“Well, one of two things could happen, right? You’re able to move on and forget about him—out of sight, out of mind—or with the power dynamics and sneaking around shit off the table, you’re able to actually try having a relationship.”
“He was pretty clear about wanting to do the first option.”
“Then there’s your answer,” Jake says grimly.
“I know. So here I am.”
“Want me to show you around?” he asks. “I’ll let you buy me coffee at the student union.”
“Sounds good.”
Jake and I spend the rest of the morning wandering the campus before he gives me a tour of the fraternity house. Thirty guys live here, and it both looks and smells like it. The only athletics played at this school are tennis and golf, but it stinks like a gym locker room full of sweaty jocks and spilled beer.
Jake claims he can’t smell it, but I’m overwhelmed by it.
“You’re so gay, dude. It’s the pheromones catching you.”
“It’s not sexy,” I assure him.
His room is a decent size, and it smells marginally better than the rest of the house. His bed is made—probably because he was expecting me, but his roommate’s side is a mess. Since the roommate isn’t here, Jake straightens the bed sheets and has a seat while I sit on Jake’s bed and look around. “Do you use the old sock on the doorknob trick when you bring girls home?”
“I try not to bring girls here,” he admits. “Just because I can’t smell it anymore doesn’t mean I’m not aware. It’s better when we throw parties. We pitch in for a deep clean.”
“So, it smells like Pine-Sol and pheromones.”
Jake grins. “That’s the goal, yeah.”
“Who’s the date with? The girl you brought to my place last week?”
“Nah. Different one.”
“Special?”
“I mean, you never know, right, but that’s not my first impression. Is it normal at my age to get bored easy? With girls? Or whatever?”
“Bored with which part?” I ask.
“Sex. I mean it’s all just—tab A slot B, and can you explain to me why no one will suck my dick?”
I laugh. “They’re young. I feel like sometimes when you’re young, you need to know someone a little better to get experimental.”
“How is a blow job experimental? Girls were giving them out like candy in high school. And I think I have a good dick.”
“I’ve seen your dick. It might be a little intimidating.”
“Really?” he asks, staring down at his crotch.
“No one’s ever mentioned that?”
“Well, yeah, but I thought they were being nice.”
“I think they were scared. How do you not know you’re packing? Have you ever been in a locker room?”
“I don’t look at other guys’ junk.”
I laugh. “Why not?”
“Because—what if they saw me?”
