Chapter 7: The Bar and the Bite

Went to a gay bar.

I watched the go-go boys dance—it was a feast for the eyes.

But when they took off their shirts to show off their abs, all I could think about was Chase Milton.

None of them even came close to his body.

Those long legs, those abs—now that's the real deal.

But now, I don't dare even think about him.

A guy in a black shirt sidled up, giving me all kinds of hints.

Of course I knew what he wanted.

But we didn't click.

Now... I've become a bottom.

And before I leave this world, I don't plan on messing around again.

After all, this past year, I've had more than enough—time to go vegetarian for a while and just enjoy the scenery.

The bass thumped so loud the floor vibrated under my sneakers. I sipped my Coke and let the music blur my worries. The rainbow lights flickered over a sticky floor, bartenders in tank tops slinging drinks while drag queens lip-synced to Beyoncé. Bodies moved everywhere, but none of it felt real. Not like the way my pulse jumped just thinking about Chase.

When I got back to the dorm, I didn't expect Chase Milton to still be awake, quietly reading under the lamp.

He looked at me, eyes deep and unreadable.

My scalp tingled.

Here it comes.

He's finally going to kill me.

Fine, if he wants to kill me, so be it. He can strangle me in my sleep.

After washing up, I crawled into bed.

Worried about the pain, I took sleeping pills in advance.

Late at night, I quickly drifted off.

But what I didn't know was, the mosquito net I’d specially set up was lifted by a slender hand…

"I finally found you."

"Even though I never saw your face, the way you kiss tastes exactly the same."

"It was you, the one who slept with me for a year. And you’re actually a guy."

His eyes flashed with a hint of anger.

My whole body locked up. All I could think was—this is it. This is how I die, not with a bang, but with a whisper and a bitten finger.

Just as his hand touched my neck, in my dream of eating a lollipop, I opened my mouth and bit his index finger.

Sweet~

This candy is grape-flavored.

At that moment, I still didn't know—Chase Milton, who always wore a cold face, was instantly stunned, panic flickering in his eyes.

Even his usually pale earlobes turned bright red, as if blood might drip down at any moment…

He stared at me like he’d never seen me before—like maybe, just maybe, he didn’t want to kill me after all. But I wasn’t sure if that was better or worse.

Outside, the streetlights of Northlake flickered and the faint hum of traffic drifted in from the highway. Somewhere, a train blew its horn, distant and lonely. Inside the dorm, the only thing I could hear was my own heartbeat and the soft rustle of Chase Milton's breath, closer than I ever imagined possible.