Gotcha. Come on, I’ll take you home in my car.
OK?
We walked over to his car, and we hopped in. Before he started the car, he looked at me with guilt in his eyes.
Shit…
Not good…
“What is it?” I asked.
He looked a little nerves, and then he took a deep breath. “Gary, I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“Gary, I cheated on you with someone else.”
Wait?
How could he?
“How could you?” I asked. “I thought you loved me, and only me!”
“Well, I didn't think you wanted to have sex with me, so I went to Kansas when I told you I was going to the MCMAs and had close-to-sex. He didn't hurt me in any way, we just got naked and made out.”
WHAT?!
Not only did he cheat on me, he ALSO lied to me!
That son of a bitch!
“I’m sorry, are you—”
"I don't know," I replied and got out of the car. Before I closed the door, I said, “I need some time to think about this.” And closed the door.
I got onto the bus and sat in a seat by myself. I closed my eyes and started to cry.
“Gary, what happened?” Jenny asked.
“Jordan…he…he cheated on me.”
“Oh my god!” Jenny said and sat next to me. She hugged me, and said, “What did he do?”
“He actually went to Kansas and cheated on me with someone he found online.”
“I knew he was trouble. Love is not worth it. And that applies to someone like him.”
Chapter 1
First day of college
Well, today was the first day of college. I was frightened because I didn't know if it would be like high school.
Most likely, no…
I entered the campus and looked around. The entrance led into the Communications North (English) rooms, and split up like a tree.
From the outside, it was big!
I had signed up for elementary algebra, Introduction to C#, and a class called College smarts…
It’s a required class now…
About how to get organized…
Great…
I had about thirty minutes until my first class started; so I decided to just walk around the school, get to know the place. Yeah, I got lost a couple times, but I found a room that struck my interest gem.
The school newspaper. AKA, The Gossip.
This was my chance!
I wanted to be on the school newspaper in high school, but they didn’t accept me.
Probably because they’re cliquey jerks…
But that’s in the past now…
I walked up to the room and knocked on the door. At first, there was no response, but someone opened the door.
He looked like he was one of the professors at the college.
“Hi, can I help you?” he asked.
“Hi, I’m new to this college, and I noticed that the school has a newspaper. I would be interested in joining.” I replied.
“Excellent! Come on in!”
I walked into the production room, and it was not that big of a room. Two tables with iMacs, a desk for the professor, a fucking couch, and a coffee table, and two white boards with awards on one, and a layout of the paper on the other.
The man handed me an application, and said, “Would you like to fill it out here?”
"Sure," I said.
“You can sit on this desk." He said and pointed to his desk.
"Thanks," I said and sat down. I filled out the application to the best of my ability and handed it to him.
The application was basic stuff – my school ID number, first and last name, some recommendations (I just put Tammy and Carrie) and my major.
They didn’t need anything like my social security number…
“Thanks! We’re actually having a meeting tonight at six o’clock, so you can come if you want.”
A meeting?
Probably for the new edition of the paper.
“OK. Thanks!” I said and headed to the door. “Have a good day.”
“You too.”
Well, let’s just say I had a vibe for this meeting for the rest of the day.
Chapter 2
Five forty-five I started to head to the production room. I was nerves, but excited. What would this be like? Would they accept me for my girlyness? I mean, I am a little bit flamboyant…
Maybe I’ll get a boyfriend.
Who am I? Tammy?
Wanting a boyfriend instantly from every hot guy she meets?
Fucking love-whore!
I reached the room, and there were a lot of people sitting on the couch, and a lot of people on the computers. They looked like they were doing work.
One of the girls looked at me, and said, "Hi, are you, Gary?"
How did she know my name?
Wait, I put it on the application.
Duh…
"Yea," I replied.
“Welcome! Sit anywhere!”
I walked into the room and sat down in one of the seats next to a computer. There were about ten people there, all talking to each other.
One boy was staring at me….
I had that somebody-creepily-staring-at-you feeling.
I looked over to him and waved.
He waved back and walked up to me. “Sorry about staring at you. I’m Connor.”
Holy crap! Connor, you’re fine as fuck!
Hottie alert!
‘Hi, I’m Gary.” I repined and shook his hand.
“Just wanted to introduce myself. I better get back to work.” He said.
“You’re fine. Thank you!” I said.
He walked back to his seat, and I just went on my phone. I was flicking though Facebook feeds when I overheard Connor saying something to a girl.
“You don’t know if he’s gay or not. Don’t be a creep!” she whispered.
“Maybe he is…maybe he could be like me.”
Wait…
Hold on for one moment!
Is he gay?
Oh my god, I hope he is!
“OK, let’s start the meeting!" I heard one of the girls say. She was a skinny girl, with blonde hair, a little short, and good looking for her figure. “As you may see, we have a new guy here. Why don’t you introduce yourself. But first, I'm Jesse, the editor-in-chief!"
I put my phone in my pocket, and said, “I’m Gary Heckerson.”
“Tell us about yourself.”
Bruh…
“Well…uh…I’m actually kind of dull.” I said. “Nothing special here.”
They all seemed very nice. I had a feeling that these people would be my friends for a long time.
***
“Now, we have some stories to cover. There is the LGBT event going on, and we need someone to take pictures, and someone to write an article.”
“I’ll write the article.” I offered. “When is it?”
“Thursday, at five.”
“I’ll take pictures.” Connor offered.
Oh…
I just met him, and now I should work with him!
“Good! We have that covered!” she said.
Maybe I’ll get to know him a little more.
Chapter 3
I got home around nine o’clock, and when I walked in, Mom and Jenny were watching TV.
“How was the meeting?” Mom asked, turning around to face me.
"It was good," I replied, in a dull voice.
“What’s wrong?” mom asked, sounding concerned.
“Nothing. Why?”’
“You sounded dull.”
"Nah, I'm tired," I replied and started to walk up the stairs. “Goodnight.”
“’Night.”
I could hear Jenny follow me up the stairs, and when I reached my room, she leaned on the door frame, and asked, “So, what’s the truth?”
“The truth?” I asked.
Now I was confused…
“Did you meet someone guy?”
Should I say it?
“Well, to tell the truth…Yes.”
“Oh.” She said, closed my door, rushed into my room and sat on my bed. “Details! Come on! Details!”
"Well, he's sexier than Satan with his shirt off, and—"
“Eww, but go ahead.”
“And he seems into me.”
“How do you know he’s gay?”
“Well, I overheard him talking to one of the girls, and he said, ‘Maybe he is…maybe he could be like me.’ so that was a hint.”
“Oh.” She said. “What’s his name? I’ll look him up?”
Girl!
You don't have been nosy!
“I don’t know his last name; all I know his name is Connor.”
She logged onto Facebook and tried to search for him. "Nothing." She soon said.
Well duh!
You need a last name!
I felt my phone vibrate. That was probably mom telling us to go to bed.
But I was wrong…I was so wrong…
It was a Facebook notification.
** Connor Kerth wants to be your friend **
“Hey miss nosy, his last name is Kerth.” I said.
“How do you—”
“He just added me on Facebook.”
She hopped off the bed and walked over to my phone. She grabbed it from my hand and started to scroll through his profile. “Holy crap! You weren’t joking when you said he was hot!
Girl!
I never lie about hot guys!
“I told you.” I sand.
“Well, maybe you’ll get a new boyfriend.”
God, I hope not…
Chapter 4
Thursday
Connor and I walked into the classroom with a notepad in my hand and a camera in his. The classroom wasn’t that big. I mean, it was the size of an average high school classroom.
There was a table at one end that had snacks and drinks, and there was a circle of tables lined up, so people could talk.
“Welcome! Are you here for the club?” what seemed to be the professor asked.
"We're here with the school newspaper, and we're going to do an article on the LGBT club," I said.
“Well, you’re more than welcome here.” One of the club members said in a girly voice.
A voice like mine…
He reached his hand out to me and swung his hip to the side. "I'm D, by the way."
Does D want the D?
Tell me you got that joke…
“Hi, I’m Gary.” Is and shook his hand.”
Connor then introduced himself, and D said, “Well, if you want to join, we will welcome you with wide arms!” he said with a smile.
"Thanks," Connor replied.
Brian went back to his spot where he sat, and we proceeded to take pictures and occasionally ask some questions about the club.
***
"Well, that club seemed very…happy," I said as we walked out of the classroom. The club was over, and we decided to stay a little bit.
A little bit turned to a long time.
“Yeah, but at least we got some good pictures and a good story line," Connor said, trying to sound like he was cheering me up.
We reached the newsroom, and there was nobody there. They were probably all in class.
I sat down next to him at his computer, and he pulled up the images. One by one, we looked through them. They were all very good.
He was a great photographer!
“You’re good at taking pictures!” I said.
“Thanks, I want to be a photographer when I get older.” He replied, happiness in his voice. “I’ve never been told my photos are good before.”
He smiled at me, and then turned back to the computer.
Chapter 5
The next day was raining, and I had no school that day. For the main reason of that I had no classes.
It was time for me to go to work and I walked out of the house in my Taco Bell uniform, and headed to work. I work with Tammy and her sister at Taco bell.
When I arrived at the restaurant, I got out of my car and walked in. I had a fucking 8 A.M. until 4 P.M. shift today.
Fuck waking up early in the morning!
But Tammy had it worse…She had to wake up and OPEN the restaurant with the manager! And she had to be there by 5 A.M!
AND unload truck!
How do they do it?
I walked in, and I walked to the back. The assistant manager, Tony, was frying chips, while Tammy was Making Pico De Gallo.
“Morning.” I sand as I walked to the break room.
“Good morning.” They both said at the same time.
“How are you?” Tammy asked.
“Tired, but alive.” I said and put my stuff in the break room. I walked over to the computer, and clocked in. but before I clocked in, I got a Facebook notification.
From Connor.
** Hey. **
Did he want to talk this early in the morning?
** Hey, at work atm. Can we talk later? **
** Sure.**
“Who was that?” Tammy asked as she threw away her gloves.
“That was someone I met in college.” I replied.
“Who?”
“His name is Connor.” I replied.
“Let me guess…he’s gay.”
Why does everyone say that? Just because I came out, doesn’t mean every guy I meet is gay!
“You guessed it sister.”
“Oh my god! What about Jo—“
“Get this. He cheated on me and I dumped him.”
I walked back to do my daily morning stuff (Prepare line), and Tammy followed me. “Wait, so he cheated on you?”
“Who?” Tony asked.
“My boyfriend. He cheated on me with some fucking whore from Kansas, and told me on the last day of school!”
“Wait, you broke up on the last day of school, and you didn’t
tell me?” Tammy sassed.
“Sort of. I tried, but I just would start crying.”
“Oh.”
“There’s a lot of fish in the sea.” Tony said and pulled up the freshly fried chips. “You’ll find someone else.”
"Yeah." I replied and started to set up the line.
While I was setting up the line, Tammy helped me, and we started to talk.
“So, who is this new guy?” she asked.
"Well, his name is Connor, and we met on the school newspaper," I replied.
“O-La-La!” she said. “I bet he’s hot!”
“He is.” I replied. “And I bet he’s still a virgin…Unlike Jordan. I bet Justin is still a virgin!” I said.
She just looked at me. “He had sex when he was with his first girlfriend.”
First girlfriend?
“When was this?” I asked.
“Back in 2013.”
“Oh.”
“OK, enough talking.” Tony said. “To work!”
Chapter 6
I got home from the long day at work, and I walked into my room to get changed out of the beef-covered uniform I had on. I changed into something more comfortable (And not beef covered) and headed to my computer.
I logged onto Facebook, and pulled up the chat from Connor.
Him: Hey, how’s it going?
Me: It's doing good.
Just got off work.
Him: Lol , fun
Me: Ikr
Him: Yeah. Hey, I want
2 ask u something
Me: What?
Him: Wanna go see a
Movie sometime?
Did this guy just ask me to go to a movie with him?
Me: Sure! When do you
Want to go?
Him: I kina want to c