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[1]
After everything, they had a great time with board games and pizza. Lizzy went back to her dormitory earlier, left two boys sleeping on the couch surrounded by the food scraps.
Jack's parched throat woke him up. That crazy journey has made him forget many things for a while, including what happened between him and Montgomery.
Those "I love you"s couldn't solve the existing problems between them. Monty wanted to change a dormitory, that's fair, Jack was a bad roommate. But apparently, that kind boy is gonna stay here for his best friend in this college. Meanwhile, a bunch of football team guys are still going to chase after Jack’s ass tomorrow, which would definitely drag Monty down with him.
Jack,this time,felt bad about this. No matter how happy he pretended to be.
This time he should do something for Montgomery, like, giving him a chance to find a better roommate.
Jack stood up, found a blanket for Montgomery and covered him with it.
And there’s another truth pushing him to finish this mess, which Jack was happy that didn’t burst out in the fifth phase, that Jack had a stupid crush on Monty—a truth that would ruin their relationship for real.
He stood there staring at Monty for seconds, then walked straight the desk, opened the laptop.
It was half an hour until the deadline to submit the dormitory change application, he started to type, while a bittersweet feeling welling up in his chest. He wondered what their next roommates would be like. Jack hoped Monty could have a better one. And Jack wished for a jackass just like himself so that they could torture each other.
“What are you doing?”
Monty’s voice suddenly sounded from behind.
Jack sprang up like a startled cat, quickly minimized the email page and clicked a random game.
“Nothing, I just wanna play game.”
But Monty didn’t just let it go, he stood up and walked to Jack, “Really? Minesweeper? You get up for this?”
Jack rolled his eyes, giving Monty an ironic smile: “Or what? Are you suspecting me of taking those drugs again? I’m not a fool.”
Crap, he is acting mean to Monty again.
Monty let out a sigh, sat next to him, “I’m not.”
“Then...then go to sleep, don’t bother me, I really wanna play...minesweeper.” Jack sounded jumpy, “Minesweeper is classic, don’t look at me like that!”
“I don’t feel sleepy, may I join you?” Monty stared at Jack with a gentle smile, which made Jack feel hard to breathe. He would feel guilty if he refused him.
Jack looked back at him in silence, that miserable expression sold him out, that he was hiding something.
“Are you really playing minesweeper? You don’t look good, tell me what happened?” Monty grabbed his arm, which made Jack’s hand jerked suddenly.
“Just...let me have a moment with myself, please.” Jack wanted to yell, time’s gonna be up, he had to send that email to save Monty’s following years.
The expression on Monty’s face looked so hurt and broken: “Is that...because I tried to change a dormitory...to leave you?”
“No! It’s not about you.” Jack stared at the clock's hands gradually approaching the deadline, his heart flustered. He grasped the hand with which Monty was holding his arm, trying to pull Monty up: “Dude, you smell bad, go have a shower.”
“No Jack, I need to apologize to you, right now.” Monty said in a pleading tone, “I don’t want this to be a gap between us.”
“...Monty, we don’t have to be roommates to maintain our friendship, Lizzy isn’t our roommate and we can still hang out together, right?”
“Listen, I’m not going to deliver that application, I’m not gonna ditch you.” Monty held his arm tightly, said sincerely, “I’m not doing this to be like a friendly guy, I really want to be your roommate. And I’m so sorry that I wanted to leave you.”
Jack's ears were slightly red, and his eyes couldn't help glancing at the screen. Poor Monty was so kind that he was still making concessions for him, Jack decided that he couldn't continue to make his college life a mess. Time was running out, he’s gonna send that email anyway.
“Hey Monty, I get your point, you don’t have to apologize.” Jack gave Monty a big hug, “Remember? I love you.”
“Okay...” Monty let go of him.
“Now I’m gonna play my game, and you’ll do your own stuff.” Jack chuckled.
Watching Monty turn and walk toward his own side, Jack finally felt relieved. Jack added a signature to the application letter and ready to send it.
Just as he was about to click, a hand reached out from behind, grabbed the hand holding the mouse, and jerked it sharply to the side.
“What is that?!” Monty sounded incredulous.
Jack froze. Monty's palm was slightly cold, it pressed against the back of his hand, but Jack felt burned.
Monty must be so pissed off. Jack thought, ready for his friend’s rage and disappointment.
But there was only a sigh slightly sounded next to Jack’s left ear.
“Jack...dude, if you really wanna stop being a jackass, then don’t ditch me like a damn coward.”
“I’m not ditching you!” Jack turned around and looked into Monty’s eyes, “I’m saving you!”
“Saving me from what?” Monty let out a wry laugh. “It’s just college, how worse could it be?”
“I have already ruined mine by sending the football team to jail, they’ll keep screwing my life and the life of anyone who tries to stand with me! You know what? Maybe it’s even a bad idea for you and Lizzy keep in touch with me...” Messy words came out from Jack’s messy brain with a clear sobbing sound, which made his harsh words sound only pitiful.
His left hand was still in Monty’s hold, which forced him into a weird standing posture, almost like Monty was holding him in arms.
Monty seemed to be shocked but suddenly a relaxed expression floated onto his face.
“You are such a dumbass.” Monty chuckled, looking at Jack with a gentle gaze, then gently pulled him in arms.
Jack went completely stiff in his arms, Monty’s chin resting on his shoulder brought an indescribable intimacy, which made his heart pound like a drum.
He didn’t know how to act, he couldn’t even stop sobbing, tears came out more and more with Monty’s comforting pats on his back.
“Shhhhh...It’s okay, Jack, you don’t have to leave.”
“But, but everybody hates me, I’m gonna ruin your life.” Jack murmured, his forehead rested against Monty’s shoulder, tears dampened clothes.
“You really don’t sound like yourself today.” Monty held him more tightly. “Come on, you won’t ruin my life, actually, I need to be here. If it weren’t you, I might be a lame nerd as well. Remember? I’m one of weirdos too. If we have to go to the Gralk Hall, it’ll be fine because you’ve got me.”
Jack broke into a tearful smile, “Yeah, you were on that RA to-be-arrested list.”
Monty rubbed Jack's fluffy curls, then let go of him: “Seems like you’ve already lost your chance to send that email.”
Jack glanced at the clock, time’s up.
After promising Monty that he would throw those stupid thoughts away, Jack ended up sitting on the bed with his messy emotions while Monty was sleeping like a log.
He couldn’t afford it. There was still one thing hadn’t been solved, that Jack found himself still in love with his roommate. He thought that was just a crush like every young man would have, and that was already a history. But when Monty held his hand, Jack felt something tickles in his chest, that made him breath hard.
Pretending not having feelings for Monty in the last college years? Give him a break!
The best solution must be staying away from him. But Monty would be really hurt if Jack did that. Jack guessed this was his punishment, he was so pathetic.
He felt an urge to cry, but he didn’t let it out.
A wave of drowsiness came over, Jack finally lied down and fell asleep.
[2]
They woke up at noon.
Monty had a sweet dream, the MINTS did give him a dream of floating on a cloud of lavender. But of course he won’t try it again, that journey was a horrible movie.
And the memory of Jack trying to change the dormitory suddenly came to him. That stressed him out. Monty felt so bad when he saw Jack was typing that email. And Jack looked like a puppy that was about to be cast aside even if he tried to be calm, that tied Monty’s stomach in knots.
Monty admitted that he was thinking about delivering that application, but that just came through his mind, he never had decided to do it. Life being bullied every day is tough, Monty didn’t think himself as a saint, he shouldn’t have been through this, it wasn’t his karma. And he really did want a normal date with a girl.
But he found that it was even harder to leave Jack alone facing those bullies. Jack’s been ditched for once, he couldn’t do that to him, especially when those football guys were picking on Jack. He couldn’t fight like an Alpha he wanted to be, but he still could be there for Jack.
And things had changed a lot after last night.
When Jack was really gonna leave him, Monty suddenly found he didn’t want it, that feeling was so strong that he had to grab Jack’s hand and stop him from sending the email. Not just because he didn’t want to lose a friend. Monty felt something different.
Jack’s hand was so warm and soft, it shivered under Monty’s palm. They shared shampoo so Jack smelled like Monty, and when Jack stood up and turned around, they were so close. That was too affectionate.
They might have kissed if Monty lost his balance. And his roommate’s lips looked so good to taste, those eyes with tears staring at him looked so melting.
Monty found that he wanted it to happen. He was confused. He thought himself to be totally straight, so if that was Lizzy, that would be predictable. But now he had that thought to kiss his best friend? Monty wondered if it was because of the drugs.
Monty walked to Jack’s bed, patted slightly on his curly head: “Get up, it’s 12pm already.”
Jack slowly opened his eyes, murmured in a scraggly voice: “I’m awake...it’s just...I’m so sore all over, I’m gonna break in half.”
“You’ve slept too long.” Monty said, “Now we need to get us some food.”
Jack let out a tiny hum through his nose: “No pizzas.”
“Definitely.” Monty chuckled, his fingers remained tangled in the brown strands of his roommate's hair.
Jack must noticed that, he raised his eyes to Monty, and his face blushed slightly.
Monty finally found he was unconsciously twirled a strand of Jack's hair around his finger. He pulled his hand away immediately, looking way more awkward than Jack was.
Something, has definitely, changed.
“Hurry up, I’m starving.” Monty turned back, tried not to think about how Jack looked at him.
There was something vague inside Jack’s eyes.
They left the dormitory in silence, both having unspeakable thoughts inside their minds.
Now Jack just wanted his brain could blow up again. He could feel that there was something wrong with Monty.
Monty talked less than before, he was still so nice, but he seemed unnaturally evasive and distant towards Jack. It was like he had something awkward to say, but he tried to hold it like everything is alright.
Jack couldn’t stop guessing. Monty might be regretting about canceling the plan of changing a dormitory now. What else could it be?
He looked utterly defeated, shoulders sagging and eyes staring at his shoe tips while walking down to the canteen.
Monty wasn’t a popular guy, but he was so hard working, so smart and honestly cute. A classic handsome young European boy here he is! Jack took a quick peek at him—Not strikingly handsome,but definitely good-looking. Jack didn't think he fell for his appearance, he loved the man for always being there for him. And yeah, his eyes are gentle and beautiful as hell.
“Whoohoo! Look at them, our lovebirds!” A sudden shout interrupted Jack's thoughts.
It was Logan with his football team. They blocked the way.
Jack’s internal alarm bells rang the second he saw them, he wanted to pull Monty and turn back.
But this time Monty stepped up: “ That’s enough, Jack has learned his lesson, and you should also blame yourselves for taking part in that insane prank.”
He tried to make his voice sound firm and unyielding, but a faint tremble still slipped through.
Jack stood behind him, froze, he got Monty into this trouble again, guilt came rushing in like a tide. And Monty was standing in front of Jack, obviously scared, but he didn't flinch.
I’m such a coward. Jack thought. I can’t even defend myself. I don’t deserve Monty.
“Calm down.” Logan laughed, “It’s not Friday, I’m not gonna fart on your face today.”
“Then what do you want?” Jack plucked up his courage and stepped forward.
“Someone saw you two fooling around in the bathroom.” Logan said with a sneer, and his henchmen started to laugh aloud.
“Yeah, I saw them cuddling together in the shower stall.”
Then came another burst of jeering.
Jack’s face instantly flushed bright red, and his voice even rose a few pitches: “What the hell are you talking about?”
“...I think, we might have done something in the first phase.” Monty whispered to Jack in an awkward tone.
“We were high!” Jack yelled.
“Yeah we didn’t know what we’ve done.” Monty said, tried to remember what might have happened. A possibility that he might have kissed Jack made a weird delight rose inside his chest.
That feeling was so true and sure.
“You two are gonna apply to move to the Gralk Hall next semester, or we’ll make sure that everyone knows.” Logan threatened, “You faggots.”
“Seriously? What’s wrong with you?” Jack looked devastated.
Monty went silent for a few seconds, and then he grasped Jack’s hand.
Jack froze, looked at him curiously.
“Let’s give them what they want and shut their mouths forever.” Monty gave Jack a wink, then lifted their holding hands up for everyone to see.
“Yeah you can spread that rumor, or maybe it’s not a rumor, go ahead!” Monty smiled, “That’s true, Jack is my boyfriend.”
The world has gone dead silent for a while.
Everyone there was in shock, including Jack.
Jack's mouth fell open as he stared at Monty in shock. When he realized what Monty had said, his face instantly turned as red as a boiled shrimp.
“Do you...really mean that?” Jack muttered in a voice so low that probably no one could hear, he didn’t know how to react at that time.
“So feel free to let everyone know about us, you can’t threaten us with this.” Monty said, with his hand holding tightly with Jack’s.
“Yep, and if you dare harass them again, I’ll post everything online, including how you insult them for being together as a gay couple.” Lizzy’s voice cut in.
She stood behind the football guys, holding up her phone that was recording.
Logan suddenly burst a laugh: “You realize that if you’re trying to threaten us by pretending to be together, you’ll have to pretend till graduation and no girls would date you. Huh?
“Screw it.” Jack flipped off Logan, then grabbed Monty by the back of the head, pulled him down, and kissed him.
That kiss lasted for about half a minute, but it felt as long as a decade for Monty and Jack.
When they finally pulled apart, they found that the crowd around them had already drifted away.
Lizzy stayed standing there and smiling at them.
“Okay, I guess I’ll have a lot to gossip about now.” She giggled, looked meaningfully at the two boys who were at a complete loss.
[3]
Lizzy’s grilling didn’t come out with an answer that could satisfy her.
“Come on, I’m your best friend! Are you really not gonna tell me?”
Jack and Monty exchanged a glance.
“We might have done something in the first phase.”Jack said, “We woke up in the shower, hugging, and who knows what else have we done there.”
Monty let out a faint, bitter chuckle: “I’m thinking, in that hallucination, that feeling of having my nipples pinched by a puppet was so real.”
He finished that sentence in a low voice, then looked at Jack.
“I think that was actually you.”
“Oh god...” Jack let out a despairing groan and buried his face in hands, “I’m sorry.”
If that hallucination could let people do whatever they wanna do without knowing, then Jack must have done much worse things than that.
His face is boiling in his hands. How could Monty seem to be so calm?
Monty patted his shoulder lightly: “Don’t panic. We’ll solve this.”
“Yeah, whether you’re real couple or not, you really should make people believe this now.”Lizzy said.
“This...this is not...” This is not that simple. Jack held back his tears, lifted up his head, “You know what? We have to do another drama, a drama of us breaking up.”
“Umm...That’s a way.” Lizzy nodded.
“No!” Monty refused flatly, then realized how weird he acted, “I mean, we might need this to protect us, right? And dating a girl is not something necessary for my college life.”
Jack sighed: “Monty, you were saying that to save us, you didn’t mean it...”
“How do you know that?” Monty cut him off, grabbed his hand again.
“What?” Jack was stunned, that Monty’s gaze at him allowed no refusal, nearly burned him.
“We need to talk, privately, in the dormitory.”
Now there was only two of them in the dormitory, for the first time the air felt so thin in this room.
“There’s obviously nothing to talk about, Monty.”
Monty watched Jack throwing himself on the bed, one day ago, he didn’t realize he had something special about Jack. That annoying, arrogant but also smart, funny and caring Jack.
He was surprised but a little bit happy inside when Jack let slip his secret in the fifth phase. That meant Jack was not straight, or at least not totally straight. Monty wasn’t sure why he had that feeling, but now he understood.
When Jack kissed him, those lips did feel as good as what Monty had imagined.
But Monty didn’t know if Jack could received that his roommate had this crush on him. Jack browsed on a website which was full of DADDIES, sounds like some strong, sexy alphas. But Monty was definitely not one of that type. Would Jack like him? If Jack says no, could they still be friends and live together?
That’s why he couldn’t tell the truth back in the canteen.
He didn’t want this to end up with a drama of breaking up. And he refused to face the man who had awakened his sexuality as just a normal friend for the rest of college until graduation. That’ll be the worst torture, worse than living in the Gralk Hall.
So he now spoke:
“Jack, I have to confess something, something you might not be glad to hear.”
Jack’s lying shape seemed to freeze for a second, then he slowly got up, turned around to face Monty.
“What’s that?”
Jack’s voice was hoarse and his eyes were red, which made Monty’s heart sink with a pang.
“Those words I said to the football guys, were not just a excuse to save us.”
Monty said, walked closer to Jack.
Jack was in silence, he waited for Monty to speak, but his shivering fingers had betrayed his calm appearance.
“That was also my wish.” Monty said firmly, and then sat down on Jack’s bed, staring directly at Jack’s eyes.
“I wish to be together with you, I wish you to be my boyfriend.”
This was the umpteenth time Jack had been shocked today, it was just 2 hours passed since they woke up.
Monty IS CONFESSING HIS LOVE TO Jack.
Jack, who thought himself to be the most miserable man, now doubted if the MINTS was still working.
“Monty...” Jack said in a broken, trembling voice, “I think, I might need a slice of pizza.”
“What? What pizza? You said you don’t want any pizza.” Monty was thrown off by Jack’s sudden words about pizza.
“It must be a dream, another hallucination...I’m gonna die.”Jack cried.
He threw himself into Monty’s arms, buried his head in Monty’s neck, “At least this damn drug is giving me a hallucination I want.”
“I love you Monty, I love you and this is killing me...Oh my god...”
Jack’s soft fuzzy curls tickled Monty’s neck, all those warm tears soaked into Monty’s collar, dampening his skin.
Jack’s desperate emotion swept over Monty.
The apparent truth that Jack was in love with him just dragged him out of his anxiety.
That MINTS might be a gift now.
Monty hugged Jack back, one arm around his waist, and the other gently stroking his messy curly hair. Feeling his movements, Jack in his arms tightened their embrace around Monty, as if afraid that this "hallucination" might disappear.
“Hey Jack, it’s not a dream or a hallucination.” Monty whispered gently and clearly.
“How could it be real...I’m a mess.” Jack whimpered, “He must be so pissed off that I really did kiss him.”
“I enjoyed it, Jack.” Monty held Jack’s chin up, attempting to kiss him as proof of his words.
But Jack’s next move paused him.
He felt his left nipple get pinched slightly. Of course that was Jack.
“See, you don’t get mad, but how could Monty not be mad?”Jack said, “He was so pissed off by the first phase.”
“Because I didn’t know that was you!” Monty grabbed his arm, his voice slightly raised to make Jack focus on him.
“Look at me! I am here, you’re not in a hallucination! No matter you take it or not, I’m here and I love you!”
Jack looked so confused, but he didn’t have any time to digest the words Monty had just said, because Monty pulled Jack into arms and kissed him.
Monty fiercely pressed his lips against Jack's, his tongue thrusting straight in, as if hoping that the sensation would be strong enough to make Jack realize that this was not a hallucination.
Jack couldn't breathe under the kiss, his face flushed deep red, whimpering sounds escaping his mouth. Tears blurred his vision, running down his skin and wetting the hair by his ears.
Finally he found his control of his own tongue, he responded to Monty tentatively.
This smooch turned more passionate after Monty felt Jack’s respond.
Monty pressed Jack down onto the bed and continued kissing him until they were both so breathless from lack of oxygen that they finally had to pull apart.
Monty held Jack’s hand, staring at him and saying: “And you’re surely a mess, but you’re my mess now.”
Jack was now drenched in sweat, panting as he looked at Monty. The man he'd been crushing on for a long time was holding his hand, telling him that this was all real. This made him dizzy.
“This is the best thing ever happened to me.”Jack said in a sobbing voice, “Thanks to that damn MINTS.”
“And you’re not gonna take that drug or any drugs, forever.”Monty gave him a kiss on his brow, “I’ll keep an eye on you.”
Jack finally smiled, he wrapped his arms around Monty, resting his head on Monty's shoulder, brushing the tip of his sweaty nose against Monty's neck, and his hands slowly wandered over Monty’s waist.
He surely had a great shape. Jack thought. How does he keep so fit when he hardly works out?
“Thanks, for not ditching me.”Jack whispered, “and for loving me.”
Monty chuckled,“So how long have you had this feeling for me?”
“...Shut up,I wanna sleep.”
“You haven’t been up for long, Jack.”
“I don’t know, it just happened, Monty.”
“So does it mean that I’m actually the alpha kind, since you were browsing that oldbuffdaddies...”
“Shut up! I’m not gonna open that website anymore!”Jack covered Monty’s mouth.
“Fine...”
“And what you have done back there was so alpha.”Jack simpered, “But I think you need to prove it by something else.”
“What’s that?”Monty asked.
“You know what I mean.” Jack wrapped one leg around Monty’s, watching with satisfaction as Monty's face grew redder and redder.
Monty's beautiful gray-blue eyes, like gemstones in the dim light, sparkled with joy and a hint of shyness.
“If you’re ready.”He said.
“For god’s sake! I’ve rehearsed it hundreds of times in my dreams.” Jack kissed him.
And we still don’t know what happened in reality during the first phase. Never mind, they’ve got their happy ending now. What a cliché story.
But remember to give five stars, said Snackatron.