Chapter Two – [Memory, Freshman Year, September] – The One

A Rulebook for Arguments, An Introduction to the Study of Law, Logic: A Very Short Introduction… It looked like he had everything he needed to start his already packed schedule. Lyn balanced the textbooks on his arm, while struggling to get the hair out of his eyes and push his glasses up on his nose so they didn’t end up shattering on the polished floor. Hell knew where he’d get the money for new ones if that happened.

Tangled up as he was in the many things he needed to be careful about, now that he had started college, he missed walking straight into a wall.

Only… it wasn’t a wall. It was a guy, a head taller than him, and the owner of a broad chest, which was the first thing that registered with him. Through his glasses, that was the only thing he stared at for a very long second. A white tee, stretched over a muscular chest. Lyn felt the textbooks slipping from his arms, but it was too late. One short second later, they were all scattered on the floor.

“Hey, are you okay?” a low, pleasant voice asked, as the guy with that fantastic broad chest crouched to help Lyn with his books.

He risked looking up. Blue eyes searched his face in turn, and again Lyn suffered from a limited field of view. He could only stare, unable to say a single thing.

The young man laughed and began gathering all of Lyn’s textbooks. With them in his arms, he stood up to his full height. Lyn followed, his eyes never leaving the guy’s face.

“Here,” the stranger said, offering Lyn the stack of books. “I hope nothing’s damaged. I mean, I think you should check.”

Lyn nodded and grabbed the textbooks quickly. “Thanks,” he managed with some difficulty. “It was my fault,” he added. “I wasn’t looking where I was going.”

“No sweat,” the young man said. “By the way, I’m Brad.” He stretched out his hand.

Lyn struggled with his books again but hurried to shake Brad’s hand. “Lynton. But people call me Lyn.”

“That’s a great name,” Brad said enthusiastically. He pushed himself up on his toes, although there was no need for it and craned his neck to stare at the textbook on top. His eyes narrowed as he read the title. Could it be that he needed glasses? “So… pre-law?”

“Great guess,” Lyn replied. He needed to stop gawking. This guy was beautiful. Lyn doubted he had ever met someone like that in his life. Surfer-blond hair getting in his eyes, a large mouth that worked for his face like a charm because it made him look like he was smiling with his entire being when he did, and a slightly crooked nose, just to add to his charm.

“I’m in East Hall Two,” Brad said. “If you’re interested in attending the first party of your college life, drop by and ask for me. Before Friday, preferably. Unless,” he added with a lopsided grin, “you want to study.”

Going to a college party during the first two weeks of his freshman year hadn’t been in the cards until now. Lyn’s schedule didn’t include room for such unexpected events.

“Sure,” he said with a shrug meant to show that he was more than okay with going to a party he wasn’t ready for.

“Awesome, dude,” Brad said, rewarding him with another huge smile. “See you later.”

Lyn remembered too late that he should’ve told Brad he was housed in East Hall One, so close. He needed to work on his reaction time when opportunities presented themselves. What sort of lawyer would he make if he couldn’t take advantage of such simple things?

Annoyed with himself, he began marching in the opposite direction from Brad, hugging his textbooks tightly in his arms. But there was no reason to be angry. He’d go to a college party for the first time in his life. And he just made a friend. He hoped so, at least.

***

“Hey Lyn, you made it!” Brad slapped him on the shoulder so hard Lyn wobbled for a moment. He smiled to show how glad he was to be there, but Brad’s eyes moved from him to someone else.

Lyn turned slightly to follow where Brad was looking. A group of girls. Pretty girls. Brad slapped his shoulder one more time.

“You’ll find beer that way,” Brad told him, without sparing him another glance. “Have fun, my man.”

Lyn nodded, although Brad no longer paid him any attention, eager as he was to make those girls’ acquaintance. Was he surprised? Not really. Being a wallflower was his specialty, after all. He grabbed a cup and did what the others were doing. He had drunk before, on the down low, and his alcohol tolerance was pretty high in his humble opinion. He didn’t particularly enjoy it, so he’d have some, pretend to mingle, and then leave.

***

“Do you know my friend Lyn?” Brad yelled as he dragged a guy in a varsity jacket over to the place where Lyn was hiding, still undecided about the right time to leave. He had lost count of the number of drinks he’d had, and he was starting to feel a little light-headed.

He hardly understood the name of the guy in the varsity jacket, and Brad looked like he’d put a few in his system, too. Lyn smiled and nodded, as the music boomed loudly around them. Eventually, Brad’s acquaintance left, leaving them alone.

Brad rested his elbow on Lyn’s shoulder and the rest of himself against the wall. “Man, I’m so wasted. But it feels good, right?”

“I guess,” Lyn said. “Where did you guys get all the booze?”

Brad leaned harder against him. Lyn could smell his sweat and the alcohol on his breath, but he wouldn’t want to be anywhere else in the whole world right now.

“What? Are you with the cops or something?” Brad drawled.

Lyn let out a short nervous chuckle. “No. I just don’t want to get caught.”

“You won’t,” Brad said with conviction. “Hey, do you think you could help me back to my room? I’ll tell you a secret.”

“Sure,” Lyn replied, hoping that the flutter in his stomach didn’t strangle his voice. “Lead the way.”

Brad guffawed, blasting hot air over Lyn’s cheek. “You talk funny,” he said with delight, as if he’d just discovered something particularly interesting about his friend.

Lyn had had friends before coming here. But no one like Brad.

***

“That’s your secret? You’re you telling me this is the first time you’ve drunk alcohol in your entire life? I don’t buy it,” Lyn said as he struggled under Brad’s weight.

“How come you’re sober?” Brad complained.

Whatever dizziness had overcome him earlier was gone now. The fresh air was doing him good. The same could not be said about Brad.

“I have a high alcohol tolerance,” Lyn said.

“Why? Are your parents winos or something? You inherited their strong livers?”

Brad laughed, but Lyn didn’t feel like joining him. “How much did you have, anyway?”

“Fuck if I know. And I wanted to get that chick’s number so badly.”

Lyn steadied Brad by pressing one hand against his belly. He could feel the contours of strong abs right under his fingers. It made him restless, prickly. He removed his hand, despite not knowing whether or not Brad could stand on his own.

“Ah, damn, I don’t think I can make it to the dorm.” Brad hurried over to one of the nearby bushes before Lyn had time to react.

He hurried after him and put one hand on Brad’s sweaty forehead, steadying him as the guy puked his guts out.

“Ah, fuck, man, this sucks,” Brad complained and hiccupped miserably. “I’ll never drink again in my life, I swear.”

“You’ll drink again,” Lyn said.

“No, I won’t,” Brad said petulantly. “This is the first and last time.”

“Wanna bet?” Lyn teased him. “Come on. If you’re finished, let’s go. You need to drink some water and clean up.”

Brad stopped him, a bit steadier now on his feet than he had been earlier. Vomiting helped, as Lyn knew, although not from personal experience. He hadn’t lied about his high tolerance to intoxication.

“Do you know what this means?” Brad said loudly, astonished as he seemed to be by his own realization.

“What?” Lyn asked. He doubted anything smart would come out of this bozo’s mouth, given the circumstances.

“You helped me when I was down, man. That means we’re going to be best friends forever.”

Lyn felt his lips twitching. “Okay, man, if you say so.”

“No, no, hear me out,” Brad insisted as he wobbled slightly. “Twenty, no, forty, no like one hundred years from now, we’re still going to be friends.”

“Because I carried you to your dorm when you got shit-faced for the first time in your life?”

“Yeah,” Brad said like he couldn’t believe Lyn didn’t see it. “Who else was there for me, tonight? You, Lyn baby. You. I’ll never forget this.”

Lyn watched Brad walking away on his own toward his dorm. He hurried after him. He also hoped Brad would never forget this particular night.

TBC