Dearan was shocked into silence, he had always wanted to be a writer, what with little human contact, and the ability to express himself through written words, which he could do very well. Stephan on the other hand, answered eagerly right away, “I would love to go, would this be through the school? What is the price? When would this be How long would this be? What would the everyday schedule be like?”

After Ms Alexis recovered from laughing at the rapid-fire questions, “We would have to say that you two are friends of mine and that is why we are traveling together, so not through the school. I can, however, give you extra credit for going to the forums. It would be $150, sorry boys, electric charge for cars ain’t cheap, well it is, but, and hotels take money. This would be from January 31st to February 2nd. The drive is about seven hours without traffic. You two would have to share a hotel room-actually we could bring the price down to $90 a piece if you two are okay with sharing a bed. Yes, that would include food but not any extra things you want to get like sweaters, I don’t know what kids like.”

Dearan collected his thoughts enough to answer, “Sounds good to me, I would be fine sharing a bed, especially if it doesn’t put my wallet on a diet. I will add to and fix up my Aimer Ou Pas, I think that was my best short story… or I could just start a new story, or I could submit a plan for a long story and Aimer Ou Pas?”

“I think the last one. Maybe a preface or the first chapter too because it would show how well you can paint pictures with words.”

“I am fine with all of the details of the trip, and I am okay without sharing a bed as well,” Stephan added, confused by the words aimer ou pas that Dearan had mentioned earlier.

“Okay, great! I will pull some of my contacts, contact some of my strings see who we can meet with while there! Now if you boys don’t mind, mama needs some coffee!” Ms Alexis said, her formal teacher vocabulary dropping. She quickly walked out of the room with a laugh, once again leaving the boys alone.

“So-” they both started at the same time.

“You go fir-,” they again said in sync.

“Okay, I am talking first!” Dearan said really quickly, before Stephan could speak again. “You really don’t have to worry about how I am treated, we barely know each other. I think it is really cool that you want to be a publisher by the way!”

“Thanks, and we will discuss whether I should have stood up for you whether I knew you or not, on the drive over? I have strong feelings about things like this and it will take a long drive to communicate them all,” Stephan said with a very attractive smirk that said ‘kid you will lose this debate.’ Tilting his head 30 degrees, in a way that just enticed Dearan, Stephan continued, “What does aim ooo pas mean?”

“Aimer Ou Pas is French for To Love or Not, which was my favorite of my short stories. It is a boys’ love romance story.” At Stephan’s slightly open-in-awe mouth, Dearan added, “My father’s family is from France, so when I speak to them I need to speak in French. Which means, je parle français. Tu ne parle pas français oui?”

“Um wow, cool beans,” Stephan said, looking back down at his laptop “Um I should go back to uh… doing my homework, which is definitely not due today… no that would mean I am procrastinating to avoid doing my- you know what, I am going to shut up now.”

Dearan thought back, trying to figure out if he had done something wrong while they were talking, that would have caused the larger male’s change in attitude.

**

As people began coming in they acted as magnets towards Stephan as if he was their iron. As they crowded around him, Dearan thought ‘how can someone so popular be so kind, and to someone like me too? Maybe he just wants to blow off some closeted gay steam and I seem like an available ass… no he doesn’t seem that way, he wouldn’t treat someone like a glove right? Taking them on and off with please.’