“Hello, can I help you?” Ian asked in a friendly way.

  “Maybe,” the guy replied. “I’m supposed to report to Stoggard Hall today.”

  “Are you a freshman?” Ian asked.

  “Yes,” the lost guy said looking around the hallway.

  “Okay, my name is Ian. I’m one of the junior dorm advisors. What’s your name?” Ian replied.

  “Chris. Chris Smith.”

  “Okay, Chris. Nice to meet you. Welcome to Stoggard. I’m guessing you’ll be living here,” Ian extended his hand. Chris shook his hand then put his hands in his pockets unsure what to do next.

  “Let me look on my list to see where you’ll be.” Ian turned and walked into his room to get the packet of information. Chris remained in the hallway looking around. “You can come in and have a seat.”

  “Thanks,” Chris said and entered Ian’s room.

  The small room had a desk and chair in one corner. Chris pulled out the chair and sat down. He watched as Ian fumbled through the documents in the packet. Ian found a roster of names and room assignments. As Ian searched for Chris’s name, Chris began to look over Ian. Chris felt a familiar tingle throughout his body—the same tingle of excitement he got when he met someone he liked. Ian sensed that Chris was staring at him and looked up.

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  “Is everything alright?” Ian asked raising his eyebrows.

  Chris blushed and looked away. “Yeah, you just remind me of someone.”

  “I do?” Ian said pushing for more information.

  “Y-yeah,” Chris stuttered. “My best friend’s boyfriend.”

  “Oh well,” Ian laughed. “She must have good taste.”

  Chris laughed. “He.”

  “What’s that?” Ian said giving Chris a puzzled look.

  “He must have good taste. My best friend—a guy—his boyfriend,” Chris explained.

  Ian raised his eyebrows again, this time intrigued. “Your best friend is gay?”

  “Well, no. I think a few times, he called himself fluid. He dated both guys and girls,” Chris stated.

  “Wow, you’ve got some progressive friends,” Ian said in an impressed tone.

  “Yeah, I guess,” Chris replied.

  Ian was a little reluctant to tell Chris about his sexuality. He looked back down at the paper and found Chris’s name. “There you are. Well, it looks like you are going to be right across the hall! We will be neighbors.”

  “Cool,” Chris said and smiled. It made him feel better to know that he was across the hall from someone that didn’t flinch at hearing his best friend was sexually fluid. From the way Ian looked, Chris felt that he could confide anything to Ian. Ian dug into the envelope and found the keys for Chris’s room.

  “Here’s your keys for your room and for the front door. You can figure out which is which,” Ian handed the keys over. Chris held the keys and stared at them a moment. It was the first set of keys he ever had that wasn’t connected to anything his parents owned.

  “Thanks,” Chris said and looked up at Ian.

  “There are carts at the end of the hall that you can use to bring in your things. If there’s anything you need, I’m just across the hall,” Ian said and stood up. Chris stood up as well and extended his hand. Ian shook Chris’s hand. Chris started to leave Ian’s room and stopped himself.

  “So, is it true that this is a big party school?” Chris asked looking over his shoulder at Ian.

  Ian laughed and walked towards Chris. “Yes, yes, it is.”

  “Cool,” Chris said and walked down the hallway. Ian leaned against the door frame watching as Chris unlocked the door to his room.