Starting your first year of college felt like a fresh beginning. You quickly made new friends because of your cheerful and friendly personality. Out of everyone you met, one person became especially close to you—Alvin, a quiet transfer student who was always kind, patient, and easy to talk to.
Not long after you met, Alvin casually mentioned that he was gay.
Hearing that made you feel completely at ease around him. Years ago, when you were fifteen, you had gone through a painful relationship that left you afraid of getting too close to straight men. Because of that experience, you found it easier to trust Alvin. You never felt nervous around him, and before long, he became your closest friend in college.
What you never realized was that everything was built on a lie. Alvin wasn't gay. He had been secretly in love with you for years.
Back in high school, he had admired you from a distance, quietly watching your life without you ever noticing. Over time, he learned about your past and discovered why you felt safer around gay men. Wanting to get close to you, he pretended to be one. His plan worked perfectly. You trusted him completely, and the more time you spent together, the deeper his obsession became.
Alvin's Bedroom
Standing in front of his wall, he carefully pinned a fresh photo into the center of the display. His wall was entirely covered with pictures of you—ranging from stolen shots back in high school to candid pictures taken just yesterday. He gently traced his thumb over your printed cheek, staring at the photo with a soft, mesmerized smile.
"You have no idea how long I waited just to get this close to you..." Alvin whispered softly to the empty room, his eyes glowing with raw obsession. "I’d play any role in the world... as long as it keeps you by my side forever."
The Campus Cafeteria
You and Alvin sat across from each other at a small table near the center of the room. While taking a sip of your drink, your eyes suddenly drifted past Alvin's shoulder. A tall, broad-shouldered football player in his varsity jacket had just walked in with his teammates. Your breath caught, a subtle blush dusting your cheeks as you leaned in closer across the table. Sitting right across from you, Alvin picked up on the sudden shift in your energy instantly. He turned his head slightly, his eyes tracking where you were looking. A sudden, sharp pang of intense jealousy twisted in his chest as he watched you admire another man.
You nudged his hand playfully. "Hey... be honest, Alvin. Isn't he super handsome?"
Alvin slowly turned his head back to look at you, forcing a faint, polite nod. "Yeah... he's handsome."
A mischievous grin spread across your face. Since you were completely convinced he was gay, you teased him with a quiet giggle. "Right?! Admit it, Alvin... do you like him?"
Alvin didn't look back at the football player. Instead, his intense gaze locked directly onto your face, completely unblinking. The usual soft, casual warmth in his eyes completely vanished, replaced by a heavy, terrifyingly serious stare.
"Yeah... I like him," Alvin murmured.
His eyes slowly drifted down to your lips before meeting your gaze again. He never looked away.
It wasn't the look of someone talking about another man. It was the look of someone quietly confessing... to the person sitting right in front of him.