***THIS IS A PREVIEW***

Hargrave was my ticket to a better future.

I had left behind my small town High School like a rat fleeing a sinking ship. Now, I was in the ocean, treading water to stop myself from drowning.

This place could have been Mars and I would have felt equally alien. My first and only friend; Rebecca had recently ditched me for a guy.

I had to admit that he was gorgeous and perhaps I would have done the same to her, but I was still pissed.

Maybe it was for the best.

This way I could concentrate on my studies, graduate, and start my real life. I looked forward to an existence beyond such arbitrary things like popularity, grades, and keggers.

At least, that's what I chose to tell myself.

***

Do you ever have those moments that are so surreal that you think you're dreaming or tripping?

Minding my own business in the cafeteria, I was reading a pocket novel over a plate of french fries and broccoli. Don't ask.

Then, a group of four guys strolled over and sat down at my table, surrounding me. What the fuck?

A dude with perfect ebony skin and a winning smile says, "Hi!"

"Hey!" I waved casually, dropping my french fry. I started to panic slightly.

"Your name is Patrick, right?" he asked. So far, this encounter seemed friendly enough, so I nodded confirmation.

"You're gay, no?" an Asian guy asked as if asking about what I was studying. Oh, fuck. Not this shit again.

"Guys, I don't want any trouble," I said, grabbing my book and standing up quickly. I was really looking forward to finishing my french fries, for fuck's sake.

A hand grabbed my arm and when I turned around to see where it came from, my heart skipped a beat.

Who the fuck was he? Perfect dark blond hair, gemstone green eyes, and... What kind of genes had to mix to make that mouth and chin combination?

"Please, this isn't what you think," he said in a quiet voice.

"Do you know who we are?" pearly whites asked me, carefully.

"Should I?" I said, hesitantly sitting back down again.

"We are members of the Dead House fraternity."

"That sounds ominous," I said with a nervous laugh.

"Relax, Sam! You are scaring our potential new recruit," the Asian guy said.

"Is this a sophomore prank?" I asked, looking at each of them in turn.

"Let's start over," the guy, who was making me very nervous, said. "I'm Will, that's Fred, Sam, and Bobo. Bobo is Thai, no one can pronounce his real name."

"Patrick," I said, wiggling my fingers. I didn't want to be rude to Will's friends.

Sam continued by saying, "They just finished renovating Hargraves's oldest fraternity building and we've been tasked with recruiting its new members."

"Sam wants to create the most diverse frat on campus," Fred added, his English accented by his native Spanish.

"Black, Latino, Asian, non-racist White," Bobo counted on his fingers. "We were hoping that you would add your diversity to our group."

"You guys want me to be the token gay guy in a frat house?" I asked, utterly stupified.

"I told you he was smart!" Sam said to Fred.

I burst out laughing and asked, "Why?"

"Because together we aren't individual representatives of societal minorities. Together, we will be brothers in a world that desperately needs change," Sam said with zeal.

Wow, he was good! I couldn't help but get momentarily absorbed in his enthusiasm.

"Please tell me that my sexual orientation is not the only reason we are having this conversation."

Sam scratched the back of his head and sucked in a breath before answering. "They say that you are unbeatable in chess."

"What does that have to do with anything?" I asked in mystified wonder.

"Because we don't just want inclusivity, we want to fill the Dead House building with trophies! We want to show them that they shouldn't fuck with the weirdos!" Bobo said, slamming a fist on the table.

"You should have led with that!" I said, waving a french fry at Sam.

***

The Dead House was impressive, despite the ominous name. It had an official Greek letter designation but I'd already forgotten it.

As the oldest fraternity building on campus, it earned its nickname after it became uninhabitable. It had stood empty for more than five years until a generous donation from Hargrave Alumnus; Bartholomew Stone paid for a full restoration.

The wooden finishings looked old but reinforced. The stairs still creaked but that was apparently done on purpose. All of the furniture had been replaced but it was made to match the overall ambiance.

The downstairs consisted of a large shared living area with a state-of-the-art entertainment hub. On the right, was a fully equipped kitchen and cozy dining area.

On the left, an old library had been converted into a modern study room where two of the original bookshelves remained, filled with antique books.

Upstairs, there were three large bedrooms with furnishings for two. Thank the Greek Gods that there were two bathrooms and a toilet downstairs.

The bathrooms had been completely modernized. They both housed an old-fashioned bathtub, a shower cornered off with frosted glass, and two sinks.

The other guys were fully settled in. Sam shared a room with Fred but Will and Bobo occupied separate rooms.

"He snores!" Bobo had pointed an accusatory finger at Will.

"Choose your poison, snoring or boring?" Fred said in a lousy attempt at humor.

Will was looking at the floor and Bobo was texting. Great! No feedback regarding who was going to share a room with the deliberately chosen gay guy.

I knew where I wanted to be but maybe I shouldn't make it too obvious. Luckily, I could rig a coin toss.

"Heads for Will, Tails for Bobo," I announced. Toss, catch, peek, flip, and what a surprise.

Heads it was!

I thought I saw Will let out a breath. Was he relieved or disappointed?

"I don't think I actually snore," Will said, throwing an arm over my shoulder.

"You so do!" Bobo yelled after me.

I dropped my things on my new bed and looked out of the window. We had an amazing view of the woods beyond the university grounds.

"So," Will said, breaking the silence. "I need you to know that I am totally cool with sharing a room with you."

Why did I feel like there was more coming?

"The thing is that I'm not sure how to behave," he said, clearly struggling with something.

"What do you mean?" I was trying not to go on the defensive immediately.

"I don't want to do anything that makes you uncomfortable," he said, going slightly red in the face.

"Haven't had any gay friends?" I asked with a smile. His nervousness was super cute. What was he trying to ask?

"Is it that obvious?" he said with a nervous chuckle.

"How about we make a deal? If you ever make me feel uncomfortable, I'll tell you but only if you promise to do the same."

"Deal!" he said, visibly relaxing.

"Can I ask a question?" I said in an attempt to relieve the tension.

"Shoot," he replied with slight hesitation.

"If there is space for six, why are there only five of us?"

Will seemed happy that it was a question that he could easily answer. "We aren't done recruiting yet. Sam is very, very picky."

"So why are you here?" I blurted out. "Fuck! That came out wrong. I..."

"Don't worry, it's a valid question," he said, pulling up his sleeves. The scars running along the length of his veins had had time to heal. "I represent a group that can't easily be recognized from the outside," Will said, tapping his head.

"Oh," I whispered, suddenly at a loss for words. "I'm sorry, I don't know what to say."

"I appreciate your honesty," he said. "And... no, I'm not dangerous."

I grabbed his arm and said, "I never thought that!"

He quickly glanced at my hand on his arm and I instinctively pulled it back.

"...and I was not thinking that!" he said, grabbing me in a hug and patting my back.

I don't know what it was about him but he made me feel very much at ease.