Going through college the second time around was becoming not a fun experience. With the semester now fully underway, I now had to work for my grades and do the homework that was assigned to me unlike a few weeks ago when I could just brush it off and forget about it. To make matters worse when it came to classes, I was beginning to fall behind in all my classes, not just a particular one.
It was now the middle of October, the change in season well noted. As I dragged myself out of bed these mornings, the chill in the air was making it uncomfortable and left my body tight. I just wanted to lie in bed and look up my roof half the time. It got so bad that for the first two weeks of October, I actually had to set my alarm earlier so I could just doze on and off till I really needed to get up.
Bryan and Zach were no different, the two of them actually wearing pajamas now when they wandered through the mini apartment we seemed to have. Normally it would have been a buzz kill for me to not see them shirtless, or at times just in their boxers, but with me planning out my tryst for Kyle, I was preoccupied with finding another guy, or guys.
I knew Zach would never be up for it. Hell if he even found out that I was planning one of these things it might make him actually think that all gay men like to screw around. It was apparent at times that his conservative background showed through; the way he looked at Kyle and I holding each other or the way I would talk about Kyle making him uneasy at times. I still had not met his parents, or any of his family for that fact.
Bryan was no different on the whole orgy thing but for a completely different reason. His relationship with Christine had been moving slowly up the line, them now friends with benefits. Everyone knew they had a thing going on and that they had feelings for each other but no one wanted to call them on it, especially since Christine was new to the team. He would go on and on at times about how excellent she was in bed and I found it amusing at times how close he came to saying that he 'loved her'. He never did but I could tell the spark was there.
Today was October 17th and it was one of those hard days to move. Lying in bed, I listened to my alarm sing out to me, some new song on the radio trying to disturb my slumber. Groaning, I pull myself from my warm sheets and move to my feet, the chilled carpet crunching under my weight. Opening my door, I saw the lifeless bodies of Bryan and Zach stumbling around the living room, their motions similar to mine.
We all went about our normal routines, grabbing some coffee from a maker that Bryan had bought, cooking bread in a toaster Zach got from home, and nibbling on fruit I picked up from the corner market. Breaking the grunting to each other, I tossed out a question that had also been on my mind for some time, "Have you guys ever been outside the US?" The study abroad office was holding an info session which I was going to attend, but it also got me thinking of other people, if they had gone abroad as well.
Bryan shook his head as he sipped on the coffee, his baggy white shirt flowing with his body. "No, why?" Taking a bite from his toast, he spilled some crumbs onto his shirt and brushed them onto the floor.
"Well I'm thinking of studying abroad for a semester but I am not sure yet. I was wondering if either of you had been anywhere fun or exciting." The coffee burnt my lips a little as it splashed into my mouth, the bitter taste of it warming me up slightly.
Zach nibbled on some fruit as he listened in then spoke up himself, "I've been abroad a few times but they have all been for mission's trips. A few times to Mexico, some to Africa, and once to Germany. It was costly but completely worth it. Where are you thinking of going?"
Shrugging my shoulders I bit off some toast and spoke while I chewed, a nasty habit I had picked up from them. "Again, don't know yet. I'm thinking somewhere in Europe but I don't want to turn off other areas as well." The study abroad session was hopefully going to help clarify that for me.
They weren't apathetic over it but I could tell that they weren't fully invested in the conversation either, the thought of me leaving for half the year barely registering on their minds. Breakfast ended not too must later after that and off it was to school. Classes dragged on forever as I constantly looked at the clocks on the walls, their seemingly endless ticking never actually reaching the point of conclusion. There were a few times that I felt myself almost crash out but most of the time that was when the professor would rise his or her voice, the shrill waking up the entire class as well.
Ending my classes, I took a deep breath and enjoyed my freedom. Other students were not so lucky as they continued on with their system, the filing of lines through the doors reminding me that life still continued even though I was done. Stuffing my hands into my pockets, I brought my jacket in close and tried to contain the warmth. Walking back to my dorm, I almost passed by Brotman Hall had I not suddenly remembered that the Study Abroad Office was holding an info session. Looking down at my watch, I realized that I was slightly late to it.
Taking off into a quick pace, I went into the building and towards the office. The Hispanic lady was leading the session, her enthusiasm clear as I walked into the room. There were four other students as well there, each of them looking down at their books. Taking out my hand, I shake her hand as I move to sit down. "Hey Chris, glad you could make it."
Grabbing one of the spare books, I skim through it as I wait for her to start. She was waiting for someone, her actions clear as she looked at her phone expecting a text or call. With a heavy sigh, she started the session. "Hey guys, I am Olivia. Thank you for coming. Before we start, how many of you have been out of the States before?" I raise my hand as one of the participants. "Great, so you probably have your passport then right?" Myself and another student nod our heads as she explains why she started the way she did. "For you three that haven't, to study abroad you are going to need a passport. Thankfully here on campus we have an office where you can go to get one." She passes them a flyer with information on it.
As Olivia starts to move into the session a big burly guy stumbles in, tossing his bag behind him while he moves to help out. "Hey sorry I'm late." He looks at Olivia then to us as he waves enthusiastically, "Hi guys, I'm Jamie."
Olivia has an annoyed look on her face but breaks out into a smile as she continues on. The two of them play well off each other as they explain where they have been and how long they went abroad. Looking through the book as they explain themselves, I stumble upon London England. The pictures show Parliament and Big Ben, the stereotypical shots of London in its glory.
Olivia and Jamie talk about what it means to study abroad and the different programs offered, the main focus being on USAC; it was the shorter of the programs. Closing the cover, I realized that this was the USAC program I was becoming more interested in. The cost was not too much, just over $8500 for the semester. As I listened in to their talk, I began to think about my life here and how it could possibly be uprooted.
Kyle and I would have some things to talk over but I think we could work it out. Actually, as I began to think it over, I asked them the question of if Fullerton did have a USAC program. Olivia looked at Jamie then responded hesitantly, "We don't know but I am sure they do. I don't see why they wouldn't. I can tell you they have a CSU International Program since they are part of the CSU system." So there is the chance that he could come with me. A slight ping of hope sprung in my stomach that he could join me for the term overseas.
My thoughts drifted then to my team as I pondered over how they would survive without me. I mean yea this was Pike's last semester but even if I waited till next fall, the new players would need someone to help lead them. Which was the worse of the options? Missing Pike leave or not being there for next year? There was a lot to think about on this and the deadline was not too far away. I would have to get this done soon if I wanted to go.
Knowing a person who could help out, I made the mental note to call after the meeting ended. Soon after we had finished, I exited into the hallway and called up Ally. She was someone who could provide insight to what I needed answered. She didn't answer so I left her a message asking if we could talk over dinner. On my walk over, she texted me back saying that she was busy tonight but tomorrow night she was going to take me out.
Dinner on that Thursday was nice. After picking me up from my dorm, Ally took me to BJ's Brewery and Restaurant. It was only with her that I was able to eat nice things; every other moment, I felt like a starving college student, not wanting to ask her or the General for money. Sitting down at our table, I looked over the menu then placed it down and took a drink of water.
Ally was looking lovely today, a simple faded blue dress filling her out nicely. Her brunette hair flowed down the back, the strands ruffled perfectly. She took a drink as well from her water then looked at me intrigued. "So what's up Chris?"
Taking a heavy breath, I dive right in. "I'm thinking of studying abroad but I want your input on it all. I am leaning towards somewhere in Europe but I am not sure yet. Definitely shorter than a year but longer than summer, I am thinking either this Spring or next Fall." Fiddling with my silverware, I expect her to be shocked but she isn't, instead a calm composure envelops her.
"Oh ok. That's a lot to take in but I am not surprised. What made you want to go?" She leans forward and moved the menu off the side. I loved my sister to death I really did but it was moments like this that she really made me feel uncomfortable, the way a parent corners a child when they have something to say that's important.
Fumbling for my words, I look down at the menu. "I don't know. It looks like fun." Lifting my gaze to hers, I continue, "It looks good on the resume too." Even I am having trouble believing the words I am saying.
Ally leans back and looks up at the ceiling. "Hmm... well you would have to clear it with the General but I don't see why not. I mean, Chris this isn't your first time out of the country, even for an extended time." I tilt my head slightly confused. I knew that I had been abroad to visit my dad a few times but to live abroad in another country doesn't ring a bell in my mind.
Ally looks shocked that I don't remember my time abroad. "You were extremely young back then, maybe 3 years old. The General was still having a tough time with Mom dying so while he was stationed in Australia, he had us live with him. I was barely turning 6 myself so to help him out, I looked after you as much as I could. Being in another country so young though was a tough experience, even with all the people helping to look after us."
How did I not remember any of this? I mean it's freaking Australia! "How long were we there? What was it like? Why don't we ever talk about this?" Now I wanted to know so much more about what all I missed out on.
Ally raised her hands to calm me down as she tried to explain more. "We don't really talk about it because that was when the General," She pauses as a waiter passes by us then continues in a hushed tone, "Dad started to drink, heavily. It was a really stressful time in his life and he shut it out I think. I don't talk about it because I was so busy taking care of you I really don't remember what it was like over there. I mean the General did take us around the country with him on vacations but they were mostly to bases spread out over the Pacific." Taking a sip of water she finishes up. "In all I think we were over there for a year, maybe two before he realized that this was no life for us. Since we still had the house in Sacramento, he had us grow up there. The Watson's were thankfully still there when we got back so they helped take care of us when he was gone."
Solemnly I suddenly feel really bad for the General. He really did mean the best for us, even if he was not able to be there for us. He tried his best but to give us a better life without the constant moving, this was the best option in his eyes apparently.
Ally reached out and caressed my hand, "Have you talked with the General about this at all? I'm sure he would be alright with it if you inform him your reasons why. Though make sure you have something more than 'it will be fun'."
"No I haven't. I wanted to get your opinion first before I told him. Thought it would be best for me to talk with you to see what you had to say." I shrugged as I looked around for our food. It was taking longer tonight that normal.
Ally interjected an idea that she thought might be useful. "Well I would definitely talk with him soon because I am sure that he has contacts over there that you could stay with, especially in London. That would help with the housing issue you might face when you get there."
"I was thinking of that but if I go abroad, I want to do it on my own accord. I don't want to have to report to his friends who, and you know this would happen too, would report to him. That would take away from the fun of going out during the nights to club." I try to straighten up my pose to show that I am able to go on my own. Ally just chuckles a little.
Ally retorts, "Yea he is a bit protective," I raise my eyebrows at her, "but you know he means well." Thankfully the food arrived at that moment before we could discuss how much he means well and have a debate on the actions that he's shown. Ally was the daddy's girl and I was the rebel, the two of us butting heads at times over the General and his intentions for us.
After dinner Ally was going to drive me back to my dorm but I instructed her to just take me to hers since Kyle knew I was coming over. It was my night to spend at his place and it has been a while since I had been able to sleep with him. During our walk to the dorm Ally jested me over my growing relationship with Kyle, poking and teasing me about how if it were any other student from another school she wouldn't allow it but because it was her little brother she was letting it passed. I kept rolling my eyes at her as she made fun of me.
As we reached the door though I realized that it had been a while since I had heard anything from her or Pike about their relationship and that was when she shut up quickly. My final retort was just deserved. "Ahuh that's right. You like how the tables got turned?" Ally sneered at me as she opened up the elevator.
Waving to her as she got off on her floor, I rode up to Kyle's floor and got off, strolling down the hallway as students passed by me. With me being a semi regular a few knew who I was but some didn't, their looks making me wonder if they were going to report me.
Knocking on Kyle's door, I waited for him to respond, which didn't thankfully take too long. Opening his door, my boyfriend stood there shirtless, his jeans hanging loosely from his waist. Entering in, I kiss him softly on the lips. Kyle makes it a little more passionate as he shuts the door, wrapping his arms around me as he envelops my mouth. After a good 30 seconds of kissing, moving from the door to the bed during that time, Kyle looks down at me and asks, "Hey pumpkin, how have you been?"
Raising my eyebrow, I get intrigued by the new nickname. "Pumpkin? That's new. I'm doing fine; just surviving the semester."
Kyle crawls down my body and unzips by pants, pulling them off to show a slightly tented cloth. "It is October. I thought the nickname was fitting. And stop getting horny. We need to shower before anything happens." Total buzz kill, I laugh as I lean my head back.
Leaning up and resting my legs over the bed, I take off my shirt and undress down to my boxers. Taking my spare towel that I had left here, I wrap it around me and walk with him down the hallway to the showers. Kyle had the aura about him that none of the other students wanted to mess with, them moving to the side as we made our way into the shower room.
Placing our towels on the hooks, we stepped inside and stripped down, our half mast boners hanging out. Kyle turned on the water; the initial blast of cold water forcing us to cling to the walls as it warmed up. As the water began to warm up, the two of us came together with a sloppy kiss. Pushing him under the water, I held his head and rubbed his hair as my tongue explored his mouth,
Kyle did the same thing with his tongue, forcing the muscle into my cavity to inspect my mouth. His hands etched my back and down to my ass crack, rubbing it with the water to clean it. Breaking away, I turn around as he takes some soap and lathers me up. The suds foam up all over my body as he kisses my neck. Starting at my Pecs, he claws his fingers in for a "good deep cleaning", according to him at least. I moan out in pleasure as he cleans me up, his boner pressing firmly against my butt. This was a high point in the student showers so us to have sex now was not really an option.
After finishing up with me, I got my chance to clean him, rubbing my remaining suds against his back, almost humping him standing up. Nibbling his ear, I rub the shampoo in his hair and pull back right as the suds reach my kisses. Turning him around, I take the soap and look at him passionately as I clean him, rubbing the bar across his firm body, the block creating more foam with every inch it covered.
The water flowed over us in a majestic manner as we stood under it, its gentle steam keeping us in it for much longer than needed. Every drip splashed onto the floor around our feet, the water trying to escape our crevasses to the drain beneath us. As we started to finish up, I open up a conversation starter, tossing out the idea of us studying abroad together, "Hey Kyle, have you ever thought of studying abroad?"
As Kyle reached over to grab his towel, his butt jiggled some remaining water off. "Umm... I don't know. I mean it would be a fun experience. Why?"
Taking my towel from him and drying up the water, I start to explain myself, "Well, I have been looking into it slightly and I think it would be a great thing to do. I mean it isn't too expensive. And I was thinking we might be able to do it together, possibly. If you were interested in it."
Kyle finished drying off before me and helped take care of the spots I missed, or in the case of my groin and ass, spots he wanted to personally dry. "Where were you thinking of going?"
Wrapping the towels around us, Kyle gathered the stuff as we headed back to his room. "I'm thinking Europe, particularly England. London is barely $8,500 so that isn't too bad. We would be gone a semester so just long enough to enjoy our time there but not too long where we would miss out on our teams. I don't even know if I can handle a year abroad anyways."
Entering into his room, I close his door. We both drop our towels and move to his bed as we start to discuss this more. Kyle lies under me, his nude body feeling warm against the cold air. "That would be something to think about. I can talk with my parents. Do you know if Fullerton even has the same study abroad program?"
I shrug my shoulders but then look over to his laptop. Moving off him to grab it, I turn it on and enter his password in. Kyle gives me a look to which I reply, "What? You need to change it anyways. I'm probably not the only one who knows it's your car's name." I pull up the website to confirm that Fullerton does have USAC, making me feel a little better inside.
Kyle takes the laptop from me and closes the lid. "Well it's something we can discuss later. Tonight I want to study your body." With a wink, he rolls me over and starts to kiss my body, trailing down to my groin. Tonight was going to be a great night. I leaned my head back as Kyle gave me head.
It was dark when I woke up but Kyle wasn't there. Looking around me, I realized that I wasn't in his bed anymore. And I was dressed up in really nice clothes. What was going on? Calling out to Kyle I looked around the familiar environment, trying to place it in my mind. The dim lighting made it hard to see. Four or five guys entered out of the shadows and came up to me. "Where am I?" I tried to get a good look at their faces but their hood hid their identities.
"KYLE!" I shouted out to the darkness as the group started to circle me. Off in the darkness I hear him mumble. I think I see him lying on the floor beyond the group so I try to run over to him but two of the guys block my way, tossing me back into the center.
Kyle mumbles something inaudible as I try again. I can tell that it is him now, the familiar outline of his body lying in the fetal position beyond me. "KYLE! Get up!" I try again but this time a fist comes out of nowhere and knocks me to the ground. "What the hell?!" I scream out to the group of guys. A leg hits me in the stomach as I cry out in pain and terror. "Stop! Please!"
Closing my eyes I try to stop it from happening, the kicking and beatings turning into shakes. Kyle's voice becomes more coherent as I start to come to again, my eyes fluttering open. "Chris! Chris wake up. You're having a nightmare."
Crying out to him, I grab him and pull him close, weeping onto his shoulder. "I thought you were hurt. I was being attacked again. It was happening all over again." I thought that the attack was far enough behind me that I would not have to go through this again. WHY?
Kyle held me close as he pulled the sheets over me, wrapping his legs over me to shroud me. "It's been about a year since the attack. Your body might be reliving the situation all over again. I'm here. It's alright."
Taking deep breathes, I try to calm down but it is a hard task, the darkness around us tripping me up and freaking me out. "Please don't leave me Kyle. Please don't leave me." I stammer out to him scared.