4. Zachary
CHAPTER 4
ZACHARY
“I feel like we’ve seen each other naked more this week than the previous nineteen years of our lives,” I said, walking back into our room from the shower, a towel wrapped around my waist. And that wasn’t a complaint. Something was different with Teo.
“Well, if you knew how to operate a blender, I would’ve had one less chance to ogle you.”
I smirked, taking the chance to tease him. “So you admit you were ogling me?”
“You have, like, more abs than me and you don't play sports! There was a lot to ogle.”
“I might not play sports but I do yoga!”
“You’re telling me I could look like that”–Teo gestured to my still naked torso–“without running twenty miles a week?”
“Yup.”
“ Put on another jockstrap. ”
I shivered at the sound of the whisper. It was definitely not Teo and it creeped me the fuck out.
“Did you hear that?” I asked.
He tilted his head in confusion. “I heard you say yup. ”
I had no idea whose voice that was or why they wanted me in a jockstrap but somehow a part of me wanted to play along.
“Is it okay if I wear another jockstrap or is that going to overload your system?”
Especially if it was at Teo’s expense.
I needed to concentrate this weekend. I had my first sociology paper due on Monday, the same day as my first art history exam. I should definitely not have driven to western New York to watch Teo play soccer.
Having a kickass Jeep meant that I could go anywhere I wanted whenever I wanted. It also meant other people could come with me if I didn’t say no, although I had to admit it was nice that Aiden and Jayden wanted to support Teo. It also earned me some points with the jocks in charge of the frat. Not that I needed many of those. Points, that is. My friendship with Teo meant I was readily accepted, but I still had my own insecurities.
I wasn’t a first year, but I was smaller and didn’t play a varsity sport. And I was living in the jock house. Teo and Malik were the only ones who had seen my abs, so the rest of the guys didn’t know I looked like them.
On a side note, Aiden and Jayden weren’t bad to look at, so the fact that they had decided to sit on either side of me and share my popcorn was basically the start of every one of my pornographic fantasies. I felt like I had seen this very scene on men.com.
“It was nice of you to come support Teo,” I said.
The one on the left said, “No prob. He works out with us a lot and he’s been to a lot of our matches.”
“Does Teo know you like him?” the one on the right asked.
“Uh, I drove six and half hours to watch him play soccer. I think he knows…”
“Aiden. ”
“Aiden,” I repeated.
“That’s not what I meant either, you rascal. It’s okay if you’re gay. I’m bi and Jayden’s–what did you call it, bro?”
“Questioning.”
Seriously .
My jaw must’ve hit the floor.
“I told you your gaydar is terrible. You shouldn’t have said anything, Aiden.”
“No, no.” I found my voice. “You just surprised me, and yeah, I, uh, have a thing for Teo.”
Both of them practically crushed me in half-hugs. “Doesn’t that feel better?”
It did actually, so I nodded.
“He is pretty fucking cute.”
“Jayden!”
“It’s the truth. I’m not gonna get in the way. Just calling it like I see it.”
“Does he know that you’re gay? Assuming you’re gay?” Aiden asked.
“Correct assumption and…I don’t think so.”
“Well, the first step is the hardest.”
“Have you two told your teammates yet?” I asked.
“This was actually our practice for that. We got the vibe from you, and saw an opportunity to get you alone,” Jayden answered.
I scoffed. “I thought this was a total porn setup and now you’ve confirmed it. Let’s go have sex now.” I pretended to stand up and was met with their laughter.
“You’re kind of a little freaky, aren’t you?” Jayden asked while I sat back down.
“Maybe,” I teased.
“We should’ve come out sooner,” Aiden said, his chin resting on one of his hands. “We say we're a progressive fraternity.”
“Is anyone on the rugby team bigger than you?” I asked. “ Because if they have a problem with it, I don’t think they’re gonna say anything.”
“That’s true,” Aiden said. “But it would be nice if they were cool with it.”
“Does that mean you’re gonna be more open?” Jayden asked.
They were starting to convince me that maybe I should tell Teo. I was sure he’d be okay with it. I’d probably leave the crush part out of my confession, however.
The crowd erupted and I thanked my lucky stars I had been watching at the time. Teo headed a long cross straight past the goalie.
Once the crowd settled back down, I asked, “Is there a way to tell you two apart easily? You're both basically Greek gods.”
“Aiden’s cut and I’m uncut.”
“What?!”
“He’s lying. We’re twins. That would be a little weird if our parents had one of us snipped and not the other. We’re both cut.” Jayden continued, “I have three piercings, Aiden has four.”
I couldn’t believe I hadn’t noticed Jayden’s nose ring before. Aiden didn’t have one there, or anywhere on his face. “I only see your nose ring.”
“Exactly.”
Exactly?
I looked at one of them and then the other. They were both staring at me, and then I got it. I couldn’t help but glance at Aiden’s crotch. He was wearing tight sweatpants.
“What a little smartypants. He figured it out.”
I knew my eyes were wide. “Do you wear them when you’re playing rugby?”
They both shook their heads. “Fuck, no. I knew a guy that had his nipple ripped off. I like my dick exactly where it is.”
We shared a laugh, they shared more of my popcorn, and we watched Middleton win the game.
Teo’s header ended up being the only goal of the match.
Despite being massive, ripped, hyper-masculine rugby players, Aiden and Jayden – I would forever tease them for their parents’ name choices – had no idea how to change a flat tire. Thankfully YouTube did, and the twins eventually came in handy when I needed to get the nuts off. I didn’t have the strength for that.
And yes, we all had a laugh when I asked them to get the nuts off.
Pulling up to the KΩK house, we could already tell it was another rager. Thank God we were far enough from town we wouldn’t have to worry about noise ordinances. The closest neighbors were the other frats.
“Looks like they started without us,” Aiden said.
“Jock on the doorknob, don’t come in?” Jayden added.
“Same for me, bro. Good luck.”
“Thanks for the ride, Zach.”
“It was nice getting to know you. Don’t be a stranger.”
“See you later, guys.”
I don't know why, but I waved. Like a dork.
Jesus.
It seemed like they knew what they were doing tonight and it didn’t include a shorter, less brawny, closeted, frat brother. I thought about Jayden’s jock, distracted for a moment about the sheer size of it, then remembered its purpose. Teo had never come up with a code like that. Just the thought of walking in on him plowing into some sorority girl had me nauseous. I could not see that.
I drove across the lawn, not wanting to leave my Jeep by the road where some drunk could demolish it, and parked by the hidden garage behind the west side of the house. I walked past at least three couples making out and in various states of undress. I wasn’t quite in the mood for a party after a five hour drive that took six. I wanted to get some food, take a shower, and climb the tower. Hopefully that would put me far enough away from the noise that I could read.
I got as far as the kitchen before Malik found me. Yeah he was cute, but my chat with the twins had lit a fire under my ass. I wanted to talk to Teo and see his reaction. Malik could wait.
“Hey there, where’ve you been?”
Of course, we had to yell to hear each other. “Soccer game. You know where Mateo is?”
“I think he’s in the Bang Room.”
The what? I stopped what I was doing. “Where?!”
“The Bang Room!”
“What the fuck is the Bang Room?!” And why the fuck had I never heard about it.
“It’s the empty room on the second floor where brothers can fuck in private.”
“Like each other?”
He said I wish under his breath. Not that I heard it, but I read his lips, confirming my hunch about Malik. “No. If a brother can’t fuck in his room, he brings the girl there to do it.”
Well, that was nice of Teo to not fuck a girl in our room, but FUCK ME. This was not how my night was supposed to go.
“I’m guessing you didn’t know that?”
“No, Malik”–I took a deep breath–“I did not, but thank you. If you’ll excuse me.” I grabbed a box of Bagel Bites and two cans of Dr. Pepper before heading upstairs. “Have a good night.”
I wasn’t able to fall asleep until Teo came in. Thankfully, he was alone, but it kind of confirmed what Malik said. He probably hit it and quit it.
He didn’t stumble around though so at least he wasn’t drunk.
But that kind of made it worse.
“ It’s okay. You can touch yourself. ”
“Fuck, yeah. Swallow my dick. Take it all the way to the base.”
I ran my fingers through his hair as his nose nestled itself in my pubes.
“You like that, don’t you?”
“ Stroke it. Stroke your cock. ”
The muffled reply was all I needed to hear before-
“I’m gonna fuck your mouth. Hard. You ready?”
“Zach!”
What?
“Zachary Shea Cavallo!”
I opened my eyes and Mateo León Decker was staring at me, and my right hand was wrapped around my hard dick, which was – I glanced down – extremely visible via the tented blanket. I let go immediately and ignored it.
“What’s up?” I looked up at Teo who stood next to my bed, wearing just boxers. I wouldn't be getting softer any time soon.
“You were so loud. You woke me up, dude.”
Oh God. I threw my head against the pillow. “What was I saying?”
He laughed. “It kind of turned me on a little. You were letting some chick have it. She was choking on your, you know.” He gestured to the tent.
It was funny he couldn't say the word. There were so many.
Penis. Cock. Dick. Member. Erection. Boner. Johnson. Prick. Schlong.
“It felt so real, Teo, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you.”
“I wish my dreams were that fucking good.”
I remembered last night and in an uncharacteristically blunt moment, I said, “Who needs dreams when you have the Bang Room?”
The silence in the room was interrupted by that voice again. Distinctly male this time.
“ Tell him the truth. ”
There was no way I could do that now. My fucking boner still wasn’t gone.
“I didn't think you knew about that.”
“What does that mean?”
He sighed, then said, “The truth is, Zach, that I haven’t fucked a single girl I’ve brought to the Bang Room. Ever.”
Okay. Just how many have there been?
“I can tell you’re surprised, but let me explain. I know I’m expected to like girls. I’m a jock, I’m good-looking – shut it – I’m in a fraternity. But I just don’t feel anything when I’m with them, which sounds awful, so I don’t sleep with them. Instead of trying to explain my brand of sexuality to everyone, I find the drunkest girl at the party, take her to the Bang Room when she can barely stand, let her rest, give her water, tylenol, whatever she needs, and the next day or earlier, we go our separate ways.”
His brand of sexuality?
“So–I have so many questions–you’re what, like, the savior of drunk chicks?”
“I guess so? I haven’t thought a lot about it.”
“Oh, sweet Jesus!”
“It’s fine. The girls know we didn’t mess around, they’re not blacking out, Zach. They’re usually embarrassed or thankful I didn’t take advantage of them.”
I was just going to have to believe in his confidence over the situation. He seemed so sure of himself. I was tempted to ask more about his sexuality, since he hadn’t been super clear, but I was still processing the Bang Room fake-out.
“You still want to be my friend now that you know I’m broken?”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake, let’s not have a pity party. I’m sure we can figure it out. You want some pancakes?”
Teo nodded. “Though I think we’re gonna have to wait for that to go away before we go anywhere.”
I glanced where he was pointing and sure as shit, my dick was still at attention, so I rolled away from him and slammed him in the face with my pillow for good measure.
I shouted, “Perve!” but this conversation had all my wheels turning.
Teo was struggling – if that’s the right word – with his sexuality?