Dilemmas

26

His mom called out from downstairs. "Shaun! When I come up there, be sure that you're asleep."

Shaun sighed. "Yeah, okay," he muttered blandly, already lying on his bed. The lights were off, except for a little lamp near him that was almost as bright as the sun.

He took out his cellphone from his pocket and opened it, revealing several missed calls from Caleb. Then his message: Bro, talk to me.

Shaun decided it was best to give him a call. He went straight to his contacts and after half a minute, Caleb managed to answer.

"Hey," Shaun muttered. "What's up?"

What's up? came his voice, furious. What's up?! After, what, five hours of attempting to call you and yet this is the only time you could answer them?

Shaun laughed nervously. "Chill, bro. I was busy with a soccer tournament."

He heard Caleb sigh. With Ryan?

"Yep." He bit his lip. Should he tell his friends that he had a kiss with him?

I knew it, Caleb muttered.

"So what's up with you? If you're trying so hard to call me, then there's definitely something going on—"

You know Gabriel, right?

"Yeah," he mumbled. Him. Shaun's mind went to the fight at the dorm almost three weeks ago when he got hit by him "accidentally", leaving a bruise.

Okay. So I'll just get straight to the point. He has a crush on someone.

"He—" Shaun almost choked. "—he does?"

Why do you act surprised? Caleb scoffed. You have a boyfriend and it happened by accident.

"Don't remind me."

Anyway, he and his crush, well, they're boyfriend-girlfriend now.

"That's awesome," he muttered blankly. "So what does this have to do with anything?"

Weelllll, he went to this bar one time and partied all night, eventually getting drunk and kissing another boy he doesn't know.

"Wait." Shaun blinked. "Back up. . .what?!"

His friend sighed. Do I have to repeat everything? Gabriel got drunk and accidentally kissed a boy he doesn't know.

He broke into a grin. Shaun sat up. "You. . .you can't be serious. He did?!"

Caleb was already laughing. Yeah, and apparently, his girlfriend, his team mates, and practically everyone went crazy.

"Oh my—HA!"

Ha?

"Remember I told you he got into a fight with Ryan and I at our dorm? Yeah, he finally got what he deserves!"

I know! And it gets even crazier. Someone leaked it to the school and now literally everyone at school are making him a laughingstock.

"That's why he was tense during the entire match!" Shaun exclaimed, remembering that he kept looking at the bleachers. "I can't believe that happened!"

The guy he kissed at the bar. . . Caleb said slowly. Shaun lay down on his bed again. People said his name was Dwayne, but no one could be really sure.

Shaun's heart was beating with energy. He still couldn't believe that Gabriel, a soccer star, got drunk and kissed a guy named Dwayne. Talk about karma.