CHAPTER 01: With Mat And Friends

Have you ever experienced loving someone for the very first time?

Hi, I'm Mike, and yes, I'm gay. I have known since I was a kid that I'm not straight. And here I am studying at Russenwell University, taking up culinary arts. I'm lucky that I have a mother who accepts me for who I am. I hadn't been in love with someone until that senior year.

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"Hey guys, do you want to grab lunch?" Ari said.

"Of course we're so starving already!" Jenna replied.

They've been my besties since we started high school up until now in college. We placed our orders and sat at the cafeteria.

While eating our food;

"Well, well, I think someone is in love."

Ari looked at me. She was so ready to tease me.

"Yeah, me too. I smell something fishy. Sniff... sniff..."

Jenna started teasing me, and both of them were laughing.

"Guys, stop! I like him but he won't notice me because I'm not a girl,' I exclaimed.

"Omg! Someone is coming, Mike! Look! It's Mat Adriano! " Ari whispered.

"And he will be sitting next to us. Omg! "I'm going to die," Jenna exclaimed.

"Jenna stopped being over dramatic" , I uttered then we laughed.

I turned around to look at him, but then I caught him staring at me. Then suddenly, I turned back around and then Ari and Jenna smiled, maybe trying to tease me again.

Okay, I can't deny that Mat Adriano is rich and charming, maybe because he's half Spanish and half American and the son of a CEO. Even when you're just watching him from a distance, you will melt from his extreme hotness and alluring smile. His blue eyes, those kissable lips, his Adam's apple down to his perfect chest and down to his...But wait, what's between his legs? ha-ha just kidding."

Then a snap of a finger in front of my face.

"So you're daydreaming again, huh, wake up bitch!" Jenna said jokingly. 

"I'm not!, I'm just observing things out", I replied.

Then the three of us laughed out loud, and the bell rang. And we went to our next subject, which is philosophy.

"Oh, there you go, not Mr. Beckman again," Ari exclaimed.

"Ari, stop! "He might hear you," I whispered.

While Mr. Beckman is discussing something, I'm on my seat writing the lyrics of the song, which I haven't finished yet, and it's called "Loving You".

Mr. Beckman slammed the book in front of me.

"So, Mike! "What do you think about our discussion?" he asked.

"Oumm... It's fantastic, Mr. Beckman," I replied.

Then everyone started laughing inside the room.

"Mike, next time, please listen while I'm talking, okay?" Mr. Beckman said.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Beckman, it won't happen again." I replied.

"You better be, because the next time I see you doing your own thing and not listening to my discussion, I'll send you to the dean's office". Mr. Beckman replied furiously.

After our class, me and my besties were ready to go home, but Ari's mom called her, so she went home early. Jenna's boyfriend, Pete, asked her for a dinner date, so I was left alone walking down the school hallway. 

Most of the students and professors have already gone home, and some have gone partying because it is already the weekend. The school seemed so quiet with just a few students walking around the campus. The song I was working on fell to the ground as I was putting my things in my locker. When I was about to grab it, a hand reached out and grabbed it for me. Then I looked up to see who it was, and it's Mat Adriano.

"Here you go, I had no idea you could write a song," Mat uttered.

Then I grabbed the paper in his hands quickly and replied, 

"Tha... thanks Mat." I replied

He appears surprised to be addressed by his given name.

"Oh, so you know me!" he replied surprisingly.

A loud voice called out Mat's name just as I was about to say something.

"Hey Mat!" "We've been looking for you, man," his friends Nate and Ark arrived.

"I've been looking for you, man." Let's go, let's drink something. "I'd like to unwind a little," Ark uttered.

"Well, I have to leave now, see you later," Mat said with a heart-melting smile.

"Okay, you take care of it, guys," I replied.

But they haven't left yet,

"You're Mike, correct?" Nate asked.

"That's me!" I replied.

"Since it's already the weekend, why don't you join us?"

Ark grabbed my shoulder and said, "No rejecting okay?" as I was about to decline his invitation.

"It's on us." Ark insisted.

"Okay, chill. I'm coming with you guys. " Then I smiled back at Mat.

The lights and music are on, the disco ball is spinning around, guys and girls are on the floor. Mat is sitting next to me. Ark ordered bourbon and tequila-shots. I drank my first glass of bourbon, then Mat whispered to my ear "slow down" while feeling the heat of his breath that built the tension between us. Then he looked into my eyes and smiled. My heart was beating so fast, then my cheeks blushed. So I took a shot of tequila to boost my confidence a bit. Well, nothing can beat your confidence when you're drunk right?

The manager of the club was announcing that they would pick a random person to sing on stage and they would get free drinks for the night. Since I was tipsy at that moment, I volunteered and I know it was so stupid. The manager seemed to be thrilled, and they introduced me to perform on the stage.

"Go Mike!, Go Mike!, Woooooo!!!" My name is being shouted by Nate and Ark, followed by the crowd. Mat was just smiling and drinking his bourbon while looking at me.

I introduced myself and the crowd went crazy, but I can't deny that I also have that charming look, although not as handsome and rich as Mat Adriano. My body is only toned, not just like Mat's, who looks hunky.

" Hello everyone. I'm Mike, and I'll be singing an original song that I wrote called "Loving You."

I grabbed the guitar and microphone and the crowd went crazy again.

At that moment, Nate and Ark were shouting and screaming my name to boost my confidence, but I was tipsy at that moment, so I had enough confidence to sing in front of the crowd.

As I'm singing the chorus of the song, I've noticed that Mat is looking at me in the eyes then gave me a wink followed by a sweet flirty smile. I don't know but I smiled back at him. I finished singing the song, then the crowd applauded me. I was about to go back to my seat when I noticed Nate and Ark were teasing Mat.

"So, are you into him now huh?" "Ha-ha," Nate said teasingly.

"What! no! "It's just that I admire his talent," Mat replied.

"Come on, man, chill." You look so tense, but you can't fool us. We saw that you couldn't take your eyes off of him. " Ark said.

"Take off what?" I asked, pretending I hadn't heard what they were talking about earlier.

"Oh, it's nothing. It's just that our friend here has fallen for someone," Nate replied.

I drink three of the tequila-shots because I know I'm the one they're talking to. Then an hour later,

"Slow down, you're drunk already!" Mat said.

"Nope, this glass of Bourbon will be the last one," I spluttered, even though obviously I was so drunk.

After we finished drinking, they decided to go home already. Nate and Ark seemed so worried about me because I was so drunk. Mat, on the other hand, is still in his right consciousness.

"Okay, guys, you go first. I'll take care of Mike," Mat demanded.

"Mehhh, I know what you're thinking, Mat," Ark replied.

"Anyways, we'll go ahead, man. See you next week, bye Mike," Nate said while teasingly looking at Mat.

"Just go! already!" Mat exclaimed.

"Okay, okay, we'll leave, he-he" Nate and Ark were laughing, maybe trying to annoy Mat while leaving the club.

"Mike, are you okay, can you still stand up?" Mat said.

"Of course!" I replied confidently but I looked so stupid at that moment.

Mat grabbed my right arm and wrapped it around his shoulders and led me to his black Bugatti. He opened his car door and sat me in the front seat. Because the rain had just stopped and the ground was wet, his foot slipped away, causing his lips to press against mine. But since I was so drunk, I pulled his necktie and continued kissing him back slowly, feeling the heat of our lips built more tension between us. Mat continued kissing me on my neck as I felt the adrenaline rushing through my veins. I unbottoned his sleeve shirt hungrily craving for more something intense but he pulled back. Maybe he realized something was wrong because I was so inebriated at the time.

"Mike, stop! I'll send you home. Just tell me your address, "he uttered as he composed himself.

So I told him my address and he started the car engine. He looked at me hungrily and had an amorous feeling for me, but he needed to compose himself.

We had arrived at my house. Mat pressed the doorbell, then my mom, Liz, opened the gate.

"Mike! "What happened?" she exclaimed.

"He's alright, he's just drunk," Mat replied.

"Thank you for bringing him back, and you are?" Mom asked.

"I'm Mat, Mike's friend," he replied.

"Thanks again, Mat. Do you want to come inside and have a cup of coffee or something? " My mom uttered.

"Maybe next time, auntie, I have to go now. Maybe my dad's looking for me," he replied.

"Okay then, take care on your way home". Then Mat waved his goodbyes and went home.

Mat had arrived at his house and saw his father standing near the glass window with a glass of bourbon in his hand. He didn't take his gaze off of his son, looking so furious. His father looked so mad and slapped his son's face.

"Tell me Mat, what's this!?, Is this how you behave!? "his father exclaimed.

"You'll be the next CEO of the company." You're so shameful. What will our colleagues say about you, huh!?" his father snarled.

"That! All you care about is what other people will say! Okay! "If you don't want me here, then I'll leave," Mat exclaimed.

"Hey! Mat! "I'm not done talking!" his dad uttered furiously. Mat went upstairs to pack his things and left the house.

Mat went back to his condo, looking upset about his dad. While scrolling through his phone, he saw our photo at the club, which calmed him down and made him smile. Then he remembered getting my phone number. I know he took advantage when I was that drunk. He sent me a message with a wink emoji. As I woke, my head was still hurting and I was trying to remember what happened last night.

I took my phone out and there's a message sent by a new number. I opened the message and it said "good morning sleepyhead, I enjoyed last night" with a wink emoji. I was confused and curious. And trying to remember everything that happened last night. Suddenly, my mom knocked at my door.

"Sweetheart, aren't you going to the mall today?" "Ari and Jenna are waiting downstairs," my mom uttered.

"Yup! I'm awake. I'll be downstairs for a bit. " I replied.

I took a bath and put on my denim jacket, jeans and white t-shirt. Then I went downstairs and I saw these two bitches. Just kidding.

"Now we're late at the cinema," Jenna said.

"I'm sorry guys, I was so, oh it's nothing."

Then I stopped talking because I know these two will interrogate me if I tell them where I was last night.

"Wait a minute! Where have you been last night? " Ari asked with curiosity.

 "I stayed home, I promised ", I replied.

"Well, if that's the case, then we'll go then. We're going to be late. " Jenna exclaimed.

So we went to the mall, after watching the cinema we strolled for a bit then bought some things that I needed for cooking. I was eating ice-cream when someone tapped my shoulders and said;

"Hey! Mike!"