Her smile slipped as she checked her watch. "I gotta run but you take care, Quinn. See you again soon!"
I turned and ran down the stairwell. Now that she had mentioned taking a semester off, the idea was taking root. I needed time to figure out what I really wanted to do and if UCLA was really the place for me. So, naturally, before I decided to leave college, the person I needed to talk to was my college boyfriend. I headed out the door and straight for Trent's dorm.
He should have been in his economics class. There was a sunny common room two doors down from his dorm room, and I planned to wait there until he got back. It was always easy to hear when Trent was coming.
Only when I passed his door, I heard something that made my heart stop. A low moan tipped up to a tight, ragged sigh before settling back into heavy breathing.
His roommate? I wondered. I could not force myself to keep walking, and stood rooted to the floor outside his door.
An unmistakable rhythm was building behind Trent's door and a duet of soft groans was getting louder. I prayed it was his roommate. Trent's roommate had a desk cluttered with photographs of his high school sweetheart. Maybe she was visiting.
"Ooo, Big T likes that, baby."
Trent's voice was heavy, but I heard it clearly. Before I could stop myself, I turned the handle and threw open the door.
My boyfriend was bent over, one knee on his twin bed, the other foot planted on the floor. Standing square behind him with his pants around his ankles was a short guy with black curly hair.
#
Trent'
s lover grabbed his pants but still tripped as he pushed away from my boyfriend. Trent dove onto the bed and rolled into the covers, but not before I saw he was completely naked.
"You're gay?" I asked, though it came out as more of a shout.
"Don't overreact, Quinn," Trent said. He stood up and wrapped the bedspread around his waist. "I think we can all be adults about this. John knows all about you."
"I know. I introduced you two!" I could not control the volume of my voice.
Trent shushed me as he dodged around and shut the door behind me. "Oh, yeah. I forgot about that."
"We're in the same nursing program," I said. "I introduced you at the mixer last month. Wait, how long has this been going on?"
John buckled his pants and pulled on his shirt. Then, he crossed his arms and looked at Trent. "I thought she knew about us."
"And that's supposed to make it okay?" I asked.
John shrugged. "Trent said you were cool with it. I thought you two had, like, an open relationship or something."
"Is that what you told him?" I asked Trent.
"Look, Quinn, I get it. I should have told you, but this is all kind of new for me," Trent tried to explain.
"What exactly is new for you?" I asked. "Being gay, cheating on your significant other, or getting caught?"
John smothered a laugh. "I like her. So, I'm going to get out of here."
"Wait, no," Trent said. He blocked the door. "Quinn, you're right. This is not how you should have found out. I meant to tell you. I meant to tell her, John. I really did hope everything I said would be true."
"What did he say?" I asked John.
"He said you were the best girlfriend he's ever had. Like a best friend, a perfect date, and a good kisser all wrapped up in one person," John said.
"Just minus a penis," I said.
John gave me a sympathetic smile. "Trent's not gay, honey. He's bisexual. What he wants is both of us. I'm not big on sharing, but you're a dear and I think we'd get along."
I turned to Trent and strangled my hands together to stop them from shaking. "So, what John's telling me is that you want to date me, but have sex with him?" I asked.