Chapter 8

Eight

Will

Will stared at Jacob, expecting him to burst out laughing at any second.

Is he fucking serious?! Will thought, racking his brain. He figured that Jacob must actually be serious about it. He was just so shocked that Jacob would suggest that they spend even more time together. He figured that Jacob was just being nice, letting him stay in his apartment, and that he was counting down the days until he could be rid of Will.

After waking up that morning, Will had felt monstrously guilty about what had happened the night before. At the time, he had been completely in the moment, not thinking logically. When he was straddling Jacob from behind he couldn't think about anything really except their two bodies, intertwined.

But in the sobering morning light, he realized that he had gone too far. He had been the one to initiate the massage, to say stupid things like " Fuck, your body is amazing, " to a straight guy who just wanted a normal massage, and of course he couldn't stop himself from finishing Jacob off completely.

He had felt so guilty earlier in the kitchen, when Jacob had come out and tried to smooth things over by politely offering him breakfast. Will had decided to go out for a walk, to try and make sure Jacob didn't think he was coming onto him or expecting anything more. The last thing Will needed was to actually fall for a straight guy, and he wanted to make it clear that he respected Jacob's boundaries.

…But here he was, in Jacob's room again, and this time Jacob was inviting him on a road trip that would last at least a week. Will tried to study Jacob's face, making sure that he was actually offering to take Will with him.

Will took a deep breath, shaking his head side to side slightly with wide eyes.

"…Well, if you're being serious, I mean… paying half the gas money would certainly be cheaper than any plane ticket I could get now," Will said tentatively.

Jacob smiled, shrugging.

"Like I said, you definitely don't have to say yes. But I mean it, I'd really rather have the company."

Will couldn't help but chuckle. He felt the tension lift from his body as he allowed himself to laugh.

"…Wooh! Man. One second I'm thinking you can't wait to get me out of this house, and the next you're inviting me on a road trip. Jacob, sir, you are definitely out of the ordinary."

Jacob laughed. "And here you thought I was just another boring, businessy athletic type," he said, "I've got surprises too! Hell, I surprise myself."

There was a pause for a few moments. Jacob went back to packing, and Will stood, unsure of what to say.

"…So, we're cool, right Jacob? No weirdness?" Will said, needing closure.

"Absolutely. No weirdness at all. Let's be friends, Will," Jacob said, looking over at Will with hopeful eyes.

"Friends?" Will said, holding out his hand.

"Friends," Jacob said, shaking Will's outstretched hand. The feeling of their two hands connecting made Will want to keep hanging on, to grab Jacob's hand and pull him in close. But here he was, agreeing to be friends. And as much as Will might have wanted it to be more, he would honor that agreement, because he was starting to see that Jacob was really a good guy.

"Okay then," Will said, smiling. "Let's plan a road trip."

Later in the evening, Will was back in his room again, splayed out on his bed, staring up at some glow-in-the-dark stars that Freddie must have left behind on the ceiling.

And Will couldn't believe he had just agreed to take a weeklong road trip with a straight guy that he was secretly developing a walloping crush on. He reached down to his phone and called Maya. He had texted her that he had a lot to tell her, but hadn't actually talked to her since before his encounter with Jacob.

"Hey girl," Maya said as she answered.

"Hey girl," Will said, sighing and turning over on the bed. He knew Maya was going to harass him.

"Oh no, what is it now, Will," Maya said, clearly already aware that Will had some news.

"Well… I made Jacob cum straight onto my hand and then the next day he invited me on a cross-country road trip with him," Will said, matter-of-factly.

Maya laughed hard on the other end of the phone.

"I love you, Will. That was the hardest I've laughed all day. But really, jokes aside, how are you doing?"

Will paused. "Well, other than being incredibly nervous for my upcoming road trip, I'd say I'm doing pretty well. By the way, we're passing through Denver, so I hope you have a couch for me to sleep on, girl. Because we're coming to visit you in Boulder," Will said, beginning to smile.

"Wait a minute. You… you cannot be serious, Will. What? What?! Tell me everything, right now!" Maya's voice got an octave higher as she realized that Will was actually telling the truth.

Will told Maya everything that had happened over the past 24 hours, in great detail.

" Wow . So… when do you guys leave?" Maya asked, stunned.

"The day after tomorrow. I know. It's soon," Will said.

"Well, holy shit Will, even for you this is surprising," Maya said.

"What's that supposed to mean, ‘even for me?'" Will said, grinning.

"I don't know. I feel like you always get yourself into these… interesting situations. You make friends fast. But it's never been anything like this. So, do you think Jacob wants more? It certainly sounds like he was into the massage, and he invited you on a road trip, for god's sake…" Maya trailed off.

"It really doesn't seem like it to me. He specifically said he wanted to be friends, and I definitely don't see him changing his mind anytime soon. He seems like the type who wants a wife, two kids, a house with a picket fence. In other words, not only am I too gay for him, I'm probably too crazy for him also. I'm an artist with no career prospects," Will said.

"Well, whatever. If you ask me, no guy would let you touch his cock if he didn't kinda want you bad," Maya said.

Will laughed. "Anyway. How are things with you, Maya? I wanna think about something other than my dumb crushes for once," Will asked.

"Pretty good actually! The first few days of grad school were terrifying, but I think I met some people who I could become friends with. People are smart in grad school, Will. It's really intimidating."

"Oh, shut up, Maya. You are the smartest person I know, and you are gonna show everyone in that Art History department how badass you are."

"Aw, shucks," Maya said sarcastically.

"You know it's true. What about any juicy gossip? You meet anyone cute?"

"Well… there was this really cute guy at the bar I went to last night, you would die for him, Will. He has that whole rugged thing you like. And there is a girl in one of my summer classes who I think is gay and I think was giving me the eyes the other day," Maya said.

"Ugh, I'm so jealous. You dirty bisexuals have it so easy. So much more to choose from!" Will said.

"That is a lie and you know it. Everyone assumes you're gay if you're with a girl, straight if you're with a guy. Don't get me started about bi people problems, Will!" Maya said, laughing.

"Oh trust me, you've already told me enough about it for a lifetime. But honestly, I'm glad there are at least some prospects on your horizon. Hopefully I can meet one of them when we visit Boulder," Will said.

"I can't wait, Will. I'm so glad I get to see you so soon," Maya said.

They talked for a few more minutes before hanging up. He needed to get his mind off what Maya had said about Jacob – there was no use wondering if Jacob wanted him. Will knew it would only end up getting him hurt in the end.

He took out his sketchbook and started drawing a big open road that disappeared into the horizon. It was what he imagined the big sky, middle of America landscape would look like, and he couldn't believe he'd be out there soon.