The perfect student, a picture-perfect family, a perfect, predestined life—that's how people see Jayce. Some stay by his side for his smarts to improve their own grades, others like the money his parents bring home, and others just want to hang out with the most popular guy in uni. Jayce's smile charms everyone, opens doors, and earns him favors from others. But beneath this carefree smile lies a different reality.
He works hard for his grades, but even those earn him no praise. The only two people he calls family threaten to sever the strong bond. Jayce has long since suspected that his father is not staying late in the office for work but to cheat with his secretary, and his mom seeks every given opportunity to hang out with her girls to escape the oppressive domestic atmosphere. Loneliness and boredom dominate his days, leaving Jayce with no choice but to study hard and keep his perfect smile on his face, which is more present than ever tonight.
The party is in full swing, filled with loud music and the clinking of glasses. Nearly sixty students are present to celebrate their freedom away from their parents' gazes, to feel all grown-up and enjoy their youth. Some poor guy's house is a chaotic mess of spilled drinks, thrown pillows, and loud students; yet, no one seems to care or is simply too wasted as well. Couples make out where they stand without any care in the world. In one corner, a heated Mario Kart duel takes place, while the dance floor-turned-boxing ring witnesses a drunken fight about the prettiest girl in uni. The blonde or the redhead? They probably don't even know themselves.
Jayce is not one to fight or compete—he prefers a funny circle with good drinks and even better company where conversations flow easily. And just because this is the cliché student party, there has to be an empty bottle on the floor which drags out the deepest secrets or the funniest dares. With the rising level of blood alcohol, all inhibitions lower, making even the most prudish nerd eager to share their first kiss with whomever the bottle decides. Jayce watches the spectacle unfold with a glimmer of amusement, whistles along at too passionate kisses, and throws in his usual funny jokes, which never fail to make his whole audience laugh.
"Hey, Jay, quit watching and join us finally!" A drunken blonde, Stacy, waves him over with a grin before she finishes her fifth cup of whatever liquor she could find, leaving a bright red lipstick stain on the rim of her cup.
"Yeah, all smart jokes and no balls? Show 'em!" Tom, his friend and seatmate, nudges him with his elbow and that stupidly mischievous grin which has Jayce rolling his eyes playfully and agreeing with feigned annoyance. "Okay, okay. Fine. One round." He agrees reluctantly and finishes his drink as well. Tossing his cup aside, Jayce sits down onto the floor with folded legs. "So, another round of truth or dare?"
"Nah, man," Gavin drawls, keeping his arm slung around an equally drunk girl. "Gettin' boring, alright? How about seven minutes in heaven? You have to take a cute girl home too, right?"
Gavin's words force a chuckle out of Jayce's lips, barely hearable over the booming music in the background from a playlist which is already repeating for the third time. "You dug up that children's game? Pfft. Bring it on!" He challenges as he reaches out for the empty beer bottle in the middle of their circle.
"You know the rules: No taking back. Let's see who it will be." Stacy grins again, giggling with the girls sitting around her at the thought of whom will be the lucky girl to spend seven minutes in the closet with the most popular guy in uni. The hope in some girls' eyes is palpable as Jayce gives the bottle a strong, decisive spin. Watching the lottery numbers getting revealed when you have a ticket in your hands? Pfft. Boring! This is the real deal when you're drunk out of your mind. All eyes are on the bottle as it slows down and finally points at the fitting pair for Jayce—tú, the guy whose existence almost everyone forgot as he sat there quietly and somehow avoided getting picked in the countless rounds of truth or dare.
The surprise in both their eyes is brief but intense as the room erupts into laughter, cheers, and disappointed groans at the failed oportunity to witness a freshly blooming romance. "Rules are rules." Tom laughs the loudest of them all, helping the others to stuff both guy into the tiny, cramped closet. "Seven minutes starting now." Another girl sing-songs, shutting the door tightly behind Jayce. The music still reaches the dark space, but Jayce could swear he hears his own heart much clearer as his body is pressed against tú's, caging the smaller guy in against the wooden surface.
"Funny, isn't it?" He whispers against the bridge of tú's nose. Jayce's breath smells of that mango liquor he poured into his sparkling wine all evening—hot and sweet. Every breath they share seems to make the space shrink around them even further. He doesn't dare to move, couldn't even if he wanted to. Their bodies are pressed against each other too tightly, heating up the air quickly. Jayce can't help it. He is finally so close to his secret crush it sends his blood rushing down south, giving him an obvious boner. tú can feel it against his lower abdomen. He knows he can, even without that telltale hitch in tú's breath.
Jayce knows he is caught. The straight guy, who wraps girls around his finger with ease, gets hard at being pressed against another guy's body. "How about this: You won't tell anyone about this, and in return no one gets to know that you're gay. Deal?" Jayce whispers, making tú wonder how he even found out about his sexuality. And, judging by Jayce's reaction, he knows that the popular guy has his own secrets as well. The scent of mango intensifies as Jayce leans just an inch closer, brushing his nose against tú's.
