8
Spencer Maldonado sat in his dorm room and stared at the walls. His shoulder was still in a sling. His head still throbbed sometimes. But he was getting better. He was getting stronger. And he had made a decision.
He had told Layton and Zavier that he wanted to try. He had told them he wanted all three of them to try. And now he was waiting for them to come over, his heart pounding in his chest, his palms sweating.
He didn't know what was going to happen. He didn't know if this was going to work. But he knew he had to try. He had to take a chance. He had to believe that this time would be different.
There was a knock at the door. Spencer stood up and opened it.
Layton and Zavier were standing in the hallway. They looked nervous. They looked hopeful. They looked like they had been waiting for this moment their whole lives.
"Come in," Spencer said.
They walked into the room and sat down on his bed. Spencer sat down between them.
There was a long silence. No one knew what to say.
Finally, Layton spoke. "We meant what we said. In the hospital. Every word."
Zavier nodded. "We're serious about this. About you. About us."
Spencer looked at them both. He could see the fear in their eyes. He could see the hope. He could see the love.
He said, "I'm scared. I've been hurt before. I've been used before. I don't want that to happen again."
Layton reached out and took his hand. "It won't. We won't let it."
Zavier took his other hand. "We're going to prove to you that we're serious. We're going to show you that this is real."
Spencer nodded slowly. "Okay. I believe you."
They sat in silence for a long time, holding hands, none of them wanting to let go. Finally, Layton spoke.
"So what happens now? What do we do?"
Spencer thought about it. "We take it slow. We figure out what we are. We don't rush into anything."
Zavier nodded. "That sounds good. Slow sounds good."
Layton said, "But we're together. All three of us. That's what we're saying, right?"
Spencer looked at him. Layton's eyes were earnest and hopeful. He looked like he was afraid Spencer was going to change his mind.
Spencer squeezed his hand. "Yeah. That's what we're saying."
Layton let out a breath he had been holding. Zavier's shoulders relaxed.
They stayed in Spencer's room for hours. They talked about nothing and everything. They talked about hockey and school and their families. They talked about their fears and their hopes and their dreams.
It was the most honest conversation Spencer had ever had.
When Layton finally stood up to leave, he paused at the door. "I don't want to go. I don't want to leave you."
Spencer said, "You don't have to. You can stay."
Layton looked at Zavier. Zavier shrugged. "I'm not going anywhere."
They ended up all three of them on Spencer's small bed, tangled together, none of them wanting to let go. Spencer was in the middle, Layton on one side, Zavier on the other.
Layton said, "This feels right. This feels like where I'm supposed to be."
Zavier said, "Me too."
Spencer closed his eyes and let himself feel it. The warmth of their bodies. The steady beat of their hearts. The knowledge that he was wanted. That he was loved.
He fell asleep surrounded by them.
The next few weeks were strange and wonderful and terrifying. Spencer was still healing. He couldn't play hockey yet. But he went to every practice, watching from the stands, cheering for his teammates.
Layton and Zavier were always there. They brought him food. They brought him books. They brought him everything he needed. They never left him alone.
The team noticed. Everyone noticed. But no one said anything. Not yet.
One day, after practice, Layton and Zavier came to Spencer's room. They sat on his bed, looking nervous.
Layton said, "We need to talk to you about something."
Spencer's heart skipped. "What?"
Zavier said, "We want to be open about this. About us. We don't want to hide."
Spencer stared at them. "Open? Like, tell people?"
Layton nodded. "Not the whole world. Not yet. But the team. Our families. The people who matter."
Spencer's heart was pounding. He had been hiding for so long. He had been pretending to be someone he wasn't. The thought of being open, of being honest, was terrifying.
But it was also liberating.
He said, "Are you sure? This could change everything. Your careers. Your families. Everything."
Layton said, "I don't care. I care about you. I care about us."
Zavier said, "We're in this together. Whatever happens, we face it together."
Spencer looked at them both. They were so serious. So determined. So sure of what they wanted.
He said, "Okay. Let's do it. Let's tell them."
They decided to tell the team first. At the end-of-season banquet. It was a few weeks away. That would give them time to prepare.
The next few weeks were a whirlwind. Spencer's shoulder healed. He was cleared to play again. He rejoined the team for the final games of the season.
And he was happy. For the first time in years, he was truly happy.
He had Layton and Zavier. He had a team that supported him. He had a future that looked bright.
But he was also terrified. The banquet was coming. They were going to tell everyone. And he didn't know how people would react.
The night before the banquet, Spencer couldn't sleep. He lay in his bed, staring at the ceiling, his mind racing.
There was a knock at his door. He opened it to find Layton and Zavier.
"We couldn't sleep either," Layton said.
Zavier said, "Can we come in?"
Spencer stepped aside. They walked in and sat on his bed.
"I'm scared," Spencer admitted. "I don't know what's going to happen tomorrow."
Layton reached out and took his hand. "Me too. But we're going to be okay. Whatever happens, we're going to be okay."
Zavier took his other hand. "We're in this together. Remember? Together."
Spencer nodded. "Together."
They lay down on his bed, the three of them, holding each other in the dark.
Layton said, "I love you. Both of you. I want you to know that. No matter what happens tomorrow, I love you."
Zavier said, "I love you too. Both of you. I've never said that to anyone before. But I mean it."
Spencer's eyes were burning. "I love you too. Both of you. I didn't think I would ever feel this again. But I do. I love you."
They held each other tight. None of them wanted to let go.
Spencer fell asleep to the sound of their breathing, the feel of their bodies pressed against his. He was still scared. He was still terrified of what tomorrow would bring.
But he wasn't alone. He would never be alone again.
The banquet was held at a fancy hotel downtown. The room was filled with people: players, coaches, families, alumni, scouts. Everyone was dressed up. Everyone was smiling. Everyone was pretending everything was normal.
Spencer stood in the corner with Layton and Zavier. They were all nervous. They were all holding hands, hidden from view.
Coach Miller gave a speech. Terry King gave a speech. Drew Matthews made everyone laugh. Then it was Layton's turn.
Layton walked to the podium. He looked out at the crowd. He was terrified. Spencer could see it in his eyes.
But Layton started his speech. He talked about the season. He talked about his teammates. He talked about how much this team had changed him.
Then he said, "There's something I need to tell you. Something I should have told you a long time ago."
The room went quiet.
Layton looked at Spencer. Then at Zavier. They nodded. They were ready.
Layton said, "I'm in love. I'm in love with my teammates. With Spencer and Zavier."
Gasps. Whispers. His mother's face went white.
Layton continued. "I know this might be hard for some of you. I know it's going to be hard for my family. But I can't pretend anymore. I can't hide who I am. Who we are."
Spencer stood up. He walked to the podium. Zavier followed. They stood together.
"We're together," Spencer said. "All three of us. And we know it's unconventional. We know it's confusing. But we don't care. We're in love."
Zavier said, "We hope you can accept us. But even if you can't, we're not going to hide."
Silence. The room was frozen. No one moved. No one spoke.
Then Coach Miller stood up. He started clapping. He was the first one.
The rest of the team followed. They were all clapping. Drew Matthews was cheering. Terry King was wiping his eyes. Sophie Gibson was crying happy tears.
The scouts were nodding. The alumni were uncertain, but they were polite.
Layton's parents stood up. They walked toward him. Layton's heart pounded.
His father said, "You're my son. I love you. I'm sorry it took me so long to understand."
His mother hugged him. She hugged Spencer. She hugged Zavier.
Layton broke down. He was sobbing. Spencer and Zavier held him.
The banquet ended. Everyone was talking about it. The news would spread. But for now, they were happy. All three of them.