"And here we can see how the changes between..."

Dylan had his eyes focused straight on the projected notes and diagrams, yet he could barely hear a single word being said as his mind kept going back to the morning. After that, he'd managed to dissuade his mom to let him get his errand in his way back from class. Thankfully, it wasn't something they needed immediately so she said yes.

No way he was going back out after... whatever that was. 

The minute their eyes met, he could've just played it cool and give a gentle nod or just a simple *hey*. But NOOO, he just had to hit his head and fall a most disgraceful fall. Thinking back now, he didn't understand why he had tried to run away. He wasn't doing anything bad.

...maybe not, but it's not written anyway that staring in pure admiration and lust at a complete stranger was legally wrong. 

His eyes did a quiet stare into thin air and he had to admit.

"Haaa, that's stupid. It is wrong" he mumbled underneath his breath. The hunk's image came back to him again and he found himself try to suppress a smile.

Without a doubt, his new neighbor was exactly his type.

No corrections he would make. He wondered if he was also a student, he looked a little older or the same age as him, that was fine. Anything's fine so long as he's hot.

"Hey,"Someone nudged him lightly from the side and he turned to see Kira giving him a silent look of grimace. "Why the hell do you have that creepy smile? Did you enjoy the class so bad?" 

Dylan finally noticed how rowdy the class had gotten and he blinked himself back to reality.

"Wow, that ended quick."

Kira's face pulled a dead look, "Are you kidding? It felt like ages to me."

He packed up his stuffs and they both made their way out. Walking down the corridor past the other students.

"I'm heading to the meeting room, what about you?"

"Same, I need to meet Dory for the next series of the book I'm reading now. But I must say, you guys are going real hard for this party."

"Well, it's the freshmen's party we've been holding off for so long, lab practice and our schedule didn't just match. And now we have the perfect time to ourselves, what's better than an all-night party with the next day being the weekend? But if I do hate anything about this it's the fact that we have to share the hall with the loud ones."

"Huh? Oh, you mean the Literature students, why? I think they're pretty chill. I sometimes wonder if their graceful and quiet demeanor was all thanks to their brains being filled with nothing but Shakespeare *Thou and thy*, which also bring me to the theory that what if what we study is what builds our character?"

"Stay in line Kira," he stopped her before she could begin her long theory trip again. "It's not them, as in the department, but them as in that group in that department."

"Oh! oh!" she finally got on track. Then her face squeezed up, "You mean 'The bro gold', ugghh. That name makes me hurl everything how do they live with that?"

"I ask myself the same question."

They finally got to the room, and when Dylan pushed the door open they both froze in their steps. 

"Speak of the devil." Kira muttered behind him.

"Justin, throw that here!"

"Heads up! Ayyyyyyy!"

"Nice catch."

"Nice throw."

For a minute, they watched their short display, then Kira shook her head and curled her way in from beneath Dylan's arm leaving Dylan behind.

His eyes remained on them as he felt his anger brew up as usual, none of them have anything close to his type. Just a group of mismatched raccoons, and the one person with brown hair and eyes was the loudest among them, Casper.

He finally noticed him and he smiled "Oh, hey, cutie's here."

"Are you crazy?" Dylan shut the door behind him as he went up to them and grabbed the trophy they'd been tossing around. "What about this looks like it's okay to pass it around like a ball."

"Hey, come on cutie, we were being careful with it." Casper came up behind him.

"I told you," he clenched his fist, spun around real quick and threw his fist right at his stomach. "Don't call me that."

A loud tap came after and Casper threw him a cocky smirk as he'd managed to block off the punch with his hands as guard.

"Come on, a cutie is a cutie."

Dylan felt a nerve strike him, he threw a slap with his other hand but Casper deflected it like he saw it coming. A kick to his front leg, a kick between the legs, a slap on the other side of his cheek, head, and a stamp on his toe... he deflected it all.

Having all his weapons in lock and shocking Dylan to an extreme.

"You... Let go." 

"Only if you promise not to hit me. I dance to your tune all the time, wouldn't it be weird not to know them." 

Dylan scoffed out a smile, "Then I'll like to see you dance to this."

He'd hit his head once, another shouldn't be a problem. With that in mind, he drew his head back and threw it forward with a huge force. The loud impact sound made everyone in the room coo in pain as he watched Casper release his grips and grab his nose in pain.

"...fuck." Casper muffled.

"That ones new."

"Totally."

"Guess you have a new one to counter, Caster."

The others commented through their laughter. 

"I don't want to see you anywhere near that trophy shelf, alright?" he pointed at the others who threw up their hands in a surrender. With a final glance at Casper who was now gathering himself, he walked away and went deeper into the room where Kira and Dory waited with a smile.

"You done with today's episode?"

"Don't get me started, it's like they only come down here to mess with me."

"Haha, tell me about it," Dory chuckled then she pointed, "Heyy! You have your hair down today, what's the occasion?"

"Embarrassment," he sighed, setting down his bag. "I can't think of a better occasion."

"What do you mean?"

He stared at the two who awaited his response, he couldn't exactly explain to them that he'd hit his head while ogling at his new hot neighbor.

"I hit my head," he shoved his bangs off his forehead and they winced.

"And here I was thinking you were spicing up for tonight's party. Doesn't that hurt?" Kira asked.

"Like hell."

"You should put on some ointment. Did you do that?" Dory questioned but all he could do was sniffle.

He didn't.

"I'll get the first-aid."

"I'll do it," Casper rushed past them and Dylan's dead eyes took over.

"What now?"

"Hey, I'm just trying to help," he smiled harmlessly as he made his way back with the small box in his hold. 

"We can't have your pretty face getting hurt now, can we?"

Dylan grimaced at the wink that came after. Yet he found himself take a edge sit on the table as Casper stood next to him and began fiddling around the box. 

He couldn't open it.

"Hold on, isn't it like this?" he chuckled confusedly.

Dylan remained quiet for a minute, but then he let out a tired sigh as he felt his head throb in pain. "Just give me that."

Casper pursed his lips but gave it quietly. Dylan pressed it open and took out the ointment in a second, Casper stretched out his hand for it but Dylan lightly smacked it out of the way.

"Forget it, you already lost your chance."

He pushed up his bangs and carefully located the burning pain, as he rubbed in the cold liquid he noticed Casper's gaze on him.

"What?"

Casper blinked, his voice softening. "Nah, was just thinking you look pretty with your hair up, and down. It's cute."

Dylan's hand fell in disbelief, "You know, for a Lit major guy you're very not conscious of your use of words. Pretty and cute, those words are used for the female gender, I'm a guy. Get it straight." he glared. 

Casper fell silent and Dylan thought he was going to give back a lame response or make it a joke, but he only gave back a quiet nod. "Alright. Sorry, my bad." 

He eyed him suspiciously, but he was glad he didn't have to take the long train around that conversatuon. Placing the ointment back into the box, he gave his bangs a little shake to put them back in place and he he heard turn around with a loud groan that caught him off guard.

"W-what is it?"

Casper turned back to him like he was trying to suppress a smile but he failed as he perfect white teeth came into view. "Sorry. I just- are you coming for the party tonight?"

"Of course I am, I'm a committee."

"Yeah, yeah you are. That's cool, I'll see you tonight then." Casper smiled again and gave his cheek a little poke before dashing off.

"What's up with him these days?" he found himself ask no one in particular.

"I've never seen Casper smile that much except when he's with you." Kira said.

"It's like we weren't even here." Dory sighed.

"What are you talking about?" Dylan asked obliviously and the two others stared at him for a minute like he'd failed to see what was right in front of him.

"You know, Dylan, if I wasn't this close to you or your friend, I would still have the opinion that you're one of the smartest in the faculty." Kira said with the shook of her head as Dory joined in.

Was that a compliment or a silent diss?

The hall was just as loud as he expected it to be.

He had to stop back home for a change of cloths and was just glad hs neighbors had no business outside at that period. Now he was at the party and they all seemed like they were enjoying themselves, making him wonder how many people would last for the after-party.

He sighted Kira, Dory and Tristan, another committee, at a corner with a cup each in hand. Kira was the first to sight him as she gave him a slick look from all 90 degrees. 

"Heyyyy, if it isn't the hot chick across the street. Give me a little turn around!" she chuckled loudly through the noise. 

"Hey guys,"

No way he was doing the turn around. He had barely put in much thought into my cloths. Just a white denim, black hood 'cause he felt the cold slowly building up, black jeans and one of his best sneakers collection.

"Hey!" Dory leaned in despite her voice already being at its loudest, "Great job organizing. The Drama major would get so mad about this tomorrow!"

"But its not fully a success yet!" it became his turn his yell.

"Oh plllease, they barely went five minutes before their props started giving out!" Kira waved. "And their DJ was just a total nutjob, I mean who goes for a Billie right after Jackson?!"

"Hey, Billie's a classic!" Tristan shrugged.

"Totally, and so is Jackson!" she agreed and frowned. "But then again, Jackson?!"

They all laughed.

"Hey, I know you just came but I think someone's been aching to see you around!" Dory sighed.

"Huh?!"

She gave a nudge to look behind him and when he did, his dead eyes took over at the sight of Casper heading in their direction with two cups in hand. He had on the new varsity jacket, a white top and jeans, he seemed to have put in a lot of thought into his hair 'cause now for some reason, Dylan could find himself being drawn in.

"Hey!" he spoke as soon as he got close enough, then he stuck out a cup. "I see your hands empty, so I grabbed you a drink."

"I don't like alcohol so if it's not juice then I'm out!"

They all watched him stare inside the cup for a moment, then his face came back up in a light flush as he chuckled. "You're right, who needs a drink anyway?"

He dropped the cups and heaved out a sigh, his eyes finally taking note of the others. "So you guys having a great time?"

"A blast." Dory said.

"Splendid night." Tristan nodded.

"Just be straightforward." Kira shrugged and Dory gave her a light nudge.

Dylan didn't understand what that last one was all about, and he also didn't notice the nervous wreck who got the message beside him.

Casper suddenly turned to him, "Dylan, why don't we grab something to eat over there? I saw some really tasty looking treats."

Food? Now that sounded like a great idea... hold on just a second!

His whole system paused as his eyes picked up on somethng on the other far end of the hall. He must be mistaken, the people passing by everynow and then must have made his vision build up a different image. 

"Dylan?"  

"Shhh," he hushed Casper while his eyes remained glued to the price.

Brown hair, that build, that height... no way.

"No way," he muttered as the person slowly spun around, the moment he turned around from the group that had his attention a minute ago, their eyes and Dylan almost lost his shit. 

His eyes widened as he took note of his hot crush giving him the classic head tilt that said *Hey, I recognize yo- oh!*. In a snap, he pulled Casper to his front and froze up with his eyes chest level. 

"W-what, what's wrong?"

Dylan's eyes went up to meet Casper's but all he could say was, "Hold still."

After a quick coundown of 3, his head slowly leaned to the side and when he had one eye out to take a peek, another face peeked down from behind and flashed him a smile.

"I was right."

"AH!" he jumped, his heart beating hard in his chest for various reasons.

All attention got turned to the new person who joined them, and as he stepped out of Casper's shadow to bring his full body in, Dylan saw himself falling for him even more.

"Hey neighbor." his smile perfect.

The next music that came after toned down a lot, making their voices a lot more audible without having to scream out their throats.

Dyaln blinked "H-hey."

"I saw you from over there and thought you looked familiar, but when you hid I was sure it was you."

"Hide? Why would I hide?" he chuckled nervously.

"Exactly what I'd like to ask." 

Dylan didn't have anymore to say, he'd been caught. Watching his hot crush look over at his friends, he quietly drowned himself in the lovely smell of his cologne.

He smelt so good.

"Hey guys, sorry, didn't mean to intrude."

"Oh, it's totally fine," Dory waved off. "We're more concerned about why Dylan hasn't introduced us to such a hot snack like you."

Dylan's rader shot up in guard. 

"Dylan?" his crush turned back to him with an amused smile and Dylan felt his heart skip a beat. "Well, Dylan, couldn't have done that because he doesn't even know my name. I just moved in with my family today and we only saw in passing."

"Ohh, now we get it." Kira squinted a smile in Dylan's direction. 

"How's your head by the way? That seemed like it hurt." he turned his way.

Shit, he saw that.

"Oh, it's fine now." he shook it off despite the slight throb he could still feel.

"But, aren't you stressed out from moving and all, how are you able to be here?" Dory laughed lightly.

"Please, I'll pick a good college party over any stress." his crush rolled his eyes and they all agreed.

"I'm with you on that one." Tristan nodded.

He turned back to Dylan to stretch out his hand. "I'm Theodore, you can just call me Theo."

Theodore.

"Oh, I'm- you already know mine." Dylan took his hand and as he watched his hand disappear into the big firm veiny hold of Theodore, it only took a second for him to have dirty thoughts that dried up his throat.

He swallowed hard.

"Well," he turned to the others, his hold still on Dylan. "Don't let me interrupt you any further, I shall leave you to the night."

"You can hang with us a little longer."

"I'll take you up on that next time." he looked like he meant it. Then he turned back to Dylan and gave him the softest smile he'd seen all night. "I'll see you around, Dylan."

All he could do was nod dazedly and watch Theodore head back to the group he had previously left. This is crazy, he thought.

He was in love. 

"Cool guy." Dory noted.

"Smooth talker," Kira chipped in.

"Definitely a ladies man." Tristan concluded.

"I don't know, he irks me out." Casper frowned and every eyes turned to him. Dylan included. "What? I thought you were all giving opinions?"

Dylan rolled his eyes, "Whatever."

"You can't trust guys like that, I bet he's the type who hits on five girls at a time." Casper squinted.

"I don't think you need to bet on that." Kira held her stare far away from them. "Well, at the very least he doesn't look single."

"Huh?"

All eyes followed her gaze and Dylan felt his heart sink as he saw his love come to an end before it even started. Cuddled in his arms, with his hold around her waist and his lips on hers, he held her like she was the most precious gift he ever had he buried her in a deep kiss.

"I was right." Casper scoffed. "Wait, isn't that Melody?"

"Damnn, he knows what's good." Tristan nodded. 

Dylan turned away and he wet his lower lip, feeling his mood take a drain. 

"You good?" Kira's question caught him out of the blue.

"What? Yeah, 'course I am," he shrugged, trying to play it off. But he could barely keep his eyes settled on one thing.

It hit him...like real hard.

"I need a drink." he made his way off before anyone could pick up on his messed up mood. Catching on to Casper's call from behind, he threw back audibly. "Don't follow me, Casper."

Why didn't he think about that? That the man of his dreams could be straight. He simply ticked him as a catch immediately he saw him and assumed it would somehow work out.

How could he loose him already?!

"Haaa," he let out a huge sigh. Then decisively, he stared at the collection of shots, grabbed a bigger glass and became the latest bartender.   

Now the secret about the shot table was the fact that each cup held a shot mix, and each glass had a mix of three different drinks. Dylan clearly knew this, yet went ahead to pour six random cups into his big glass, adding even more till it was filled to his satisfaction.

Like they say, alcohol's the best remedy for any pain. Even a heartbreak is nothing next to it. so he was going to drink up his sorrows in one go and hopefully things can't get any more worse than it already has.

"I hate you, Melody."

In one gulp, he chugged the whole thing. 

But what Dylan wasn't aware of was another saying that went thus, a sip of alcohol below your threshold is soft, between your threshold is calming, on your threshold is a warning. Then what comes after your going way above your threshold?

It's quite simple. 

A messed up life.

The world was spinning, the loud music and changing lights blinded him, but all he could focus on was how happy he was.

Whelp!

That only lasting for as long as he could remember. He kept getting blank visions and knew he had to get himself together. One minute he was on the dance floor, the second he was on a table doing who knows what, another, he was laughing out his guts while hearing the pain in his friends voices.

Out of all these blanks, there was one more he had, and that was when he found himself in a corridor he could barely recognize. He could hear the very faint sound of music seeping in, but the quiet that wasn't the loud music trying to burst through his head, and the stable warm light that wasn't the changing one that messed with his sight, made him get a little hold of himself.

The corridor was different from the dance floor.

Yes, it was quiet with a breath of fresh air, but the difference was how every corner of the corridor held a pair of drunk and horny college kids, glued to themselves as they made-out or had already gone beyond that.

"Ugh!" he frowned. "Get a woom, would you?"

Stumbling off the wall that held him up, he glanced around in an attempt to find his way back.

"Where is evewyone?"

The minute he took a step forward, the drunk figure lying next to him and struggling to get up caught his attention.

"Huh?" he blinked, the curly brown haired catching his eyes.

"Hey, your haiw'z brown, juzt how I like it." He chuckled and barely took a straight step as he went down to help the stranger sit up. "Hey, awe you dwunk? You can bawely zit up, how could you dwink zo much, you're a mezz. I get it's a pawty but you need to have some zelf-wezpect... or is it zelf-contwol?"

He gave it a serious thought drowsily and gave a nod, he was right. Self-control.

"Don't wowwy, I've got you. You zhould be thankful that you look juzt like my type, I would've dumped you off alone with theze howndogz who still can't get a woom. GET A WOOM!" he yelled to the side and groaned in distaste.

Grabbing the stranger's hand and crossing it over his neck, the plan was to help him up, and walk straight out of the corridor. However, they didn't make it off the floor as they slumped back down the moment they moved.

Dylan groaned tiredly, that fall made him dizzy and the way he felt his head rested on something soft yet firm made him relax a little too fast.

"Hey."

"Uh? Uh, what?" He jumped in a scare, he'd almost fallen asleep. His head went up to see he was being stared at with eyes that could barely stay open. For a moment, neither of them said a word, then the guy broke the silence.

"What are you..."

"Hey, youw chezt is zo built, do you wowkout?" Dylan cuts him off, easy distraction being his best friend when he's drunk. With his hands unconsciously kneading a strangers chest yet liking the feel of it, he awaited a response.

"I mean," the stranger blinked, then a smile took up his lips. "I mean, I do workout."

They both chuckled, then they fell silent again.

"Don't tell anyone, but I'm gay." Dylan spoke first, his voice softening. "And I found thiz guy who'z my type move in next door, he's pewfect. But he'z, ztraight and haz a giwlfriend."

"Oh," the guy's look also softened, like he could understand his pain. "Sorry about that."

"Hm," Dylan blinked, finding a part of him lighten up. "Thankz."

It was strange, he was kneeling on the floor between a strangers laps, letting out things he hadn't told anyone else but himself while still fondling his chests. And he didn't feel the least bit disturbed.

Was this still the alcohol talking?

His eyes went down to the strangers chest where he still had his hands and he found the inside of his mouth water up. The stranger's chest couldn't look any more like a snack with it's shape giving orders to his shirt. Slowly, his eyes trailed up his chest, his neck looked like something he would love to bite into.

His lips, oh man, how much he would love those lips to take him and never let him...

"Hey, wanna kizz?"

The quiet words left his mouth before he could try to think it through, raising his gaze at the same time, and shocked to see the stranger also staring at his lips before their eyes met.

He still awaited a response.

"Y-yeah, I want to."

Not expecting his response yet elated by it, his hands slowly fell off his chest while their faces inched closer. Their breaths clashed and there was a moment of hesitation between them, but when their lips touched and he felt the warmth, Dylan couldn't believe the soft kiss was enough to set him ablaze from inside.

It was his first kiss.

And he would say it wasn't that bad, though not up to what he expected it be. He felt their lips seperate through his thought, but what he wasn't expecting was the next thing that happened.

The stranger's hand came up to his cheeks, and before he could tell what was happening, he was pulled back in and a shock coursed through him at the second kiss that was nothing like the first. He swallowed him up in a gentle yet hungry manner, wrapped his arms around his waist, and his strong hold that effortlessy pulled Dylan in made his body shudder in excitement.

Dylan found himself relish the quiet sounds that came from their lips touching, his strong firm hold still on his waist, and the sweet smell of his cologne that felt awfully familiar messed with his senses.

The stranger broke the kiss with a gasp and when Dylan's eyes slowly came open to meet his, he felt his heart melt up at the hot gaze and voice that came after.

"Breath."

The heat in his head doubled so he let himself take in a deep exhale that made him realize he'd been holding his breath. How do people kiss and breath at the same time?

"Is this your first time kissing?" the guy chuckled and Dylan swallowed, his silent prayers being that the hot snack beneath him couldn't see how hot he was from embarrassment. The guy grazed his fingers over Dylan lips, then he slowly leaned back in while saying. "It's okay to breath from your nose."

His droopy eyes stared into the sexy almond shaped that questioned his whole being. As if testing his patience, the stranger slowly bit down on his lower lip and when he had an opening, he took Dylan's lips back in. Sliding his tongue in this time.

"Hmm." Dylan went weak.

His tongue tasted like alcohol and something sweet, intoxicating him from all his corners and barely giving him enough room to think. Dylan's arms found their way around the hot kisser's neck and his hip shifted forward hungrily for more of his heat. But then he flinched in an instance as he felt something hard below him.

He thought it was his imagination, until he grazed against it again and heard a low groan that didn't come from him.

"W-wait," he pulled away with heavy breaths, his eyes peeking down between them only to realize he was right. "You're... mmh!"

He was pulled back in and shut with a kiss that didn't take him more than a second to get caught back in. His hips got pulled closer again till their bodies crashed and his muffled moan followed after.

The hard feel rubbing against him below didn't turn him off, but did the opposite. He felt his hunger and curiosity grow, he wanted more, wanted to be touched more, and most importantly, wanted to know if the bulge beneath the stranger's pants had enough potential as he could feel.

"Hm, h-hey," it took him all he had to pull away, and then breathed a whisper, "Let's get off the floor."

~~*~~

The next morning.

Ring!!! Ring!!! RINGGGGG!!!

"Ugh!" Dylan groaned tiredly, his hand gropping around for his annoying ringtone that was once his best. "Ugh! Shut up!"

He finally touched his phone and pulled it off the deskdrawer, then his drowsy eyes tried to pick out the name but with his sight failing him, he swiped and picked.

"Hello?" He frowned, surprisingly at his cracked voice. Why does he sound so hoarse?

Click!

He blinked at the abrupt cut of the call. his eyes that had slowly adjusted to the morning light went back to his phone and he sighed out at the sight of an unfamiliar number.

"UGH. Who the hell was that?"

He groaned, more angry at the fact that he had drowsily picked up an unknown number even when it was against his principles. Slumping his hand back on the bed, he desperately prayed he coud find his groove back and get some more peaceful sleep in.

But not even a minute had passed when a knock fell on his room door.

Ignore it, ignore it, just ignore it, Dylan.

His door flew open and the familiar misty scent that rushed in told him to give up on ever finding his groove.

"Ugh! How many times have we told this idiot not to drink?" Belle's voice came first.

"Belle?" his mom chipped in.

"It's true though," she defended.

"Haa, atleast he always finds his way back home everytime... even if he's only halfawake."

"Should we just let him sleep in some more?"

"Hey!" Belle yelled, "When the hell do you plan on getting your lazy ass up?! I know you can here me, get up!"

How could he pretend to be asleep after hearing all that.

"Ugh, why are you guys up so early?" he dragged.

"Early my foot, it's past noon dumbass. It's 5pm, you literally slept the whole day off."

It took a minute for Dylan to follow, rolling around in bed, his sleepy eyes widened as he saw the sunset welcome the night through his window.

"Damn, was I knocked out that bad?" he mumbled to himself, then turned back to the door, realizing the real thing that had him curious. "Why are you all getting dressed up?"

"About time you noticed."

"Dylan," his mom stepped in, knowing Bree's words weren't going to get any nicer. "The new neighbors are having a housewarming dinner and we were invited over. So we're going."

"We thought you would also like to come with us, but you sound like you'll pass so we'll just go ahead without..."

"Yeah, you all go ahead. My head's spinning."

He grumbled and shut his eyes back. Why would he want to go over there when his crush who broke his heart before he even got a chance, lives there?

The disappearing footsteps of his family made him relax, he needed some more shut eye. But maybe a quick visit to the restroom first.

With that in mind, he exhaled and sat up in one go... which became the worst mistake he'd ever made.

The sharp pain from behind sent a shock through his whole system and he choked.

"...ARGHHH!"