"One, this stays between us. I'm not parading you around campus as my 'gay project.'"
"Agreed."
"Two, you have to take the psychology tutoring seriously. I need an A in that class."
"Absolutely."
"Three, if at any point this gets weird or uncomfortable, either of us can end the arrangement."
"Of course," he says solemnly.
“Four, can we try to wrap this up by Valentines Day? The semester gets even busier after that for me.”
“Hmmm, no promises. Professor Harrington asked me to help you for the rest of the semester.”
Dammit, I can learn everything he knows by then I’m sure of it.
"Fine… Okay five," I add, "stop calling me Doc."
He grins. "What about Seb? Can I call you Seb?"
I should say no. I should insist on Sebastian. But his hopeful expression makes me sigh and say, "Fine. Seb is... acceptable."
His smile is like watching the sun come out after a storm. "I think Doc suits you better, but I’ll try, okay? This is going to be great, Doc! I promise you won't regret it."
"You literally just—" I pinch the bridge of my nose. "Never mind."
So much for trying.
As he starts talking about when we can study and what psychology topics I need to study, I wonder if I just made a colossal mistake or maybe the most interesting choice I've made in my way-too-busy life.
How to be gay by Valentine's Day? It sounds like the title of a bad self-help book or a romance novel. Yet somehow I've agreed to be the author.
God help us both.
Chapter 8
PowerPoint for the Baby Gay
Gavin
The study room smells like old coffee and desperation, basically every study room ever. Doc's already here when I arrive, sitting rod-straight at the table with his laptop open. He's wearing another one of those nerdy graphic tees, this one with a geek joke I don't get.
"You're late," he says without looking up.
"By two minutes."
"Still late."
Jesus, this guy.I drop into the chair across from him, and that's when I notice he's got an actual PowerPoint pulled up. The title slide reads "LGBTQIA+ Terminology: A Comprehensive Introduction" in the most boring font possible.
"Did you seriously make a PowerPoint?"
His jaw tightens. "You asked me to teach you. This is teaching."
"Okay, but—" I lean back, studying him. He's tapping his pen against the table in a rapid rhythm, not quite meeting my eyes.He's nervous. Interesting." Have you ever actually taught anyone before?"
"I've tutored organic chemistry."
