The day of my date with Katie arrives. I have gotten the car keys off Riley, who made sure to give me a sharp glare and threatened that if I tried anything in the car she and Robin would sell my body to some seventy year old pervert with a horse fetish. I try not to imagine what a guy like that would have me do on the way to Katie's.

When I arrive, I run up to the door, half expecting to meet her folks but when the door opens to reveal Katie alone I'm slightly relieved. What boy wants to meet a girl's father? It's the absolute worst! They apparently work a lot and are rarely home seeing as Katie and I have been going out for a little over a month-yes it's a record for me-and I have yet to meet them.

"Hey, ready to go?" I ask the girl as she slips on her shoes.

"Yep!" She chirps happily, following me back to my sisters' car. "Your sisters were so nice to let you use their car."

"They only did it because mom would have their heads if they didn't," I sigh, thinking back to how my sisters were so against letting me use their vehicle for a single evening. It's not like I'm a bad driver! I'm better than them, that's for sure.

Katie giggles, "How many sisters do you have anyways, Noah?"

"Four."

"Four! That must be great!" She doesn't realize what she's said until afterwards. Soon, the both of us begin to laugh.

"You can have them if you want them."

She playfully slaps my arm. "Anyways, I'm glad we're hanging out today. I had fun with you at the party too. You don't normally go to them."

"I usually don't have a reason to," I reply with a shrug, choosing not to say that I don't enjoy them. Katie does and I wouldn't want her to stop asking me to tag along. If she wants to go I would rather go along with her to make sure she doesn't get into any trouble. Besides, I like spending time with her no matter where we are.

"Gavin usually goes though. I see him surrounded by girls all the time. He's such a player, which I always found to be weird since you and Junior hang out with him."

"He definitely is a player but Gav is a good guy." At least I think he is. He is to me but it seems that even Gavin has his secrets. I know everyone does but I get the distinct feeling that Gavin has more than most. Again, he’s a riddle to me.

"Gavin can be a player though. He's way hot," Katie says around a laugh. I bite my lip to keep back a frown. So even Katie is interested in him? Damn. "I heard he's even been with some guys."

I nearly choke on my own air at hearing that. After a slight cough, that Katie asks if I'm ok about, I shake my head and ask, "W-What was that?"

"Oh, should I not have said anything? I just thought you knew a lot about him," Katie says with wide eyes.

"Ah, no, it's not like I'm not ok with that, I mean, you heard?" I guess there was the guy from the party but the way she said it made it sound like he's had sex with another guy rather than a threesome. Geesh Gavin, how much do you get around? He’s gotten himself tested, right? Oh no, I sound like one of those dumb clips they always showed us in health class.

Katie shrugs. "I don't know. I see him at parties all the time and he's pretty flirty and sexual with anyone who's hot. It's just a rumor though, right?" She laughs. "Besides with a body and looks like his, it's not weird to think everyone's after him." Katie goes on to speak about some other get together with her friends that she plans to attend while I think over what she said.

It isn't that I'm not ok with it. Gavin is allowed to sleep with whomever he wishes, whether they be male, female or non-binary. It's just that I feel a bit offended that he's never said anything. Aren't we friends? Yet it seems total strangers know more about him than me and that bugs the hell out of me. I guess I shouldn’t feel bad though…maybe he didn’t want to share. Maybe he’s worried I won’t take it ok?

I bite my lip. I hope that isn’t the case. I would like to be the person someone feels they can talk to. I’d like to think others see me as an open minded guy, someone who can clearly see that a persons’ sexual orientation does not make them any different in my eyes. Sighing, I wonder if Gavin will ever divulge anything about himself to me without a fight…something tells me he won’t.

We get to the mall not long after, where Katie drags me from store to store not only grabbing things for her but me as well. I stand there awkwardly as she holds up a shirt against me that I would never look at twice let alone wear, but she thinks I'd look "great" in it.

"You should get it!" She says as she begins searching through the jeans in an attempt to find a bottom to go with it. I stare at the shirt covered in weird shit that will probably fall off during the first wash...but buy it anyways. If she likes me in it then why not?

I would have never stepped into any of the stores Katie takes me to. I'm more of a Cool Topic or Fencers kind of guy if we're talking about stores in the mall. I never saw the appeal of wearing clothes that had a brand name on it without any cool design or witty comment on it. Katie, however, thought I'd look great in such clothes and insisted on getting me a few things. I happily did as she wished and bought some along with her.

I make sure to pay for her evening meal as well to which she thanks me for later by pressing a lingering kiss to my cheek when I drop her off. To say I’m grinning like an idiot on the way home would be a lie, I’m somewhere between death and pure contentment. Having a girlfriend is so nice!

The next day when I get to school Junior stares at my attire. He stares at the shirt that we both know I would never wear before looking to my jeans that are far too tight for my tastes. I have to pull the fabric against my legs because they feel like a second skin. After a moment of observing me, Junior asks, "The fuck are you wearing, dude?"

"Katie bought it for me," I reply with a forced smile that Junior scoffs at. I take a seat and wonder how the hell the jeans haven't ripped. How the hell does Gavin wear these fucking things? Speaking of Gavin...

"Whoa, what's with that get up?" Gavin asks, appearing from behind us like a bloody ghost. He has a large bandage on his right cheek that I'm more concerned about than my new clothes or his unusually quiet arrival.

"What's that?" I ask, pointing to the bandage as I bite into my bottom lip. Gavin is taking his normal seat and shrugs claiming that it's from a girl who got mad at him for skipping out in the morning. I roll my eyes, figures. He’s had that happen before and I’m sure it will be a continuous thing with the way he is.

"Anyways," I say with a shake of my head at Gavin, who smiles as if it’s totally ok. I guess to him it is but I would appreciate it if he took care of himself a bit more. "Katie bought this for me yesterday."

Junior shakes his head. "You're already whipped. Poor lad."

"Don't wear shit you don't like just because a girl got it for you. That's stupid," Gavin says, gesturing to the unusual attire. "You obviously don't like it."

I shrug at the two of them and suffer until I hear Katie giggle upon seeing me in English. She walks over to me and leans up to let me press a kiss to her cheek. Junior gags and I expect Gavin to comment, but he doesn't. He doesn’t bother saying anything other than a quick ‘hey’ to Katie before returning to speak with Junior. I frown at his lack of witty comment since it’s so usual that he gives one. Is he in a bad mood or something? But I never get the chance to ask.

"You should come with me to the gym today, Noah," Katie says as we head to lunch together. Junior and Gavin went on ahead, claiming that they had no interest in hanging out with us new lovebirds.

"The gym?" I scowl. "I'm not very athletic."

"I know, but it's good to stay in shape!" She again gives me pleading eyes and...I can't say no to that. This is going to be hell.