CHAPTER thirty
Ethan cheered in the stands at the top of his lungs. The cold air burned his throat, but he didn’t care. His hands were numb from high-fiving so many people around him. The energy from the crowd infused him with a buzz that alcohol couldn’t match. He didn’t know he could care so much about a football game. If Greg could see me now.
During halftime, he and Lorna went to the concession stand. They were talking about the amazing touchdown that Browerton had scored right before the end of the quarter, and they were laughing. For no reason, just out of happiness, out of letting fun take over them completely.
Preston was one line over from them. Ethan had to do a double-take.
“I didn’t know you went to football games,” Ethan screamed over to him.
“Likewise.” Preston wasn’t a screamer, but Ethan made sure to hear every word. “What do you think?”
“I love it! Did you know that nobody sits down at these games? We’ve been standing on the bleachers the entire time.”
“Me too.”
“I probably sound like a lung cancer patient I’ve been screaming so much. And I’m screaming now,” Ethan said. The echoes inside drowned out their conversation. Preston left his line and joined theirs.
“Mind if cut in?”
“You just gave up your spot on the faster-moving line.”
“I don’t mind,” Preston said with a knowing smile. Ethan blushed, but he could just blame it on the cold, right? He smelled something familiar on Preston’s breath.
“Did you pregame with tequila?”
“Technically, I’m still gaming.” Preston opened his coat and flashed the flask in his inside pocket. Preston attends football games? With flasks of tequila? Apparently, Ethan wasn’t the only one of Jessica’s friends with a wild side.
“Why are you laughing? Are you laughing at me, Ethan Follett?”
That made Ethan’s laugh turn into a giggle. Was he giggling? Well, so would any guy if Preston Waters had left his refreshments line to talk to him.
“Preston Waters is drunk at a football game. I never thought I’d see the day.”
“You obviously don’t know me that well.”
“I know what your major is.”
“Get a room, you two!” Lorna said.
They moved up in line and ordered food. Lorna and Ethan got nachos, a pretzel, and a Coke, while Preston opted for the hot dog. She kept giving Ethan knowing looks.
Yes, I know. Preston Waters is flirting with me. I’m aware.
“You look really cute today,” Preston said, holding onto Ethan’s shoulder for stability…and maybe more.
Ethan’s smile annexed his entire face. This must be a dream. For the past year, he’d tried to get Preston’s attention. He’d initiated awkward conversations countless times to no avail. And now, all of a sudden, Preston noticed him. Ethan hoped this was the universe’s way of saying it had his back.
“Where are you sitting?”
“A few sections over.” Preston jammed his thumb behind him. And there, in the background, mingling with his bros, was Greg. Ethan’s unavoidable Greek chorus today, it seemed. They made the briefest of eye contact before Ethan returned his gaze to Preston and his piercing green eyes. Even though it was game day and he had a flask of tequila, Preston still wore a clean Browerton T-shirt tucked into crisp, dark jeans.
“These nachos are amazing. You have to try one.” Lorna pushed the nachos into Ethan’s face, breaking the staring contest he seemed to be having with Preston.
“Hey, these are my nachos. You got the hot pretzel.”
“Sharing is caring.”
“I don’t care that much.” Ethan offered Preston a nacho. He placed his hand on Ethan’s as he swirled a chip in cheese.
“I’m going to eat my pretzel.” Lorna waved bye and shot Ethan an obvious wink.
“See you in there!” Ethan said back.
The boys were alone. Well, alone surrounded by thinning-out crowds. Ethan kept his attention on Preston. Not behind Preston where Greg was. He listened to the guy who was out and proudly talking with him.
“I think I’ll have another chip.” Preston cupped his hand over Ethan’s again, this time adding a massaging element.
Halftime wound down. People returned to their seats. Preston and Ethan didn’t go anywhere. While they talked, Preston found new ways to touch Ethan. A hand on the back to hear him better. A touch of his arm to ask him a question. A sweep of the hair out of his eyes to gauge his expression. Ethan realized that once he knew a guy was interested in him, the flirting came naturally. He felt confident that he already had the victory. Confident, but not excited. Not as excited as he should’ve been.
Stop thinking about Greg. Who cared that he and Greg were mere feet apart?
Soon, the crowds cleared out, and the concession stand workers cleaned off their counters. Ethan could hear his voice echo against the concrete walls.
“Should we go back to our seats?” Ethan asked.
“I’m fine here.” Preston’s unblinking gaze penetrated Ethan. “Actually, I have a better idea.”
Preston led him past all the sections to the end of the stadium, down into a small hallway that housed a supply closet. Ethan’s heart rumbled louder than the stomping on the bleachers.
“I’m not sure what’s happened in the past few weeks. You’re like a totally new person. I remember at the Rainbow Party you were so bland and repressed.”
Ethan flinched at the comment. Preston took a swig of his flask and offered, but Ethan declined. He wanted to be sober in this moment.
“I really like this new you.”
Preston kissed Ethan. His tongue sloshed around Ethan’s mouth like an industrial-strength mop. As much as he tried to believe, there were no sparks for Ethan. His thoughts kept drifting back to the new him.
Preston wasn’t the first person to notice that Ethan had changed, and he knew it was because of Greg. He hadn’t tried to change himself. Greg had brought it out of him, this side that he’d been afraid to show to the public. It was all Greg.
Greg who wasn’t beside him, but whose presence was still felt vividly.
Greg who hated him.
Ethan pulled back. “I’m still me. I’ve always been me. I’ll always be somewhat bland and repressed. I’m glad you like the new me, but what about the old me?”
The repressed guy in class who would chastise people for not taking notes. That was the Ethan that Greg liked. Greg liked the old Ethan and the new Ethan, all versions of Ethan. He would’ve liked the Ethan at the Rainbow Party. He would’ve found a way to get under his skin.
Preston also tried to get under his skin—or, rather, his clothes. He reached his hands under Ethan’s shirt and sunk his nails into Ethan’s flesh.
He winced. “What are you doing? We’re in a packed football stadium.”
“I know. Isn’t it exciting?” Preston’s tequila-soaked, industrial-strength tongue lunged at Ethan.
“We could get caught.”
Preston gripped his arms. He had a mighty grip for a comparative literature major. “I thought you liked this. Doing it in public places with that frat guy.”
Shock lit up Ethan’s face. He tried to pull away, but Preston wouldn’t let go. His green eyes darkened like clouds before a storm.
“I was walking to class one day, and I saw you through the window sucking him off in some professor’s office. It was so fucking hot. I wasn’t sure if it was you, but then I saw you guys leaving the movies together.” Lust shadowed Preston’s face. His eyes were no longer piercing. They were predatory. “I was so turned on. Blake was a fucking cocktease of a boyfriend. Not like you. I didn’t know you had a wild side. I do, too.”
Preston pushed him against the wall. He pressed Ethan’s hand against his erection.
“Stop it! Get off me!”
“I know you want to. You’ve had a crush on me for fucking forever, Ethan. Now’s your chance. Let’s have some fun under the feet of five thousand football fans.”
“No!” Tears sprung from his eyes. He couldn’t get out of Preston’s grasp. He didn’t want it to be like this. “Please stop.”
“I thought you liked this.” Preston unbuckled his belt. He unzipped his jeans. The moment Ethan had thought would never come now would not end. “I’ve seen you. You like sucking dick in public.”
Ethan shut his eyes and reached for Preston’s crotch. At the last moment, he balled his hand into a fist and punched him square in the junk. Preston yelled out in pain and threw Ethan back against the wall. His head slammed into the cinderblocks. The world began to slant. The lights became extra-bright. Ethan slid down to the ground.
“Get your fucking hands off him!”
Preston was flung back and smashed into the opposite wall. Two guys surrounded him, and Ethan heard Preston yell out some more in pain. He couldn’t make out who the guys were, but right before he passed out, Ethan noticed the warm-up pants one of them wore looked familiar.