For a second, it seemed like things were like back to normal, back in the geology class (tossed) salad days. Before Gideon ran full force back into the closet. But those days were long gone.
“Have fun with Hannah.” Mac swerved around him. Right when he thought he was free, Gideon grabbed his forearm. Mac’s parka was so thick he couldn’t feel any of his warmth.
“Mac…” Gideon’s eyes dove into his. They radiated hurt and tiredness and a million other things that were on his mind.
So say something, dammit. I can’t be your mind reader.
Gideon let go, and as Mac walked out into the chilly air, he knew he had to do the same.
He texted Delia:still going to that party tonight?
Φ
The Kappa Kappa Sig holiday party could’ve been one of the Rainbow Alliance parties for all Mac knew. He counted at least seven gay guys. At a frat party. Delia told him that after one frat brother came out last year, two more did, then two of their pledges.
“I guess youcancatch it,” Mac said with a smile. They hustled through a packed dance floor to Delia’s friend Lorna. She was there with the same guys from Cherry Stem. All that was missing was uptight Gideon, in his button down shirt wiggling his butt. That brought a brief smile to Mac’s face.
Henry and Nolan danced like nobody was watching, PDA central. Or maybe they wanted to be watched. They waved to him.
“Where’s your friend?” Henry asked.
“He’s at a basketball game,” Delia chimed in, saving Mac.
Henry gave an exaggerated nod, as if basketball were code for something. Mac wondered how long it took Henry’s ’dar to go off about Gideon.
Henry realized his cup was empty. “I need a refill. You want one?”
He didn’t tell Mac what it was, but it had to be either jungle juice or beer. Mac nodded okay.
“Let’s go!” He slapped Nolan’s butt like a sled dog, but without saying “mush.”
“You know, you don’t have to slap my butt all the time,” Nolan said.
“You have a slappable butt. Own it.” Henry slapped it again, and they were off.
Delia introduced Mac to the two guys remaining, Greg and Ethan. They talked to each other in the corner of the dance floor, by a row of windows strung with lights. Mac found out that Greg was the frat brother who came out last year. His ears perked up.
“Was this after you guys had started dating?”
“Yeah…kinda,” Greg said. He was tall with short brown hair and a killer smile, which was on full display. “We were friends-ish first.”
“Friends-ish? Like friends with benefits?”
“Yeah…kinda. Except we didn’t really like each other all that much.” Greg turned to Ethan who reluctantly nodded in agreement.
“I mostly didn’t like you, because you were an ass,” Ethan said.
“Nah, you liked me from the start,” Greg said with a smirk.
Ethan blushed, bolstering Greg’s argument.
“But it worked out,” Mac said, hopeful. “You came out, Greg.”
Greg and Ethan traded a curious look. “What’s going on?”
Mac spilled the whole story about Gideon to them, swearing them to secrecy. Gay guys knew the code of silence, especially with closeted guys. Mac had found people who could understand what he was going through. Ethan had conquered the gay holy grail, turning a closeted straight guy into a public, serious boyfriend. Henry and Nolan rejoined the conversation halfway through, drinks in hand.
“It’s Gay Everest,” Henry said. “Yeah, a few people have made it to the top, but most people give up or die trying. I don’t get the whole obsession with lusting after straight guys or straight-acting guys. I’m gay. I want somebody who is gay, not a guy who is trying to be straight. It’s like a weird game. It’s probably daddy issues or some shit like that. No offense,” he said to Greg and Ethan.
