The new guy was staring at him again.

The pervert!

Usually Luke was able to ignore it. But today he could literally feel those eyes focused on the back of his hair. He whipped his head round; locking eyes with the culprit.

The echo from the nervous student's tray as it hit the floor; glass and plate smashing, food flying; reverberated off the walls of the cavernous university canteen. Every single person jumped; all eyes turned his way.

Serves you right for staring!

The seventeen-year-old stranger turned ruby red. He seemed totally incapable of reacting and stared down at the mess on the tiled floor like it was by far the worst thing that could ever have happened.

Nobody moved.

Luke certainly didn't want to encourage this strange guy's unwanted admiration by helping, but he found himself rushing forward regardless. He waved the janitor over; bending to quickly pick up shards of crockery and chucking them back on the fallen tray.

There was a mashed potato stain on the guy's trousers; and for the first time, Luke noted how tall he was. The young man always seemed to go out of his way to make himself invisible; dangling jackets and jeans two sizes too big; stooped shoulders; thick black-rimmed glasses. When he wasn't staring at Luke he could be found sat in the corner alone; picking at his food while he read a book.

Suddenly, he smiled at Luke; a beautiful smile that crinkled his forehead and lit up his face.

Wait, did I just think that?

"Thank you," he said in awe.

Luke stood, stared at the guy for a moment before irritably shoving the tray at him and returning to his table.

He wasn't being rude. He wasn't! This… this thing… was getting to be more than a little tiresome.

The staring started their first semester at Northwestern. At first it was barely noticeable; but gradually it grew worse. Every lunch break, when all Luke wanted was to eat in peace with his friends; he was subjected to the other student's constant attentions.

It's creepy.

…

A week later, when Luke was eating lunch with his friend Ian, the man surprised them both by approaching their table.

"May I sit here?" he asked, gesturing to the one empty spot available.

Ian had already started nodding his affirmative when, without looking up from his meal, Luke curtly responded, "Seat's taken."

"Oh," the guy replied; embarrassment and devastation evident. "Okay."

"What the hell did you do that for?" Ian asked, as soon as the other young man was out of earshot.

"Well, I don't want to encourage him, now do I?" Luke replied.

"Why?" Ian asked with an all knowing raise of one eyebrow. "Because he might be gay?"

Luke shrugged.

"You know, even if he is, doesn't mean we can't eat with him. He's not going to, like, jump your bones in public or nothing!"

"Fuck off Sanders!" Luke stabbed his fork into half a pork sausage with more force than was necessary. "Can we just drop this?"

Ian held up both his hands in a gesture of defeat. But it didn't stop him from muttering, "Not everybody is like Kevin, Luke. Just because you lost love once, doesn't mean it can't be found elsewhere."

Luke ignored him.

…

That guy was staring at him again!

Luke completed his final jog of the track, only to catch sight of the man watching intently from the top most bleacher.

What the hell?

"His name is Noah Mayer," Ian's voice came at Luke from behind.

Luke shook his gaze free of the bleachers, "Ha?"

"Yeah," Ian replied, sitting on a nearby bench to tie his shoelaces. "I had a long chat with him yesterday. He's a nice guy."

"And? Why should I care?" Luke asked with annoyance. Quickly he grabbed his towel and set to work wiping the sweat from his body.

"He's an army brat. Been all over the world. Seems… I don't know… lonely…"

Luke pretended not to listen, but he couldn't help another glance up the bleachers.

I'm lonely too…

"…asked your name…"

"He what?" Luke interrupted.

Ian smiled like he knew a secret, "Yip."

"What did you say?" There was stark warning in Luke's voice.

"Luke, of course, what else?"

"Ian!" Luke moaned.

"What?" If Ian were a girl, Luke was sure he would have fluttered his eyelashes in innocence.

Luke sighed. "I have to study."

He grabbed his sports bag and headed for the showers.

…

Luke took an early lunch. He wasn't expecting to see any of the usual crowd up in the canteen, so he grabbed his book on the way.

Perfect time to enjoy a chapter or two.

To his horror, as he stepped into the elevator, Noah was already inside.

"Hi," Noah greeted with a small hand wave.

Luke cleared his throat and replied without smiling, "Hello."

The elevator doors closed.

Here he was, enclosed in a small space, with a guy who clearly had an obsession with him. Luke wondered whether he should be worried. Perhaps it would be a good idea to get out on the next floor.

Stop being a dork! Just because he's stared at you from time to time, doesn't mean he's some serial killer!

"Um, you need to press the button…?" Noah's soft voice interrupted Luke's muddled thoughts. "Unless you want to be in here all day…?"

Luke felt like an idiot but the situation was so funny he smiled as he turned to press for the 4th floor. Noah smiled back, the same smile Luke had seen that day in the canteen. Only this time, Luke noticed how blue Noah's eyes where behind the frames he wore.

He's beautiful.

There was a smack as Luke's book fell from his fingers and hit the floor. Ears heating from embarrassment, Luke bent down to retrieve it. Unfortunately, so did Noah and their heads collided with a hollow thud.

The elevator doors slid open and the general canteen clatter of plates, knives and forks filled the silence. Mortified, Luke quickly exited without looking back. He joined the queue at the food counter, ordered without really thinking about it, and took the first empty seat he could find.

His relief, however, was short lived. The carrot he popped into his mouth became lodged in the back of his throat, when he realised the table he'd chosen to sit at was full of people who were on the verge of packing up to go.

No, no, no! Don't leave me on an empty table!

He glanced over at the counter. Noah was paying. Pretty soon those blue eyes would scan the canteen to find Luke.

Luke ducked his head.

Prayed.

Waited.

"The Searchers by Alan LeMay…" Luke looked up to find Noah standing with his tray in one hand and Luke's book in the other. Noah handed Luke the novel. "A great book, but an even better film…"

Luke's mouth gaped as he took the book back.

"You left it in the elevator," Noah continued. "May I sit?"

The other tables were still pretty full so Luke shrugged and indicated the chair opposite.

"Bon appetite!" Noah smiled as he began to eat. Then after a while he asked,"Have you seen it?"

Luke was still recovering from the whole elevator incident. "Ha?"

Noah pointed his fork at the book. "The Searchers? It's a John Ford movie from the fifties."

Luke shook his head. "I don't watch anything that wasn't made after 1980."

"You should," Noah continued. "Natalie Wood makes for an intelligent Debbie Edwards."

Luke watched Noah as he spoke. The guy seemed more animated than usual.

"Did you know," Noah was saying. "That Natalie's younger sister Lana, played the young Debbie Edwards in that film?"

"If I haven't seen the film, I'm not sure how I would know that."

"Right…" Noah nodded, cutting a slice of steak. "Shame such an amazing actress should die the way she did…"

They spent the rest of lunch like this. Noah would make some or other remark about a classic movie made from a book Luke had read, and Luke would find a way to make fun of Noah, or argue a point of view. It was…

Fun?

…

"What about Shawshank Redemption?" Luke asked after a swig of soda.

"Oh god yes!" Noah agreed. "So much better than the book! With those performances?"

"Totally! Every movie should have a Morgan Freeman!"

As they continued their usual banter, Ian's head turned from side to side like a spectator at a tennis match.

"Anyway I got to split!" Noah quickly said, jumping to his feet and grabbing his books. "I've got a class."

"Okay," Luke smiled, "Catch ya later?"

Noah nodded and left them alone.

He looks amazing without those glasses.

"Ever since you guys hooked up, I don't get a chance to open my mouth all lunch-time!" Ian mused with mock annoyance.

"Yeah you do," Luke replied. "Every time you shove food in it!"

Ian smiled, "Smart ass!"

"He's great, right?" Luke asked with a grin that stretched ear to ear.

Ian studied Luke for a moment. " . God! You like him!"

Luke froze with a spoon in his mouth.

"You totally like-like him!"

Luke pulled the spoon out with a plop. "No. No. I mean… No way. I swore off that whole date and destruct thing after everything went south with Kevin."

"The heart wants what the heart wants, Luke. It's not something you can just decide to switch off when it suits you."

"Says who?" Luke's jaw set in a stubborn line. "And anyway… you're wrong about Noah… Totally wrong… Yes, I admit we get on well. We like the same things and he's fun to be around. But that's where it ends. We're just friends."

…

Over the few months that followed Noah gradually seemed to…

…come out of his shell?

Knowing and being seen with the ever popular Luke seemed to help the once shy Noah increase in confidence. He progressively wore more fitted jeans and brighter shirts; no longer hiding with stooped shoulders in the shadows. Noah could often be found laughing and chatting to other film students or to the new friend's he'd made through Luke.

And Luke was fine with this.

But when he rounded a corridor one rainy Thursday to find Noah leaning one-shouldered against the wall; casually conversing with blushed cheeks with some…

…asshole…

…Luke didn't know; a heat of anger and betrayal rose up so quickly he actually staggered back with the force of it.

Marching up to where the two students were chatting, Luke planted himself firmly between them.

"Noah," he said with obvious annoyance. "You were supposed to meet me for lunch today?"

"Oh," Noah replied with surprise. "I'm sorry, Luke. Tony and I were working on our project and I lost track of time."

Luke crossed his arms, turning his head to glare at the intruder.

"Your project?" he hissed.

Noah's face lit up and that just angered Luke even further.

"Yeah," he replied like an excited puppy. "Professor Lynch selected four of us to write and produce our own short movie. Isn't that incredible?"

"It's a real honour." Tony's voice wafted over Luke's shoulder before he could answer. "I'm so glad to be partnered with Noah. He's so talented!"

Luke cringed. "I see," he replied softly, swallowing the strange lump of anxiety that had risen in his throat.

…

Over the next month, it seemed no matter which way Luke turned he'd run into Noah and Tony together; pouring over books, discussing schematics, laughing…

…getting closer…

"You're jealous!" Ian teased when Luke complained to him.

"Like hell I am!" Luke responded. "But come on! Does Noah have to spend every waking moment with him? Can't he take a break once in a while?"

It felt to Luke like Noah was too busy to spend time with him, other than their regular lunch sessions. Luke would watch Noah longingly from afar; feeling like some clueless outsider; someone who wasn't "in" with the whole film business.

"Can I join you?" he timidly asked the two of them one July afternoon.

They were working outside at one of the college picnic tables. Noah looked incredible in a tight blue t-shirt that rose up his back as he bent over their work. Tony had a smooth, easy smile with bright white teeth. It didn't go unnoticed by Luke just how gorgeous Tony was; and Luke hated him for it.

Noah looked aggrieved. "I'm really sorry, Luke… But we have to get this script completed today and…"

"You're working." Luke interrupted, nodding his head so hard it almost flew off. "Yeah, I hear you. Look, Noah, if you don't want to hang out with me anymore, you just have to say!"

Without another word, he turned his back and walked angrily away. He didn't get very far before a hand grabbed his elbow and spun him around.

"Luke, wait!" Noah was out of breath from trying to catch up with Luke; his beautiful forehead crinkled with concern. "You're mad at me?"

Luke glanced down at his feet; shuffling them uncomfortably. He muttered his disapproval under his breath.

"What did you say?" Noah asked with frustration. "Luke! Come on! Speak to me."

Luke sighed. "I'm not mad, okay?"

"Okay," Noah responded. "Then what was that back there?"

Luke pulled a face. "Okay… So maybe I'm a little mad."

"At…?" Noah pushed.

"I'm happy you've found your place at school and everything, Noah. I really am… It's just… We used to hang out more and lately it's like, whenever I blink you're with Tony. You never have time for me anymore."

Noah released his grip on Luke's elbow; a look of confusion written all over his face. "Luke… I was with you all morning?"

"Yeah, but…"

"And yesterday we went to the movies."

"That was…"

"The day before that we had dinner at La Tasca… The day before that we went swimming… The day before that…"

"Okay, okay!" Luke held up his hands. "I get the picture!"

Noah moved closer until Luke could smell him. His heart felt suddenly like it would beat straight out of his chest.

"The only time I spend with Tony is at school," Noah insisted. "Because we are working on an important school project together for school. Yeah, I admit I like Tony. He's a great guy. But the only reason I'm spending time with him at all is because of school."

Noah had slowly backed Luke up against the brick wall of the squash courts. It felt ice cold against Luke's heated skin.

Noah leaned in so his lips blew hot air on Luke's ear, making him shiver. "I spend time with you because you're you…"

Luke's mouth ran dry. "Oh..."

"Yes," Noah nodded. "Big oh... Luke, I've been head over heals for you since the first day of school..."

"I know," Luke shook.

Noah cocked his head. He was so close Luke could feel the warmth from his body. "You do?"

Luke guiltily nodded. "Yeah. But... I guess I thought you'd maybe moved on when I didn't make a move and I would have done, honestly, only the whole Kevin breaking my heart thing and then-"

Luke's crazed and nervous babbling was quickly interrupted by the soft plumpness of Noah's lips, pressing with some urgency against his own until Luke had no choice but to open his mouth to the other student's curious and eager tongue.

He mused somewhere in the back of his mind that Ian was right - he had found again something he once lost. Only this time it was better.

Much... much... better...