Freshman Year Roommate, Part 9
Everyone is over 18 years of age
I was so happy. John and I were back together after the winter break. Classes had started, but that's not what made me so happy.
We made love all the time, and while there were some quick fucks and blowjobs when that's all we had time for, we really did make love a lot. This was something special, and we knew it. Compared to my high school adventures, this was like a steak dinner when all I'd been having was hot dogs. He said essentially the same thing, that he was very happy and hadn't experienced anything this intense before.
For better or worse, it seemed that others had noticed, too. Some well-meaning friends had quietly told us that we weren't fooling anyone. We started with denial. For better or worse, that was our knee-jerk reaction. But then one of John's female friends said, "Hey, I'm happy for you, but you have to know the whole world can see it. You don't have to be making out on the quad. Just the way you look at each other in the cafeteria looks like something out of a romance novel. There's no way you can hide that kind of love."
Speaking of his female friends, that was something he had. Lots of female friends. Male friends, too. I'd started to get used to that. I guess when you look like he does--and are as nice as he is--lots of people want to be your friend. I don't mean that to minimize those friendships, but he sure did attract people.
Anyhow, we'd been warned. I had fewer friends, although we were developing a circle of "our friends," since we hung out so much. If it was a nice, sunny day and warm enough to be outside, we'd often sit on the quad together and study. One day in particular, when it was unusually warm for this time of year, about a month or two into the new semester, we'd spread a blanket on the grass and were just sitting there reading, when two ROTC guys I'd met another time with him came strolling by. If I remembered right, they were Frank and Steve. They stopped to say hi, but I could feel more hostility this time, particularly from Steve.
And sure enough, Steve said, "afternoon, ladies." John didn't move. Just glanced up and said, "watch yourself, Steve-o, or this lady might kick your ass." I wasn't used to this from John, but I thought maybe this was some kind of ROTC machismo. And the nonchalant way John said it made it sound even more ominous. Like kicking ass wouldn't even require his working up a sweat.
Steve apparently felt threatened by our existence, so he kept going. "You two on a date?"
John was too smart for this schmuck. "And if we are? You want to join us?"
"No, I'm good, but I hope you know how gay you two look."
John sighed. "First, none of your fucking business. Second, this behavior could get you in trouble, not me. Check the year, dumbass. And finally, we're studying. There's nothing gay about any of this."
"Looks pretty gay to me."
John stood up. So I stood up, too. Not that I really felt like I could do much in a fight, but I wasn't going to just sit there while he defended our honor. And then, John said, "since you're wearing your ignorance like a badge of honor, let me help educate you. That's not gay. This is." And with that, he grabbed me and gave me a kiss like in the hottest Hollywood romance scene.
Clearly, Steve had no idea what to do now. He was turning red, whether out of embarrassment or anger, I couldn't be sure, but he obviously knew John had bested him without the need for violence.
Steve was muttering, "sick."
"No, Steve, just a healthy human relationship. I hope you grow and can have such happiness some day. But for now, how about you fuck off?"
With that, his friend Frank, who looked less upset but still uncomfortable, like he might catch the gayness, grabbed him by the arm and said, "come on, let's go."
Thankfully, that's as far as it went. Part of me wanted John to punch Steve, but John was smarter than that, and I knew it. Talking the situation down was the right thing to do.
I said, "So I suppose you know, the cat's really out of the bag now."
John laughed. "Ya think?"
We dropped back down on the blanket and laughed together, as much from nerves as amusement.
He added, "funny thing is, this makes me feel better. I don't like hiding. It's time. I'm proud to be with you. Whether that makes me bi or gay, who cares? Let the world know! What matters is that I'm with you. To hell with the labels!"
He stood up again. What was he doing now?
At the top of his lungs, he yelled, "Jess is mine, and I'm the luckiest man in the world!"
"Get back down here, you nut!"
And he did. We just sat and looked at each other for a minute. Then we lay back on the blanket, and my left hand found his right. Time to close our eyes for a quiet break.
A little while later, the sun went away. We opened our eyes to find it wasn't clouds that caused it. Rather, it was three huge football players. Even at this high-achievers university, we had our hardcore jocks. Well, these three apparently wanted something.
One of them just said, "John."
We didn't get up at this point. John just said, "Ty." I'd learn later that they knew each other from some parties they'd been at.
"We could hear your shouting all over the campus. Jesus, man."
"What business is it of yours?"
