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“Okay, so what’s the issue? He made you uncomfortable and you turned him down, so it’s done,” he says matter-of-factly.

I look at my lap. “There was just…something else,” I tell him honestly. “I don’t know if it made me uncomfortable, Nate.”

“Oh. Uh…” Nathan clears his throat. “Then how did it make you feel?” The way he asks is awkward and stilted, but I know he’s being genuine.

“I…don’t know. I’m…confused,” I say, and feel my cock hardening in my jeans again. I shift a little and try to ignore it.

“Hey, Ethan, man,” Nathan says. “Look at me, bro.”

I sigh and look down at him. “What?”

“Whatever’s going on, I’m here for you, you know that? If you think you might be…” He waves his hand. “…bi or pan or something…whatever this confusion is, I got you.”

My face goes even redder. “I’m not,” I huff out. “I’m just confused and exhausted.”

Nathan eyes me. “Okay. But if youareinto guys, that’s great, but Dante is the worst possible option. At least for the long term. If you just need a fuck or something I guess he’d be fine, but…”

I stand up quickly. “Shut the hell up, Nate.” I feel my pockets for my phone and wallet, double-checking even though I didn’t take them out. “Are you gay?”

He blinks. “I dunno. Well, I like girls, but I’m not cutting my options off.”

I stare at him. “Well…I am. I’m not interested in boys, men…I’m straight. I like women, I’m dating Lena, and I’m going to see her right now.” I head to the door, ignoring whatever he starts saying behind me.

I feel even more confused and flustered than when I came to talk to him, but I’m determined to prove my words true.

“Hi, baby!” Lena says happily as she opens the door to her solo dorm room right as I’m about to knock.

I smile softly back at her and step inside to wrap my arms around her waist and pull her closer…even closer than usual. Her incredibly round and soft chest squishes against my flat one as her arms wind around my neck.

“Hey, sweetheart,” I whisper near her ear, and place a soft kiss against her dark brown hair.

Lena giggles and pulls back just enough to look into my face. “Well, someone is happy to see me today. Havin’ a good day or something?” she asks. She starts to let go of me after a couple seconds like always, but I don’t let her go.

“I’m very happy to see you,” I tell her. “And my day’s been just the opposite, which is why…” I lean in and press my lips to hers.

Her lips are plush and warm. They smell like cinnamon lip balm.

The kiss lasts a few seconds before I pull back, and she’s looking at me with a mixture of confusion and stars in her eyes.

“I’d say I’m sorry you had a shitty day, but not if it gets me that,” she says with a chuckle.

I finally let her go, and she leads me inside the small room, closing and locking the door behind us.

My face and chest feel slightly warmer. I feel…happy to be here with her. As I sit on the loveseat nestled in a corner of the room surrounded by string lights, I look at Lena as she grabs two bottles of water out of the mini fridge.

She’s wearing pajama shorts and an oversized T-shirt. Her curly hair is pulled back into a puffy bun. She’s adorable—that much I’m certain of.

“Did you bring the book I asked you to?” Lena asks as she sits down beside me.

“Yes, ma’am,” I say obediently, teasingly, and unzip my bag. I place the book on her lap.

“You keep saying that and we’ll have a hard time studying,” she teases in return. The brown skin of her round face flushes darker before she opens the book to a specific chapter. “Oh, great. I was worried this edition wouldn’t have the updated graphs.” She turns to her laptop, which is balancing on the arm of the sofa, and pulls up a few documents.

“I told you it did,” I remind her.

“I always have to see it in person to be sure,” she says.

With a shake of my head, I get my own computer out. Seeing it reminds me of the library with Dante.