The start of a school scandal and accidental strippers on the first week of Volume 6. Volume 7 launches 3/25!

CHAPTER 1 - VIRAL

As the last bell rang, Alex noticed Brandon and Tina walking past him.

"Where you queers going?" he asked. "GSA meeting is about to start."

"Didn't you hear?" asked Brandon. "Meetings are cancelled indefinitely."

"WHAT?! Why?"

"Mr. Parker is suspended," said Tina. "Apparently he's been macking on a student."

"What?! Who?!"

"You mean you don't know?" Brandon asked. "Apparently this pic went viral."

"What pic?"

Tina scrolled through the pics on her phone. "Everyone's been sharing it to everyone but peeps in the GSA. I finally got a hold of it from... "

Alex grabbed the phone away from her. Glowing in all its LED glory was a picture of Robbie kissing Charlie.

"But wait... this isn't what it... "

"Who knew that Mr. Parker was such a perv?" Brandon scoffed. "Robbie is like twelve!"

"Yeah, Robbie hasn't event been at school," said Tina. "He's probably shamed by the scandal."

"But... " Alex said.

"It sucks," Brandon said. "GSA is cancelled until we can find a faculty advisor. Which means, indefinitely."

"But... "

"Better luck for us next year, I guess... " Tina said, taking back her phone. Alex watched them walk off.

"Who else could've seen that?!" Alex wondered to himself.


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CHAPTER 2 - FUCK COMPLICATED



"You're seriously saying it doesn't bother you?" Ben asked, chugging half his pint in a gulp.

"A little, I guess," Fitz said, topping off the pitcher and signaling the bartender for another. "Hunter said it was just a kiss and so that's what it was."

"I don't know, man. The stuff that's gone on between them... "

"It's in the past, Ben. They live together, if something was gonna happen, it would've happened. And we wouldn't even be in the picture."

"You didn't see him. Sitting by Charlie's hospital bed, waiting for him to wake up."

"And you didn't see Charlie when he found you after that crazy bitch attacked you. It's all you, man. There's nothing between him and... "

"But they kissed."

Fitz poured their next round of pints. "They're Boystown boys, Ben. It's a different code of conduct, a whole different morality. A kiss is like a handshake. It doesn't really mean anything."

"But to me it means... "

"Then get over it. He said he was sorry and now he knows and that should be the end of it. I like you, man, but you're being such a girl about it."

"I am not," Ben pouted, retreating into his beer. Hunter came up behind the bar, giving Fitz a quick kiss.

"Hey Ben," Hunter said amiably.

"Hey," Ben said.

"Have you talked to Charlie?"

"We're kinda... .it's complicated."

"Fuck complicated man," Hunter said, becoming abruptly earnest. "This is one of those times that... some shit went down. At school. Call him. He needs you."

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CHAPTER 3- CHANCE

Brad was in such a rush to get out of the office, he almost knocked the guy passing him in the hallway over. "Watch it!" he called, running for the elevator.

"Brad?" Brad turned and looked back.

"Tyler?" he looked around to make sure none of his coworkers saw. "What are you doing here?"

"Giving you a chance."

"I just didn't expect... " Brad quickly looked down and stepped away from Tyler as a dapper man in a suit walked to the elevator.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, it's just... that was my boss. I don't want him to see me... "

"With me." Tyler uttered a guttural guffaw, shook his head, and turned to go.

"Wait!" Brad called, grabbing his hand.

"Careful, dude. You don't want to be the talk of the water cooler tomorrow."

"I'm sorry, it's just... this is new. Let's just go back to your place and... "

"Because being seen in public with me... "

Brad took a breath and kissed him. "Alright. You're giving me a chance. I'm taking it. Let me take you out on a date."

*

"This isn't exactly what I had in mind," Tyler said, listening to the guide drone on about the other worldly denizens that lurked in the Graceland Cemetery.

"Well, I figured... you know you haven't been here too long and... "

"Just not what I'd think of on a date."

Brad's brow furrowed. "I thought you'd like it. Cuz you're into sci-fi and all."

Tyler smiled and kissed him on the cheek.

"How about we grab a drink after?"

*

Neither of them had been to the bar next to the Chinese restaurant on Halsted, so Brad suggested grabbing a drink there, away from the usual Boystown madness. They were greeted by the sight of men dancing in their underwear on the bar, dollar bills hanging from their g-strings.

"Um... wow." Tyler said, his eyes the size of quarters.

"I swear, I didn't know that this was a strip club." Tyler broke down laughing, causing the strippers to stop grinding and the bar patrons to glare. Brad looked down dejectedly. "Sorry tonight has sucked. I tried."

Tyler took his hand. "Yeah, you did. Which is more than the last guy I dated." Tyler kissed Brad gently. "Now... where's that drink you promised?"

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CHAPTER 4 - JUST A DAY


There was a knock at the door then Hunter peaked his head into Steve's office. "Steve, I'm gonna head out. Do you need anything before I go?"

Steve shook his head. "Tristan's picking up drink slinging pretty quick. I can lock up."

"But it's Valentine's Day. Don't you and Edward... ?"

"It's just a day," Steve chuckled. "Bruce and I used to make such a big deal out of it when we were kids and an even bigger deal of it when the relationship was dying. I love Edward the same, every day, no matter what. I don't need a little card decked out in hearts to remind me."

"Well as someone who's still ‘a kid' and finally dating someone on Valentine's Day, I'm eating this shit up."

Steve kissed him on the cheek. "As well you should, baby. What have you and the officer got planned?"

"Not sure. Fitz made reservations somewhere. He wants it to be a surprise."

"That's sweet." Tristan came rushing into the office.

"Um... if we run out of Grey Goose, I can substitute with Ketel One, right? Like no one can tell the difference?"

Steve sighed. It was going to be a long night.

*

With everyone out to dinner or hitting the cruisier bars hard, Steve made the executive decision to close up shop early. He tried Edward's phone, but it went straight to voicemail, so he just said good night and cabbed his exhausted ass home. When he opened the door, he was greeted by a table covered in candlelight and rose petals marking the path from the door to the table. Edward was sitting at the end, beaming ear to ear.

"I thought we said we wouldn't make a big deal of today," Steve said.

"No, you said. I didn't agree to nothing," Edward said coyly, getting up and inching his way to Steve, wrapping his arms around him.

"I don't need a day to remember that I love you, Edward."

Edward kissed Steve tenderly. "Nor I, babe. I just love the excuse to love you extra. Now sit your tired ass down. I made your favorite dinner." As Steve sat down, he noticed a serving tray with a domed lid waiting at his seat. "Why don't you start with appetizers, babe?"

Steve lifted the dome lid. Underneath was a little blue ring box.


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CHAPTER 5 - HOMEWORK


Angsty rock showtunes poured out of Robbie's room as Alex peeked his head in.

"Alex!" Robbie exclaimed, pulling the blankets around him as he lay in bed. "What are you doing here?"

"You haven't been to school all week. You haven't returned any of my texts."

"How did you get in?"

"I told your mom I had your homework. Do you even know what's going on?"

Robbie started to tear up. "How did you?"

Alex pulled out the printed picture of Robbie kissing Mr. Parker. "Robbie, the whole school does."

Robbie burst into tears. "Oh God!"

"Is this why you haven't been back to school?"

"My parents won't let me go back until Mr. Parker's fired."

"Well, he's almost there. He's suspended."

"Oh God, what have I done?"

Alex put on the bravest face he knew how. "It's not too late to stop this. You have to tell them it was all a misunderstanding, that you did it on accident."

"Alex, you don't understand... "

"It will all blow over," Alex said, grabbing his hand and pulling him off the bed. "All we have to do is... " The blanket that was covering Robbie dropped to the floor, revealing Robbie bare chested, black and blue and covered in bruises.

"Jesus," Alex exclaimed.

"Don't you see?" Robbie sobbed, pulling the blanket all around himself. "I can't."

"You mean... ?"

"I told my parents that Mr. Parker kissed me. I had to."

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Volume 7 launches March 25th! Catch up here:

Volume 1 -
Week One, Week Two, Week Three, Week Four, Week Five

Volume 2 -
Week One, Week Two, Week Three, Week Four, Week Five

Volume 3 -
Week One, Week Two, Week Three, Week Four, Week Five

Volume 4 -
Week One, Week Two, Week Three, Week Four, Week Five

Volume 5 -
Week One, Week Two, Week Three, Week Four, Week Five


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