By the time I'm done with my first lesson with Lee, I'm aware of two things. One—I smell and really need a shower. Two—kickboxing was the only other thing I've ever found that I like as much as dancing and skateboarding.

"You good?" Lee asks as we both unwrap our hands, panting.

"Yeah," I reply. "That was great. I feel so much better now. I wanna do this regularly."

Lee absolutely beams at me. "Sure thing!"

"Hey," I tell him, looking at my feet. "Um. Thanks again."

Lee laughs at me, patting my shoulder. "Just be happy I decided to go to the gym when I did. Otherwise you'd be in the ER again."

I can feel myself blush, and I stammer. "That's not what I meant." I glance at him. "For—you know. Making yourself available today."

"I know you're best friends with Arlene, but I consider you my best friend. Of course I'd be here for you, ya big dolt."

"You're one of my best friends!" I snap at him, and he laughs at me.

"I know, guy. Calm your tits."

That makes me laugh. Then, for whatever reason, I can feel myself blush again. "Er...I kinda wanna hug you, but I smell, and I don't think you'd take too kindly to th—"

Before I finish, Lee pulls me into a tight hug. I'm admittedly grateful, so I press my face against his shoulder. After a few seconds, we sort of rock in place. I can feel myself blush again.

"This is kind of gay, " Lee says.

"Yeah it is," I tell him with a laugh. When we pull away, I give him a playful shove.

Lee sticks out his hand, making his voice deep and giving me a serious look. "Manly handshake?"

I imitate him with the same voice and look. "Initiated manly handshake!"

We shake hands in an incredibly dumb, over-exaggerated way. Ever since I came out, Lee has been super aware of the whole toxic masculinity thing. I assure him he's never done or said anything to make me uncomfortable. Even so, he's now consciously aware that two men hugging is considered "gay". So we have fun making fun of all that, as often as we can.

When we stop shaking, Lee shoves me and then kicks me in the ass. "Now hit the shower, you stink."

Laughing, I grab my gym bag and make my way to the locker room and showers. Whistling happily all the way, I pause at the wooden benches and sit. When I pull out my towel, I'm surprised that a piece of paper falls to the ground.

"Huh?"

Bending at the waist I snatch it up and unfold it. Half expecting a receipt or a bill or something, I'm startled when it's something handwritten. It's not in my handwriting though. After a read a few lines, I suddenly recognize the script, and my stomach becomes a lead weight.

I'll be your drunken centerfold
In turn, what will you give me?
My price is as high as these stakes are
And frankly I don't care if you make it

Unfurl your arms like the unfurrowed night
Envelope me in your silken strands
Too tight they wrap around me
Too tight so I'll never forget

So be still, my valentine
Let me sing you a song
Allow me to be your drunken bard
Whose hand you tried and won

So I'll be your centerfold
Because you don't really care
Because that's all I'll ever be to you
It's all that I deserve

So early in the morning
If you hear me crying out
Fear not, my sweet darling wench
It's just your worthless drunken centerfold

And I'll be yours and only yours
Til death do us part

Handwriting aside, I knew such bitter words could be written by one person—Orion. I sure as shit hadn't wrote that. I wondered how on earth these discarded lyrics ended up in my bag.

And then I remembered. It was when I was living with him in Vermont. I wanted to go to the gym, but I didn't know where it was. So, he drove me. I got information about a membership, was shown around, and then that was it.

When I was done, I was a little surprised his car was still there.

"That was fast," he told me as I clambered into the passenger seat.

I chuckled, shutting my door. "I have to check my bank account before I opened up a membership...it's a little more expensive than I thought it would be."

Orion had rolled his eyes. "Right, like you didn't know I'd spot you the money?"

I had given him A Look. A, "I Know You're Being Generous But I Don't Need Your Fame Pity Money" look. Grinning, Orion had held up both of his hands.

"What're you still doing here? I thought you said you had some errands to do?"

"Good thing I stuck around," he replied, still smiling at me. I had loved how smiley he was, after they had jailed his stalker.

Sadly it hadn't stuck around long.

"Anyway," he said, capping a pen I hadn't even noticed he had. He then folded up a piece of paper on the steering wheel, and then waved it around a bit. "Inspiration struck. I didn't want to drive all the way home. When I put off lyrics for too long, I tend to forget them."

"Oh."

"Here," Orion had said then, holding the folded paper to me. "Would you mind putting it in your bag? I don't want it to get lost."

"Sure," I replied, moving my hand to take the lyrics but he snatched it back protectively to his chest.

"Don't read them."

I had chuckled.

"I'm serious, Trist."

"Scouts honor," I replied seriously.

Hesitating a bit more, he handed them over. I unzipped my bag and put them in.

"Deeper," he said.

I rolled my eyes yet did as he told me to, tucking it away at the very bottom of the bag and moving my towel on top. When I had zipped my bag again, I grinned at him.

"Hopefully that's what I'll be making you say later."

That made him laugh. He caught it quickly though, pursed his lips into a thin line, and cocked his head to the side. Eyebrow raised, he gave me a devilish look.

"Hmm? Oh really now?"

"Really," I replied, still grinning.

Orion leaned in and kissed me. He had giggled then, an attribute I loved about him. However, the look he cast my way when he pulled away and started the car was anything but innocent.

"Buckle up then. I'm going to hold you to that."