Nineteen

“So…what do you want to drink?” JC asked as he and Chris walked into the pub. “I'll buy the first round.”

“Just get me a beer,” Chris said vaguely. “I'll grab us that booth.”

JC went to the bar as Chris got their table. They were out for dinner at a gay-friendly pub named Tom Collins. It was in the next town over, and they were pretty sure no one they knew would be there. JC soon came to Chris, carrying a beer and a mixed drink. He handed Chris the beer, sat down, and opened his menu. “I'm starving for something fried and totally bad for me,” JC said.

“Uh-huh.” Chris took a huge swallow of his beer. JC stared at him.

“Everything okay?”

“Fine. I'm starving.” Chris stared at the menu.

They placed their order and JC toyed with the tiny straw in his drink. “So…Thanksgiving's right around the corner.”

“You get an A in Calendar,” Chris said with a smile that didn't quite reach his dark eyes.

“Ha ha. I was wondering what you were doing.”

“When?” Chris said evasively.

“Thanksgiving,” JC said, enunciating slowly. “I thought I got you a beer, not some kind of mind-altering drug.”

“Oh, Thanksgiving. Well, I'll probably go hang with my mom and sisters for the day, but I usually just veg at home during the vacation. Catch up on sleep and all that.”

“Would you be interested in going to Maryland?” JC asked quietly.

“What's in Maryland?” Chris tapped his fingers on the table and looked around the room.

“Me and my family, silly.” JC stared at Chris, wondering what was going on.

Chris' fingers stopped tapping. “You want me to come home with you?”

“Yeah. Is that so odd? I mean, we've been seeing each other for a while and…”

“It's just pretty serious, JC. I didn't think…”

“You didn't think we were that serious?” JC asked in a tiny voice. A basket of fried shrimp and French fries was placed in front of him and he didn't even notice. “Chris…what's going on?”

“I just…whoa, JC.” Chris looked everywhere but at JC. “I'm your professor.”

“And I thought that didn't matter.” JC got unusually angry. “It sure doesn't matter to you when you have me bent over a piece of furniture, does it?”

“Hey,” Chris said, insulted. “It's not like THAT. I was going to talk to you about this anyway. I was planning on having this discussion in a quieter place, sometime before you go home.”

“Oh, so it was just ME going home anyway. I didn't even have to ask you.” JC slammed back his drink. “I need more to drink.”

JC leaned against the bar as he waited, trying not to cry. He was angry, but he was hurt more than he was angry. He had assumed that Chris had felt as strongly as he had. They had a wonderful time together, no matter what they were doing. The word “love” had not been said out loud, but JC had felt it every time he looked at Chris.

“Hey there.” JC looked at the tall man next to him. He had incredible green eyes and long dark hair. “You look upset. You okay?”

“Yeah.” JC blushed and looked down at the bar. He wore a pair of low-riding jeans and a tight t-shirt with music notes on it, and he felt as if this stranger could see right through it all.

“Boyfriend troubles?” The man asked sympathetically.

“Well, uh, yeah,” JC said.

“Sorry to hear that.” The man smiled. “Both for you AND for me. You have a boyfriend.”

“I think I do,” JC said before he thought. The bartender brought his drink and he reached for his wallet.

“Allow me.” The stranger tossed some bills onto the bar. “I hope your night improves.”

“Thank you. For the drink and for…whatever.” JC blushed and turned away, heading back to Chris. Chris was staring out the window, and barely looked at JC when he sat.

“So…can we eat and then go talk about this?” Chris asked, finally looking at JC. Chris' brown eyes were unreadable. “I'm not trying to hurt you, JC. I just have been thinking about some things and we need to talk.”

“I've noticed that you've been sort of distant lately, but I didn't think you were breaking up with me,” JC said sadly. He chewed on a French fry but didn't taste it.

“I NEVER said I was breaking up with you!” Chris hissed. “I am NOT talking about this here!”

“Then let's not talk at all.” JC dug into his shrimp.

“Well, Christopher.” Chris and JC looked up. Both of their mouths dropped open as they looked at the tall man with the green eyes. He smiled at JC, and then looked at Chris. “Your taste just keeps getting better, doesn't it?”

“It definitely improved once you and I were through,” Chris snapped.

“I was the exception, you see. Chris is ALL about much younger men. Are you a student at the university?” The man asked JC. JC nodded, and saw Chris wince. “Christopher…isn't that a no-no?”

“Kevin, go away,” Chris snapped. “We're eating.”

“I see.” Kevin smiled at JC again. “So…Chris is the boyfriend you think you have?”

“What?” Chris asked.

“I…” JC shrugged and looked confused. Kevin laughed.

“My name is Kevin Richardson. I live right around the corner from this place, and I'm in the book. If you want an older man who knows how to treat his man…you call, okay?” Kevin finished his beer and sauntered out of the pub.

“He's your ex-boyfriend?” JC asked.

“You talked about me with him? How do you KNOW him?”

“He bought me my drink at the bar!” JC said defensively. “He was just there and we talked for a bit.”

“Great.” Chris buried his face in his hands. “Can this night get ANY worse?”

“You are into younger men?” JC asked. “Do you date a student EVERY semester, Chris?”

“When we were in college, I liked younger guys, okay? Kevin and I hooked up when we were in school together. And I have NEVER hooked up with a student before you, JC. You're special,” Chris promised. “I mean that.”

“Let's just talk now and get it over with,” JC said. “You spring all this shit on me outta nowhere…”

“I just think this is getting kinda crazy. I mean…me meeting your parents, JC? I'm your professor. That makes it look so…wrong.”

“You've been thinking about this for a while, haven't you?” JC asked.

“A week or so, yes. I'm so tired of sneaking around.”

“Chris, the semester will be over before we know it. Then it won't matter!”

“But I'll always be a professor here.”

“I'm a grad student, Chris. That's so different than an underclassman. And if this bothered you so much, why did you even let it start?”

“I didn't think it WOULD bother me. I just…it makes me look like some sort of dirty old man.”

“No, Chris.” JC stood. “I'M the one feeling dirty and used here. You got weeks of good sex, so now you're moving on?”

“Jayce…”

“Don't say anything else.” JC angrily wiped at a tear. “I'm outta here.”

Twenty