What the hell was that?
I stood frozen for a second, staring at Braden.
The party seemed to fade into the background as my heart threatened to beat out of my chest.
"I know I'm handsome, but are you gonna keep staring at me?" Braden asked.
I scoffed.
"You're the one who dumped fucking alcohol all over me."
Braden glanced down at my shirt.
"Look, I got you. Come here."
Before I could react, he grabbed my hand and started pulling me away.
"Yo, what the fuck?"
I tried to pull my hand away, but the crowd made it impossible. Besides, he was strong. I mean, yeah, I'm a football player, but he was bigger and more muscular than me.
He pulled me into a bathroom and closed the door behind us.
"Take your shirt off," Braden said.
"What the fuck did you just say?"
I suddenly became very aware that we were two guys alone in a bathroom.
Why am I even aware of this?
We're just two guys.
So why do I feel weird?
"Take it off. I'm going to switch it with mine," Braden said.
"I'm good, thanks," I replied, giving him a suspicious look.
"What the fuck is your problem?" Braden snapped, visibly upset. "You threw up on me. I cleaned you up, let you sleep in my bed, returned your belongings, and not even an ounce of fucking gratitude."
"Well, I didn't ask you to fucking do that! Do you know how humiliating it is to wake up with a naked dude beside you?" I shouted.
"Aha."
He laughed sarcastically.
"So that's what it is."
He looked disappointed.
"I should've fucking known. You're a football player. All of you are just a bunch of fucking homophobic assholes."
Homophobic?
I frowned in confusion.
What the fuck is he talking about?
"Wait... you're gay?"
Braden just stood there, dumbfounded.
"This conversation is going nowhere. Look, let me just switch shirts so I can get the fuck out of here. After all, you wouldn't want rumors spreading that you're locked in a bathroom with a gay guy, now would you?" he said, clearly annoyed.
"Agreed."
I began taking off my shirt.
Braden did the same.
Now we were both shirtless.
Fuck, this is awkward.
He tossed me his shirt, and as I put it on, I couldn't help but notice his body.
Man, he was fucking ripped.
As if he could feel me staring, our eyes met for a brief second.
"The way you're staring at me, you'd think you're the gay one," Braden said.
"The hell did you just say to me? Look, the only reason I'm staring is that you're ripped. With your physique, you could've played football easily and had any girl you wanted. Too bad you play for the other team."
Braden rolled his eyes.
"Anyway, I'm leaving now. May we never see each other again."
As I reached for the door, Braden grabbed my shoulders and pinned me against the wall.
"What the fuck are you doing?"
I looked up at him nervously.
Fuck.
With him towering over me like this, he made me feel small, and I was pretty ripped myself.
Braden didn't say anything.
He just stared.
Fuck, he's too close.
"Wait."
I placed a hand between us.
"I don't know what the fuck this is, but you need to back up."
Before I could say anything else, Braden kissed me.
I froze.
Panic instantly set in.
What the fuck?
What the fuck?
What the fuck?
My mind spiraled.
I tried to push him away, but a hand settled firmly on my waist, drawing me in. Another slid behind my neck, guiding me back until my shoulders met the wall. His lips burned against mine, and the panic that had gripped me began to dissolve, replaced by something hotter, something harder to fight.
I kissed him back before I could stop myself. His tongue brushed mine, the kiss deepened, turning urgent. My breath came faster with every press of his mouth, like he was trying to consume the last of my resistance. My knees weakened. Thoughts slipped away. There was only the taste of him, the heat, and the way his mouth moved like he already knew he'd won.
Then—
BANG! BANG! BANG!
"Hey! Anyone in there? I need to pee!"
Reality came crashing back.
Braden pulled away and looked me up and down.
My face burned red.
A smug smirk spread across his face.
He leaned closer and whispered into my ear.
"You sure you're not gay?"
Normally, a comment like that would've earned him a punch to the face.
But for once, I couldn't speak.
Confusion washed over me.
I just stood there.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
"Hello?"
"One second!" Braden shouted.
Then he looked back at me.
"Hope we never see each other again."
With that, he opened the bathroom door and walked back out to the party.
"Can you go already?" a wasted girl complained from outside.
"Oh. Right. Sorry."
I stepped out of the bathroom and headed back toward the party.
Then I looked down.
My stomach dropped.
It was hard.
I stood there in utter disbelief.
I, Zack Anderson, had just made out with a guy and was turned on.
This was officially the most confusing day of my life.