S.M

Chapter Two

Will's new student apartment was considerably smaller than Gabriel's home, and his narrow single-bed had him longing for the king-sized mattress he'd rolled out of this morning. He placed his sports-bag down and eyed the second single-bed across the room. Sharing the room took a chunk out of his rent; that chunk went toward taxing and insuring his car. Dad promised to support him financially. His dad also left the overdue bills in places Will couldn't miss them; on the kitchen table, the fridge, the living room table—on the door, with a post-it note saying 'PAY SOON.'

He clocked the items of someone else scattered around the room; clothes on the bed, a laptop on the desk, and a guitar propped up against a tall-oak closet. He'd never shared a room in his life.

Will set about unpacking and got as far as dumping a LIDL shopping bag of sports-shorts onto the bed when his phone buzzed. An image of Cassie taking a sip of a coffee flashed on-screen.

"Hey, you guys on the way?" Will answered the phone.

"Sure are." Cassie said. The doorbell rang. "Dune wanted to leave early, you know, in case of traffic. Nice door."

Will chuckled. "I'm coming down."

He opened the door to Cassie, who greeted him with a hug. "I'm so excited." She whispered before going past him into the living room, "Nice living room."

Will waited for Dune, then closed the door. Green eyes flicked over him and studied his face. "It went well?"

"Yeah," Will shifted his weight, and fought against the smile. "A bit awkward, given he had guests over that I didn't see until after I kissed him."

Dune lifted his eyebrows. "Yeah? Good. I'm glad. Not about the awkward part," he buried his hands into his pockets, discomfort crossing his expression briefly, before being smoothed out, "I'm glad it went well for you."

"Thanks," Will let the smile come out.

"Nice TV. Nicer than mine." Cassie popped back into the hall. "I've got a tiny box of a flat-screen."

Dune turned to her. "I told you I'd cover rent if you moved in with me."

"No, your mom and dad would cover rent. And there's no way my conscience could take that. What if you annoyed me? What could I even say if you were paying my rent?" Cassie wondered over to Will, and peered up the stairs.

"That's if your dad would even let you pay." Will pointed out. His dad wasn't quite as generous as Dune, and Will could imagine the man having a problem with doling out cash to pay for Dune's friends as well.

"I'd rent a house for myself. Furnish it how I like. Have as many guests as I like, who could stay over as often as they liked, every night of the week." Dune explained.

Will and Cassie exchanged a look. Dune had brought up his plans to get them all living together several times, but they hadn't worked out for him.

"Let's head in." Will suggested, "We can wonder around campus before class starts."

"Yes, good idea," Cassie said.

"I just need my bag, down in a second." Will trotted upstairs, the back of his thighs aching a little. He got his bag, and decided he'd make the bed and unpack when he got home. His suitcase hadn't even been touched—he'd left them there and gone straight to Gabriel's yesterday.

"You can leave the car if you want," Dune was waiting at the bottom of the steps. His dirty blond hair, shorter at the sides and long on top, was messier than when Will had gone to the room, which meant Dune had been running his fingers through it. Again.