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―I know It‘s locked‖ When he opened his ain, I said, ―Yes, the librarian doesn‘t come in for another hour, I know Do you have the key?‖ He nodded ―Can you unlock the door?‖

He shook his head ―The librarian has to be there‖

―Well, can I go to my locker, please? Maybe by the time I put my stuff away, the librarian will be in‖ I could tell he didn‘t like the idea, but I was alreadyfor peret maybe ten feet then called, ―Hey!‖

Nohat? I looked back ―Yes?‖

He held up that damn coffee, the one I‘d set dohen I tried the library doors

―This yours?‖

By the ti Great I couldn‘t even handle a perv janitor No way I was going back downstairs, not while that guy was around Maybe hide in the bathroom? Bathrooms were safe, even in the dark

Especially in the dark Lockinto my iPod, tune out, and let the blackness fold around like a blanket

The upstairs hall was quiet Lockers lined white cinder-block walls, which were broken at intervals by closed classrooht A spray of fluorescent light splashed onto the floor, and there waslush and bittersweet

Well, okay, so a teacher was getting a ju todeal I‘d just slide by, pray my locker door didn‘t make a racket, then dump my stuff and duck into the bathroom at the other end of the hall

I moved fast, on the balls of my feet, quiet as ainto the swell of violins was like passing into a finea quick glance to the right--

And stopped dead

Because Oh My God

3: a

It was your standard cheed by lab benches and high stools, with a de special

Nothing, that is, but him

His back was toout a bank of s overlooking the woods to the northeast The sky was a clear, crisp cerulean blue

The rays of the rising sun bathed his shoulders and back, which were flawless and very old

Because he was naked

I had turned to stone I justBob, I just couldn‘t move You have no idea, or irl ould be your wifeMaybe it wasn‘t a thunderbolt moment for you, but even my parents, as messed up as they are, remember the instant they first laid eyes on each other So I remember every second of that first ti out of a dreaht rippled over valleys made of muscle and that smooth, smooth skin

His hair, dark and curly, fired with red and blond highlights His raceful and utterly unselfconscious because he thought he was alone He was a deod, and I elllawed Like someone this perfect just couldn‘t be

I know that sounds hokey to you, Bob But that‘s how I felt That‘s the truth and that very first ht and beauty is one I will never, ever forget

c

Maybe Iwatched Either way, he sensed soan to turn and move away fro khaki slacks cinched around a tried in surprise ―Wha--?‖

―Sorry!‖ And then I was bolting, a freaked-out little bunny scuttling down the hall

Bathroom, bathroom, where was the bathroo: If I can just get away

Of course, it was locked I hit pretty hard, too The iht arered back and then the lid of that stupid coffee cup popped like a cork froush of tepid cappuccino sheeted over the door and sloshed over s Sticky liquid crawled down my calves and leaked into my shoes Oh no no no

―Whoa, whoa, hey‖ He was in the hall now ―It‘s okay, it‘s okay; relax, I‘ to hurt you; it‘s okay‖

I burst into tears