“Mason confided in me last year. We had a class together and started chatting and having lunch after class together a couple times a week. I thought maybe he was into me, but that wasn’t the case. He just thought I was cool, and since I hated sports, he enjoyed hanging out and talking about the things his normal friends didn’t. Of course, I talked about my gaggle of gays, a lot, and Mason was always interested. Eventually, I asked him, and he admitted to me that he was gay and had always been too scared to do anything about it since he was a jock and all.” She reached over and grabbed my hand again. “I promised not to tell anyone, Calvin, and I take that very seriously. But I felt… Well, I felt like this was also the right thing to do. Hell, you two… If someone doesn’t intervene, neither one of you would ever admit that you’re both attracted to each other. Trust me, he is very attracted to you.” She giggled.
“Holy shit…” I tried to pick my jaw up off the floor. This was a shocking surprise. Mason McKendrick was actually gay? Holy hell. “He said that?”
“Yes,” she said slowly. “I know you and… well, I thought you might need to have this information so you could understand him, at least a little better. He’s actually a really great guy, and all I have ever wanted for either of you was to be happy. I wanted you to each have your chance.”
“Dante said you had talked about the hot quarterback before, so…” Billy shrugged. “Are you okay?”
“I’m trying to make sense of all this. Shit… I mean, I have lusted over him since my freshman year. We had a class together, and I used to have the wildest fantasies about him, but this… I’m his tutor. We had a big argument last weekend at a party, even. He’s exactly like the rest of all his jock buddies, isn’t he? Full of himself and his place on this campus. It pisses me off, but…” I whistled lowly, taking it all in. The information overload was shorting out the wires in my brain. “He is still the most beautiful and frustrating person I have ever met. This week has been driving me crazy.”
Gwen cackled. “Have you ever wondered why Mason doesn’t walk out with you? Why he lets you walk out first? I do,” she teased, licking her lips as if she just ate the canary.
“Oh, God!” Billy grimaced. “Really? That’s hot.”
The a-ha moment finally came through, and I could feel myself blushing. I bet it was the same reason I was the last to leave our class freshman year. Mason McKendrick had wood, for me. The room spun, and I had to put my hand on the table to stop myself from reeling.
“Will you give him a chance, Calvin? If he let you know how he felt… Would you take the chance?” Gwen almost purred.
“Don’t you dare, Gwendolyn,” I snapped. “This conversation stays between the three of us, and I promise not to ever tell Mason that you told me his secret.”
Her face fell. “Is that a no?” she asked incredulously.
“It’s a… well shit… I guess the ball has to be in Mason’s court, doesn’t it? If he… I mean, if we… It has to happen because we are both brave enough for it to, doesn’t it? Fairy Godmother Gwen can’t make this happen for us. If Mason wants to ask me out, then he has to score that touchdown himself.” I said seriously. “I mean it, Gwen.”
“I love it when you make sports analogies. It’s so fucking hot,” Billy threw his head back and laughed.
“I do have one question, though. Has Mason ever gone on a date in his life with a guy? Has he ever, you know?” I asked shyly.
“Oh no, Calvin… That you will have to find out for yourself. Fairy Godmother Gwen has left the building!” She said loudly, a cruel smile plastered onto her beautiful face.
We stayed there for another thirty minutes talking about classes and Billy’s new play, but all I could think about was what was going to happen tonight when I saw Mason.
