Chapter Two - Someone Out And Proud

“Are you even listening to me, JJ?” 

It was for the third time that day that he was spacing out. For some unfathomable reason, he kept thinking about the insta-hate thing he got going on with the big man on campus or whatever Ray called Maddox ‘Mad Dawg’ Kingsley. They had almost bumped into each other ever since the classes started a few times around the quad, and each time, Jonathan had felt something like an uncomfortable tension waving off from the other. Almost, because he had made sure to change direction and put as much distance as he could between them, which was ridiculous because it made him seem like a coward, which he usually wasn’t. 

He didn’t worry that Maddox might suddenly start a fight. No, his actual problems were closely related to the sudden and overwhelming effect those amazing gray eyes could have on him. He was obviously a sucker for punishment if he couldn’t fend off this type of primal attraction he instantly felt toward that kind of man. After what had happened last year, he should have known better, and yet the moment he saw a typical bad boy, he was up for handing out the leash like a stray puppy looking for an owner. 

Quite stubbornly, he had tried not to think of the guy at all. Each time his thoughts strayed there, he tried to convince himself that the resident BMOC was some drug peddler, a gangster, and someone who engaged in underground fights to feed who knew how many addictions, among which women were high on the list.

Maddox Kingsley was everything he didn’t need in his life. What he needed in his life was a nice gay man who was safe and pleasant and could make him forget all about his past ordeals. Definitely not a straight bad boy with an attitude who growled at people instead of talking like a normal person.

“JJ,” Ray called for him, this time a little louder. “What you got next?”

Jonathan consulted his schedule quickly. “Statistics. Did you choose it?”

Ray made a disgusted face. “More math? No, thank you. Hey, do you think we should go to a party this Saturday?”

“It depends. Were we invited?”

Ray made a small gesture like it didn’t matter. “I think we should. And we could, you know, start our search for true love. By the way, I think I have the perfect candidate for you.”

“You do?” Jonathan truly needed a distraction from his insta-hate affair slash forbidden attraction toward the BMOC of Sunny Hill. Great, courtesy of Ray, he was now thinking in acronyms and invented words.

“Connor Simmons,” Ray said with self-importance. “He’s a junior, too, and he’s into green energy and eco-friendly stuff. He’s out and proud, just as you like them, and he’s currently single.”

“All right. He sounds like a great person so far.”

“He also likes parties,” Ray added, “which obviously means that we need to go to some, too, just so that you get to bump into him and make his acquaintance.”

“So, all is just a cunning plan to drag me to some party. I’m afraid I’m not the type to indulge so much in beer-infused shenanigans. Is there any other way for me to meet Connor?”

Ray nodded. He was on his phone, probably checking that horrible digital tabloid. After an evening spent being roped into the gossip vortex of Sunny Hill, Jonathan had promised himself that he would never let Ray do that to him ever again. Even after taking a long hot shower, he still felt dirty.

“Ah, that’s perfect. He also takes Statistics, just like you.”

“Is there something that tabloid doesn’t know?”

Ray shrugged. “I have no idea. I mean, whoever’s behind it, seems to know everything, even about your run in with Mad Dawg.”

Jonathan would have preferred that thing to have remained between him and Maddox, but it looked like the gossip mill had taken that juicy piece of info, chewed it, and vomited it on computer and phone screens everywhere already. 

“We barely exchanged a maximum of ten words,” he said. “Talking about blowing things out of proportion. And I bet that Maddox has already forgotten about it.”

“Hey, it made you semi-famous,” Ray countered.

“In a somewhat bad way,” Jonathan said. “It looks to me like people prefer to stay clear of me. Do they think I got rabies from him or something?”

Ray offered him a compassionate look. “They side with him only because he’s been here longer.”

“Side with him? Nothing happened! Anyway, it’s a good thing that I’m being left alone. I’m certainly not chasing fame. How does Connor look like?”

Ray leaned against him and bumped into his elbow while wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. “Do you want to know if he’s hot?”

“That is not why I’m asking. I just want to be able to recognize him. There are hundreds of students here if you haven’t noticed.”

“Well, you can thank me later because he is hot,” Ray continued unabashed, “and that’s why he’s my first pick for you.”

“How can you tell a guy is hot, straight boy?” Jonathan teased him.

“My long experience with gay-themed shows must be the culprit. Anyway, I don’t have to describe him to you since he’s over there. That man of the jungle with the flowery shirt. Doesn’t he look fit to start saving the planet?”

Jonathan stared at a group sitting on the grass. Everyone was enraptured with one young man that was talking loudly and gesticulating. He had long blond hair that ran below his shoulders and wore, indeed, a billowy shirt adorned by a colorful flower pattern. He got why Ray was calling him a man of the jungle. At first glance, it looked like his hair needed a comb, and there was something in how he was pushing his chest out like he was about to launch a loud cry and call all the creatures of the forest. And there was also the beard, a bit of the hippy kind, although it appeared to be quite groomed to fit the rest of the young man’s appearance.

He wasn’t sure about the hot part, though, but he didn’t want to rain on Ray’s parade. His bestie was obviously thinking that he was doing him a favor. From that distance, Jonathan couldn’t help thinking that Connor looked a bit like a poser, moving his arms too much, adjusting the wooden bracelets on his wrists too often, and trying too hard to prove a point, although everyone in his group was already listening. As Connor moved his head and looked at strangers, Jonathan could only think he was interested in enlarging his audience.

But he was not supposed to judge people by a first impression. And he truly needed to take his mind off Maddox and his gorgeous eyes, biceps, and everything else. Yes, he had thought about those arms, too, but he was only twenty years old and couldn’t be blamed for having his hormones running wild now and then. The fact that he didn’t find Connor hot at first sight was a good thing. He wasn’t planning on getting into this hormones-first like before.

“Then I should go listen to his speech. The more I learn about what moves him, the better my chances of making meaningful conversation from the get-go, right?”

“Go ahead, buddy,” Ray said and patted him on the back. “Gotta run, see you later. And JJ?” He stopped him for a moment and flipped up his thumbs. “You totally got this.” 

Jonathan smiled as his bestie scurried away.

***