The Northern Heart Hospital was the biggest one I had ever seen.

We walked into the hallway as I gazed around in wonder. Usually, I hated hospitals because they always brought in memories of me being drugged, medicated or routine check ups. This time however, I was here with an academic mind frame. I vaguely wondered if being such a frequent visitor to the hospital had made me more interested in medicine. It did sound like a very plausible explanation.

We entered the sleek log hallways and at once, I noticed several nurses and even some doctors smiling and acknowledging Caleb. He seemed to be pretty popular.

"Ileana!"

Caleb called to a young nurse who smiled at him. She had a brown notepad in her hand as she walked over to him, giving him a dazzling smile. "Caleb!"

She came and stood in front of us, glancing at me curiously. "Friend?"

Caleb nodded. "This is Xavier Easton. He's a student at the university."

Illeana nodded and smiled at me. "Nice to meet you Xavier."

I smiled at her as Caleb spoke again. "Do you have any idea where I can find Victor?"

Ileana nodded at him. "He just got off duty. Might be in the cafeteria I think."

Caleb smiled at her and thanked her. "Alright, thanks!" his hand grasped mine firmly as he started leading me away. We walked through the long white hallway as I gazed around in wonder. Somehow, seeing people in white coats always ignited this strange hope in my heart. I had been interested in medicine ever since a child, devouring whatever little information that came my way. I liked to think that I was quite knowledgeable for a high school dropout. 

He led me down an elevator which reached the basement and I found myself in a bustling cafeteria. The cafeteria was in the second basement. The first one, right above it seemed to be some sort of a storage room from what Caleb told me. There was another below it which served as an underground parking. I realized that this hospital was even bigger a deal than I had initially thought it was. White, round benches lay in the high ceilinged room. There was a large counter near the opposite wall and bright red chairs surrounding the tables. He led me to a middle aged man who's eyes were fixed on his phone screen. A steaming cup of coffee sat untouched in front of him.

"Hey Vic," Caleb spoke jovially, making the guy jump and gape at us for a while before his face broke into a smile. 

"Kingsley!"

Caleb pulled a chair and sat beside him, gesturing for me to take a seat as well as he spoke. "This is Xavier Easton Vic," he nodded at me. "Victor Montgomery, the coolest guy you'll ever meet."

"Ah, so he's the guy you told m about." Victor grinned, his coppery hair tumbling onto his forehead. Inspite of myself, I felt my cheeks heating up. 

"Er...told what?"

Caleb smiled shyly at me, "Nothing." He widened his eyes in warning as victor laughed. 

"Xavier is also really interested in medicine," Caleb said. "So, I was wondering if you could maybe help guide him or something."

Victor smiled genially. "That is great to know Xavier," his pale, blue eyes were soft. "It is always great to meet a fellow medicine enthusiast."

"What is your specialty?" I asked curiously.

"Nephrology," he answered. "Although, I initially wanted neurology," he shook his head. "That shit is just devilishly hard to get into."

"Nephrology sounds really cool too," I answered. "You must get a lot of patients. Kidneys...well they're a massive deal."

Caleb patted my thigh. "Aren't they all Xavier?"

We chatted for a while. I realized that Caleb was much more knowledgeable about anatomy than I realized. After about half an hour, Victor got up to leave and after hugging Caleb like a brother, he left. Caleb and I started making our way back up the elevator. "You should take up medicine you know," I said, gazing at him from the corner of my eyes. "You really have a thing for it."

He smiled softly as he pressed the button on the elevator. We stepped into the empty lift as the doors slid shut. I gazed at the digital display as he spoke. "I might. But then..." I gazed at him as his voice suddenly lowered, sadly. "I guess I am scared to take that huge responsibility you know," he turned toward me, placing a hand on the door and leaning against it as he smiled softly. "To have the power  to grant or even take a life."

I opened my mouth to say something before the lights in the elevator flickered. I lurched backwards as the lift stopped, stuck. I gazed at Caleb, my eyes wide with horror. He however, seemed calm. 

"Wh-what just happened?" I gazed around as the emergency lights flickered on and the lift lurched again.

He sighed. "It's an old lift," he reached for a button on the display as a voice spoke through it.

"Are there people? Where are you?"

"Stuck between B2 and B3," Caleb replied, his eyes fixed on the glitchy display. "Two of us."

"Alright. Don't panic."

Caleb leaned back, his eyes fixed on me. "Are you alright, Easton?"

My heart hammered in my chest. I wasn't claustrophobic, but I didn't appreciate the idea of being stuck in an airless elevator for who knew how long. "Er...yeah," I responded. "How long do you reck-"

I sucked in a breath as he reached for the hem of his tshirt and tugged it off. I ceased breathing. My eyes roved over his taut muscles, his defined, toned abs. The sharp V of his abdomen as it disappeared behind his jeans. I inhaled sharply.

He gazed at me, his eyes burning as he took a step towards me.  "Sorry...it's just, really hot here."

I nodded, gulping. My fingers felt suddenly cold while at the same time my neck was heating up. He walked closer to me and before I could react, he placed his arms on either side of me, gazing at me with an unflinching stare. I stared up at him, my breathing heavy. Up close, I could smell his seductive scent. I could see his golden hair tumbling onto his forehead, his eyes fixated on mine. His full lips parted slightly. "You know...you're fucking killing me Easton."

I stood frozen as he leaned closer, his mouth reaching my ear as he whispered in a low voice. "Do you have any idea how bad I want to fuck you right now?"

I felt hot all over, my skin tingling at his smooth, seductive voice. What the fuck was wrong with me? Why was my heart beating so fast? 

"Caleb," I whispered, taking a short breath as I tried to sound confident. "I've told you . I have a boyfriend. I love him."

He sighed, leaning back to look at me. His eyes hungry as they flitted to my lips. The air in the elevator was suddenly unbearably suffocating, seeming almost solid.

"Are you his first?" he whispered.

I shook my head. "He...he has a wife."

He scoffed. "So, you're his twink."

My eyes widened. "No. He loves me. We are in a serious relationship."

"All three of you?"

"He's getting a divorce."

"How do you know?"

I began to answer but stuttered.

"He...they had a toxic relationship," I answered. "I'm not obliged to answer any of your questions anyway." I glared at him, defiant. "And if this is the way you're going to act all the fucking time, then I'm not going to hangout with you at all." 

He didn't lean back, instead placing his thumb on my bottom lip and stoking it. I gazed at him, mesmerized. "I'm just saying...I could give you so much more Xavier."

I would only need to lean in a little to kiss him. My lips seemed to tingle with electricity. I could kiss him, then maybe push him back. I knew where the kiss would lead. The sexual tension between us could be cut with a knife. It was burning. Explosive. My breathe quickened under his sweltering gaze. I looked away from his enticing face.

I took a deep breath, anger flaring in my insides. I placed a firm hand on his chest and pushed him away, clenching my jaw as I glared at him. "Grayson is all I need Caleb. You need to rethink your boundaries."

He sighed, raking a hand through his hair and wore his tshirt again. His face flushed. "I'm sorry Xavier. I didn't mean to come on so strong...it's just that, I really really like you."

I didn't say anything, fixing my gaze on the shut door as the elevator lurched again and we started moving. He was quiet as the doors finally opened and I stepped out. I walked ahead of him, my heart conflicted. He ran up to catch up with me and grabbed my wrist, turning me around so I was facing him. He looked stricken. "I'm sorry Xavier. I'm sorry okay? I don't know what I was thinking."

 I took a step back, wrenching my hand away from him. I was angrier at myself for letting him get so close. For wanting to lean into him and kiss him. "Let's just go back."

He sighed but didn't say anything as we silently made our way to the car and sat inside. I kept my gaze fixed outside the window. His eyes kept flitting back to me. He parked in the university basement and I immediately stepped out. We walked silently towards the dorm, a solid air settling around us. When we reached the staircase, he turned towards me. "Xavier, did I mess things up between us?"

I sighed and shook my head. "Caleb, I understand okay? I respect your feelings. The thing is-" I sighed deeply. "What Gray and I have it's something really different. I really love him and I don't want to fuck things up with us."

He sighed deeply, biting his lip as he glanced away. I was struck by how pained his eyes looked. "Xavier...I'm just saying that, maybe you're setting too much store by him. Maybe you're limiting yourself too much. Maybe you're just feeling this way because he is the only one you've ever been with."

I gaped at him. I couldn't remember telling him about my relationship and guessed I told him when I had been drunk. 

"Grayson is my home Caleb," I answered firmly. My heart warming up at the thought. "I...I want to be with him. That's it."

He sighed before nodding. "Alright," he smiled sadly and to my shock, leaned forward to give me a hug. I stopped breathing as his warm chest gently touched against my face for a second longer than necessary and he leaned away. "I'll see you later, Easton. Sorry again for everything."

I made my way back to my room, my heart wrenching. I had to be careful of Caleb Kingsley before he made me do something I would regret.