Stuck in the Middle

Chapter 3

The asembly lasted a little over an hour. Headmaster Redmond talked for a while about how we were going to have a great year together and went over a few changes to the school that happened over the summer. Most of what he said didn't concern me all that much, considering I had no knowledge of the teachers and buildings he mentioned.

Eventually, we were allowed to go. The second he dismissed us, the theater was filled with loud chatter of students as they tried forcing their way back outside.

I found myself moving with the rest of them, unable to stay back, even if I wanted to. Having hundreds of sweaty boys couped up together for an hour did not make me want to stay in there a second longer than I had to.

It was going to be different going to an all-boys school this year. All my other boarding schools had been co-ed. After everyone found out I was gay last year, I was suprised my parents agreed to letting me come to an all-boys school. But, then again, I guess they didn't care where I ended up, as long as they didn't have to do any real parenting.

As soon as I got outside, I felt a tap on my shoulder. I would have ignored it, figuring it was just someone knocking into me, except it was followed by a small "Hey".

I turned around to see a boy just a little taller than me. He had short brown hair and brown eyes hidden behind thick-lensed glasses similiar to my own. "Hi?"

He gave me a small, crooked smile. "Sorry, I just happened to notice you're new and you don't seem like a freshman. Figured I'd come over and introduce myself. I'm TJ."

"Spencer. And you're right, I'm a junior. Just transfered here."

He nodded. "Cool, cool. I'm also a junior. Who'd you end up rooming with? I've heard some of the combinations the computer spit out are hilarious."

"Mine doesn't seem all that funny. I think my roommates hate each other."

His eyes widened. "You're the one stuck with Marc and John, aren't you?"

I laughed. "Guess word's gotten around about that already, huh?" We both started walking together down the sidewalk. I wasn't sure where we were headed, but I didn't care. "So what's the story with them anyway?"

TJ scoffed. "Man, I don't even know anymore. John's been at this school forever and he's basically an ass to everyone. Marc transferred here last year. Almost immediately, the two of them just got on each other's nerves. I was in a couple classes with them and some of their arguments got ugly. It's like they're constantly trying to outdo each other."

"Wow." If they really were that bad, then I didn't know how I'd survive being trapped between them for the year. It was going to be a nightmare.

Neither of us said anything else for a couple minutes as we continued to walk. It really was a nice campus, full of beautiful buildings that must be rich with history.

"So," TJ said, breaking the silence. "You don't seem like you came from a typical day school. What made you want to switch to AHA?"

Now that was a long story. I opted to go for the extremely short version. "I used to attend a school that was fairly religious. One of the nuns found me and another boy in uh... compromised position."

"Yikes. But don't worry about any of that here. We have an LGBT club you can join. I'm in it. It's great. When we schedule our first meeting, you gotta come with me."

I smiled at him. "Thanks. I'd like that."

I had actually already known about the club before enrolling in the school. I needed to make sure this campus was accepting, not wanting a repeat of what happened last year. But it was very nice for TJ to offer to go with me. And it helped that he was part of the club, too. I could definitely see a friendship forming between us. Maybe more, if I ever got the nerve to speak up about my feelings.

He was cute, no doubt about it. Not in the hot, attractive way of my roommates, but in a way that reminded me of Jordan. Smart, but not arogant. Friendly, but not popular. Cute, but in an understated way.

Did I have to develop a crush on every guy I met here?

TJ suddenly stopped walking and pointed at the building we were next to. "Wanna grab some dinner? This is the dining hall."

As soon as he asked, I realized I had barely eaten anything all day. I had been too nervous about transfering this morning to eat much at breakfast, having only picked at a slice of banana bread. I didn't even touch the bowl of yogurt with granola that was laid out with it. Not that my parents' noticed. They just wanted me out of the house as quickly as possible. We never stopped for lunch on the way either, since Mom's newest diet only allowed for two small meals a day: breakfast and dinner.

The dining hall was mostly self-serve, with a bunch of different options. We'd put as much as we'd like onto our plate, then pay for it using our student ID cards and the "fake money" TJ called it from our meal plan that was part of our tuition.

As it turned out, a lot of the other students had the same idea as us. It took us a little while before we found an empty table in one of the corners. The loud chatter of everyone was a familiar sound among the unfamiliar setting.

"Move, you fucker!"

The entire room got quiet as everyone looked over to see who had yelled. I wasn't all that surprised to see both my roommates standing inches away from each other, like they were about to start brawling right there.

"You move!" Marc shouted back.

"Oh god, not this again," TJ muttered, turning back to his food.

"What's going on?" I asked.

TJ shook his head. "They probably ended up at the same table again."

I looked over at them again, but had to search to find them, since they were no longer standing up. Instead, they sat at opposite ends of a long table, with a bunch of other athletic-looking guys sitting between them, almost like a buffer.

"They're on the same sports teams, so they have mostly the same friends," TJ continued. "Makes eating meals together interesting, to say the least. You get used to their outbursts."

"Will I, though?" I muttered. It was one thing to tune them out at dinner or around campus, but living with them? I wasn't sure that was something I'd get used to.

My gaze landed on Marc. I recognized the guy sitting next to him as the one who had come up to us before the assemby. He and Marc were laughing loudly about something. Marc had a really nice smile when he laughed.

"You know," TJ said, making me tear my gaze away from Marc, "if you keep staring, people are going to catch on real quick."

"Catch on to what?"

He gave me a small smile that almost seemed pitying. "We all know how pretty those boys are but they are too straight for their own good. Don't go catching feelings, especially because you live with them."

I shook my head, letting my gaze slip over to Marc again. That was much easier said than done.