The Will To

F O R T Y - F I V E (forever a four-letter word)

I'd been dismissed from my last class for the day, swerving around a clump of people blocking the exit. Shoving the packet we'd been assigned to complete over the weekend into my backpack, I glanced upwards to find Rey perched against the side of the hallway, grinning.

"Hey, creeper," I said, weaving towards him through a stream of people.

"I learned all my stalking skills from you. You have no one to blame but yourself."

"And you don't know that half of them," I said, placing my back against the wall. "Better watch out."

"Are we talking climbing a tree to peek into my bedroom at night with your binoculars?" Rey asked. "Because I could get on board with that. Although, I do have to warn you, I listen to a lot of 90s hip hop and have been known to use my hairbrush as a microphone."

"You act like I don't know this."

Rey feigned surprise. "Wow. So, you've already climbed said tree. Nice. Impressive. You haven't seen me making out with my girlfriend, have you? Because, yeah, I do a lot of that too." He smiled and shifted towards me, pressing a soft kiss onto my mouth. "Hey."

"Hi." I stood onto my toes to kiss him again, a bit deeper this time. Our lips moved together and for a short time, the hallway contained just the two of us.

When we parted, Rey said, "Yeah. Cool. Feel free to stalk me anytime, okay?"

After I'd nudged him, he laughed and we pushed off the wall. Rey wrapped an arm over my shoulder as we started walking down the hallway.

Reid was a few feet down the hall on a direct path towards us. He caught my eyes and offered me a curt nod, which I returned. While I hadn't come clean to him about my previous plan, I had pulled him aside one afternoon in class and explained that I wasn't interested in pursuing anything with him, noting that I had a boyfriend who I liked very much. (Cue a mock-gag if so desired.) I apologized and he'd been respectful, informing me that he understood and enjoyed getting to know me. During one of my many visits to the campus police department, Dan had also relayed an important piece of information: the drug Reid purchased from Victor hadn't been GHB or rohypnol. It was adderall, which he'd been using to help him study and improve his grades.

Victor had since been charged with possession with the intent to sell.

It was only after Reid and I had parted that I realized I'd done to him what others had done to me: I'd stigmatized Reid and saw him only as a walking label, unwilling to look beyond my generalized perception and give him the chance to show who he really was.

A lot of lessons had come my way recently, and remembering that people weren't always what they seemed wasn't one I would forget.

"So, it's Friday. Wanna get Zataar's? I think Angelo's come around and has finally gotten over how hilarious it is when he brings me a block of feta when I ask for your special."

"Don't lie. You like the feta," I stated.

"True. Can't argue too much with you there. But I don't think it likes me."

We burst through the double doors into the hazy afternoon light. The days were growing longer and the sun was just starting to dip beyond the staggered hills in the distance. Its rays spilled through campus and lightened everything they touched.

Rey dropped his arm and we skidded down the stone stairs.

"So, you tell your parents yet?" he asked.

"You tell yours?" I volleyed.

"Yeah, yeah," he said. "They now know their precious son isn't going to become a surgeon but will be a licensed RN next year. Nurse Rey. Kind of sounds like a horror movie, don't you think?"