Daybreak Read Online Free PDF Page B

wrong. “Hey! Casey, this is…” Suddenly Lucas was struck with a moment of unease. What would Casey say if he knew Lucas was gay? Would he still want to be friends? Lucas realized in that moment that aside from Nate, he’d never told anyone else the truth. Nate’s friends obviously knew, but it wasn’t as if he’d come out to them. Showing up at a gay club holding hands with Nate had done the trick. Now as Casey stood waiting for Lucas to finish his sentence, Lucas was nervous. He didn’t want to lose his only friend.
    Marching forward, Nate smiled coolly and extended his hand. “I’m Nate. Lucas’s boyfriend .” He and Casey shook hands.
    “Hey, nice to meet you.” Casey smiled. “Well, I should get going. Lucas, see you in class next week. And hey, remember what I said about this weekend. Later.”
    Lucas gave him a wave. Well, he seemed okay with the gay thing, at least. Lucas turned to Nate, who was no longer smiling. “Got a hot date?”
    “What?” Did Nate really think he’d do that? “Casey’s a friend from English class. He just told me about some frat party. I’m not going.”
    “Much to his disappointment.”
    Was Nate jealous ? “I told you, we’re friends. He’s not even gay.”
    At that, Nate shot him a withering look. “Jesus, Lucas, we really need to take your gaydar into the shop. He’s totally into you.”
    Lucas sputtered and laughed in disbelief. “You cannot be serious. Nate, I just met him a few weeks ago. He’s a friend. Besides, how do you even know he’s gay? He never said anything to me.”
    “I know he’s gay because I know. Trust me, I can tell. Obviously you didn’t tell him you’re gay, since you apparently can’t even call me your ‘boyfriend’ out loud.”
    Shame coursed through him and Lucas reached for Nate’s hand after dropping his melting ice-cream cone into a nearby garbage can. “I don’t know what was wrong with me. I guess it’s just weird to come right out and say it to someone like that. I never have before.”
    Nate softened and squeezed his hand. “It’s okay. I know you’re new at all this.” He shook his head with a rueful smile. “But believe me, Casey would love to be a lot more than friends.”
    As if . “Nate, you’ve got nothing to worry about, okay?”
    “Yeah, okay.” He glanced around and brushed a lightning-quick kiss against Lucas’s lips. “I’ve gotta get to the darkroom lab. See you tonight.”
    Lucas watched him go, swiping at his cheek to make sure all traces of chocolate were gone.
    * * * * *
    Sitting cross-legged and sideways on the futon, Lucas surveyed the books in front of him. So much reading, and he didn’t want to do any of it. Nate sat in the desk chair they’d picked up on sale and leaned over the dresser they’d bought and put against the half wall.
    Lucas sighed loudly. “I think my brain has reached its maximum intake capacity. I’m reading, but nothing’s sinking in.” It was Friday afternoon, and he’d had his fill of school.
    Nate chuckled. “Tell me about it.”
    “Let’s go out. We could see a movie, or whatever.”
    Nate glanced up from his notebook. “I think I’m going to go home tonight. I need to use my darkroom for school and if I come tonight for dinner my mom won’t give me a hard time when I don’t stay tomorrow night.”
    Anything to avoid studying. “Oh. Okay. If you want to.”
    Nate’s brow furrowed. “It’s just one night. I could use some alone time and I need to get these pictures developed. The lab at school’s a zoo.”
    Alone time . Meaning time away from Lucas. “I thought you were taking mostly digital photography.”
    “I’m doing both. Remember, it’s only first year. There’s a lot of intro stuff.” He sat up straight in the chair and took his glasses off. “What’s the matter?”
    “Nothing, nothing. It’s fine.” Lucas tried to ignore the irrational surge of hurt he felt about the fact that Nate wanted to be away from him. He opened his