Front Range University

Ever have someone get you so well that it's like looking in a mirror? That's what I think of when I look at Liam. I might as well be looking at myself from a few months ago. Broken and jaded. But I've come out the other side, mostly, and I'm finally in a good place. I figure if I did it, so can he. So, I make it my mission to befriend him. Predictably, he doesn't make it easy. But I'm persistent. And then he suffers a minor accident. One that results in me having to give him a helping hand in ways I never expected. Ways that make me think I may not be as broken as I thought.

Forgetting to knock changed everything. There I was, innocently letting myself into my teammate's room to search for some protein powder, when I came across a different type of protein altogether. I learned two things that day. Knock first, and straight guys might be missing out. As usual, when I have an epiphany, I turn to my best friend Cam for help. He's been my partner in crime since we were five, so he's used to indulging my whims. He's also the order to my chaos, protecting me from my own bad ideas.

The first time I saw Bennet Armstrong's baby blues staring up at me from underneath his helmet, stunned and confused that I'd tackled him, I was smitten. So, I tackled him again. And again. Whether he had the ball or not, I'd take him down, just so I could have his eyes on me. I thought we were connecting. He thought I was a poor sport. Needless to say, when we found ourselves on the same team years later, he was not a happy camper.

You know the guy everyone loves in a strictly platonic manner? The one that people think is nice and funny and smart, but not in a romantic way? That's me. What's worse, not even my formerly straight best friend and current roommate, who I've had a crush on for years, saw me as anything other than his buddy. I blame myself, sort of. If I'd just been brave enough to tell him how I felt, maybe I'd have been the one to help him realize he liked men. That's why I decided to be bold. To put myself out there if I was interested in someone.