The Squad Effect

Chapter 8 | Negative Effects

Nash Grier

Jay closed my bedroom door behind himself, leaving me out in the living room alone. I usually enjoyed being alone, but for some reason, I felt a pit in my stomach from the isolation. I figured that my best option would be to text a friend, maybe Shawn, and see if he wants to hang out.

"Hey faggot! Wanna meet me in the quad?" I read my message aloud and laughed before sending the text to Shawn. I don't really know why I found it so funny, but I continued to chuckle quietly to myself anyway. I found myself stalking over to the bathroom and grabbing my comb out of a basket that was laid on our counter. I brushed my stray hairs into place before setting them with hairspray.

I thought about what to do in the mean time while waiting for Shawn to respond. After spending several seconds staring at myself in the bathroom mirror, I decided to sit on the couch and try to catch an episode of The Twilight Zone. I picked the remote up off of the floor after basically launching myself into the couch, headfirst. I was about to turn on the TV when I hear a sound come from my room.

It was Jay. He was moaning quietly. I felt a shiver go up my spine, most likely from being creeped out. I wanted to turn on the TV to drown him out, but something was stopping me and I couldn't figure out what. Jay's moans started off few and far between but as the minutes wore on I noticed that he was gradually getting louder. It had gotten to the point where I could also hear the squelching sound of the fleshlight he borrowed from me. Think about what you're doing. You're listening to your friend f**k a fleshlight. This is probably the gayest thing you've ever done. I forced my thumb down on the power button that controlled the TV. The theme song and explanation for The Twilight Zone began to play once the screen came to life.

I was unable to hear Jay's sounds of pleasure anymore, which gave me mixed emotions. Part of me was just curious, and the other part was relieved that I couldn't hear those disgusting sounds. It was as if I began having an out of body experience as I turned the down volume on the TV. I kept going until I could hear Jay's moans clearly above the voices from the TV. The sounds had become more liberal and drawling than the last ones I heard.

Suddenly, the unexpected occurred. I felt blood rushing towards my lower body, as I focused on the sound of the squelching. Jay's gasps became more haggard and frequent. Images of Jay having his way with the fleshlight swirled in my mind, resulting in the hardening of my d**k below my jeans. You can't think like this. I began to create explanations and rationalize my thoughts in my head, but it all came down to one solid fact. The sound of my male friend getting off had made me horny.

I willed my b***r to go down by covering my ears with my hands and attempting to clear my thoughts, but it wasn't working. Eventually I sighed and gave up. I shifted my weight, the friction between my crotch and couch causing my breath to hitch in my throat. I reached down and began to massage the head of my d**k through my jeans. I buried my face in the couch pillows to stifle my moans.

"f**k!" Jay cursed breathlessly from inside my room. I pushed myself up off of the couch and pressed my ear to the bedroom door. I snaked my hand into my jeans, focusing only on the sounds of Jay's breathing and the new fleshlight being used. I stroked my hard-on over my boxers and tried to keep my own sounds of pleasure to a minimum. "Oh god..." Jay moaned as the squelching noises began to speed up. He was getting close, and thankfully, so was I. It would be almost impossible to explain away why I was standing directly outside the door with my hand down my pants. I spat into my palm before finally dipping my hand beneath my boxers, beginning to stroke my stiff c**k as quickly as I could, hoping that this experience would end soon. Jay's breaths were labored, quick, and consistent, which could only mean one thing.

"Shit." I couldn't stop the almost inaudible curse from spilling out of my mouth. I felt the familiar tightening of my abdomen as my hips involuntarily jerked forward. I leaned my head back and my jaw dropped as I blew my sticky load into my boxers. Jay let a few extra curses tumble out before letting out the loudest moan yet. I could only assume that he had c*m as well.

It was as if instead of coming down off of my high, my brain entered fight or flight mode. I dove to the ground in front of the couch in order to search under it. I remembered dropping an old pair of boxers on the ground while doing laundry a few days ago. Luckily, I saw the garment just sitting within arms reach. I grabbed it with my one free hand before running as fast I can into the bathroom and locking the door. I sighed and lifted my hand out of my boxers, ready to wash it thoroughly with water as hot as I could handle. I feel so dirty.

After scrubbing my hands for almost three minutes straight, I pulled down my jeans to assess the damage I had done to my current boxers. "Fuck..." I exhaled while furrowing my eyebrows in disgust. There's so much, but it's only been a day or two since the last time I got off. Now what?

*

I was heading to the quad, a tray of Chinese food in my hand. I was barely paying attention to where I was walking because my brain was swimming with rationalizations and uncertain thoughts. Why the hell did that happen? How the hell did that make me horny? There are very few things in my life outside the internet that make me horny, so how was a dude, that's also my friend, able to do it? I don't even like dudes. Or do I? Oh god, don't think like that. I cannot like dudes, I'm not gay. If anyone, Matt seems the most likely to be gay out of all of us. Not me.

I sat down at our lunch table which was situated in the shade, so we wouldn't burn. I was acutely aware that I was staring at the table and not eating, but it didn't bother me. I just needed to figure all of this out. Maybe I'm confused. That must be it. Cameron and the rest of the faggots on the football team must be throwing my mental state out of whack. Their presence is probably planting ideas in my head. Ideas about being sexually immoral. Limiting my contact with them should stop that from ever happening again. Hopefully.

Speaking of the devil, I noticed Jay exit the dormitories being followed by Jack Gilinsky. Jay turned to Jack and said something with an angry look on his face. Jay turned back away from Jack and came over to sit beside me, leaving Jack standing by the exit.

"I know you hate talking about your feelings, but we desperately need to talk." Jay muttered while stuffing a spoonful of quinoa into his mouth.

"I would rather not-"

"Nash. Earlier was awkward and I just wanted to say that I'm sorry. I was too loud, and you didn't deserve to hear that." Jay cuts me off.

"Apology accepted." I replied before finally starting on my tray of food.

Another familiar face exited the dormitories. Matt made a beeline for our table once he spotted us. He sat down hurriedly before taking a deep breath and regaining his composure.

"Look, I know we don't usually talk about our feelings," he began, "but I am feeling really on-edge. Carter is literally the worst roommate in history. He keeps hitting on me, and just being generally creepy. I hate him, and I requested a switch but there are no roommates available. They said my only option was the freshman dorm, but I would rather die than go back to those rooms." Matt exhaled after speaking rather quickly.

"Just ignore him." I suggested.

"Don't you think that I've tried that? He is relentless."

"Well, you're going to have to try harder. You can crash in our room if you need to, but a change has to be made. I have a theory. I think that being neighbors with the jocks has had a negative effect on us." I explained, hoping that I could avoid sharing my personal negative effect.

"Like, what type of negative effect?" Jay pried.

"Maybe immoral thoughts or actions." I suggested, trying to gauge their reactions.

"I can see that." Jay mumbled to himself.

"Not me. I haven't thought or done anything immoral." Matt put his hands up as if he was surrendering.

"Well, everyone seems to have gotten into the habit of sharing every little thing they're feeling. We've never been about that. Don't ask, don't tell, right?" I asked.

"Maybe sharing our feelings isn't the worst thing in the world. It certainly stops me from going absolutely crazy." Matt protested.

"My point exactly. You rely on sharing your feelings now. That's a definitive negative effect." I rebut.

Carter sits down right next to Matt, causing my friend to flinch with fear. I didn't even see him walk up, how did he get here so sneakily?

"Hey baby." He smirked while putting his arm around Matt. My eyes shot between the both of them, trying to determine who would break the awkward silence first. Matt looked as if he was about to respond but his eyes met mine. I shook my head slightly, which led him to close his mouth before turning back to his food. "Silence. Enjoy it while it lasts because tonight, when we have s*x, you'll be the opposite of silent." Carter nudged Matt, trying to illicit a reaction.

The comment about s*x threw me for a loop. My brain went from zero to a mile a minute with questions. Was it true? Was Matt really sleeping with a jock, let alone a male jock? Maybe the immoral actions had gotten to everyone else. What if the person Jay gave head to was a guy? Could all of my friends be undergoing the same effects as me?

"Handle it, Matt," was all I could manage to say through the confusion of all of the thoughts in my head.

"I thought I wasn't supposed to-"

"Handle. It." I repeated while scratching at the palms of my hands.

"Carter. You're gay and I'm not. Why can't you get that through that thick skull of yours. I don't want you, nor will I ever want you because I don't swing that way. Get lost, now." Matt whispered aggressively while turning to face him.

"And if I don't? What will you do with me?" Carter bit his lip, as if they were playing some type of weird s****l game.

"I will make you regret it for the rest of your life." Matt pulled a switchblade from his pocket and held it against Carter's abdomen. Carter looked at the blade, panic crossing his features for a split second before the smug look took over again.

"Fine, I'll go, but remember, two can play the dangerous weapon game." He winked as he got up and headed back to his own table.

"That was stressful. I think I deserve a donut. Come with me?" Matt asked Jay as he put away the switch. Jay nodded before getting up and taking off with Matt, back to the cafeteria.

While waiting for my friends to come back, I found myself scanning the quad. The beauty of the outdoor area was ruined by none other than Cameron Dallas. He was sitting at his sunny table, with my sister in his lap, making out. The sight made me want to puke. Sure, Ellie wasn't my favorite sibling, but she was still a sibling, thus it was my duty to do something, right? I mean, I can't just sit here and watch this, (as in my body physically won't allow me to sit here and watch this without throwing up.) I stood up and made my way over to the pair at almost lightning speed. I tapped Ellie on the shoulder, not making any effort to be subtle or gentle.

"What do you want Nash?" She sighs after breaking her kiss with Cameron.

"Can we talk?" I ask, unable to look the both of them in the eyes.

"Fine." She agrees. We walked in the opposite direction until we're out of the earshot of everyone at the table.

"What do you want now?" She asks.

"First of all, why haven't I seen you around? You'd think our parents weren't married or something." I ask.

"We got caught having a party in the club building. Don't worry, I only got thirty hours of community service since Cammy's mom is one of the school's benefactors." She explained while resting her hands on her hips.

"It's too late. I'm already worried! Anyway, my second point was that you need to break up with Cameron." I ordered, hoping that she wouldn't fight me on this.

"WHAT? No! Why would I ever do that?"

"He's a sophomore, you're a freshman. That should be enough of an explanation. You don't know him, he'll manipulate the s**t out of you just because you're younger. You should find someone in your own grade." I tried to convince her, but the look on her face told me that she wasn't listening to a single thing I said.

"Why does it mean so much to you? If you want him for yourself, all you have to do is say so! I won't judge you." She replied cynically, knowing jokes like that got under my skin.

"I'm not gay, I'm just looking out for my sister! Is there a problem with that?"

"Babe!" Cameron shouts over to us, gesturing for Ellie to join him again.

"Step-sister. And, I don't need you looking out for me." She glared before rejoining my arch nemesis in his sunny domain.