I never thought I’d be the one wanting to hide. It’s hard, finally living as the person you are, for everyone to see, for everyone to judge.

“Come on,” Casper encourages, holding my hand and pulling me through the college quad. For some reason, he’s more comfortable than I am. To think I spent time worrying whether he’d ever be honest about his feelings, and yet here we are, with him taking the lead.

“Their stares don’t bother you?” I question.

He pulls to a stop and looks around. People quickly avert their eyes and rush about as though we weren’t just being ogled like zoo animals.

“Come, sit,” he says pulling me to a bench, shaded by an oak tree. I sit but continue looking around as people whisper and stare. “Hey,” he says grabbing my face and turning me to look at him. “This is us, remember. Fuck everyone else.”

I close my eyes and feel his fingers against my chin, his warm breath blowing across my face. I don’t want to feel anxious, I shouldn’t feel anxious, but I hate being the center of attention. Without warning, and with my eyes still closed, Casper kisses me softly, pressing his lips firmly on mine. He pulls back, and I open my eyes to his gaze, the amber hues have brown flecks in them today, and they’re soft, showing me how much he truly cares. He smiles, and I’m lost in him until I hear the jeers. I pull my face away and see Den and Tim walking by with a group of their friends.

“Look at those two. Dirty fuckers,” Den sneers.

Tim laughs, throwing his head back for effect. “Yeah, it seems Caden has turned the new boy, too.”

A couple of the group laugh along, including Tim’s brother, Todd. He grins sardonically then throws a handful of peanuts into his mouth. Others in the group look at the ground seeming uncomfortable but saying nothing.

“Better watch your backs in the locker room boys,” Den says laughing.

Casper growls. I look at him to see he’s staring angrily at them, his face is tight, a muscle moving in his cheek as he tries to control himself.

“We should have branded Caden as the dirty bastard he is when we had the chance,” Tim says grinning darkly.

Before I have a chance to do anything, Casper is out of my grip and barreling across the open space. He launches himself at Tim and punches him square in the nose, blood spurts out like a fountain, and Tim screams like a banshee. Den grabs Casper’s shoulder from behind and pulls him around, hitting him hard on the ear. I jump up as I watch Casper stumble, before gaining his feet again and laying into Den. Tim is joined by his older brother Todd. They walk toward me, and I manage to land a single punch on Tim’s clearly broken nose, causing him to howl in pain and fall on his ass.

“Dirty faggot,” his brother snarls, reaching for me. Someone else joins him and pulls my arms back, I turn my head as the first punch lands on my cheek.

“Get off him!” Casper shouts.

A small group seems to have formed around us, but nobody’s doing anything more than watching. Casper rushes forward, throwing Den off him and reaching for Tim’s brother. He kicks Todd’s legs out from under him and comes back for the guy holding me, but he’s pulled back again when Todd quickly manages to get back on his feet.

They grapple, and Den pulls up Tim, then they both make their way to me. I realize we’re in a shit predicament. I’m not a fighter anyway, and now it seems there’s four against two, and not one person is helping. A commotion takes the attention of all of us, and before I realize what’s going on Tarrant and Solomon storm into the fray. Everything happens so fast.

I’m suddenly released. Casper beats the crap out of Todd while Solomon deals with Tim and Den. I turn to look for Tarrant. Shock courses through me, and I clutch my stomach when my brain engages, and I realize who it was holding me. Tarrant has him pinned up against the wall, his nose is already bleeding, his lip too, and as Tarrant whispers something in his ear as his face pales. Emotion creeps up my throat, and I turn away, as nausea hits me in waves.

My eyes meet Laura’s, and I notice she’s crying, her hand over her mouth. I turn back to Tarrant once more, just to check I’m seeing correctly. Yep, it’s still Aaron he’s holding against the wall. The friend I thought I had, the once stand-up guy who was the light in Morgan’s world.

I step forward. “Why?” I question, not caring who might be listening.

Aaron drops his gaze. “I’m sorry,” he whispers then looks up, his eyes meeting mine, and I know I can’t forgive him.

“Fuck you,” I say. Turning, I grab Laura’s hand and drag her away with me.

Ten minutes later the others find us sitting in the library. “Are you okay?” Casper rushes out, falling to his knees in front of me and cupping both sides of my face with his hands. Tarrant pulls Laura into him as Solomon paces back and forth.

“I’m fine,” I croak out. My eyes sweep across Casper’s face, but he doesn’t seem to have any cuts. I know I have a cut on my lower lip and a bruise is forming on my cheek. Casper leans into me and tenderly kisses my mouth.

“I’ll be talking to Coach, and the Dean about this,” Solomon barks out.

I smile at him, then hiss at the pain.

“Be careful,” Casper orders. I don’t miss the smirk that Tarrant sports at his words.

“Things worked out then,” Tarrant states, it’s not a question.

“Seems that way.” I smile at my brother.