Not even two minutes after the bus departed from Admirant did Taurus’s hand slowly creep up Virgo’s thigh. Virgo yanked it off and gave Taurus a bone-chilling scowl.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?!”

Taurus just grinned. The professor, who was sitting (coincidentally) in front of the pair turned around with a nervous look.

“P-please, you two…no fighting on this trip.”

“Shut up, geezer.” Taurus’s grin disappeared and he gave a similarly bone-chilling look to the poor professor, who quickly sat back in his seat.

“So.” The grin reappeared on Taurus’s face and he put his hand back on Virgo’s thigh. “How should we pass the time?”

“I could…report you for sexual harassment,” Virgo said. “Or…I could hit you again.”

Taurus shivered with pleasure. “How about we play a game?”

“How about you shut up so I can catch up on sleep?” Virgo snapped, and leaned against the window, trying his hardest to ignore Taurus and take a nap. But Taurus didn’t make it easy.

He kept teasingly putting his hands on Virgo’s legs and arms, almost as if he were inspecting all the crevices of his body. And to Virgo’s dismay, his body was reacting to it. It wasn't as if he’d forgotten the attraction he felt to Taurus, but the Leo incident had distracted him from any physical responses.

Now that Taurus’s skilled hands were slowly rubbing his limbs, he felt his member stir in his pants and squeezed his eyes shut tighter, hoping Taurus wouldn’t notice.

There was a pause in the motion, and Virgo could feel Taurus’s eyes on his pants. Did he see the bulge in his jeans? Virgo unsuccessfully tried to shift further away. His cheek was pressing against the window. Taurus just kept staring and it was driving him insane. Without much of a choice, Virgo closed his eyes and began to feign slumber. After a few more minutes, he heard rustling and assumed Taurus was pulling out his phone. A wave of relief swept over Virgo and he, surprisingly, sank into a real snooze.

The ride wasn’t the least bit as bad as Virgo had thought it would be. He’d slept through the first and second hour, lulled by the gentle whirring of the bus’s engine and the sound of wheels on the pavement, and woke up at the start of the third. Upon waking, he saw that Taurus was asleep, his arms folded across his chest and his head tilted back. Virgo couldn’t help but examine him. Taurus looked so…gentle. He was giving off a completely different vibe than he did when he was awake.

He really is handsome, Virgo thought absentmindedly, then cringed when he realized what he was admitting. But it was the truth. Taurus’s curled brown hair was resting on his shoulders which were moving ever-so-slightly as he inhaled and exhaled deeply. His eyelashes, which were unbelievably long, fluttered in the breeze of the air conditioning. He was wearing another oversized hoodie from his collection and baggy pants. The clothes were loose-fitting, almost as if to tease Virgo who couldn’t help but wonder what Taurus looked like naked. He’d had the thought ever since their first kiss and always cursed himself for it.

If only you could always be like this, Virgo thought. He glanced around at the other students and saw that those who were awake were seemingly relaxed now that their tyrant was unconscious. Nobody seemed to be paying him and Taurus any mind…which was fine with Virgo. He was a bit tempted to pull out his phone and take a picture—for both personal and professional reasons. Oh, who was he kidding? It would be personal. Virgo didn’t pleasure himself as frequently as other guys his age, and when he did, it wasn’t to photos. But now, the idea was a bit captivating, especially since his digit was growing hard again. Maybe I’ll relieve myself when we arrive at Lausk, Virgo thought, squirming with discomfort. He held his phone hesitantly before Taurus’s face. To take or not to take?

Eventually, Virgo worked up the nerve to snap a quick picture and hurriedly switch to a new app. Taurus let out a little snore and Virgo immediately panicked, thinking he’d been found out. He stared at Taurus warily and then shook his head. No, that man was fast asleep.

It’ll be fine, Virgo thought. I just have to last one more hour…

*

Virgo spent the next hour listening to music and staring out the window, watching as the bus approached the bright blue waters of Lausk Lake. The bus began to grow lively as students recognized their surroundings and started up conversations.

“Are we here?”

“Yeah—see the lake out the window?”

“Wow…it’s so big!”

“And clear.”

“I can’t wait to go swimming!”

“You think we’ll get free time?”

“I hope so. Maybe after the chemistry experiments.”

“We’re just getting lake water, right? Shouldn’t take that long—we’ll have the rest of the day and tomorrow before we leave!”

The bus pulled to a stop and the professor rose from his seat.

“Everyone, we have arrived at Lausk Lake,” he said. “Please exit the bus single-file and make your way to the cabins. We will be starting our tests early tomorrow morning to get the most accurate samples, so the rest of the day today is yours. I will be passing out worksheets requiring a few simple introductory responses. These are due before we leave tomorrow. The mess hall will be open for lunch from 12 to 3 pm, and dinner from 5 to 9 pm. I will be setting up a s’more station down by the dock, if anyone is interested.”

A few students whooped with pleasure. The professor continued.

“There are a few rules you must abide by. One, there is a curfew. I don’t want to see a single soul out after midnight. This is for your own safety and so we don’t have missing students. Two, no boys in the men’s cabin and no girls in the women’s. If I catch you in the cabin meant for the opposite gender, there will be consequences. And lastly, have fun. This is a chemistry-based retreat that is meant to be enjoyable. Be the responsible adults you are and treat this camp as if it is Admirant’s campus. That’s all for now.”

With that, he started for the bus exit. Everyone started getting up and filing into the aisle, Taurus and Virgo included. The second he was out the door, Virgo speed walked away from Taurus…but ended up in the same crowd as him as they moved to the boys’ cabin.

Which was nicer than Virgo had expected. There were bunk beds, enough to fit everyone, lining the wall. There was also a communal bathroom with only a few cobwebs. No dead bugs or mold stains in sight!

The boys’ cabin was also directly behind the mess hall, with the girls’ cabin on the other side. Virgo adjusted the strap on his duffel bag and glanced around, trying to find someone to bunk with. Taurus glanced at their room and then at Virgo, as if trying to signal that they should sleep together. Virgo ignored it, so Taurus walked over to a vacant bunk that nobody had claimed and put his hands on his hips.

“Listen up, dorks,” he said. “I’m claiming the top and bottom bunk of this bed. Nobody better come over here.”

I don’t think he needs to worry about that, Virgo thought with a sigh. The other male students were choosing bunks the furthest away from Taurus’s.

Taurus walked up to Virgo. “Top or bottom?”

“Neither,” Virgo said, and glanced around to find someone who needed a bunk buddy. That’s when he realized everyone was watching him with fearful expressions. Virgo was confused…until he realized nobody wanted to get involved with him, lest they become one of Taurus’s targets. Virgo wouldn’t be surprised if everyone in the room somehow knew about the beatdown Leo gave his female friends and were afraid of it happening to them. Maybe they learned that Virgo beat up Leo, making him even more notorious. Though, since he hadn’t had anyone approach him about it, Virgo figured it was just the general fear of being associated with Taurus or Leo.

Virgo groaned and rubbed his temples. It looked like he needed to hold on to the friends he currently had—it was going to be rough making new ones. He looked back at Taurus who was just standing there with a smug expression on his face. Virgo gritted his teeth. He wanted to kick him.

“Top,” he eventually responded. Taurus’s grin widened and he raised his eyebrows.

“Ooh,” he said. “You, a top? Interesting.”

“This isn’t like that, idiot,” Virgo growled and hurled his duffel bag up to the top bunk of the set Taurus had claimed. Taurus chuckled and made himself comfortable on the bottom bunk. If Taurus is going to stay in the cabin, I’d better get out, Virgo thought. It was still morning, after all. He may as well try to bond with his peers.

*

Although he’d seen it coming, nobody in chemistry class wanted to be associated with Virgo. He’d tried talking to guys and girls—and both times got one-worded fearful responses. That made sense, though. Chemistry was the center location at school regarding the drama between him and Taurus. Those poor students had to hear Virgo and Taurus’s bickering. They’d also been witnesses to the kiss. Virgo didn’t blame them for wanting to keep their distance.

It was still isolating, though, and Virgo missed his friends. He wandered around, trying to bond with people the whole morning and much of the early afternoon. Then he’d gotten lunch and gone down to the lake, where he again tried to socialize. After multiple failed interactions, he’d just gotten dinner and headed back to the cabin as the sun was setting. No point in going for s’mores if I’m just going to be ostracized, he thought. Even the professor acted strangely around him.

When he arrived in the boys’ room, Taurus wasn’t there. His duffel bag was also intact, which Virgo thought was strange—he’d assumed Taurus would rummage through it like a wild animal. But none of his clothes were missing, and he even found the candy bar he’d been storing for an emergency snack.

Virgo decided he’d take a shower and grabbed soap and shampoo. He opened the door to the communal bathrooms and saw that it was empty, meaning he had his pick of the showers. He quickly stripped down, slipped on shower shoes, and entered a stall. The water was hot and felt good on his exhausted body. Virgo scrubbed his skin and hair, rinsed off, and wrapped a towel around his waist. Then he pulled back the curtain and stepped out…

…only to see Taurus in front of him. Virgo sighed. The amount of times they’d run into each other lately was absurd.

Taurus had his back turned and was removing his shirt, no doubt preparing to shower as well. Virgo tried not to look at his toned muscles as the shirt came off and dropped to the floor. But the urge overcame him and he inhaled sharply at the sight of Taurus’s exposed skin.

Unfortunately, Taurus heard his erratic breathing and turned around with a knowing smile.

“Well, well, Virgo,” he said. “I know you’re obsessed with me, but isn’t watching me undress a bit much?”