Plugged

Plugged 10

10

Everything was going the right way for Gaige. He was finally the president for the Gammas, everyone was cool with his sexuality, Caliph was out of the picture and finally Mariano was giving him the time of day again.

"What was the occasion?" Mariano asks him.

Gaige was riding Mariano around in his brand new Audi. Mariano looked good in his passenger seat. He smiles at him, reaches and grabs Mariano's hand.

"I wanted you to know before anyone else," Gaige breaks the news to him, "So I've been doing auditions and I've been casted in this new movie that's coming out. It's a leading role."

Mariano raises his eyebrows, "I didn't even know you wanted to be an actor."

"I didn't. Hell. I was just trying to make some extra money as an extra, but the director said I had the look. After he searched my background and saw I was a Gamma he had me read for the role. Just like that I got it. You're looking at the next Green Lantern, bae."

Mariano's eyes get wide.

"Holy shit! Are you serious!" Mariano asks, "You are acting like this is no big fucking deal. You are about to be in a blockbuster movie."

"It isn't a big deal," Gaige explains to Mariano, "Once you are a Gamma these doors are going to start opening up for you to. Anything you want. Anything you need. Anything you desire. You name it and it yours. As long as you are loyal to the fraternity, the fraternity will take care of you. That's how it works. Once you cross we'll be a power couple."

Gaige reaches over. They have pulled into the garage of the Gamma house. Mariano is about to exit the car but Gaige grabs him. The only thing that can make this moment any better is a kiss.

He doesn't hesitate to start kissing Mariano. His tongue goes down Mariano's throat. He's never been so attracted to Mariano in his life. He touches his soft hair, puts his tongue down Mariano's throat and pulls Mariano to the drivers seat.

"Wait...what makes you think we're back to this level?" Mariano asks him.

Mariano was playing hard to get but Gaige could see it in his eyes. Mariano couldn't resist him. Gaige defined sexiness. Mariano was just starting to hit the gym and attempt to look like a Gamma. Gaige had been looking like one for years.

Gaige unbuttons his shirt. He flaunts his pecs. Gaige is barrel-chested. His large chest curves outward. He can see Mariano gawking at his chest. He grabs Mariano's hands and puts it on his chest.

"You feel that?" he asks Mariano.

"Yeah. I feel your muscles," Mariano answers.

He guides Mariano's hands past his husky chest, down to his brick abs. He continues to guide him lower until Mariano gets right to his dick. He lets Mariano squeeze it. He has big heavy meat and he knows Mariano can feel it in his fingers. Mariano tries to pull away but he grapples onto Mariano. He pulls Mariano over him completely until Mariano is straddling him in the driver's seat. He pulls the seat back a enough so that have time. The seat is completely leaned over.

He massages Mariano's ass. His hard hands plays with his juicy cakes over the pants then struggles to get underneath the pants to continue feeling up Mariano.

"You know we are going to end up being together anyway," he tells Mariano, "I don't know why you're fighting this."

"I'm not fighting this...I'm just scared."

"Scared of what?"

"Scared that this isn't what I want," Mariano states.

Bullshit.

Gaige was what Mariano wanted. He was what Mariano needed. Gaige was what any man needed. Just to prove that point he gets hard underneath Mariano. His dick presses up against the seat of Mariano's pants. Mariano is trying to hold out. Mariano exhales. He can tell Mariano is trying to resist but he's getting the better of him.

"Don't you want to be a power couple?" he asks Mariano.

With Mariano's name recognition and Gaige's good looks they'd blow up. Gaige didn't really ever think about this acting thing but he had the look. He could be the next Michael B. Jordan. Hell he could be even bigger than that. He could be the next Chris Hemsworth.

"I want to be loved."

"I do that. I love you. I fuck you. All that..."

He slaps Mariano's ass hard and palms it once Mariano tries to get away.

"Your birthday. It's at the end of the week," Mariano states, "Give me some time to think about what I want."

"I was hoping we'd be a couple again officially before my birthday," Gaige admits.

"Keep being good and maybe I'll give you that birthday surprise.'

Mariano leans up to Gaige and kisses him. Gaige heart shutters when Mariano puts his tongue down his throat. Mariano kisses him so hard that Gaige can feel a spasm in his dick as he releases a slight stream of precum.

It had been way too long since Mariano had let him up in this walls. He knew that he would break Mariano's back once he got the chance.

He just had to hold out until his birthday.

"You should get back to the basement with the pledges," Gaige states.

Mariano raises an eyebrow, "Are you fucking serious? We been in the basement all weekend."

"It's part of pledging. The others are already pissed that I am treating you special. Plus now that we have 3 pledges instead of 4 you kind of stand out a little more."

"Wait...so Caliph is gone?"

Gaige laughs. After what happened the night he was punished there was no way Caliph would come back. Caliph was somewhere licking his fucking wounds probably too scared to tell anyone. Men usually were afraid to admit that they got raped. That was always the last thing they wanted to do.

"I guess he just couldn't take it," Gaige states, "Hazing scares the weak people off. He doesn't deserve to be a Gamma."

"What happened that night?"

"Nothing. We just messed with him a little bit."

"Messed with him how?"

Gaige pulls at Mariano's cheek, "It's a secret society baby. You know I can't tell you that. Don't worry about it though. Caliph is old news."

Mariano looks upset now but sooner or later Gaige knew that Mariano would forget all about Caliph. He knew that sooner or later the memory of Caliph would fade into distance. Gaige didn't deal well with competition. He didn't deal well with threats. He got rid of obstacles. That was the Gamma way. It wasn't personal with Caliph.

Caliph just happened to be someone who got in the way of what Gaige wanted.

And he was moved.

Rather forcefully...

"I should head to the basement," Mariano states clearly upset.

Mariano gets off of Gaige and starts into the house. Gaige can tell he's upset. He's probably mad he didn't say anything.

"Baby," he says following Mariano into the house, "Please don't tell me you're pissed about Caliph not coming back. Who gives a fuck? Why do you care?"

He almost bumps into Mariano as he gets back into the house. Mariano has just stopped walking. Something has stopped Mariano right in his tracks and Gaige isn't really sure what it is.

When Gaige walks in the house he has the same reaction. There is Caliph.

Caliph is back in the Gamma house!

He has a glass of water in his hands.

Caliph looks back over at Gaige and smiles, "I'm sorry about coming out of the basement. I just needed a glass of water. I'm headed back now."

Gaige's eyes stare at him. This wasn't fucking happening. Caliph gives Gaige a friendly smile! A smile like he hadn't been raped by these people! He was smiling like nothing had happened that day.

"I thought you said Caliph wasn't coming back," Mariano asks Gaige.

For the first time in a long time, Gaige is speechless...

~

"What made you come back?"

Jordan and Flip are gathered around Caliph's cot. They are both curious. I think we all are. I stay away though. I think it's already awkward enough that I am locked in a basement with Caliph. I think it's even more odd that he just left for such a long time and came back without even an explanation of why he left.

Caliph shrugs, "I want to be a Gamma, just like the rest of you..."

"What happened that made you leave?" Flip asks.

"Just some personal stuff."

Flip seems a little hesitant, "It wasn't because of some crazy hazing that they did?"

Caliph shakes his head, "No."

"Are you sure?"

Jordan stops Flip, "You might want to stop asking all those questions Flip. I know your major is Mass Communication but if you really want to be a Gamma you should learn how to just shut up and let things go."

Flip does ask a lot of questions. I have to admit that right now I kind of want him to. I'm too nervous to go up to Caliph and ask him those questions myself. Regardless of the fact though...I want to know. Still I don't like the fact that Calilph is being put on the spot.

Maybe that's why I defend Caliph from my cot.

"I agree with Jordan. It's none of our business. Besides, it shows character that Caliph stuck it out," I tell Caliph, "The Gammas will see that."

"Right," Flip says rolling his eyes, "Because the hazing they are doing is to help build character."

"Well I'm going to bed," Jordan sighs, "We're glad to have you back Caliph. I'm sure you'll make things a little bit more interesting around here. Unfortunately, you came back at a bad time Gaige is having a party. Guess whose going to be his bitch boys putting it together?"

Flip rolls his eyes as though recognizing Gaige will have us do his party for him.

"Can't wait. I guess I'm going to be early too then. It's going to be a long week..."

The two of them start heading to bed. I lay down on my cot as well. Caliph is still unpacking his suitcase. I don't go to sleep like the others. I watch Caliph. He sits in the darkness for 40 minutes that night. He doesn't go to sleep.

He seems nervous and for some reason I can't go to bed with him looking that nervous.

It isn't until Flip starts snoring and Jordan goes into his coma like sleep that I gather the courage to get off of my cot.

Caliph's eyes follow me the whole time as I walk over to his cot. I don't think he wants me to come over to him but he doesn't necessarily stop me. I can't read him. As I get close he looks away finally. In the darkness I sit at the edge of his cot. The bed is hard. It's a little too hard. At first I think he just got a bad one but then I think about it harder. I wonder if Gaige has anything to do with the fact that Caliph's cot is harder than the rest of ours.

"Can't sleep?" I ask.

At first I think Caliph will just ignore me. He looks like he doesn't want to talk. A whole minute passes awkwardly before he finally looks me in my eyes.

"I haven't been sleeping well lately," he admits to me.

He's cold. He's distant.

"Nightmares?" I ask.

Caliph shrugs. He's so sexy to me. He has on a wifebeater and sweatpants. The cots have no headboard so he leans up against the wall. His eyes are so black that they seem like a bottomless pit. His tan brown skin takes on a blue tint from the light coming from the one small window we have in the basement.

"Something like that," he tells me, licking his lips and turning away again.

I think about letting him go. It's clear he doesn't want to be bothered. For some reason I don't though. I scoot closer to him.

"Tell me about it."

Caliph stares back at me with suspicious eyes, "What are you doing?"

"Huh?"

"Why are you staying up this late to talk to me? Why are you getting closer?" Caliph asks before squinting hard at me like he was trying to solve the algorithm to some Rubik's cube, "What do you think is about to happen?"

I'm a little offended.

"I'm not trying to hit on you if that's what you think?"

"Then what the hell do you want from me?"

"I'm worried about you. You are acting like everything is OK but I'm not sure it is," I say, "What happened the night you got hazed."

"I told you. Nothing."

"I'm just trying to help," I argue.

"Stop trying to help," Caliph explains to me, "Stop looking at me like that. Matter of fact stop looking at me at all."

I all of a sudden feel very self-aware. I hadn't been aware I was looking at Caliph in any particular way. I feel all of a sudden like I'm chasing him.

"Fuck you man. I'll never look at you again."

I get up off the bed. I'm surprised when Caliph all of a sudden stops me. He grabs me by my arm and tries to pull me back. I pull away at the same time. Both of us land on the ground next to his bed tripping over one another's feet. Caliph is on top of me. We're so loud that I hear Flip shuffle around like he is waking up. He isn't snoring anymore. Caliph puts his finger to his mouth to keep me quiet. Flip seems to fall back asleep.

"I didn't mean it. I apologize," Caliph explains before fixing what he says, "I just want you to stop being so fucking nice. I don't need you to be nice. I need you to stop caring about my mood or caring about if I'm having a good time. I need you to just stop being you Mariano. I need you to be like the rest of them. It's easier that way."

"What's easier that way?" I ask him.

Caliph was still on top of me. I don't know if he realizes it. He hasn't moved. I don't want him to realize it for some reason. He seems deep in his thought and I just let him think. For some reason in this position everything seems so perfect. Everything seems so right.

"Nevermind."

"There is something on your mind. Something you aren't telling me. It's written all over your face."

"You don't know me."

"Do you know yourself?" I ask him, "You don't belong in the Gammas. Why are you here? Why did you come back. I know something is wrong here and I can't my finger on it. Let me help you Caliph. You don't have to be scared of Gaige or anyone. You can tell me..."

"I'm not scared of Gaige."

"Then what are you scared of?"

"You want to know?" Caliph asks me.

"Yes. More than anything."

"I'm scared of you..." Caliph tells me.

There is silence at that moment. There is silence and Caliph does something I don't expect in a million years. He begins kissing me. It's slow. His kisses are soft. I kiss him back. We are on the floor kissing as though nothing mattered in this world except our lips pressed against each other. We could be in the basement of a frat house or at the Tahj Mihal. It didn't matter because we were together and for the first time Caliph was showing me who he really was.

"Holy shit," I state.

I'm the one who actually pulls back just to catch my breath.

"That was a mistake," he responds quickly, "You should go to bed..."

Caliph gets off of me. He retreats to his bed. He's quick. He's desperate to get away from me. He covers his head with his comforters as though trying to hide himself from the world.

Even with him hiding I realize I've saw more of Caliph then he probably let anyone ever see...

I stand there.

2 mintues. 3 minutes. 5 minutes.

Finally he peaks from underneath the comforters feeling me standing over him. He eyes glare at me in disbelief that I haven't moved a single step from where I originally was. I'm staring down at him.

"Do you really want me to go back to bed?" I whisper to him in the darkness.

Caliph takes a deep breath. I can hear the hesitation and the confusion in it. It's as though his entire existence is being defined in this moment. He takes one deep breath followed by another deeper breath.

Then he exhales and admits something that I'd never expect him to admit, "No..."

He looks at me seeming unsure of what happens next. He's like a child. Don't get me wrong. Caliph doesn't look like a child. I've never been so attracted to someone in my entire life. His dark eyes. His thick eyebrows. His tan skin and big lips slightly parted wondering what he should say. He was a child in the way that he'd never experienced any of this before and he needed me to teach him.

I walk over to the bed. I climb into his sheets. Flip is tossing and turning but I don't care. I climb in the sheets with Caliph.

We lose ourselves under the white sheets. I'm over Caliph.

I can hear his breathing. It's slow but heavy. It's so heavy. He's so nervous right now. I kiss Caliph. I'm gentle. I didn't want to scare him but I realize when he kisses me back he's forceful as though he's been wanting to share this moment for such a long time. He seems very eager from his kiss. I slow him down. I pace him as I begin to undress. Caliph lets me undress him as well. I take off everything but his underwear. I want to make sure he is comfortable with this. Caliph doesn't hesitate to awkward push his underwear down past his leggy thighs and kick them to the bottom of the cot.

"Are you sure?" I ask him.

He hesitates. He is overthinking. He's thinking about his past, no doubt. He's thinking about his religion as well probably. When I look him in his eyes all of those doubts seem to fade away. This moment feels right to us.

"Kiss me?" he asks.

The way he says it is as though he's hoping I will. It's a question. It's not overly aggressive like Gaige. Caliph is much more nervous than Gaige could ever get. He's so unsure of even how to kiss me when I begin kissing him. Our tongues awkwardly flail at each other until we find a groove. When we do find the groove though it is magical. His hands get a little braver. They feel my body. They feel the smalls of my back. They feel my ass.

I go down on the bed once I feel myself getting a little bit too turned on by the kissing. I take a look at Caliph's dick.

It's beautiful...

I put it in mouth, tasting it, sucking on the skin and allowing the saltiness of precum to fill my mouth. He moans, probably a little too loud but I don't think either of us care. We've forgotten that there were two other boys in the room. I suck again and again. My mouth draws him in. I suck so much that I'm dribbling from the sides of my mouth.

He lets me know when it's time to go further, grabbing me and pulling my body up with his. We kiss. He plants my ass across his torso and slides down. His dick enters me.

We both let out a deep, "Fuck..."

It's almost as though we planned it. In the moment for some reason both of us find this funny, because we both laugh like idiots.

The laughing doesn't last too long though. I think I'm reminded that Caliph's dick is in me and I give it a tight squeeze. His laughing fades when he remembers how my ass feels from the squeeze. All of a sudden Caliph is serious.

He begins to fuck me. He thrusts up into me. Our eyes connect but it isn't just our eyes.

There is another connection that we get.

A connection that doesn't happen too often. A connection that has never happened to me before.

A connection of souls.

~

Jordan can hear Gaige's voice as he leaves. He's annoyed. This is Gaige's party and Gaige could care less to stick around and help decorate for the fucking thing. It's just like Gaige. He was going to be the boss while everyone else put in all the hard lifting.

"You guys better not fuck this up," Gaige tells them, "Roddy and Cody...watch them..."

Roddy and Cody were Gaige's little henchmen. To call them little was an exaggeration though. These people had nothing little about them. They were scary as hell.

Cody and Roddy seem aimed at Flip.

Cody is the one who throws a bunch of streamers on the floor, "Pick this shit up..."

The streamers are everywhere. There are tons of them. Cody deliberately kicks it all over the living room floor and looks at Flip. Jordan has no doubt that Gaige put them up to this. They were here to make Flip's life specifically a living hell. Normally Jordan would mind his business but the fact that this was coming from Gaige made things a little interesting.

Jordan feels bad and tries to help him but Roddy grabs him up.

"No. Just Flip. Don't fucking help him."

Jordan has no choice but to watch as Flip is forced to do their work. For some reason Flip seems to be in a good mood regardless. He isn't letting the two get underneath his skin. This seems to annoy Cody and Roddy even more.

"Gaige wanted Patron," Jordan says all of a sudden.

Roddy shrugs, "Yeah so?"

"We don't have any," Jordan replies, "I'd hate to think what Gaige says when he doesn't have the liquor he wants."

Cody and Roddy definitely seem to realize what Jordan is aiming at.

Cody points to Flip, "Flip...you go get three bottles of Patron for Gaige. When you are done you'll clean up all these streamers alone. No one is helping you."

"He's not 21 and he doesn't have a fake ID," Jordan states.

Luckily for Jordan, Cody and Roddy were idiots who didn't think about that. All of a sudden they are standing there looking stupid. Jordan crosses his arms and watches as they talk amongst themselves for a minute.

"We'll be back," Cody says before adding, "No one better not help Flip either."

Jordan nods, "Of course not."

As soon as they leave Jordan bends over to help Flip pick up the miles of streamer that Cody kicked over.

"Thanks man," Flip says.

"No problem," Jordan says, "What's got you all smiling today? Gaige and his dickheads have been on your ass all day. You seem like you're in a good mood."

"Oh, nothing..."

Just at that moment Flip gets a text. There it was! The bright ass smile again.

"Who you texting?" Jordan asks him.

"No one," Flip says putting his phone away quickly.

"C`mon. I need to hear something about some pussy," Jordan replies, "With those two over there I'm starting to feel like there is way too much suger going around in the Gamma tank."

Jordan turns to his best friend. Sure enough Caliph is helping Mariano with something. Jordan is too far to hear what they are laughing about but they are laughing. Laughing quickly turns into wrestling. Jordan hasn't really seen Caliph smile as much as he is smiling with Mariano at that moment.

Flip seems happy to change the subject off of him, "What are those two laughing about?"

"You want to pretend like you didn't hear them last night?" Jordan asks Flip.

Flip laughs, "Oh I heard them all right. They were going for hours. I'm glad someone is getting some action though."

"Are you going to tell Shady Shanice?" Jordan asks.

"What?"

"Oh don't pretend like it wasn't you," Jordan states, "You can trust me..."

Flip hesitates. Jordan can see him hesitating.

"Ok...ok it is me. I'm her contact," Flip admits, "I didn't want to get Mariano involved in any drama though. You have to believe me when I say that. I didn't want to cause issues with him and Gaige..."

Jordan had assumed that it had to have been Flip but he wasn't completely sure. Everyone else just had assumptions as well. Flip had finally admitted to him that he was the actual mole.

"Don't worry I'm not Gaige's biggest fan," Jordan explains, "Still...if anyone finds out that you are Shady Shanice's source...you'll be done for in this school. You would never be able to show your face. You'd have to transfer..."

"Are you going to tell?"

Jordan raises an eyebrow. Shady Shanice's radio station was the most popular radio station in school. Flip had just admitted to being the one leaking information. This could come in handy at some point if he kept Flip in his back pocket.

"Of course not. We're friends," Jordan says.

"We are?"

"Yeah. We are in this shit together. I mean Caliph and Mariano are a part of this pledging shit too but they are spending more time bonding in a whole different way."

Just at that moment Jordan nods over to Caliph. Caliph is rubbing up on Mariano's ass when he thinks no one is looking. Mariano laughs. Jordan knew Mariano for a long time. Not even Gaige gave Mariano the giggles like that. His best friend had been reduced to a little school girl. Then there was Caliph: the terrorist. Since when did Islamic State savages giggle and grind on gay boys? Where did they do that at?

Flip laughs, "I guess your right. Does that bother you?"

"What?"

"Mariano being gay. Aren't you like his best friend?"

Jordan had never really thought about how he felt about his best friend being gay. Truthfully he wished Mariano was straight, but at the same time it was kind of nice because they never had to compete for girls. Jordan's problem was more with Gaige. Jordan has debased himself with Gaige in ways he never thought imaginable to become a Gamma. The slap in the face was that he didn't have to. The only reason Jordan was a pledge now was because of Mariano. Mariano had saved his ass. If he didn't have such a good best friend then he would have been looking like an idiot. Gaige would have used him for sex and kicked him to the curb like a piece of trash.

Mariano had given him the opportunity. Deep down Jordan knew that. Deep down Jordan knew that Gaige wasn't shit. And he'd make Gaige pay.

Luckily Jordan knew a terrorist who was thinking along the same lines as he was.

"I think him and Caliph are fine together," Jordan shrugs.

It's much better then Gaige and Mariano.

"So it won't be a big deal right? A gay relationship? It's not a big deal nowadays right?"

Jordan feels a little weird about the question.

"I mean this is Gaige we're talking about. He sets the trends. Anything he does is cool, so I'm assuming no one cares about him being gay because well...it's still Gaige."

"And if it was someone else?"

"Why are you asking me that?"

"Nevermind..."

Just at that moment Caliph and Mariano walk over.

"Hey Caliph and I were going to start decorating the upstairs," Mariano states, "You guys mind finishing up down here?"

Flip smiles, "I'm sure you two are going to really go to work up there."

Jordan laughs. It must go way over Mariano's head though because he doesn't even seem to notice. He grabs Caliph's hand.

"C`mon Caliph."

"Gimme a second OK?" Caliph tells him, "Start without me..."

Mariano leaves and goes upstairs. As soon as he does Caliph looks over at Jordan. He signals to Jordan while Flip is busy picking up the streamers.

"I'll be right back," Jordan tells Flip.

Jordan follows Caliph into the huge kitchen. The rest of the Gammas are either in class or in some sport's team practice. The kitchen is completely empty. Jordan and see the look in Caliph's eyes at that moment.

As soon as they are in the kitchen Jordan crosses his arms.

"You still going to do this right?"

"Why do you ask that?" Caliph asks.

Jordan wanted Gaige to pay. Caliph was the way to get it done.

"You and Mariano. You two are getting real...close..."

"We're just friends."

"Really? Mariano is my friend. I'm sticking my dick up his ass for hours every night for the past couple of days."

Caliph sighs, "Fuck...you heard that?"

"Yeah we heard it. And honestly that's fine. Have your fun now. Are you still actually going to go through with the attack."

"They violated me," Caliph explains, "They raped me."

Jordan's eyes get wide, "Seriously?"

"Yes. So to answer your question...I am going to go through with the attack," Caliph explains, "That's why I pulled you in here now."

"Listen I can't have anything to do with this," Jordan says, "I support you doing your thing but the little I know the better."

"All I want you to do is keep Mariano away. I got these two tickets. They are to the state fair that is the same night. I need you to take Mariano there..."

The attack was still on. This would be perfect. Jordan would survive and he'd be famous. He'd be able to tell the story about what happened to people everywhere. He'd be the lucky boy who survived the biggest attack since 9/11. He'd be the one who just so happened to be at the state fair when all of it went down. Hell...he might even be able to go on Oprah if he played his cards right.

And the best part of this...Caliph would make sure Gaige was gone...once and for all.

It was perfect.

Jordan happily takes the tickets, "Sure... I'll ask him tonight."

Caliph nods, "It's important Jordan. I...care about Mariano. And there is no one else I trust with him then his best friend. Please. Mariano can't be at Gaige's party..."

"He won't be."

"Thanks man."

~

It's late that night. I'm sitting on the bed with Caliph. We are talking about something small when Jordan walks up out of no where.

"Hey Mariano...what are you doing the night of Gaige's party?"

"Uh...is that a trick question. I'm going to Gaige's party..."

"I got other plans," Jordan says.

I'm annoyed. Jordan hates Gaige. I get it. Still. I couldn't miss Gaige's party. That was just a slap in the fucking face at that point. Jordan has tickets in his hands at that moment. He waves them around as though they are Willy Wonka's golden tickets or some shit.

"I have to go," I explain.

"Why?" Caliph interrupts, "You two aren't together right?"

Caliph looks hurt.

I look over at Jordan. Great. Did he really have to do this in front of Caliph?

"Jordan can I have moment alone?" I ask.

Jordan shrugs. Walking away.

"I think you should skip his party," Caliph tells me.

I hesitate, "Calilph. This is complicated."

"Then uncomplicated it."

"Are you...jealous..."

"No...it's just..." Caliph states but pauses, "If I told you that I was jealous would you go out with your friend instead of going to the party?"

For some reason I'm smiling a little bit.

"Maybe..."

"Then yeah. I'm jealous," Caliph says smiling.

He looks around making sure Jordan and Flip aren't looking. Then he kisses me. The kiss is quick and intimate at the same time. Even after he kisses me he just stares in my eyes. We are sitting on the same cot. I can't believe I'm feeling this way about Caliph. Right now I could care less about Gaige or his party. Fuck his party...

"I never felt this way..." I state, "Is it weird?"

"No. I feel the same way. But I need to talk to you. Listen if me and you part ways...for whatever reason..." Caliph starts.

"Why would we part ways?" I ask him.

"I don't know. Just...in case. I want you to know that this friendship or...whatever this is, means the world to me. I wish we had met in a different time. I wish we had met under different circumstances. But I want you to know that I don't regret anything."

It was saying a lot coming from a religious zealot to say he didn't regret a homosexual relationship. Still there is something about Caliph's tone that just seems off to me. I can't put my finger on it.

"Well we don't have to worry about anything," I state, "We are just starting out this friendship. We can create our own terms. Right."

"Yeah..."

Caliph doesn't sound too confident with that. I want to dig in more but all of a sudden we are interrupted. Roddy and Cody come down into the basement. You would think they'd be done for the day. I was annoyed. It was 1 o'clock in the morning. What the fuck else could we do for this fucking party at this time of night.

Flip is asleep but they pour a bucket of cold water on him on him to wake him up. It's fucking mop water at that.

Jordan is already up sitting on his cot reading when they come down.

"Gaige wants strippers at his party," Roddy says.

Flip, Mariano, Caliph and Jordan exchange glances. We look annoyed to say the least.

"What does that have to do with us?" I ask.

"The strip club is open right now. You need to take your asses to the strip club and recruit."

"How are we going to get into a strip club?" Jordan asks, "We aren't even 21."

"Figure it out."

I roll my eyes, "Jordan I'll just tip the bouncer. We'll be fine."

"Actually Gaige doesn't want you going to a strip club," Cody tells me.

"Excuse me?" I ask.

"Wait let me get this right?" Flip asks, "Jordan, Caliph and I have to go in the middle of the night to a strip club to serve Gaige's weird ass desires while Mariano gets to stay home?"

"How is that fair?" Jordan asks.

Roddy and Cody could care less if Flip and Jordan have attitudes. I feel a little singled out as well at that moment. Gaige supposedly didn't want to treat me special except when it came to going to a strip club. Then all of a sudden he wasn't with it.

"Let's just get it over with," Caliph says, "Flip and I will go on ahead. Jordan you can finish that conversation you were going to have with Mariano..."

I can tell Caliph probably doesn't want to make this a big thing because it's me. I can also tell though that Jordan has a little bit of an attitude. I can see it in his face when the others leave. He looks pissed all of a sudden.

"Everything is just always so easy for you huh?" he asks me.

"What?"

Jordan squints his eyes, "Do you now the type of shit I had to do to get into this Frat? Do you have any idea?"

I'm confused.

"No. You didn't tell me. What type of things?"

"It doesn't fucking matter," Jordan responds shaking his head, "You are clearly the rich kid who always gets what he fucking wants. You could sit around all day and you'd still be a Gamma in the end. The rest of us have to work hard at it."

I can't believe Jordan right now.

"You pissed at me because GAIGE won't LET me go to the club?" I ask him, "It's not an issue. Fuck it. I'll come. I don't want to make anyone feel funny about this."

Jordan had moments he acted like he was jealous. He always had. I'd gone out of my way to ease it but there were moments where it just never got past him. I didn't mind going against Gaige just to make sure he knew that he was my best friend.

Jordan stops me from leaving.

Jordan squints hard at me, "No. Stay here. Mr. Special. You are so special. Aren't you? Matter of fact, why don't you go enjoy Gaige's party too?"

With that Jordan rips up the tickets that he had in his hands...

To read the next chapter in advance go to www.crushedcrown.com