Black, White, & Red.

Chapter 4 - Junior Year

It was fall semester of their junior year in college. Oswald was deep in his literary study and Jim was on the football team. They were dating, but they weren't the big "item" because Jim was in the closet. He didn't want to look like a sissy in front of the guys.

Edward, however, helped Oswald study whenever he had time. Neither of them intended to fall in love, but with the cool air coming in to stay and the leaves changing, there couldn't have been a better setting.

Oswald would often write stories about people falling in love under the falling of browning leaves. The cool air made cuddling a necessity. The need for warm cocoa also increased.

Jim Gordon was so busy with football that he never made time for Oswald. Whenever he did see him, he was with his football buddies. Oswald would try to say hi, but Jim would just pick on him or blow him off. The other football players would bully him and Jim never tried to stop them. If anything, he sometimes joined them.

Edward saw what was going on and told Oswald that he didn't deserve to be treated that way.

One day, he went to study with a busted lip. Edward pulled him into the restroom and washed it up for him. "You deserve so much better..." he said, "You deserve someone who makes you feel like royalty, or at least someone who won't beat you..."

That gave Oswald the courage to break up with Jim. He couldn't put himself through that anymore. He went up to Jim when his friends weren't around. That's when Jim wanted to love on Oswald... He wouldn't allow it.

Jim tried to have his way with Oswald, but he stopped him to tell him it was over. Jim said he didn't care. That Oswald was just a warm body. That he was tired of that faggot anyway. That he wasn't gay because he wasn't the one catching. Jim locked the door and walked over to Oswald. "I can do this with anyone. You're not special, honey." He said like he was out to kill. He may as well have killed him with what he did next.

He used his brute strength and forced Oswald face down over his desk. Kicked poor Oswald's feet apart using his own, and had his way with him. Used him one last time before throwing him out into the cold.

He wanted to just lay down and die. He felt like it was the only way to stop feeling so dirty. He didn't know where to go or what to do, so he walked aimlessly with tears streaming down his pink cheeks. It hurt to walk and it hurt to breathe. He stopped under a tree by the rec. room. Plopped down, though it hurt, and threw his head back against the tree. Red and orange leaves all around him, he could see the stars through the bare branches of the trees. His breathe visible in the cold November night.

A few minutes later, he heard crunching leaves behind him as someone walked up. He couldn't even move so he just sat there waiting. He felt a blanket being placed around him, and turned to see Edward holding two mugs with steaming liquids. Edward sat down next to him and handed him a mug. He sipped the cocoa until he felt like he could get up.

He followed Ed back to his room and they didn't talk about it. Oswald didn't want to talk about it and Ed didn't want to know. The two were basically silent the rest of the night, but they were okay with the quiet...