Bi the Way

Chapter 3: Ally

Rodney's heart hammered in his chest as he leaned against the lockers, waiting for Derek to arrive. He nervously tapped his fingers on his backpack, lost in thought when Derek suddenly appeared in front of him.

"Hey, Rodney," Derek said with his signature grin, "I've got a plan to win over Ally. But first, we need to know our enemy: Matt. We need to find his weaknesses so we can exploit them."

Rodney furrowed his brow, unsure about the plan. "And how do you propose we do that?"

Derek leaned closer, lowering his voice. "You're going to befriend him. Get close, figure out what makes him tick."

"Are you crazy?" Rodney whispered, glancing around to make sure no one was listening. "He's dating Ally! I can't just... hang out with him."

Derek rolled his eyes. "Come on, Rodney, it's not like you're asking him to prom."

"If it is so easy, why don't you do it?" he asked, doubting his ability to make a friend on command.

"I would, but Matt knows who I am. It has to be you," Before Rodney could protest further, Derek pointed down the hall where Matt and Ally stood, sharing a tender kiss.

Jealousy flared in Rodney's chest, and he clenched his fists. "Ok, how are we doing this?"

-----

Later that afternoon, Rodney followed Matt to the weight room, trying to blend in among the other students working out. As he approached a rowing machine, he realized he had no clue what he was doing. He watched others using the equipment, attempting to mimic their movements but only succeeding in looking awkward and uncomfortable.

"Need some help?" Matt's voice came from behind him, startling Rodney. His cheeks flushed red as he turned to face his romantic rival.

"Uh yeah. I guess I'm not really used to this stuff," Rodney admitted, forcing a sheepish grin.

"They don't have rowing machines in the big city, eh," Matt said in a tone that made Rodney unsure if it was a joke or not.

"Oh no, I just am trying a new town new me thing. I guess it is pretty obvious I haven't spent much time in a gym before." Rodney admitted

"Ok, well let me show you how it works," Matt motioned for Rodney to step aside then he stepped up to the machine, demonstrating how to properly use it.

"Thank you, uh do you mind showing me how to use the other machines?"

Matt gave Rodney a nod to follow him. As they worked out together, Rodney found himself oddly at ease with Matt. They chatted about classes, sports, and even favorite TV shows.

Soon Rodney was lost in his imagination, he had found himself in an alien world surrounded by beings he didn't understand. One of the extraterrestrials, however, had taken the time to teach him the ways and he had an appreciation for that. Lost in his own world Rodney didn't seem to notice that Matt was texting Ally every few minutes.

But Rodney returned to reality as they approached the weight bench, Matt showed him some basic lifting techniques, and Rodney pushed his daydreams aside. This guy was not a helpful alien guiding him through new territory, he was the guy standing between him and the girl he loved.

"Hey Rodney," Matt said as they finished their workout, bringing Rodney's attention back to him, "a few of us are hanging out at the park on Saturday. You should come."

"Uh, sure," Rodney replied hesitantly, feeling the weight of Derek's plan heavy on his shoulders.

"Great, see you there!" Matt grinned, and they parted ways. As Rodney walked home, he couldn't help but feel conflicted about the whole situation.