Chapter 2

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“See you later,” Brian threw Matt their Camaro’s keys, already making his way over to his friends crowding on the school’s lawn. Four minutes to spare to first bell and assembly. Matt pocketed the keys and walked up to his friends. Brian always insisted on driving when they rode together—he was such a control freak. But did he want the hassle of holding onto the keys? God forbid. So he stuck Matt with it.

The usual currents of excitement flowed through him as he approached his two best friends. Lexie’s light African-American complexion seemed to vibrate all over with the rest of her from pent up enthusiasm, which was nothing new, while poor Martin looked as painfully awkward as always. His unruly ginger curls swaying freely in the wind. Matt hoped his dear ginger friend would outgrow this awkward phase, at some point.

They made their way to the lockers to dump their books in time for first assembly. His friends hassled him for being late and filled him in on their summers.

The bell shrilled and the hallway cleared almost instantly, save for a bunch of weighed down and haggard freshmen trying to find their way. As though naturally drawn, Matt’s eyes were pulled to a guy with honeyed skin and golden hair, walking past them with a confident swagger but desolate eyes. Lexie fell silent from her ramblings as she noticed the boy who’d caught Matt’s attention; Martin, as usual, was seemingly unaware of anything. Matt was downright staring, but surely he could be forgiven. The irresistible mix of self-confidence enthused with misery had a way of evoking this type of reaction in Matt. How could someone be so handsome and appear so painfully vulnerable at the same time? The guy had to be new to Santa Monica High, but even so, he seemed to know exactly where he was headed, and just as fast as he’d walked into Matt’s life, he disappeared again.

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The first assembly of the year was always a to-do. New teachers were introduced, key dates announced, pomp and a lot of circumstance were brought forth by the faculty that hardly anyone paid attention to. The hall was filled with the excitable chatter of friends reconnecting, crushes reacquainting, and the air of new beginnings filling the stifling

Matt stared at his senior year, as it was spread before him. How many years had he been part of the crowd in the back, watching enviously as smug seniors simply claimed the best seats in the auditorium? Getting to walk out before the rest of the school while the other years had to wait in agonizing patience while they filed out in their own time. Now it was his turn, and he smiled good-naturedly as his classmates harassed freshmen and sophomores on how far they still had to go to get where they were. It’s a small symbol to the seniors, pointless really, but there all the same.

He sat back in the chair as Principal Higgins called the hall to order. Not even the painful monotony of Higgins’ drone would be able to sap the excitement out of him as he listened to special announcements, upcoming student council elections, and the usual announcements that accompanied the first-of-year assemblies. He kept one ear on their principal, as he needed to stay in the loop to execute his duties as editor of the school’s newspaper.

The assembly seemed to have dragged on for far too long already and Matt was just about to try and stifle a second yawn, with little success, when someone caught his attention…for the second time that day.

Higgins was talking about a special transfer student they should all be very excited about and announced James Sterling, shaking his hand with hearty enthusiasm. Higgins continued on about James being some athletic prodigy from a neighboring private school, who had somehow escaped Matt’s radar at inter-school swim meets previously. The school had seemingly been after the guy for many years. He was on trail to the Olympics and would surely take their school to nationals, Higgins assured the school.

Matt was mildly surprised at the school swim team’s rise in estimation to be able to bag someone of this swimming God’s apparent caliber. Sure, they had been winning more trophies as of late, but that was mostly due to the new no-nonsense coach they’d recruited the year before. He hadn’t been aware their team had climbed the ranks enough to attract such serious talent.

Most of his attention, however, was focused on deciphering any possibility of gay vibes from his handsome fellow senior classman, but the stage was too far away to execute the subtleties of that science. What he could see, however, agreed with him. The expected swimmer body, made up of a defined chest, muscular arms and narrow waist, well hidden by expensive clothes—understated instead of accentuated. As Matt stared at the poor guy, with his bowed head on the stage, it was clear to him that the spotlight had to be the very last place that he wanted to be. It was also clear to him that he had to meet James Sterling, whatever it took.