Author's notes

Hey guys! Here's my new story. Hope you enjoy it :)

Chapter 1

August 30th, 2003

Jack drove through the busy streets, whistling and enjoying the sunshine. It was a beautiful day, and he wished that he could enjoy it, but he had things to do. He was heading for his dorm building, ready for the new academic year. He was studying Psychology and for the most part, he found it interesting. But he hated the statistics; at least he knew that he wasn't the only one.

As he drove, he thought back to last year. It had been hard, he had to admit. Circumstances had driven him to finally admit who he was, and now he felt free, more so than he ever had been. His family had been incredibly supportive of him and accepted him for who he was. He felt a lot better this time around.

He wondered briefly who his new roommate might be. It was kind of his fault that his old one had left, but there it was. During the summer he'd been told that he would have a new one, and he was determined not to mess it up again. If the same things started to happen again with this new guy, he didn't know what he might do.

Eventually, he pulled into the parking lot of his building and stretched; he was stiff from driving all that way. He'd had to spend the night in a hotel in Pennsylvania the night before, and now here he was. He felt a lot more optimistic about this year.

He got out of his red Toyota and pulled out his suitcase and bag before locking it up. He stretched some more and glanced up at the building. His room was on the third floor and from there he could see the Quabbin Reservoir in the distance. Massachusetts had some beautiful spots, and he hoped that one day he would find someone to share it with.

Back home was beautiful too. There was a lot of foliage and the family manor was wonderful, but if he was honest with himself, he wasn't sure that he wanted to take it over. He had an older brother, but he lived in New York, so wasn't likely to want to take over the manor when their parents passed on. Jack wasn't sure where he wanted to live, but he knew it wasn't West Virginia.

He sighed and picked up his bags, heading for the front door. He passed a few students that he knew from the previous year, exchanging greetings and asking about the summer vacation. Jack and his family had gone down to Florida in July, and his little sisters had loved it. He was a lot closer to his family now than he had ever been.

He walked into the common area to see a red-haired young woman on one of the sofas, reading a magazine. He grinned and walked towards her. "Hey, Lu."

She looked up, her deep brown eyes lighting up when she saw him. "Jack!" She stood up and threw her arms around him. "Hey, babe, you got here!"

Jack hugged his best friend and confidante, happy to see her. She lived in Texas and he hadn't seen her since June, when she'd taken part in a barrel racing event. That had been a lot of fun and he'd missed her. "Hey, Lu, good to see ya."

They pulled apart and Lureen put her hands on her hips, grinning. "So, how's it goin'?"

He nodded, taking a deep breath. "Pretty good. Had a good summer. What about you?"

"I'm good. All packed away, got nothin' to do. You want some help with yer stuff?"

Jack shrugged. "I don't mind, but you don't have to. I got it."

"It's okay, I don't mind. Come on." She picked up his bag and he grabbed his suitcase. They headed down the hall to the elevator. As they waited, Lureen turned to Jack.

"So...you said you was gonna have a new roommate this year, right? she said, fixing him with a knowing look.

"Yeah," he said quietly. "Don't know who, they just said it was a guy."

"Huh...so, um...whaddaya think...?"

"I don't know. I sure hope that the same thing doesn't happen this time. I don't know if I could go through all that again. Was really hard, you know that."

"I know. But then again...what if this new guy is...you know...?"

Jack shook his head. "I don't want to think about it. Even if he is...gay...how will I know? And...I'm never gonna have the guts to ask him, not after last year."

"But...he could be the one, Jack. You never know. What if he's the one you're supposed to be with?"

Jack sighed. "Lureen...don't. I don't want to think about it. I just...I don't think I'm gonna find what I need in a small dorm room. I think I'll just wait until I graduate and then...try to find someone. I can't do all that again."

She looked at him sympathetically. "Jack...you could be missin' out on somethin' real special..."

"Maybe. But...I don't even know the guy yet. He could be an asshole for all I know." The elevator arrived and they went in, heading for the third floor. They arrived on their floor; Lureen's room was two doors down from Jack's and last year they had spent a lot of time together as they'd tried to work through Jack's problems. They walked down the hall and to Jack's old room. He got out his key and unlocked it; it had obviously been cleaned and the sheets had been changed. His new roommate wasn't here yet, so he had some time to gather himself before the inevitable meeting.

Lureen tossed Jack's bag onto his bed and Jack sat down on it, toeing his sneakers off. "Anyway...you looking forward to the new term?"

She nodded and sat down next to him. They began to talk and catch up on their summer vacations. It was as if no time had passed, and they didn't notice the tall, blond figure walk into sight of the doorway.

Ennis made his way through the town in his pick-up truck, trying not to feel too self-conscious. He came from Wyoming, from a family that wasn't exactly well off. He'd been raised in the cowboy culture, and was the first of his family to go to college. He'd been attending in Laramie, but then this summer, he'd learned that his major was no longer being run. So he'd decided to try a college further away; he wasn't happy at home anyway. He was an only child and as much as he loved animals, he didn't want to be in Wyoming anymore. His father was very strict and he needed to break free.

Amherst was a beautiful city and he was looking forward to spending the academic year here. He hoped to make some friends here, hopefully locals, so that they could teach him some new ways of living life. He wasn't sure yet who he wanted to be, but he knew he wouldn't find it back home. Maybe he would find it here.

He found his dorm building and found a parking spot next to a red Toyota; a flashy thing that looked expensive. He wondered if he would stick out like a sore thumb here. He hoped that it didn't belong to his roommate; the last thing he needed was a spoilt rich kid to deal with.

He parked and got out, stretching after his very long journey. He'd been driving and staying in motels for several days, so he was ready for something a bit more home-like. He grabbed his suitcase and bag from the truck and looked up at the building; it looked nice enough. He headed in and collected his key from the front desk. The receptionist told him that the other one had already been collected.

Ennis shifted. "Um...what's the other guy like? I just transferred here, an'..."

She looked amused. "Well, you should know he comes from a wealthy family. West Virginia, I think."

"Oh...is he one of those whose parents could afford to pay all his fees upfront?" Ennis asked, looking unsure. He hoped that he wouldn't feel inferior.

"Yeah, probably. But don't worry, I know him. He's a real nice guy. Not a spoilt rich kid, if that's what you're thinking. You don't have anything to worry about."

Ennis nodded. "Okay. What's his name?"

She consulted her book. "Jack Twist. Also a second year, same age as you. Quite popular, got a few friends. As far as I know, not a bad bone in his body."

"Right. So, um...what room is it again?"

"305. I'm sure that if you asked him, he'd show you around." She smiled at him, sensing that he was feeling a little intimidated.

He thanked her and walked down the hall, taking it all in. It was a lovely building, he had to admit. Maybe he would be comfortable here. He headed for the elevator and waited, wondering what his new roommate might be like.

When he got to the third floor, he looked around; even numbered rooms were on the side facing him, so his room had to be on this side. He walked down the hall, hearing voices as he approached the room. He reached the doorway to see a dark-haired young man talking to a red-haired young woman. They were sat on one of the beds as they talked. They didn't notice him at first, so he took a few seconds to look at his roommate. He was quite good-looking and seemed friendly enough.

After a couple of seconds, the dark-haired student flicked his eyes to the doorway and made contact with Ennis's. Both of them felt a snap of electricity as they looked at each other. Ennis was taken aback by this, but soon recovered himself. "Um..."

The girl turned too, her face taking on a look of surprise. "Oh! You must be the new guy, right?" The pair of them stood up and Jack smiled.

"Hey there, Jack Twist." He extended his hand and they shook. Ennis then shook hands with his friend.

"Lureen Newsome, from Texas. I hear yer from out West too, right?"

"Uh, yeah. Wyomin'."

"I'm from West Virginia," said Jack, trying to sound friendly. He had the vibe that Ennis was not from a wealthy family. He hoped that his new roommate wouldn't feel intimidated.

"Right. So, um..." He looked at the other bed unsurely. Jack gestured with his hand.

"Come on in, roomie. Make yourself at home." Ennis nodded and tossed his bag onto his bed. He turned and looked at the others, feeling very self-conscious.

"Um..." The other two looked at each other, sensing his discomfort.

"I'm gonna go," said Lureen, clapping Jack on the shoulder and smiling at Ennis. "Got some things to do. I'll see ya later, alright Jack?" He nodded and looked at Ennis again. "Bye, Ennis," she said, waving a little.

"Um, bye." Lureen left the room and Jack followed her out, catching up with her a little way down the hall.

"So, what do you think of the new guy?" he asked her quietly, remembering their earlier conversation.

She shrugged. "He's alright, I guess. Kinda quiet, wouldn't ya say?"

"Well, he's probably nervous. Coming from way on the other side of the country. Cowboy and everything...maybe he feels like we're gonna judge him."

"Hmm...well...the thing to do would be to make sure he knows you don't judge him. Make him feel welcome, an' that you wanna be his friend. I ain't sayin' that somethin' has to happen, but...you can be friends, right?"

Jack nodded. "Yeah, I guess. He's probably real nice under all that shyness. I could probably draw him out."

"Yeah. An' once you do he'll be alright, I reckon. Just might need a little time, that's all."

"Okay. Um...I better go start breaking the ice, then. I'll see ya later?"

"Sure. Maybe we could get a bite to eat. Text me, okay?" They kissed cheeks and Lureen continued down to her room, leaving Jack alone to see to his new roommate.

Jack sighed and returned to his room, finding Ennis starting to unpack his things. He scratched the back of his neck, unsure of what to say.

"So, um...you need any help with that?" he asked, trying to be friendly.

Ennis turned and gave him a small smile. "Nah. I got it, thanks. Um..." He straightened up and looked at Jack. "So...Jack Twist, right?"

"Uh-huh. And you are...?"

"Ennis Del Mar. From Sage, Wyomin'." He was still feeling uncomfortable. "Um...yer from West Virginia, right?"

"Yep. Beautiful place. Did you happen to see it when you were driving from Wyoming?"

Ennis nodded. "Yeah. It's real nice." He shifted again and Jack decided to do the talking.

"Okay, look. I know you've probably heard one or two things about me, like about me coming from a rich family. Thing is, Ennis...I swear, I'm not one of those spoilt rich kids you hear about. I think I'm alright, you know? I, um...I don't want you feeling uncomfortable or anything..."

Ennis looked taken aback by his words, and all he could do was stare at Jack. "Uh...didn't mean to act...you know..." He shifted uncomfortably.

"It's okay, Ennis. I know how scary it must be for you...being so far away from home. I just...we have to live together until next summer, and then another two years after that. I just want you to feel comfortable." He sighed. "I know how it feels to be intimidated in a new place."

After a few moments, Ennis nodded. "Thanks, Jack. I am kinda nervous, I admit. Um...I wanna feel at home here, an'...I was hopin' you'd be a nice guy. I'm guessin' that it's yer flashy car downstairs?" Jack nodded sheepishly.

"Yeah. Eighteenth birthday present."

"Well...when I saw that, I thought...you know. That you'd be..."

"Stuck-up? Full of it? Spoilt little rich kid?" Jack asked with a grin. Ennis smiled appreciatively.

"Well...I guess. But you ain't like that. You're right, yer a real nice guy. Yer friend Lureen's nice too."

Jack nodded. "She is. Talks a lot, doesn't know when to shut up, but she's got a heart of gold. She's my best friend."

Ennis nodded back. "Right. So, um...what are you guys studyin'?"

Jack sat down on his bed. "Psychology. It's really interesting, but I hate all the statistics. Never was any good with numbers. Lureen's studying Dance. She's good at it. What are you doing?"

"Um...Animal Sciences. Was doin' it in Laramie, but they stopped it after last year. Not enough money. So...I looked around over the summer, an' saw that they're runnin' it here." He sat down on his own bed, twiddling his thumbs. "Um...I'm on student loans...kinda makes ends meet."

Jack nodded. On his eighteenth birthday, he'd been given his inheritance from his family. He technically didn't need to work, but he wanted to have a career. He wanted to make something of himself. "Right. Uh...what about your family?"

"Only child. I live with my parents on this ranch." They did make good money, but his father had set ideas on what his son should be doing with his life.

Jack was intrigued. "Really? Horses an' all that?"

"Yep. An' cattle. My dad works real hard. He, um...he didn't like the idea of me goin' off to college. Wanted me to stay an' work on the ranch."

"Oh...but you did it anyway. You fought for what you wanted. You're here, you'll make something of yourself." Jack smiled. "He's lucky to have a son who's so focussed on his future."

Ennis looked pleased by the praise. "What about you?"

"Uh, well...I live with my parents too. Got an older brother who lives in New York with his girlfriend. Got two little sisters. And there's all these other relatives. Aunts and uncles, cousins...got a big family."

"Wow...so, um..." He cast around for another topic. "Look, I...I don't really know the area, so...if you don't mind..."

Jack nodded. "Sure. It's a real nice area. I don't mind at all. I'll show you around the building and then campus."

"Thanks, Jack," Ennis replied appreciatively. "Anyway, I better get unpacked." He stood up and put his hands in his pockets. "So..."

"Okay. I have to get unpacked too. I came up with Lureen and we got talking, haven't had a chance to do that yet." They both nodded awkwardly and then turned to their respective suitcases. They busied themselves with their clothes and their other things. Jack felt a little strange; he and Ennis had connected quite well after establishing that their differences didn't matter. He thought that they could be good friends after all. But he knew that it would be unwise to seek more, at least for now. Ennis was a cowboy, came from that kind of background, and Jack knew that cowboys were very likely to be straight. He didn't know for sure, but it was very likely.

But then again, he could feel a connection with Ennis. When their eyes met, he could definitely feel something. He knew it would be dangerous to pursue something more; he wouldn't put it past him to throw a punch if he came onto him. Still, they could be friends. That was clear enough, and Ennis seemed to want that. Jack knew that they could have a great friendship, other feelings aside.

When they were finally finished, they turned to each other. "Alright," said Jack, rubbing his neck. "Um...what do you wanna do now?"

Ennis shrugged. "Um...could we take a walk around? You show me the buildin' an' everythin'?" He wanted to get to know Jack better; he would need a friend out here and Jack was perfectly nice.

Jack nodded. "Okay. Listen, um...me and Lureen are going for a bite to eat tonight, at the diner down the road. If you want to join us, you can."

"That sounds good. Thanks." They smiled nervously at each other and then headed out, pocketing their keys. Jack stretched and glanced out the window; it was still clear and sunny out there. The perfect day for showing round a new friend.

They set off down the hall, Jack pointing out Lureen's room and the bathroom at the end of the hall. They went down in the elevator and emerged on the ground floor. Jack then led Ennis down the hall he'd been in earlier.

"Here's the kitchen," he said, waving a hand around. "We all share, and do all our own cooking and everything. Everybody pretty much pulls their own weight around here."

Ennis nodded. He could cook a little, and he didn't mind doing it. "Right. Can you cook?"

Jack grinned. "A bit. I can make basic stuff, enough to live on. Pretty good with a can opener, I'll admit." He shrugged. "Lureen can make a damn good Texas chilli, though. She's really popular whenever she makes it."

They then headed out into the bright sunshine, looking around. Jack noted his flashy car, next to a beat-up truck that had to be Ennis's. For the first time in his life, he felt uncomfortable about his wealth.

"Um...you wanna walk, or...?" he asked, watching Ennis's face. His companion nodded.

"Okay." They headed off down the street, where Jack showed him the diner that everybody hung out at, where they would meet with Lureen later. They then headed for the main campus that they would be using.

"Right...that's the building where I have my lectures," said Jack, pointing at the nearest structure. "And I think Animal Sciences is held over there. The library's just down the road. We got a sports hall with a swimming pool; that's on the other side of your building." Ennis nodded as he spoke, trying to remember where everything was.

"Okay. Where does Lureen go?"

"Dance is held a couple of blocks away. I usually walk back to the dorms with her if we have a class at the same time. And...there's a main cafeteria in the building next to the sports hall, with smaller ones in the lecture buildings." Jack looked around. "That's pretty much it, I guess."

Ennis turned to Jack, thankful for all his help. "Thanks, Jack. You've been a real help."

Jack smiled, pleased to have made his new friend more comfortable. "No problem. If you wanna see more of the area, I'd be happy to help. I know this place really well. Anywhere you'd like to see?"

Ennis looked around. "Um...you got anythin' to do with horses or anythin' 'round here?"

"Couldn't tell you..." Jack replied, looking unsure. "We got walking trails and things like that. There might be a petting zoo or something. Sorry, bud."

"No problem. So, um..." He looked at Jack, wondering what might be next. He couldn't explain it, but every time he looked at him, he was aware of a strange connection between them. It was almost as if they had already met; had already known each other a long time. It was certainly strange. "What now?"

Jack looked around. "We all tend to hang around the diner most of the time, but we're meeting Lureen there later, so..." He shrugged again. "There is this seating area in the building where the main cafeteria is. We could go hang out there if you want. You could meet some people."

Ennis nodded. "Okay. Sounds good." They headed for the building Jack had pointed out area. When they went in, Jack pointed out the door where the cafeteria was, and then led Ennis through a different door. There was an array of armchairs and sofas here in various colours. There were a number of students here sitting around and talking. A couple of them recognised Jack and came over to talk.

"Hey, Jack! Long time no see!" one of them greeted, bumping fists with him.

"I'll say," Jack replied, grinning around at them all. "This is Ennis, my new roommate. He's just moved from Wyoming and I said I'd show him around."

They all greeted Ennis warmly enough, sensing that he was a little on the shy side. They all sat down and started talking. Jack was soon busy catching up with his friends, talking about their summers and what they'd been up to. One of them was also studying Psychology, and he and Jack were soon bitching about the statistics.

"So, Ennis...what are you studying?" asked one of them, looking at him in an intrigued way.

"Um, Animal Sciences," he mumbled, feeling more self-conscious than ever. Jack felt sorry for him.

Their faces took on looks of interest. "Really? Wow. What do you do back home?"

"Um...I live on this ranch with my parents. Horses, cattle..."

"You're a cowboy?" another asked, looking fascinated. "Wow...that's kinda cool." Ennis shrugged, not really understanding what was so cool about fixing fences and mucking out stalls. But then again, he found this new life pretty interesting, even though it must seem pretty mundane to them.

"So anyway," Jack said, trying to take some heat off Ennis. "You heard any good news lately?" And just like that, they were off again, chattering away. Ennis could see what Jack had done and he was very grateful. He could handle talking to Jack and Lureen at the same time, but he wasn't used to so many people in one place. It would still take some time for him to get used to this new life.

About half an hour later, they finally left. When they reached their room, Jack turned to Ennis, looking sheepish.

"Look, I'm sorry if that was too much for you. Those guys are some of the loudest in the place. Lureen says that if this was Texas, they'd be called good old boys, or something like that."

Ennis nodded. "Yeah, I guess. It's okay, Jack. I'll get used to all this. I admit I had the wrong impression of you when we met, but...you're a good guy, Jack."

Jack smiled at him. "Thanks. You still wanna get that bite to eat later?"

"Yeah, okay," he replied, smiling back and feeling a little shy, although he couldn't explain why he felt like this.

That evening, after a day of hanging around their building, they met Lureen in the diner down the road for some much-needed food. Ennis didn't have a lot of money, but the place was cheap enough. Jack thought about offering to help him out, but he had a feeling that it wouldn't be welcome. He didn't want Ennis to feel even worse about their financial differences than he already did.

They all sat in a booth in the corner. It was a loud place, full of students, and Jack was keeping an eye on Ennis for signs of discomfort. He and Ennis ordered cheeseburgers and fries, whereas Lureen ordered a salad. She had to watch her weight for her major, but she wasn't above stealing a fry or two from Jack's plate. Ennis seemed to be enjoying himself, so Jack was happy to leave him be.

"So," said Lureen, sipping her water. "What are you guys doin' tomorrow?"

Jack looked at Ennis. "I said I'd take him around and introduce him to his lecturers, right?"

Ennis nodded. "Yep. He's already shown me 'round, an' he's gonna help me get to know people." Lureen flicked her eyes to Jack, and he averted his own. She could read him like a book.

"Well, that's great. I think you'll settle in just fine, Ennis." She smiled at him. "I reckon it's pretty hard for ya to leave home, huh?"

"Yeah...ain't never been outta Wyomin' before. Lived with my parents all my life. Hard to get used to all this." He looked around the diner. "This is...real weird, I gotta admit. Ain't nothin' like this back home, it's real quiet. An'...there ain't a lot of people, even in Laramie." He looked down at the remaining food on his plate. "I think...I think I'm gonna like it here."

Jack watched Ennis as he spoke; he was quiet and always seemed to be thinking. He felt drawn to him, in some way. He knew that it would be unwise to seek any more than friendship with someone like this, but he had a feeling that they could have a great friendship.

After several more minutes of eating, Ennis looked around. "Um, is there a bathroom round here?" Jack nodded and pointed.

"Just over there." Ennis got up and left. Lureen turned to Jack, fixing him with that look she was so good at.

"What's goin' on?" she asked him, and he nearly quailed under that gaze.

"What do you mean?" he asked nervously.

"I'm all for ya bein' nice to him, showin' him around an' all, but...don't ya think yer bein' a bit too keen? Remember what happened last time?"

"I know, but...that won't happen again. I promised myself that, and you. We both know how hard it was last year for me."

She gripped Jack's arm gently. "I know, Jack. I seriously thought you were gonna become depressed, with all that last year. After you tellin' Kevin that you was gay...an' the way he treated ya for it. He was horrible to ya, Jack. When you told me about the things he said...I wanted to slap him real hard."

He smiled back at her. "I know you did. I thought I'd have to hold you back. But at least he got thrown out for it."

"Yeah. He got what he deserved if you ask me. Anyway...Ennis seems like the kinda guy who you wouldn't wanna cross. If you had feelin's for him an' you told him, he'd probably punch ya. You know that you can't let nothin' happen, right? At least until ya know for sure which way he goes."

Jack nodded. "I know. And I promise I won't do anything until I know for sure. But..." He glanced in the direction of the bathroom. "We can be friends, that's obvious. He doesn't really know anyone here and I think I got him to trust me. I just want him to feel at home. We have to live together until next summer, so...the sooner I can make friends with him, the better."

"Alright," she said, apparently satisfied by his response. "Just...be careful, okay? I don't wanna see ya go through that again. Yer my best friend, Jack."

He smiled at her. "Thanks, Lu. I sure am glad I've got you. Last year, you were a real big help to me, helping me through all that." He saw Ennis returning from the bathroom and gathered himself, clearing his throat. They returned to their meals, talking about their respective majors and what they might be doing this year.

When they were done, they gave a tip for the waitress and headed out. It was cooler by now and they could take a slow walk back to their building. Jack and Lureen linked arms as they walked, and Ennis walked on Jack's other side, hands in his pockets. Jack had the urge to grab his hand, but he shook it off.

They reached their building and took the elevator up to the third floor. Jack kissed Lureen's cheek as they left her at her room, and carried on to their own. Jack turned to Ennis.

"Are you gonna hit the shower or what?" he asked him. Ennis shook his head.

"I have showers in the mornin'. You can go on in if ya want."

"Alright." Jack gathered his things and left the room. About twenty minutes later, he was back in time to see Ennis getting into bed, dressed in pyjama bottoms.

"Hey," he said, smiling a little at Jack, who locked the room behind him.

"Hey, um...you gonna hit the sack, then?"

"Yeah, got another big day tomorrow, I guess." Jack nodded and got ready for bed himself. He turned the main light off and crawled into bed.

"Night, Ennis," he said, getting comfortable and wondering about his roommate. He certainly was intriguing.

"Night, Jack." He closed his eyes, thinking about everything he'd learnt today and all the people he'd met. By far, Jack had been the most interesting. He made him feel at home.