Ch. 10 - Making The Headlines

Chapter Ten - Making The Headlines

"I'm afraid that's what you get for drinking so much." Jonathan wasn't much into chastizing Ray, not after making so many mistakes of his own at that party, but his roommate's constant whining about how his head was killing him was getting a little on his nerves. He had never been one to overdrink and had no idea how to deal with a hangover, not firsthand anyway, so he didn't know how to make Ray feel any better.

They sat on the grass, chilling, while watching the other students pass by. In all honesty, Jonathan's nervous state was more related to how he didn't want to see Maddox, not Ray's current predicament. Therefore, he had convinced his roomie to sit as far away from the more populated locales as possible, close to an old oak.

"Dex was so impressed with me," Ray said proudly only to groan the next moment and press his fingers against his temples.

"Well, I don't want to sound like your mom, Ray, but you shouldn't let yourself become a victim to peer pressure and do stupid things. Dex is like thrice your size. Of course, he can drink anyone under the table. It's all a matter of who has the biggest liver. And how come you're still hungover on Monday?" He pushed Ray's hands away and began to apply his own brand of massage. His roommate groaned, but more in pained pleasure this time.

"Okay, mom, but where were you and what did you do at the party? You practically disappeared."

"I was around," Jonathan said brusquely.

"Were you around with Connor? The guy kept asking about you."

Jonathan did feel guilty about Connor, leaving him like that, but Maddox had the uncanny ability of making him forget anyone else existed on the face of the planet.

"No, not with Connor," he blurted out without thinking.

"Really?" Ray's eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. "Who with?" he asked.

"Doesn't matter," Jonathan said quickly.

"Seriously? Where is the roommate code so that I can rub your nose in it? You need to tell me everything."

"No, I don't."

"Hmm, that means that I'll have to figure it out. Was it one of the guys on the lacrosse team?"

"Ray, I doubt any of those guys is gay."

"Right, right, hmm, hmm. Who else disappeared at the same time as you?"

Jonathan needed to stop Ray before he figured out the truth. "Look, Ray, it's not important because nothing will ever come of it."

"Really, why?"

"Because," Jonathan struggled to find the right words, "he's a bad boy, and, well, it wouldn't work out. I wouldn't be able to date him, have a relationship out in the open, and all that. You know, the things any good guy would want."

"Ugh, keep it up like this and people will start thinking that you're actually dating me," Ray said with a roll of the eyes.

Jonathan ruffled his hair. "And how would that be bad, huh? Didn't you want to play the 'who's gay' game with the girls on campus?"

Ray pouted. "With all due respect, JJ, I think I could do better if I were gay."

They both burst into laughter at the same time. Jonathan grabbed Ray and began to wrestle him. "Take that back or it's only ramen for you all week."

"I'm not negotiating with terrorists," Ray declared while pretending to fight back. "I'm just giving up."

Jonathan finally let go of his roomie and straightened up. They both turned as they heard a short swish coming from behind the tree.

"What was that?" Ray asked.

Jonathan shrugged and got to his feet. He walked around the tree but saw nothing. "The wind, probably."

Ray leaned toward him and threw him a conspiratorial look. "Sometimes, I have the weirdest sensation that someone is watching us."

"Come on, Ray. Everyone's watching us since we're playing the fools." Jonathan gestured at the students walking by who sometimes cast a glance in their direction. Nothing that appeared to be out of the ordinary, as far as he could tell. "Don't tell me drinking too much made you paranoid, too."

Ray shrugged. "I don't know. I've never had a proper hangover before."

"I doubt proper hangovers exist. Aren't you a little too proud of getting drunk with Dex Solomon? If he gets all the fun and I get to treat your hangovers, I'm going to have a word with that guy."

"Ha! Feel free to try. I bet you're no match for him."

"What are you even thinking, Ray? That I'll challenge him to a fight? I'm just going to tell him politely to stop plying you with alcohol at any given chance, not go against him."

"And he'll hug you so snugly that you won't be able to breathe anymore."

Jonathan shook his head. "All right, I won't then since he sounds so scary. Now how about heading over to class?" he said hurriedly.

When it came to Maddox Kingsley, he had a special sense developed, he had noticed. The guy was just walking through the quad with his friends, and by his body language, he had already seen him. That meant that he needed to make a run for it, and fast.

***

"Is that your boyfriend over there?" Kane asked and pointed shamelessly at Jonathan who was just standing and offering his roommate a hand to help him up.

"Shut up, dumbass, he's not my boyfriend," Maddox mumbled. Since the party, he had expected at least a text or something, but his phone had been annoyingly silent. And he had behaved like a perfect gentleman, allowing Jonathan to get away when he'd been practically at his mercy.

"So make him your boyfriend if that's what you want," Kane insisted.

"Who said that?" Maddox snapped.

"Do you want just to hook up?" Rusty butted in.

"I thought it was more serious than that," Dex intervened.

"Ugh, guys, just stop bugging me," Maddox groaned. "I don't know what I want, 'cause this guy just slips through my fingers every time, and I don't have time to figure it out."

"Did he manage to get out of my famous hitch?" Rusty asked. "How?"

"What is the lunatic talking about?" Kane asked in turn.

"He tied Jonathan to a tree for me."

"I had no idea this evolved into a threesome," Dex said.

"Guys, guys, just shut the hell up. For some reason, Jonathan doesn't want to be seen with me. Is my reputation that bad?"

"Yes," Dex said promptly.

Maddox punched him in the arm. "Thanks for nothing, bud."

Rusty was busy on his phone. "Ha," he said triumphantly, "you gotta see this, Maddox."

"What?"

"Sunny Hill Xpress just published something on him."

"What?" Dex and Kane asked at the same time. "Just read it already."

Rusty cleared his throat with self-importance. "Resident gay heartthrob Jonathan Hamilton has high standards when it comes to pairing up. And who could blame him? He's got the looks, excellent preppy fashion sense, presumbly an impeccable pedigree, and did you hear about his perfect GPA? Our reporters just got a glimpse of a conversation with his roommate that shed more light on why our most recent and hottest transfer of the year is still single. A word to the wise, gay boys of Sunny Hill. Good guys don't date bad boys."

"O.M.G.," Kane said slowly, emphasizing each capital letter of the acronym.

Dex laughed, and Rusty scratched his head. "Who's a bad boy? Maddox?"

Kane was laughing his ass off. "You must have made quite an impression on the guy. What did you do to him? Now I'm seriously curious."

Maddox pouted. "No way I'm telling you guys anything else from now on. And I didn't do anything to him. He's actually the guy who threw a punch at me. Why don't they write about that?"

"Maybe because that stuff is private," Dex warned him. "And don't bother with the stupid shit in Xpress. If you really want the guy, just go for him. If he has the wrong impression of you, just make sure to set him straight."

"Huh, Maddox doesn't want to set Jonathan straight," Rusty intervened. "He likes him because he's gay."

"Rusty," Dex exhaled and pinched the bridge of his nose hard, "remind me why I love you."

"Because I'm fun and have a sunny disposition," Rusty replied promptly.

Kane laughed. "Aren't you way too fond of that description Sunny Hill Xpress gave you freshman year?"

"He is," Maddox and Dex said at the same time.

Maybe setting Jonathan straight wasn't high on his list, but he truly needed to make the guy see that he meant business and that he wasn't going to fold and admit defeat. Not when they kissed each other like that and it was enough being in the same room alone and sparks flew everywhere.

Jonathan had no idea who he was messing with.

***

"Another party? Really?" Jonathan wasn't sure that he was up for being forced to meet Maddox again in close quarters, especially after doing an awesome job of keeping away from him all week. To his relief and disappointment, Maddox had been suspiciously unaware of his presence, or so he let him think. When it came to this guy, Jonathan wasn't sure anymore of anything. It was enough that his feelings and thoughts were all jumbled up, and it should have been impossible to be disappointed by not having Maddox throw him pointed glances when they were anywhere close to each other.

"Yes. We don't go out enough," Ray argued.

"What are you even saying? We're getting out every day to go to class."

"Don't argue with me," Ray warned him. "And I'm tired of hearing you sigh all the time, thinking of your bad boy who isn't Connor. Are you sure he's that bad?"

"Bad for me, at least," Jonathan replied.

"Tell me," Ray got in his face and watched him intently, "did you kiss?"

Jonathan blushed and looked away.

"Ah, ah, ah," Ray expressed his excitement through non-words. "And how was it? You're blushing. It must have been ah-mazing. Gosh, this is like a fairytale."

"It's no fairytale, as I assure you there are no fairies or monsters involved."

Ray snickered. "Don't tell me it's like Red Riding Hood and the big bad wolf. Get it? Bad wolf, bad boy."

"Can I rip that roommate code apart? I need to have the legal framework to strangle you," Jonathan warned, too aware of the warmth in his cheeks. "You'll find me in a red hoodie when I'm dead."

"Then just come to the party with me. Forget about your bad boy by meeting others."

"One is enough, I assure you."

"You know what I mean. Let's just have fun," Ray insisted.

"Well, if you insist. But you're going to be saddled with me all night. No going drinking with Dex and his gang, or other things. You deserve to be in my boring company throughout the party, and then I bet you won't insist on us going together the next time."

"Like I'd be scared," Ray countered. "I'm sure I can help you loosen up. By the end of the night, you'll be the soul of the party."

That was a bit hard to imagine, Jonathan thought. But he wasn't one to rain on Ray's parade. Plus, maybe, just maybe, he wanted to see Maddox again. That was the part of him that was always a glutton for punishment, but he couldn't resist it.

***

Maddox couldn't recall the last time he had needed a strategy to have someone fall for his charms. Going against Jonathan Hamilton felt a bit like a game of chess and, as of right now, his opponent had made his move.

And by that, he meant that Jonathan had found it funny to use his roommate as a buffer between them. Although the party had been raging on for hours, he hadn't managed to catch Jonathan alone, and his attempts had been countered in various sly ways. And always, always, Ray the roommate was there, and Maddox couldn't just walk over and drag Jonathan away, as much as he desired to do exactly that. Dex had proven equally unsuccessful in getting Ray to join him in a drinking game.

Why on earth were those two joined at the hip? Ray was, all of a sudden, very unlikeable to Maddox. He had no right to monopolize Jonathan's attention like that. Just who did he think he was? His boyfriend or something?

Maddox froze as the thought hit him. He hadn't heard any rumors or anything, but now that he thought about it, Ray was always there, and what if Jonathan was into the nerdy type? Fuck. Now he needed to get glasses and striped polo shirts. No, no, no, his clothes weren't the issue.

Ray, inconspicuous Ray, with his awkward lanky body and sheepish smile, must have gotten under Jonathan's skin somehow. According to Dex, the guy was straight, but Maddox was the living proof that Jonathan could turn straight guys on their heads if he wished with just a flutter of those pretty eyelashes of his. And Ray, well, the guy lived with Jonathan. Probably, more than once, he must have bumped into Jonathan stepping out of the shower, in nothing but his birthday suit. A single look, a meaningful one, would have been enough—

Maddox groaned and leaned against the wall while he examined the object of his unrestrained affection laughing and talking to his roommate like there was no else in the universe. He needed to stop thinking of Jonathan seducing Ray by accident if he were to keep his head clear and in the game.

"So, he's there," Rusty pointed out and joined him in hugging the wall. "And you're here. How is this supposed to work? Do you have sex from a distance, like tantric and shit?"

Maddox turned his head lazily to give Rusty a death glare, but he was met by an all-knowing grin. "You're having fun, aren't you?"

Rusty shrugged. "It's funny to see you like this. But it's not the same ever since I have no competition on calling dibs on all the pretty girls on campus."

"I thought you'd be happy," Maddox said.

"Yeah. Nothing's the same without my bro, though. Hey, do you think you'll get over this dude soon?"

Rusty's question caught him off guard. "Dunno. Don't think so. I mean, look at him. He's almost not real."

His buddy followed his example and stared at Jonathan for a while. "Yeah," he said softly.

What the hell was getting into Rusty these days? He partied the hardest ever since Maddox had known him, hooking up like crazy, and making a lot of girls happy in the process. Rusty had real skill in finding chicks who loved to have fun just as much as him, so there were no severe cases of broken hearts there. But, if he thought about it, which he hadn't done lately because he'd been too absorbed with his crush on Jonathan, something was a bit off about Rusty's shenanigans.

"Hey, what's with you?" he asked.

Rusty puffed his cheeks and exhaled. "With me? My buddy is crushing on a dude, and he's letting him slip through his fingers like he's some kind of noob."

Somehow, Maddox doubted that was the real reason, but not even Kane could brag about being able to tell all the time what was going though Rusty's head, especially since said head was usually filled to the brim with the kinkiest stuff a human being could think of.

"Well, bud, the truth is I'm a noob when it comes to getting boys," he explained.

Rusty snorted. "Bullshit. You're just treating him like he's made of glass. He's not. He's a 180-pound hunk who can take it like a champ."

Maddox didn't stop to think about how Rusty could tell Jonathan's weight just by looking at him. He was more intrigued about the rest of his friend's statement. "Take what like a champ?"

Rusty glared like Maddox was hard-headed and couldn't understand basic things about life in general. Then he raised his hands and was just about to simulate an act that needed no extra explanations. Maddox caught him just in time. "So," he started to distract Rusty from his usual craziness, "what am I supposed to do, oh, wise one?"

"Grab him and kiss him right there." Rusty pointed at where Jonathan was standing. "He'll get the point, guaranteed."

"And I'll get a punch in the face and at least some minor surgery," Maddox replied.

Rusty patted him on the shoulder. "Grow some balls, my dude. Or just remember where you put them 'cause they surely ain't between your legs right now."

Maddox shook his head. Well, he needed to talk to Jonathan, but to avoid embarassing him in front of his roommate who probably had no idea about his friend's illicit adventures with Maddox, first, the obstacle had to be removed.

Le wild light bulb popped right away. He needed to check something anyway. But first, he had to find the right person for the job.

***

If he did as little as turn his head a fraction of an inch, he would meet Maddox's famous glare. Not that he knew that glare to be famous, but he knew it well, and it meant that something was happening right under the surface. Maddox was pissed at him, and the thought was making him uncomfortable. Not enough to make him give up on his cowardice and allow Ray to leave his side and have fun, but still.

It was a battle he couldn't win. There was nothing simpler than that truth. If Maddox came to him and kissed him right there, in front of everyone, his knees would buckle under him, and he would become the first emergency case in history of literally falling victim to a helpless crush.

"I need the bathroom," Ray said. "Do you want to come…"

"No," Jonathan said shortly. He wasn't that bad a case as to follow his roommate everywhere.

"Stay here, okay? And if any bad boys bother you, just let them know that I have a mean right hook."

Jonathan chuckled and then met Ray's knowing look. So, his roommate had guessed the truth anyway. Of course, he was a smart guy, and Jonathan could lie to himself all he wanted, but lying to Ray was a different thing altogether.

"Just go. I'll be fine," he said and pushed Ray playfully away.

He stared into his cup for lack of anything better to do while waiting for his roommate's return. The last thing he needed to do was to raise his eyes and meet Maddox's glare.

Well, it appeared that his strategy of avoidance meant nothing. He closed his eyes as he sensed someone stopping by his side.

"You know, I had no idea," Maddox started.

There was no follow up, so Jonathan was forced to look at him, as that was the polite thing to do. "Of what, exactly? And hello to you, too."

Maddox scoffed. Oh, he was definitely pissed. "Hello? You've done a great job of avoiding me all night."

"Avoiding you? I just stood here all night," Jonathan said defensively. "And we're not close or anything, right?"

He regretted every single word as it left his mouth, but it was what he had to do. No fooling around with Maddox Kingsley. He had promised himself, dammit.

"No, I suppose we're not," Maddox agreed.

Jonathan couldn't look at him. He rested his gaze somewhere else and shifted nervously. "Do we have a problem?"

Maddox leaned dangerously close. Jonathan could feel his hot breath on his lips, that close they were. "Yeah, we do. If I had a fucking magic wand that could make all the people around us disappear this second, the next we'd be kissing like crazy, and I'd make you swallow your words about not being close or anything."

It wasn't fair. The problem was him. He was the one who kept falling for the wrong guys. What was he even thinking?

"So, yeah, I had no idea that you were such a huge coward," Maddox added.

All right, so that hit so close to home that Jonathan recoiled slightly and stared into Maddox's eyes that were filled with a mix of longing, hurt, and something else that wasn't easy to describe or define. "I don't know what you mean," he said softly.

"You do," Maddox contradicted him. "Heed my words, Hamilton. One of these days, you're going to come knocking on my door."

"What for? Some sugar?" Jonathan made a lame attempt at a joke. His throat was dry, and the way he talked was unnatural and forced.

Maddox smirked. He pushed away the rebellious strands of hair falling in his eyes. "Yeah, that. Just so you know, when that happens, I'm going to give you all the sugar you need and then some." His eyes dropped to Jonathan's lips as he talked.

"Maddox," Jonathan breathed out, "wouldn't it better if you saved all that for someone who's more deserving?"

"Deserving? It's like you're talking about charity. I don't do charity. When it comes to what I want to give you, trust me, there's no one more deserving. Yeah, you deserve to be tied to a bed and force fed it until you stop denying wanting it."

Jonathan could feel his skin getting hot. He was used to a carefree Maddox who seemed to be all about fooling around and joking, not this intense person whose words were dipped in dark honey and then allowed to drip over his already frayed nerves.

He gulped. The sound of his throat doing that was loud in his ears, but he was only imagining things.

Maddox pushed himself away from the wall. "I'll leave you with this. I sincerely hope this gives you as many sleepless nights as you've given me since you came to Sunny Hill."

Sleepless nights? If Maddox meant it as a curse thrown over his shoulder, he couldn't be more far off. Jonathan was losing just as much sleep over him, if not more. Before he had a chance to sneak another word in, however, Maddox was already gone.

And Ray was rushing toward him with his eyes gleaming and his face flushed. "JJ, hate me, but you need to release me from my oath. A girl, a real girl, alive, with two arms, two legs, and…"

"I understand what a real girl is," Jonathan stopped his friend's tirade. "What about her?"

"She talked to me," Ray blurted out. "And," he leaned in and whispered, "she kissed me."

Jonathan's eyes grew wide. Just like that? He could start giving Ray the speech, but maybe this girl just wanted to have fun, and his roommate would surely argue that such occasions didn't appear too often, so he kept his mouth shut. He grabbed Ray by the shoulders and pulled him into a hug. "Don't worry about me, Ray. Go have fun."

"You sure? I feel a little guilty..."

"Completely sure. Just go. We'll talk later. Just so you know, I don't need all the details, okay?"

Ray kissed him on the cheek. "You're the best roommate ever, JJ. I'll cook next week for this."

"No, don't you dare," Jonathan warned playfully. "Just hurry up and don't let her find another boy to kiss, okay?"

"Right. Off I go," Ray said and squeezed Jonathan again in his arms before letting go.

Jonathan watched him go with a small smile which faded fast when he saw a girl who looked nothing short of a Playboy bunny wrapping her arm around Ray's and giving him a loving look. Something was wrong with that picture.

He couldn't go after Ray and stop him from doing something that he would regret later. There were things that people had to be allowed to do, even if they were mistakes. And, just as with Ray's hangovers, he would do his best to offer his support.

On the other order of business, he needed to get out of there before Maddox found him again. He had his own sleepless nights to worry about.

***

"And you cannot believe it, JJ, but she likes reading the same books as me," Ray continued his recount of the many qualities Hanna, the girl from the previous night, had under her belt.

Jonathan couldn't quite put the picture of this Hanna Ray was talking about together with the Playboy bunny he had noticed at the party getting all over his roommate. It was like they were two different people. "Hanna is the girl in that tiny pink dress, right?"

Ray rolled his eyes. "Yes, how many times do I have to tell you? It's like you don't believe me." With that, he added a suspicious glare.

"I do, it's just, um, never mind."

"No, say it," Ray challenged him.

"All right." Jonathan breathed deeply. "It's just that girls like her don't usually... Just forget it."

To his surprise, Ray jumped to his feet. "You can say it, JJ. Girls like her don't hang out with guys like me, right? They deserve better, right?" He stormed out of the room.

Jonathan hurried after him and was met by a door slammed in his face. "Ray, come on, you know that's not what I mean." He leaned against the doorjamb. "It's just that such girls are usually vapid and search only for guys who are as superficial as them."

"Easy for you to say. You make all the sexy bad boys on campus fall in love with you," Ray protested from behind the closed door.

"Wow, really, Ray? You know that's not true. Come on, I love you. And it's you who deserve better, not her."

"You don't know her. I'm mad at you. You rained on my parade," came the miffed words.

"You know what? You're right. I don't know her. Did you get her number? Are you going to see her again?"

Silence followed, and the door finally opened. Ray sniffled. "No."

Jonathan stood there, nonplussed. "What do you mean, no? Didn't you two have fun last night?"

Ray looked down. "I did. I don't know about her. Maybe she got bored."

Jonathan sighed. "Did you forget to ask for her number or did she refuse to give it to you?"

Ray shifted from one foot to another. "She said that it was fun and liberating to talk to someone without being judged. And I forgot to ask for her number."

"She must be a student here. You'll meet her again. Now, how about I make your favorite and you remember everything you can that could help you find her again?"

"Mac and cheese?" Ray's face lit up.

"That's what I meant, obviously." Jonathan smiled.

A loud knock took them both by surprise. Jonathan went to get the door, and found himself face to face with a girl dressed in a sailor cut shirt and tight jeans. She was pretty and wore no makeup, and Jonathan thought she was vaguely familiar. Her nose was a bit red and she looked like she'd been crying.

"I'm Hanna," she said in a throaty pleasant voice. "Is Ray in?"

Jonathan stepped aside. "Hello, Hanna. Please, come in. Ray, Hanna is here," he called for his roommate.

Ray materialized by his side in an instant. Hanna threw his arms around him and began crying. "I'm sorry, I really like you, but I need to tell you the truth, Ray."

Jonathan felt like a notorious third wheel. "I think you two need some privacy. I'll be in my room if you need me." He began walking away when Hanna started talking again. She seemed to be as extra as Ray, so surely they had something in common.

"Maddox told me I should talk to you and see if you were interested in girls, and I--"

Jonathan turned on his heel at the speed of light. "Maddox did what?"

Hanna stared at him, confused. She pressed a tissue against her nose. "Maddox told me to talk to Ray to see if he were gay, but I like Ray for real," she said simply.

Now he knew what he had thought was wrong with that picture when he had seen Hanna all over Ray. He ground his teeth and jumped into his shoes.

"Where are you going?" Ray asked.

Jonathan cracked his knuckles. "I'm going to teach a bad boy some bloody manners."

TBC