Total pages in book: 64
Estimated words: 60851 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 304(@200wpm)___ 243(@250wpm)___ 203(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60851 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 304(@200wpm)___ 243(@250wpm)___ 203(@300wpm)
If he’d ended up sharing a corridor with guys like that at uni, he’d have been fine, but unfortunately for him, he’d been landed with a group of macho dickheads who made his life a misery. Dev had assumed Rupert would fill in his new housemates on the mess that was his life at uni so far, but apparently not.
Mac was the one to break the silence. “Well, I guess it was lucky for you that Paul dropped out, then.” His voice was kind and genuine, and when Dev dared to turn around and face him, there was sympathy in his eyes.
“Yeah.” Dev tried to lean nonchalantly against the counter, but succeeded in being about as nonchalant as a plank of wood. He wanted to escape to his room, but he was hungry. He wondered where the pans were kept. “How come Paul left? Rupert never said.”
“He got kicked out,” Jez said. “He was a nice guy, but a total stoner. I don’t think he made it to any lectures, ever. He was high 24/7 unless he was sleeping.”
That explained the funny smell in Dev’s room.
“How do you know Rupert, anyway?” Shawn’s gaze stayed fixed on Dev.
Dev’s cheeks heated at the inquisition. What the hell was the guy’s problem with him? “I work part-time in the IT support team. I don’t know him that well, but one day we got talking, and I told him about… I mentioned the, um, issues I was having. And he knew about the room going here.”
Shawn grunted in acknowledgement and turned back to the toasted-sandwich maker. It sizzled as he opened it, and Shawn slid the sandwich onto his waiting plate. He picked it up and left the room without another word.
Dev relaxed as soon as Shawn had gone, his hackles lowering and muscles unbunching from the fight-or-flight response that Shawn’s aggressive questioning had triggered.
“Ignore him,” Jez said. “He’s just being a dick because he and Mike wanted to move one of their mates in, but they were outvoted. Me, Mac, and Dani wanted you instead.”
“Oh.” Dev swallowed, a little overwhelmed by the admission. “Well, thanks.”
“Rupert didn’t tell Shawn and Mike why you needed the room, but he told the rest of us, and it’s cool. You can be yourself here. Don’t worry about Shawn. He’ll get over himself eventually. If he managed to get used to me and Mac snogging on the sofa, he’ll get used to living with you too.”
“Oh, so you two are…?” Dev wasn’t sure how to end that sentence.
Shagging. A couple. Together?
Jez grinned, his face lighting up as he glanced sideways at Mac. “Yeah, we’re boyfriends. We’ve been together over a year now.”
Mac sidled closer to Jez and put an arm around his shoulders.
“Oh.” Dev gave a tentative smile. “Rupert mentioned that two of the guys in the house were gay, but he didn’t say you were a couple.”
Mac frowned then. “We’re not gay. We’re bi. But whatever.”
“Oh, sorry.”
“That’s okay. Rupert should know better,” Jez said. “We’ve explained it to him enough times. He’s just lazy.”
“I’m gay.” Dev’s stomach dropped as nerves swooped through him. He’d only said those words out loud to a few people before: his parents and his best mates at school. “I mean, it’s cool that you’re bi, but I’m definitely gay.”
“Have you ever… with a girl?” Jez asked.
Dev’s face burned as he shook his head. “No.” He wasn’t admitting he’d never done anything with a boy either. But he knew he was gay. He’d known since he was ten years old. All his fantasies starred guys, and flat chests, and dicks. “But I know enough to know that I don’t want to.”
The timer on the cooker beeped, and Mac turned back to the stove. He took a lid off, releasing a cloud of steam. “I think this spaghetti’s done,” he said to Jez. “Get some plates out?”
Dev watched enviously as Mac dished up something that looked like bolognese. It smelled really good. When Mac was done, he left the pans by the sink.
“We’ll get out of your way now,” Jez said. “It’s good to finally meet you properly, Dev.”
“Yeah, you too.”
Left alone in the kitchen, Dev opened his food cupboard again and surveyed the contents. “Pasta and sauce it is, I guess,” he muttered.
After rummaging around in the other cupboards, Dev managed to find a couple of clean saucepans. He poured pasta into one, guessing the quantity, and emptied a jar of sauce into the other. It fell out with a distinctly unappetising splat. Dev poked it suspiciously.
Whatever Mac cooked had looked a lot nicer. He’d better add learn to cook to his longer-term list of things to do.
Sitting on his bed, Dev yawned, his full stomach making him sleepy. He stared at his phone as he contemplated calling home but decided he couldn’t face it tonight. He loved his mum, but she did tend to bang on. Once she got him on the line, she’d end up talking for ages and asking him a million questions he was too tired to answer. Instead, he sent his mum a quick text.