A Little Story About Love

Part 14

Chance

I stumbled my way down to the fourth floor to my room. It was around four in the morning, and the school was quiet. I had about two and a half hours to sleep before I had to get up for my classes. I eased my door open carefully, watching the sleeping form of my roommate, Trevor. I slipped into the dark room, and the door clicked shut behind me. Trevor started and sat up.

"What the fuck?!" He turned on a light.

I froze, "Shit, sorry Trevor."

"It's the middle of the fucking night! Where the hell were you mate?!"

"I'm really sorry!!"

Trevor grumbled something under his breath and turned off the light. I quietly slipped into bed and fell into a deep, happy sleep.

Two and a half hours later I woke up, feeling like I had been trampled by an elephant. I have never been a morning person. I hopped into the shower to wake myself up. Memories from the night before filtered back into my mind. I couldn't decide if any of it had actually happened or if it was just a dream. However after I got out of the shower and dressed I found a scowling Trevor waiting for me. This alone confirmed that I had indeed been up all night with Max. Despite Trevor's foul mood, I found myself smiling. I apologized again to Trevor and made my way happily to breakfast.

I found Max sitting on the top of a table in the cafeteria talking to Elle, a gorgeous smile on his face. He looked up right as I spotted him and grinned widely. He hopped off the table and came to greet me. I picked him up into a tight hug and kissed him on the forehead. I set him back down, nervously looking around. Max laced his fingers through mine looking at me questioningly. I shook my head softly and Max let go of my hand and smiled a sad smile. We returned to the table where a few of Elle's mates had joined her and were chattering happily. We all ate breakfast and talked, just like any other day. At one point Callie turned to Max and I and congratulated us on getting together. The whole thing made me so nervous and I ended up mumbling a thanks into my food and staring down at the table for the rest of the meal. Nobody seemed to care about Max and I being together. I had assumed it would be hard, that people would be mean about it. But I guess that's the beauty of an art school; a relationship is a relationship, regardless of the gender of the individuals involved. No one batted an eye when Max cautiously took my hand in his again, they were accepting and saw two people happy together, nothing more.

Max and I finished breakfast and left Elle and her mates. Dance was not an actual class period, it came before first period, and then sometimes again after the last period of the day, depending on how serious you were about dance. Max was working on tumbling today so I joined him in the gym. I spent the next hour falling on my face as Max patiently taught me new tricks. By the end of the hour I could do front and back handsprings. Max on the other hand has spent most of his time doing back tucks and triple twists into the foam pit. After tumbling, Max and I headed off to our first class hand in hand, feeling tired, but satisfied with our practice.

*~*~*

We went out for lunch at a simple Japanese restaurant. We sat at a booth in the corner and took a look at the menus. Max left to use the loo while Elle and I debated over the best type of sushi. The waiter brought us some tea, smiling happily. As Elle and I were arguing over raw versus cooked salmon in sushi, Max came out of the loo. Several blokes that looked to be in their twenties stood up from the bar and sauntered over to Max as he made his way towards our table. The blokes got close and Max froze. They were jeering at him, breathing their fowl breath down the back of his neck. And then one of them jabbed him in the side, mumbling the word faggot under his breath.

I stood up, and without thinking, shoved the bloke away from Max. I felt rage boil up inside me, "Exuse me?" I growled at him.

The bloke looked me up and down, "Who are you? His bodygaurd?" The other blokes laughed and highfived eachother.

"Oh, nobody. Just his boyfriend," I said through gritted teeth. A look of realization dawned on the bloke's stupid face as I grabbed him by the collar of his shirt. Max was tugging at me, whimpering for me to stop. I became aware of Elle doing the same, and the little waiter was screeching at us all in Japanese.

"Get out," I spit. I let the bugger go, shoving him in the direction of the door. The blokes quickly left the restaurant. My surroundings cleared as I took a deep breath. Max was clutching onto my arm, his blue eyes filled with fear, Elle stood to my otherside looking frustrated, but also scared. The little waiter on the other hand was clutching at his heart, screaming things in quick Japanese. I turned to him, feeling embarrassed, "I'm so sorry, I understand completely if you want me to leave. I do hope you'll let them stay though," I said, and gestured towards Max and Elle, still standing wide eyed by my side.

The waiter seemed to deflate, "No no, you stay. No more funny business or you leave."

"Thank you, I promise I won't cause any more disturbances." I hung my head and turned towards Max, worried about what he might do. But the fear in Max's eyes melted away and he stepped forward, taking my hand in his. He looked at me and it was hard to tell what he was feeling, but he buried his face in my chest, wrapping his arms around me. I ran my hand through his feathery hair. Max stepped away and, nodding to the waiter, led us all back to our booth.

The rest of lunch was quiet. Max kept his hand clamped around mine, but Elle seemed mad, staring at her plate until we left. I could tell that a lot was going through her head. She was a thinker, and I knew I would have to wait for her to confront me.