Dear Readers,
This is my first of many submissions in this series. We'll uncover more interesting moments during Brett and Travis's first year at school as the plot unfolds. Please stay tuned for more, and feel free to vote and/or contact me if you like the story.
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Brett felt sick to his stomach. He'd spent his last night at home partying with friends until 7am and arrived back at his mom's house with a few hours to spare for last minute packing before departing for freshman move-in day at Princeton. It was an unbearably hot day and he was sandwiched in the back seat of his stepdad's station wagon between a large trunk of his clothes and his stereo system. He always got car sick, and he was still slightly hungover, but he suspected the nausea had more to do with feeling anxious about moving to college.
Brett had never even visited Princeton before accepting their offer to attend. He was a bright kid from a public school on the outskirts of New York City. As the scenery along the New Jersey Turnpike and Route 1 turned from smokestacks to suburbs he couldn't fight the distinct feeling he'd made a huge mistake. He imagined the typical Princeton student to be a preppy, know-it-all geek. Brett himself, while being smart, cultivated a definite non-conformist image. He was about 6 foot 1 with spiked bleached hair, earrings in each ear, and a wardrobe of Goodwill steals that could best be described as eclectic, and at worst downright grungy. As much as he worked hard to look unique, what he didn't realize is that he didn't have to try hard to be eye-catching. He had piercing blue eyes, broad shoulders, scruffy face, furry chest, and a killer smile. Brett had mostly put together his unique look as a way to deflect attention from his terrifying secret: he was gay. He'd known it ever since he was 14 when he'd traded hand jobs with his best friend Wilson. Wilson was the only person who knew Brett was gay, and even though he was straight the two had remained very close friends. Before they'd left, Wilson had encouraged him to come out at school.
"What have you got to lose, man? It's a fresh start," Wilson encouraged.
"There's no way! That school full of stuffed shirts? I'd be an outcast immediately," Brett replied.
"I hate seeing you have to live a lie. I mean, what if you find someone that you want to... you know..." while Wilson was totally cool with Brett's sexuality he still sometimes winced at the thought of actually saying the words.
"Butt fuck?" Brett blurted out.
"Geez, B! Gimme a break!"
"Just kidding, man. I guess I'll deal with that when it comes up. Although, I doubt they even have gays at Princeton. I'll be the only one."
"I'm going to come visit you once you get settled in and get you laid, I promise it!"
"Alright. It's a deal. And I'll keep an eye out for hot chicks for you too." Not that Wilson needed much help. He was slightly shorter than Brett, one year younger, but with natural dirty blond hair, and a more muscular smooth body.
Brett smiled at the thought of his best friend's assurance that he'd get him laid at Princeton just as his stepdad's station wagon pulled up to the guard booth at the entrance to campus. The nausea became instantly worse. The next two hours were a blur of parking, unpacking, saying goodbye to his parents, and meeting two of his three new roommates. Van was a surprisingly laid back guy from Nashville who'd brought along an acoustic guitar and was going to host a radio show on the campus station. Charlie was a shy kid from rural upstate New York who was already in the pre-med program, on the football team, and was volunteering for campus ministry. Wasn't it the first day? How did these guys already fit in here? Brett would come to learn that so much about Princeton would be based on who you knew. These guys clearly knew the right people. They seemed nice and treated Brett with respect, but he wasn't sure he'd be fast friends with either of them and they seemed somewhat uncomfortable with his different outward appearance. They had arrived first and had claimed the larger bedroom for themselves. Brett retreated to his new smaller bedroom and started to unpack while he awaited the fourth mystery roommate.
As he started unloading his second hand wardrobe treasures into the closet he put on his new Radiohead album and tried to chill out. But his heart was racing and he still felt nauseated. He'd never felt more alone in his entire life. No one here would ever accept him for who he was, and he started planning his escape. He considered calling Wilson to come pick him up. He felt like he was going to hyperventilate when he heard someone shout, "Hey Radiohead!" It was coming from just outside his ground floor window. Brett went to the window and looked to see who'd called him without even knowing his name. A guy about his height with buzzed light brown hair, deep brown eyes, and a lean muscular frame stood just a few feet away on the grass outside the window. He was wearing board shorts and a white sleeveless T-shirt and Brett could see he had very big biceps and a small patch of trimmed hair under each arm.
"What's up?" Brett asked.
"This Holder Hall?" the stranger asked.
"Yeah, what number are you looking for?"