I don't know whatever possessed me to take a 3-hour Media Law Class, but I'm grateful William has taken it with me. I don't think I would survive without him. Our professor is currently droning on about Digital Management Rights and I feel my eyes start to involuntarily close until William nudges my elbow and I'm jolted awake.

"Seriously Dude, tell Cat you need some downtime. You're worse than you were when you were stripping," he whispers to me and I shake my head and roll my eyes.

"First, I was never a stripper, only a pole dancer, and second, this has nothing to do with Cat. Could he be any more boring?" I say, gesturing to our professor.

"It's Media Law. How exciting do you expect it to be?"

"I don't know more than this. He could at least try to make it interesting."

"Mr. Bragin!"

My head shoots up. Busted.

"You care to add a few words. What's your take on DRM?"

"I think it's just a major inconvenience, is all, Professor?"

"So you believe it to be useless?"

"Perhaps not entirely. I mean, DRM helps big businesses stifle innovative ideas and serious competition from ever developing. You know if you like that kind of thing."

Several in the class laugh at my comment. One guy wearing an Anarchy T-shirt gives me a thumbs up, but my professor just stares at me with a white thin line pressed together where his lips used to be.

"We need to work on your people skills," William mumbles.

"Care to explain, Mr. Bragin? And since you believe you know so much." He waves his hand for me to take the podium and I shrug and head out of my row of seats, down the aisle, and to the front of the class.

"Look, I get why DRM exists. I think we all do. It's a sad effort but the only one we have to protect our work from Digital Piracy but all I've seen, and any of you can correct me if I'm wrong, but is that it's just a way for software companies to make you pay for backing up the software you already purchased by selling you a file, or disk if your computer crashes because you're not 'allowed'," I say with air quotes, to make your own backup."

"It's making it harder on libraries to lend out certain materials, its putting restrictions on items in the public domain and as a journalist seriously screwing with my research abilities under what they would consider fair use."

"There are many organizations that believe DRM is a tool used by big companies to reduce their competition. We have built this country on innovation and coming up with the next big idea, and they just seem to find more and more ways to stifle that inspiration rather than encourage it. Or at least that," I look over at my professor, "is my opinion."

I look back at the class and say, "I mean it's not even universally accepted, so what the point really. You know?"

To my utter amazement, the class starts clapping and William stands up, starting a movement for a standing ovation. I shake my head in wonderment, step out from behind the podium, and take a bow. When the applause died down. My deflated and defeated teacher called for our break before the second half.

In the cafeteria, several students came up to me, thanking me for my impassioned speech, saying it had saved them from the utter boredom of the class in that one moment.

"You're quite the popular fellow," William says, bringing two coffees over to our table and handing one to me.

I laugh. "I think I could have said anything up there and gotten the same reaction from the masses."

"I had them add an extra shot of espresso so you'll make it through the second half."

I take a sip and can almost swear I can feel the jolt of caffeine go straight to my bloodstream.

"So, what's going on, really?" William asks, adding a ton of sugar to his coffee and trying to stir as vigorously as one can with one of those little thin red straws.

"You're right, I haven't been sleeping well, and Cat is the reason, but not in the way you were implying," I admit and watch him take a simple sip, wrinkle his nose, and go back to stirring.

"So what about Cat has got you so charged up. It's not about the ring, is it?"

"No, look, we already established that. She's wearing my ring."

William just gives me a pointed look over the rim of his cup but says nothing.

"What? What?!"

He just shrugs and puts his cup down. "So what's the problem with Cat that's got you up at night?"

"It this whole thing with the baby. I'm guessing she hasn't told you about it yet?"

"I don't get to spend as much time with her anymore. She's dating this new guy who's hogging up every moment," he chastises me.

"Come on. Cut me some slack, will you? Things are a little crazy right now. Between school, and well... everything else... you know neither Cat nor I am ignoring you on purpose."

William pouts slightly. "Doesn't change the fact that I am being ignored."

"Look, the last ultrasound had us pretty shaken up between the SUA and now there's the talk of having to have a C-section, and I'm just at a loss about what to do for her. Then next week we'll be telling her parents about the engagement..." I run my fingers through my hair and let out a heavy sigh as I rest my head in my hands and lean on the table.

I'm soooo tired.

"Okay, I didn't get half of what you were saying just now about SUV's and some sort of selection, but that last part about you and Cat telling her parents about the engagement, yeah, that's going to be rough."

"You have no idea." I immediately think of how her father is still under the impression I'm gay, and I let out a groan.

"Well, they like you, right? I mean, they let you stay all of Winter Break."

"Yeah, her mom loves me. Her brother likes me but her dad... well, her dad still thinks I'm gay."

"WHAT?!" William bursts out with laughter but then tries to stifle it with a fist to his mouth, but he is not really trying that hard.

"Go on, laugh at my misery. That's fine. Some friend you are? No wonder I've been ignoring you."

"Hey!" William says and completely stops laughing now that he's offended.

"How the hell did her dad get the impression you're gay?" William asks and the corner of his mouth turns up again, but he quickly regains control.

"It's not his fault, really. It was a series of misunderstandings starting with Cat, who thought I was gay because I was friends with you."

"Why would that make you gay? It doesn't rub off, you know? One doesn't become gay by mere association."

"I know but there was the conversation we had about the 'No one knows I'm gay shirt', and then we were reminiscing about the Aids Walks and Pride Parades, she heard me over your house when you didn't come to school, and she knows I love you."

"Well, who doesn't?" William says with a smirk.

"Not helpful."

William chuckles. "Okay, but even with all that, she lived with you, dude. She couldn't tell the difference?"

I look away, not wanting to bring up the nail in the coffin. The real reason Cat was so certain.

"What?" William presses.

"She had seen pictures of Aiden in my apartment. Not knowing I had a twin brother, she assumed they were me."

William leaned back in his chair, his brows furrowed. "What pictures? I've seen no pictures and I've been to your apartment plenty of times."

I sigh. "I put them away when you come over. I didn't know if seeing them would hurt you."

"Oh," William says, looking away for a moment. His jaw clenches, and he takes in a breath and lets it out slowly.

He looks at me, and he's back in control. "So Cat thought you were gay, introduces you as my friend so the parents think you're gay. Knowing Dillion, he thought, no way in hell is this guy is gay. When did you convince her Mom you weren't gay?"

"I'm not entirely sure I have, but I just have an inclination she knows I have feelings for Cat after the week we spent together in her home."

"Makes sense. Few things get past Mama Fischer. So, Dad still thinks you're gay, and you got to tell him you want to marry his daughter."

I look up at him and shake my head.

"Well, the way that I see it. You're screwed."

"Augh!" I put my head in my hands again.

"Come on! Would it help if I came along and explained the whole thing?" William offers.

"You're kidding me, right? The one thing I know about Cat's dad is he's a real man's man, kind of guy. I'd totally lose any shred of respect he could have for me if I hide behind a gay guy. No offense."

"Oh, no. How could that possibly be offensive?" William rolls his eyes at me.

"Please, for just this once... focus... here... on me." I see William immediately relent.

"Okay, look, divide and conquer would be my advice. You said her mom loves you, Dillion likes you, and we know Cat adores you. So... if you put up a united front... Dad will have to come around... eventually."

Even I could tell William had serious doubts and so did I. "Guess it doesn't really matter. The truth will come out and if he likes the idea or not, Cat and I are going to get married. So ..."

"That's the spirit!" William checks his phone for the time. "We have to get back to class."

"Yeah." I take my overly caffeinated coffee with me because let's face it; I'm going to need it.

William stops me a moment before we get to class. "Alex, those pictures? You know, the ones of Aiden? You think you could show them to me sometime?"

I smile at him. "Sure."

"Can I take that as an invitation for dinner?" he asks with eyebrows raised and a hopeful expression on his face.

"How's tonight sound?"

"Absolutely fabulous."