Adam sensed someone watching him as he rifled through his locker. He didn't want to start any trouble with Bobby or his friends so he ignored the feeling and closed the door. Imagine how surprised he was to see Gavin standing a few lockers away watching him nervously and looking over his shoulder every now and then. Adam stood rooted to the floor afraid to make a move that would send the smaller boy scurrying away. He and Gavin had never spoken privately before, so he was curious as to why the boy would approach him now. Not that he minded.

Finally, he took note of their surroundings and sent an inquisitive gaze to the black-haired beauty. Gavin seemed to steel himself before very cautiously walking over to him.

"Hey," Adam said gently, again trying not to spook Gavin.

"Hey," the smaller boy replied softly.

The bell for the next class rang, but since Adam had a free period, he didn't worry too much. It was his only free time away from his two annoying, yet strangely endearing, best friends. Gavin didn't seem to worry about the bell either. They blinked at each other a few times before Adam decided they should get to the point.

"So, you look like you want to say something?" he coaxed gently.

Gavin shrugged then seemed to think better of this idea and began to back away. Before he could stop himself, Adam's hand shot out and he gently grasped the smaller boy's arm, pulling him back.

"I'm not like them," he said softly. "You don't have to be afraid of me."

"Don't I?" Gavin asked sadly. "I know you never push me around me like they do. But you don't do anything to stop them. You still hurt me, Adam."

The sound of his name rolling off that sexy tongue was too much for the taller boy and he leaned down to softly touch his lips to Gavin's. The small boy gasped in shock but didn't pull away. So Adam smiled against his mouth and slanted his head for better access, kissing Gavin senseless. Gavin moaned and pushed himself against Adam wantonly.

"I was hoping you'd want me," he whispered as he angled his own mouth to give Adam even more access. "Nobody else does. Will you take care of me, Adam?"

Adam groaned and whispered that he would then slid his tongue between Gavin's lips. It felt heavenly and he pushed the smaller boy against the wall of lockers. And then a sharp noise pierced the air. Adam squinted his eyes shut against it before he opened them … and found himself staring at his bedroom ceiling.

"Dammit!" he growled to no one in particular, since he was alone in his room.

He sighed and shut the alarm off then moved to get out of bed, only to see his boxers were now plastered to his body. Apparently the dreams were only getting worse now. He gingerly unstuck the sheets and jumped out of bed. He would need a shower immediately. A long cold shower would do the trick, he thought morosely.

At school, Adam discovered that his mood had only taken a turn for the worse. He couldn't seem to forget the dream, especially what Gavin had said. He hurt him even if he didn't join in the abuse Dave and Ted dished out? No one wanted him?

Looking down the hallway, he caught sight of Gavin and surreptitiously watched him. Suzie wasn't far away, but she wasn't talking to him right now. Gavin stood against the wall and watched as people walked by him. Nobody spoke to him. One boy, not watching where he was going, nearly tripped over Gavin's feet. When he looked like he was going to do something to him in retaliation … for apparently just standing against the wall … Suzie floated over and handled the matter with a curt word and a nodding gesture, sending the idiot would-be bully packing. Then she smiled at Gavin and walked back over to her friends. And Gavin stood against the wall. Alone again. He looked around the hallway and finally his eyes came to rest on Adam, who stood his ground and didn't look away, though he'd schooled his features to be a little friendlier than usual. Gavin looked confused but gave him a wan smile. Then the bell rang and he'd turned away, leaving Adam feeling sad for him.

"Hey, dude!" Ted exclaimed as he and Dave sidled up next to him. "How goes it?"

"Eh."

"Looks like someone had another frustrating night," Dave teased, taking in Adam's paler-than-usual skin tone. "Another cold shower? Man you have GOT to tell us who this chick is you keep dreaming about."

"Like that will ever happen," Adam groused. "You'd never let it go!"

And he knew they probably wouldn't. Especially since not only was he dreaming of a guy, he was dreaming of the guy they loved to hate for some reason. No, he couldn't tell them.

"Okay, you keep your little secrets," Ted laughed. "We'll find her eventually."

When it was time for Adam's free period he sighed with relief. God, Dave needed a Ritalin prescription sometimes. He'd almost got all of them detention today when he'd pelted their English teacher with little wads of paper when she'd turned her back. Since Ted and Adam sat on either side of him, she couldn't be sure which one of them was causing the trouble. But after the last warning she gave them, she'd faked turning around and caught Dave in the act of throwing a paper wad, and he'd promptly received his detention slip.

The bell rang again and the hallway cleared out, leaving Adam blessedly alone, or so he thought. He looked up as he closed his locker to see that Gavin stood timidly against the wall not far from him, watching him sadly. It was an eerie recreation of his morning dream, and Adam wondered if the alarm was about to go off again. He watched Gavin for a moment before he slowly approached him, afraid to scare him off.

"Hey, Gavin."

"Um … hey," the smaller boy murmured. "A-am I bothering you?"

Adam shook his head and kept his body language neutral. He didn't want Gavin to be afraid of him anymore. He'd never actually wanted it, really.

"So, do you have a free period now?" he asked softly.

Gavin nodded.

"Want to hang out?"

Gavin's eyes widened like saucers, as if he'd never thought that Adam would ask him that. But he only gave Adam another small nod.

"I usually spend it in the library," Adam said as he led the way down the hall. "Is that cool with you?"

Gavin nodded again and followed, quickening his pace to keep up. He looked behind him every so often as they went.

"They never come there," Adam assured him, knowing exactly who the boy was looking for.

"O-okay."

They reached the library and slipped inside. Since the school wasn't very big, there usually weren't any other students in it while Adam spent this period there. Anyone with serious project research usually went to the town library, as the resources were more up-to-date. He nodded to the librarian on his way in and they took a seat at a table in the corner, hidden by some bookshelves.

"So," Adam said as they settled into their chairs. "You look like you wanted to talk to me."

"I don't mean to bother you."

"You're not," Adam assured him, losing himself in those incredible silver eyes. "I'm just surprised.

Gavin shrugged and looked down at his chipped black nail polish. Adam frowned and struggled to come up with something to say to break the silence. But Gavin surprised him again.

"I've kind of wanted to talk to you for a while," he looked down shyly. "You seem smart and interesting. There's no one else here who like these books," he pulled a paperback off of Adam's pile of schoolbooks. It was the newest sci-fi medical thriller on the bestsellers list. "And I like talking about them after I read them."

"I do, too," Adam grinned. "I usually go online to a book chat site."

"I don't have a computer," Gavin sighed. "And I have to wait till the library gets them in."

"They don't always get them all," Adam replied.

"Yeah, I know. I missed this guy's last two."

Adam looked at him sadly. That must suck. Then he got an idea.

"I have them at home and they're just sitting on my father's bookshelf. He doesn't read them. Would you like them?"

Gavin's eyes lit up and he nodded eagerly. The sight almost made Adam groan outwardly with the same feelings he awoke with that morning.

"Great. I'll bring them in tomorrow."

"Thanks."

Adam smiled and leaned back in his chair. God, Gavin was even more beautiful this close up. Well, he could put the guessing to rest now. He had his answer. And he was definitely not straight. But for some reason, he didn't want to worry about that right now.

"I'm glad you stopped to talk to me," he said to the still-beaming boy.

"I just thought, since you smiled at me this morning, that maybe you didn't hate me like your friends and we could … you know … talk sometimes," he looked up sharply then. "You know, when nobody's around. So you don't get in trouble with … them."

Adam kept his features casual while he digested that. It appeared that Gavin was suggesting that he could hide a friendship with him from Dave and Ted. It sounded cruel, but he could see where it would solve the dilemma of getting to know him. And Adam really wanted to get to know him.

"But what about Bobby and Suzie?" he asked dubiously. "I don't want them to worry about you."

"They don't have to know either," the boy said softly, looking Adam straight in the eyes and resting a hand on his arm. "No one has to know, Adam."

And Adam felt like he'd just been made an offer he had no chance of refusing.