“You’re so weird, you know that right?” “Melissa, I’m not taking romantic advice from a straight person.” “Dude we’re into the same type of people.” Pete hesitated. She was right, of course but he’d never admit it. He’d rather bite his own tongue off and swallow it whole. “Okay fine. Let me hear it then. What is so weird about that?” Melissa rolled her eyes at him and lifted her hand “One.” She said and put down a finger. “He’s eight years older than you.” “Age is just a number.” She put down another finger. “Two, he’s a nuisance. And I’m quoting you here.” Pete fidgeted with the pen in his hands. “He does listen to loud music in the middle of the night.” “Three.” Melissa stopped counting with her fingers. “He smokes.” “How is that something bad? If he has a few millions in his bank account it only means I’ll inherit it earlier.” “Let me conclude, you’re telling me, you’re actually having a crush on your thirty-three old neighbour who blew smoke in your face and listens to loud music in the middle of the night?” Pete shifted his gaze towards the university’s main building and avoided Melissa at all cost. “Maybe.” Totally. “Yeah.” She said and opened her lunchbox. “You’re weird.” “You haven’t seen him yet.” “No man can be that attractive, Pete.” He raised his brow at her. “And you’re a nervous wreck. I’m telling you don’t.” “Don’t what?” She squinted his eyes at him. “You know exactly what I mean, Pete. I don’t need another Thomas situation.” Ouch.

Pete’s shoulders shrunk and he played with his fingers. Thomas was his ex boyfriend and the man who broke his heart. The boy. The snake, really. Back then everyone had warned Pete about Thomas. "Don't go out with a baby gay," they said. But Pete liked younger, inexperienced people. So he took Thomas, who had just figured out he liked guys, on a date. And another. And another. Until a few weeks later they started dating. Thomas was adorable and cocky at the same time. Pete hated that even after everything Thomas had done he still blamed himself. He had been too naive at the time. He hadn’t noticed Thomas’ glances at other people. He hadn’t thought it mattered until one day he came back early from work to surprise his boyfriend. He’d found Thomas in their shared bedroom but he hadn’t been alone.