"When you least expect it, expect it."

That's a maxim that should be taken seriously when your life is full of twists and turns and can make everything into one giant soap opera. Such is the case for me the next day when Matchmaker McNeese (Serenity's sarcastic nickname for the teacher) assigned me and Ryan to paint pictures of each other during break period. "I want to see you two showcase your art skills and then tell me what you see in each other," she said. "And besides, some private time to really dedicate to each other would be good for you two."

Of course, Ryan was all for it. "I can't wait to be beside my new buddy," he crowed gleefully, eyes lighting up as if he was a kid in a candy store. "And my plans for his portrait won't be too explicit, I promise."

I, on the other hand, wasn't amused by this new development, especially after that scandalous dream with him and Oliver trapping me in a sexual threesome. But I knew that McNeese wouldn't make things any easier if I refused, so I had to grit my teeth and bear through it. Fortunately for me, Principal Callaway was also going to be on standby to make sure that Ryan wasn't going to try or say anything funny.

And now, I was in the modern-themed large art classroom as Ryan and I were hard at work with painting and drawing each other to the delight of one teacher who needs a man (my opinion, so sue me) and one principal who's a saint to deal with this mess as much as I was seen by everyone else who was opposing this matchup.

Ryan smiled widely as he was painting away like some madman while I was being more caustic and detailed about his portrait. "This is the best thing ever," the quarterback drawled delightfully as McNeese hummed at his work. "First, I'm on the swim team as my future husband's diving partner. And now, I'm painting his picture. It doesn't get any better than this."

"I happily agree," Ms. McNeese agreed as she watched him work. "Ryan, you're doing wonders. I think I'm going to cry."

"And I'm going to be sick," I heard Principal Callaway mutter as he came to me while I worked on Ryan's portrait (Mrs. Peavey was kind enough to lend me Ryan's picture from sophomore year). To me, "This right here...wow."

"Tell me about it," I replied as I was working on adding a bit of flair to my planned portrait of Ryan. "The more I hear of McNeese saying that Ryan and I would be perfect together, the more I fear that Theo is ready to come at me with a vengeance."

"Not on my watch," my principal vowed to me. "I have him and Jillian under strict watch by their parents and made sure that they'd gotten the message. Nothing will be happening to you if I can help it."

McNeese came over, her eyes trained on me. "You're coming along just fine, Demario," she chirped. "Just make sure to capture Ryan's true essence and paint from within your soul. Show me how you really feel about Ryan Peavey, our star quarterback and your future husband."

If Ryan's my future husband, then I'm Lady GaGa who slept in the tanning bed for too long.

Of course, McNeese made sure that Ryan and I were cleared for our next class since both of us were ahead in our class, so we weren't to leave until we had finished our paintings and compiled a statement about each other. I knew that Ryan was ready to gush about me and tell her what she wanted to hear.

Me? Well, I was going to use my painting and my statement to let them know how I exactly felt.

"All right," Ms. McNeese announced, clapping her manicured hands as I finished my statement while my painting was set to dry. "Time to show me what you have, boys."

"I'll go first," Ryan volunteered, getting up from his desk with his speech ready.

How convient.

Ryan turned his artwork around and my eyes went wide to see my portrait from my freshman year. Only I was much older and was now in a tuxedo with a Mona-Lisa smile on my face while my eyes were sad. "This painting of Demario is how I envision him on his wedding day to me," Ryan began. "When I look at him, I see a young man who didn't have it much easy and had to settle for less while his family got the prime choices in life. The sad look in his eyes tell me that he's still not over being rejected and broken by the people who were supposed to care for him. But the smile on his face is a representation of him planning to defy the odds and come out stronger. And once he does, I'll be there on our wedding day to shower him with love and affection. Yeah, he has Oliver by his side, but I'm the REAL man that Demario needs. I strongly believe that by the end of this project...Demario Bader will say yes to being mine, the way that I should've been for Artem."

Ms. McNeese dabbed her eyes with a tissue. "That's so beautiful," she crooned. "I love it!"

Callaway rolled his eyes. "Demario, you're up next," he said tiredly. "Showcase your picture of Ryan and tell us how you feel about him."

"With pleasure," I replied, standing up from my seat with a calm look on my face before taking my painting and facing it away from others. "Before I can reveal my portrait of Ryan, I'm doing my speech first," I began. "This speech is how I feel about Ryan."

"Going for the reveal at the end? Nice," McNeese hummed. "By all means."

I nodded. "Well, the moment that I met Ryan Peavey for the first time, all I could see is a guy who represents everything that I can never become- athletic, sociable, masculine, the man that my mother would love to have as a third son and for my late brothers to be friends with. But as time went on and things started to unfold before my eyes, I began to look at Ryan in a different light- dedicated, a leader, an all-American man who can bring out the best- and worst- in everyone," I began. "And since that fateful night, all I can see right now is someone whom I can never allow myself to have since I know that things will never be real. I see a young jock who's in love with someone that can never truly have as long as naysayers have anything to say about it. I see someone who is too charismatic, too impassionate about wanting someone that is forbidden- someone like me."

"Demario, what is the meaning of this?" Ms. McNeese gasped.

"He's telling the truth," Callaway shot back.

Ryan looked aghast. He should be.

I took a deep breath, ready to hit everyone with the closer. "And as I reveal this portrait, I hope that Ryan can see himself in the same way I see him- a young man full of unwanted baggage and haunted by the ghosts of his past," I said firmly, keeping my tone even as I headed towards my painting of Ryan and slowly turning it around. "With that, here is my painting of him.

Everyone's mouths went slack as they took in my masterpiece: I painted Ryan in his football uniform, looking masculine and domineering as he clenched a football. Surrounding him was a blend of dark purple and black swirls with subtle chain links that represent his past that threatens to bind him. In the background, I painted shadows of Jillian and even Theo, both of them stark reminders of why I could never fall in love as long as those two would be around.

"Demario!" Ms. McNeese huffed. "This is...this is-"

"I'm sorry, Ms. McNeese, but it's the truth," I interrupted her calmly. "I know that you're hating me for this, but I just painted what I felt was real."

I heard a slow clap as I saw a swan-like young man with short brownish hair and bright eyes standing in the doorway with Vice-Principal Callaway behind him. "I was thinking the same thing," the young man said in a sharp New England accent. "And you must be Demario Bader, by the way."

I nodded. "That I am," I replied. "And you are."

Callaway looked at young man with a smirk on his face before joining his wife and the mystery young man while Ryan looked as if he was ready to bolt and McNeese was spluttering indignantly. "Demario, this...is Artem Hillman, Ryan Peavey's first love," the principal said.

"Charmed to meet you," Artem said as he walked over and shook my hand. "I think you've already heard about me, right?"

I nodded slowly, not saying a word. "I know a small bit about you, but-"

"Artem?"

I whirled around to see Oliver at the doorway with a wide grin on his face. "Wait, you know him?!" I asked in disbelief.

My boyfriend nodded as he came inside. "Babe, this is my fellow transgender ally," he told me. "And also my second cousin."

To Artem, "Dude, what are you doing here?"

Artem's smirk grew wider. "Isn't it obvious? I'm returning to Pacifica Glades to officially shake things up," he replied. "And I'm here to settle some old scores."

Ryan looked devastated before composing himself. "Welcome back, Artem," he said firmly before turning to me with his own smirk. "This isn't over, Demario. One way or another, I WILL have you."

And just like that, things were about to get even more real. What even.

Demario and Artem meet at last! And in the next chapter, they finally sit down with the others and talk about what's been said and done before Theo arrives to make some nasty waves of his own!

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