Campus Love (sequel) Malexmale

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THIS STORY FOLLOWS THE EVENTS OF THE OLD CAMPUS CRUSH. THE NEW REWRITE IS IN PROGRESS. thanks.
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I was momentarily blinded by the lightning white flash of a camera. Blinking and squinting, I held a hand up to my face in an attempt to shield my eyes from more flashes as I walked out of the mall and toward my ride.

"Casper! Is it true you started dating David Larsen while he was your professor?"

"We spotted you two at Cherry Garden last week. Does this mean he's recovering well? Casper, over here!"

I didn't respond. I ignored the press; something I'd become accustomed to ever since last year. Entering the passenger seat of the car, I shut the door, blocking out their flashes and their questions. "Thanks for picking me up," I appreciated my friend, Jonathan while tossing my few shopping bags onto the back seat. He immediately drove away, and I sighed, releasing the tension in my shoulders.

"They literally give me the creeps, Jon."

"What were they asking you?"

"Oh, you know, the usual." I fastened my seat belt, running my fingers through my hair.

"I'm sorry you have all that unwanted attention on you."

I shrugged. "Trust me, it's no accident that they're always on my case. Mr. Larsen warned me..." I looked down at my fingers, fidgeting with them. "I don't care what he does. If he thinks I'll toss his son away over a bunch of cameras, he's underestimating me."

"I can't believe he'd do that to you guys. What kind of a man is that? Does he think this is the 17th century? Whatever, there's no getting rid of them. I guess... to beat that man's game, you'll just have to embrace the situation and show him it can't faze you. He'll give up."

I huffed, closing my eyes as I absentmindedly rubbed my finger over my ring. "It's still the farthest thing from my mind." I opened my eyes, scanning the road.

"What's going on?" He queried. "David got out of the hospital two months ago, he's doing much better with his speech, it's a New Year. So why the sad face?"

"You forgot to mention his blast from the past."

Jonathan's face turned sour and he quickly shot me a sympathetic look. "Right... sorry. But you told me Rowan disappeared again. David doesn't even know he's still alive, does he?"

"No. As much as I'd like to keep it that way, I hate keeping the truth from him. Every day that passes by, I feel worse and worse. I'm so close to telling him but then I chicken out. How do I drop something like that on him especially after the surgery? His fiance, the man he loved more than his own life and grieved when he died, isn't actually dead. He never was." I remembered what Rowan told me when he showed up in David's hospital room. He wanted to fight for David, and he told me why he had to fake his death. He didn't really go into too much detail, but I understood. As much I tried to hate him... I realized I'd probably do the same thing.

I mean, I wouldn't fake my death, but I'd definitely stop at nothing to fight for the love of my life.

"Just my luck, isn't it? Not only do I have his influential father on my ass, but Rowan could turn up any second and ruin everything. I just can't win, can I?"

"I know I always state the obvious and suck at helping situations, but... the odds are kinda in Rowan's favor."

I glared at him. "You're right; that's not helping. Oh! And as if I don't already have enough to worry about, I have to face my parents this weekend before school starts. How awesome is that?"

"We should totally switch lives. I'm a simpleton; I just take it easy and swim under the radar. I'm practically invisible."

"Do you think that... Do you think I never should've gotten involved with David? Should I have just kept to myself?"