He felt fortunate that Liam was his first. Liam had been tender and affectionate, stirring deep emotions within Ben just at the thought of it. 

"Ben, open the door." He heard faint knocks and voices calling out. "Ben." 

Startled, Ben's eyes widened, and he sprang to his feet, quickly throwing on his clothes. "Liam, wake up! My parents are here. Please get dressed while I greet them." Liam shot out of bed and began to dress as soon as he heard Ben mention his parents. 

Ben hurriedly freshened up with some tissues before heading to the door, hoping he didn’t carry any lingering scent from the night before as he welcomed his parents. "Good morning, Dad, Mom," he said, stepping back to let them in. 

"Good morning, son," his dad replied as they walked inside. 

"You look terrible; did you just wake up?" his mom remarked, planting a kiss on his hair as she entered. 

"Yeah, I just rolled out of bed," Ben replied, just as a noise echoed from his room. 

His parents exchanged curious glances. "Is someone else here?" his dad inquired. 

"Um, yeah..." Ben hesitated, just as Liam emerged from the room. He was dressed, but his hair was a tousled mess. 

"Dad, Mom, this is Liam, my..." Ben trailed off, unsure of how to present him, not wanting to assume Liam was ready to share their relationship with his parents. 

"I'm his boyfriend," Liam interjected confidently. 

"Oh, um, okay..." his mom responded slowly, processing the information. 

“Wait, that necklace you were asking about was for him? I thought you finally wanted something luxurious,” Ben’s dad remarked as he noticed the necklace around Liam’s neck. 

“Bernard, let’s give them some space to tidy up,” she suggested, turning toward Liam. “Go take a shower and come back.” Liam nodded and made his way out. 

“You too, freshen up. I brought food,” she added, and Ben nodded as she exited the room. 

 

“So, you spent the night here? Just so you know, there are security cameras in the house,” Ben’s dad said, causing both Ben and Liam to look at each other in shock. 

“Bernard, don’t frighten them,” his mom interjected with a smile. 

“Frighten them? Did you see their faces? Did you just ‘sleep’ here?” Ben’s dad pressed. 

“Dad…” Ben started, trying to interject. 

“Forget about your dad. So, are you two dating?” 

“Yes,” Ben replied, glancing at Liam. 

“How long has this been going on?” 

“Uh, since before your last visit,” Ben answered. 

“Wow, that’s quite some time! Is he the friend who helped you out?” Ben nodded with a smile. 

Reflecting on the lunch with Liam, Ben felt a wave of happiness. He was thrilled that Chloe wanted to be friends and even more delighted that Liam reciprocated his feelings. Each day had transformed into something special for him. 

Now, life was filled with laughter, playful teasing, adventures, and unforgettable moments, all thanks to his friends and boyfriend. 

He couldn’t believe his luck. From being friendless to having five companions and a charming, caring, witty, and intelligent boyfriend. He didn’t have to wait for college to discover love; he had already found it. 

A Chance at Love.