Chapter 1
Walking into the dorm building that I’d be spending my first year of college in was the most terrifying experience of my life. I’d studied the bio of my new roommate, Brett Garrison, and he was exactly the type of person I didn’t get along with. He came from Los Angeles and was some big shot on his high school football team so I knew that he’d probably think of me as easy bullying material. They all did.
Apparently, he had some injury during the spring that kept him from playing college ball but that didn’t mean his ‘tough jock’ mentality was lost. I was more of an academic type. I didn’t play sports that required coordination beyond using a game controller and I wasn’t muscular. My mom called me lithe. The kids I grew up with called me a fag. I’m not gay but I guess small features and a lack of arm and chest definition were enough to consider me effeminate by most standards.
I wished more than ever that some of my friends had decided to escape the rain and come to school with me in Northern California. But, I was alone. It was the first time in my life that I was going to be away from my family and friends. Even the camps I’d attended as a kid always included at least two or three buddies.
I walked into my n ew room to find an enormous guy sprawled on the lower bunk, snoring like a freight train. I was relieved to have a few more minutes of peace but I knew I had to meet him eventually. Feeling awkward about being in the room with a sleeping stranger, I dragged in my luggage and let the door close loudly behind me. Having flown in from Portland, I didn’t bring much other than clothes and my laptop.
I fiddled with my computer bag while Brett woke up and groggily greeted me.
“Hey, you must be Mike. Good to meet you.” He hopped up from the bed and reached out to shake. His thick hand looked like it would crush mine so I instinctively winced as he grabbed it. Surprisingly, he didn’t take the opportunity to assert his dominance. He just shook my hand like a normal person. So far, so good.
“And, you must be Brett. Sorry I woke you.” He wiped the sleep out of his eyes and I pictured him working out on a beach with hoards of women gawking. Brett was a typical jock with short blond hair that was shaved on the sides and a little spiky on top. He appeared to enjoy the sun because his blue eyes were the most dominant feature on his tanned face. They seemed friendly enough that I felt some of the tension leave my body.
“No worries, man. I got in late last night and was unpacking for most of the day. Just wanted to take a quick nap before dinner. What time is it?” He walked back to the bed and grabbed his phone to check the time. “You hungry?”
“Uh, no, thanks. I should probably unpack and get settled. I’ll grab something later.” I looked around the room to determine where to start.
There was a desk and dresser on each side of the room. A set of bunk beds sat right in the middle, dividing the large space in half. It reminded me of the way my brothers often pinned a sheet down the middle of their room to designate sides.
The dresser on the left had some pictures on it and the desk was already set up with a laptop and speakers s o I walked toward the right. “Is this my side?”
“Yeah, I hope you don’t mind. The room was set up like this so I just left it but if you want to change anything, go ahead. I don’t really care.” The bunk beds seemed a little silly but it did make the room feel larger than it would have with the beds separated so I just shook my head.
“No, this is fine with me. I guess you want the bottom bunk?” I was silently praying he would say yes because being higher and somewhat hidden would probably be the only privacy I’d get all year.
“Yeah, I don’t trust these flimsy boards. And, I tend to come in late so I don’t want to bother you by climbing up after you’ve gone to sleep.” I wanted to tell him
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