Hello everyone! Here's the first chapter of The Other Way Around, which I know you've been waiting for ever since I've announced the title.  Additionally, I've listened to Little Too Much by Natasha Bedingfield and I think the song suits the story well.

Let me know what you think after reading this chapter by commenting below.

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"Now I'll fake it every single day 'til I don't need fantasy, 'til I feel you leave. But I still remember everything, how we'd drift buying groceries how you'd dance for me." -- Hard Feelings/LOVE, Lorde

"Aren't you a peach?" Gloss asks me as he throws a pillow on me. Beau is just sitting on the corner of my room near the window, a smile gracing on his lips, as he talks to his boyfriend about their date before they visit Yale University. "You should be excited. You're finally going to see your boyfriend."

The truth is, I'm not even sure if I like to invade Nero's space again. I've been chasing that guy for almost 2 years yet I never get tired. I really thought we were in a relationship since he told me that he had feelings for me and he couldn't explain why, and as the days progressed, he just stopped reaching out and he broke things off via SMS.

We have not made any contact since he attended university, and based on the pictures I've seen, he looks like he has been having a good time with girls around him. I keep commenting on them, though the guy always just leaves me on read. Nero has hurt me more than once, but since I'm a fucking idiot, my heart still beats for him. I don't even have an idea why I fell for that stupid boy.

I'm going to attend the same university as him so I can see him and be with him; it's a little scary for me since I haven't seen Nero in a year. I only see him in photos that he posts on his Facebook account.

"Shut up," I tell him and my best friend grins.

Looking at Gloss and Beau, I'm surely going to miss these two. Gloss has to attend a different university, and I don't think he will attend the same university as his boyfriend. But his mind could always change. I mean, the college Noah is attending in is just near where we're living, and most of the jocks attend that school. The only person who attends a different university is John and Nero.

We're growing up, and this is bound to happen – the three of us getting separated.

Beau laughs out of nowhere as he speaks on the phone with Rob, and Gloss and I share a look before lunging at our little friend who is busy being in love with his boyfriend. Beau shrieks, dropping his phone in the process, and we both throw him on the bed. Then he lets out a scream and we burst out laughing. Beau gives us a dead stare.

"You know, I can't still believe you're dating Rob," Gloss says as he takes a seat on my bed, joining Beau. "That guy was seriously into chicks but then, it was like a wind blew past us and then we were suddenly gay, you know? Noah, John, Collins, Kevin, and Mike!"

Beau chuckles. "Yeah, and don't forget Josh and your step-dad."

"It's like a gay revolution,"

"Gay revolution," I snort, laughing at the term. The three of us burst out laughing, doubling over. "God, that sounds like the gays are ready to take over the world and become the Earth's first dandiest persons. Hey, I think you forgot Rob."

"Shit," Beau curses, getting out of the bed and grabbing his phone that's lying on the ground. He puts the phone over his ear. "Hey, I'm sorry. Blame the idiots. All right, okay, talk to you later, bye. Love you."

Gloss and I make a face, and Beau sticks his tongue out at us like a child he is.

"Hey, if I may ask, how's Dustin?" I ask Beau.

"Dustin is doing good," Beau shrugs his shoulders, sitting on the bed again. That poo guy has his heart broken by Beau. "I was just talking to him last night, and I received an earful from Dale. But yeah, he's been doing great. He's running a business now, of course, sponsored by his parents."

"Is he single?"

"I think so, why?" Beau raises a brow, then rolls his eyes.

"I'm not doing anything," I defend myself from my best friend's judgmental look. Beau rolls his eyes again, and Gloss watches us in amusement. "Come on, it's not like I'm going to hit on him. As I know you've realized, my heart only belongs to one person."

"Yeah, and that one person keeps rejecting you." Gloss comments, laughing.

That comment actually hurts. My brain replays how many times I've pursued Nero, and how many times I've been rejected. When he was in the senior year, he told me he liked me and that he definitely had feelings for me, but something inside him clicked. I'm thinking that maybe, he still can't accept the fact that he has feelings for a guy.

And now, I'm packing my things and going to attend the same university as him. For what? Just so I can see him and continue pestering him. Gloss' statement makes me think if it's worth doing this just to be close to the guy I've been chasing and wanting.

I still love Nero, I think.

But I have to be smart here. My school life is being spent just to chase a guy who could never be with me, and I have to do something about it. Nero is always going to be my first, great love, but sometimes, it's best to let go. But for some reason, I'm having trouble doing that – letting go, I mean. I also think of Nero and I'm always wondering if he's okay, or if he has already found someone. Perhaps, a girl.

Just like what he has always wanted.

But I have to see for myself, at least, right? Maybe that would wake something inside me, like a realization, just to get me over with this stupid feeling I have for the boy who always rejects my affection.

My best friends notice my glum expression, and they both hug me. I hug them back, happy that they are here with me before I go check the university. Nero is quite a sour and emotional topic for me because despite the rejections I received from him, I still love the guy no matter what. And maybe, I'm an idiot for that.

"I didn't mean that," Gloss says

"It's okay," Tears prickling my eyes, I take a deep breath and smile at my friends. "I'm going to try one more time, yeah?"

"Just one more time," Beau agrees, nodding his head. "If he doesn't budge, then he doesn't deserve you. Maybe I'd let you date Dustin afterwards."

My best friends help me pack while my parents shout downstairs about how I move slowly. Gloss and Beau laugh as they help me fold the clothes and put it in a large suitcase that carries my other things. Gloss has yet to prepare while Beau has already packed his stuff, ready to attend Yale University together with his boyfriend, Rob.

I look around my room, which I'm clearly going to miss. I look at the bear toy that Ashton, my first ever crush, has given to me when I was a newcomer at school together with Beau. Ashton, who chose John over me, is still the goofy kid I've always liked. And him choosing John over me didn't really hurt that much. The bear just looks at me with its head sideway, and I laugh. Ashton gave that to me when he won in an arcade game. He was actually going for a bigger price, but then he lost and as a consolation prize, he won that bear.

There are also a few sticky notes plastered on my desk table; the notes are from Gloss and Beau. Some of the words are: stupid Russian boy, Derek <3 Nero, I want to see Nero's dick, Gloss, Derek, Beau, Kaila the gay deity. There's also a picture of us all together with the jocks, and we're all grinning at the camera except for Nero.

In the picture, Nero has his forehead creased as he looks at me, confusion etched on his face as I wrap my arms around him as I beam brightly at the camera. His dark hair is disheveled as it's a bit windy on that day, and he was wearing his favorite black jacket that has a huge tiger logo in the front.

Wesleyan University is quite far from Manchester; it's nearly a 3-hour drive. Although I know some people have really put a distance between their home and their university, the fact that I'm more than a hundred miles away from my parents makes me a bit sad. Additionally, my best friends are going to be busy as well since the three of us are most likely going to do adult stuff.

And all of this, I'm doing for one stupid boy that doesn't even love me back.

---

Before I leave with my parents so they can drive me to Wesleyan University, I take a couple of pictures with Gloss and Beau, then send a text to Ashton, Kaila, and the others to let them know I'm on my way to the university. Instantly, I receive responses from them and a smile creeps up on my face as I read the messages.

Uploading our pictures to my Instagram account and tagging my friends, I receive a message from an unknown number, and it reads: Hope you had a fun graduation. I frown, looking at the unfamiliar number before deleting the message. I don't bother replying back since there's no point. If that's some random dude, then I'm not interested.

As I said, I'm going to try chasing Nero one more time and if he really doesn't want me, then I'm going to raise a white flag in surrender. I'm just going to wish him luck and happiness, and even though I know it'd hurt, heartbreak is nothing I can handle, and I know I'm going to be fine, hopefully.

The drive to the university is quite boring. Throughout the entire trip, I'm just staring past the rolled-up window while listening to some ass-bored music playing on the radio. People, trees, houses – they come by in a blur as my dad drives near the speed limit. The car is loaded with my things, and whenever we get on a sloppy right, there'd be a rickety sound that's quite annoying, but that annoying sound distracts me from thinking about what to say when I meet Nero Campbell – the boy I've been chasing.

I check for my phone and notice there's another message from an unknown number. It reads: ???. I roll my eyes, blocking the number. If that sender can't introduce himself or herself through the text, then I'm not going to reply. Most likely it's a spammer, though what a huge coincidence that the sender knows I just recently graduated.

When we reach the university, excitement bubbles up inside me as I basically put my face on the window of the car, staring out the university in front of me. The walls of the buildings are made of bricks and it's well-preserved. The trees and bushes have a hint of autumn in them – the leaves are turning orange, and they are already falling on the ground. The grass is so green and trimmed, and I can practically see myself enjoying my time here with Nero.

Climbing out of the car as my dad take my suitcase, I see mom's expression and she has her excited face on. Our eyes meet and my mom grins widely, hugging me. I lightly push her, embarrassed that we're still outside the campus and a lot of students are looking in our direction.

Mom lets go of me, and the three of us head inside the campus, my dad insisting on carrying my suitcase. I roll my eyes. I'm already 18 years old, which means I don't need babysitting. Most of the times, my parents still treat me as a baby, probably because I'm an only child. Sometimes, I wish I had a younger brother or sister where my parents could give their attentions to. Their attention is always on me, which kind of sucks, but despite their strictness sometimes, I understand why they are doing these things.

We head to the dorm that has been assigned to me after talking to the lady in the reception area. The lady gives me the key, and we thank her. My dorm is quite far from the entrance of the school. I let out a sigh, trying to locate the building where my dorm is. We have to ask a few students to point us at the right direction as the map given to us does not help at all.

When we reach the dorm, I let out a sigh of contentment when I find out that the room is clean and doesn't have a shitty view. Though the room is quite small, it's pretty much okay for me considering I'm not a space-hogger. There are two beds pushed on each opposite of the wall, and two wooden nightstands beside the bed. There are also two desks facing the end of the beds. The floor is tiled. I look outside through the window and can see the view of the football field.

"All right, I guess this is it," my mom lets out a sigh. I turn to face her and see her teary-eyed. She rolls her eyes to herself and I laugh. "I know, I know, I'm being dramatic. But you know, I'm just sad that my baby is all grown up and is attending university now, and he's majoring film studies!"

"Yeah, I remember the days when we were changing his diapers," dad comments.

"Very stinky," mom laments.

"Seriously?" I roll my eyes at them, and my parents laugh at my embarrassment. My mom reaches out and hugs me tight, and dad joins in. "You do know that I'm just 3 hours away from home, and I can visit you anytime, right?"

"It's not about that, glupyy." Mom gently flicks my forehead and I scowl. My mother calls me stupid. Mothers can get really, really nice sometimes. "What we mean is that you're now at the right age to make decisions... adult decisions, and we're just happy that you are at a university now, studying what you like. You've always loved films."

"Enjoy your stay here, son," Dad hugs me again, patting my back. "And no boys, please. Try to focus more on your study, all right? I know you'll be getting a lot of attention here. Our family is one of the families that have great flow of genes. You can tell just by looking at me."

"Not really,"

"Glupyy," Dad smacks my forehead and I groan. "If you're going to date a boy, let us know. And if you date a boy, make sure that boy is responsible in his studies. Otherwise, I'm going to put him in front of Putin. But I'm going to miss you, son."

"I'm going to miss both of you, too."

After my parents tell me their wishes, they leave. I decide that I'm going to unpack later, considering I've got plenty of time. Perhaps I can explore the area to familiarize myself around the campus. I look at the empty bed in front of me and wonder who my roommate is going to be.

I head out of the room and decide to check the university out. There aren't many students yet in the campus, but most of the students I'm seeing are already studying and reading some modules and books. We still have two days before the classes start, so I wonder what the hurry is for these students.

Shrugging, I check the map and see there are three dining areas within the campus and the rests are outside. I decide to check them since I'm a big fan of food. When I reach the dining area called Star and Crescent Eating Club, which is run by students just located near the entrance. I look at the menu and confirm that they don't serve shitty foods.

Wesleyan University is quite as big as I expected it to be. My legs are getting numbed from walking, and so far, I have checked all the cafeterias within the campus. I was also able to walk through the football field. The wind feels good against my skin, soothing my inner soul. I look down and think that these are the same grounds Nero has walked on.

I'm really excited to meet him.

It's been a long time since we've last seen each other, and I wonder how things would run once he sees me attending the same university as him. He'd probably think I'm stupid for choosing this university, and I admit, I'm kind of stupid. If I'm not, I wouldn't be standing here in the first place.

Tired from the walk, I decide to head back to my dorm and wonder if my roommate has already arrived. When I get there, I find it still empty except for my things. I open the suitcase and start putting my clothes in the drawer. After half of hour of organizing my things, I head to the restroom to take a piss. When I get back at the room, there's already a girl sitting on the empty bed. The girl has a long, brown hair, and I can tell how beautiful she is. Her complexion is brown, and her smile is to die, her pearly white teeth blinding me.

"Baby, I already brought your suitcase in your room. Now, stop coming to my room since I have a new..."

The voice is familiar – that's the voice of the boy I've been chasing. I turn around to face Nero and he looks just as shocked to see me. I look at the girl waiting on the bed and everything clicks on my head. She must be Nero's girlfriend.

What an unfortunate situation.

"Thanks, baby." The brown-haired girl fixes her gaze at her boyfriend, then looks at me, and then there's a confused expression etched on her face. "Do you know each other?"

Before Nero can answer, I reply. "No, we don't know each other."

My heart constricts at the sight and at the thought of them being together, but surprisingly, finding out that Nero has a campus-girlfriend doesn't surprise me at all, somehow. I guess it's because I've expected this.

As I look at Nero, I think back of the time I've pushed myself too much on him to the point that it pissed him off, then I remember the time we shared when we were together and when he admitted the he had feelings for me. I also look back at the time when we were sort of dating, and then my head reels back to the time where he stopped responding back to me and I stopped sending him messages.

I look at the boy whom I gave my heart to. I let myself feel the tension between us. Nero still has a shocked expression on his face, and his gaze switches between me and his girlfriend sitting on the bed, who remains speechless.

The longer I look at Nero, the more I realize that I've just been chasing a person who would never love me back, and somehow, I don't feel anything on that. The rush, the excitement, the feelings, it's just not there like I thought it would be.

"I don't think we'd ever met," and somehow, I wish that statement is true.