"When did you both meet?"

"I would say 9th grade but then I hated him. He bullied me a lot."

"When did you start to like him?"

"10th grade. He saved me once from Shamus and I guess that is when it started."

"Stockholm Syndrome, I see."

     A week has gone by and the football finals was still the talk of the school. Not just Marcus awesome goal but the two hot and sexy men that looked and did everything straight were going out. How? The crowd wondered. No one could believe that the Cole who was dating Sid a few days ago was now dating the sexy football captain, Derick Cloud.

     The school magazine team had even asked to interview them because everyone wanted to know how it happened.

"When did you know you were into Cole?"

"There was this time in 10th grade, Shamus was having a fit and was knocking down anyone he saw. He came unto my turf and started terrorizing the people I bullied. I happened to see Cole and I saved him. Any normal victim of bully wouldn't be grateful for just that one save but Cole was. And then he smiled at me. I think that was when the sparks flew."

"But you still continued to bully him, didn't you?"

"Oh then I couldn't stop. He was always so flustered when I would paint his locker or hide his books. When he's angry, he just becomes unbelievable cute."

     When they published the interview, Cole didn't know what to say as he read it. From what he was reading, it would seem Cloud didn't hold back anything. He actually explained how it happened and Cole was glad to see that it was the same time he actually started liking him.

Of course, their love wasn't love at first sight because at first sight, Cloud slapped him right across the face for looking at him for too long.

Yeah, the good old day.

"I never took you as the masochist. Falling for your bully." Marcus teased.

     They were having lunch and Cole made a move to ditch the man cave because he was liking the attention. He also did it so no one would find his man cave because his stalkers were very stealthy: Followed him home one time.

"Oh shut up. It's because the column about you was hardly read." Cole teased back then took a sip from his OJ.

Gustus chuckled and Marcus smacked him in the head. "Shut up."

    It had been awhile since he had been to the cafeteria. It was still as rowdy as it used to be and people minded their own business like it used to be. If there was anything Cole knew about the cafeteria, it was that it was a safe ground. No one bullied on it unless not just Cloud but Shamus group of cahoots will kill you.

Cole stopped coming to the Cafeteria mostly because of Sid but now that she was gone, he could relax with his group of friends.

"So," Mattew started but didn't dare to look at him, "How does it feel to be out?"

"Awesome. You have no idea how amazing it is."

Mattew stopped putting his ketchup into his hotdog and said, this time looking at him with a heart warming smile, "If that it the case, then I am happy for you. Now you can be who you really are."

"Thank you, Matt. That means a lot."

"You are only popular now because you are the first out gay couple." Gustus commented.

"I was popular with the girls before." He retorted. "But now you can add gay people and other LGBT supporters."

"That reminds me." Marcus said, "Mattew, you and Gustus were there when Derick came over and kissed him. How did it feel to be watching it up close because I saw it on the TV and boy was I dumbfounded."

"It was on the TV?" Cole asked surprised. He couldn't remember him being on the TV but it was probably because Cloud was kissing him most of the time and whenever he was actually away from him, he was too shocked to have noticed the TV.

"Oh yes. That way, no one missed it. Every single soul knows you are gay."

"Wow." He leaned back in his seat and exhaled.

Marcus grinned then turned to Mattew, "Now answered the question."

"It was..." Gustus and Mattew started but stopped when they saw someone come up behind Cole.

Cole had no idea who it was until he felt that familiar hand on his shoulder and he, out of habit, rose his head up for Cloud to kiss him.

The moment their lips touched it was like they had called the paparazzi's. Everyone was taking pictures of them from all angles but all that Cole was interested in was the gorgeous face in front of him.

"Hey."

Cole blushed and managed a quiet, "Hi."

Cloud shook his head, laughing before he sat down beside him. Dustin joined the table and sat between Mattew and Marcus and grinned, saying, "Don't mind us disturbing. We just wanna join the table."

"You don't mind, do you?" Cloud asked him and he shook his head. If Cloud wanted to join the table, who gave him any right to say no.

"So, what were we talking about?" Dustin asked after taking a sip from his drink.

"The both of them kissing on the TV." Mattew answered.

Cloud shrugged and said, wrapping an arm around Cole's shoulder, "Well, it has been a week so can we stop talking about it. It is getting annoying."

"I agree with that." Cole added.

"I thought you still loved the attention." Marcus said.

"Oh, shut up."

     While everyone focused on something else and talking, Cloud pulled his arm away from Cole's shoulder to hold his hand under the table which made him blush deeper.

"Relax, you are a red." His boyfriend said.

"I know and I can't help it. It still needs some getting used to."

He nodded, "If so, how about another date?"

Cole rose a brow at him in questioning and he continued, "Troy and Phil want to go out on a double date."

"What?"

Cloud laughed as he popped a couple fries into his mouth, "I am serious but please don't say no. It took them a lot of courage to approach me. You should have seen their faces."

"Wait, so we aren't the only gay couple in school? Troy and Phil are an item?"

"Not every one makes a dashing coming out like we did." With his hand still firmly in his, he used his other hand to stroke Cole's cheeks then said, "There might be more gay couples out there so let's start by meeting Troy. Maybe they might introduce us to more."

Cole chuckled, "Nice rhyme there."

Cloud smiled and kissed him, "I knew I was awesome."

Rolling his eyes, he tightened his fingers around Cloud's and said, "Sure. I would love to go on a double date." Cloud didn't bother responding to that, he just kissed him again but this time a bit longer.

       After lunch, Cole had Literature which he realized that he hadn't done the week's assignment because of the week's escapade so he decided to ditch the class and work on the assignment in the library. He told Cloud about it and agreed to let him walk him to the library.

"See you after school?" He asked absently as he played with his brow. He once said that he would be able to sleep well at night if he was the one that took him home. Since then, Cloud had been the one taking him home that it had become a habit.

"Sure. I'll be here." Cole answered then cocked his head into the school library.

"Then I will see you." He ruffled Cole's hair then waited for him to enter the building before leaving.

      Cole had noticed that Cloud was a real gentlemen even if he was a bully. He found an empty table close to the big windows and was able to catch Cloud before he disappeared into the school's building.

    He couldn't believe he was in a relationship with a man and he even had feelings for him. It had been one week but yet it was still surprising to him. During the first few days, they were always talking about him in small hush whispers. They even formed a couple fandom for Corick: That was their ship name.

Cole also noticed that Cloud was a protective person but it wasn't just to protect Cole but himself too. Every small advance Cole made on him, whether it was in the school's restroom, locker room or empty classroom, he always turned it down. Cole has been trying to not be offended but he was starting to worry.

"I think Derick is a decent guy even though he is public enemy number 1."

Cole looked away from the window to see Tames sitting in front of him. He had a book in front of him and was flipping through it. He didn't feel like being an ass to his brother so he said, "Why do you care?" This was just out of normal curiosity.

"Because you are my brother."

Cole looked away from him and back out the window, "Whatever."

"Just give him time. Get to know him and I don't mean the way you knew your other girlfriends. Get to know him the way Dustin knows him. Maybe then he would be more open to you."

His forehead creased in annoyance. How did he guess so close to the point? Cole frowned and said, "Who said I was complaining?"

"Please." Tames closed his book and gave him that 'duh' look, "You both don't look like the 'I'm so in love with you' couple and you don't act free with each other."

"You noticed all that?"

"Gossip here and there. Then I confirmed the rest by stalking."

"Stalking?" He looked at his brother.

"I joined Corick Okay." He rolled his eyes. "I wanted to get to know what's up with you."

"So you had to join a fandom?" Cole couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"You can't blame me. I can't be five feet close to you without you trying to murder me with your eyes. I've been trying to tell you I'm sorry. And I mean it."

    Cole exhaled then looked away when Tames's expression softened. There really wasn't any reason to hate him anymore since he apologized but every time he remembered going home after a bad day to see his little brother laughing at him when his parents verbal abuse him, never gets out of his head.

"Fine." He said plainly.

"What?"

"I forgive you."

Cole watched the smile grow on his brother's face and he rolled his eyes. "Thank y-"

"Don't say it. I'll feel bad."

Cole's phone buzzed in his pocket and he quickly got it out to check the text. It was from Jane so he opened it quickly and read it.

Jane: Go home today. The CPS will be at your house by the time school is over. They have gotten my request.

Cole grinned and would have squealed if he wasn't good with surprises. And the fact that he was in the library also.

He looked up and saw Tames giving him a questioning look and that quenched the happy wildfire in his heart. How could he tell his only brother that did everything to make him come home, the Lumberg's were trying to take him away?

________________________

Cole: *giggles*

Fiona: *sighs*