For Research Purposes | ✔

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

     Sam calling him is new.

     When he answers, Sam promptly hits him with a, "How many people have you slept with?" It's unprecedented, halting Sage. He knows the number. He was in a relationship in high school but he'd gone into college single and the city nightlight did not disappoint. He's slept with fourteen people, nine of whom were women and most of which had occurred between his freshman and sophomore years of college, when he was doing the most experimenting.

     But Sage isn't prepared to divulge that information with Sam. Particularly because he doesn't want to run him off before they get anywhere. So Sage refrains from responding directly, turning it around on Sam.

     "How many people have you slept with?" he had asked Sam, not really expecting him to answer. Sam, who was in the business of surprising Sage lately, told him four people. The number wasn't all that surprising. Sage had suspected as much because Sam didn't prioritize socializing. It was that he was openly giving him that information. Maybe numbers didn't matter to Sam, but then if they didn't why was he even asking Sage.

     In the end, Sage didn't have to answer.

     He's thinking about it for the rest of the afternoon, that Sam's waiting for him in his apartment right now and that he's the first boy Sam's ever been with. He kind of really wants to ask him about it. Why Sage? Did he always know he was attracted to men or is that a new thing? Is Sage just an experiment?

     Sage isn't sure he wants to know the answer to that last one. Sam had said he'd kissed him for research, to see if he'd like it, and he had. That could be enough for him.

     He texts Ruthie on his way to his last class.

     Sage: sam and I are fuck buddies now
     Ruthie: about damn time

     Ruthie: but how does that work when you both like each other
     Sage: well clearly we both don't like each other
     Ruthie: you think Sam doesn't like you?
     Sage: I really don't know
     Sage: but he's the one who suggested adding hooking up to our working relationship
     Ruthie: fuck the feelings outta him, he's emotionally constipated
     Ruthie: That sentence works for so many reasons
     Sage: if it goes that far, I'm going to take it, I think
     Ruthie: oh?

     Sage: yeah I want to

     Ruthie: no reason you can't give as good as you get
     Sage: I think that would be too much for him

     Ruthie: do yourself a favor and don't think for sam
     Ruthie: you don't understand him enough to do that
     Ruthie: so just ask him
     Sage: I understand him perfectly
     Ruthie: LOLLL
     Ruthie: lies

     Sage rolls his eyes at his phone as he finds a seat, taking one in the back so he doesn't disturb his professor since he's texting.

     Ruthie: I'm only gonna tell you this the once and then you can refer back to it once you've had enough of the games.
     Ruthie: If you want more, ask for it. Don't settle just because you think it's all you can get. Because it's not.
     Sage: And if I don't want more?
     Ruthie: Do you want me to pretend to believe that lie
     Sage: You're not very nice
     Ruthie: I'm honest and I've honestly watched you fret over this boy for the last three years. This is a LONG time coming. You two pretending this isn't what it is, is just more time wasted. But you're both stubborn so do you, I guess
     Sage: that do you feels very much like a don't do me