《Mike & Rocco》


 1. 1991: First Day of Class

    Rocco


    The air on the second floor of the High School was thick with Cool Water and Love¡¯s Baby Soft. Every now and then, someone passed by reeking of patchouli. It was the first day of Rocco¡¯s senior year, and it was going to be all kinds of awesome.


    He intentionally chose electives and easy classes so he would not have to work too hard this year. This was going to be the year he would let go and enjoy the fuck out of this experience. Last night, he had just dyed his hair blue black. His hair was already black thanks to his Mexican heritage, but all the stress from perfect grades and spotless behavior had caused him to get a few gray hairs here and there. They stood out against his black hair, and he was having none of that right now. All last night, he kept admiring the effect of the dye¡­jet black but blue under the light. He looked like Superman.


    He had spent all summer working out and watching what he ate. He dropped 20 pounds and was starting to develop muscles. He was no longer the chunky lug he had always been during middle school and most of high school. His old clothes were hanging off him like the slacker he was meant to be. He had also spent the summer mastering his skateboarding technique. He had always been a skater but never quite felt confident enough to get on the board in front of the real skaters. His neighborhood had started a new development over the summer so there were plenty of freshly laid empty asphalt and concrete spaces to practice his tricks to perfection. So, while he was still shaky on some of the more advanced tricks, he had practiced enough of the beginner and intermediate tricks that he was confident enough to go to the skate park. Over the summer, he was getting along well with the skate punks. They started to hang out to smoke up and shred over the summer. A couple of them even asked him to start up a band. Rocco looked forward to hanging out with them at school minus all the scholastic pressure. He had already learned where the secret smoke and toke location was on campus and looked forward to lighting up after school.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

 1. 1991: First Day of Class Part 2

    Rocco had also started to come to accept his sexuality for the most part. He had always known in his heart that he was attracted to boys the way that guys his age were attracted to girls. He had always been teased and bullied for being different. Other guys seemed to pick up on his budding sexuality. There was the time in 5th grade when he was playing Uno with his two male friends at the time. The class bully came up and kicked the cards all over the ground. ¡°Cards are for sissies!¡± he sang followed by ¡°Go play house with your boyfriends!¡±


    There was the time in the gym locker room in 7th grade when Rocco got caught gazing just a second too long at another guy. ¡°Quit staring at me, queer!¡± that guy replied followed by the multitudes of ¡°faggot¡±, ¡°gayfer¡±, and ¡°homo¡± from the other guys. Afterwards, all the guys in the locker room kept their distance from Rocco. There was that one time, a year later, when one guy walked by and pulled his dick out and said, ¡°Like what you see, faggot?¡±


    It was obvious to everyone that Rocco was not 100% straight. This always made Rocco wonder why any girls liked him. Throughout his school time so far, there was always a girl that had a crush on him. Rocco would be shocked when he found out. He never pursued any girls. Not wanting to lose out on the opportunity to prove to everyone that he was not gay, he would be okay with being their boyfriend even though he would not reciprocate the girl¡¯s feelings. If he had a girlfriend, no one would question his sexuality, he thought. Everyone would be shocked when they found out Rocco was going out with a girl. The relationship would usually last a month or two and fizzle out when the girl¡¯s attention went to a more attentive guy.


    Something changed over the summer. Maybe it was all the television he watched that had a token gay character¡ªthe increased visibility and acceptance of gay culture. Maybe it was the ¡°whatever¡± attitude creeping into the youth of the new decade¡ªthe need to rebel against the sellout Boomers. Maybe it was all the time he spent skateboarding alone that made him think. Maybe it was all the weed he smoked. Something loosened up in him over the summer. He was at ease with the idea of exploring his attraction to other guys. He was not at a point of completely coming out of the closet, but, if the opportunity came up to hook up with a guy, he would try it out.


    That seemed to be an empty promise in Miners Creek, Tennessee. No one he knew personally was openly gay. Rocco¡¯s friend group were the punks, skaters, and the misfits. None of them seemed overtly conservative but none seemed particularly progressive. He got the impression that all his friends knew about his sexuality and didn¡¯t really care. They just did not want to know about it¡ª it¡¯s cool if you¡¯re gay, but let¡¯s not go any further on that topic.


    Only the overtly gay guys would get beaten up. Rocco knew of this one guy a year under him who came out. This guy had a perpetual black eye from the daily beatings. However, this guy always wore his rainbow colors proud. Rocco admired this guy even if he didn¡¯t know him personally. There were plenty of openly gay adults in town that did not have issues. These adults also had plenty of money and privilege and could easily take their community investments elsewhere. The town had a begrudging tolerance of these folks. Again, I¡¯m ok with gay people but I don¡¯t want to see it.


    Being gay was not at all popular in this high school. So, there was Rocco¡ª gay on the inside, kind of asexual on the outside. Last year someone wrote in his yearbook:


    You¡¯re a cheesy fag


    but you smoke dope


    so you¡¯re cool.


    That summed up his social status and sexual identity beautifully. So, Rocco would remain silently curious even though he knew fully well that he only was attracted to guys.


    The bell rang indicating it was time to get to class¡ªthe first period of his first day of senior year. His flannel shirt had a faint scent of weed¡­man he wished he had a buzz going right now.  He was glad to be out of the house away from his overbearing mother. He was glad to be with his friends.


    ¡°What up Roc,¡± his best friend in the world, Austin, said from behind him. Austin was an all-around good guy¡ªan unassumingly standard white guy from a decent family. He had known Austin since 7th grade. Austin¡¯s family had just moved into town. Rocco knew that feeling. Rocco and his mom moved back down south from Pennsylvania when he was in the 4th grade. She had just divorced her second husband and felt the need to uproot everything and move back home. Rocco had only visited his grandparents, so Miners Creek was never home to him. Rocco¡¯s dad was in the Navy, so he had been raised all over the place. He never developed his mom¡¯s thick southern accent. From the start, Rocco never felt like he belonged to one place. His dad eventually bought a house in Virginia and stayed there for a considerable amount of time. The year before Rocco met Austin, Rocco¡¯s dad was killed in an accident.


    There was something about losing a parent and being the new guy in school that made Rocco and Austin bond. Maybe it was the shared sense of loss. Whatever it was, they clicked. They could give each other a glance and bust out laughing when the teacher said something unintentionally dirty¡ªlike the word ¡°nuts¡± or ¡°screw¡±. They had created the term ¡°tater tits¡± when tater tots were on the lunch menu.


    ¡°Dude, I¡¯m off to class,¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°What do you have now?¡± Austin asked.


    ¡°Civics One,¡± Rocco rolled his eyes. This was going to be an easy A class. ¡°I¡¯ve got Civics 1 and 2, psychology and sociology, English, Spanish, calculus and physics. You?¡±


    Austin replied, ¡°Drafting, calculus, physics, English, accounting, and chemistry. Damn, we are not sharing any classes this year except English. That¡¯s during my lunch. ¡°


    ¡°Yeah, same here,¡± Rocco replied.  ¡°So, we got one class together.¡± Rocco was relieved he would get to have lunch with his best friend. He hated having to eat with strangers.


    The bell rang to alert everyone to get in their seats.


    ¡°I¡¯ll save you a seat in English,¡± Austin said and ran off downstairs. Rocco looked after him as he went down the stairs. Yeah, it really was great to see Austin. He was gone most of the summer, so they didn¡¯t get a chance to hang out much. Austin had started to let his hair grow out into a pseudo mullet which was the current style. Rocco preferred to keep a Caesar cut thinking he would bring some style to this shit town.


    Rocco entered the classroom just in time for the late bell to ring.


    ¡°Everyone, find a seat.¡± The teacher yelled. Civics 1 and 2 were to be taught by Mr. Pendleton. He had a reputation for being a super easy teacher. Rocco wanted that


    Rocco knew two people in this class, but they sat in the back of the room where all the seats were occupied. It was a mixed grade elective meaning sophomores, juniors, and seniors could take the class. Their high school was only 10, 11, and 12th grades. The class was mostly juniors. He knew a few juniors, but the ones he did know were not in this class. The juniors in here he had only recognized but didn¡¯t know them. The sophomores were new, so he hadn¡¯t had a chance to meet any of them yet. Rocco stood there looking for an empty seat preferably a lefty desk.


    ¡°There¡¯s an empty seat right there, Rocco.¡± The teacher pointed to a chair in the second row a bit off center. The seat was behind a guy staring at him. Rocco noticed this guy¡¯s strawberry blond hair and round tortoise shell glasses¡ªan attractive fellow but nothing stunning. He looked a bit like a ginger version of Cary Elwes. He had to be a sophomore, because he didn¡¯t look familiar. He also looked like a little kid even though he had a hint of orange upper lip stubble. He was wearing a tennis sweater, a pair of purple Duckhead shorts, and brown penny loafers. Obviously, he was going for a preppy vibe. As Rocco approached him to occupy the empty seat, the guy¡¯s blue eyes stared into Rocco¡¯s dark brown eyes. Rocco gave him a nod and a ¡°what¡¯s up¡± before sliding into the seat. Rocco noticed him glance over his shoulder. At first, Rocco thought it was a little unsettling but eased up. Perhaps he knew him somehow somewhere.


    The desks in the room were the type that were a chair with an arm platform for writing. The chairs were various colors, but they all had a large hole in the back so that a person¡¯s waistband could be seen from the person behind. This led to many glimpses of ass cracks throughout Rocco¡¯s tenure. The desks also had an attached wire rack under the chair for books. Often, the person behind would insert their feet if the rack was not used to further slouch down into the desk. Rocco did just this activity. As he perched his feet into the rack, his knees rested against the guy¡¯s lower back that was visible through the chair hole.


    Most guys would scoot away in their chair to avoid touching, or they do nothing. Not this guy. He pressed closer into Rocco¡¯s knees. That was a bit of an unexpected reaction. Was he trying to claim his territory or was he enjoying this physical contact? Rocco started to study the back of this guy¡¯s head. He noticed the way his red hair swirled counterclockwise around his crown. He noticed the neat conservative haircut that was short on the sides and back and longer towards the top and front. He noticed the pale, freckled complexion of his neck. He noticed how the tennis sweater vest was bright and clean¡ªthe mark that his parents regularly did laundry. This guy was put together well unlike Rocco¡¯s grungy attire of flannel, a Fugazi t-shirt, and faded jeans with a hole in the left knee. The thing that Rocco noticed the most was the smell of freshly applied Polo cologne¡ªa very clean and light scent. This guy must have felt Rocco¡¯s gaze. Rocco noticed the guy¡¯s ears turn red. This guy started to turn to look over his shoulder, so Rocco quickly averted his gaze down to his bookbag.


    As Rocco dug through his bookbag for a pencil and a notebook, the teacher shushed the class and began:


    ¡°Welcome to Civics 1, let me first take role to see who is here¡­Mike Barber¡±


    The guy in front of him said here. Mike Barber. That¡¯s what this guy¡¯s name is. Mike Barber. That name sounded kind of familiar. Was he related to Joe Barber, the quarterback of the football team? Joe Barber was as a senior like Rocco. Was this Joe¡¯s little brother?


    Rocco did not know much about Joe, but Rocco lusted after him since he started high school. Joe was always athletic and had a muscular physique as long Rocco knew him.  Joe had become massive in size over the past two year. Mike looked nothing like Joe, however. Mike was thinner¡ªnot lanky¡ªjust kind of average in size and height.  Mike was not a jock. Joe¡¯s features were also darker. He had brown hair and eyes and a smooth medium complexion. Mike was a ginger with blue eyes and pale skin. Mike also was covered in freckles. Although he did not get a detailed looked at Mike, Rocco would have to really strain to find any resemblance between the two brothers, if they were related.  Mike could have a been a cousin for all he knew.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    The teacher kept going down the list of students each replying with a here. When the teacher got to Rocco, he said his full name Marcus Rocio but then corrected himself by half stating/half asking, ¡°but you go by Rocco, right?¡± Rocco nodded. Rocco noticed that it looked like Mike wrote something down.


    ¡°Alright. Now that¡¯s out of the way, let¡¯s get into the subject at hand,¡± Mr. Pendleton said as he explained what civics was and what he expected from class.  It would be interactive with plenty of in-class exercises. All during this speech, Rocco could not stop thinking about the soft scent of Polo cologne coming from Mike.  Rocco was mostly indifferent towards the scent but something about how it mixed with Mike¡¯s pheromones made Rocco see sparkles in his peripheral vision. He was intoxicated.


    Mr. Pendleton snapped Rocco out of his trance. ¡°We are going to do an icebreaker exercise. I¡¯m going to pair you with another student and have you answer a few questions about each other. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not going to make you introduce each other to the class or anything like that. Just focus on the questions.¡±


    Rocco hoped he would get someone interesting at least for this exercise. He was kind of hoping to be paired with this guy in front of him with the intoxicating scent. Mr. Pendleton continued, ¡°The first and third rows turn your desks around to face the person behind you. This will be your partner.¡± YES! Rocco thought, face to face with the scent!


    As everyone in the first and third rows turned their chair desks around, Rocco started to get a good look at Mike Barber. He could now see the resemblance between Mike and Joe Barber in profile. The two shared the same button nose and full lips. Mike remained in his chair while scooting his desk around. The motions were slightly comical. He was making Rocco smile then chuckle. Mike was three quarters turned around when he looked up at Rocco and saw him laughing.


    ¡°Hey, there,¡± Rocco said.


    Mike gave him an awkward smile and said, ¡°I guess I could have just gotten up and moved my chair.¡±


    Mike


    Mike took a deep breath and got out of his brother¡¯s BMW. His brother, Joe, was the quarterback of the football team¡ªthe star athlete of the family. Mike played baseball in junior high but lost interest in any kind of a team sport over the summer between junior and senior high. He tried out for the football team like his brother; however, he was getting tired of living in the shadow of him. He wanted to be Mike Barber, not Joe Barber¡¯s little brother. He knew that starting high school would give him a chance to break out of that pattern. Of course, he would still have his old friends from junior high since there was just one senior high school in the county. However, there would be a ton of other new faces that would not know who his brother was. So, there would be a chance he could be a brand-new Mike Barber to some other faces. It would be his sophomore year¡ª10th grade. The real deal.


    He was also practically shaking with anxiety. He hated change. His family had lived in this county his entire life. His elementary and junior high were in the same building so that transition was not very much different. This was a big change, however¡ªnew faces, a new building. He wanted to make a good impression, so he put on his new tennis sweater, purple shorts, and penny loafers. He saw this outfit in a magazine and thought it would look great on the first day of in his new school.


    He knew this year would set him up for the rest of the three years he would spend here. His brother would likely get a football scholarship to the big state college. Since Mike was not going to play a sport, he knew the best way to get into college was with his academics. Of course, his family would help with the finances. They were well-off which was an asset for his popularity scores. He was also Joe¡¯s brother so, even though he wanted to set himself apart from his brother, it would be completely unavoidable. Mike could at least mooch off him for that much needed social capital.


    His grades were alright. He was smart, but his social life with his friends took away from his study time. He was already somewhat popular with the in-crowd at his junior high, but this would be a different arena. He and his friends would have to use their family¡¯s status and other connections to climb the social ladder of the high school hierarchy. It could be an uphill battle, but he was going to do it.


    Before he walked in the door with his brother, he ran his hands through his red hair and took a deep breath. His brother looked back and gave him a smirk.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about this. You¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯ll introduce you around to get started,¡± Joe told him. Before they were able to pass the threshold of the building, a mixed group of guys and girls with impeccable appearance approached Joe.


    ¡°Hey Joe, good summer?¡± one of the guys in the group said.


    ¡°Abso-fucking-lutely except for summer practice,¡± Joe said. ¡°This is my little brother, Mike. This is his first day here.¡±


    The girls in the group smiled and gave a collective ¡°aahh¡±. One even pinched his cheek and told him he was so cute. Mike blushed but smiled and shrugged.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be nice,¡± another guy in the group said.


    Nothing to worry about Mike thought to himself. The group went to a spot in the center of the building to hang out before class called The Haven. It was a mix of all the popular juniors and seniors who had already known each other well. The air was thick with Cool Water and Love¡¯s Baby Soft. Some of the girls in the group were swapping makeup and trying out different color pallets. Some of them where teasing and spraying their hair high. The guys were talking about their summer and giving passing people side-eye. Mike stood there a few minutes in silence watching the spectacle. This was a very similar set up to how it was in junior high.


    From out of the stream of kids going to and from in the hall, his best friend, Chris, emerged and approached Mike.


    ¡°Hey Mike, what¡¯s up?¡± he said standing next to him in the gaggle of popular kids.


    ¡°Not much, man. How was your trip?¡± Mike asked. Chris¡¯s family had taken a vacation to Italy a couple of weeks before school started. They always went somewhere out of the country towards the end of summer. Mike hadn¡¯t talked to Chris since they returned.


    ¡°It was alright. My parent¡¯s loved it, but I was kinda bored the whole time.¡±


    ¡°That sucks,¡± Mike replied putting his left hand in his pocket.


    ¡°You ready for this?¡± Chris looked at him eagerly.


    ¡°I think so,¡± Mike said and looked at the crowd. ¡°You think this is where we will hang out for the next three years?¡± he whispered to Chris.


    ¡°I guess so,¡± Chris said nonchalantly. ¡°What¡¯s your classes?¡±


    ¡°I got Civics 1 and 2, Psychology and Sociology, math, English, biology, and PE. You?¡±


    ¡°Hmmm, I¡¯ve got math, English, history, biology, drafting, and soccer practice. How did you get out of history?¡± Chris asked.


    ¡°Civics and Psychology count as social studies,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Ah man, really? I wish I knew that. I hate history,¡± Chris gave a grimace.


    ¡°Yeah, me too. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t sign up for it,¡± Mike gave Chris a goofy grin and the two laughed.


    ¡°So, have you met anyone here?¡± Chris asked eyeing the popular kids.


    ¡°No. I just followed my brother over here,¡± Mike looked at the other students. In his gut, he was not too impressed with this popular group. They seemed so superficial. They were talking about stupid things like clothes, makeup, and football. His first impression was that they all seemed so petty. Perhaps he just needed to give them a chance. That seemed to be his life up to this point¡ªplaced in a group because of his family but not really belonging. Somewhere in his soul, he felt like the outsider in the popular group even though he had no problem fitting in¡ªat least on the outside. Mike could never pinpoint why he felt like he didn¡¯t belong, but he always did. He had the right clothes, he acted the right way, he had the right girlfriends, but nothing ever relieved these feelings. Maybe this was the year to figure that out.


    ¡°Sorry about not making the football team,¡± Chris said.


    ¡°It¡¯s ok. I didn¡¯t really try. I¡¯m not sure I wanted to be on a team,¡± Mike shrugged. ¡°By the way, congratulations on making the soccer team!¡±


    ¡°Thanks! I¡¯m super stoked,¡± Chris boasted.


    The bell rang indicating it was time to get to class.


    ¡°Well, we better go. I don¡¯t want to late for my first day of high school,¡± Mike said. Chris laughed and nodded goofily. Mike waved to his brother who was too busy to acknowledge him. None of the group looked like they had the intention of getting to class. Mike and Chris walked up to the second floor together. At the top of the stairs, they parted ways.


    Mike looked back as Chris walked down the hall. He was a good friend, but it was not a very deep friendship. They played various sports in junior high together and had sleepovers often. They went to parties together and hung out all the time. Even with all that time spent together, Mike felt that they didn¡¯t really talk about anything important.


    Mike yearned to have a deep connection with another male friend. There were so many things he wanted to know about what it means to be a guy in this world. He had so many feelings about everything that he wanted to share with another guy. Chris was not that guy. One time, Mike asked him if he ever wondered if other guys cried. Chris just gave him a blank look and said maybe when they were babies. That was as good as he was going to get from Chris. He was still a good guy though. Maybe that¡¯s why he didn¡¯t feel like he fit in. He was too sensitive for a guy. He felt things too deeply.


    Mike walked into a half empty room. He spotted an empty desk in the front and sat down. He did not know anyone in the room. As students trickled in, all the faces were unfamiliar. Maybe all his friends did not realize that they did not have to take history. Kind of figures they would just go with what everyone else did. He sat there uncomfortably¡ªtoo nervous to notice the series of bells.


    He was already in his seat, so the bells were not much of a concern. Then, his eyes caught sight of Rocco. Rocco entered the classroom just in time for the late bell to ring. The random chatter in the room dulled to a quiet murmur. His vision tunneled and he started to see fireworks. Who was this guy?


    This gay was an ethnically ambiguous creature. Mike couldn¡¯t tell if he was Italian, Asian, Latino, Native American, or some mix of them all. He had the blackest hair he had ever seen. It was perfectly gelled down covering his forehead almost down to his eyebrows. It was so black that it was blue¡ªkind of like how they draw Superman. He had perfect tanned skin and deep brown eyes. He had the fullest set of lips he had ever seen on a guy. Girls would have killed for those lips. His profile was very Romanesque in the best way possible. Compared to other guys, this creature was one of the most handsome guys that Mike had ever seen. His breath was almost taken out of his lungs at the sight of the guy. This was a new feeling for Mike¡ªhe had never been so taken for a guy. What was going on with him?


    As this guy approached him to occupy the empty seat, Mike stared into his dark brown eyes. This guy gave him a nod and a ¡°what¡¯s up¡± before sliding into the seat. Mike blushed but glanced over his shoulder. As he passed him, Mike got a whiff of soap and hair gel. Under that was his natural scent¡ªearthy and slightly like a spicy dark chocolate. He could see this guy start to form a quizzical look but then relax his face.


    ¡°Everyone, find a seat.¡± Mr. Pendleton yelled.


    This mystery guy put his feet in the wire rack under the chair part of the desk. Mike felt his knees rest again his lower back which was visible through the chair hole. Mike felt a deep shudder inside himself as he pressed closer into his knees. He wanted to do anything to be in contact with this guy. He felt his eyes on the back of his head which make Mike blush. Mike started to turn to look over his shoulder to get a peek at him one more time but saw that he was digging deep into his bookbag. Mike turned back around just as the teacher spoke:


    ¡°Welcome to Civics 1, let me first take role to see who is here¡­Mike Barber¡±


    ¡°Here,¡± Mike said.


    The teacher kept going down the list of students each replying with a ¡°here¡±. When the teacher got to this guy, he said his full name, Marcus Rocio, but then corrected himself by half stating/half asking, ¡°but you go by Rocco, right?¡± to which Rocco nodded. Marcus Rocio? What¡¯s the story with that name Mike wondered. How did he get Rocco out of that? Mike wrote ¡°Marcus Rocio¡± in his notebook. Marcus sounded Italian but was Rocio also Italian?


    ¡°Alright. Now that¡¯s out of the way, let¡¯s get to the subject at hand,¡± Mr. Pendleton started going on about something, but Mike was not paying attention. He was too busy thinking about Rocco.


    Mr. Pendleton snapped Mike out of his trance. ¡°We are going to do an icebreaker exercise. I¡¯m going to pair you with another student and have you answer a few questions about each other. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not going to make you introduce each other to the class or anything like that. Just focus on the questions.¡± Mike really hoped he would get paired with Rocco. He wanted to know so much about him. He wanted to stare into Rocco¡¯s dark eyes in the hopes of a glimpse at his soul. Mr. Pendleton continued, ¡°The first and third rows turn your desks around to face the person behind you. This will be your partner.¡± YES! Mike thought, face to face with Rocco!


    Mike started to scoot his chair around without leaving it. It was quite a clunky endeavor. He must have looked ridiculous doing this. Mike saw that Rocco was laughing at this spectacle. Mike blushed¡ªnot a great first impression.


    ¡°Hey, there,¡± Rocco said.


    Mike gave him an awkward smile and said, ¡°I guess I could have just gotten up and moved my chair.¡±

 2. Civics Exercise

    ¡°Alright, folks,¡± Mr. Pendleton announced after all the pairs of students were facing each other. ¡°Take a good look at your partner. This will be your partner for the semester for all the exercises in this class.¡± Mike beamed on the inside at this prospect while Rocco visibly smiled. ¡°These exercises are going to demonstrate the topic of diplomacy which is an important concept to understand in government. Today, you are going to get to know each other. Some of you have never met, some of you know each other. That is just the luck of the draw. In diplomatic matters, some countries are already allies, others do not know much about each other. The first thing I want each of you to do is to get out a piece of paper. I am going to give you some questions that I want the two of you to discuss for the next 20 minutes.¡±


    Mike already had his notebook out, so he tore out two pages and handed one to Rocco. Rocco thanked him as he took the paper.


    ¡°Here¡¯s your questions. You may find it handy to write them down. Find out the name of your partner, get a little history of the person like where they were born, if they lived here their entire life, that kind of a thing. I¡¯m going to leave it up to you. Then find one thing that the two you have in common. That¡¯s it.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Pendleton,¡± one kid from the back of the room said. The teacher nodded and said ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Do you have specific examples of what we should talk about with each other?¡±


    ¡°Nope. That¡¯s the whole point of this exercise,¡± Mr. Pendleton replied. ¡°Diplomacy is not a checklist you can go down point by point. It¡¯s intentionally vague.¡±


    The class started to come alive with chatter as they were working on their exercises. Mike and Rocco were silent, intentionally avoiding looking at each other. After a few moments of awkward silence, Rocco spoke up.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll start asking you questions if that¡¯s okay,¡± Mike was fine with it if he could stare into Rocco¡¯s eyes. ¡°What¡¯s your name and where were you born?¡± Mike looked deep in Rocco¡¯s eyes almost as if in a trance. He noticed his eyes were not as dark as he thought. They were brown but there was a lot of green and blue flecks.


    ¡°Dude! Are you okay?¡± Mike suddenly snapped out of his trance and turned bright red. ¡°Are you with me?¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Er¡ªum¡ªyeah, I¡¯m sorry,¡± Mike chuckled. ¡°What was the question?¡±


    ¡°Your name and place of birth¡± Rocco stated flatly.


    ¡°I¡¯m Mike Barber and I was born and raised here in Miners Creek.¡±


    ¡°And you?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Yeah, I guess we can do the exercise that way.  My name is Marcus Antonius Rocio, and I was born in Washington, DC.¡±


    ¡°Really? That¡¯s where you are from?¡± Mike asked hanging on his every word.


    ¡°Kinda. I was a Navy brat, so we moved around a lot when my parents were together,¡± Rocco said nonchalantly.


    ¡°Where all have you lived?¡± Mike asked


    ¡°DC, Norfolk, Virginia, San Diego, then my parents split, and I moved to Philadelphia with my mom when she remarried,¡± Rocco said without any inflection.


    Mike was stunned that Rocco had lived in so many places and was so open about his family. ¡°Wow! I¡¯ve only ever lived here with both of my parents.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, moving around is not that great. I was the new kid in school every other year it seemed until we moved back to Miners Creek after my mom divorced my stepdad,¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°When was that?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°It was in 4th grade. I¡¯ve been here ever since,¡± Rocco said as he tapped his fingers on his desk.


    ¡°Welcome to Miners Creek,¡± Mike responded. They both chuckled at the joke.


    ¡°So, are you Joe¡¯s brother?¡± Rocco wanted to confirm this once and for all.


    ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t hold it against me,¡± Mike said and looked down at his blank paper. He had not written one word down. He was too fascinated with what Rocco was telling him.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s cool. Joe¡¯s pretty cool. I don¡¯t really like some of his friends but he¡¯s alright,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Yeah, that crowd can be jerks,¡± Mike tensed up slightly. ¡°Were they ever mean to you?¡±


    Rocco looked off in the distance and remembered the times some of them called him ¡°queer¡± or ¡°faggot¡±. Rocco looked back at Mike and responded, ¡°A few times.¡±Stolen novel; please report.


    ¡°Jocks can be assholes,¡± Mike replied empathetically.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you a jock?¡± Rocco asked in a matter-of-fact manner.


    Mike chuckled. ¡°Me? No. I played soccer and baseball in junior high, but, looking back, it wasn¡¯t my thing. I tried out for football but didn¡¯t make the team.¡±


    ¡°So, you are a jock,¡± Rocco crossed his arms.


    ¡°Now that I¡¯m telling you all this, it does sound like it. I¡¯m a jock without a team sport,¡± Mike replied and laughed nervously.


    Rocco uncrossed his arms and slouched in his chair a little as he laughed. ¡°A man with no country.¡±


    Mike laughed and ran his fingers through his red hair. ¡°Yeah.¡± After an awkward pause, Mike asked, ¡°Why were Joe¡¯s friends mean to you?¡±


    Rocco tensed up. He was not really expecting to relive the years of bullying. He forcefully exhaled and smiled to lighten the mood, ¡°No comment. Next question.¡±


    Mike blushed and didn¡¯t really know what to say. ¡°Oh¡­okay. I don¡¯t have a next question.¡±


    They looked around avoiding each other¡¯s gaze for a few seconds. Mike interrupted the silence. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m sorry about that those guys were mean to you. It¡¯s not right for them to make fun of you for being yourself.¡±


    Rocco¡¯s heart skipped a beat. No one had ever told him that before. It was such a mature thing to come from the mouth of what Rocco guessed was a 15- or 16-year-old. Mike gave him a kind, closed mouth smile. Rocco could tell Mike really meant what he said. Rocco¡¯s vision darkened so that he was only seeing fireworks and Mike¡¯s face.


    ¡°Thanks for saying that,¡± Rocco said quietly.


    ¡°Let¡¯s focus on this exercise. I¡¯m enjoying talking with you,¡± Mike said. ¡°How did you get the name Rocco?¡±


    Rocco snapped away the fireworks and returned to Earth. ¡°The name Rocco,¡± he chuckled. ¡°Well, a kid mispronounced my last name the first day of school. Instead of Rocio, she said Rocco. When I corrected her, all the kids thought her calling me Rocco was hilarious so it just kinda stuck.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it? A random kid mispronounced your name?¡± Mike had a quizzical look on his face.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s it I¡¯m afraid¡± Rocco shrugged.


    ¡°I thought it would be something like your great grandfather was in the mafia and that was his nickname or something cool like that.¡±


    ¡°First of all, I¡¯m not Italian¡ªI¡¯m half Mexican. Second, why would you assume I had come from a Mafia family if I were Italian,¡± Rocco said in an accusing manner.


    ¡°Stupid stereotypes I guess,¡± Mike rolled his eyes.


    ¡°Watch the Godfather much?¡± Rocco retorted and they both laughed.


    ¡°So that¡¯s where the name and the dark features come from, Mexico?¡± Mike stated.


    ¡°Yes?¡± Rocco said but in a questioning manner. ¡°That¡¯s an odd thing to say.¡± Mike blushed embarrassed that he made such a statement. Rocco added, ¡°You are your brother look nothing alike. He¡¯s got dark features too. What gives?¡±


    Mike smirked and said, ¡°No, we have a little Cherokee blood in the family on my dad¡¯s side, so I guess he got it there. But I got the white bread look from my mom.¡± Rocco belly rolled at that statement. Mr. Pendleton grimaced at him which quelled his laughter.


    ¡°We are getting a look from Mr. Pendleton, so we better get back to this,¡± Rocco said. ¡°Okay, we have to find out something that we both like, right?¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Mike said. The two paused in thought not really coming up with the next question.


    ¡°What about music? What are you listening to?¡± Rocco interrupted the thought.


    ¡°I like any kind of music. Boyz II Men, REM, Mariah Carey,¡± Mike replied.


    ¡°Hmm, well, we don¡¯t have music in common,¡± Rocco disappointingly stated.


    ¡°What do you like?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Nirvana, STP, Alice in Chains, you know, the grunge standards. I like some older stuff like the Misfits and Bad Brains.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know any of that,¡± Mike said disappointingly.


    Rocco looked around for a second, ¡°Movies?¡±


    ¡°The last movie I saw over the summer was Doc Hollywood,¡± Mike replied.


    ¡°Hmm, I tend to like horror movies. Did you see the latest Nightmare on Elm Street installment?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t like horror,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± Rocco exclaimed. Mr. Pendleton looked up and said ¡°Rocco¡­language¡± in a warning tone.


    ¡°TV, what¡¯s your favorite TV show?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°I watch MTV a lot, but I love Saturday Night Live,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°I think we have a winner! I love that show too.¡± Mike¡¯s eyes lit up. They finally have something in common.


    ¡°I can¡¯t wait for the new season to start. It¡¯s so hilarious because it¡¯s so bad!¡± Rocco exclaimed.


    ¡°Yeah, I know!¡± Mike gushed. ¡°Mike Myers is the funniest¡±


    ¡°Party on, Wayne,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Party on, Garth,¡± Mike beamed.  They both laughed so hard that Mr. Pendleton looked up at them.


    Mr. Pendleton looked at his watch and got up. ¡°Alright, I think you all have had enough time to get to know each other. Let¡¯s get these books assigned and get going with the material in Chapter 1. Keep your papers for the next exercise. Turn your desks around.¡±


    ¡°Oh shit, I didn¡¯t write anything,¡± Rocco whispered to Mike.


    Mike chuckled, ¡°I didn¡¯t either.¡± He showed Rocco his blank page. ¡°I enjoyed talking with you too much to write anything down.¡± Rocco¡¯s heart skipped again when Mike said this. He swallowed hard and whispered, ¡°I feel the same.¡± Mike blushed and swallowed hard.


    As Mike started to turn his desk around, Rocco said again in a whisper ¡°Party on, Garth.¡± Mike snickered and finished turning his desk around. Rocco sighed as he was once again looking at the back of Mike¡¯s head.


    Rocco was not paying any attention to what Mr. Pendleton lectured about but he figured he could just read the chapter and get the highlights. His attention was focused on the back of Mike¡¯s head. He wanted to run his hands through his thick ginger hair and plant his nose on Mike¡¯s neck in the hopes of getting as much of his intoxicating scent to last him until tomorrow.


    Before he knew it, the bell rang. Rocco had psychology next hour, which was in the same room, so he did not have to go anywhere. But he did have to pee so, as he got up to go to the bathroom, he tapped on Mike¡¯s shoulder.


    Mike lifted his big blue eyes which took Rocco¡¯s breath away.


    ¡°What¡¯s your next class?¡± Rocco said barely able to speak the words.


    ¡°Psychology,¡± Mike replied. Rocco wanted to jump up and down for glee. Two classes in a row with Mike!


    ¡°I guess I¡¯ll see you in a few minutes then,¡± Rocco said and walked off to the bathroom.


    Mike could hardly contain his excitement. He was thinking the exact same thing as Rocco was¡­two hours of Rocco. As Rocco walked off to the bathroom, Mike wanted to take a handful of Rocco¡¯s blue-black hair and inhale its scent deeply. This was going to be a great year.

 3. Rocco a las Diez

    Rocco made a conclusion after several days. Psychology class was not nearly as interesting as Rocco had hoped. So far, the only thing the teacher had discussed was the history of psychology¡ªall lecture, no class exercise as in Civics. Had it not been for Mike sitting in front of him, Rocco would have spent the entire class doodling in his notebook¡ªhis mind elsewhere. All class his mind was elsewhere. He kept reliving the Civics class exercise with Mike. He went over in his head how fun it was to talk with Mike. He had not expected to enjoy the company of a sophomore in the first hour of his senior year. He looked forward to the rest of the semester sitting behind Mike.


    The civics teacher had not assigned seats, but Rocco was going to sit behind Mike the entire semester. The same was also the case with psychology. Rocco would have 2 hours of admiring the full head of strawberry blonde hair in front of him. He wondered if it was lighter because of summer and if it would get darker later in the year. He had never really had a thing for redheads until that first day of senior year. After today, he was smitten with the gingers. Of course, he wondered if the carpet matched the drapes. He had never seen a redheaded man¡ªor woman for that matter¡ªnaked.


    The thought sent a rush of blood throughout his body. Part of him wanted to lean forward and ask Mike about it. Naturally, he would not do that. He grimaced a little because this line of thought was starting to get a little gross and creepy. He tried to think of something else but could not come up with anything.


    Rocco still had the blank paper Mike gave him from the Civics class exercise a few days ago so he thought he would write down what he and Mike talked about during one of the more tedious psychology classes. He started with Mike¡¯s name and place of birth. He then wrote a paragraph about how Mike was born and raised in Miners Creek and about how they found their love of Saturday Night Live as something they had in common. He turned to a blank page in his notebook and wrote his name, place of birth, the places he lived as a child of sailor until he and his mom settled down here. He then essentially wrote the same thing about Saturday Night Live in his bio. He was going to give this to Mike after class.


    As he wrote the last paragraph, the dismissal bell rang. Students started to put things in bags. He got up about the same time as Mike. Mike turned around to face Rocco.


    ¡°This class is soooo boring,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Yeah, I know. I was so bored that I wrote this for you,¡± Rocco handed Mike his bio. Mike hesitated before taking the paper. He looked down at the sheet.


    ¡°Ah man, it¡¯s the assignment we didn¡¯t write out from Civics a few days ago,¡± Mike smiled and looked up at Rocco.


    ¡°I thought you may not remember everything we talked about,¡± Rocco was a little embarrassed and looked down at his feet.


    Mike extended his hand and put it on Rocco¡¯s shoulders. ¡°This is so awesome. Thank you so much.¡±


    Rocco looked up and their eyes met. They both smiled.


    ¡°Yeah, well¡­¡± Rocco trailed off.


    The psychology teacher broke up the brief encounter. ¡°You boys better get to class.¡±


    The two snapped out of their trance and started towards the door.


    ¡°Eck, I¡¯ve got Algebra with Mrs. Tect,¡± Mike replied.


    ¡°Well, we are going in the same direction,¡± Rocco said. ¡°Shall we?¡±


    ¡°Lead the way, Wayne,¡± Mike smiled. Rocco snickered at this.


    ¡°You can call me Wayne anytime you want,¡± Rocco retorted.


    The two walked down the stairs in silence neither of them knowing what to say. Finally, at the bottom of the stairs, Mike broke the silence.


    ¡°Hey, thanks for making my first few days of high school not so uncomfortable. I wasn¡¯t sure how this was going to turn out, but it¡¯s been kinda awesome,¡± Mike said. The light caught his blue eyes.


    Rocco looked into Mike¡¯s blue eyes. ¡°I am glad I was able to make you feel comfortable. This place isn¡¯t so bad.¡±


    As they rounded the stairwell into the first-floor hall, Mike stopped.


    ¡°Hey, listen, I have to go to the bathroom. Why don¡¯t you go on?¡± Mike said nervously.


    ¡°You sure? There¡¯s a bathroom on the other end of the hall too,¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°Yeah, after two hours, I¡¯ve really got to go,¡± Mike said without hesitation.


    ¡°Okay. Well, Garth, I¡¯ll see you tomorrow,¡± Rocco laughed and turned to go down the hall leaving Mike in front of the bathroom.


    ¡°Yeah, see you tomorrow,¡± Mike said and darted into the bathroom.


    As Rocco walked down the hall, a warm feeling grew over him. He had spent the last few days daydreaming about this guy he just met, and it felt wonderful. It dawned on him this is how he felt whenever he felt a crush coming on¡ªthose first moments of a crush when your breathing is shallow and your stomach gets the flutters. Oh man, he was already starting the year out liking a new guy, and it felt spectacular. It felt as if he were floating on air.


    Before he entered the next classroom, which was just across the hall from Mike¡¯s class, he heard himself say ¡°Mike Barber.¡±


    Mike at Ten o¡¯clock


    Over the past few days, Mike thought about Rocco¡¯s brown eyes. He thought about Rocco¡¯s  earthy chocolatey scent. As he thought about Rocco, he rested his chin in his palm in such a stereotypical way that he quickly sat up straight. Even though he was daydreaming, he could at least look like he was paying attention. It killed him that this dreamy guy was sitting behind him, and he couldn¡¯t catch a glimpse of him. He was lost thinking about that jet black hair. He thought about how, even though Rocco was clean shaven, his muzzle was a shade of blue indicating he had thick black facial hair underneath his skin. Rocco had to be a hairy guy. He wondered just how hairy. He wondered what Rocco looked like under those grungy clothes. It was difficult to make out anything about his body in those baggy clothes. He wondered if Rocco had a little belly or if he was muscular. In either of those cases, Rocco had to be hairy.


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    He jolted to attention when the dismissal bell rang. This entire hour flew by. He got nothing out of the class. The entire hour he fantasized about Rocco and his potential hair body. He gathered his composure and got out of his chair. He turned around to face Rocco.


    ¡°This class is soooo boring,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Yeah, I know. I was so bored that I wrote this for you,¡± Rocco handed him a sheet of paper. Mike¡¯s heart skipped a beat. What did he write him? Surely, not a love note! Mike hesitated before taking the paper. He looked down at the sheet. Rocco had written out his biography from the Civics class assignment a few days ago. Mike¡¯s heart melted. Rocco had gone through the trouble of writing out the assignment that he had completely forgotten to write because he was lost in the conversation. He smiled and looked up at Rocco.


    ¡°I thought you may not remember everything we talked about,¡± Rocco said. Mike wanted to tell him that he remembered every word¡ªevery nuance of the conversation. He remembered every detail of his face during this exercise. He saw that Rocco looked down at his feet¡ªa little embarrassed.


    Mike extended his hand and put it on Rocco¡¯s shoulders. ¡°This is so awesome. Thank you so much.¡± This guy was gold.


    Rocco looked up and their eyes met. They both smiled.


    ¡°Yeah, well¡­¡± Rocco trailed off.


    The psychology teacher broke up the brief encounter. ¡°You boys better get to class.¡± Mike found out Rocco was going in the same direction. Mike got butterflies at the thought of spending a few more minutes with him.


    ¡°Lead the way, Wayne,¡± Mike smiled. Rocco snickered at this. God, this guy was adorable.


    ¡°You can call me Wayne anytime you want,¡± Rocco retorted. Mike laughed. He wanted to kiss his full lips right there in the hallway. Mike was too embarrassed to say anything as they walked down the stairs to the first floor. Finally at the bottom of the stairs, he broke the silence.


    ¡°Hey, thanks for making my first few days of high school not so uncomfortable. I wasn¡¯t sure how this was going to turn out, but it¡¯s been kinda awesome.¡± Mike said as he stared into Rocco¡¯s deep eyes.


    Rocco looked over at Mike, ¡°I am glad I was able to make you feel comfortable. This place isn¡¯t so bad.¡±


    As they rounded the stairwell into the first-floor hall, Mike spotted the gathering of the popular kids in the distance at The Haven. Oh shit. Here he was lusting after this guy. What would it do to his reputation if they saw him all googly-eyed over a guy? He didn¡¯t have a reputation at this point. He had to find a way to escape before encountering the group which would likely include his brother.


    In a hurried and nervous manner, he blurted out, ¡°Hey listen, I have to go to the bathroom. Why don¡¯t you go on?¡±


    ¡°You sure? There¡¯s a bathroom on the other end of the hall too,¡± Rocco replied. Mike mentally grasped for any kind of an excuse.


    ¡°Yeah, after two hours, I¡¯ve really got to go,¡± Mike said without hesitation.


    ¡°Okay. Well, Garth, I¡¯ll see you tomorrow,¡± Rocco laughed and turned to go down the hall leaving Mike in front of the bathroom. Whew! Crisis averted.


    ¡°Yeah, see you tomorrow,¡± Mike said and darted into the bathroom. He slipped into a stall and locked the door. Mike caught his breath. He felt that everyone would be able to tell that he was dreaming about Rocco in a way he wasn¡¯t supposed to. He still had the assignment in his hand that Rocco had so thoughtfully filled out. He unzipped his backpack and slid the assignment into his Civics folder.


    Even though he enjoyed every moment of Rocco¡¯s presence, the feelings he had been experiencing lately were completely new and confusing. Where did these feeling come from? He had never felt this way about another guy before. Had he always been gay and not realized it until now?


    He needed to get himself together and get through the rest of the day. Maybe being with some of his friends would take his mind off Rocco. He knew a few people who were taking Algebra. He exhaled and made his way out of the bathroom.


    As he passed the popular group, he saw his brother who waved him over. Mike really did not want to talk to him right now. He already felt guilty about how he felt towards Rocco. Somehow, he felt his brother would immediately figure out what was going on with him even though Joe was clueless about everything most of the time. Mike mouthed ¡°I¡¯m late¡± and continued to walk past the group. Joe waved his hand in dismissal and went back to the group. Mike felt a bit of relief as he made his way down the hall. Still, in the back of his mind, he couldn¡¯t wait to see Rocco again.


    Algebra class lived up to Mike¡¯s expectation that it was one of the most boring classes he would attend¡ªeven worse than psychology. Despite the agonizing lecture, the bell rang before he knew it. Mike packed up his bag and got up to make it to his next class. He was sitting next to one of his friends, Matt, from junior high who got up almost in tandem with Mike. Matt was another one of his nondescript friends he had known since elementary school. Matt had sun bleached blond hair and blue eyes and an average build. Puberty had taken a toll on his complexion. His face was riddled with acne. He smelled of Clearasil and Old Spice.


    ¡°Hey, did you hear about the party next weekend at Tiffany¡¯s?¡± Matt asked Mike.


    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t,¡± Mike replied. Tiffany was in the same class as Joe and Rocco. She was one of the more popular girls in school. She always seemed to have blowout parties every other month. They were always outside so her house would not get trashed. She would always invite the popular kids, but other groups of kids would end up making an appearance.


    ¡°Yeah, I hear she got a band,¡± Matt said.


    ¡°Really? A live band? A famous band?¡± Mike was a little surprised. Usually, these parties just had four or five big speakers in the backyard and a stereo system on the patio.


    ¡°Nah, just some high school kids that started their own band,¡± Matt replied.


    ¡°Like kids that go here?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Yeah, some of those weird stoner kids,¡± Matt replied. ¡°I think that¡¯s one of them.¡±


    Matt pointed to a kid coming out of one of the classrooms. He was pointing to Rocco. Mike¡¯s heart stopped when he saw Rocco. He jumped behind Matt instinctively to avoid being detected. He didn¡¯t want anyone to know about his secret fantasies about Rocco. He couldn¡¯t be found out right now.


    ¡°Him???¡± Mike exclaimed. ¡°Rocco?¡±


    Matt looked back at Mike, ¡°You know him?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, he sits behind me in my first two classes,¡± Mike tried to downplay his recent affections.


    ¡°You better watch out for that type?¡± Matt said.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Mike felt a little relief when Rocco zipped by without seeing them although he wanted to desperately run over to Rocco and say hello.


    Matt had one of those squeaky-clean reputations, so anything left of the norm was immediately dangerous. ¡°They smoke a lot of grass and get high.¡± Matt¡¯s eyes grew to twice their size as he said this.


    Mike laughed at this comment. ¡°Grass? Did you learn that phrase from your grandpa?¡±


    ¡°You know,¡± Matt started to whisper, ¡°Marijuana.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know what it is,¡± Mike said flatly. ¡°Grass is such an old man term.¡±


    ¡°Well, whatever you call it. Those kids are likely to slip you some of it,¡± Matt¡¯s anxiety was both charming and hilarious.


    ¡°I think it would be hard to slip me some grass since you have to smoke it. And since I don¡¯t smoke, it won¡¯t be an issue,¡± Mike said as he rolled his eyes.


    ¡°Well, you never know. There could be sneaky ways,¡± Matt whispered.


    ¡°Besides, that stuff is not free. Who would just give it out to random kids?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m just warning you,¡± Matt said.


    ¡°Okay, then,¡± Mike rolled his eyes again. ¡°So, he¡¯s in a band?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I think so. I think they play that heavy metal grunge music. I¡¯m sure they suck,¡± Matt said.


    Mike¡¯s head began to spin. Rocco smoked dope and played in a band. Wow! He squealed inside at how dangerous this guy seemed. This made him even more irresistible¡ªa real bad boy. A big smirk spread across his face. Maybe Mike could start to like some of those things that Rocco liked. Mike liked the thought of shaking up his perfect, white picket fence upbringing.

 4. Lunch Time

    With little fanfare, the lunch at Miners Creek High School commenced. Rocco walked into the lunchroom famished as he had not had any breakfast before school. On the menu was the famous rectangular pizza topped with cheese food and hamburger accompanied by corn and green beans. Rocco waited in line and spotted Austin.


    Rocco had a new crush. He wanted to tell someone about Mike but who could he tell? He was not out to anyone¡ªnot even to his best friend Austin. He was not even totally out to himself. He was willing to explore the option, but this decision did not mean he wanted to fully embrace his queerdom. He was just open to it right now. One time, he was sleeping over at Austin¡¯s house and this topic came up. He and Austin just finished swimming and were changing out of their bathing suits. Rocco caught a glance at Austin¡¯s naked body. As he looked, he thought Austin was an okay looking guy. He was not muscular but not overweight. Austin had a slightly out of shape, doughy body. Puberty had set in for both, but Rocco¡¯s body was further along than Austin¡¯s. At this point, Rocco had the body of an 18-year-old even though he was 15. Austin looked up and caught Rocco looking him over.


    ¡°What?¡± Austin asked


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Rocco looked away. Austin pulled up his dry shorts.


    Austin hesitated a bit. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s alright if you are¡­you know.¡± Austin knew about the teasing Rocco got from the other guys. He knew how they would call Rocco names.


    ¡°You know what?¡± Rocco gave him a puzzled look.


    ¡°You know, gay. I¡¯m not though.¡± Austin said nonchalantly.


    Rocco was a little taken aback at this. This wasn¡¯t the first time someone flat out accused him of being gay, but he wasn¡¯t expecting it in such an accepting manner. Perhaps, this was why he was such good friends with Austin¡ªhe just accepted Rocco for who he was. But, again, Rocco himself didn¡¯t know who he was and was not at all open to the possibility at this point in his life. In any case, he didn¡¯t really think of Austin in this way. Austin was his friend¡ªRocco had no desire for anything else with Austin. It would be like going out with a brother. Rocco was just curious how he compared to Austin.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Rocco stumbled for what to say. He did not know how to respond. ¡°I don¡¯t¡­¡± Rocco hesitated a bit more and then responded decidedly, ¡°I¡¯m not gay.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s cool, man. Want to jam a bit?¡± Austin responded without missing a beat and went over to his drums. The two dreamed of being in a rock band and making it big by the time they were 18. They both knew it wasn¡¯t going to happen, but a guy could still dream. Rocco finished putting his clothes on and picked up the guitar. Austin had been playing drums for a couple of years, but Rocco just started to learn to play guitar a couple of months ago. He could only play two or three chords. Austin talked him into learning an instrument because he wanted someone to play with. Their other friends were not into playing music. Austin had a cheap electric guitar that he never played. Austin just could not get into the guitar like he did with the drums. So, Rocco decided to give the guitar a try. He was good at keeping the rhythm. He thought about playing drums, but Austin had taken that spot already. Now all they needed were some more members for the band.


    ¡°Hey Rocco, how¡¯s it going?¡± Austin interrupted Rocco¡¯s reminiscing.


    ¡°Hey man. Not bad,¡± Rocco wanted to tell Austin about Mike, but it was way too soon. Besides, it was just a crush and, like most of the crushes he had on guys, they would go nowhere. It was just fantasy. ¡°What about you?¡±


    ¡°Awesome,¡± Austin responded. Rocco was taken aback. They always talked to each other sarcastically, but this was an authentic response.


    ¡°Wow, what¡¯s been happening?¡± Rocco replied. They really had not had any time to catch up today.


    ¡°Do you know Wendy Rhodes? I found out this morning that she¡¯s liked me for like a year.¡± Mike said


    Wendy.  Yeah, Rocco knew of Wendy but didn¡¯t know her that well. Wendy Rhodes was a junior, a year behind Rocco and Austin. She was a pretty, petite girl with light blond hair and a smile that stretched from ear to ear. She always wore big glasses that complimented her round face.


    ¡°Really?¡± Rocco was kind of happy to hear this. Austin had never had a girlfriend since they knew each other so it was about damn time for this to happen. Austin was an average looking guy, but he was far from homely. He had so much to give another person.


    ¡°Yeah, I was a little shocked,¡± Austin said.


    ¡°What do you think of her?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°She¡¯s cute and pretty awesome,¡± Austin beamed. Rocco knew Austin liked her.


    ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Rocco raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°I think I might ask her out,¡± Austin contemplated. It was obvious he was in ¡°like¡±, so Rocco was not at all surprised.


    ¡°Well, you could ask her to the party next weekend,¡± Rocco reminded him.


    ¡°How could I forget our first official show?¡± Austin responded in his trademark sarcasm.


    ¡°Yeah, glad you remembered. You¡¯ve been absent from practice this entire month,¡± Rocco said accusingly.


    ¡°I know, I know. My job picked up quite a bit last month and I couldn¡¯t get off,¡± Austin responded.


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been without a drummer for weeks. I hope you haven¡¯t forgotten our playlist,¡± Rocco was a little concerned. It was hard to practice when a rock band is without a drummer.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. It¡¯s your punk ass I¡¯m worried about,¡± Austin replied snarkily.


    ¡°Unlike some folks,¡± Rocco blinked several times and looked over at Austin, ¡°I actually practice every night.¡±


    ¡°Fuck off,¡± Austin laughed as Rocco paid for his lunch and waited off to the side of the lunch line for Austin to pay for his. They found a seat at an empty table and were joined by their two other bandmates, Pete and Raz. They spent their lunch time eating and arranging their playlist. They had not settled on the order of songs. They would start with a Pearl Jam song, followed by some Nirvana and Stone Temple Pilots. They would then throw in some Def Leppard and Guns n Roses. These two were not Rocco¡¯s favorites but would be songs for the audience. Austin wanted to do a Led Zeppelin song and a Pink Floyd song. They would end with a Runaways song. There was not a slow song in the mix. That was not their vibe. They wanted to focus solely on the hard rock. This would be their first show, so they wanted to set the tone for rest of their high school career. As they all settled on the playlist, lunch was over, and they started to get up. Since this party was likely to have a good mix of all classes, a thought crossed Rocco¡¯s mind as he left the lunchroom. Would Mike be at the party?


    Mike


    It was 45 minutes after Rocco left that Mike entered the lunchroom. It was standard practice for Seniors to eat first, then Juniors, and finally the Sophomores. Mike¡¯s group was one of the last groups to have lunch.


    Mike was not particularly hungry. He had a hearty breakfast and was so anxious from this morning with Rocco that his stomach had not settled. He¡¯d had butterflies since he met Rocco. As he stood in line, his friend Chris poked him on the shoulder. Chris was with another guy, Stanton. Mike hated Stanton. He was such an asshole. Stanton was the kind of kid who got away with everything. He was arrogant and was quite a bully. He was also one of the most popular guys in Mike¡¯s class in junior high, so everyone thought Stanton walked on air. The most Mike could do was tolerate Stanton.


    ¡°Hey Mike, how¡¯s high school been going so far?¡± Chris asked.


    ¡°Not as bad as I thought it would be,¡± Mike replied. ¡°I¡¯ve met some cool people.¡± The line was at a standstill. It seemed the staff had to fix more lunch.


    ¡°Yeah, who?¡± Chris asked. Stanton stood next Chris absolutely bored.


    ¡°Some of the other kids from the other junior highs, and I¡¯ve met some juniors and seniors in my classes,¡± Mike responded. And then there was Rocco, he thought.


    ¡°OOO, Mr. Popularity,¡± Stanton interjected. Mike ignored his comment.


    ¡°Hey, have you heard about that party next weekend?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Of course we have. Aren¡¯t we all going?¡± Stanton answered Mike¡¯s question even though he was not asked.


    ¡°I got see if I can go,¡± Chris responded to Mike.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you just sneak out?¡± Stanton tried to stick himself in the conversation.


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Chris said to Stanton.


    ¡°I mean everyone¡¯s going,¡± Stanton said.


    ¡°I heard there was a band,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Yeah, some skater kids so I¡¯m sure they will suck,¡± Stanton rolled his eyes.


    ¡°How do you know this, Stanton?¡± Mike asked in an annoyed tone.


    ¡°I got my sources,¡± Stanton retorted.


    ¡°Do you know this guy, Rocco? I have class with him,¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Oh yeah, the gay guy,¡± Stanton snorted.


    Mike started to blush. ¡°Is he really gay?¡± Mike asked. His interest was piqued.


    ¡°That¡¯s what they say,¡± Chris replied. How did Chris even know who Rocco was?


    ¡°So, he¡¯s said it for sure,¡± Mike probed.


    ¡°Well, not for sure. But come on, he looks like a dick sucker-ass fucker,¡± Stanton said.


    ¡°Man don¡¯t be gross,¡± Mike said disapprovingly.


    ¡°I¡¯m not being gross, he¡¯s the one who¡¯s gross,¡± Stanton responded.


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who gross, Stanton,¡± Mike said and gave him a sneer.


    ¡°You¡¯re awfully protective of him and his type. Doth the lady protest too much?¡± Stanton said.


    ¡°Fuck off. You don¡¯t even know what that means,¡± Mike said and turned his back on the two. Chris and Stanton snickered while Mike fumed. Stanton was disgusting and Chris was just as bad to be complacent with Stanton¡¯s display of ignorance. Mike spent the rest of his lunch silent while Stanton continued to be his obnoxious self at the expense of other people. Chris laughed with him in solidarity. Why in the hell was he even friends with these dicks?


    ¡°I haven¡¯t had a chance to ask. How¡¯s MCHS been so far?¡± Joe asked after Mike buckled into the seat of Joe¡¯s BMW.


    ¡°It¡¯s been alright,¡± Mike replied, a bit despondently. Joe picked up on Mike¡¯s mood.


    ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± Joe asked cutting Mike a look as if he knew better.


    Mike hesitated about responding thinking back to lunch but then took a deep breath and started, ¡°I met a really cool guy who is in my first two periods but my friends¡­¡± Mike stopped in frustration, ¡°I thought they were my friends, that is. They made some gross comments about him.¡±


    ¡°Who are we talking about?¡± Joe took his key out the ignition and looked over at this little brother.


    ¡°This dude, Rocco. He¡¯s in your class,¡± Mike looked over.


    Joe paused. He knew Rocco and he knew the stories floating around about him. Joe and his friends had been cruel to Rocco about his queer tendencies. It was more his friends that were overtly cruel¡ªJoe just laughed and let them call Rocco names. Joe felt it was now time for karma to kick him in the ass.


    ¡°Yeah, I know Rocco,¡± Joe looked down.


    ¡°He said you¡¯re cool, but your friends have given him a hard time,¡± Mike looked over at his big brother.


    Joe grabbed the steering wheel and breathed out, ¡°That¡¯s all true, we called him names.¡± He then corrected himself, ¡°I didn¡¯t, but I just stood there and laughed which is just as bad.¡± Just like Stanton and Chris had done at lunch¡­same shit, different classes.


    Mike started to tear up. He knew his jock friends were dicks. But his own brother? He loved and admired his big brother. How could he be such a disappointment? ¡°How could you just stand there and let it happen?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t say it was my proudest moment. There¡¯s nothing I can say or do to undo any of it,¡± Joe said regretfully.


    ¡°Yeah, there is. You could apologize to him,¡± Mike quickly answered.


    Joe looked down. ¡°Yeah, I guess I could.¡±


    Joe shook his head and looked at his brother. He noticed Mike had a tear running down his cheek which took Joe by surprise. ¡°Listen, Mike, I will apologize because I treated Rocco just as bad as my friends by just letting it happen. I like to think I¡¯ve grown up a little bit this summer and realized the error of my ways.¡± Joe stopped because he started to get a little choked up. ¡°I can tell I let you down and I¡¯m so sorry for that.¡±


    Mike wiped away his own tears and smiled, ¡°Just saying what you said makes up for it.¡±


    ¡°I promise you. I will apologize. I will make this right,¡± Joe said. Mike grabbed his brother¡¯s hand and squeezed it.


    ¡°Can we go home?¡± Mike asked.


    Joe started the car and said, ¡°Of course.¡±


    As they were pulling out of the parking lot of the high school, Joe added, ¡°So Rocco thinks I¡¯m cool.¡±


    Mike chuckled and replied, ¡°Yeah, he thinks you¡¯re cool.¡±


    ¡°I thought he thought I was some dumb jock,¡± Joe replied.


    ¡°Well, he still thinks that and he¡¯s not wrong,¡± Mike immediately replied without missing a beat. The two brothers laughed as Joe pulled onto the main boulevard.

 5. Week 2

    Rocco was eagerly awaiting the next time he would see Mike Barber in class again. He hoped that they would do another Civics exercise together. He was standing outside sneaking a cigarette in the parking lot when he spotted Joe¡¯s BMW driving in. Everyone knew this car was Joe¡¯s because no one in this high school had such an expense car¡ªeven though it had to be at least 10 years old. As Rocco finished his Camel, Joe¡¯s car pulled closer. He saw Mike in the passenger seat. Mike caught sight of Rocco and waved happily at him. Rocco held up his hand to waive and stood by his Pontiac in the hopes they could walk in together.


    He saw Joe park a ways down from him and figured he would go ahead and start towards the building. It would take a while for Mike to get to him and Rocco didn¡¯t want to seem desperate. As Rocco was a few feet from the entrance, he heard someone call out his name.


    ¡°Rocco!!¡± It was Mike from a few yards away. Mike was smiling and waving. Mike was wearing a t-shirt with a design Rocco did not recognize and a pair of red shorts. His sun-bleached orange hair was parted and swooped over to one side halfway over his forehead. His freckled skin was starting to lose some of its summer color. His full lips were naturally bright pink. The sun caught his eyes which gave them a sparkle. Joe towered over his brother by about 6 inches. His broad frame next to Mike¡¯s slim build further exaggerated Joe athleticism. Joe¡¯s dark brown hair shined in the sun. His face still retained its summer glow. Joe¡¯s chiseled features were further exaggerated by Mike¡¯s softer boyish features. Mike was visibly giddy to see Rocco. Rocco¡¯s heart melted a bit at the sight of this handsome guy that was excited to see him. The pair caught up to Rocco.


    ¡°Hey Mike!¡± Rocco beamed and looked over at Joe. Rocco got a little nervous at seeing Joe but did not want to be rude, ¡°Hi Joe.¡±


    ¡°Hey Rocco! Are you ready for Mr. Pendleton?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ve lost so much sleep about it,¡± Rocco smirked. Mike giggled. ¡°Shall we?¡± Rocco motioned for the two of them to enter the building.


    ¡°Mike,¡± Joe started, ¡°could you go on? I¡¯ve got to talk with Rocco a minute.¡± Rocco¡¯s heart stopped. He wasn¡¯t sure what was about to happen, but it couldn¡¯t be good. Mike nodded and smiled at his brother. Mike went into the building but hid in the shadows to eavesdrop.


    Joe approached Rocco. The two stood face-to-face.


    ¡°Hi,¡± Rocco started.


    Joe hesitated and took a breath. ¡°Listen, Rocco, I¡¯m sure you have not forgotten about all the names my friends have called you over the years.¡± Of course, Rocco didn¡¯t forget. The years of being called queer, faggot, sissy, etc. made Rocco feel like shit. ¡°And I just stood there and laughed which is just as shitty.¡± Rocco agreed but stood silent. ¡°I want to apologize for all of that. I want to tell you how sorry I am for not speaking up. It was wrong to do that.¡±


    Rocco started to say something, but Joe held up his hand, ¡°Not yet, I¡¯m not done.¡± Rocco closed his mouth and let Joe continue. ¡°Initially, I was apologizing to make my brother happy, but I¡¯ve realized something. I¡¯m apologizing because I want to let you know I¡¯m so, so very sorry. This is my own sincere apology. I¡¯m not doing it for anyone.¡±


    Rocco started again to say something, but Joe held up his hand one more time. ¡°One more thing, I want you to know, I accept you¡­for whatever you want to be, for whoever you love.¡±


    Joe looked up at the sky. ¡°That¡¯s all.¡± When he looked down at Rocco, Joe saw that Rocco had tears running down his cheek. Joe was surprised and embarrassed that he made Rocco cry.


    ¡°Is it okay to talk?¡± Rocco laughed.


    Joe broke out in laughter and said, ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Joe. Thank you for everything you just said. I forgive you,¡± Rocco wiped his tears away.


    ¡°I never want to make you feel like shit again,¡± Joe said, his eyes starting to well up with tears. ¡°You don¡¯t deserve that.¡±


    Rocco smiled and held out his hand to shake Joe¡¯s hand. Rocco was completely shocked when Joe took his hand, pulled him in, and gave him a big bear hug. Rocco was stunned but slowly reciprocated the hug as a group of kids gathered around the two and applauded.


    ¡°Get a room!¡± someone yelled.


    ¡°Fuck off. This is a cool guy, and he needed a hug this morning. You can take it up with me,¡± Joe responded. Rocco laughed. They unlocked their embrace. The crowd dispersed.


    ¡°So, I hear you¡¯re playing Tiffany¡¯s party. That¡¯s so awesome,¡± Joe said changing the subject.


    ¡°Yeah, well, she¡¯s my cousin so she¡¯s doing me a favor,¡± Rocco replied as they walked in the building.


    ¡°No shit?¡± Joe was surprised. ¡°Tiffany¡¯s your cousin?  You think you could hook me up?¡± Joe laughed.


    ¡°Well, the heart wants what the heart wants but I could bring it up,¡± Rocco retorted. The two approached the stairwell to the upstairs. ¡°I¡¯m going up, so I¡¯ll catch you later.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m going down this way,¡± Joe pointed down to The Haven. Rocco turned to go up the stairs to Civics


    ¡°Maybe we can hang a little at the party?¡± Joe said.


    ¡°That would be awesome,¡± Rocco said and smiled as he turned back to the stairs.


    Mike lurked in the shadows behind the door of the entrance. He heard all of Joe and Rocco¡¯s conversation. He could not have been prouder of his brother, and he could not be happier that Rocco was being treated like a human being. Joe had quite a way to go in terms of his level of acceptance of Rocco, but this was a start. That¡¯s all Mike could hope for right now.


    Mike climbed the stairs to his first period class. He hoped that this interaction boosted Rocco¡¯s esteem. This guy deserved it. As he entered the threshold of the classroom, he saw Rocco sitting in his usual spot. Rocco was digging in his bag. Mike stood for a moment admiring the glow around Rocco. Though Rocco¡¯s face was buried in his bag, Mike could tell Rocco was in great spirits. Rocco looked up at Mike standing by the door. A half smile spread across his face as Mike took in the sight. Rocco was sitting in all his grungy splendor¡ªhis hair tossed over his forehead, his brown eyes clear and deep, his crooked smile fattening up one cheek, his Spitfire t-shirt hanging loosely from his shoulders, his baggy pants draped over his chair. Mike¡¯s heart pumped fast and hard at this vision.


    The bell rang and Mike started to approach the desk in front of Rocco. As he approached the desk, Rocco¡¯s eyes met his. He stood over Rocco.


    ¡°Hi,¡± Mike said gently.


    ¡°Hi!¡± Rocco returned the greeting in the same manner.


    Mike set his bag on the ground, sat in his chair, and turned halfway around to face Rocco.


    ¡°How did your conversation go with Joe?¡± Mike asked even though he already knew.


    ¡°It was a very good conversation. It¡¯s what I needed to hear,¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°What did you guys talk about?¡± Mike¡¯s gaze did not leave Rocco¡¯s.


    Rocco paused and then said, ¡°He apologized for picking on me.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a great guy. He wanted to do that,¡± Mike said.


    Rocco raised an eyebrow. ¡°Did you hear it?¡±


    Mike hesitated for a bit, ¡°Um, no, not at all.¡± He panicked slightly but quickly regained his composure. ¡°He talked about it on the way to school.¡±


    ¡°Ah, cool. I had no idea it was on his mind,¡± Rocco looked up as Mr. Pendleton entered the room.


    Mike was eager to change the subject. ¡°I heard you are in a band.¡±


    Rocco blinked, a little thrown off by the abrupt change in subject, ¡°Yeah, how did you know?¡±


    ¡°Well, I heard you are playing at Tiffany¡¯s party. Everyone¡¯s going, you know,¡± Mike answered.


    ¡°Oh right,¡± Rocco laughed. ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°How did you get to play at her party? I didn¡¯t think you knew the popular kids,¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Well, she¡¯s my cousin. Believe it or not, we talk,¡± Rocco smiled.


    Mike was surprised. ¡°I thought you weren¡¯t from this area. How do you have relatives here?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not from this area, but my mom was born and raised here so all her family is here. That¡¯s how I got here,¡± Rocco answered.


    ¡°OOOhhh. Okay,¡± Mike connected some dots. ¡°So, Tiffany is a cousin from your mom¡¯s side of the family.¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°What kind of music do you guys play?¡± Mike asked. The more he talked to Rocco, the more he was falling for him.


    ¡°Mostly grunge and hard rock,¡± Rocco replied. ¡°I don¡¯t think Tiffany really knows what we play but she wanted a band, and she knew I was in one.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your band¡¯s name?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Fred,¡± Rocco replied nonchalantly.


    ¡°Fred?  Your band is named Fred?¡± Mike was confused.


    ¡°Yep,¡± Rocco said and looked at him.


    ¡°Why Fred?¡± This was getting more intriguing.


    ¡°It¡¯s the name of Pete¡¯s dog. Pete¡¯s the lead singer,¡± Rocco replied flatly. Mike started to laugh. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s about the weirdest thing I¡¯ve ever heard,¡± Mike continued to laugh. Rocco found the way Mike laughed endearing. ¡°Who¡¯s in your band?¡±


    ¡°My best friend, Austin plays drums. Raz Matazz plays bass. Pete Hunter is the lead singer,¡± Rocco replied twirling his pencil in his fingers.


    ¡°Pete is the one with Fred?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Rocco affirmed.


    ¡°Wait a minute¡­. did you say Raz Matazz?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Yeah, his name¡¯s really Raj Persephone, but that¡¯s his stage name,¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°What instrument do you play?¡± Mike wanted to know everything.


    ¡°I play rhythm guitar,¡± Rocco responded.


    ¡°You play guitar?¡± Mike was intrigued.


    ¡°I do! I started skating with Raz and Pete last year and just out of nowhere we started talking about forming a band.¡±


    ¡°Skating? Like roller skating?¡± Mike wondered.


    ¡°What??? No! Skateboarding,¡± Rocco quickly replied.


    ¡°Oh, so, you are a skater boy?¡± Mike jested. Rocco snickered.


    ¡°I guess,¡± Rocco replied and rolled his eyes.


    ¡°A skateboarding rock-n-roller. Hot!¡± Mike laughed.


    Rocco blushed then straightened up. ¡°Is there anything else you want to know about me?¡± Rocco gave his half smile again.


    Mike paused. ¡°Not yet. I want to keep discovering more about you, Wayne.¡± The bell rang indicating it was time to start.


    ¡°Settle down, class,¡± Mr. Pendleton yelled.


    Mike turned around in his seat and breathed out silently. He closed his eyes to clear his head a moment. This guy was driving him crazy.


    Rocco sat back in his chair and relished in not only the events of this morning with Joe but also at the interaction with Mike. He enjoyed that Mike was interested in him so much. He had always thought that his extracurricular activities like playing in a band and skateboarding were just idle things to pass his time. But he could tell Mike was genuinely interested in hearing about these activities. It made him feel good that someone took an interest in his hobbies. It made him feel good someone took an interest in him. Talking about these activities started to make him feel connected to Mike¡ªto another human.


    It occurred to him that he wasn¡¯t sure if Mike was even going to the party. Invitations were not necessarily required for Tiffany¡¯s parties. People tended to just show up to these parties especially since they were outside. It was easy to just walk into the yard and join the crowd. Anyone could go, but it was extra popularity points if you were invited by Tiffany. However, since Mike was a sophomore, it was highly doubtful that she even knew who Mike was. Of course, she knew Joe. She and Joe hung out in the Haven. So, even though Mike may not have been invited, there was a pretty good chance he was going. The brother of one of the more popular students would surely be attending. Rocco really wanted him to go. He envisioned Mike standing at the head of the audience. Rocco wanted to play just for Mike.


    Rocco was dying to know. He leaned up to whisper in his ear. He got inundated with the bewitching scent of Mike¡¯s Polo cologne mixed in with the smell of his hair. Rocco cupped his hand over his ear which made Mike twitch slightly.


    ¡°Are you going to the party?¡± Rocco whispered. His mouth was so close to Mike¡¯s ear that he could swear his lips touched his ear.


    ¡°Rocco!¡± Mr. Pendleton snapped. Rocco was startled. He quickly sat back in his chair at attention. ¡°Let¡¯s get class started.¡±


    As Mr. Pendleton started with the class roll, Mike turned his head a quarter of the way back at Rocco, smiled, and nodded.


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    ¡°Settle down, class,¡± Mr. Pendleton yelled.


    Mike turned around in his seat and breathed out silently. He closed his eyes to clear his head a moment. This guy was driving him crazy. Wow, he is in a band, and he skateboards. To Mike, Rocco was the coolest guy he had ever met. Everyone else in his circle was so tame. His mom watched PBS all the time, and his dad taped golf tournaments to watch them over and over. His brother spent all his time playing some sort of sport. All his friends just wanted to be sheep in a herd. He could easily see them all slowly integrate into the Haven¡ªnot only here but out there in the world one day. There would always be a Haven where the popular kids congregated to be status quo¡ªto be dull.


    As much as he tried to fit into this clich¨¦, Mike never felt like he belonged. He dressed the part, he acted the role, but there was always a piece of him that dared to be different. He spent all his life suppressing that piece of him but, since he met Rocco, it was getting stronger by the hour. He wondered if Rocco could teach him how to play guitar and how to skateboard. A part of him wanted to run off with Rocco and do whatever it was skater punks do. What would that be? Roaming the country playing clubs and hunting for half-pipes? It sounded ridiculous but if Rocco was there, it would be the best.


    Just at that moment, he felt something brush up on his ear. It startled him initially, but when he realized that it was Rocco¡¯s hand cupping around his ear, a shiver of excitement jolted through his body causing him to twitch slightly. Rocco¡¯s lips gently touched his ear as he whispered. Mike caught the faint smell of cigarettes on his breath. Mike did not find the smell repulsive like most people because it was also mixed with Rocco¡¯s dark earthy scent which intoxicated Mike. The cigarette smell somehow enhanced the sensation.


    ¡°Are you going to the party?¡± Rocco whispered.


    ¡°Rocco!¡± Mr. Pendleton snapped. Rocco quickly recoiled and sat back in his chair at attention. ¡°Let¡¯s get class started.¡±


    He heard that people just go to this girl¡¯s parties uninvited. That was a foreign concept for him. He assumed his friends were going to crash it so, if he could find a way, he would do the same. He was certain his brother would vouch for him. Initially, he was a little indifferent but now that he knew that Rocco was the star attraction, it was decided. He wanted to spend as much time as he could with this guy. He wanted to explore this different side of himself that had been buried in him his entire life.


    Mike turned his head a quarter of the way back at Rocco, smiled, and nodded. He was going to this party, and he wanted Rocco to know this. Rocco grinned and gave him a thumbs up.


    ¡°Alright class, we will continue doing yesterday¡¯s exercise in diplomacy a little later this week. Today, I want to get into the material.¡± Some of the class grumbled since this meant it was time for a dry lecture. As Mr. Pendleton began, Mike felt Rocco putting his feet up in the book rack of his desk. He rested his knees on the back of Mike¡¯s chair with one knee touching his back. Mike felt a wave of ecstasy flow up his body. He loved being in physical contact with Rocco. He desperately wanted to reach back and hold his hand not caring what anyone said. However, he resisted this preposterous temptation.


    A couple of times, when Mr. Pendleton turned to write on the board, he turned his head slightly to look at Rocco. One of those times, Rocco was in his own world doodling something in his notebook. The second time he did this, Rocco was chewing on his pencil staring at the back of his head. Rocco quickly looked up at the board and then pretended to write some notes. Mike turned back around and smiled. Busted! Mike caught him staring at him. Mike was enjoying this more than he ever imagined he would.


    The bell rang indicating the end of class. Civics class was painfully boring. It was mostly a quick American history lesson which everyone has heard many times over at this point. Neither of them got up to take a break between Civics and psychology. Mike turned around to talk with Rocco some more.


    ¡°I¡¯m really excited to hear you play,¡± Mike began.


    ¡°Thanks! I hope you enjoy it,¡± Rocco replied. Rocco paused for a moment and then started again, ¡°Hey, I¡¯ve talked about myself enough, what about you, Mike?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Mike looked perplexed.


    ¡°You know I play guitar and skateboard. What do you like to do outside of school?¡± Rocco asked.


    Mike was taken back. Not too many people have asked what he likes to do. People either assumed he liked sports because of his brother, or they just were not that interested in his hobbies. He did not have anything prepared to say.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Mike thought a moment. He wanted to present himself in way that Rocco would approve. ¡°I like to draw.¡±


    ¡°Oh really?¡± Rocco responded.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve always drawn most of my life, so I¡¯ve gotten pretty okay with it.¡± Mike said. He was more than okay. He was actually very good at art, but no one ever really acknowledged it. Art was considered a waste of time to his family and friends. His parents discouraged him from doing anything serious with it since art usually didn¡¯t pay any bills¡ªThe Barber practicality.


    ¡°What do you like to draw?¡± Rocco leaned in a little closer clearly more interested than Mike expected.


    Mike got a little embarrassed talking about this, but he complied, ¡°Anything, people, landscapes, various things.¡±


    ¡°What do you like to use? Pencils? Paints?¡±


    ¡°Umm, anything really.¡± Mike was afraid he was trying to make his art uninteresting. ¡°I steer towards pencils and ink.¡± He started to get a little more comfortable. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about exploring painting but haven¡¯t gotten the nerve to do it yet.¡±


    ¡°The nerve?¡± Rocco scoffed. ¡°You just pick up a brush and do it, right?¡±


    Mike laughed, ¡°Yeah, I suppose it¡¯s that easy.¡±


    ¡°Do you have anything on you to show me?¡± Rocco asked.


    Once again, Mike was surprised. No one ever asked to see his artwork. ¡°No, not on me. I keep all my work at home.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d love to see some of your work sometime,¡± Rocco replied.


    The thought of Rocco coming to his house to see his artwork put a smile on his face.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be the first person I invite to my art show,¡± Mike joked which made Rocco laugh.


    ¡°Will you draw me something?¡± Rocco asked.


    Stunned yet again, Mike didn¡¯t know how to respond. Rocco¡ªMr. Cool¡ªwanted a piece of art from boring old Mike? Unsure what to say, ¡°What do you want me draw?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the artist. It¡¯s your choice,¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°I get a feeling you are embarrassed about your art,¡± Rocco could pick up on Mike¡¯s apprehension.


    Mike looked down as he spoke, ¡°Yeah, well, no one has ever asked me about my art.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± Rocco had a look of concern on his face.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Mike hesitated. ¡°No one has been all that encouraging to be honest.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± Rocco asked in the same way.


    ¡°Everyone just sees it as a pointless hobby.¡±


    Rocco looked up to think for a second. ¡°Well, if you are as good as I imagine, it¡¯s not at all pointless.¡±


    Mike looked up and smiled. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right.¡± They stared at each other a moment. Mike started to get lost in Rocco¡¯s eyes. He then came back to his senses, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll draw you something.¡±


    ¡°I look forward to it.¡±


    ¡°It may take me a little while, but I¡¯ll do it,¡± Mike said as the bell rang for the second period.


    That night, as soon as dinner was over, Mike excused himself suddenly from the table. His parents sensed Mike was a million miles away during dinner so they held off asking anything about his day. Mike was pondering what to draw for Rocco. He had been ruminating the entire day and most of the evening. The whole day, he was coming up empty on any ideas. He wanted to draw Rocco something he would like. He had been focusing his efforts lately on landscapes but that would not do for Rocco. It had to be something awesome for such an awesome guy. While landscapes were pretty to look at, they were not very personal for such a personal expression of admiration.


    It then occurred to him what to draw as dinner was over. He wanted to quickly get to his room and get started drawing. He cleared his place at the table and ran to his room so as not to lose a moment of inspiration. If this came out right, Rocco would love it.


    Once he got to his room, he closed the door and pulled all his art supplies from under his bed. He pulled a cardboard banker¡¯s box out and took off the lid. His supplies were neatly arranged in an organized system that made sense to him. He pulled out a sketchbook and grabbed a light lead pencil to begin his process. He always sketched out the spatial layout of what he was going to draw first before laying down any lines on a heavy piece of the real drawing paper. As he was about to begin his sketching, he was reminded of something Rocco said.


    ¡°The nerve? You just pick up a brush and do it, right?¡±


    Yeah, just go for it. He put away the sketchbook and got out a piece of his large expensive paper. No trial sketches. Just go for it. He took his pencil and started to layout his inspiration on the good paper with his lightest lead. It was just good form to go from light to dark lead. You can easily erase a light line more than a dark line. The darkest lead is for the end. No one taught him this, he just learned it through trial and error.


    Once he was halfway through his shading and outlining with his 2H pencil, Emily Barber, his mom, knocked on the door and cracked it open.


    ¡°Time for lights out,¡± His mom said.


    Lights out? It couldn¡¯t have been that late. He could have sworn he was working on this for ten minutes, if that. However, he looked at his clock and saw it was 10 PM. He had been working for three hours straight. He hadn¡¯t even touched any of his homework. The time had already past, so he would just have to work on his homework throughout the day before it was due and turn in what he had finished. The drawing for Rocco was far more important than math problems.


    ¡°What are you working on?¡± Emily asked and walked toward him to see.


    ¡°I just felt like drawing tonight,¡± Mike replied.


    ¡°Can I see?¡± his mom asked.


    Mike put his pencil down and held up his drawing paper. Emily nodded and gave a slightly impressed ¡°hmm¡±.


    ¡°That¡¯s really good, honey. But put it up. It¡¯s time for bed.¡±


    ¡°Okay, mom. Good night,¡± Mike said and got up. His body was sore from sitting on the floor for so long without moving. His mom turned to walk out and closed the door.


    Mike stood back and looked at what he had drawn so far. In the almost 3 hours of drawing, he had a good outline drawn of a guy playing a guitar on a skateboard. It was going to be Rocco, of course, but he had not gotten deep enough into his shading to have any of his distinctive features sketched in. Right now, there were just light lines on the face where eyes, a nose, and a mouth should be. However, the body, the guitar, and the skateboard were well laid out with the lightest shading started. This phase of the drawing was always the hardest and most time consuming. This is when Mike works on the perspective and the proportions. Once the proportions were correct, the rest of the piece was shading and enhancing. Many times, he would get to the later parts of the shading only to discover that an arm was too thin, a hand was too big in comparison to the rest of the body, or the head was too small for the body. He learned early on that he had to get the proportions just right at the beginning with his lightest lead so he could erase and redraw without too much effort.


    However, he was very pleased with the layout. It was perfect. Now, he had to spend a couple of days to sear Rocco¡¯s face into his memory so he could draw his features. This would require many days of having to look carefully at Rocco. This would be a difficult task, but he was doing it for his art. He laughed to himself at the predicament he had put himself in.


    ¡°Rocco!¡±


    ¡°I know, I¡¯m sorry,¡± Rocco murmured. ¡°I¡¯m off.¡±


    The band had been practicing every night for the past week in preparation for the party. At this point, they have been playing these songs ad nauseum over the past several months. Each song was practically branded into Rocco¡¯s head. He barely had to even think about fret placement. However, they had changed the play order so perhaps this is what was throwing him off.


    ¡°From the top,¡± Pete yelled. ¡°2...3¡­4¡­¡±


    Their first song was a Pearl Jam song which started with a guitar riff. The first note of the set, the first instrument that was going to be played was going to be from Rocco. Starting ¡°Alive¡± was not a problem. Once Rocco started playing, the rest of the band would follow order. The second song, ¡°Smells Like Teen Spirit¡± by Nirvana was the same pattern. The problem was the transition to the third song. It was another Nirvana song, but he had to count beats before joining in. He usually could just feel when to come in without counting. However, today, he just couldn¡¯t do it. His mind was on Mike. Now that he knew Mike would see him on stage, he wanted to impress him. He wanted to do a good job, and this was tripping him up.


    The first two songs were almost perfect¡ªa few wrong notes here and there from everyone at different points. Pete sang the wrong lyrics once. But it still worked. It was a high school garage band, so it didn¡¯t have to be perfect. When they each made a mistake, they played on through, so the mistake just sounded intentional. When they started the third song that kept messing Rocco up, he tripped up again.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± Pete yelled. ¡°You missed it again.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, sorry again,¡± Rocco apologized.


    ¡°Why are you having such a deal with coming in? It¡¯s not that difficult¡­it¡¯s fucking Nirvana, you can play any note, and it will sound fine. But you got to play SOMETHING to the beat,¡± Pete yelled again.


    ¡°I got it, I got it,¡± Rocco said nervously.


    ¡°Dude, I don¡¯t think you do. We¡¯ve been at it for an hour, and you¡¯ve been messing it up every time at this point. The fuck, dude???¡± Pete threw down his flannel shirt and walked away.


    Pete Hunter was a tall, skinny sandy haired guy who dyed his hair jet black. He had pale, ice blue eyes which stood out jarringly against the black hair. The effect pierced into a person¡¯s soul. It would have been an even more intense effect if he colored in his eyebrows to match his dye job. Rocco met Pete at the skate park one random spring night last year. Like Rocco, he was a senior. Their paths crossed occasionally before Rocco started to skate because their friend groups had a little overlap. But once Rocco started going to the skate park, they bumped into each other almost constantly. Pete had a reputation of being moody and short-tempered which suited him perfectly as the front man of a high school garage band. He set the tone of angst and disillusionment. Rocco admired his voice, but Pete intimidated him quite a bit¡ªmostly by his attitude towards music.


    Pete had always been in a choir, did solos¡ªeven his mom taught voice and choir at high school. He had the credibility and talent to be the singer of this band¡ªperhaps too much credibility. All the other members figured Pete was just in the band to give himself some street credibility. He had been trained in classical, choral, and musical theater¡ªthe type of music that grandmothers adore. But being in a band was ¡°edgy¡±. He didn¡¯t really like the music they played but it was new and now. The rest of the band were self-taught and very rough around the edges in terms of musical ability. Pete was descending from his pedestal to be in this band. He knew he had all the power in the group.


    ¡°Pete, really?¡± Raz sighed.


    Raz Matazz, or Raj Persephone, was average height with dark features. He was also a senior. He was half Asian Indian, half Greek. Rocco met Raz also around the time he met Pete. They had an instant bond in that they were both neither black nor white¡ªthey were two of only a small handful of brown kids in the school. Past this, however, Rocco grew a special admiration for Raz¡¯s unwavering calmness. He shredded hard on the bass¡ªsomething Rocco also loved about him. Even though he lived most of his life in this small town, he had a worldly attitude beyond his years. Raz was not particularly gifted in academics or sports. Music was clearly his thing although it was obvious his parents did not nurture his skill. He did not learn any instruments until shortly before they formed Fred. He took to the bass like a natural professional.


    ¡°Leave it alone. It¡¯ll be fine,¡± Rocco apologized.


    ¡°How about we take a break?¡± Raz suggested.


    Austin got up from his drum and stretched. ¡°Yeah, that sounds like a plan.¡± Raz and Rocco put their instruments down in unison. Raz and Austin approached Rocco who was standing looking off in the distance¡ªa little defeated by Pete¡¯s outburst.


    ¡°You okay?¡± Austin put his arm around Rocco¡¯s neck.


    ¡°Yes, I guess,¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°Listen, Pete¡¯s just wound tight because of the show,¡± Raz calmly said.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that,¡± Rocco said and then stopped. ¡°Well, that didn¡¯t help.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Raz asked.


    ¡°Nothing. I guess I¡¯m just a little distracted,¡± Rocco answered. He ran his fingers through his hair. Since he had slicked it down with gel, running his hands through his hair caused it to stand up in the front.


    ¡°What about?¡± Austin asked in a concerned way.


    ¡°Just a bunch of stuff, I suppose,¡± Rocco replied. He was thinking about Mike and the apology that Joe gave. He was starting to feel more at ease with his sexuality these past couple of days. More at ease, but not at all willing to open up for the world, however.


    ¡°Is it a girl---¡± Pete interrupted. He returned to the practice area still annoyed and flushed with a pompous attitude. He caught himself in mid-question, ¡°person I mean. Are you crushing over someone?¡± Pete, as well as the other band members, knew all about the rumors concerning Rocco¡¯s sexuality.


    ¡°Pete, stop,¡± Austin blurted out.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to insinuate you were in love with a girl, Rocco,¡± Pete snidely remarked.


    ¡°Seriously?¡± Raz sighed.


    ¡°I¡¯m just stating the obvious¡ªwell, actually, we don¡¯t know what is obvious. Do we, Rocco? Pete stated in a biting manner. He sneered at Rocco.


    Rocco blushed and looked around the room not knowing what to say. Why was Pete being such a dick? He just messed up a couple of songs. Why the vitriol?


    Austin stepped between Rocco and Pete. ¡°What¡¯s your problem?¡±


    Pete stepped closer to Austin. ¡°I don¡¯t have the problem. We all know you¡¯re gay, Rocco. Why can¡¯t you just come out with it once and for all?¡±


    Austin almost pushed Pete but stopped just short of it. ¡°That¡¯s not for you to decide. It¡¯s for Rocco to decide.¡±


    Rocco walked back over to his guitar and unplugged it. He began to load it into its hard case.


    ¡°For fuck¡¯s sake, Rocco, we are all fine with it. Just fucking say it!¡± Pete yelled.


    ¡°Sorry, guys. I¡¯m going to head out,¡± Rocco picked up his guitar and started toward the door.


    ¡°Rocco¡­don¡¯t go,¡± Austin pleaded.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll see you guys later,¡± Rocco walked out the door and packed his guitar in the car. Austin followed him to his car.


    ¡°Rocco, I¡¯m sorry about that. That was totally uncalled for,¡± Austin apologized.


    ¡°I said it was fine,¡± Rocco looked down.


    ¡°You know, he¡¯s right about one thing. We are all cool with you being gay,¡± Austin grabbed Rocco¡¯s shoulder. As much as he liked hearing that, Rocco was not cool with the idea yet. He left little for people to question. All last year he unintentionally adopted an asexual persona. No girls were sending him love notes or revealing any secret crushes on him. For some reason or another, everyone just assumed he was gay. He hadn¡¯t said or done anything to lead anyone to this conclusion. It was just an unspoken whisper among the halls. Maybe all the bullying and being called ¡°queer¡± finally started to become the truth to everyone.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m cool with it,¡± Rocco looked up at Austin with tears in his eyes. He tore himself from Austin¡¯s grip, got into his car, and sped away leaving Austin alone in the driveway.


    As he lay there trying to go to sleep, all he could think about was Mike and the last words he said to Austin. He didn¡¯t know if he was going to be okay with how he was feeling towards Mike. Besides, he was certain Mike wasn¡¯t gay. Mike came from an upper middle class conservative family that must have valued God and country above everything. Rocco had nothing against God and country, but he despised the people who hid behind those values to do harm to others. Joe¡¯s apology earlier gave him some hope that at least there was some respect for how others lived. But Rocco had been down this road before¡ªmistaking kindness for attraction. Mike was just being a friendly guy¡ªa sophomore looking for a friend. There was nothing that indicated to Rocco that there was any attraction on Mike¡¯s part. He drifted off to sleep uncertain about how to handle band practice and their upcoming show.

 6. But Its Only Been Two Weeks

    ¡°Alright, folks. Get in your partner groups. We are going to continue with our diplomacy exercise,¡± Mr. Pendleton announced to the class. There was the sound of chairs sliding across the floor. Rocco looked up in front him to catch Mike standing up and turning his desk to face him. His eyes met Rocco¡¯s, and he smiled.


    He¡¯s just being nice, Rocco instantly thought. Nothing more than being nice. Rocco returned a half-smile. Mike noticed something was a little off with Rocco but did not want to embarrass him, so he sat down in his chair and faced Rocco.


    ¡°Hi, Wayne,¡± Mike said trying to be chipper.


    ¡°Hey there,¡± Rocco replied quietly.


    Mike raised his eyebrows, ¡°Everything ok?¡±


    Rocco looked over to the left, ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s up? You seem distracted,¡± Mike pushed on further.


    Rocco looked back at Mike and sighed. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s not anything important. Just artistic differences.¡±


    Mike was really confused at this comment. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Some disagreement at band practice last night,¡± Rocco did not really want to go any further than that.


    ¡°Oh, okay. I hope it turns out alright,¡± Mike tried to ease the tension. Rocco just gave him a little nod. Mr. Pendleton interrupted the silence.


    ¡°I¡¯m handing out a list of three randomly assigned topics. I want you two to discuss these topics and talk about your personal views on these topics. If you both agree on a topic, come up with a reason why you agree. If you disagree, why do you disagree? People who practice diplomacy start out finding things they agree on and things they disagree on.¡±


    Mr. Pendleton started handing out the lists. He placed a sheet of paper on the desks of each pair. When he got to Rocco and Mike, Mike held out his hand to indicate that Rocco should take the lead. Rocco picked up the paper and reviewed the topics:


    ¡¤      Economic Development


    ¡¤      Gun Control


    Suddenly Rocco¡¯s heart pounded.


    ¡¤      Gay Rights.


    Was this intentional? Rocco looked up at Mr. Pendleton, but his back was turned handing out the rest of the lists. There could be no way this was randomly assigned. What a cruel trick that Mr. Pendleton was pulling. Rocco was going to be forced to talk about gay rights. The gay guy talking about gay rights? Was Mr. Pendleton trying to out him like Pete was? What a fucked-up universe.


    Rocco turned the paper over and slid it over to Mike. Mike gave him a puzzled look. He turned the paper over and gave it a look. Mike looked up at Rocco. Rocco felt the blood rush to his face, and he looked away quickly.


    ¡°Okay, which one should we start with?¡± Mike asked.


    Rocco could not look at him. He looked up and replied, ¡°You pick.¡± Rocco started to squirm in his seat.


    ¡°Gay rights,¡± Mike replied definitively.


    Mike stood up and grabbed his desk to turn it around. He would get to look at Rocco face to face today. Perfect timing considering he was working on his drawing. This would be the perfect time to start to memorize every facet of Rocco¡¯s face¡ªhis deep bottomless eyes, his prominent nose, his crooked half smile. His eyes met Rocco¡¯s, and he smiled. He had been waiting all night and all morning to see this guy. He was practically counting the seconds until this moment.


    When he saw Rocco, he noticed something was not quite right. He looked a little downtrodden this morning. Something must have happened. Did someone tease him before class? Or maybe something happened at home? Whatever it was, Rocco was looking smaller than he had the past couple of days. He wanted to know but did not want to pry. Even though he felt surprisingly connected to Rocco, it would be weird for him to start asking personal questions.


    ¡°Hi, Wayne,¡± Mike said trying to be chipper.


    ¡°Hey there,¡± Rocco replied quietly. It tore at Mike a little to see something was bothering Rocco.


    Mike raised his eyebrows, ¡°Everything ok?¡±


    Rocco looked over to the left, ¡°Yeah.¡± No, Mike knew everything wasn¡¯t okay with him. Something was bugging him. He wanted to reach over, give Rocco a hug, and tell him everything would be fine. But he tried to play it cool.


    ¡°What¡¯s up? You seem distracted,¡± Mike pushed on further. Rocco said something about artistic differences. It clicked¡ªsomething happened with his band.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Some disagreement at band practice last night,¡± Rocco said¡ªjust as Mike thought. He was a little relieved that Rocco didn¡¯t say he had been called a name or teased.


    ¡°Oh, okay. I hope it turns out alright.¡± Mike tried to empathize, but he didn¡¯t know anything about being in a band. His art was all solo activities so he could not wrap his head around having to work with others to create something. It had to be difficult. Rocco just gave him a half smile.


    Mr. Pendleton interrupted the silence to explain the exercise. Talk about the topics they would be handed. It sounded easy enough. When he got to Rocco and Mike, Mike held out his hand to indicate that Rocco should take the lead. Rocco picked up the paper. Mike saw a panic rush over Rocco¡¯s face. Rocco turned the paper over and slid it over to Mike. What could be on this paper that upset him so much? He turned the paper over and gave it a look. Mike looked up at Rocco. He saw Rocco turn bright read and look away quickly. It was because gay rights was on the list. They would have to talk about what everyone assumed about Rocco¡ªgay. He also got nervous himself. He hadn¡¯t thought about himself being gay but all these feelings he was having towards Rocco were making him question everything he assumed. He couldn¡¯t be completely straight given his attraction to Rocco. A slight panic ran through Mike as well. Would this exercise give away how he felt about Rocco? Mike didn¡¯t know how to react. So maybe he would let Rocco pick first.


    ¡°Okay, which one should we start with?¡± Mike asked.


    Rocco could not look at him. He looked up and replied, ¡°You pick.¡± Rocco started to squirm in his seat. Damn, he was going to have to decide. Mike thought for a moment. Maybe this would be good. Maybe if they talked about the elephant in the room, it could be liberating in some way. Let¡¯s cut to the chase then and just get it out of the way.


    ¡°Gay rights,¡± Mike replied definitively.


    Rocco blew out heavily and looked at Mike. ¡°Okay, gay rights, it is.¡±


    Mike looked around the room wondering if they were the only one with this topic. He looked back around at Rocco who was looking down at the paper. There was an awkward silence between the two of them. Rocco began to rap his fingers on the desk. Mike twisted his hair between his fingers.


    ¡°Guys,¡± Mr. Pendleton interrupted. ¡°You have to talk about all of the topics, so let¡¯s get started. Are you guys stuck on something?¡±


    Rocco looked off to the distance. Mike looked at Rocco and then at Mr. Pendleton. ¡°We are.¡±


    ¡°Okay, what are you two talking about?¡± Mr. Pendleton leaned down.


    ¡°What are gay rights?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Oh, okay,¡± Mr. Pendleton said. ¡°It¡¯s the ability for people to marry someone of the same sex. It¡¯s the protection of gay and lesbians from discrimination at work, school, getting a house. Basically, it¡¯s about gay and lesbians having the same rights and protections as straight people.¡±


    ¡°Okay, that makes sense,¡± Mike said. Mr. Pendleton nodded and walked off to another pair.


    ¡°So, what do you think about all of that?¡± Mike asked Rocco.


    ¡°Why are you asking me that?¡± Rocco asked defensively.


    Mike¡¯s face got flushed. ¡°Because that¡¯s what the instructions are. Talk about if we each agree or disagree and then talk about our agreement and disagreement.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, right,¡± Rocco sighed. It was just a class exercise Rocco thought to himself. It has nothing to do with what you are going through. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m definitely against discrimination of any type, but why should gay people have special rights?¡±


    This was not the response Mike was expecting. He would have thought that Rocco would be 100% in favor of all the gay rights. ¡°Well, I agree about what you said about being against any kind of discrimination,¡± Mike thought for a moment. ¡°But I don¡¯t think we are talking about any extra additional rights¡ªjust the same rights as everyone else.¡±


    ¡°So, not preferential treatment?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it means that. I think it means like being fired because you¡¯re gay. Or making it illegal to bully someone?¡± Mike replied. Rocco blushed. Was he talking about him directly? He shook it off, however.


    ¡°I see your point,¡± Rocco said. ¡°It¡¯s kinda hard to think about this so abstractly.¡±


    ¡°Okay, let me think of an example. Let¡¯s say I¡¯m gay,¡± Mike said looking squarely at Rocco. Rocco raised an eyebrow. ¡°And let¡¯s say we were going out,¡± Mike¡¯s voice dropped off slightly at the end. Mike looked down for a second and, when he looked back up, Rocco was staring at him point blank. Mike continued, ¡°Now, let¡¯s say a group of guys started to beat me up.¡± Rocco swallowed hard. ¡°Would you want to have a law in place that would allow you to press charges for gay bashing?¡± Mike asked.


    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Rocco held his breath before answering. He felt as if Mike were asking him this question not as a hypothetical example but as a real scenario. Rocco swallowed again and said ¡°Absolutely! I would want to protect you as much as I could. You would be my boyfriend.¡±


    Mike¡¯s face lightened and a smile started across his face. ¡°And if we were boyfriends for a while, would you want to marry me?¡± Mike held his breath in anticipation for Rocco¡¯s response.


    Rocco let out a nervous laugh but then swallowed hard yet again. He felt his heart pounding and hoped it was not showing through his shirt. He saw that Mike was looking deep into him for an honest answer. Rocco cleared his throat and replied, ¡°Absolutely.¡± They stared at each other for a few seconds.


    Mike interrupted the moment, ¡°Then it sounds like you are in favor of gay rights.¡±


    Rocco smiled. He was right about everything.


    ¡°We agree on this topic,¡± Mike added.


    Rocco¡¯s smile widened. He was relieved to discover that Mike was not as close minded and conservative as he originally thought. He was at least open to the idea that gays and lesbians should have the same treatments as everyone else. He was happiest that Mike was willing to contemplate a scenario where they were boyfriends. Mike did not immediately cringe at the hypothetical scenario. Rocco wanted to be certain about this.


    ¡°You¡¯re not just saying this because it¡¯s me you are talking to?¡± Rocco asked quietly.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Mike looked at him confused. Mike really wasn¡¯t confused. He was just playing dumb. He knew exactly what Rocco was saying.


    Rocco looked around and then down at his hands. He started to nervously fidget his thumbs. ¡°Because¡­¡± he started quietly and then cleared his throat and spoke louder, ¡°because of the rumors about me.¡±


    Mike wanted to play dumb again and say, ¡°what rumors?¡± However, he figured that would be taking it too far. That would be cruel.


    ¡°I¡¯m not saying it because of the rumors. I really mean it,¡± Mike wanted to reach out and hold Rocco¡¯s hand but knew it would not be appropriate here. Instead, he leaned closer and spoke softer, ¡°I really mean it, and I¡¯m totally in favor of you being who you are.¡±


    Rocco laughed nervously and smiled. He could sense that Mike was sincere and meant what he said from the bottom of his heart. A lock of Mike red hair fell on his forehead. Rocco desperately wanted to reach up and slick it back for him.


    ¡°Thank you for saying that,¡± Rocco said keeping his composure.


    ¡°It breaks my heart a little to see you not being your true self,¡± Mike said looking at Rocco deeply. Whoa, this is getting intense, Rocco thought to himself.


    Mike continued, ¡°But I understand you have to do things on your own terms. Just know that I am here for you, and I support you.¡±


    This was not how Rocco anticipated this conversation at all.


    ¡°Okay, you¡¯ve got five more minutes,¡± Mr. Pendleton broke the moment.


    ¡°Oh, shit. We haven¡¯t talked about the other two topics,¡± Rocco laughed.


    Mr. Pendleton looked at Rocco, ¡°Language, mister.¡± Mr. Pendleton then spoke to the rest of the class but really directed his statement at Mike and Rocco. ¡°Don¡¯t worry if you haven¡¯t made it to all the topics. We will continue with this exercise tomorrow.¡± Relief set in for the both of them.


    Once the bell rang, Mike got up. Rocco looked up from his desk at Mike. Mike gave him a little smile and then said, ¡°See you again in a few minutes.¡± He walked off leaving Rocco to gaze admirably at his departure.


    ¡°Can we talk alone?¡±


    Rocco looked up from the lunch table to see Pete look directly at him. Pete nodded his head towards an empty table. Rocco got up and went to the table with Pete without saying a word. They both sat down across from each other. Rocco couldn¡¯t look at Pete after his outburst last night. He was still furious and didn¡¯t know how he was going to make it through their show.


    ¡°I was such a dick last night,¡± Pete started. ¡°I had no right to try to get you to come out¡­¡± he trailed off realizing that he shouldn¡¯t have phrased his apology in that manner. ¡°I mean, getting you to say something you are not ready to say.¡±


    Rocco just sat quietly at the table. His fury began to fade. Pete was trying to apologize although he wasn¡¯t doing a great job at it.


    ¡°Rocco, look at me,¡± Pete pleaded. Rocco complied. Pete¡¯s icy blue eyes penetrated Rocco¡¯s brown opaque eyes. ¡°I¡¯m nervous we are going to fuck our show up, but that¡¯s no reason to go off on you like I did.¡±


    Rocco nodded acknowledging what he was saying. Pete continued his apology, ¡°I want you to know that it doesn¡¯t matter to us what you are. We--¡± Pete caught himself, ¡°I want you to know that I¡¯m in your corner. It hurts that you can¡¯t be honest to us about who you are.¡±


    Rocco totally understood where Pete was coming from. These guys were his bandmates¡ªthrough thick and thin. They would support him because he was a vital part of the band. Rocco began to feel foolish that he couldn¡¯t trust his own bandmates.


    ¡°Pete, it¡¯s totally cool. I understand,¡± Rocco began, ¡°I know you¡¯re freaked out about the show. I am too. I¡¯m sorry I haven¡¯t been honest to you all that I¡¯m gay--¡±


    Rocco froze dead in his tracks. He hadn¡¯t realized what he had said¡ªit just came out unconsciously. He had just said he was gay to someone else¡ªat this very moment. He finally had said the words out loud. He didn¡¯t intend to say it but there it was.


    I¡¯m gay.


    Pete sat back surprised at what Rocco had just said. He wasn¡¯t surprised at all at the content but that it happened right now.


    ¡°Did you really mean that?¡± Pete asked.


    Rocco looked down but then, with a determination in his eyes, he looked back up and looked Pete square in his icy eyes.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m gay,¡± Rocco said.


    Rocco didn¡¯t really want to come out first to Pete, but he got so wrapped up in the moment. It felt phenomenal to just say it out loud to someone¡ªanyone¡ªelse.


    Rocco repeated, ¡°I¡¯m gay.¡±


    Pete let out a loud laugh and pounded his fists on the table. A few people looked up but then went back to their lunch.


    ¡°Rocco, I know! I¡¯m thrilled you finally told me!¡± Pete exclaimed. Rocco felt a weight lifting off his chest. ¡°Who all knows?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the first person I¡¯ve told,¡± Rocco admitted.


    ¡°What??? I¡¯m the first person you¡¯ve come out to?¡± Pete¡¯s eyes widened.


    Rocco laughed. ¡°Yeah, you are.¡±


    Pete gave him a sentimental look and a big AWWW. Pete taunted him, ¡°You dumb fucker!¡±


    Rocco let out a long sigh and replied, ¡°Yeah, I know.¡±


    ¡°Do you want to let the other guys know?¡± Pete asked.


    Rocco thought for a second and then replied, ¡°Ok¡±.


    As they walked back to the table, Pete put his arm around Rocco¡¯s neck. The two sat down. Raz and Austin stopped eating their lunch and saw Pete had a goofy grin on his face.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Raz asked confused. Pete motioned to Rocco that he had the table. Rocco looked at Pete, took a deep inhale, and then looked at Raz and Austin.


    ¡°I¡¯m gay,¡± Rocco exhaled.


    ¡°No shit,¡± Raz said flatly and smiled. ¡°Who else knows?¡±


    ¡°Just you guys right now. Can we keep it among us for the time being?¡± Rocco asked.


    Raz and Pete nodded.


    Rocco looked over at Austin. He felt a sudden pang of regret that it was not Austin that he first told¡ªhis best friend in the world. Austin shot him a big smile and nodded his head. Rocco shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡°That¡¯s the best news I¡¯ve heard all day,¡± Austin replied.


    Once lunch was over and Raz and Pete had left, Rocco walked over and sat next to Austin who was still at the table.


    ¡°Are you upset I didn¡¯t tell you first?¡± Rocco looked down embarrassed.


    ¡°A little,¡± Austin replied. ¡°But this is not about me, Rocco. It¡¯s on your terms and you did it. That¡¯s all I could ask for.¡± Austin put his arm around Rocco¡¯s neck and gave him a squeeze. Rocco still felt bad about not telling Austin first, but he knew Austin meant what he said.


    ¡°There is something I can tell just you,¡± Rocco said.


    Austin turned to face Rocco. ¡°Of course, anything.¡±


    Rocco paused then took a breath, ¡°I have a crush on a guy in a couple of my classes.¡± Rocco was not necessarily revealing anything he hadn¡¯t known himself. He knew the familiar feelings of longing when he got a crush.


    ¡°Who is it?¡± Austin eagerly asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s a sophomore, so you probably don¡¯t know who it is,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Well, does this guy have a name?¡± Austin was genuinely interested.


    ¡°His name is Mike,¡± Rocco started. ¡°Actually, it¡¯s Joe Barber¡¯s little brother.¡±


    ¡°The football player?¡± Austin asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Rocco replied.


    Austin suddenly got a worried look on his face. ¡°Is he gay?¡±


    Rocco looked down as he said, ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­I don¡¯t think so.¡±


    Austin let out a sigh and responded, ¡°Oh man, that kinda sucks. What are you going to do?¡±


    Rocco moved his foot from side to side trying to kick imaginary dirt on the tile floor. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Austin didn¡¯t really know what to say to this. He had no real experience with unrequited love. It had to be extra tough for a gay guy to crush on a straight guy. He gave him a closed empathetic smile and said, ¡°Chin up. It could work out.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, maybe,¡± Rocco trailed off. Rocco shook his head and wanted to change the subject. ¡°What¡¯s going on with your crush?¡±


    Austin smiled, ¡°Nothing yet. But I might invite Wendy to practice some time¡ªjust to see how things go.¡±


    Rocco gave him a crooked smile, ¡°I can¡¯t wait to meet her.¡±


    ¡°We better get to class. Hey, if things turn out like you want, maybe ask Mike to watch us practice,¡± Austin said.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Rocco started to think. ¡°I may do that.¡± Just like Austin said¡ªjust to see how things go. Rocco looked up at Austin, ¡°This is assuming you actually come to practice.¡±


    ¡°Fuck you, Rocco!¡± Austin laughed which Rocco returned.


    Austin and Rocco slowly made their way back to class. They did not want to spend the rest of the day in class bored out of their minds. It was a perfect day to just hang out on the porch and watch the day go by. They passed Meigs Johanssen on their way back.


    Meigs was a junior who was openly gay to everyone. He was one of the most flamboyant guys in the school. He reminded Rocco of Elton John when he was all smacked out on drugs in the 70s. Meigs always wore flashy clothes and sashed the hallways with such flair. He was known to do a fierce vogue in the hallway. His hair was shoulder length and heavily sprayed in a Mary Tyler Moore flip. He would often paint his fingernails to match his ensemble. Today, he was in a purple mood.


    As Meigs passed, Rocco saw that he had a fresh black eye that was almost swollen shut. Because of his flamboyance, Meigs was victim to daily beatings from the very guys that called Rocco names¡ªthe guys that Joe apologized for. There was a trickle of blood coming from Meigs¡¯s nose. It was possible that the black eye occurred earlier today, but the bloody nose had just happened. Meigs had a tissue which he used to catch the blood from his nose. Meigs darted into the bathroom. Rocco stopped causing Austin to stop as well.


    ¡°You okay?¡± Austin asked.


    ¡°Yes, I just have to go to the bathroom,¡± Rocco looked over to the bathroom. ¡°I¡¯ll see you in class.¡±


    Austin nodded and turned to walk back to class. Rocco looked around and then stepped into the bathroom that Meigs had just entered. He saw Meigs crying over a running sink¡ªblood dripping from his nose. Rocco stood there looking at him not really knowing what to do. Meigs looked up and saw Rocco staring at him.


    ¡°Can I help you?¡± Meigs sneered and wiped the blood from his nose.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Rocco choked out.


    ¡°Do I look alright?¡± Meigs barked.


    Rocco looked down. ¡°No, you don¡¯t.¡±


    Meigs tried his hardest to not break down, but it was not working. Rocco started to walk toward him. Meigs straightened up and started to back away.


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m not going to hurt you. I want to help,¡± Rocco said trying to be soothing. Meigs stopped and relaxed a bit. ¡°Do you have any more Kleenex?¡± Rocco said noticing the tissue Meigs was using was starting to get full.


    Meigs pulled out a travel sized packet of tissues from his back pocket. Rocco pulled out a clean tissue. ¡°Here, you want to tilt your head forward and pinch your nose to stop the bleeding.¡± Rocco demonstrated this technique without touching the tissue to his own nose.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to hold your head back?¡± Meigs said in a glib tone.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s forward. The blood will run down your throat if you hold your head back,¡± Rocco said.


    Meigs did as Rocco said.


    ¡°Who did this to you?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°Those asshole football players¡ªthe ones that always do this!¡± Meigs said as he was pinching his nose.


    ¡°Are you going to report them?¡± Rocco asked. Maybe he should tell Joe about what his jock friends had done.


    Meigs laughed, ¡°I¡¯ve done that so many times already last year and nothing ever happens. Why bother?¡±


    Rocco could only say ¡°Oh.¡± He stood there for a minute while Meigs held his nose closed. It appeared as if the bleeding was starting to subside. ¡°Well, I better get to class.¡±


    Rocco wanted to tell him he had just come out but stopped himself. Seeing Meigs and the state he was in made Rocco sick to his stomach. This could happen to him as well. Rocco started to make his way to the door.


    ¡°Thanks. Most guys wouldn¡¯t give a shit about me to help,¡± Meigs said looking at his bloody tissue. Rocco turned around and gave him a sympathetic smile. The two met glances. Rocco quickly turned around and left the bathroom.


    Rocco stopped just outside of the door and leaned against the wall. He closed his eyes and exhaled. What had he just done? He came out and felt such relief but now he was looking at his potential fate. Rocco had the luxury of being able to go under the radar. He was not flamboyant like Meigs. He was just a grungy skater boy. He had been called ¡°faggot¡± and other names, but even then, those instances were not daily. Since he started hanging out with the alternative crowd and smoking pot, he gained some freedom from bullying as he was now just seen as different¡ªa misfit. None of the popular kids really cared enough about this crowd to make a fuss. He started to feel guilty that all the homophobia was diverted towards guys like Meigs. Rocco could still hide unnoticed for the moment.

 7. Mike鈥檚 Dream

    As he did the night before, Mike quickly excused after dinner to return to his drawing of Rocco. He was starting to use a darker lead to start forming the beginnings of shadowing. His memory of Rocco¡¯s face from today hadn¡¯t left his mind. He started working on the face¡ªslowly filling in shadows and leaving other areas alone where the light would fall.


    After half an hour, the face was beginning to look like more like a person, but it was far from distinguishable. He left the face alone and began working on the body and the guitar. The body was not difficult to shade because he was just shading the folds of baggy clothing.


    He still had no idea what kind of body Rocco had under those layers of fabric, so he had to make his best guess. He was starting to give Rocco more muscle than he probably had which was alright. Part of the art was to mix fantasy with reality.


    He really wanted to have this drawing done in time for the party on Saturday. He wanted to give his work of art to Rocco before the show. There was quite a bit of work to be done so Mike was doubtful he would be able to do that. Despite the condensed timeframe, Mike continued to work.


    ¡°What are you doing, Mike?¡± Joe asked startling Mike. Mike was deep in his art and hadn¡¯t realized Joe had been watching him for a few minutes. Mike lifted his pencil and looked up.


    ¡°Drawing. How long have you been standing there?¡± Mike asked still a little shaken. Thank God he wasn¡¯t shading when Joe spoke. That may have messed up the drawing.


    ¡°Just a few minutes. You are deep in whatever you are working on,¡± Joe chuckled.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s how I get,¡± Mike responded.


    ¡°Can I see?¡± Joe was curious. He admired that Mike was so good at art. Joe had not shown the slightest interest in anything artistic. None of their parents had either. They had no idea where Mike got the talent.


    Mike was embarrassed to show him his drawing. ¡°I¡¯m not done.¡±


    ¡°Let me see!¡± Joe said and started to walk toward Mike.


    ¡°No! It¡¯s not finished,¡± Mike pleaded.


    ¡°Come on. If you don¡¯t let me see, I¡¯ll rip it away from you anyway,¡± Joe was almost where Mike was. He started to lean down and grab the sheet of paper.


    ¡°Fine, here,¡± Mike didn¡¯t want him touching his drawing and potentially smearing any of his work. Joe would mess it up and not really understand what he had done. Mike wanted this drawing perfect for Rocco. Mike turned his pad around to show Joe his unfinished drawing. Mike cautioned, ¡°Just don¡¯t touch it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a guy on a skateboard with a guitar,¡± Joe stated unemotionally.


    ¡°That¡¯s what it is,¡± Mike said. ¡°Just something from memory.¡±


    Joe looked at it for a moment. ¡°It kinda looks like Rocco.¡±


    Mike felt a little panic run through his body. Had Joe figured him out? Mike wanted to play it cool, so he acted dumb. He turned the drawing around and gave it a look. ¡°Hmm, yeah, you¡¯re right.  I guess it does look like Rocco,¡± Mike felt like he played that off very well.


    ¡°You know, his band is playing Tiffany¡¯s party Saturday,¡± Joe bought in on Mike¡¯s act.


    ¡°Oh yeah?¡± Once again Mike acted dumb. Of course, he knew this. He couldn¡¯t wait to hear how he sounded.


    ¡°You want to go to the party? I got invited so you can come with me,¡± Joe asked.


    ¡°I heard you didn¡¯t really need an invitation,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Well, yeah, that¡¯s true, but you can still come with me,¡± Joe shrugged.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Mike said. Mike was going one way or another.


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m just giving you a ride there. I don¡¯t want you hanging out with me all night. And, you may have to find a ride home,¡± Joe raised an eyebrow and gave him a sly smile.


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    ¡°Yeah, I got it,¡± Mike rolled his eyes. In case he got lucky is what he was insinuating. Given Joe¡¯s popularity and looks, Mike could safely say he would be on his own once he got there. That was just fine with him. Mike wanted to spend all his time with Rocco¡ªnot with Joe¡¯s boring meathead friends.


    As Mike drifted to sleep, random spots of color in his dark visual field slowly melted into images of Rocco¡ªRocco on his skateboard, Rocco on stage playing guitar, Rocco sitting in his desk behind him. In each image Rocco was shooting Mike his classic crooked half smile. It seemed to Mike that no matter what position Rocco¡¯s body was in, the eyes and the smile faced him dead center. These were still images at first slowly morphing into the next. Image after image quickly began bleeding into the next until they coalesced into smooth motion. Rocco was on stage playing his guitar to an audience of only Mike. Mike stood before him mesmerized¡ªparalyzed¡ªunable to move as if his feet were embedded in concrete. As he continued to play, Rocco made his way down the stairs into the audience. An invisible crowd in the distance cheered feverishly. Mike could not make a single sound or movement. Then, Rocco rode in from the distance on a motorcycle. His music was still playing, and the crowd was cheering but it seemed as if it were coming from a distance far behind Mike.


    The cycle approached with Rocco revving the engine as flames shot out of the exhaust. Rocco was wearing a helmet with a reflective visor so that Mike could see himself staring at Rocco. Rocco was wearing a silver reflective jumpsuit. The cycle stopped in front of Mike. Rocco held out his hand for Mike to hop on the bike. Mike gladly complied. He straddled the seat behind Rocco and put his arms around Rocco¡¯s torso as they sped off into the dark night. Rocco¡¯s midsection was hard and muscled. They were going nowhere¡ªthe road behind and ahead was dark. Mike could only make out a distant skyline which they never seemed to approach. Mike leaned closer and put his head on Rocco¡¯s back. He could feel the slight dampness of warm humidity emanating from Rocco¡¯s body. He had a slight scent of a mixture of musk, sweat, and his characteristic dark earthy scent. They rode for what seemed like an eternity¡ªgoing nowhere fast. Mike did not care where they were or how long they rode. All he cared about was that he had his arms and legs wrapped around Rocco and he felt safe and secure right where he was. This is where Mike belonged¡ªnow and forever. As suddenly as when Rocco approached on his motorcycle, Mike found that they were stopped somewhere in a desert in the middle of the night. There was nothing around them but the stars, the moon, and the warm sand. Mike had found himself facing Rocco.


    ¡°Mike, it¡¯s time to wake up,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Why?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°You have to go to school,¡± Rocco spoke but his mother¡¯s voice was coming out of his mouth.


    Then, just like that, Mike woke up from his dream. It was already morning and time to get up. As his vision sharpened, he saw his mother standing at his door. Mike came to his senses and quickly pulled his comforter over himself. He was in an embarrassing situation from the dream. He blushed but realized his mother had not seen any of this. She had opened the door just enough for Mike to hear her. Her back was turned towards him.


    ¡°Okay, Mom,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Get up, get out of the bed,¡± she spoke.


    ¡°Okay, Okay, I¡¯m getting up,¡± Mike said hurriedly just to get her to leave. He really could not move due to the physical effects of his dream.


    ¡°Okay then,¡± His mom said and closed the door.


    Now that she was gone, Mike sat up in his bed. He was flushed and still excited. As he started to get out of bed, he noticed he had had nocturnal emission. These were not new for him, but he never had one of these dreaming about another guy in such a way. He gathered up his sheets and put them in his dirty laundry pile. It had soaked through the sheets onto the mattress. Mike covered the puddle with his pajama top and walked into the bathroom. Luckily, both his parents worked so it would be dry by the time he got home this afternoon.


    Mike yawned and started the shower to get ready for the day. As he washed the night away, his mind began to wonder. He had never had such feelings for another guy. This was a completely new experience for him. He sometimes wondered what it was like to kiss another guy. However, he had never been so obsessed with another guy like he was with Rocco. Was it possible to only be gay for one person? There was something about Rocco that made him want to give himself to him completely.


    He had heard that there are some people that were attracted to both guys and girls¡ªbisexual. That didn¡¯t feel that fit him though. It was just Rocco. There was something irresistible about Rocco that no other guy, or girl for that matter, had sparked in him. He felt an incredibly strong connection to Rocco in just the short time he knew him. It felt deeper than ¡°like¡±. This couldn¡¯t be love but he had never been in love. He didn¡¯t really know how that felt.


    Mike also came to another realization. He was not the slightest bit repulsed by any of these feelings for Rocco. It all felt so natural¡ªlike this is how it was supposed to be. From what Mike knew, Rocco was already kinda gay¡ªat least he already suffered the ridicule so he might as well be out. Mike felt confident that Rocco could keep a secret especially if Mike asked him to.


    As he finished brushing his teeth, he looked at himself in the mirror with a new resolve. He would let the universe put himself and Rocco together and see where it went. He was going to allow things to happen as they were supposed. He was not going to fight it. He was going to try to pursue the feelings he was having about Rocco. He would allow himself to be Rocco¡¯s secret boyfriend if that¡¯s how things worked out. Mike smiled at himself confident that he had made the right decision.

 8. Another Day

    Rocco stood by his car smoking a cigarette when Mike approached. Normally, Mike would be too embarrassed to interact with someone who was the subject of a wet dream. However, Mike wanted Rocco to know about his affections¡ªbut he couldn¡¯t be blatant. After all, he had only known Rocco for a little over a week. He also had no idea if his feelings would be reciprocated. Rocco had not confirmed or denied his orientation to Mike but in his heart, he knew Rocco was gay. Is this what they call Gaydar?


    ¡°Party on, Wayne,¡± Mike laughed.


    ¡°Party on, Garth,¡± Rocco reciprocated.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Just waiting on you,¡± Rocco gave Mike his crooked smile. Mike blushed a little.


    They stood there in awkward silence for a moment as Joe passed them. He waved and went into the building.


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯ve got something to ask you,¡± Rocco said after another moment of silence.


    Mike¡¯s heart skipped. He was kind of afraid Rocco could see inside his head. Nervously, he spoke, ¡°Ok.¡±


    ¡°Would you be interested in coming to our practice Friday night? Before the party, you know,¡± Rocco asked. He remembered his conversation with Austin yesterday, just to see how things go.


    Mike¡¯s spirit lifted, ¡°Really???¡± Mike tried to remain calm, but his excitement could barely be contained.


    ¡°Yeah, I wanted to ask you, but I wasn¡¯t sure if you would want to,¡± Rocco looked down at the cigarette butt he just stomped on.


    ¡°I would love to,¡± Mike blurted.


    ¡°Really???¡± Rocco couldn¡¯t believe he wanted to.


    ¡°Of course. I want to see you in action,¡± Mike said realizing what he said but owning the innuendo.


    Rocco caught on and laughed. ¡°In all my glory.¡±


    The two burst into the laughter of middle schoolers. Rocco¡¯s laughter simmered down, and he continued, ¡°We¡¯d like to get your impression on how the act will go.¡±


    ¡°Ok,¡± Mike¡¯s spirit sank a little¡ªhe was being asked to attend for utilitarian purposes.


    Rocco hesitated and then added, ¡°I want you there.¡±


    ¡°You do?¡± Mike¡¯s spirit rose again.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°When and where?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Friday around 7 at Pete Hunter¡¯s house?¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see if I can get Joe to drop me off, but you¡¯ll have to give me directions. I don¡¯t know where Pete lives,¡± Mike replied.


    Rocco situated his bag on the hood of his car and unzipped the pocket. He pulled out a sheet of paper and a pencil. Mike watched as he wrote Pete¡¯s address along with some general directions. He handed the directions to Mike.


    Mike folded the paper and tucked it in his back pocket. ¡°Would you be able to give me a ride back?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely,¡± Rocco replied.


    The two began to walk into the building. At the door, Mike saw his classmates, Matt, Chris, and Stanton, standing outside the entrance. Mike started to get nervous. Over the past few days, he hadn¡¯t spent much time with them after Stanton made it obvious how he felt about gay guys. His friends did not stand up either, so they were equally repulsive to Mike at this point.


    ¡°Hey Mike,¡± Matt yelled.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Mike replied softly as he and Rocco approached.


    ¡°Looking forward to the show this weekend,¡± Stanton said to Rocco.


    ¡°Yeah, it should be good,¡± Rocco said. He had no idea who this guy was¡ªto Rocco this was just some random sophomore.


    ¡°You nervous?¡± Stanton asked. Stanton had a biting tone to how he spoke to Rocco. Mike could pick up on it.


    ¡°Not really,¡± Rocco replied.


    Stanton was beginning to say something when Mike interrupted, ¡°Hey Rocco, we better get to class.¡±


    Rocco smiled and nodded. As Rocco turned, Stanton half whispered-half growled ¡°queer¡±. Matt and Chris snickered. Rocco didn¡¯t make any indication that he had heard Stanton. After he entered the building, Mike turned to Stanton to cut him a dirty look.


    ¡°Fuck you, Stanton,¡± Mike sneered.


    Stanton gave him a look as if he had not done anything wrong. Matt and Chris were still laughing at Stanton¡¯s slur. Mike¡¯s stomach turned in disgust at this group of imbeciles. This was the second time since he started high school that he wondered why he was friends with these guys. He started to leave and go up to class.


    ¡°Hey, wanna catch a ride with us to the party?¡± Stanton asked Mike. Mike did not want to acknowledge him in this moment, so he continued his way to class. The answer was no, but Mike did not even want to waste his breath on Stanton.


    As Rocco turned to go to class, he heard Stanton whisper ¡°queer¡± and heard the other guys laugh. There it was, that word. Always said by some insecure fuck. Rocco wanted to get offended but, after coming out to his bandmates, he didn¡¯t really care anymore who knew. He would prefer to keep it quiet right now but, if it got out, Rocco was okay with that. If he turned around to acknowledge the slur, Stanton would have the power. Rocco frankly did not give a shit about the opinion of some random sophomore. So, he just kept walking to class unaffected¡ªmuch to his surprise.


    ¡°The first test of the class will be next Wednesday,¡± Mr. Pendleton announced followed by much grumbling. ¡°I know, but these semester classes go by quickly.¡±


    Mike turned around and whispered to Rocco, ¡°Want to study together?¡±


    ¡°Mike! Turn around,¡± Mr. Pendleton sternly proclaimed. Before he was turned around, Rocco whispered, ¡°yes¡±.


    ¡°Mr. Pendleton, what will be on the test?¡± a classmate asked.


    ¡°Well, if you let me finish, I will get to that,¡± he replied and walked to his desk. ¡°I¡¯m going to give everyone a study sheet. This study sheet is a list of questions. I want you work in groups to answer all the questions. You will spend the rest of the hour working on your questions and we will go over the answers tomorrow.¡±


    Rocco got excited at the possibility of another one-on-one with Mike¡ªsome alone time.


    ¡°I want groups of four please,¡± Mr. Pendleton said. Rocco felt a pang of disappointment. At least he could look at Mike if they got to choose the group that is. He was certain to be in Mike¡¯s group. ¡°Let¡¯s get started,¡± Mr. Pendleton waved the class to form groups.


    Rocco was ecstatic that Mike turned his desk around to face him. Now he could spend his time admiring Mike. But there would have to be two others in the group.


    Beside Rocco and Mike were Toya and Monique, both sophomores. Toya was a dark featured girl with long, straightened hair. She had a big smile that she flashed constantly. Monique was light skinned with wavy hair and large hoop earrings. She wore blue colored contacts to cover her brown eyes. She was a little more aloof from what Rocco could tell.


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    ¡°Hey Mikey, can we be in your group?¡± Toya smiled and asked Mike. Her smile was comically big and goofy.


    Mike smiled, ¡°Of course, Toya.¡±


    ¡°Can Monique also be in our group?¡± Toya asked. Monique gave a small smile of acknowledgement.


    ¡°Absolutely,¡± Mike replied. Toya wiggled in her chair out of glee and turned her chair around. Rocco laughed at this motion. He instantly like her. Monique turned to chair towards the group.


    ¡°So, hi!¡± Toya said in an exaggerated tone and waved. Rocco gave a small wave and smiled. ¡°I¡¯m Toya and this is my friend, Monique. She¡¯s kinda quiet.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Rocco.¡±


    Monique nodded and said, ¡°Monique but my friends call me Moni.¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet you Moni,¡± Rocco said. Moni followed up with a nod.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to call you Rocky,¡± Toya squealed. Rocco laughed and mouthed ¡°okay¡±.


    ¡°Are you the guy in the band?¡± Moni asked Rocco.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Cool,¡± Moni gave him a look of respect.


    ¡°Oh Rocky, handsome and talented!¡± Toya squeaked. Toya¡¯s animated replies made Rocco laugh. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to hear you guys play!¡±


    ¡°Thanks! I¡¯m excited but also nervous,¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°Well, I can tell you are going to be great,¡± Toya said and looked at her worksheet. ¡°What kind of music do you play?¡±


    ¡°We play rock¡­you know, grunge,¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what that is,¡± Toya said.


    ¡°You know, Toya. Like Pearl Jam, that kinda of music,¡± Moni said.


    ¡°Oh, okay,¡± Toya said to Moni. ¡°You play anything like R&B?¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not our style,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Well, I love Vanessa Williams. You should play some of that,¡± Toya said.


    ¡°Is she the Miss America that posed nude?¡± Rocco asked. ¡°I didn¡¯t know she did music.¡±


    ¡°Oh yes, she does,¡± Toya said. ¡°She¡¯s really good.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Rocco said. ¡°She¡¯s really hot.¡± Even for gay guy, he still admired a gorgeous woman.


    Toya looked surprised. ¡°You think she¡¯s hot?¡± She looked at Moni then back at Rocco. ¡°But she¡¯s--¡± Toya then whispered the next word ¡°¡ªBLACK!¡±


    Rocco and Mike burst out laughing at the way she said this. ¡°And?¡± Rocco replied.


    Toya and Moni gave him a look of respect.


    ¡°Well, I had no idea a white boy would think she was hot,¡± Toya said.


    ¡°I¡¯m not really white,¡± Rocco said.


    Toya raised her eyebrows. ¡°What are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Latino,¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°Like Mexican?¡± Toya asked.


    ¡°Like Mexican,¡± Rocco said.


    Moni gave him a look as if she were impressed at what she saw. Toya smiled wide and replied, ¡°OOO, I love that!¡±


    Rocco blushed and looked at his worksheet nervously.


    ¡°Watch it.  Moni likes Mexicans,¡± Toya said and snickered. Moni cut her a look of disdain and said ¡°whatever.¡± Rocco looked over at Mike who gave him a shrug and a smile. Rocco mimicked the shrug and smile. Little did they know Toya caught this exchange and smiled even larger than before.


    ¡°Oh, I see,¡± Toya said and blinked in an animated way. ¡°Well, we are going to have fun I can tell.¡±


    The group began working on the questions. Rocco and Mike would frequently look at each other and smile which Toya always noted. Moni paid a little more attention to Rocco and would glance over at him writing. The group spent most of the hour working and glancing around at each other.


    They had only made it a third of the way down through the questions when Mr. Pendleton announced that the group time was about up and asked the class to return their desks to their original positions.


    ¡°Well, it was a pleasure working with you two boys,¡± Toya smiled and turned her desk back around. ¡°I hope we work together more often!¡± Once her desk was turned around, she looked back at Rocco and said, ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to your show this weekend.¡± Rocco smiled, looked at Mike, then at Moni who was already digging in her purse, and then back at Toya. Toya caught his eye, looked at Mike, and then winked at Rocco. He could tell that Toya had picked up on his and Mike¡¯s glances at each other. She knew something was up between the two of them even if they did not want to admit it. Rocco was unsure if he liked that he and Mike were so obvious.


    While Rocco didn¡¯t really care anymore if people pieced together that he was gay, he was concerned that the same name-calling would happen to Mike. He did not want Mike to fall victim to the same bullying he had endured. Guilt by association is never a fate he wanted anyone to suffer. He would need to cool it with the flirting with Mike.


    The bell rang.


    ¡°When will I see you again?¡± Mike whispered and laughed.


    Rocco smiled and replied, ¡°I got nowhere to be next period.¡±


    Mike giggled and got up, ¡°I¡¯ll be right back¡ªbathroom break.¡±


    Rocco responded, ¡°I guess I¡¯ll stick around.¡± Mike smirked and turned to walk out the room. Rocco¡¯s glance followed Mike out of the room. When Mike left the room, Rocco caught Toya looking at him. She smiled, raised her eyebrows, and gave him a kissy face.


    ¡°Bye Rocky!¡± she yelled across the room. Moni gave him a peace sign and left with her.


    Rocco exhaled knowing he had been caught ogling Mike. He did not have an inkling of concern about this.


    Joe was waiting in the car for Mike to get out of class. He had the radio on and the windows down. Even though it was early September, it felt like the middle of summer. Football practice had been brutal over the summer, and he was looking forward to when it was time to break out the sweaters. He knew he looked good in sweaters. This season, he had some form fitting sweaters that would show off his bulky physique.


    The passenger side opened, and Mike slid into the seat.


    ¡°How were things today?¡± Joe inquired.


    ¡°Not too bad,¡± Mike mumbled as he threw his bag in the back seat. ¡°Hey Joe, could you take me somewhere Friday?¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Joe pondered. ¡°What time do you need a ride?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to a friend¡¯s place at 7. I just need a ride there. I can get a ride home,¡± Mike looked at him slightly pleading with his eyes.


    ¡°Yeah, I guess. I have a date but that it¡¯s not until 8,¡± Joe said. ¡°If I¡¯m just giving you a ride there, that will be fine.¡±


    ¡°Thank you so much!¡± Mike said relieved.


    ¡°What are you doing Friday night?¡± Joe gave a tone as if he wanted to know if there was a girl involved in this event.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to watch Rocco¡¯s band practice before the show Saturday,¡± Mike said casually.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Joe was surprised. He was not expecting band practice. ¡°Are you going to join the band?¡±


    Mike looked at him and raised an eyebrow. ¡°No! What gave you the impression I want to join a band?¡±


    ¡°So, you are just going to watch them play?¡± Joe asked confused.


    ¡°Yeah, just watch and give them my thoughts, I guess,¡± Mike replied.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Joe was still confused. This did not seem like something an up-and-coming popular kid would do on a Friday night. They sat in the car for a second. Instead of starting the ignition, Joe was looking at Mike who was looking off in the distance. Feeling Joe¡¯s stare, Mike turned his head towards Joe.


    ¡°What?¡± Mike asked not knowing what to anticipate.


    ¡°Nothing really,¡± Joe wondered. ¡°It¡¯s just that you and Rocco have gotten to be good friends these past couple of weeks.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, so?¡± Mike defensively replied.


    ¡°And you¡¯re drawing a portrait of him?¡± Joe continued.


    ¡°What about it?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Just a little weird,¡± Joe mumbled. ¡°Are you two doing drugs or something?¡±


    Mike laughed at this accusation. ¡°Doing drugs? What? No.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Joe drew out the syllable in confusion.


    ¡°Joe, he¡¯s really cool. That¡¯s all,¡± Mike looked off.


    Joe twisted his face quizzically. ¡°Are you telling me everything?¡±


    Mike started to feel a panic boil up within him. What was Joe getting at? Was Joe beginning to wonder if there was something more to their friendship? He must have been more obvious in his affection toward Rocco than he thought. Joe and Toya had figured it all out now. He swallowed hard and nervously replied.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to tell. We are just hanging out. I¡¯m just watching him play with his band,¡± Mike answered.


    ¡°You should be careful,¡± Joe said.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Mike became defensive again.


    ¡°People may begin to wonder about you,¡± Joe answered.


    Mike was getting agitated. ¡°Meaning what?¡±


    ¡°People may think you and Rocco are boyfriends or something,¡± Joe said.


    Mike was about to blow up at this. ¡°You are just full of shit.¡±


    ¡°Whoa, there,¡± Joe tried to calm him down.


    ¡°No,¡± Mike was on the verge of fury. ¡°You¡¯re the one who apologized to him and said you accepted him for who he was. And now you are going to warn me about hanging out with him? What the fuck, Joe? That¡¯s so hypocritical,¡± Mike was a level under yelling at this point.


    ¡°I¡¯m just looking---¡± Joe started but Mike interrupted him.


    ¡°Just looking out for me??? You¡¯ll accept Rocco for who he is but not me? How is that looking out for my best interests?¡± Mike barked.


    ¡°Wait a minute,¡± Joe calmly stated.


    Mike continued, ¡°You just care about your reputation. You¡¯ll accept Rocco¡¯s differences because it has no effect on your precious social standing. But if your own brother associates with Rocco, then it¡¯s not okay??? Is that what you are saying?¡±


    Joe held out his hands as an indication that he wanted to take the conversation down a notch. ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m saying.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care what people say about Rocco. He¡¯s my friend, and I want to hang out with him whenever I want,¡± Mike began to settle his temper slightly.


    ¡°Okay, okay, Mike,¡± Joe tried to use a soothing tone.


    ¡°And since he¡¯s my friend and you are fine with how he identifies, you should be okay with me hanging out with him,¡± Mike added.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. You¡¯re absolutely right. He¡¯s your friend and I should just let it go,¡± Joe said.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Mike sighed and crossed his arms.


    ¡°And, what I said about Rocco applies even more to you,¡± Joe stated.


    Mike uncrossed his arms and looked at Joe. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Mike¡¯s voice had calmed down to his regular volume.


    ¡°I will accept and love you for who you want to be,¡± Joe smiled.


    Mike was taken by surprise at this especially after his warning. ¡°Do you really mean that?¡± Mike could not believe what he just heard from his jock brother.


    ¡°Yeah, I mean it. If you are like Rocco and that¡¯s why you are hanging out with him, I¡¯ll stand up for you.  You¡¯re my brother and I love you more than I can tell you.¡±


    Mike did not know what to say to this. Part of him wanted to tell Joe about how he felt about Rocco. Part of him only half believed him. It was very possible that Joe was just saying this because Mike caught him being a hypocrite. It was also possible Joe said this just to calm him down.


    ¡°So, you¡¯d be okay if I was gay?¡± Mike asked.


    Joe paused for what seemed like an eternity. He looked around as if to see if anyone was listening. ¡°Well, I guess so. You¡¯re my brother. I mean, I can¡¯t say I would be all that thrilled but, if that¡¯s who you are, then I would love you no less.¡±


    They drove home in awkward silence. Joe was uncertain who his brother was becoming. That night, after dinner, Mike went off to his bedroom to continue working on his drawing of Rocco. He left his door open. A couple of times, Joe walked by and paused as if he wanted to go in to talk with his little brother. However, he quickly reconsidered each time and continued down the hall. Mike never looked up but knew Joe wanted to talk. Mike was not sure what he would say.

 9. Friday Night Practice

    Mike


    Mike had finished his drawing of Rocco last night. He wanted to give Rocco the drawing as a ¡°break a leg¡± present.


    It was getting close to 5:30. He had to get cleaned up and ready to see Rocco tonight. He excused himself from the table and ran to his room. He wanted to wear something ¡°edgy¡±. The problem was that he did not have anything edgy¡ªespecially to the standards of a teenage rock band. Everything he had was the epitome of preppy¡ªtons of tennis sweaters, polo shirts, and chinos. The best he could come up with was a pair of jeans and a solid t-shirt. He dug out an old pair of Converse all-stars¡ªwhite¡ªeven the scuffs on the shoes were boring. He had a casual long sleeve button up shirt which he tied the sleeves together around his waist. This was as alternative as Mike was able to get. To top off the ensemble, he found his old baseball cap from middle school which he put on backwards.


    Mike dug under his bed to find an empty cardboard tube. The roll contained a poster of Spiderman he had ordered months ago. He shook out the poster and laid it on his desk. Before he could roll up the drawing of Rocco and insert it into the tube, there was a knock on his door. He turned around and saw that Joe was standing there.


    ¡°Are you ready to go?¡± Joe asked as he stepped into Mike¡¯s room.


    ¡°Just about,¡± Mike replied.


    ¡°You look like you are going to see a rock band practice,¡± Joe said lightly. They had not spoken much since their interaction in the car the other day.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Mike replied and looked down.


    ¡°Do you mind sitting down? We need to talk.¡± Joe said and closed the bedroom door.


    Mike was not interested in another altercation, but he reluctantly obliged. He sat on his bed next to the cardboard tube and his drawing. Joe went over to Mike¡¯s desk, grabbed the chair, and placed it close to where Mike was sitting. He sat down and looked over at Mike. Mike kept his head down.


    ¡°Mike, we haven¡¯t said much since our conversation in the car. I need to tell you what¡¯s been on my mind.¡± Joe started. Mike continued to look down at the floor. ¡°I can¡¯t let you think that my acceptance of gay people is conditional.¡±


    Mike looked up at Joe. Joe gave him a smile and continued, ¡°Of course, if you are gay, it would be fine. I would love you just the same.¡±


    Mike smiled but, noticing Joe¡¯s face, he sensed a ¡°but¡± coming on.


    Joe continued, ¡°But, I can¡¯t say I would like it. You were right. It¡¯s easy to accept someone who is gay if that person is just some acquaintance. I would struggle, though, if that person were my own brother.¡±


    Mike was starting to get irritated. Joe went on, ¡°It would be hard for me to accept, but I will try my damnedest to be alright.¡±


    Mike¡¯s ire started to wane. This was an honest answer, and Mike accepted it. Mike did not understand why Joe would struggle but, at least, he admitted to it. Joe also admitted that he would work on his struggle.


    Finally, Mike felt he should speak. ¡°Joe, that¡¯s all I need to know.¡±


    Joe sighed a breath of relief. He paused uncomfortably for what seemed like forever. He stammered a bit and then finally asked, ¡°Mike, are you gay?¡±


    Mike had not prepared for this question. It had stunned him. He looked down at the floor again and waited a moment before answering, ¡°Does it matter?¡±


    Joe tensed up, ¡°Come on, Mike.¡±


    Mike waited another moment and answered, ¡°No, I¡¯m not gay--¡± He was telling Joe the truth, but there was more, ¡°but I don¡¯t think I¡¯m straight either.¡±


    Joe looked at him confused. He was expecting a yes or a no. He was not prepared for a neither/nor situation. ¡°If you aren¡¯t one or the other, then what are you?¡±


    Mike looked around his room trying to find an answer. There was not one. He looked Joe square on and said, ¡°That¡¯s just it. I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Joe sat for a minute pondering this response. It still was not making sense to him. ¡°Do you like both guys and girls?¡±


    Mike thought about this, ¡°Maybe, but I don¡¯t know if I even fit the bisexual label.¡±


    Joe raised his eyebrows. He didn¡¯t even know his little brother knew the term ¡°bisexual¡±.


    Mike continued, ¡°I mostly like girls. I could see finding the right girl and getting married. But I like guys¡ªjust not all the time.¡±


    Joe¡¯s mind was in overdrive, but things were starting to make sense. ¡°Like you are curious about what it¡¯s like to be with guys?¡±


    Mike nodded, ¡°Yeah, I guess you could say that¡ªcurious. Like, I¡¯m totally open to it if the right guy came along.¡±


    Joe nodded, ¡°I think I understand.¡±


    Mike was surprised, ¡°You do?¡±


    Joe replied, ¡°Mike, most guys are curious about what¡¯s it like to be with a guy.¡±


    Mike was caught off guard at Joe¡¯s statement. Was his brother, the star jock, curious about being with a guy? Mike had to catch himself from gasping, ¡°Really?¡±


    Joe locked his eyes with Mike, ¡°Really.¡±


    Mike¡¯s tension completely vanished. ¡°Have you ever done anything with a guy?¡±


    Joe looked away and replied, ¡°Once. But we didn¡¯t do much.¡±


    Mike¡¯s jaw dropped. This entire time he was so concerned about what his brother would think about his crush on Rocco only to discover his own brother had already crossed that frontier.


    ¡°Who was it?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°I¡¯d rather keep that between me and him,¡± Joe flatly stated.


    ¡°I see,¡± Mike replied. He respected Joe¡¯s need for confidentiality.


    ¡°I think that¡¯s why I would struggle if you were gay just knowing all the confused feelings I went through. I don¡¯t want you to go through all of that,¡± Joe confided.


    Now it all made sense to Mike. That is why Joe would have a hard time. Mike smiled and looked at Joe, ¡°Thank you for telling me all of that.¡±


    ¡°Likewise,¡± Joe replied. He shook his head and changed the subject ¡°So, are you ready or what?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, just let me get my drawing put away and I¡¯ll ready,¡± Mike said and started to roll the drawing up.


    ¡°Wait, can I see your drawing?¡± Joe asked practically pleading. Mike was embarrassed to show off his artwork but handed the rolled-up drawing to Joe. Joe unrolled the drawing and gasped.


    ¡°Holy shit, Mike! This is amazing!¡± Joe exclaimed. It was a dead-on accurate portrait of Rocco playing guitar on a skateboard. There was no denying who the subject of the drawing was. It almost looked like a photograph. ¡°This looks exactly like Rocco.¡±


    Mike blushed. He was never good at accepting praise for his art. He murmured a slight ¡°thanks¡± and looked down.


    ¡°This is seriously good. I had no idea how skilled you have gotten,¡± Joe said. ¡°You¡¯re just going to give this away?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Mike replied. It had never occurred to him to keep the drawing. ¡°I did it for Rocco.¡±


    Something clicked in Joe¡¯s head when Mike said this. Mike was into Rocco as in more than a friend. He had a crush on Rocco. Joe was not sure how he felt about this. However, he did not want to ruin this moment of praise by asking Mike about this. This moment was about Mike¡¯s art. Anything more could wait. Joe carefully rolled the drawing up and handed it back to Mike. He watched his brother lovingly insert the drawing into the tube and place the cap the end.


    ¡°Now I¡¯m ready.¡±


    Joe stopped and took in the moment. His little brother was standing in front of him doing his best to impress Rocco by looking alternative with his dress shirt tied around his waist and his baseball cap on backwards. He was holding the drawing he had been working so hard on in a cardboard tube in one hand. He had his other hand in his pocket and slouching like a punk. His little brother had it bad for Rocco.


    ¡°Let¡¯s roll,¡± Joe said.


    Rocco


    Rocco was a little early for practice. When he pulled into Pete¡¯s house, his was the only car in the driveway. Pete had the garage door pulled up. He was adjusting some of the dials on the electronics.


    Rocco got out of his car and walked up to where Pete was. Pete was in deep concentration because when he looked up to see Rocco, he yelled in surprise.


    ¡°Shit, man, you scared me,¡± Pete said.


    ¡°Sorry. Didn¡¯t mean to scare you,¡± Rocco said as he took survey of the equipment.


    ¡°How¡¯s it going?¡± Pete asked as he went back to the dials.


    ¡°Not bad,¡± Rocco walked over to his guitar and cleaned off some of the garage dust that had been collecting since last night.


    ¡°You think you are going to be ready?¡± Pete quit messing with the dials and sat down by his microphone.


    ¡°As ready as I¡¯ll ever be,¡± Rocco said and sat down by Pete. ¡°Hey, Pete¡­¡±


    Pete looked up in preparation of a question, ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°I hope it¡¯s okay if I asked someone to come watch¡­maybe give us some feedback,¡± Rocco looked down at the concrete floor.


    ¡°Yeah, no problem. We are going to have to get used to an audience soon enough,¡± Pete smiled.


    ¡°Are you nervous?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Pete answered. ¡°But it¡¯s just stage nervous. Once we start, I¡¯ll be good.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, same here,¡± Rocco replied. Speaking in public scared the hell of Rocco, but once he got behind the guitar, he didn¡¯t give an audience a second thought.


    ¡°Who did you invite?¡± Pete asked.


    ¡°This guy in class, Mike Barber,¡± Rocco responded.


    ¡°Barber¡­Barber¡­how do I know that name?¡± Pete looked off trying to remember where he heard that name.


    ¡°Joe Barber¡¯s brother,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Joe Barber, the football guy?¡± Pete asked in a confused manner.


    ¡°Yeah, that Joe Barber,¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know there was more than one Barber,¡± Pete laughed.


    ¡°As far as I know, there¡¯s just the two,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°That¡¯s an interesting choice for an audience. The brother of a football player,¡± Pete said.


    ¡°Well, he¡¯s not at all like his brother,¡± Rocco started. ¡°He¡¯s not a jock.¡± Rocco anticipated that Pete was fishing for this information.


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear,¡± Pete said rubbing his eye and running his hand over his hair.


    ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s a cool guy,¡± Rocco said as he tapped his fingers on his leg. Pete looked over at Rocco. He looked Rocco over with his icy blue eyes and smirked.


    ¡°Is this Mike Barber, maybe¡­¡± Pete drew out the last word in hopes that Rocco would finish the sentence. Rocco looked up at Pete. Rocco raised his eyebrows as if to say, ¡°maybe what?¡± Pete continued, ¡°Is he a love interest?¡±


    Rocco made a face of shock and scrunched up his nose, ¡°No!¡±


    Pete turned his face towards the garage door but cut his eyes over to Rocco, ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    Rocco blushed and looked away.


    Pete saw that Rocco was nervous and became serious. ¡°You know it¡¯s fine if he is.¡±


    Rocco looked back at Pete. Pete¡¯s eyes cut a hole in his soul. ¡°Well, maybe.¡±


    ¡°How far has this gone?¡± Pete asked eager to find out more.


    ¡°It hasn¡¯t gone anywhere. He¡¯s straight, I think,¡± Rocco laughed nervously.


    ¡°Oh, I see,¡± Pete said with a somber face. ¡°Has he said that?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°Well, if he hasn¡¯t said it, then you don¡¯t know for sure,¡± Pete said smiling again.


    ¡°I guess you are right, but I kinda doubt it,¡± Rocco replied slightly crestfallen.


    A car pulled up behind Rocco¡¯s car. Three people got out of the vehicle. It was Raz, Austin, and a female¡ªWendy. Pete and Rocco got up to greet the visitors.


    Pete turned to Rocco, ¡°Cheer up. You don¡¯t know the end of this story yet.¡± Rocco smiled at him. Raz and Austin were starting to approach when Pete whispered, ¡°Do these guys know about Mike?¡±


    ¡°I already told Austin but not Raz,¡± Rocco whispered. Pete gave him an ok sign.


    ¡°Welcome fellow bandmates,¡± Pete began, ¡°and esteemed plus one I presume.¡± Pete looked at Wendy.


    Wendy had a petite frame. She was wearing large glasses. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a ponytail.


    ¡°Guys, I¡¯d like you to meet Wendy. She¡¯s going to be our audience tonight,¡± Austin introduced her.


    ¡°Well, welcome Wendy. We may have a big audience tonight,¡± Pete said and looked over at Rocco. Austin gave Pete a quizzical look.


    ¡°A big audience?¡± Austin asked.


    ¡°It seems our Rocco has asked a¡­¡± Pete paused, ¡°friend as well.¡±


    Austin raised an eyebrow and looked over at Rocco. Rocco nodded to Austin. This was not how Rocco wanted to introduce Austin to Mike, but here they were.


    ¡°It¡¯s true, I invited someone as well,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know we all were allowed a plus one,¡± Raz said and went over to his bass.


    ¡°It just sorta happened,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°When will your friend be here, Rocco?¡± Pete asked. The moment Pete asked this question, car lights entered the driveway. The car parked but remained running as the passenger got out and then closed the door. The car backed out and drove off. The group heard footsteps approaching. Rocco started to get nervous wondering if this person was Mike. The person stopped in the shadows.


    ¡°Hark! Who goes there?¡± Pete loudly asked in a medieval like accent. The person in the shadows entered the light. Rocco smiled when he saw it was Mike standing there. He had a cardboard tube in his hands.


    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m Mike. Rocco invited me,¡± he said nervously. Austin looked over at Rocco. Rocco caught his eye and nodded as if to tell him ¡°That¡¯s the Mike I told you about.¡± Austin smiled and gave him a thumbs up.


    ¡°Come forward, young one,¡± Pete continued in his voice.


    Mike looked around the garage. Once his eyes met Rocco¡¯s, Mike instantly smiled and felt at ease.


    ¡°And you bear gifts!¡± Pete said.


    ¡°Oh, this,¡± Mike looked at the tube. ¡°It¡¯s for Rocco.¡± Rocco¡¯s heart melted at this.


    ¡°Gifts from fans will be collected after the show,¡± Pete said. ¡°There are some chairs over there in the corner. Pull up a seat because the show is about to begin.¡± Pete made a motion for the band to take their places. Rocco watched as Mike put the cardboard tube down on the floor and got a fold-up chair. Wendy followed Mike to get a chair. Both walked back, unfolded their chairs, and sat side by side. Rocco was mesmerized by Mike that he had not noticed that Pete was waiting for him to take his place.


    ¡°Rocco. Any day now,¡± Pete spoke. Rocco snapped out of his daze and made his way to the stage area.


    Rocco and Raz plugged in their instruments as Austin situated himself behind the drums. Pete turned his mic on.


    ¡°We¡¯re Fred and we are here to rock,¡± Pete announced. ¡°2¡­3¡­4¡±


    As Pete said 4, Rocco centered himself before starting the first riff. As Rocco continued the riff, Austin began the beat, followed by Raz on the bass. Pete started singing when the song got to a certain point. The show had started.


    Mike sat in a daze. He could not believe what he was hearing. Even though Mike did not know any Pearl Jam songs, he could tell that they were playing everything perfectly. He had never seen a live rock band. Not only was the entire experience overwhelming to him but seeing Rocco in his element made Mike¡¯s stomach flutter.


    ¡°OOOO, IIIII, ooooo, I¡¯m still alive¡­.¡± Pete sang as Rocco strummed in perfect timing.


    Words could not express how much Mike was enjoying this. He was so captivated by Rocco¡¯s performance that he forgot all about Wendy sitting next to him. It did not really matter. He was here for Rocco. The song ended and both Mike and Wendy screamed in applause.


    The band continued through the next song. Mike found himself bobbing his head to a song he had never heard. He really liked whatever song this was, but he liked the band¡¯s guitar player the most. His smile went ear to ear along with his starstruck eyes. Rocco was beginning to sweat. His tattered Ramones t-shirt was flowing as he struck the strings over and over in unison with the song. As the second song was reaching its end, Rocco looked up and saw Mike smiling and enjoying himself. The third song started, and Rocco entered the song exactly when he should have¡ªno problems this time. When the third song ended, Mike and Wendy started to clap and shout for more. As the set continued, their applause grew more and more fevered. The guys knew their set was a success just from their reactions.


    Before Mike could catch his breath, Pete said began ¡°We¡¯re Fred. Good night!¡± Mike and Wendy went crazy cheering. It was obvious they enjoyed the show. There was no need to ask them for feedback.


    ¡°Well, what did the audience think?¡± Pete asked.


    ¡°Wow!!!!¡± Wendy shouted


    ¡°That was amazing!!¡± Mike repeated her enthusiasm.


    ¡°Gentlemen,¡± Pete said to the band members, ¡°I think our fears should be laid to rest.¡±


    Wendy ran up behind the drums and put her arms around Austin. ¡°I can¡¯t believe how good you sounded!¡± She gave Austin a kiss on the cheek. Austin had a big goofy smile on his face.


    Rocco put his guitar on its stand with the intention of going over to Mike to get his opinion. Mike was already on the stage behind him. Rocco turned around and was a little startled to see him right there.


    ¡°Rocco, you were so awesome!¡± Mike was still smiling as wide as his mouth would allow.


    ¡°So, you liked it?¡± Rocco gave him a half smile. Rocco was drenched in sweat. His hair was no longer perfectly gelled down.


    ¡°Like??? I loved it!¡± Mike was giddy. ¡°You are going to blow everyone away tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Now, now,¡± Pete interrupted, ¡°we are a team.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you all sounded good, of course!¡± Mike retorted.


    ¡°But I understand your focused admiration,¡± Pete replied. Rocco gave Pete a wide-eyed look. Pete just smiled and held up his hand as if to indicate he would lay off his innuendos. Mike was too frenzied from the performance to catch on.


    ¡°Is there anything we should change?¡± Rocco asked Mike.


    ¡°Not one thing,¡± Mike replied. His starstruck state of mind was beginning to settle down. ¡°Seriously, not one thing.¡±


    ¡°Then I think we can call it a night!¡± Pete said.


    ¡°Wait, already???¡± Mike questioned.


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s almost been two hours,¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°Really? Two hours?¡± Mike had lost all sense of time watching Rocco play.


    ¡°Yeah, really,¡± Rocco said. ¡°I need to clean up, I¡¯m drenched in sweat. Do you need a ride home?¡±


    ¡°Ummm,¡± Mike hesitated. He was still shocked at how quickly time had passed. ¡°Yeah, I do need a ride home.¡± Mike realized he was also starving. ¡°Would you mind if we got something to eat?¡±


    Rocco did not object at the thought of spending more time with Mike. ¡°I¡¯m famished. If you can tolerate my sweaty ass, then let¡¯s get something to eat.¡±


    The band members unplugged their instruments, and everyone started to walk towards their cars. Mike started to walk alongside Rocco when he remembered his drawing.


    ¡°Hang on, I got you a present. I left it inside.¡± Mike ran back to the garage to grab his cardboard tube. He caught back up with Rocco who was halfway to his car. Pete waved them all good night before closing the garage door.


    Rocco unlocked the passenger side of his car for Mike and then went around to the driver side to unlock his door.


    ¡°Here, this is for you.¡± Mike said as he handed the cardboard tube to Rocco. Rocco was surprised that Mike had a gift for him. He reached up and turned on the interior light. He looked over at Mike who was giving him a look of anticipation. Rocco pulled off one side of the tube and saw that there was what looked like a rolled-up poster inside. He tapped the other end so that the paper inside slid down to the edge of the opened end. Rocco reached in and pulled out a large piece of paper roughly half the size of a standard poster. Rocco gave Mike a questioning look and unrolled the paper. He was absolutely stunned at what he saw. It was a lifelike drawing of himself on a skateboard playing a guitar.


    ¡°Did you draw this?¡± Rocco asked almost not able to form the words.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Mike blushed.


    The depth of the skill involved to draw something that looked so close to a photograph was mind-blowing. Rocco could not believe that the guy sitting next to him in the car was capable of such artistry.


    ¡°This is fucking phenomenal, Mike,¡± Rocco whispered.


    ¡°So, you like it?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°I fucking loving this. I could kiss you for doing this,¡± Rocco blurted out without realizing what he had said.


    Mike laughed nervously at what Rocco said. Rocco stared at the attention to detail in the shading as well as the highlights. The drawing was almost so real that it seemed like it was in motion. Rocco would not be surprised if the man in the drawing started to talk. He was mesmerized by what he was looking at but more mesmerized by the guy who drew this.


    A car horn beeped. Rocco jumped out of his trance. He saw that Austin had left the driveway leaving the way clear for him to back out. Rocco looked over at Mike and smiled. He then laughed, rolled up the drawing, and slid it back in the tube. He gingerly put the tube in the back seat.


    ¡°Thank you so much, Mike. I¡¯m going to get a frame for it and hang it up,¡± Rocco said. He and Mike looked at each other for a moment. Rocco then leaned over to Mike to give him a hug. Before he could, he stopped himself¡ªrealizing that he was a soaking mess. ¡°I was going to give you a hug, but I¡¯m wet and disgusting.¡±


    Mike laughed, ¡°No problem. You can hug me when you are clean and dry.¡±


    Rocco started the car and pulled out of the driveway.


    They pulled up to the local drive-in restaurant¡ªnot the big chain but the one owned by one of those powerful gay couples in town¡ªSkip¡¯s Drive In. They had all the standard burgers, fries, and malts fare. This was not where the kids in high school went as they chose the chain place. This is where their parents went. Rocco pulled into one of the spots and killed the engine.


    ¡°Any idea what you want?¡± Rocco said as he turned to look at Mike.


    Mike¡¯s heart pounded. He knew what he wanted, and he was starting to think that Rocco picked up on his idea. Mike couldn¡¯t think of what to say.


    ¡°Um, er..¡± Mike stammered. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to get the number 3 with an extra-large tot,¡± Rocco said decidedly.


    ¡°S-Sure,¡± Mike stuttered. ¡°I¡¯ll have the same.¡±


    Mike sat quietly staring in the distance as Rocco placed the order. When he was done, he turned back to Mike.


    ¡°I seriously love that drawing,¡± Rocco said after a moment of silence.


    Mike looked over at Rocco. ¡°I enjoyed drawing it.¡± He gave a little nervous smile.


    ¡°Have you taken any classes?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°What?¡± Mike was not expecting any questions about his skills.


    ¡°Art classes. Have you taken any art classes?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°Um¡­kind of. Over the past few summers, I¡¯ve worked at the art store. The owner gives me lessons in exchange for me helping out,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Oh, you work at Sydney¡¯s?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°Just summers, not during school.¡± Mike answered.


    ¡°That¡¯s cool,¡± Rocco pulled a pack of Camels out of his pocket. ¡°Care if I smoke?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s your car,¡± Mike replied. Mike was indifferent about smoking but watching Rocco take a drag of his cigarette was incredibly sexy. Mike watched him for a second and then asked, ¡°Can I have one?¡±


    ¡°You smoke?¡± Rocco smiled.


    ¡°Oh, yeah, all the time,¡± Mike replied. He realized that he just sounded like a sixth grader trying to impress an older teen.


    Rocco pulled out a cigarette and handed it to Mike along with his lighter. Mike put the butt into his mouth and lit the cigarette. He took a long drag. The taste of acrid burning entered his lung causing him to hack. Rocco looked over in surprise before bursting out in laughter. Mike had a scowl on his face as the cigarette dangled from his mouth.


    ¡°All the time, huh?¡± Rocco snickered.


    ¡°All the time,¡± Mike said and took another drag. This time the hacking was a small cough. He desperately wanted Rocco to be impressed with him. If this is what it took, so be it.


    ¡°You know,¡± Rocco said, ¡°you should do that as a career.¡±


    ¡°What, smoke?¡± Mike did not understand what Rocco meant.


    Rocco laughed and took a drag. ¡°No! Art. You should totally be an artist.¡±


    Mike took one more drag, then put out the cigarette. ¡°I¡¯m thinking about it. I don¡¯t think my parents would be too happy with that.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s your life,¡± Rocco retorted.


    ¡°Yeah, but I doubt they would like spending money for college to have me end up a starving artist,¡± Mike¡¯s mouth tasted like he had licked an ashtray.


    ¡°What would they want you to do?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°Probably something in Finance. Some sort of steady work, you know,¡± Mike replied. ¡°What about you? What are you doing after high school?¡± Mike did not really want to know about high school without Rocco there.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to UCLA in the fall. I¡¯m not sure what I¡¯m going to study though. I thought psychology, but after this class we have, I¡¯m not so sure,¡± Rocco flatly stated.


    UCLA. California. That was a long way from Miners Creek. Now, Mike really did not want to think about it. Why would he want to bother with someone who was going to move away to other side of the country?


    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s a long way from Miners Creek,¡± Mike said sadly.


    ¡°That¡¯s the point. I want to be somewhere big and far away,¡± Rocco said staring in front of him.


    ¡°You hate Miners Creek that much?¡± Mike asked looking at Rocco.


    ¡°I don¡¯t hate it here. It¡¯s just not where I want to end up. I want to get out and see the world a little,¡± Rocco continued to stare out into the distance.


    ¡°Yeah, I get it,¡± Mike also stared out into the distance.


    ¡°I want to go somewhere where I can be who I¡¯m supposed to be. Somewhere where no one will give a shit about who I am,¡± Rocco looked over at Mike staring out. Mike looked back over at Rocco. For a moment, they were silently staring at each other.


    ¡°You¡¯ve really had a rough time here, haven¡¯t you?¡± Mike said in a serious tone.


    Rocco looked down and took a pull from his cigarette. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve been called lots of bad names in the past here. I don¡¯t want any more of it.¡± He put his cigarette out and slouched down in his seat.


    ¡°That really sucks,¡± Mike did not know how to respond to his pain.


    In the distance, the two could hear the jingling of a change maker. It was a car hop with their order. The car hop approached.


    ¡°Two number 3¡¯s both with extra tots,¡± She hooked a tray to the car window. ¡°That will be $10¡±


    Mike reached around in his wallet. Rocco stopped him.


    ¡°It¡¯s on me,¡± Rocco said and paid the car hop.


    ¡°Thanks!¡± Mike said and sat back in his seat. Rocco reached up to the tray and handed Mike his food.


    ¡°Want to hear some music while we eat?¡± Rocco asked before popping a tater tot in his mouth.


    ¡°Sure!¡± Mike replied.


    ¡°Any requests?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s your car,¡± Mike smiled and took a bite of his burger.


    ¡°Alright!¡± Rocco put in a mixed tape he created of some 80s New Wave music. They ate in silence¡ªtoo nervous to talk to each other. Once they finished, Rocco collected the trash, put it on the tray, and placed the tray on a little platform under the speakers.


    ¡°What time do you have to be home?¡± Rocco asked Mike.


    ¡°I can be out until about 12 since it¡¯s Friday,¡± Mike replied.


    ¡°Okay. So, it¡¯s 9:30 right now. You want to go to the skate park?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°The skate park? I¡¯ve never been there,¡± Mike said excited at the opportunity to do something new.


    ¡°Yeah, we can check it out for a little bit before I have to take you home,¡± Rocco eyed Mike and smirked.


    ¡°Ok!¡± Mike said barely holding his excitement back.


    Rocco started the engine and the two made their way to the skate park across town. Miners Creek Skate Park was at the location of the old city pool. Once the town decided to close the pool, they had the misfortune of being stuck with a lot and an empty hole. The city could no longer afford the operation of a pool especially since no one hardly used it in the past ten years. A couple of skateboarding enthusiasts seized the opportunity to place a low bid on the old pool and converted it into a large bowl for skaters. They constructed a few other smaller bowls as well as some half and quarter pipes. It was more than a decent park for a small town. Even thought it had been in operation for three years, it had gained a loyal following only this past year. Rocco started going when he first learned to skate the summer between his sophomore and junior year. At first, he just watched the other skaters. He started to befriend a couple of guys from school who taught him the basics. It was here where he met Pete and Raz¡ªRaz being one of the guys who taught him how to a few tricks. The irony of it all was that Raz no longer skated. Pete never skated¡ªhe was just there for the vibe. Of the three, only Rocco skated at the skatepark. Over the past summer, Rocco practiced in the empty housing development and started to enter the big bowl at the park.


    When they pulled into the park, there was a light gathering of mostly junior high and elementary school kids on the pipes and the smaller bowls. There were just a couple of kids in the big bowl. The skate park was usually not a spot for high schoolers unless there was a show which was an infrequent occurrence. The high schoolers that attended shows at the skate park were like Pete, Raz, and Rocco¡ªthe misfits, the alternative kids. The popular kids had other popular kid activities to do on a Friday and Saturday night.


    Mike and Rocco got out of the car. Rocco went over to open his trunk and pulled out his board. He walked back over to Mike who was watching the kids in the park. Mike looked back at Rocco.


    ¡°You brought your skateboard?¡± Mike asked a little surprised.


    ¡°I always have it with me,¡± Rocco said and smiled. ¡°Come on.¡±


    Rocco jolted towards the gate. Mike followed him.


    ¡°Hey Rocco, what¡¯s up?¡± the guy at the gate greeted the two.


    ¡°What¡¯s up O¡¯Malley,¡± Rocco said. O¡¯Malley owned the park.


    ¡°It¡¯s a slow night so come on in,¡± O¡¯Malley waived the two through.


    Mike was completely out of his element here. He had no idea what to do. Rocco went over to the big bowl which was now empty. Mike followed.


    ¡°Watch this.¡± Rocco said and flipped his board on the ground. As it was rolling, he mounted the board and leaned into the bowl. From Mike¡¯s viewpoint, he disappeared momentarily only to reappear on the other side of the bowl. Rocco reached the rim of the bowl on the side, pivoted the board around, and came back down. He reemerged on the side where Mike was standing right at the rim still on his board. Rocco bent his legs and flipped the board up from the rim and onto the flat ground in front of Mike. ¡°Ta da!¡±


    ¡°Wow! That was pretty cool,¡± Mike exclaimed. Rocco just smiled and held out both arms like he had just completed a dance.


    ¡°Want to try?¡± Rocco asked as he stomped on the back of his board to flip the other end into his hand.


    Mike was taken aback. ¡°I don¡¯t know how.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll teach you. Don¡¯t worry,¡± Rocco said as he looked Mike in the eye.


    ¡°Um, I don¡¯t know,¡± Mike said reluctantly.


    ¡°Come on!¡± Rocco pleaded.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Mike gave in but, having Rocco there begging, it didn¡¯t take much persuasion.


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go over here where it¡¯s flat. I¡¯ll hold on to you while you try standing on the board,¡± Rocco said. Mike was beginning to like this idea.


    Rocco placed the board flat and motioned for Mike to come over.


    ¡°You want to stand on it like this,¡± Rocco hopped up on the board with both feet pointing in the same direction. He hopped off for Mike to repeat what he had just done. ¡°You¡¯re just going to stand on it, you¡¯re not going anywhere.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Mike went over next to the board and looked at it.


    ¡°Take my hands and hop on,¡± Rocco reached out and held both of Mike¡¯s hands. Mike¡¯s freckled hands felt warm and soft. His fingers were not bony but well cushioned which indicated to Rocco that Mike had a little padding on him. Mike was not chunky, but neither was he gangly. Rocco could feel the heat from Mike¡¯s body. He could also swear he heard Mike¡¯s heart pounding in his chest¡ªlikely out of fear of being on the unstable board.


    Mike could feel that the wobble of the board was making it hard for him to keep his balance. What Mike could feel the most was the heat coming from Rocco¡¯s body. They were less than three inches from each other. Rocco was holding on tightly to Mike¡¯s hands as he struggled to maintain a steady position on the board.


    ¡°You¡¯re doing fine. Don¡¯t step off,¡± Rocco said in a soothing tone. Mike did not care much for being on the skateboard. What he cared about was how close he was to Rocco. He was getting hit constantly with Rocco¡¯s intoxicating scent of sweat and dark, earthy musk¡ªa bit like after hiking into the deep forest¡ªnot shower fresh but not yet repulsive. Mike smelled of Irish Spring and a hint of musky sandalwood. Mike looked at Rocco who was focused on keeping him on the board.


    The board tilted sharply toward Rocco causing Mike to fall toward him unexpectedly. He instinctively grabbed Rocco who reciprocated the hug to catch Mike. Rocco felt Mike¡¯s face in his neck and the wetness of his soft lips on his skin. A shiver went through Rocco¡¯s body. Rocco¡¯s shirt was still slightly damp from sweat. The fall caused Mike to get a taste of Rocco¡¯s salty skin. Even though Rocco had been sweating from band practice, Mike found this more pleasing than he would have imaged. The skateboard went rolling off into the grass. Mike stood back steadying himself.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Rocco asked concerned about Mike¡¯s safety. Mike burst out laughing.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine,¡± He could still taste Rocco¡¯s sweat. ¡°But I¡¯m not really into this.¡±


    Rocco burst out laughing as well. ¡°Fair enough.¡±


    Rocco ran over to get his board. When he turned around, he saw that Mike was watching him. It felt as if he were studying Rocco intently which Rocco did not mind at all. He also got the sense that Mike wanted to go.


    ¡°You think you are done with this place?¡± Rocco asked as he ran back over.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Mike said. Rocco looked a little disappointed. Mike saw this and added, ¡°For now. I¡¯d like to come back some time and just watch.¡±


    Rocco¡¯s expression perked up. This gave him hope that there would be more times together with Mike at the place Rocco enjoyed spending his time. Of course, he would see Mike tomorrow at the party and for their study session next week. The more time Rocco got to spend with Mike, the better.


    ¡°I guess I should get home. You gotta rest up for your show tomorrow,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got a good point. Plus, I stink!¡± Rocco joked.


    ¡°Yeah, I wasn¡¯t going to say it, but you do,¡± Mike laughed but secretly he enjoyed it.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go,¡± Rocco said and the two walked back to the car laughing. ¡°Oh, do you still want to study for the test Wednesday?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I hadn¡¯t even thought about that,¡± Mike said. ¡°Tuesday night cram session at my house?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the only way to do it,¡± Rocco said as he unlocked his door.


    As the car pulled out, the tape they were listening to switched sides. Mike directed them to his house which was 20 minutes away from the park. They pulled into a stately home on the outskirts of town. The driveway was long and ended in a circle. Rocco figured the Barbers were well-to-do but not this well off.


    Rocco was uncomfortable to be here with his sweaty t-shirt and dirty jeans. He really hoped his parents would not want to come out and meet him. His working-class roots would not mix well with this upper crust white-collar family.


    The front of the house was dark except for a couple of exterior lights close to the front door. Rocco pulled the car to the front and turned the engine off. Mike and Rocco both got out of the car. Rocco wanted to be a gentleman and make sure his ¡°date¡± made into the house safely. As secluded and guarded as this house was, it was very unlikely a burglar would be lurking in the shadows.


    ¡°Thanks for coming and thanks for hanging out,¡± Rocco said with a smile on his face. His heart was beating out of his chest. He wanted so desperately to lean forward and gently kiss Mike on his soft full lips.


    ¡°Yeah, I had a great time even on the skateboard,¡± Mike said.


    They looked at each other for a second. Mike reached over and gave Rocco a hug taking in his scent one more time. Rocco inhaled Mike¡¯s aroma deeply. The hug lasted a second longer than it normally should have. The two mutually let go of the embrace. Rocco had not anticipated a hug and instantly felt embarrassed for being so grungy. He hoped his sweat did not ruin Mike¡¯s crisp t-shirt.


    ¡°See you tomorrow!¡± Rocco said and got back in the car. He rolled his window down, ¡°And here Tuesday night.¡±


    Mike watched as the car pulled around the circle and out of the driveway. He stood a moment relishing all the senses that had been activated that evening. He could still smell, taste, and feel Rocco.


    Rocco¡¯s nose was still full of Mike¡¯s scent. He almost did it¡ªhe was so close to kissing him but was glad that he chickened out. He did not want to scare Mike off and risk never hanging out him again.

 10. Saturday Night鈥檚 Alright for Fighting

    Mike


    ¡°I¡¯m going to give you the keys to my trunk,¡± Joe said as he handed the spare set of car keys to Mike.


    ¡°Why?¡± Mike said. This was a very odd thing for Joe to do considering he treated his car better than any of his girlfriends.


    ¡°I have something I want to show you,¡± Joe said and got out of the car.


    Mike followed his brother to the back of the car. The night air was beginning to get crisp. It was still warm during the day, but fall was starting to roll in. It was necessary to have a light jacket after sunset. Mike wore a solid t-shirt, a pair of jeans, and one of his dad¡¯s medium weight flannel shirts tied around his waist. He was wearing a cap just as the night before¡ªbackwards. He was feeling comfortable with this look. It was a 180 from his brother¡¯s college prep attire. Mike¡¯s strawberry blonde hair was beginning to grow out¡ªhis auburn roots making an appearance.


    Joe popped open the trunk. There was a 12 pack of Cokes and a 12 pack of Sundrops.


    ¡°You want to show me cokes?¡± Mike asked utterly confused.


    ¡°No, there¡¯s more,¡± Joe said and pushed aside the sodas. He felt around at the corner of the trunk and pulled back the upholstered bottom. Where the spare tire would be, Mike saw 6 bottles of liquor¡ª3 bottles of no name vodka, a bottle of Jack Daniels, and two bottles of Wild Turkey.


    ¡°Where did you get this?¡± Mike¡¯s eyes were wide in disbelief.


    ¡°I have my ways,¡± Joe said. ¡°Listen, this is for you and me only. You can have some close¡ªCLOSE¡ªfriends over here. I don¡¯t want anyone and everyone over here,¡± Joe gave Mike a warning look.


    Mike nodded. He completely understood the instructions. Only close friends which was a dwindling number these days. He was looking forward to hanging out Rocco and the band, however. He liked hanging out with them at band practice last night and wanted to get to know them more. In just the one night, he instantly felt a comfort level that he had not had with his Chris and Stanton.


    Joe reached for a bottle of the vodka and twisted the top open. He handed it over to Mike. He reached back towards the sodas and pulled out a sleeve of Solo cups. He ripped open the packet and pulled out two cups.


    ¡°Pour us some vodka,¡± Joe said holding out the cups.


    Mike had no idea how much to pour. He didn¡¯t want to make it obvious that he had alcohol in his drink. He quickly dashed a splash of vodka in each cup.


    ¡°Oh, Jesus Christ. Hand that over¡± Joe said as he put the cups on the ground. He grabbed the bottle with one hand and leaned down and pinched both cups together with the other hand. He started to freely pour the vodka in each of the cups¡ª2 ounces, give or take an ounce, in each of the Solo cups. He handed the cups to Mike and twisted the top back on the vodka. He then grabbed two cans of Sundrop. He cracked both cans open. He filled one Solo cup with about a quarter of the contents of one can and then filled the second cup with a quarter of the contents of the other can. He put the cans in the trunk and took one of the cups.


    ¡°Bottoms up!¡± he said and started to chug the contents of the cup. Mike took a sniff and took a sip. Citrus soda and fire water. Despite the heat of the liquor, the Sundrop masked the taste of the vodka quite well¡ªso much so that Mike quickly drank the rest of the mixture while his brother smiled. When he was done, Mike inhaled deeply and thought he would exhale flames. The burn of the vodka spread throughout his body. As his tensions started to subside, Mike watched as Joe topped off each of the cans of Sundrop with vodka.


    ¡°No one will know what¡¯s in here,¡± Joe told him as he handed Mike a can. Mike sniffed the can. Mike laughed. He was starting to feel good. ¡°I want you to pace yourself though. I¡¯m not taking your ass home in an hour.¡± Mike nodded in understanding.


    Joe put the vodka back where he got it, covered up the bottles, and closed the trunk. They had parked across the street from the party. Even though the party officially started 30 minutes ago, they were some of the first people to arrive. They both had their cans and walked across the street.


    Tiffany¡¯s house was out in the country so there was no real danger of not finding a place to park. The only danger for Mike and Joe was that if the car were parked far away, they would miss out on most of the party getting refills. The house had a huge front and back yard. The back yard sprawled at least an acre and ended at a forest. There were plenty of spots to wonder off away from prying eyes. The medium sized three-bedroom house was a non-descript brick house with a huge front porch. Tonight, the front porch was set up with speakers and musical equipment.


    Since everything looked set up, Mike wondered if Rocco was here. He looked around for his car and spotted it in the back. His first inclination was to go find Rocco, but Joe pulled his brother over to Tiffany. Tiffany was standing by the front porch giving directions to her brother.


    ¡°But I want you to play this tape,¡± Tiffany demanded. Her brother took the tape and nodded. He put the tape in the stereo and pressed play. The sound of late 80s rap blared through the speakers causing the partygoers to cover their ears. Her brother turned the volume down to a tolerable level. Tiffany climbed up the porch and turned the microphone on.


    ¡°Welcome to my party, fuckers!¡± she yelled and turned the microphone off. She was already feeling good. She walked off the porch and started to mingle in the crowd. Joe and Mike approached her.


    ¡°Hey Tiffany,¡± Joe greeting.


    ¡°Hey Joe, honey!¡± Tiffany sang and gave him a huge hug. Joe wondered how long she was going to last tonight. She looked over at Mike and screamed, ¡°Is this your little brother?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, this is Mike,¡± Joe said. Mike extended his free hand, but she reached over and gave him a hug. Mike almost dropped his can.


    ¡°Welcome baby!¡± she yelled. ¡°There will be plenty of girls for you meet tonight.¡±


    Mike gave Joe a look and laughed. He tore himself from Tiffany although she still hung on to his neck.


    ¡°Is the band here?¡± Mike asked. He was so anxious to see Rocco.


    ¡°Oh yeah. They are inside getting ready. But no one is allowed inside. If you have to pee, you have to go out in the back,¡± Tiffany slurred and laughed.


    ¡°When does the band start?¡± Mike asked anxiously.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see, the party started 30 minutes ago so that means it¡¯s 8:30, so at 9,¡± Tiffany said looking Joe over.


    ¡°Okay, cool,¡± Mike said and took a sip from his can. He was a little disappointed at this news. He couldn¡¯t wait to see Rocco. Joe looked over and saw his disappointment.


    ¡°Hey Tiffany. Hang on, I¡¯ve got to tell my brother something. I¡¯ll be right back,¡± Joe said. Tiffany gave him a nod and pointed to the porch indicating that he should met her there after his word with his brother. Joe turned to his brother.


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m going to hang out with Tiffany. You got your set of keys?¡± Joe asked. Mike nodded. ¡°And chill out! You¡¯ll get to hang out with Rocco soon,¡± Joe winked at him and gave him a light punch in the shoulder. Mike stopped dead in his tracks. Was he making it that obvious how much he wanted to see Rocco?


    Joe turned around and walked back over to Tiffany leaving Mike alone. He looked around but did not know anyone he knew. He took a swig from his can but remembered that he needed to slow it down. Normally, he would be a nervous wreck without any of his friends around, but the liquor was quelling his anxieties. He was enjoying being outside with a good buzz going.


    ¡°YOOHOO, Mikey!!!¡± a voice from behind him shouted. It was Toya accompanied by Moni.


    ¡°Good evening, ladies,¡± he said in a suave manner. The liquor was taking effect. Toya ran up and gave him a huge hug.


    ¡°How are you?¡± she bellowed with a huge smile on her face. Moni nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯m good. How are y¡¯all?¡± he swaggered.


    ¡°You look like you¡¯re feeling good,¡± Moni said with a half-smile. Mike laughed and shrugged his shoulders. ¡°What¡¯s in that can?¡± Moni asked.


    He handed the can over to Moni. He would consider them close enough to share in the stash. Moni smelled the can and looked up at Mike. He smiled and raised his eyebrows. Moni took a swig and exhaled loudly.


    ¡°Holy shit, dude. This is 100 proof,¡± Moni exclaimed.


    ¡°SHHHH!¡± Mike slurred and whispered, ¡°It¡¯s a secret.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Moni replicated his whisper. He took the can back and handed it to Toya. She gave him an anxious look and took a small sip. She coughed.


    ¡°Oh my God!!! How much have you had of that?¡± she made a sour face.


    ¡°I just started. Want some?¡± he offered.


    ¡°Hell yes,¡± Moni said immediately.


    ¡°Just a little,¡± Toya whispered.


    He motioned them to follow him to Joe¡¯s car across the street. They approached the car as the music faded slightly in the distance. Mike pulled out the keys but dropped them on the ground. He bent down without putting his can down. He opened the trunk and turned towards them.


    ¡°Do you want Coke or Sundrop?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have what you¡¯re having,¡± Moni said.


    ¡°I¡¯d like a Coke, please,¡± Toya said and batted her eyelashes.


    Mike selected a Coke and a Sundrop. He handed them their selection.


    ¡°Open them up and take a big drink first,¡± Mike said smiling.


    They caught on quickly to the scheme. Moni cracked open her Sundrop and chugged back almost half of the can. Toya opened her Coke and quickly drank less than a quarter of the can. While they were emptying their cans, Mike fumbled through the trunk to get the opened bottle of vodka. He first took Toya¡¯s can and refilled the empty space with vodka. He did the same with Moni¡¯s Sundrop although hers required more vodka. He replaced the vodka and closed the trunk.


    ¡°Cocktails are served!¡± Mike sloppily said. The trio laughed giddily. Mike needed to slow down. He opened the trunk again and took an unopened Sundrop. He needed something to take that didn¡¯t have alcohol. As he closed the trunk, he spotted Chris, Stanton, and Matt in the distance.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get back to the party,¡± he said quickly. He, Toya, and Moni would be back in the front yard before those three would make it. As far as he was concerned, the trio of guys would have no access to his brother¡¯s stash.


    As soon as Mike, Toya, and Moni entered the front yard, Austin came out from the front door onto the porch. His goal was to check to see if the equipment was in place and ready for the band to start their show. Mike watched as Austin walked around the porch checking all the equipment. Mike ran up to the porch. He was followed by Toya and Moni. Austin glanced over and his expression of concentration eased.


    ¡°Mike! Hey!¡± Austin said.


    ¡°Hey Austin, are you guys ready?¡± Mike replied with an exaggerated smile.


    ¡°We¡¯re getting there,¡± Austin said.


    Toya and Moni inched forward. ¡°These are my two friends, Toya and Moni.¡±


    ¡°Pleased to meet you!¡± Austin greeted.


    ¡°Are you in the band?¡± Toya asked with a huge smile on her face. The small amount of liquor was starting to hit her.


    ¡°I am!¡± Austin sang. ¡°I¡¯m the drummer.¡±


    ¡°I love a man in a band,¡± Toya batted her eyelashes which made Austin chuckle.


    ¡°How¡¯s Rocco holding up?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Oh, yes! How¡¯s Rocky?¡± Toya added.


    Austin smiled widely knowing exactly why Mike was asking this question. ¡°He¡¯s holding up very well. You want me to go get him?¡± Austin knew the answer was going to be yes.


    ¡°Yeah! I want to tell him to break a leg,¡± Mike replied.


    ¡°Just a minute, let me check this last thing,¡± Austin went over to check a final piece of equipment. He turned back to see Mike, Toya, and Moni chatting. Austin thought it was adorable that Rocco already had a little following¡ªsophomore groupies. Mike looked up at Austin. He could tell Mike was antsy to see Rocco, so he gave Mike a wink and went inside.


    A few minutes later, Rocco came out on to the porch. Their eyes locked and it was as if the heavens sang. Rocco was wearing almost the same thing as when he first met Mike¡ªthe same Fugazi t-shirt, the same flannel which was tied around waist this time, and the same pair of baggy jeans. They were just a tad too long because the cuffs were bunched up over his Converses leaving only the white fronts showing. Tonight, Rocco was wearing a Yankees ballcap backward. It seemed that he and Mike got the same memo about alternative styles. His hair was slicked back and tucked under his cap. He hadn¡¯t shaved so he had noticeable stubble. Rocco gave Mike his standard crooked half smile and walked over.


    ¡°Hi,¡± Rocco said as he approached the edge of the patio. Mike¡¯s heart pounded fast, and his stomach was filled with butterflies. Rocco looked like a rock god standing on a pedestal.


    ¡°Hi,¡± Mike stammered.


    ¡°Hi Rocky!!!¡± Toya shouted.


    ¡°Toya! And Moni! Oh my god, it¡¯s great you all are here,¡± Rocco snapped out of his gaze with Mike.


    ¡°Hey Rock,¡± Moni said.


    ¡°Where else would we be?¡± Toya said putting her hand on her hip. Rocco laughed.


    ¡°You guys having a good time?¡± Rocco asked the group.


    ¡°Of course!¡± Toya bellowed and took a sip from her can.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Mike answered shyly.


    ¡°What¡¯s the crowd like?¡± Rocco asked and looked around. Between the time that Joe and Mike arrived and this moment, there was a steady trickle of groups of teenagers accumulating. If he had to guess, Rocco would think there were at least 50 people so far.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t really paid that much attention,¡± Mike said. ¡°We¡¯re here though.¡±


    Rocco¡¯s heart melted when Mike said this. The best he could do was to give him an ¡°AWWW¡±.


    ¡°Hey, come here,¡± Mike said and motioned Rocco to come closer. Rocco jumped down from the porch and approached Mike. ¡°Wanna sip?¡± Mike held out his can. Rocco looked at Mike suspiciously and sniffed the can. The smell of vodka overwhelmed his nose causing him to wrinkle his nose. He took a sip and made a face of disgust. Mike, Toya, and Moni started laughing.


    ¡°Good lord, dude! How much did you put in here?¡± Rocco winced.


    ¡°SHHHH!¡± Mike said. ¡°It¡¯s a secret.¡±


    Rocco laughed and gave the can back to Mike. ¡°You better pace yourself. I want to hang with you after the show.¡±


    Mike¡¯s face lit up and he nodded fiercely. ¡°Take it then. I¡¯ve got a clean one in my pocket I can drink during the show.¡± Mike dug in his pocket and pulled out the unopened Sundrop. Rocco smiled and nodded. He took Mike¡¯s opened, spiked soda and started to turn back toward the porch. Mike grabbed his shoulder. ¡°Hang on.¡±


    Rocco turned back around. ¡°Yes?¡± he said in an exaggerated British accent.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if ¡®break a leg¡¯ is the right thing to say so have a good show. I¡¯ll be right here watching,¡± Mike said with a sheepish grin.


    Rocco smiled and gave Mike a huge hug. Mike relished the moment. Rocco¡¯s familiar earthy smell filled Mike¡¯s nose and caused him to smile. This was more intoxicating than his can of spiked Sundrop. They pulled away.


    ¡°I better finish up,¡± Rocco hugged Toya and Moni and went back inside.


    Mike popped open his clean soda and took a sip. His mouth was a little dry from nerves. Toya gave him a big smile and took a drink as well.


    ¡°Is your boyfriend ready for the show?¡± Mike turned around to see Stanton, Chris, and Matt. Mike wanted to get mad but he thought better.


    ¡°Hey guys,¡± Mike said nonchalantly.


    ¡°Hey Mike, Toya, Moni,¡± Chris said. ¡°How long have you all been here?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been here for about 20 minutes,¡± Mike said. That seemed about right. He looked at his watch and saw he was correct.


    ¡°We got here 15 minutes ago,¡± Moni said.


    ¡°How¡¯s it been going?¡± Matt asked.


    ¡°Well, Mike--¡± Toya started but was interrupted by Mike grabbing her arm so she would not say anything about the stash. He gave her a look as if to say ¡°quiet!¡± She stammered and then continued, ¡°Mike was just asking us if we had seen you guys.¡± Mike gave a smile of approval.


    ¡°Well, here we are, Loverboy,¡± Stanton said. ¡°Where do you think we can get a beer around here?¡±


    Toya gave a huge, closed smile and looked around. Moni was silent. Mike just shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡°Where did you guys get those cokes?¡± Chris asked.


    ¡°Oh, we came with these,¡± Moni said. Mike was loving these two¡ªthey could play along very well.


    ¡°Hmmph,¡± Stanton huffed. ¡°Come on guys, let¡¯s go find some booze or something.¡± Stanton started to walk away.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see you in a few minutes?¡± Chris said.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Mike said noncommittedly. Chris blinked and wrinkled his eyebrows slightly. He picked up that Mike didn¡¯t really caring about hanging out with them. He turned away a little dejected.


    When they left, Toya turned toward Mike with huge eyes. ¡°Mike, I almost gave up your stash. I¡¯m so sorry!¡±


    He laughed. ¡°But you didn¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°Why do you hang out with Stanton. He¡¯s a big asshole,¡± Moni said.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, he is an asshole. The thing is he¡¯s just sorta always around. Chris and Matt are my friends,¡± Mike honestly answered.


    ¡°Let¡¯s make it a point to avoid him tonight,¡± Moni said.


    ¡°Challenge accepted,¡± Mike said as he smiled and shook Moni hand.


    ¡°Mike, I have something I want to tell you,¡± Toya said suddenly very serious.


    Mike picked up on her change in tone. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to put this,¡± Toya said looking around. She paused and then started, ¡°I think Rocco is into guys.¡± Mike stared at her, not in disbelief, but in anticipation of what he thought was inevitable. She saw that Mike was staring and misinterpreted this as Mike not understanding what she was saying. ¡°I think he¡¯s gay.¡± Mike looked at Moni who nodded.


    ¡°Okay,¡± he said as calmly bracing himself for her to ask him if he were gay too.


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure he likes you,¡± Moni backed her up.


    ¡°What makes you think that?¡± Mike said nervously.


    ¡°The way his glance stays on you, and I¡¯ve seen him checking you out during class,¡± Toya replied.


    ¡°Oh, really?¡± Rocco was checking him out. He got a sense that Rocco was a little more that friendly towards him but to hear that other people have seen Rocco checking him out was quite a confidence boost.


    ¡°I hope you don¡¯t think less of him,¡± Toya said.


    ¡°Oh, not at all. It¡¯s kinda flattering but, you know, whatever,¡± Mike said trying to appear as unattached as possible even though he was giddy on the inside.


    They chatted a little more without getting into Mike¡¯s orientation. During this time, the crowd had gotten larger. Many of the kids had started migrating to the back yard which was not as well lit. It was certain that the back yard was reserved for underage drinking and weed smoking¡ªamong other unsupervised teenage activities. There must have been at least 100 kids now. It was 9 when the door opened, and Tiffany¡¯s brother brought out Rocco¡¯s guitar and Raz¡¯s bass. He plugged them into their amplifiers. He turned on the mics and tapped them to make sure they were working. The crowd in the front yard started to pack their way around the porch. Mike had already cemented himself in the front row directly across from where Rocco would be standing.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, it¡¯s my pleasure to introduce Fred,¡± Tiffany¡¯s brother said. The front door flew open. The crowd started to cheer here and there. No one matched the cheers and applause coming from Mike, Toya, and Moni. First Austin came out, then Raz, then Rocco, and finally Pete. Mike¡¯s face lit up.


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    Pete approached the mic, ¡°What¡¯s up Miners Creek? We¡¯re Fred and we are here to rock.¡± He stepped back, nodded to Rocco, and then shouted ¡°2¡­3¡­4¡­¡±


    Rocco


    The party was to start at 7. In all likelihood, the crowd would start trickling in around 7:30. Rocco pulled up to Tiffany¡¯s house around 6:00 to make sure everything was set up. It would take a while to unload all their equipment and get the levels right. They had only practiced in a garage which reflected most of the sound back to them. Since this was outdoors, the music would sound radically different. They did not want to leave that to chance.


    Rocco got out of the car and started to take his equipment out of the car. As he got the last piece of equipment out, Pete pulled up behind him. Pete got out of his car and walked over to Rocco and the equipment. Pete did not feel the need to bring any equipment except his own microphone. That¡¯s just how he was, lead singer diva mentality. It didn¡¯t really annoy any of the other bandmembers. He was a great singer, so they put up with his attitude. Pete, at least, helped carry what Rocco brought to the porch.


    ¡°Any of the other guys here yet?¡± Pete asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I hadn¡¯t looked,¡± Rocco replied although he didn¡¯t see anyone else¡¯s car. Raz was likely to get a ride from Austin. They lived on the same route, and Raz had not learned how to drive even though he was almost 18. Pete was the oldest by 6 months. He turned 18 last year as he was held back a year in 6th grade. Austin and Raz would be 18 next month. Rocco would not be 18 until the end of April next year.


    Austin and Raz pulled up. They started to unload their equipment which included Austin¡¯s drum set. That would be the bulk of the unloading. The only items Raz and Rocco had to unload were their amps and their guitars. It didn¡¯t take long for Rocco and Pete to get their items on stage. They walked over to Austin and Raz to help them trek the equipment to the porch.


    ¡°The band is here!¡± Tiffany said running out of the house. She had a plastic cup of what looked like Sundrop but was likely enhanced with alcohol. She ran up to Rocco and hugged his neck, ¡°Hey Cuz!¡±


    ¡°Hey Cuz!¡± Rocco said reciprocating the embrace.


    ¡°Looks like you guys are getting set up. Y¡¯all want a drink?¡± she pushed her cup into Pete¡¯s face. He got a healthy whiff of the liquored soda.


    ¡°Maybe after we get everything set up,¡± Pete said smoothing his hair down.


    ¡°Okay, well, come on inside when you are done. I¡¯ve got the green room ready,¡± Tiffany exclaimed laughing at the joke. The green room was just the living room.


    Austin gave her an okay sign and hopped up on the porch. The guys went back and forth transporting Austin¡¯s drums to him so that he could place them where they needed to be. Tiffany¡¯s brother was setting up the sound system. He had rented speakers that were powerful enough for the band to use. Each side of the porch had stacks of speakers taller than Pete¡ªthe tallest and lankiest member of the band.


    It took them half an hour to get everything set up. They tested their equipment. Pete walked out to the middle of the front yard. Each band member played a little of the first song. Pete would gesture up or down so that each member could adjust their levels to where each instrument sounded fine. Once each member had done their sound check, they all played a few seconds together. Pete approved.


    A handful of people had started to wonder in. Rocco went over to Tiffany¡¯s brother to tell him that they were done with the sound check. The speakers were all his to start playing music.


    ¡°Alright guys, let¡¯s go inside and get ready,¡± Pete announced.


    Raz and Rocco unplugged their guitars without taking them off around their neck. There was no way they would leave their guitars on the porch for anyone to steal. Austin had no option with his drums. They all went inside to their ¡°dressing room¡±. Austin and Raz sat down on the couch. Rocco went over to the mirror to give himself a look over. He was not concerned about looking perfect. He just wanted to look somewhat presentable. Lugging over music equipment was hard work and made him sweat. Pete wondered over to check his hair.


    ¡°Looking good Rocco,¡± Pete said.


    ¡°Likewise,¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°You think your boy will be here?¡± Pete asked.


    ¡°Mike? Yeah, he will,¡± Rocco answered.


    ¡°He¡¯s a sweet guy. I don¡¯t think you have to worry about anything,¡± Austin said.


    Rocco turned away from the mirror. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Rocco, it¡¯s very obvious he¡¯s into you,¡± Austin said rolling his eyes.


    ¡°How can you tell?¡± Rocco wanted to know more.


    ¡°He couldn¡¯t take his eyes off you the entire practice. It¡¯s like the rest of us didn¡¯t even exist,¡± Raz replied.


    ¡°Really?¡± Rocco liked what he heard but had a hard time believing them.


    ¡°Dude, he acted just like a girl with a crush,¡± Austin said.


    ¡°Seriously?¡± Rocco still couldn¡¯t believe them but they were his friends so they wouldn¡¯t lie. He also couldn¡¯t believe how much they already accepted him being gay.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know of any other guys who give so much attention to another guy. He¡¯s into you,¡± Austin assured him.


    Rocco looked off for a moment. Maybe they were right. Maybe the entire time that Rocco assumed Mike was just being extra nice, he was into him. The hug they shared last night was uncharacteristic for a guy/guy hug. When Rocco got hugs from his guy friends, it was just a momentary touch or one of those side hugs. This was a long face-to-face embrace. Rocco smiled a little at the thought of Mike being into him.


    ¡°Yeah, maybe,¡± Rocco trailed off as Tiffany came in with cups, Sundrop, and vodka.


    ¡°Did I hear someone is into you, cuz?¡± Tiffany said in a teasing manner. Rocco blushed but also panicked. How much did she hear?


    ¡°Who¡¯s the girl?¡± she asked as she put down the refreshments.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Rocco said. All the guys looked at each other and rolled their eyes.


    ¡°Well, whoever she is, you better make a move tonight,¡± Tiffany said. ¡°You guys have everything you need?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re cool,¡± Pete said. Tiffany nodded her head and left the room.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t told any of your family yet, have you?¡± Austin said.


    Rocco looked down. ¡°No, only you guys know.¡± There was an uncomfortable silence in the room.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. It¡¯s on your own time, dude,¡± Austin said and poured a drink. Raz followed Austin¡¯s lead. ¡°Pete and Rocco? A drink?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to fuck up my voice,¡± Pete said. Austin nodded in understanding.


    ¡°Sure. Just to calm my nerves,¡± Rocco said. Austin poured him a citrus soda cocktail and handed it to him. Rocco took a sip and exhaled. It was stout. ¡°Jesus, Austin, this is strong!¡±


    ¡°You look like you need a little extra,¡± Austin said. Rocco gave a nervous laugh. He was nervous not only about the show but also to see Mike. He wanted to do more with Mike now that his friends put in his head that Mike was into him.


    As it got closer to 7:30, Rocco started to pace the living room. Every few minutes he would peek out the front window. Each time he looked out, he saw more people in the yard. Most of the people were just congregated in small groups talking. Some were dancing to the music. The more time that elapsed, the more nervous Rocco became.


    ¡°Rocco, come sit down. Get away from that window,¡± Austin said and made room for him between himself and Raz.


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. I¡¯m freaking myself out,¡± Rocco agreed. He sat down and let out a sigh.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to be just fine. Just find a person in the audience and play only to that person,¡± Raz assured him. ¡°Just pretend you are playing to Mike. No one else in the world exists.¡± Rocco looked off and smiled dreamily at this thought.


    ¡°Thanks, Raz. I already feel better,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°We are getting close to time, I¡¯m going to make one final look over of the equipment, make sure no one has stolen my drums,¡± Austin said and went out to the porch.


    Rocco took sip of his drink and looked over at Raz. ¡°Are you going to playing for anyone?¡±


    ¡°Nah, I¡¯m not interested in anyone at the moment,¡± Raz said and took a drink.


    ¡°Are you looking?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°Not really,¡± Raz replied. He looked up at Pete who was primping in the mirror. ¡°Pete, you look fine.¡±


    ¡°The front man is the look of the band. I got to be perfect,¡± Pete said and continued. Raz rolled his eyes and looked over at Rocco. He mouthed ¡°whatever¡± which made Rocco laugh.


    Five minutes later, Austin came back in. ¡°Rocco, Mike¡¯s out there. He really wants to see you and wish you luck.¡± Rocco¡¯s anxiety disappeared. He suddenly felt a rush of happiness.


    ¡°Really?¡± Rocco rushed over to the window. He spotted Mike right in the front. Rocco stared at him¡ªtaking in the sight. He was adorable with his backwards cap. He was chatting with Toya and Moni.


    ¡°Go get him, Loverboy!¡± Raz yelled.


    ¡°Yeah, schwing, you fucker,¡± Pete joked and spanked Rocco on the butt.


    Rocco exhaled loudly, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be back.¡± Rocco walked out on to the porch. Their eyes locked. Mike was wearing close to what he was wearing last night¡ªa solid t-shirt, a flannel shirt tied around his waist, and a pair of baggy jeans¡ªa completely different look than the preppy look he sported the first day of school. Mike¡¯s smile grew. His blue eyes sparkled in the porch light. A lock of red hair hung out from the cap barely touching his round glasses. His lips were glistening like they were last night.


    ¡°Hi,¡± Rocco said as he approached the edge of the patio. His heart pounded fast, and his stomach was filled with butterflies. If this was what a groupie looked like, he was all for it.


    ¡°Hi,¡± Mike stammered.


    ¡°Hi Rocky!!!¡± Toya shouted. He had hardly noticed Toya and Moni as he was mesmerized with Mike at this moment in time. He was thrilled to see them however once he snapped out of his daze.


    ¡°Hey, come here,¡± Mike said and motioned Rocco to come closer. Rocco jumped down from the porch and approached Mike. ¡°Wanna sip?¡± Mike held out his can. Rocco looked at Mike suspiciously and sniffed the can. It was the same thing he was nursing in the dressing room¡ªSundrop and vodka. He took a sip.


    ¡°Good lord, dude! How much did you put in here?¡± Rocco winced.


    ¡°SHHHH!¡± Mike said. ¡°It¡¯s a secret.¡±


    Rocco laughed and gave the can back to Mike. ¡°You better pace yourself. I want to hang with you after the show.¡± Rocco hoped for more.


    Mike¡¯s face lit up and he nodded fiercely. ¡°Take it then. I¡¯ve got a clean one in my pocket I can drink during the show.¡± Mike dug in his pocket and pulled out the unopened Sundrop. Rocco took Mike¡¯s opened, spiked soda and started to turn back toward the porch. Mike grabbed his shoulder. ¡°Hang on.¡±


    Rocco turned back around. ¡°Yes?¡± he said in an exaggerated British accent.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if ¡®break a leg¡¯ is the right thing to say so have a good show. I¡¯ll be right here watching,¡± Mike said. Rocco stopped and admired how he said this. He relished the moment. Without hesitating, Rocco smiled and gave Mike a huge hug. Mike smelled like Polo and Irish Spring which was causing Rocco to get delirious. They pulled away.


    ¡°I better finish up,¡± Rocco hugged Toya and Moni and went back inside.


    ¡°Well, how did it go?¡± Austin asked. Rocco just smiled and walked over to the couch.


    ¡°OOOO, he¡¯s in love,¡± Raz said in a sing-song voice. Rocco scrunched his eyebrows. He put Mike¡¯s can on the coffee table.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Raz asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s a drink Mike had. It¡¯s got liquor in it so he wanted me to take it so he wouldn¡¯t get drunk,¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°¡¯Cause he wants to be awake for you to ravish him,¡± Pete mocked.


    ¡°Ravish?¡± Rocco laughed at this term. ¡°Stop it.¡± He was feeling much better. His nerves were calmed. He was going to have Mike to play to. The liquor was loosening him up a little.


    Tiffany¡¯s brother came in. ¡°You guys about ready to start? It¡¯s getting close to time.¡±


    Pete exhaled and started walking towards the door. ¡°Yep.¡± The other guys put their drinks down and got up.


    ¡°You guys stand at the door. I¡¯ll introduce you, then you come out and do your thing.¡±


    Pete nodded. Tiffany¡¯s brother gave them a quick nod and went out to the porch.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, it¡¯s my pleasure to introduce Fred,¡± Tiffany¡¯s brother said. The front door flew open. The crowd started to cheer here and there. No one matched the cheers and applause coming from Mike, Toya, and Moni. First Austin came out, then Raz, then Rocco, and finally Pete. Mike¡¯s face lit up.


    Pete approached the mic, ¡°What¡¯s up Miners Creek? We¡¯re Fred and we are here to rock.¡± He stepped back, nodded to Rocco, and then shouted ¡°2¡­3¡­4¡­¡±


    It was as if Rocco were in an altered state. Normally, he detested any kind of public performance. He hated speeches and talking in class, but this was a totally different thing. He had never played guitar to a crowd of more than 5 people, much less over 100 people of his peers. When he hit that first note, the crowd disappeared replaced by black space. The only person he could see was Mike standing in the front row bobbing his head. The space surrounding him was filled with the bars of music he was supposed to play. When he was to break from strumming, instead of his music, he saw the band member¡¯s instruments playing. But it wasn¡¯t the instrument itself but an animated version of the instrument. When he started to question what he was seeing in front of him, reality itself set in and he saw the crowd. This, of course, caused him to panic so he closed his eyes to get back into the music. When he opened his eyes, he focused only on Mike. The music and animations returned. It took a couple of times of snapping out of his groove before he just gave in and let the imaginary hallucinations take hold. The music of one song seamlessly merged into the next song. Before he knew it, the show was over. He had played every song they practiced. The show seemed like it took both less than 5 minutes but also hours. It was both endless and instantaneous. He had completely lost himself in the music, and it felt marvelous. He did not realize the crowd of classmates were cheering and hollering so loudly that his ears hurt. They had played the crowd into a frenzy. They loved it.


    ¡°I want to introduce you to the band,¡± Pete yelled to the crowd. ¡°On guitar, we have Rocco¡­¡±


    Rocco snapped out of his stupor. The crowd went wild. He began playing the first few riffs of their first song. The crowd started jumping up and down in wild craze.


    ¡°On bass, Raz!¡± Raz ripped out some basslines which led the crowd to holler.


    ¡°On drums, Austin!¡± The crowd screamed as he did a solo.


    ¡°And I¡¯m Pete,¡± the crowd again went wild. ¡°We¡¯re Fred.  Good night!¡±


    More cheering and demands for more. However, they had played their entire playlist. So, the show was over. Raz and Rocco unplugged their instruments and went inside with Austin and Pete.


    ¡°Holy shit! They fucking loved us!!!¡± Pete exclaimed. All the guys gave each other a huddled hug. They were drenched in sweat and excitement. The crowd was still chanting for more.


    The front door swung open. It was Tiffany, Joe, and Mike.


    ¡°Oh my god!  You guys were spec-fucking-tacular! I have so many people wanting you to play their party,¡± Tiffany said holding onto Joe¡¯s hand. Rocco felt like he was going to hyperventilate at the excitement until he saw Mike standing behind Joe. Mike was all he needed to see to calm down.


    Mike ran over to him and gave him a hug around his soaked neck. Rocco wrapped his arms around Mike¡¯s waist and started laughing. He was in such a fantastic state of existence at this moment. He had just played a killer successful first show and Mike was giving him a hug. He honestly did not know how things could get any better than this single moment. They unlocked their embrace and locked eyes.


    ¡°You guys were phenomenal!! Everyone loved you,¡± Mike exclaimed. Rocco could tell that the liquor had worn off for them both. He was getting a little headache from all the excitement and was starting to get light-headed. Mike caught on to this. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I just need to sit down a minute,¡± Rocco exhaled. Mike took Rocco by the hand and led him to the couch.


    ¡°You want something to drink?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Rocco looked at him and smiled. Their hands had been intertwined since the hug. Mike released his grip to fix Rocco a drink. Rocco did not want to lose contact with Mike, so he placed his hand on Mike¡¯s lower back. Mike looked back, smiled, and continued to pour the drinks. No one else in the room had noticed this interaction. They were too hyped up from the show. This was Mike and Rocco¡¯s own intimate moment.


    ¡°Do you want me to make it an adult drink?¡± Mike asked pointing at the vodka.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Rocco said. At this moment, he would let Mike do whatever he wanted. Mike poured a healthy amount of vodka in each of their drinks. He handed one cup to Rocco and kept one for himself. Rocco took a large gulp and began to feel more at ease.


    ¡°I¡¯m just in awe of your performance,¡± Mike said.


    Rocco noticed everyone else in the room was all giddy. Pete was in his element taking in all the praise. Rocco had not noticed when Wendy came into the living room, but she was clinging onto Austin. Joe and Tiffany were practically fused into one body. It was sensory overload for Rocco.


    ¡°Do you think we could get some air?¡± Rocco whispered to Mike. Mike smiled and nodded.


    They got up and snuck out of the room without anyone noticing them. They went through the house and out the back door into the dark back yard. There were almost as many kids in the back yard as in the front. Rocco could smell weed when they passed clumps of teenagers. As they keep going further back into the darkness, the crowd of weed smokers started to change into pairings of couples making out. Mike grabbed Rocco¡¯s hand and continued into the darkness of the back parts of the yard. Rocco could not make out much of anything except Mike¡¯s white skin in the moonlight. They were far into the backyard away from the lights of the house. In the immediate distance a few feet away were the woods. Rocco could make out the shapes of trees as well as couples heavily making out. Rocco was sure there was more going on in these woods than just kissing. Once they had gotten a few yards in the woods, Mike let go of his hand.


    ¡°Want to sit here?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Rocco said. He was delirious from excitement and anxiety. He just wanted to go outside. He didn¡¯t want to go far out into the woods. However, they were already here so he took a large gulp of his drink and sat down on a large rock. The liquor was reactivating in his system. His head started to buzz, and his body was feeling warm and numb. Mike sat down next to him on the rock and took a drink. They both looked ahead in the distance at the darkness. The house and its light were far ahead of them. They could slightly hear the muffled sound of partygoers and music. Mostly they could just hear bass.


    Mike put his drink down. Rocco took a swig, but Mike took his cup and set it on the ground next to his. Rocco gave him a tipsy crooked smile. Mike took both of Rocco¡¯s hands in his.


    ¡°You were so amazing up there,¡± Mike whispered and stared deep into Rocco¡¯s eyes. Rocco couldn¡¯t speak. His heart began pounding in his chest.


    He wanted to grab Mike¡¯s face and give him a kiss. However, something unexpected happened. Mike leaned forward and gave Rocco a kiss. Rocco pulled back in shock. The wetness of Mike¡¯s lips was still on his.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m so sorry¡­¡± Mike gasped and turned his face away.


    Rocco paused a second. ¡°No, don¡¯t apologize.¡± He grabbed Mike¡¯s face, ran his finger along Mike¡¯s lower lip, and began kissing him. Mike wrapped his arms around Rocco¡¯s neck and fell into Rocco¡¯s kiss. What started out as a peck evolved into a long open-mouthed lip lock. Rocco¡¯s heart pounded even harder. This kiss lasted for what seemed like an eternity. They each separated to get some air.


    ¡°Your heart is pounding,¡± Mike whispered.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve been wanting to kiss you for a while,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Me too,¡± Mike said and leaned back in for more kissing. They made out on that rock in the woods for 30 minutes. Occasionally, they would hear snapping and rustling close by but were not in the slightest bothered. It was too dark to know who was back here. Mike knocked over his drink and broke away from Rocco¡¯s lips.


    ¡°Damn, I lost my drink,¡± Mike said. Rocco started to laugh.


    ¡°Does that really matter?¡± Rocco chuckled.


    ¡°Not at all, but we¡¯ve been out here a while. You think we should get back to the party?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Yeah, I guess so,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Your fans want to see you.¡± Mike snickered. Rocco started to laugh again.


    Mike started to get up, but Rocco stopped him. ¡°One more?¡±


    Mike gladly complied and gently kissed Rocco on his lips. He stood up and looked back at Rocco. Rocco reached for his drink and got up as well. Mike took his hand and started to leave when Rocco stopped.


    ¡°Wait a minute,¡± Unbeknown to Mike, Rocco had to rearrange himself. Good thing it was dark. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go. You want some of my drink?¡± Rocco offered Mike his cup. Mike took a sip and then gave it back to Rocco.


    ¡°We will have to make a trip to my brother¡¯s car,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Wait, what? In his back seat? Wouldn¡¯t it be safer to make out here in the woods?¡± Rocco asked.


    Mike started to belly laugh.


    ¡°No, silly! We have a secret stash of liquor in his trunk,¡± Mike continued to laugh.


    Rocco joined him in laughter. They made their way back through the back yard. The light and the noise started to get brighter and louder. They continued to hold hands past the other couples making out and into the weed smokers. Once they reached the side of the house, they unlocked their hands. They weaved their way through the crowd towards Joe¡¯s car. Several of the partygoers gave Rocco a thumbs up or an ¡°awesome¡±. Somehow, they wound up meeting Toya and Moni.


    ¡°Oh my god, Rocky! Where have you been? You all were amazing!¡± Toya said. Moni gave him a sideways peace sign in approval.


    ¡°Thanks!¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Hey, we are getting a refill. Do you two want to come along?¡± Mike asked. Toya and Moni eagerly nodded and followed them to Joe¡¯s car.


    At this point in the party¡¯s progression, there were countless Solo cups in circulation, so Mike figured they could use the cups Joe had instead of trying to disguise their cocktails in a can. He pulled out four cups and distributed one to each of the friends. He reached for a bottle. However, Joe must have invited more friends than he intended. There was only one bottle of whisky left.


    ¡°Looks like we only have whisky,¡± Mike said and twisted open the cap. He freely poured all four some liquor. They were also no Sundrops and only two cans of coke. He opened both cans of coke and distributed the soda evenly among the four cups. ¡°Looks like we have to make these last.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, there¡¯s plenty of stuff inside,¡± Rocco said. ¡°I also have this.¡± Rocco pulled out a joint from the pocket of his flannel just enough to show everyone and quickly returned it.


    ¡°Oh shit!¡± Moni said.


    ¡°No, good shit!¡± Rocco said. He and Moni laughed. Toya and Mike didn¡¯t catch on.


    ¡°Shall we return to the affair?¡± Moni asked the group.


    They made their way across the street back to the party. Rocco spotted Austin and Wendy. He poked Mike on the shoulder and pointed at them. All four made their way over to Austin and Wendy.


    ¡°Rocco!  Where have you been?¡± Austin yelled. ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for you all over the place. You disappeared! We¡¯ve been getting so many requests to play gigs. Everyone loved us.¡±


    ¡°I had to get some air,¡± Rocco said and looked over at Mike. Mike grabbed Rocco¡¯s hand and squeezed it.


    ¡°Well, we are booked for a party in a couple of weeks¡­paid!¡± Austin exclaimed.


    ¡°That¡¯s so exciting!¡± Mike shouted. Rocco smiled. He didn¡¯t play for the money, but it was nice.


    ¡°Fucking sweet,¡± Rocco purred. ¡°We should add some songs to our play list. Make it worth their money.¡±


    ¡°Now you¡¯re talking,¡± Austin said. At that moment, ¡°Unbelievable¡± by EMF came on over the speakers.


    ¡°Wooo, I love this song! Let¡¯s dance!¡± Wendy yelled. Everyone in this little gathering started dancing¡ªat least as good as teenagers can dance. Austin and Wendy joined hands and jumped up and down. Toya was a little more animated with her hips while Moni started to bob her head. Mike started to jump up and down and was joined by Rocco. The entire time Mike was thinking about the taste of Rocco¡¯s lips¡ªsweet from the soda but salty from perspiration.


    ¡°You gonna light that up at any point?¡± Moni looked over at Rocco and pointed to the pocket where his joint was. Toya and Mike heard this request.


    ¡°I suppose we can,¡± Rocco said. He looked over at Mike who shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡°Hey, Austin, we¡¯re going to spark up a J. Want to join us?¡± Rocco leaned over to ask Austin.


    ¡°I think we¡¯re going to pass but come back when you¡¯re done. We¡¯ll be right here,¡± Austin replied.


    Toya, Moni, Mike, and Rocco broke off from the dancing crowd and ventured to the backyard. Rocco dug around in the darkness for the pocket and pulled out the joint. He dug in his front jeans pocket for the lighter. He put the joint in mouth and lit up. A strong herbal odor permeated through the group. Rocco inhaled deeply and passed the joint and lighter over to Moni. He held his breath as long as could and coughed out the smoke. Moni did the same but smoothly exhaled. She passed the paraphernalia to Toya. Toya held the joint like a cigarette and lit it. Instantly she started hacking and gave the joint to Mike. Mike took it but looked at the joint not knowing what to do.


    ¡°Just do it like a cigarette but hold it in,¡± Rocco said picking up on Mike¡¯s hesitation. Mike lit the joint and inhaled. He held it as long as he could which was 3 seconds and coughed it out. He passed it back over to Rocco.


    Rocco took another long toke and handed it over to Moni who also took a drag. Both Toya and Mike passed. Rocco took a final long deep drag and gave it over to Moni.


    ¡°Keep the rest,¡± Rocco said as he exhaled. Moni lit it one more time before snubbing out the roach.


    Rocco leaned back against the house and allowed the weed to circulate throughout his body. He was beginning to feel super relaxed and carefree. The dark sky was starting to illuminate with pockets of subtle colors.


    ¡°Oh shit, Rocco. This is some good shit.¡± Moni sighed. Rocco felt a warmth envelop his body.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get back,¡± Toya said. ¡°They are starting to play some really good music.¡± Toya hadn¡¯t taken in enough, so she certainly was not high.


    ¡°Hey, Mike,¡± Rocco said in a sing-song tone. ¡°Hang on a minute.¡± Toya and Moni looked back at Mike and Rocco. Toya smiled and turned back to Moni.


    ¡°That joint was nasty!¡± Rocco heard Toya say as she and Moni went back to the front.


    ¡°Are you feeling anything?¡± Rocco asked Mike.


    ¡°Not really,¡± Mike replied.


    ¡°Sometimes it takes a couple of times for some folks,¡± Rocco said and stared at Mike dreamily. Mike smiled at him. Rocco¡¯s half opened eyes were adorable.


    ¡°I want to kiss you some more,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°I¡¯d like that,¡± Rocco lazily said. Since they did not have the privacy of the forest, Mike leaned over like he was going whisper something in Rocco¡¯s ear. Mike touched his lips on Rocco¡¯s ear gently. Rocco sighed in contentment. ¡°Can we do more of what we did in the woods another time?¡±


    ¡°All the time,¡± Mike said and grabbed Rocco¡¯s hand to lead him back to the front. They rejoined Austin, Wendy, Toya, and Moni. Rocco felt like he was swaying even though he was standing still. Mike continued to hold hands with Rocco. They were oblivious to the eyes of others; however, it would not have mattered. No one was really paying much attention because they were either drunk, dancing, making out, or chatting among themselves. It felt nice to be out in the open holding hands with each other. Rocco noticed once that Wendy saw them holding hands and pointed them out to Austin. Austin caught sight of this and smiled and nodded at Rocco. He could swear that he heard Austin say ¡°I knew it¡± to Wendy but he could have just imagined that.


    As the night wore on, the crowd started to get thinner and thinner. The party was starting to wind down around midnight¡ªat least it was winding down for Toya, Moni, Mike, and Rocco. Moni¡¯s bigger brother arrived to take Toya and Moni home. Rocco¡¯s high and buzz were beginning to wear off albeit not fully. Wendy whispered into Austin¡¯s ear. He turned to Mike and Rocco.


    ¡°Hey guys, we are going to head out. I¡¯m going to take my drums apart and put them inside,¡± Austin said.


    ¡°Need some help?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°Nah, I got it. We are just leaving everything in the living room?¡± Austin asked. Tiffany had agreed to keep all the equipment inside so that the band members could pick everything up tomorrow.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Rocco said still holding hands with Mike.


    ¡°Cool. I¡¯ll see you here tomorrow at 6, right?¡± Austin asked.


    ¡°Yup, six,¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°Good night, guys,¡± Wendy said and followed Austin to the porch.


    ¡°How are you getting home?¡± Rocco turned to Mike to ask.


    ¡°I¡¯m supposed to go back with Joe, but I¡¯ve lost him,¡± Mike said. That¡¯s what he assumed but, since Joe was likely somewhere with Tiffany, he was not sure a ride home with Joe was an option anymore.


    ¡°I could take you home,¡± Rocco said giving Mike a coy smile.


    ¡°I suppose you could,¡± Mike said returning Rocco¡¯s smile. ¡°But we should find Joe to let him know.¡± Rocco nodded. The two began roaming around the party on the hunt for Joe. They couldn¡¯t find him in the front, so they ventured inside. It didn¡¯t take them long to discover Joe and Tiffany on the living room couch making out.


    ¡°Joe!¡± Mike loudly said trying to get his attention. Joe pulled back from Tiffany and looked up.


    ¡°Hey Mike, what¡¯s up?¡± Joe was visibly tipsy.


    ¡°Rocco¡¯s going to take me home. I¡¯m kinda ready to get out of here,¡± Mike spoke.


    ¡°Okay, buddy. You guys have a good night,¡± Joe winked at the two and went back to Tiffany.


    ¡°Well, that wasn¡¯t too difficult,¡± Mike said to Rocco which made Rocco chuckle.


    ¡°Are your parents going to wonder why you two didn¡¯t come home together?¡± Rocco asked. Joe waved them away.


    ¡°Nah, they¡¯re already in bed,¡± Mike said. The two went outside to Rocco¡¯s car. He unlocked the doors. Mike got in the car and turned to Rocco. ¡°Thank you for everything tonight.¡±


    Rocco smiled and started the car. It took some maneuvering around some of the random cars for him to get out into the road. Despite the buzz and the high subsiding, Rocco was extra cautious driving Mike home. Not only did he want to avoid a DUI, but he also wanted to make sure Mike got home safely. Due to his caution, it took about 40 minutes to get to Mike¡¯s house. None of that mattered because that meant he got to spend 40 more minutes with Mike. Once he pulled into his driveway, he turned the car off and turned to Mike. Mike turned to Rocco.


    ¡°I really don¡¯t want this to be a one-time thing,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Neither do I,¡± Rocco replied. The two leaned into each other and kissed for a few minutes. The porch light came on which prompted them to pull back.


    ¡°Can I call you tomorrow?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°I¡¯d like that,¡± Rocco said and dug around the car for a piece of paper and a pen. He wrote down his phone number and handed it to Mike. Mike started to get out of the car when Rocco put his hand on Mike¡¯s hand. Mike stopped and turned around. Rocco took his cap off and reached up to take Mike¡¯s cap off. Mike¡¯s red hair fell over his eyebrows. Rocco put his cap on Mike head and Mike¡¯s cap on his own head. Mike smiled and got out of the car. This had been the night Rocco had hoped for and he had something to show for it.

 11. Sunday Hangover

    ¡°Mike! Are you going to church?¡± a voice from his slumber said. Mike rolled over onto his back and opened his eyes. He was groggy but awake enough to know that he had managed to get himself into his pajamas and into bed. He had not brushed his teeth. His mouth had the taste of old smoke and stale beer.


    There was a knock on the door before it cracked open. It was his mom.


    ¡°Mike, are you awake?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, mom, I¡¯m up,¡± he said and sat up in his bed.


    ¡°Are you going to church with us?¡± His mom pushed the door open.


    ¡°Would it be alright if I stayed home?¡± Mike did not get very drunk or high, but he felt sore and exhausted from the party last night. He also felt like he didn¡¯t get nearly enough sleep. Rocco dropped him off at quarter till one, but he did not drifted off to sleep until around 3 thinking about the events of the night.


    ¡°Alright then,¡± his mom said. She walked back out into the hallway and closed the door. A few seconds later, he heard her knocking on Joe¡¯s door trying to get him to wake up. When did he get home? Did he get home? Mike was about to find out. He heard his mom knocking again and open the door. He could hear her enter, but he couldn¡¯t make out what she was saying. He heard her voice mumble followed by a male voice mumbling. That meant Joe at least made it home.


    Mike rubbed his eyes and looked around his room. It was annoyingly bright in his room even with the curtains drawn. He had a slight headache. Is this what a hangover was? He spotted something unusual under the comforter of his bed. He lifted the sheets to find a ball cap. It was not his cap, however. It was a Yankees hat which was odd since he wasn¡¯t into professional baseball or the New York Yankees.


    It then donned on him. It was Rocco¡¯s cap. Oh, that¡¯s right. Rocco swapped their caps when he got out of his car. This was after the porch light came on interrupting them kissing¡ªoh shit. Everything was coming back to him. He and Rocco made out quite a bit last night. They were acting like they were boyfriends holding hands with each other last night¡ªmaking eyes at each other. The haze of the morning lifted, and he remembered everything.


    All that time flirting with Rocco and wondering if Rocco felt the same as he did was over. He knew. They acted on it. Done. He began to get a strange feeling in his gut like he had fooled the world and done something he was not supposed to do. It wasn¡¯t that he regretted kissing Rocco. He felt like he had discovered this whole new side of life. He wasn¡¯t feeling guilty that he kissed a guy. He felt guilty that he had opened this new whole new experience that no one had told him about. He had kissed another boy, and he couldn¡¯t wait to do it again. He felt like he belonged to this secret society. He felt guilty that he was hiding this whole new existence from the people he loved.


    He was glad he made out with Rocco. A smile spread over his face thinking about it. He took Rocco¡¯s hat and put it on his head. Whatever sweat Rocco had left in the fabric of the hat was dry, but Mike could still detect the smell of hair and sweat. This was Rocco¡¯s smell, and it made Mike delirious.


    He lay there a moment with the hat on. Something occurred to him, and he shot up in fear. Rocco was far more intoxicated and stoned that he was. Would Rocco remember their night? If he did, would he regret the entire experience? Mike was certain that Rocco enjoyed him kissing him. At least, it seemed like he was reciprocating. But, in the sober hours of the morning, would Rocco start to rethink the step they both took together? Would Rocco want to go back to being friends, if that was even a possibility?


    Mike took the cap off and examined it. This was a well-worn hat. The bill was starting to fray, and the logo was dingy. The navy was turning a medium blue. It was clear that Rocco had put this hat through some action. He wondered how old the hat was and how often Rocco wore it.


    Mike put his face in his hands to try to wake up a little more. He remembered that Rocco gave him his phone number. But where did he put it? He remembered putting it in a pocket. He looked around his room and saw the clothes he was wearing last night. The back pocket of his jeans.  That¡¯s where he put it. He got out of bed and grabbed his jeans. There were grass stains and mud on the butt and the knees¡ªlikely from going through the back yard and sitting on the rock in the woods. He fumbled through the pocket. His hands caught onto the piece of paper Rocco had given him in the car. He pulled the paper out and unfolded it. It was a part of an envelope that Rocco had torn. On it was scribbled:


    Rocco


    534-3492


    Rocco¡¯s handwriting was neat and bold. Mike smiled at the handwriting and breathed a sigh of relief. He could call Rocco around lunchtime to gauge how he was feeling about last night. That¡¯s what he will do. For now, Mike had to take care of this headache.


    He shuffled into the bathroom. He and Joe shared a bathroom. The bathroom was attached to Joe¡¯s room so Mike would often have to lock the door so Joe wouldn¡¯t barge in. Mike noticed the door from the bathroom to Joe¡¯s room was wide open. Joe was still in bed. His room as dark. Mike didn¡¯t want to disturb his brother, so he quietly closed the bathroom door leading to Joe¡¯s room. Mike searched through the medicine cabinet for something for his headache¡ªa Tylenol or an aspirin or something. He found not only a bottle of aspirin but also a couple of packets of Alka-Seltzer tablets. He decided on the Alka-Seltzer. His stomach was not feeling great either so that would be better. There was a glass tumbler he used to rinse his mouth out. He ran the cup under the facet to clean out. He filled up the tumbler with water and plopped the tablets into the water. He watched as the tablets dissolved leaving fizzy water and a layer of chalky residue floating on top. Mike swallowed the liquid which caused him to belch loudly. He rinsed out the cup and put it back on the counter. That would make him feel better in a few minutes.


    From the side door, he heard his brother.


    ¡°Mike? Are you in there?¡± Joe said his voice hoarse and deep.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll be just a minute,¡± Mike shouted.


    ¡°Ahh, keep it down,¡± Joe said. ¡°Can I come in?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, come on in,¡± Mike said.


    The door cracked open to reveal Joe in a state of dishevelment Mike had never seen. Of course, Mike was used to seeing Joe when he first woke up on many mornings before school, but, this morning, Joe was looking rough. It was obvious he had quite the night.


    ¡°Shit, what time is it?¡± Joe muttered half awake.


    ¡°I don¡¯t really know. Mom woke me up asking about church so it must be around 9,¡± Mike said and took his toothbrush. His mouth would at least be halfway normal after he brushed the night out. ¡°What time did you get home?¡± Mike said as he ran his toothbrush under the water and put a glob of toothpaste on his toothbrush.


    ¡°Maybe 3 or 4? I¡¯m not exactly sure,¡± Joe stammered.


    ¡°MMM,¡± Mike mumbled while brushing his teeth. Joe went over to the toilet and started peeing. Mike was never thrilled that Joe would do this, but he was so used to it at this point, he hardly registered it any longer. He had done the same to Joe but only when he really needed to go. Mike continued to brush his teeth vigorously.


    ¡°You?¡± Joe asked as he finished.


    Mike spit the toothpaste out, ¡°I think it was almost 1 when Rocco dropped me off.¡±


    Joe flushed the toilet and turned around, ¡°Oh yeah¡­¡± he said remembering pieces of last night, ¡°how did that go?¡±. Mike rinsed his brush and turned off the water. He turned to face Mike and smiled giving him a thumbs up.


    ¡°Very well,¡± Mike replied.


    ¡°Come on! Details!¡± Joe said trying to get excited but catching himself remembering the hangover he had.


    Mike looked around slyly. ¡°We hung out all night.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Joe asked. Mike didn¡¯t really want to tell Joe about how they practically spent the night making out. He wasn¡¯t sure Joe wanted to hear about it especially after Joe divulged that it would take some work for him to be alright with his brother liking a guy. Mike did want to tell someone, however.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t talked to Rocco yet, so I don¡¯t know if I want to get into it,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°What did you all do?¡± Joe was anxiously wanting to hear about Mike¡¯s night.


    ¡°The question is what happened with you and Tiffany?¡± Mike said in a teasing manner.


    Joe put up his finger. ¡°No, no. I¡¯ll tell you if you tell me.¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± Mike sighed. ¡°Are you sure you want to hear about it?¡±


    Joe put the seat down on the toilet and sat down. ¡°If I¡¯m going to be okay with your fluid sexuality, I¡¯m going to have to hear about your conquests. So, spill it.¡±


    ¡°Well, after his show, we went back to the woods and made out for a while,¡± Mike said in a sigh.


    Joe took a moment to process this information. ¡°Okay. Okay.¡± He took another moment, ¡°How do you feel about that?¡±


    Mike looked around the room again trying to come up with an answer. The only thing he could think of was the truth. ¡°It was awesome.¡±


    Joe looked his brother up and down once, ¡°So, this is you¡­now. You like Rocco?¡±


    Mike smiled, ¡°I do.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I knew that already¡ªwhen I saw the drawing you did of him,¡± Joe said. ¡°Does this mean you guys are a thing now?¡±


    Mike¡¯s smile vanished. ¡°I don¡¯t know. He gave me his number, so I want to call and talk to him later. He was pretty high. I don¡¯t know if he will remember.¡±


    Joe contorted his mouth into a grimace. ¡°Hmmm.¡±


    Mike wanted to change the subject. ¡°Now, you! I told you about my night.¡±


    Joe laughed. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s fair.¡± Joe rubbed his hands on his thighs. ¡°We made out and then went back to her room and did some more.¡±


    ¡°Did you guys do it?¡± Mike¡¯s eyes widened. Joe laughed.


    ¡°Do it? What? Are you in 5th grade?¡± Joe chuckled.


    ¡°Did you have intercourse?¡± Mike rolled his eyes.


    ¡°Nah. But we went pretty far,¡± Joe replied. Mike let out a nervous laugh. He really didn¡¯t want to know any more details about Joe¡¯s sex life. It felt a little gross hearing about his brother¡¯s conquests.


    ¡°That¡¯s all I want to know¡ªno further details, please,¡± Mike said and looked away. He was a little embarrassed to know this much. ¡°Are you two a thing?¡±


    Joe shrugged. ¡°Maybe. We shall see. We left it kinda open.¡±


    Mike suddenly changed the subject. ¡°How did you get home?¡± Joe was tipsy when Mike found him at the party to tell him he was leaving.


    ¡°Well, I quit drinking after you left since I knew I was going to have to drive home. Then we got to playing around which was some more time to sober up a bit. I have to confess. I am still hazy on the details of getting home. Probably not my brightest idea,¡± Joe said looking down.


    ¡°Yeah, no shit. I¡¯m just glad you made it home alright,¡± Mike said and started toward the hallway door. ¡°I¡¯m going to get some cereal.¡± He stopped himself before he turned the knob. Without looking at Joe, he asked, ¡°If things go ok with Rocco, are you sure you are going to be ok with it?¡±


    Joe stood up and placed both of his hands on Mike¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I told you I would work on it and that¡¯s what I will do. I¡¯ll be ok.¡±


    Mike turned his head and gave him a nod.


    The phone rang exactly at noon. Rocco had been up for only a couple of hours. He was working on his third cup of coffee nursing the hangover from last night. He was lying in bed admiring the drawing on his wall that Mike had done of him. He hadn¡¯t had a chance to get a frame yet¡ªthat was going to be on his list today. He was going to get his guitar from Tiffany¡¯s and a picture frame. He was also feeling a little low after all the excitement last night. The show was a success. They were getting shows lined up. His friends knew he was gay. And he and Mike made out¡ªa lot. This was everything that Rocco wanted but part of him missed all the buildup to it. Now that he had achieved everything he wanted¡ªat least everything he wanted as a 17-year-old¡ªwhat was to be next?


    Rocco picked up the receiver, ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°May I speak with Rocco?¡± Rocco instantly recognized the voice on the other end of the line.


    ¡°Mike?¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°Yeah, hey Rocco. How are you?¡± Mike asked in a chipper tone.


    ¡°I¡¯m good. I¡¯m a little hung over but nothing I can¡¯t handle. How are you?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°The same here,¡± Mike said.


    There was a lull in the conversation. Neither of them said anything for what seemed like an eternity.


    ¡°Rocco, can we talk about last night?¡± Mike finally broke the silence.


    ¡°That¡¯s just what I was thinking,¡± Rocco responded.


    ¡°I know we should have this conversation in person, but I guess I¡¯m braver over the phone,¡± Mike confessed.


    ¡°I see,¡± Rocco said. Rocco started to feel his stomach drop. Here it was¡­the regret. This was going to be Mike saying that he didn¡¯t mean for last night to happen. He was about to hear how Mike just wanted to be good friends. They would be friendly for a few days and then he would drop Rocco. Mike was going to tell him that he was confused and drunk and didn¡¯t know what he was doing. Et cetera. Rocco put his coffee down in preparation and lit a cigarette.


    ¡°I wanted to tell you that I enjoyed last night so much,¡± Mike said. Rocco took a drag of his cigarette in disbelief. The conversation was not starting how he expected. Still, he was waiting for a ¡°but¡±.


    Mike continued, ¡°I remember everything we did and wanted it all to happen. I ---¡± Mike paused for a moment, ¡°I want to do more of that with you.¡±


    Rocco couldn¡¯t believe what he was hearing. He exhaled hard and put his cigarette out. He was afraid he would drop it and burn the carpet.


    ¡°Mike,¡± Rocco started, ¡°I feel the same.¡±


    Rocco could sense relief of Mike¡¯s end when he heard him said ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve been wanting to kiss you since I met you,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°I have too,¡± Mike responded. ¡°Rocco, I was so afraid that you wouldn¡¯t remember last night because you were drunk and high.¡±


    ¡°I remember everything, and I wanted to do everything we did,¡± Rocco responded immediately.


    ¡°That¡¯s awesome,¡± Mike replied with a relieved laugh.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°When can I see you again?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Well, I have to go get my equipment today at Tiffany¡¯s. Want to come along?¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯d like that,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°I was planning on around 6. Want me to pick you up around 5?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°Sure!¡± Mike exclaimed.


    ¡°Great. I should go get in the shower. I stink,¡± Rocco chuckled ¡°Hey, Mike¡­¡± Rocco said and stopped.


    ¡°Yes?¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Party on, Garth,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Party on, Wayne.¡±


    Mike hung up the receiver and looked out the window. It was reciprocal. Mike made out with the first guy he ever made out with, and it was not awful or regretful. At that moment, Joe walked in.


    ¡°Were you just talking with Rocco?¡± Joe asked.


    Mike was in a dreamworld a million miles away. He responded with a far off ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Oh, from that, I take it that it went well,¡± Joe laughed.


    Mike turned around to Joe and replied, ¡°It did.¡±


    ¡°So, is Rocco your boyfriend now?¡± Joe asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that yet. But we are going to hang out today,¡± Mike replied.


    If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    ¡°Cool beans,¡± Joe responded. Mike raised his eyebrow at his response.


    ¡°He wants me to go with him to pick up his equipment at Tiffany¡¯s house,¡± Mike said.


    Joe stood back. ¡°Are you expecting me to give you a ride to Tiffany¡¯s?¡±


    ¡°No, no. He¡¯s going to pick me up here,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Good,¡± Joe breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°I¡¯m not ready to see Tiffany again just yet. I need to give it a few days.¡±


    ¡°Advise from the master?¡± Mike chuckled.


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Joe said and poured some water from the tap. ¡°Hey, I was looking for something in your room and saw a Yankees hat. Since when are you a Yankees fan?¡±


    Mike blushed. ¡°I¡¯m not. It¡¯s Rocco¡¯s hat.¡±


    ¡°Jesus H. Christ, Mike. I need to get advice from you!¡± Joe laughed. Mike smirked and threw a dishrag at him.


    ¡°Can I ask you something serious?¡± Mike broke the levity.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Joe said and sat down at the kitchen table.


    ¡°You said you messed around with a guy before,¡± Mike started. Joe nodded. ¡°How did you feel after that?¡±


    Joe inhaled deeply. ¡°I felt ashamed to be honest. I felt like¡­I don¡¯t know,¡± he paused for moment. ¡°It felt like, well, you know how it feels to invade someone¡¯s privacy?¡± Joe was grasping for metaphors, but Mike nodded. ¡°It felt kinda like I was invading another guy¡¯s privacy. Like I knew something about him that I wasn¡¯t supposed to know.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± Mike replied.


    ¡°Well, seeing and touching another dude is intimate. It¡¯s like you know how this dude measures up now. And he knows the same secrets about you.¡±


    ¡°Damn, Joe. I didn¡¯t know you went that far. I thought you just kissed another guy,¡± Mike was stunned at what he just heard. Joe nervously laughed and shrugged.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure if you could handle it,¡± Joe responded. ¡°I felt like I was doing something I wasn¡¯t supposed to be doing.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Mike looked down.


    ¡°Is that how you feel?¡± Joe looked at Mike.


    Mike took a few seconds to think over how he felt. He didn¡¯t fully understand what Joe was saying about invading privacy, but he understood his question about doing something he wasn¡¯t supposed to do.


    ¡°Joe, I don¡¯t feel like that. I feel like I¡¯m doing exactly what I¡¯m supposed to be doing,¡± Mike said with a smile.


    Joe was taken aback. He hadn¡¯t expected that answer. He expected Mike to be riddled with guilt. It never occurred to him that Mike was doing what felt right for him. When Mike put it in those terms, he started to comprehend how his brother felt.


    ¡°Ha, I think I get it,¡± Joe replied.


    ¡°You do?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Yeah, I am so wrapped up assuming everyone feels like I do. I¡¯m supposed to feel guilty because I went against my own nature. But this is who you are. You like Rocco, don¡¯t go against that,¡± Joe said. Mike did not expect his brother to make so much sense.


    ¡°Thanks, Joe.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to tell Mom and Dad?¡± Joe asked.


    Mike breathed in deeply. ¡°No, not yet. I don¡¯t know where this will go with Rocco. Like I said, I¡¯m not sure if I even fit in a category to tell them.¡±


    ¡°I get it,¡± Joe said. ¡°But if you need me to be there, I will.¡±


    ¡°Right now, I want to just keep this between me, you, and Rocco,¡± Mike said staring at Joe.


    ¡°I will totally respect that,¡± Joe said.


    There was a knock on the door. Emily Barber opened the door to see Rocco standing at the front door.


    ¡°You must be Rocco?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am. I¡¯m here to pick up Mike,¡± Rocco replied feeling nervous to speak with one of Mike¡¯s parents. He couldn¡¯t look her in the eye out of fear that she knew what he and Mike did last night.


    ¡°Come in. I¡¯m Emily Barber,¡± she said and made a motion. Rocco was amazed at the perfect d¨¦cor of the Barber mini mansion. It was like he had walked into a Southern Living magazine. Touches of country farmhouse were pervasive throughout. Here a basket, there a duck sculpture, everywhere a dried bouquet. The air smelled of potpourri.


    ¡°Thank you, ma¡¯am,¡± Rocco shyly said and entered.


    ¡°You are Mike¡¯s classmate, right?¡± Mrs. Barber asked.


    ¡°We have Civics and Psychology together,¡± Rocco quietly replied.


    ¡°You¡¯re awful grown up for a sophomore,¡± she stated.


    ¡°I¡¯m a senior,¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°You must know Joe then,¡± Mrs. Barber stated with a certain pride at her quarterback son.


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am. I do,¡± Rocco properly said. At that moment, Joe came down the stairs.


    ¡°Joe, honey, your classmate, Rocco, is here for Mike,¡± Mrs. Barber said. ¡°That¡¯s an unusual name. Is that an Italian name?¡±


    ¡°No, ma¡¯am. It¡¯s a nickname. My proper name is Marcus Rocio,¡± Rocco responded.


    ¡°Oh, I see,¡± Mrs. Barber said. ¡°Well, that¡¯s also an unusual name. Where¡¯s your family from?¡±


    ¡°Mom, honestly! That¡¯s a rude question to ask,¡± Joe interrupted. ¡°Rocco, come upstairs while Mike gets ready. I have a math question.¡± Joe waived Rocco impatiently upstairs. Joe gave his mom an annoyed glance.


    ¡°I was just making conversation,¡± Mrs. Barber said.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Rocco said. He started to answer her question when Joe shushed him. Rocco started to follow Joe upstairs. ¡°It was nice to meet you¡±. Mrs. Barber gave Rocco a smile and a nod and walked away.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry about that,¡± Joe apologized. ¡°Anyone with the slightest hint of ethnicity makes her all curious.¡± Joe said causing Rocco to nervously laugh.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mind,¡± Rocco responded.


    ¡°Yeah, but I didn¡¯t want her to categorize you as an Other,¡± Joe said. ¡°Come to my room, I have questions!¡± Rocco followed Joe to his room and closed the door. Rocco started to get nervous. Joe¡¯s room was the typical messy room of a teenaged boy. Rocco had a crush on Joe some time ago, but never in his wildest dreams did he think he would be in his room. Joe had posters of women in bikinis on his wall as well as football team posters.


    ¡°So, what are you working on that you need some answers to,¡± Rocco started.


    ¡°That was just an excuse to get you out of the firing range. I hear you had an eventful night with my brother,¡± Joe raised his eyebrows.


    Rocco immediately went into panic. Even though Joe had apologized for his complacency to his teasing, Rocco was not prepared for this conversation with Joe. Rocco was still apprehensive about talking about his relationship so far with Mike. This was the jock who stood by and laughed as his friends teased him. Rocco started to fidget uncomfortably. Joe picked up on Rocco¡¯s unease.


    ¡°Relax, Rocco, relax. It¡¯s totally fine. Mike¡¯s been going on about how you two made out and how much you two enjoyed it. I¡¯m very cool with it,¡± Joe reassured.


    Rocco eased up a little but not completely. He wasn¡¯t sure if this was some sort of trap.


    ¡°Yeah, we did that,¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°Mike really likes you. He explained to me how he feels and about his leanings¡ªI¡¯m sorry. Is that offensive to say? Leanings?¡± Joe asked.


    ¡°Not at all. I know what you are saying,¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want him to get hurt. So, I¡¯m having the big brother conversation with you,¡± Joe¡¯s demeanor turned comically rigid. ¡°If you ever do anything to hurt my little brother, I will end you. Consider this your first and only warning.¡±


    Rocco laughed and gave him a ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    ¡°Seriously though, I picked up that he liked you the other day. We¡¯ve had lots of chats, and I think I understand who he is and what he likes. I think he seriously likes you, Rocco. I want you to know, from me directly, that I am totally ok with you going out with Mike and if anyone gives you two any grief, I want you to tell me,¡± Joe explained.


    ¡°Okay, I appreciate that. I mean, we aren¡¯t official by any means, and, honestly, I¡¯ve only told the guys in the band that I¡¯m gay. Well, and you, but I guess that¡¯s a moot point now,¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°I understand and I will uphold your privacy,¡± Joe said. ¡°In any case, you have my full blessing,¡± Joe said with gusto. Rocco chuckled. He wasn¡¯t looking for Joe¡¯s blessing, but it was nice to have it, nonetheless.


    Mike opened the bathroom door that was connected to Joe¡¯s room. He stood at the threshold¡ªan image that took Rocco¡¯s breath away. He was just wearing a t-shirt and a pair of shorts, but it was the Yankees cap that caught Rocco¡¯s attention. Mike was wearing his hat. When Mike caught sight of Rocco, his face lit up.


    ¡°Party on, Wayne,¡± Mike said and smiled.


    ¡°Party on, Garth,¡± Rocco returned.


    ¡°You guys are nuts,¡± Joe said. ¡°Now, get out of my room.¡±


    ¡°Wanna see my art?¡± Mike eyed Rocco.


    ¡°I¡¯d love to see your art,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°You two, out now!¡± Joe exclaimed. ¡°And it better only be art you¡¯re showing each other.¡±


    They went to Mike¡¯s room. Mike quickly closed the door and passionately kissed Rocco. Rocco eagerly returned the kiss. Mike tasted of toothpaste and mouthwash. Rocco tasted salty. They continued standing against Mike¡¯s closed bedroom door kissing for a few minutes. Mike started edging the pair over to his bed. He pushed Rocco on to his bed. Rocco fell into the comforter followed by Mike. Rocco went to kiss Mike. The two then lay in the bed embracing looking up at the ceiling.


    ¡°I was so afraid you wouldn¡¯t remember last night,¡± Mike finally said with his head on Rocco¡¯s chest.


    ¡°I was afraid you were regretting last night and would never talk to me again,¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°Never,¡± Mike replied. Rocco smiled and started to run his fingers through Mike¡¯s hair. Rocco noticed that his natural auburn color was taking over. His sun-bleached highlights were only on the tips of his reddish-brown hair now. His hair was soft and silky between his fingers. ¡°What are we doing today?¡±


    ¡°Well, I need to get my guitar from Tiffany¡¯s then I have something to get at the store. I thought maybe we could see what¡¯s going on at the skate park,¡± Rocco answered.


    ¡°I¡¯m down for that,¡± Mike sighed.


    ¡°But I thought first, I¡¯d give you more kisses,¡± Rocco smiled.


    Mike looked up from Rocco¡¯s chest. ¡°Gladly.¡±


    They started kissing, Mike on top of Rocco. After a few minutes, Mike broke off.


    ¡°We should go,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to show me your art?¡± Rocco asked innocently.


    ¡°That was just an excuse to get you alone so we can make out,¡± Mike laughed.


    ¡°The Barber family is all down with making excuses. Seriously! I want to see it,¡± Rocco replied.


    Mike sat up. ¡°Could we do that another time? Right now, I just want to get out of this house and spend the day with you.¡±


    ¡°Okay, but promise me you¡¯ll show me sometime soon,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°I promise,¡± Mike said and stood up. Rocco got out of the bed. He did not want to leave Mike¡¯s room. It was an inviting room that smelled of cedar and spice. Mike grabbed his wallet and door keys. ¡°You know, next Wednesday is my birthday. I¡¯ll be able to drive.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Rocco couldn¡¯t believe that they hadn¡¯t shared when their birthdays were.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m going to take the driving test next Thursday so, fingers crossed, I¡¯ll be hitting the road soon,¡± Mike said and smiled. ¡°When is your birthday?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not until the end of April, April 29,¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°So, I¡¯ll have almost a year where you are just a year older than me,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Yeah, I guess you are right,¡± Rocco made a note to himself that he had to get Mike a present. He had to spend the week finding out what he liked and wanted.


    ¡°You ready?¡± Mike asked. Rocco nodded and the two went downstairs.


    Mrs. Barber was in the kitchen fixing the family dinner.


    ¡°Mom, we¡¯re heading out. I won¡¯t be here for dinner if that¡¯s okay,¡± Mike said and looked at Rocco.


    ¡°What are you boys going to do?¡± Mrs. Barber asked.


    ¡°Just ride around. Rocco¡¯s got to pick up his guitar from the party,¡± Mike replied.


    ¡°Oh?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Yeah, my band played at the party,¡± Rocco added.


    Mrs. Barber¡¯s eyebrows raised, ¡°You don¡¯t say?¡±


    ¡°They were really good,¡± Mike said. ¡°Come on!¡±


    ¡°Be home by 8, it¡¯s a school night,¡± Mrs. Barber yelled as the two exited the house.


    The two got in the car. Rocco started the engine and pulled out of the driveway. Mike placed his hand on Rocco¡¯s thigh as he drove to Tiffany¡¯s. He felt like he was in heaven the entire way to Tiffany¡¯s house. On occasion, he caught Mike looking at him.


    It took a little over 30 minutes to get to Tiffany¡¯s place. When they pulled up, Tiffany, her mom, and a crew of people Rocco had not seen were outside picking up trash from last night. Tiffany and her mother waved as Rocco and Mike got out of the car.


    ¡°Hey, cuz. Did y¡¯all have a good time last night?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Most definitely,¡± Mike replied.


    ¡°Thanks for letting us play,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Are you kidding? Everyone loved y¡¯all. You¡¯re going to play my next party¡± Tiffany said and then she whispered, ¡°If Mama will let me have another party.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not too happy, is she?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think she was expecting so many people to show up,¡± Tiffany replied. ¡°Listen, she¡¯s giving me the stink eye, so I better get back. Your guitar is in the living room. The other guys have already come and got their stuff. Yours is the only one left in there. The doors are open so go on in.¡±


    Rocco did as she said and got his guitar. He and Mike waved back at Tiffany as they got in his car.


    ¡°Do you think we should stay and help?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°If you want, but is that how you want to spend our day together?¡± Rocco asked looking at Mike.


    ¡°No, not really,¡± Mike replied. Rocco smiled and started the car. In any case, it looked like they had plenty of people to help with the cleanup.


    Rocco pulled into the megastore on the outskirts of town. It was a huge enclosure that had just about everything a person could want at rock-bottom prices. Rocco was going to look for a frame for Mike¡¯s drawing.


    ¡°What do you need here?¡± Mike asked as they pulled into a spot.


    ¡°Well, I want to get a frame for the drawing you did,¡± Rocco answered his question matter-of-factly. Mike looked over at Rocco. Mike had an open-mouthed smile. Rocco leaned over and kissed Mike¡¯s open mouth once.


    ¡°So, you like the drawing?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°I love it,¡± Rocco replied.


    They went into the store and picked out a large, understated frame that would not take away attention from the drawing. Once Rocco made his selection, he motioned Mike to follow him to the Toys section.


    ¡°Why are we in the Toys?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°I just want to browse for a minute,¡± Rocco said and set the frame down. He spotted a bouncy ball with a handle on top. He dug it out and sat down on it with the handle between his legs. This brought back lots of childhood memories.


    ¡°Rocco! What are you doing? You¡¯ll get caught!¡± Mike whispered.


    ¡°So?¡± Rocco replied and bounced towards Mike. Seeing how much Rocco was enjoying the trip down childhood lane, Mike retrieved a ball for himself and followed Rocco up and down the aisle. They were having a great time bouncing around the Toys section. Rocco bounced over to the toy guns and grabbed one. He pretended to make shotgun sounds as he pointed the gun at Mike. Mike pretended to be shot and fell backwards off the ball. It went bouncing down the aisle to the side. Mike couldn¡¯t catch his breath not because of the fall but because he was laughing so hard. He got back on his feet and retrieved the ball. When he got back on it, he saw that Rocco had already gotten off the ball and was looking at the Legos. Mike put both of their balls back and walked over to the Legos.


    ¡°You like these?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°I love Legos. My dad got my first set when I was 6. Back then, they weren¡¯t in these themes. They were just assorted blocks. We would spend hours building all sort of things,¡± Rocco said as he looked through the selection. Mike caught on that Legos meant a lot to Rocco.


    ¡°These are cool,¡± Mike said and reached for a lunar landing set.


    ¡°Oh man, I love the space ones!¡± Rocco exclaimed. Mike knew what he was getting for Rocco as a present on the next special occasion. Certainly, before his birthday.


    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s already almost 6:30 and I have to be home at 8. And you still want to take me to the skate park,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. You sure you want to go? You didn¡¯t seem to like that place,¡± Rocco stated.


    ¡°I liked the park. It was the skateboard that I didn¡¯t like,¡± Mike replied.


    ¡°Oh, yeah. That¡¯s right,¡± Rocco teased. ¡°Not a natural born skater in my midst.¡±


    ¡°Fuck you!¡± Mike laughed. ¡°I did get to taste your neck when I fell.¡±


    Rocco stood erect and smiled at Mike. ¡°I thought that¡¯s what happened. What did I taste like?¡±


    ¡°Sweat. Salty,¡± Mike chuckled.


    ¡°Oh, yeah, I burned off some calories at practice that night,¡± Rocco blushed.


    ¡°Yeah, but you are pretty tasty,¡± Mike half-joked.


    ¡°Now, fuck you!¡± Rocco said and ran to the checkout with his frame. ¡°You gotta catch me if you want a ride back.¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡± Mike shouted. Adults were starting at the two teenagers as they ran through the huge store. Mike caught up to Rocco at one of the many checkout lines to pay for the frame. He was a little out of breath. Rocco paid for the frame, and the two went back to the car.


    They pulled up to the skate park to see that it was rather active on a Sunday evening. There were lots of younger kids and a few older teenagers. Mostly the older ones were sitting around smoking and chatting¡ªnot skating. Rocco and Mike started to walk to the gate when Mike stopped him.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to get your board?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Nah, I just want to hang out and be with you,¡± Rocco stated. Mike¡¯s heart melted but he had no response other than to squeeze Rocco¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t that Pete and Raz?¡± Mike said as he scanned the crowd. Rocco spotted them after Mike pointed them out.


    ¡°So, it is,¡± Rocco confirmed.


    Rocco paid for both to enter. O¡¯Malley was looking especially surly today. They made their way through the crowd of little kids to Pete and Raz.


    ¡°There they are!¡± Pete shouted and waved them over. Mike and Rocco approached and sat down. ¡°The rockstar guitarist himself and his groupie.¡±


    Rocco laughed. ¡°Hey guys, what¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Not much, just getting over the remnants of my hangover,¡± Raz retorted.


    ¡°Yeah, mine¡¯s done. I didn¡¯t have much alcohol last night,¡± Rocco recalled.


    ¡°Just weed,¡± Mike chimed in. Pete and Raz started laughing.


    ¡°And you, young sir? What about you?¡± Raz asked.


    ¡°I was feeling pretty cruddy this morning,¡± Mike answered.


    ¡°We didn¡¯t see much of you two last night,¡± Pete observed. ¡°Actually, you kinda vanished after the show.¡±


    Rocco and Mike looked at each other and smirked. ¡°We were around.¡±


    ¡°I bet you were,¡± Pete remarked. ¡°I bet you were.¡±


    Raz laughed. ¡°Are you two an item now?¡±


    Rocco and Mike gave him a shocked looked and then looked at each other. Mike looked up and to the left while Rocco looked up and to the right.


    ¡°Never mind,¡± Raz chucked. ¡°You don¡¯t have to answer that.¡±


    ¡°Okay, so, we¡¯ve been booked for a couple of parties soon. We need to get together and discuss all of this,¡± Pete started. ¡°We are playing Troy Brighton¡¯s party in a couple of weeks which pays $100. David Wick and Patrick Stubblefield each wants us to play their parties.¡±


    David Wick. David Wick was one of Joe¡¯s jock friends and the main instigator of all of Rocco¡¯s teasing. It all started with him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll gladly play Troy¡¯s party, but, if I¡¯m going to play David¡¯s, you should charge him $200,¡± Rocco demanded.


    Pete looked at Rocco curiously. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Asshole surcharge,¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯d be able to do that,¡± Pete said.


    ¡°Then I¡¯m not playing his party,¡± Rocco crossed his arms.


    ¡°Why not?¡± Pete asked.


    ¡°David Wick is a dick. He¡¯s the guy who¡¯s teased me all these years,¡± Rocco stated.


    ¡°Oh, I see,¡± Pete said and paused. ¡°Then fuck him. We won¡¯t play his party. And I¡¯ll tell him straight up we don¡¯t play homophobe¡¯s parties¡­I¡¯m not going to make a lame excuse.¡± Raz nodded. These guys were willing to sacrifice $100 for him. Rocco loved these guys so much. He looked over at Mike who gave him a thumbs up.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we talk about our playlist at lunch tomorrow. I want to add some different songs,¡± Raz said. ¡°I¡¯m going to get a coke.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll join you. You guys want something?¡± Pete asked.


    ¡°Sure, we¡¯ll have a coke,¡± Rocco said and gave Pete a few dollars.


    Once Raz and Pete were gone, Mike and Rocco sat back and watched the kids in the bowls.


    ¡°Now I know why you are friends with those guys,¡± Mike said continuing to watch the kids.


    ¡°Yeah, they have my back. I have theirs,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have that with my friends,¡± Mike reflected.


    ¡°It¡¯s occurring to me, I don¡¯t really know all that much about you,¡± Rocco said and turned to Mike. Mike returned the look.


    ¡°What do you want to know?¡± Mike asked.


    Rocco thought for a moment. ¡°Well, what do you want to do after high school?¡±


    Mike took a moment to reply. ¡°Go to college, of course. Probably close by at one of the state schools.¡±


    ¡°What do you want to study?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I guess I¡¯ll end up studying accounting or something like that,¡± Mike replied.


    ¡°Not art?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°Probably not, my parents would hate that,¡± Mike responded.


    ¡°So, what if they do? You¡¯re good at it. Don¡¯t let your talent go to waste,¡± Rocco said in a serious tone.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a hobby,¡± Mike dismissed him.


    ¡°For real, you can totally do something legit with it,¡± Rocco continued. ¡°Promise me something.¡±


    Mike looked over at Rocco. ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Promise me you¡¯ll at least take an art class or two in college,¡± Rocco pleaded.


    Mike smiled and wanted to kiss him, ¡°I promise.¡± Rocco tilted his head to the side and batted his eyelash which made Mike burst out laughing.


    ¡°You should think about entering some art shows too. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s some around here. You know, so you can build up your portfolio,¡± Rocco thought.


    ¡°Yeah, I could do that,¡± Mike responded.


    ¡°I can talk to the guys to see if maybe you could design a flyer for us,¡± Rocco suggested.


    ¡°Oh yeah?¡± Mike was surprised at this suggestion.


    ¡°Yeah, like design a logo for us or something,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Yeah, maybe,¡± Mike said and looked off in front of him. ¡°Rocco, are you really going to move to California after high school?¡±


    Rocco stopped. He had brought it up the other night so Mike must have been thinking about it. This decision was made long before he met Mike. Rocco inhaled and exhaled deeply. ¡°That¡¯s my plan.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Mike looked down.


    Rocco knew this was bothering him. ¡°That¡¯s a ways off. Let¡¯s just take things one day at a time.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll try. I just don¡¯t¡ª¡± Mike stopped himself.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Rocco asked.


    Mike sighed and replied after a moment. ¡°I just don¡¯t want to fall for you only to have you leave me here. I¡¯ll still be here for two years.¡±


    Rocco felt like he was going to cry. Fall for him? Oh shit, this was getting serious. He cleared his throat, ¡°Yeah, I know what you mean.¡±


    ¡°I know you made up your mind before we met, and I don¡¯t want to be the one that stops you from your plan. I¡¯m just afraid of being left behind,¡± Mike was beginning to cry.


    Rocco saw his tears welling up and scooped him in his arms for a quick hug before realizing that they were in public. ¡°Can we just enjoy the time we have together now?¡±


    Mike wiped away his tears and nodded. Pete and Raz were approaching with the soft drinks.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, Rocco. Let¡¯s make the most of our time right now,¡± Mike smiled ¡°I promise to do that.¡±


    ¡°And to take an art class,¡± Rocco reminded Mike.


    Mike laughed. ¡°And I promise to take an art class.¡±


    ¡°Cokes all around,¡± Raz said.


    ¡°Hey, I have a suggestion,¡± Rocco started. ¡°Mike is good at art, and I asked if he would be willing to mockup some designs for our band¡ªlike the Fred logo. What do you guys think?¡± Mike looked at Rocco wide-eyed in shock.


    ¡°No fucking way!¡± Pete exclaimed. ¡°Fuck yeah, that would be awesome.¡±


    ¡°Totally!¡± Raz agreed. Rocco looked over at Mike and shrugged.


    ¡°Well, what do you say?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°Of course. Yes. I¡¯ll come up with a few things,¡± Mike agreed.


    ¡°Do you think you can have something to look at in a few of days?¡± Pete asked. ¡°Our next show is in a couple of weeks. It would be great to have the design out there!¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Mike said. ¡°If I recall, Fred is your dog?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Pete said.


    ¡°Can you get me a picture of Fred?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ll look around tonight before bed,¡± Pete said. Mike gave him a thumbs up. The group sat and drank their cokes talking about potential designs and watching the youngsters do their tricks.


    ¡°Oh, I got get you back pretty soon,¡± Rocco said after a while.


    ¡°Oh, shit. Yeah,¡± Mike said. They got up and bid Pete and Raz goodbye.


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk about our band stuff tomorrow at lunch,¡± Pete reminded. Rocco gave an okay sign as they left.


    When Rocco pulled into the Barbers¡¯ driveway, he turned the car off. Mike looked his way. Rocco leaned in to kiss Mike. Mike grabbed Rocco¡¯s face and gladly returned the kiss. They made out in Rocco¡¯s car for about five minutes before the front porch light came on.


    "I¡¯ll see you tomorrow in class,¡± Rocco said and gave him his crooked half smile.


    ¡°Bye Rocco,¡± Mike said and went inside.


    ¡°Bye Mike,¡± Rocco whisper, snickered, and drove off. As the car pulled out, Mike shut the front door and stood at the door, silent. A few days ago, he made the decision that he was going to be Rocco¡¯s boyfriend. He was well on the path to that goal. He turned around and went into the kitchen to get some leftovers.

 12. Fred

    ¡°Where did you two end up after the party?¡± Toya asked Mike and Rocco blinking her big brown eyes.


    Toya, Moni, Rocco, and Mike were working on the Civics test questions in their group. No one was motivated to do the assignment¡ªrather they all wanted to talk about the party.


    Mike and Rocco looked at each other. Neither of them was ready to tell anyone other than Joe and the band members about their budding relationship.


    ¡°We hung out with Rocco¡¯s band members a little. We ended up going home around 1,¡±  Mike answered.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Moni interjected giving both a knowing eye.


    ¡°We left Joe there. He had other activities going on that we didn¡¯t want to interrupt,¡± Rocco added.


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Toya gave a coy smile and looked over at Moni. Moni returned the smile.


    ¡°Easy, ladies,¡± Mike tried to quell the conjecture.


    ¡°Well, everyone loved your show! Everyone wants to book you for their parties!!¡± Toya exclaimed. Mr. Pendleton looked up and gave the group a gesture to work on the assignment.


    ¡°Are you guys going to be ready for this test?¡± Moni asked in a hushed tone.


    ¡°I think this will be pretty easy,¡± Mike answered in an equally quiet volume.


    ¡°I mean, everything is on the sheet,¡± Toya added. ¡°Are you all going to study together?¡±


    Mike and Rocco gave a look to each other as if to tell each other to be quiet. Rocco wrinkled his nose while Mike shrugged his shoulder.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what I thought too. I may just breeze over the notes tomorrow night before bed and be done with it,¡± Toya said.


    Mike and Rocco breathed a sigh of relief. It was after class when Rocco thought it best to clarify the plans for studying.


    ¡°Are we still going to study together tomorrow night?¡± Rocco asked after Toya and Moni left after the dismal bell.


    ¡°Yum, yeah we are,¡± Mike smirked. This made Rocco return the smile.


    ¡°How much studying do you think we will do?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°All of it,¡± Mike retorted. ¡°But not necessarily Civics.¡±


    Rocco¡¯s jaw dropped, and he laughed. ¡°You¡¯re a ¡­¡± he trailed off thinking of some sort of smart name to call Mike.


    ¡°I¡¯m a what?¡± Mike smiled.


    ¡°You¡¯re an ok guy,¡± Rocco replied.


    Mike giggled and slapped Rocco lightly on the shoulder. During psychology, all Mike could think about was kissing Rocco. He thought about this so much that he started sketching hearts all over his notes during the lecture. He wasn¡¯t getting much from the class anyway. When psychology class was over, he handed Rocco his notes. Rocco started to laugh at his attempt to be an attentive student. The hearts were plentiful on his page and Rocco absolutely loved it.


    ¡°Hey Mike, before you go, we are going to talk about our show at lunch. Any requests?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°Hmmm, I¡¯ll let you pick something just for me. And don¡¯t tell me what it is. I want to guess what you picked just for me,¡± Mike smiled.


    ¡°You got it,¡± Rocco said and walked with Mike to their next class just across from each other. They passed by the Haven and saw Chris and Stanton among the group. They had managed to work their way into the popular group rather easily. Chris spotted Mike and waved. Mike nodded at him and continued to class with Rocco.


    Chris stood at the Haven watching his friend walk down the hallway. It occurred to him that Mike had been making himself scarce. They had been the best of pals all during junior high school. Mike and he would have sleepovers almost every other weekend. They were inseparable. Since they started high school, they had barely spent any time together. Mike was visibly hostile toward Stanton as well. Sure, Stanton was a jerk that no one really liked, but, still, Mike always kept his feeling close to his heart. When he did hang out, he was quiet and withdrawn¡ªlike his mind was somewhere else, like he didn¡¯t want to be around them. Ever since he started hanging around Rocco, he was changing into a new person. He was becoming one of those alternative guys everyone seemed to want to be now. He didn¡¯t dislike the new music but neither did it appeal to him. He especially didn¡¯t like that he was losing his friend to this new counterculture movement.


    ¡°What¡¯s the deal with him?¡± Stanton poked Chris on the shoulder.


    Chris looked for Mike, but he had disappeared in the crowd. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Ever since he met that queer guy, he¡¯s been all over him,¡± Stanton quipped.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Chris replied wistfully.


    ¡°Meh, fuck him,¡± Stanton sneered and turned back to the crowd at the Haven. Chris continued looking down the hall. He missed his friend.


    ¡°Alright, the show was a success!¡± Pete started the conversation at the lunch table. Raz, Austin, and Rocco were all in attendance. ¡°But I think we gotta change some things up.¡±


    ¡°Okay, what are you thinking, Pete?¡± Raz asked in his laid-back attitude.


    ¡°I loved the starting songs, but we should lose the Zeppelin. It slowed the momentum,¡± Pete looked over at Austin, ¡°Sorry, dude, it did.¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s cool. I caught onto that too. I¡¯m okay if we drop it,¡± Austin replied.


    ¡°What if we replace Zeppelin with some old school punk?¡± Rocco asked the group.


    ¡°I¡¯m listening¡­¡± Pete replied.


    ¡°Maybe Blitzkrieg Bop?¡± Rocco said. ¡°It¡¯s fast and it¡¯s pretty easy to learn.¡±


    Pete¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Yes!! I love that!¡± Everyone nodded in agreement.


    ¡°I want to keep the GnR, but can we ax the Def Leppard? I know it¡¯s popular with these kids but it¡¯s not really us,¡± Raz interjected.


    ¡°I hear you. What do you all think?¡± Pete asked.


    ¡°You know, I¡¯ve been listening to Social Distortion. Maybe we can play one of their new ones,¡± Raz answered.


    ¡°I¡¯m not familiar. You have the album?¡± Austin said.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll bring it to practice,¡± Raz answered.


    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s a maybe then,¡± Pete pulled out a crumpled piece of paper and a pen. This was where the current playlist was held. He started scratching through some items and writing in the new suggestions. ¡°We could add more to make the show longer as well. Like I think we played for almost 45 minutes. We could go for at least an hour.¡±


    Rocco was shocked. Their set was just 45 minutes? It seemed like it was not even 5 minutes.


    Pete started to dig in his jacket pocket. He pulled out a photograph. ¡°I found a picture of Fred. This is so your boy can draw up a design for us.¡± Rocco took the picture and gave it a look. It was a Polaroid of a little chihuahua. Fred had huge ears and eyes. This picture made Rocco laugh.


    ¡°I never thought Fred was a chihuahua!¡± Rocco laughed.


    ¡°Oh, yeah. I guess you¡¯ve never seen him,¡± Pete replied.


    ¡°What¡¯s this about?¡± Austin asked.


    ¡°Well, Rocco¡¯s boyfriend is an artist. He¡¯s agreed to draw us a design for our band. Maybe we can put it on the drum,¡± Pete said.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t I know about this?¡± Austin asked looking slightly dejected.


    ¡°It just came up last night,¡± Raz replied.


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    ¡°Last night?¡± Austin was even more letdown.


    ¡°Yeah, we were hanging out at the skate park last night¡ªme, Raz, Rocco, and Mike. It came up,¡± Pete said casually.


    ¡°Damn, you guys were hanging out at the skate park?¡± Austin asked.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t planned or anything,¡± Rocco interjected picking up on Austin unease.


    ¡°Look, Austin, it was unexpected. Raz and I were there. Mike and Rocco showed up,¡± Pete said.


    ¡°Okay. But it is my drum set. I¡¯d like to have a say on what goes on it,¡± Austin stated.


    ¡°How about this? We will get Mike to draw some stuff, and you get to pick which one you like. You¡¯re right, it is your drum set so you should get the final say,¡± Pete proposed. Austin nodded in acceptance.


    ¡°I just want to be a part of the conversations,¡± Austin stated.


    ¡°Well, you can be if you hang out with us more often,¡± Pete replied.


    ¡°I know. With work and with Wendy, it¡¯s a little hard. We¡¯ve been hanging out every night,¡± Austin said.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s really not our fault,¡± Pete snapped.


    ¡°Hey, Pete. Turn it down. That¡¯s not his fault either,¡± Raz interrupted.


    ¡°Just try to make more of an effort to be a part of the band, dude. Okay?¡± Pete said.


    ¡°How about trying to not be an insensitive prick,¡± Austin quipped.


    ¡°Guys, stop,¡± Raz snapped.


    ¡°Okay, okay,¡± Pete sighed and held up his hands in surrender. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± His apology was half-hearted at best.


    ¡°Austin, honestly. It was an impromptu conversation,¡± Rocco replied trying to smooth the tension.


    ¡°I know. I¡¯ll try to hang out with you guys more,¡± Austin responded.


    ¡°Lunch is almost over. Practice tonight at 8?¡± Pete said. All the guys nodded and got up from the table. They all felt that, despite the small disagreement, they had worked through some things they need to discuss.


    David Wick stood off to the side of the Haven waiting for anyone to come join him between classes. He had played football all his life¡ªever since he can remember. He was on a team in elementary school which progressed into junior and senior high. He played center on the varsity team. He was a tall and broad guy with a thick chest and neck. His looks were somewhat below average. He had an aquiline nose and beady green eyes, but he had a striking jawline with a prominent cleft in his chin. He would often slick back his tight curly blonde hair with copious amounts of gel making it look perpetually wet. He always smelled of old sweat and Charmin toilet paper.


    When football was over, he was tall enough to be on the basketball team but not quick enough to play any position of significance. He made the bare minimum in grades to stay on the teams. For such a massive specimen, he had a surprisingly high nasal voice that many found grating. He was good friends with Joe Barber who was far more handsome, attractive, and charismatic than David. Some thought that David only befriended Joe to be in Joe¡¯s circle. Joe and David were the most outstanding players on the football team although Joe was by far the most popular. David could be described as an annoying bully. It was likely that high school football would be the high point of David¡¯s life.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t see much of you at the party,¡± David said to Joe as he walked up to the Haven.


    ¡°Yeah, I was preoccupied all night,¡± Joe replied looking over the crowd of kids walking by.


    ¡°What happened to you?¡± David asked in a flat tone that hinted a little of disinterest.


    ¡°Oh, I was here and there, making the rounds,¡± Joe said not wanting to delve into the details of how he had really spent his night.


    ¡°Cool,¡± David said. There was a lull in the conversation, but the silence was not awkward. David did not have much going on in his head.


    ¡°Hey, what did you think of that band?¡± Joe broke the silence.


    ¡°Oh, man, they rocked¡­even that little fag was pretty good,¡± David replied.


    Joe gave him a look of disgust. ¡°His name is Rocco.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, whatever,¡± David huffed.


    ¡°I hear they are getting booked up to play all the good parties,¡± Joe said trying to keep the conversation light.


    ¡°Yeah, I asked that lead guy if he could play my party,¡± David added.


    ¡°Oh yeah?¡± Joe asked disinterested.


    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯m still all in though. I don¡¯t want a bunch of queers showing up for my party because of Rocco,¡± David laughed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that would be an issue,¡± Joe said almost under his breath.


    ¡°What¡¯d you say?¡± David grunted.


    ¡°You won¡¯t have to worry about it,¡± Joe said louder.


    ¡°You don¡¯t think that Rocco dude will bring his faggot friends?¡± David mumbled.


    ¡°They¡¯ll have far better things to do,¡± Joe rolled his eyes. The intent of Joe¡¯s comments that David¡¯s party would be dull at best was lost to him.


    ¡°Hey there¡¯s that lead singer,¡± David said as he spotted Pete walking by.


    ¡°Yo, dude,¡± David yelled to Pete. Pete kept walking by not hearing David.


    ¡°Yo!¡± David yelled again. Many kids including Pete looked over. ¡°Yeah, you!¡± David pointed to Pete.


    ¡°You talking to me?¡± Pete asked.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± David grunted. ¡°Come here. I gotta ask you something.¡±


    Pete stopped momentarily and then walked towards David and Joe.


    ¡°You still wanna play my party?¡± David asked.


    ¡°Nope,¡± Pete said in a direct tone.


    ¡°Why not?¡± David asked confused at his denial.


    ¡°Our band doesn¡¯t play for dickheads that like to bully my bandmates,¡± Pete said and started to walk off. David grabbed Pete¡¯s shoulder to stop.


    ¡°Huh? What are you talking about?¡± David was still confused by this denial.


    ¡°You called my guitarist Rocco names. We aren¡¯t down with that. So, fuck off,¡± Pete said as he tore himself away and walked off confidently.


    David stood dumbfounded. Joe started to laugh. David turned to Joe and simply said, ¡°The fuck?¡±


    ¡°Gotta go, David. It¡¯s been enlightening,¡± Joe said and walked off leaving David at the Haven in a stupor. David stood there alone for a few seconds before huffing out a ¡°whatever¡± and walking off.


    Rocco knocked on the door of the Barber¡¯s house ready to study for the Civics test. He really was not interested in studying anything other than Mike. He eagerly awaited the door to open hoping it was Mike. It was!


    Mike was wearing what he had on at school that morning, a solid red t-shirt and khaki-colored shorts. He had a yellow plaid shirt tied around his waist. The only departure from his ensemble was that he was wearing Rocco¡¯s ball cap on backwards.


    ¡°Come in!¡± Mike exclaimed and took Rocco by the hand. The house was situated so that the stairs going to the upper level were right by the front door. Mike¡¯s mother and father were watching TV in the living room which was not visible from the entryway. ¡°Mom! Dad! Rocco is here. We are going upstairs to study.¡± Mike turned back to wink at Rocco which made his stomach flutter.


    ¡°Okay honey,¡± his mom yelled. ¡°Rocco, welcome!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Mike eagerly pulled Rocco¡¯s arm up the stairs.


    As the two entered the hallway, Joe¡¯s door was opened. Rocco could see Joe walking around his room. Joe turned and waived.


    ¡°Hey Rocco! Guess what?¡± Joe said.


    Mike pulled Rocco into his room. ¡°Not right now, Joe. Give us ten minutes,¡± Mike yelled at his brother and slammed the door. Mike pushed Rocco onto his bed and hopped on top of him straddling Rocco¡¯s lap. Mike gave Rocco a ravenous kiss. Rocco could detect the taste of salt and the scent of teenage musk. Mike would barely let Rocco get a gasp of air. He was furious in his kisses. After a few minutes, Rocco pulled away to get some air.


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Not at all! I just needed a moment to get a breath,¡± Rocco laughed and took his hat off Mike. Mike¡¯s auburn hair fell forward gently brushing Rocco¡¯s forehead. His glasses were about to fall off his face. Rocco reached up and took Mike¡¯s glasses off. He folded them and laid them on the nightstand. Mike smiled and sat up.


    ¡°I guess I am just happy to see you,¡± Mike laughed and put his hands on Rocco¡¯s chest. Mike could feel Rocco¡¯s developing chest muscles and gave him an expression of approval.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think we will get much studying done,¡± Rocco said and laid on his side facing Mike. He propped himself on his left elbow and placed his hand on Mike¡¯s chest. He began running his hands over Mike¡¯s chest. Rocco could feel Mike¡¯s body heat through his t-shirt. Even though Mike was of average build, he had a layer of fat over his belly. He felt Mike shiver with excitement.


    ¡°I¡¯m not ready for that,¡± Mike whispered. Rocco nodded and took his hand away. Rocco was a little relieved as he was unsure what to do next. Mike grabbed Rocco¡¯s hand and placed it on his heart under his shirt. Rocco could feel the pounding of Mike¡¯s heart. Rocco leaned forward and gave Mike a tender kiss on his full wet lips. Rocco ran his hand over Mike¡¯s smooth chest. There was not a single hair. Rocco placed his head on Mike¡¯s chest leaving his hand on the other side of his chest. Mike¡¯s shirt was pulled up. Rocco could see that Mike¡¯s torso was as freckled as his face.


    Mike reached over and ran his hand under Rocco¡¯s shirt. To Mike¡¯s surprise, Rocco sat up and took his shirt off. He laid back down on the bed and put Mike¡¯s hands where they were. Mike took in the intoxicating aroma of earthy musky scent emanating from Rocco¡¯s body.


    At that moment, there was a knock on the door. Rocco sat up and grabbed for his shirt. He hastily put it back on inside out. Mike pulled his shirt down.


    ¡°Are you guys decent?¡± a voice came from the other side. It was Joe.


    Rocco smoothed down Mike¡¯s hair as the door swung open.


    ¡°I see you are studying¡­¡± Joe paused. ¡°HARD!¡± Both Rocco and Mike covered their laps with their hands. Joe immediately burst out laughing.


    ¡°Shut up, Joe!¡± Mike exclaimed.


    ¡°Anyways,¡± Joe said. ¡°Guess what?¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah, you were going to tell me something,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Your buddy, Pete, gave it to David this afternoon,¡± Joe said. The mention of David Wick quelled any arousal Rocco was feeling.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°Well, David saw Pete walking down the hall and asked him if y¡¯all were going to play his party. Pete, without missing a beat, told him to fuck off and that you weren¡¯t playing a party hosted by a guy that called a member of their band names,¡± Joe recounted.


    Rocco was stunned. Pete had said this? Pete was standing up for him?


    ¡°Really?¡± Rocco asked in shock.


    ¡°Yeah, he just walked off leaving David looking like a beatdown pussy,¡± Joe laughed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say,¡± Rocco was still shocked but was also deeply touched at Pete¡¯s gesture of solidarity.


    ¡°I would say Pete really is a good friend. He has your back,¡± Joe retorted.


    ¡°Wow, yeah,¡± Rocco sat back. Pete really was a good friend. In the relatively short time he had known Pete, Rocco was close to Pete as a bandmate but was still unsure just exactly what Pete thought of him. This left no doubt how solid Pete¡¯s feeling were. He looked over at Mike who was grinning from ear to ear. Rocco was beginning to realize that there really were people in his corner¡ªpeople he had never expected.


    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s all. Now go back to what you were doing,¡± Joe said and left the room with a knowing smirk.


    ¡°That¡¯s really awesome to hear,¡± Mike said and put his head on Rocco¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Rocco sighed and put his face in Mike hair. The interruption and the unexpected news took the sail out of the previous moment but in the best way possible. Not only did he have Mike and Joe, but he also had his bandmates. Not everyone was a dick.


    ¡°So, should we study?¡± Mike finally said after a few moments.


    ¡°I guess we should,¡± Rocco said. ¡°Oh wait, I have something for you,¡± Mike had a look of surprise on his face. Rocco pulled out the picture of Fred from his back pocket. ¡°Speaking of Pete.¡± He handed the picture to Mike. ¡°That¡¯s Fred.¡±


    ¡°Oh my God!!! That¡¯s Fred?¡± Mike exclaimed. ¡°He¡¯s adorable.¡± Mike smiled at the picture of a chihuahua with huge eyes and ears.


    ¡°So, you think you can do something with that?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°Oh definitely!!!¡± Mike said excited that he was now a commissioned artist. ¡°I had a few ideas already, but this will certainly help.¡±


    Mike got up and put the picture of the little dog on his desk. He grabbed his Civics notebook and went over to the bed. He opened it up and placed the notebook between the two. Mike placed his head back on Rocco¡¯s shoulder as the two started quizzing each other.

 13. The Birthday Present

    Rocco had been agonizing over what to get Mike for his 16th birthday. They had been spending time together as a couple for a little over a week since they first kissed at Tiffany¡¯s party. It was too soon to get him something significant like a ring¡ªbesides he didn¡¯t even know Mike¡¯s size. However, this was the first relationship he had ever been in ¡ªone where the affection was reciprocated. He wanted to do something special. He knew Mike drew, of course, so art supplies were an option. Rocco still knew so little about Mike, and he only had a couple of days to come up with something.


    ¡°You okay?¡± Rocco¡¯s mom asked noticing Rocco lost in thought.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Rocco instantly replied. He had learned over the years never to reveal to his mom that he was anxious or scared. She would always turn his anxiety into something about herself. She would always try to fix it. Rocco didn¡¯t want that¡ªhe just wanted some advice. He decided he would take a chance, ¡°Well, actually, a friend of mine will be having a birthday in a couple of days, and I don¡¯t know what to get.¡±


    ¡°Is this gift for a guy or a girl?¡± she asked. Rocco automatically started to carefully tread lightly. Not only did he want to keep his general affairs from her, he also did not want her to know about him and Mike. He was not at all ready to let her know about his sexuality.


    ¡°A friend who is a guy,¡± he replied curtly.


    ¡°Hmm, what does he like?¡± she continued.


    ¡°That¡¯s just it. I don¡¯t really know,¡± Rocco responded.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t know that much about him, are you sure you want to give him a gift? I mean, that doesn¡¯t sound like much of a friend,¡± she quipped. Rocco sighed¡ªshe was starting her judgements.


    ¡°Well, we just met a couple of weeks ago,¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°You should only give gifts to your closest friends,¡± she said.


    This was not helping Rocco. Maybe he could come up with something. ¡°I¡¯m invited to a birthday party. I don¡¯t want to show up empty handed.¡±


    ¡°In that case, maybe you could make something,¡± she said lighting up a cigarette.


    ¡°Make something?¡±  Rocco didn¡¯t understand where she was going.


    ¡°Yeah, make him something. Something meaningful. And, you aren¡¯t spending any money,¡± she said taking a long drag of her cigarette.


    That was a good idea. If he made Mike something, it would mean a lot more than just some random item he bought. After all, Mike had drawn him a picture which meant the world to him. Yes, Rocco would make him something. But, what?


    He thought for a moment, and then the lightning bolt of an idea came to him. He stood up promptly and started to go to his room.


    ¡°Thanks, Mom. I just got an idea,¡± Rocco said as he was halfway into his room. He heard an ¡°okay dear¡± as he closed the door.


    Rocco¡¯s room was an orderly mess. There were dirty clothes in a pile in one corner of the room. Papers and books were scattered throughout the room. His amplifier, stereo, and guitar were in another corner. He went over to his where his guitar was. It was stored lovingly in a hard case. It stood upright against his component stereo. There were cassettes and CDs piled on top of each other. He started to dig to try to find a blank cassette. He was going to make Mike a tape¡ªbut not just any tape. Instead of a mixed tape of randomly strewn together songs, he was going make Mike a tape of him playing his guitar. If Mike could draw him something, he would play some songs for Mike. That would be perfect. It was from the heart, required lots of effort and care, and didn¡¯t cost a thing other than time.


    He finally found a cassette that was still in its cellophane wrapper. Now, he had to think of what to play on the tape. Often, to get inspiration flowing, he would get out the guitar and start tuning up his instrument. Just the action of tuning the strings and having the guitar in his hands was enough to spark his creativity. He opened his case and started to get his guitar out. Something caught his eye at the bottom of his case. It was one of his expensive picks¡ªones he saved for public performances. This pick was chipped and worn down. It struck him suddenly that he had used this pick at the party where they first kissed. Eureka, gold!!! This would make a perfect companion gift to his mix of songs. He had Mike¡¯s gift cemented¡ªa personal tape of his guitar playing, the pick he would use to play the songs on the tape, and the pick he used to play at the party that sweet night. Perfection!


    Now, to come up with a playlist of songs. He did not have time to record a full album so he picked three that he could learn. He was going to sing the lyrics. He didn¡¯t have the best voice, but it was good enough for these purposes. Besides, if he sang from his heart, it wouldn¡¯t matter. It took him about thirty minutes to come up with this list:


    ¡¤      ¡°Punk Rock Girl¡± by the Dead Milkmen


    ¡¤      ¡°Here Comes Your Man¡± by the Pixies. Rocco knew this wasn¡¯t a love song, but the chorus would be the part that would stand out. Those words were perfect¡­here comes your man, Mike.


    ¡¤      ¡°Head Over Heels¡± by the GoGos.


    He picked those songs because he either already knew the music or had the sheet music. He didn¡¯t have time to go to the music store which was two hours away nor the time to try to figure out lyrics and music to anything else. These would have to do.


    He spent that evening before bed practicing these three songs. He was so entrenched in this activity that he skipped dinner. He opted for a quick sandwich and chips. Once he was confident in his ability to play these songs, he wrote down the lyrics (or at least as best as he could remember). He then played the music and sang the lyrics to make sure he had everything synced. It was close to bedtime before he felt like he had the songs down. He would have to spend tomorrow night trying to record the songs. He would only have one shot straight through with each song. If he messed up, he would have to rewind his tape to the exact point where he started the song and record over the song. It would be a pain, but he certainly did not have any editing equipment. His operation was low-tech; however, he felt he could accomplish this feat in a few takes.


    ¡°Are you ready to practice?¡± Joe said opening the door of Mike¡¯s room. They were going to practice driving since Mike was going to take his license test on Thursday. He was prepared for the written test but was still shaky with the actual driving. He could go, break, and turn, but it was the parallel parking that tripped him up.


    ¡°Yeah, hang on. Can I ask you something?¡± Mike said sitting on his bed putting his shoes on.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Joe said and sat down in the chair at Mike¡¯s desk. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    Mike stopped unsure about how to get this started. Joe picked up on his hesitation.


    ¡°Is it about Rocco?¡± Joe asked. Mike looked up and nodded. ¡°What¡¯s going on? You guys okay?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s nothing like that,¡± Mike said. ¡°It¡¯s about sex.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay,¡± Joe crossed his legs.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Mike started and then trailed off. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Come on, Mike,¡± Joe assured. ¡°You can talk to me. I mean, at this point, I know the big-ticket item.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right,¡± Mike said and realized that he did not need to be embarrassed. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do.¡±


    Joe sat up a little. ¡°Like you don¡¯t know what to do with all the parts?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Mike nervously laughed.


    ¡°What have you two been doing behind these closed doors?¡± Joe raised an eyebrow. He knew they spent a lot of time together. Surely, they had done more than chat.


    ¡°We¡¯ve made out a lot. A couple of times we took our shirts off and kissed. But that¡¯s all. We¡¯ve never done anything below the waist. Rocco tried once but I stopped him,¡± Mike said looking embarrassed.


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    ¡°Why did you stop?¡± Joe contorted his face in concern. ¡°Was he pressuring you?¡±


    ¡°Oh no! It¡¯s not that at all. I really wanted to¡­you know,¡± Mike made a gesture towards his lap.


    ¡°So, what happened?¡± Joe asked.


    ¡°I was embarrassed,¡± Mike said looking down.


    ¡°About what?¡± Joe asked with empathy.


    ¡°Like what if he¡¯s disappointed? What if I don¡¯t measure up?¡± Mike admitted.


    ¡°You¡¯re afraid you are small?¡± Joe asked.


    ¡°Yeah, or he thinks it¡¯s ugly,¡± Mike said nervously.


    ¡°Dude, we¡¯re brothers. We should have similar equipment so it¡¯s not going to be small. And they¡¯re all kinda ugly, so you will be fine,¡± Joe reassured.


    ¡°Really?¡± Mike looked up.


    ¡°Mike, really. Besides, regardless of size, it doesn¡¯t matter. Rocco likes you. He¡¯s not going to care,¡± Joe said. ¡°He likes you¡­all of you. Rocco doesn¡¯t seem like the guy that would care about your size.¡±


    ¡°I guess you¡¯re right,¡± Mike smiled. ¡°I was also afraid that I wouldn¡¯t be any good. I don¡¯t know what to do with another guy.¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯ve got the home field advantage here,¡± Joe said.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°You¡¯re both guys. You have the same equipment. You know what you like; so, do that to him and see if he likes it.¡± Joe spoke frankly.


    ¡°Oh, yeah.¡± Mike nodded. ¡°That totally makes sense.¡±


    ¡°Are you thinking of going further with him this weekend? I¡¯m guessing you are since you¡¯re asking me about all this stuff,¡± Joe said.


    ¡°Not necessarily. I mean, I really, really want to soon but I¡¯m just nervous,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Just promise me you don¡¯t do something that you don¡¯t want to do because Rocco wants you to or because you think that¡¯s what Rocco wants,¡± Joe looked at him with a serious face.


    Mike laughed. ¡°I¡¯m always the one that makes the first move, so I don¡¯t think that¡¯s going to be problem. I was the one who kissed him.¡±


    ¡°You did?!?¡± Joe was stunned.


    ¡°Yeah, at Tiffany¡¯s party, I was the one that led him into the woods and kissed him,¡± Mike smiled.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got bigger balls than I thought, Mike!¡± Joe laughed.


    ¡°What was it like when you played with that one guy?¡± Mike asked.


    Joe snickered. ¡°I did enough to know that it was not for me.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you stop?¡± Mike asked.


    Joe looked down and pursed his lips. ¡°I felt obligated for some reason. Like I felt like I should see it to the end. That¡¯s why I want you to be sure when you do it. Don¡¯t feel like you have to go through with it just to be nice.¡±


    ¡°I will.¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Any more tips on gay sex from your straight brother?¡± Joe laughed.


    ¡°No, I think I¡¯ve heard what I need to know,¡± Mike smiled.


    ¡°You ready to drive?¡± Joe dug in his pocket and pulled out his keys.


    ¡°You sure you are okay with me driving your car?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Yes. One, I know where you live. Two, you drive like a grandpa so, even if we hit something, we won¡¯t be going fast enough to do anything to it.¡±


    Mike flipped him a bird and laughed.


    ¡°Thanks so much for doing this¡± Rocco said to Pete as he plugged in his guitar. Rocco had told him about his idea for Mike¡¯s birthday present. It was Pete¡¯s idea to have Rocco come over to use his recording equipment as well as offering his vocal talents for the songs that Rocco picked.


    ¡°Are you kidding? I love the idea. I think it¡¯s sweet you want to do this,¡± Pete said and tested out his mic. Pete had better equipment that would record directly from the equipment. Rocco was planning on just pressing record on his tape player to pick up not only the music but anything else going on in the environment.


    ¡°I heard about what you said to David. Thank you, Pete. That means so much to me,¡± Rocco sincerely said looking Pete in the eyes.


    Pete stopped what he was doing, ¡°Your pain is my pain, dude. He shits on you; he shits on me.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say,¡± Rocco felt a tear well up. He did his best to try to keep it from going any further.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to say anything,¡± Pete went over to hug Rocco. Now, Rocco did start to cry. Pete pulled away and saw him crying, ¡°Ah shit!¡±


    Rocco laughed and wiped his tears away, ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°Listen, from the first day I met you at the skate park, I knew you were an awesome guy. And, I had heard all these rumors, and I didn¡¯t give a shit if they were true or not. I knew I wanted to be your friend. You are an awesome guitar player and an awesome friend. So, thank you!¡± Pete said and flipped his hair over to the side.


    ¡°Well, I wasn¡¯t always sure if you liked me, but I know now you do,¡± Rocco said wiping away his last tear.


    ¡°I never made that obvious?¡± Pete asked in surprise.


    ¡°Well,¡± Rocco snickered. ¡°You¡¯re moody. It¡¯s hard to figure you out.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that how a lead singer is supposed to be?¡± Pete joked.


    ¡°You definitely live up to that stereotype,¡± Rocco quipped.


    ¡°Fucker,¡± Pete laughed. ¡°Seriously, you are gold, dude. You¡¯re a brother from another mother.¡±


    Rocco smiled at this. He had completely underestimated Pete¡¯s bond with him. He wished he had met Pete earlier in his life. ¡°Oh, I gave Mike the picture of Fred so he¡¯s working on our logo.¡±


    ¡°Perfect,¡± Pete said as he went to his mic. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see what he comes up with.¡± He turned on the mic and put his hand on the recorder. ¡°Are you ready to rock?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s rock,¡± Rocco confirmed.


    Pete turned on the recorder.


    ¡°Mike, this is for you!¡± Rocco yelled to get the microphone to pick up his voice.


    ¡°Happy birthday, Mikey.  2¡­3¡­4¡­¡± Pete said into the mic.


    They played all three songs perfectly. There was no need to do any retakes. It took less than 30 minutes to record. They reviewed the tape, and both agreed that this was some of their best work¡ªjust the two of them. Of course, it sounded like two high school guys, but there were no missed beats or wrong lyrics. The important thing was that it was something from the heart.


    ¡°Can I make a copy for myself?¡± Pete asked.


    ¡°Absolutely,¡± Rocco replied. Pete put in a blank tape to copy the master. Once he got a copy, Pete ejected the master tape and handed it over to Rocco.


    ¡°Here you go,¡± Pete said. ¡°When are you going to give it to him?¡±


    ¡°His birthday is Wednesday. So, I¡¯ll give it to him then,¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°Cool, let me know what he thinks,¡± Pete said. Rocco gave him a thumbs up.


    ¡°You guys have been hanging out quite a bit. Are you official boyfriends now?¡± Pete asked as he turned everything off.


    ¡°Not yet. I¡¯m thinking of asking him this weekend,¡± Rocco said as he put his guitar in its case. ¡°It¡¯s only been a couple of weeks, but we¡¯ve been hard and heavy since we first kissed.¡±


    ¡°Hard and heavy?¡± Pete raised his eyebrows.


    ¡°Well, we haven¡¯t done anything more than make out and stuff, but we¡¯ve been doing that every day,¡± Rocco clarified.


    ¡°And stuff?¡± Pete wanted to know more.


    ¡°Just shirts off,¡± Rocco answered.


    ¡°You planning on doing more this weekend?¡± Pete asked and sat down.


    ¡°We are taking things very slowly,¡± Rocco replied. ¡°Neither of us are ready for more, really.¡±


    ¡°Not ready? How much more ready do you need to be? It¡¯s just sex,¡± Pete said flatly.


    ¡°Just sex? That¡¯s a big step,¡± Rocco said.


    Pete thought for a moment. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re totally right. There¡¯s no rush.¡±


    Rocco paused and then asked, ¡°I actually don¡¯t know what to do with another guy.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve got no experience that I can speak about on this matter. But I would think it¡¯s like with a girl. You just do what comes naturally, right?¡± Pete said.


    ¡°I guess so,¡± Rocco said. ¡°I mean, it is a little different.¡±


    Pete laughed. ¡°Yeah, one less outlet.¡±


    Rocco laughed. ¡°Dude, that¡¯s sick.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true!¡± Pete joked.


    ¡°Shit, what do you do with a dick?¡± Rocco pondered.


    ¡°Well, you got one. What would you want to do with yours?¡± Pete asked.


    ¡°Yeah, point well taken,¡± Rocco said and looked off. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not going to pressure him to do anything. He¡¯s always been the one to get things started.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Pete asked surprised.


    ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s always instigating,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°It sounds like you just follow his lead then,¡± Pete replied.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Rocco thought about this. He was worried about nothing. He¡¯d just let Mike set the tone. ¡°Man, thanks for this talk. I haven¡¯t talked to anyone about this before. It¡¯s good to work things out.¡± Rocco went over to hug Pete and loaded up his car.


    ¡°Happy birthday, Mike,¡± Rocco whispered to Mike from his desk. Class hadn¡¯t started yet so there was no need for Rocco to whisper. He did this more to make this their own personal moment.


    ¡°Thank you!¡± Mike turned around and gave Rocco a huge smile.


    ¡°I can¡¯t wait to take you out to dinner this weekend,¡± Rocco said and winked. Mike¡¯s stomach fluttered at the thought. It occurred to him that this was really their first date. They had spent lots of time together over the past two weeks, but it was either impromptu or because they were studying for a test. They hadn¡¯t planned anything intentionally.


    ¡°I can¡¯t wait for our date either,¡± Mike said and turned around in his chair to face Rocco. Rocco was taken back at hearing the word ¡°date¡±. It had just now registered that this was going be a date¡ªtheir first date. He smiled at Mike.


    ¡°I have something for you,¡± Rocco said and dug in his bag for Mike¡¯s present. He pulled out the cassette of the songs he and Pete recorded. He had decorated the insert with flamboyant lettering, some smiley faces, and few sour faces. Inside the insert he wrote ¡°Happy birthday, Mike. Love Rocco.¡± He placed both of the used picks between the insert and plastic case, so they were visible without opening the case. He pulled it out and gave it Mike.


    ¡°Happy Birthday, Mike,¡± Rocco said. Rocco hoped he liked the present.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Mike said as he took the tape.


    ¡°Pete and I recorded some songs for you. I came up with the idea, but Pete wanted to make it extra,¡± Rocco pointed at the guitar picks. ¡°These are special guitar picks. This one is the pick I used to play the songs on the tape. And this one is from the night I played at Tiffany¡¯s party when¡­¡± Rocco¡¯s voice dropped to a whisper ¡°when we first kissed.¡±


    Mike stared at the tape for a considerable amount of time¡ªso much time that Rocco began to think he hated the present. Perhaps he wanted something store bought¡ªhe got it all wrong!


    Rocco was shocked when Mike looked up at him with tears welling in his eyes.


    ¡°Do you like it?¡± Rocco asked overtaken by a sense of regret. He had spent all this time on a present that was cheap and ridiculous. Was he crying because Rocco missed the mark?


    ¡°I fucking love this so much, Rocco,¡± Mike exclaimed getting the attention of neighboring students. ¡°This is the best present ever!¡±


    Rocco¡¯s anxiety instantly changed to relief and happiness. He wasn¡¯t off the mark. The present was a success.


    The bell rang and Mr. Pendleton walked in. ¡°Okay, class, let¡¯s get to it.¡±


    ¡°Thank you so much, Rocco. It¡¯s going to be a long day because I want to listen to this.¡±


    Rocco smiled and pulled out a piece of paper. On it, he wrote:


    Will you be my boyfriend?


    He folded up the paper and slipped it to Mike. He heard Mike unfold the paper and giggle. In a few moments, Mike slipped the paper, folded back up, to Rocco. Rocco eagerly unfolded the paper to see Mike had written:


    YES, YES, YES!!!


    Mike + Rocco

 14. First Date

    ¡°Hurry, Joe! Unlock the door!!¡± Mike exclaimed as Joe approached his car after school. Mike was chomping at the bit to listen to the tape that Rocco made him.


    ¡°Alright, alright! What¡¯s the rush?¡± Joe said and walked over to his side of the car to unlock it.


    ¡°There¡¯s a tape I want to listen to!¡± Mike was almost jumping up and down with excitement. The day was excruciating without any access to a tape player.


    ¡°It¡¯s not some of that shitty music you¡¯ve been listen to, is it?¡± Joe said and opened the door. He leaned over to unlock the passenger side. Mike hurriedly leapt into the seat while Joe turned the battery of the car on. If they did not listen to this tape, he was afraid Mike would assassinate him.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s a tape Rocco made me for my birthday. I¡¯ve been waiting all day to listen to it,¡± Mike was almost out of breath.


    ¡°He made you a tape? Like a mixed tape?¡± Joe asked. He hadn¡¯t seen Mike this excited since he was a kid.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s music he played for me and recorded. It¡¯s my birthday present,¡± Mike exclaimed.


    ¡°Oh wow! Mad player respect to Rocco,¡± Joe said impressed.


    Joe inserted the tape. Thankfully, it was rewound to the beginning.


    There was ambient hissing from the environment and then, in the background, Mike heard Rocco yell from the side:


    ¡°Mike, this is for you!¡± followed by Pete saying ¡°Happy birthday, Mikey.  2¡­3¡­4¡­¡±


    Rocco¡¯s guitar started playing the first notes of ¡°Punk Rock Girl¡±. Joe had his mouth opened slightly in shock while Mike sat starstruck. The song ended and started again with ¡°Here Comes Your Man¡±. Rocco¡¯s playing and Pete¡¯s singing sent Mike into orbit with happiness. The final song, ¡°Head Over Heels¡±, left Mike teary eyed.


    ¡°He did that just for you?¡± Joe asked still stunned at the quality of musicianship on this low-tech tape. These guys were more than good. The only thing Mike could do was nod his head. Joe was impressed with how much Rocco had upped the game when it comes to courting. ¡°Wow, that guy knows how to get you.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. And guess what?¡± Mike said producing the piece of paper proposing that they become official boyfriends. He handed it to Joe who unfolded the paper and read the note.


    ¡°So, it¡¯s official. Mike has a boyfriend,¡± Joe said folding the paper and handing it back to Mike.


    ¡°We are boyfriends!¡± Mike exclaimed. He was so overcome that he rolled the window down and yelled out the window, ¡°I have a boyfriend!¡± A couple of passers-by stopped briefly not able to pinpoint where the yell came from.


    ¡°SHHH! Mike! Are you sure you want the world to know?¡± Joe tried to get Mike to calm down.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care. Rocco is my boyfriend!¡± Mike laughed. ¡°Oh, and he gave me these with the tape.¡± Mike showed Joe the guitar picks.


    ¡°Two chewed up guitar picks?¡± Joe was confused.


    ¡°This one is from when he recorded this tape,¡± Mike held up a chipped blue guitar pick. ¡°This one is from the night he played at Tiffany¡¯s, and we kissed for the first time,¡± Mike held up the other worn green pick.


    ¡°Holy fuck, Rocco. We are going to have to stop at the pharmacy for some condoms.¡± Joe sighed thinking about their conversation earlier. Mike gave him a sour look. ¡°What? He¡¯s such a player!¡±


    ¡°Joe, stop.¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Well, since this has been such a great day, want to drive us home?¡± Joe asked.


    ¡°Fuck yeah!¡± Mike replied. They got out and switched seats. Mike adjusted the mirrors and the car seat. He pulled the steering wheel down and started the engine. ¡°Can we listen to the tape again?¡±


    ¡°Of course, we can,¡± Joe said knowing that was the only option for the rest of the trip home.


    Rocco got out of the shower in preparation of his first date with Mike. He was planning on taking him to the only real sit-down restaurant in town which was a steakhouse. He thought about going to the larger town over with more options, but he was going to hand Mike the keys to his car so he could drive. Mike passed his driving test and was an official licensed driver. He was not sure, however, if Mike would be comfortable driving at night for such a long distance. He thought about a movie as well, but the closest decent theater was in the same town some distance away. Now that they were dating, there would be plenty of opportunities for that. Tonight, it would just be dinner.


    He rummaged through his closet looking for something appropriate. This evening required more than just a t-shirt and baggy jeans. He wanted to look good for Mike. He only had a couple of nice outfits. He pulled out a black button-up shirt and a pair of khakis. He gelled his hair and brushed it into a neat, flat side part. He brushed his teeth and got dressed carefully tucking in his shirt. He did not have any dress shoes, so he put on black Converse All-Stars. He spritzed on a couple of sprays of Obsession. He was ready.


    ¡°You look so handsome!¡± his mom said when he walked into the living room.


    ¡°Thanks, Mom!¡± Rocco said and turned around to do a fashion show.


    ¡°Are you going on a date?¡± she asked.


    Rocco paused and then decided to give her a bite of information, ¡°I am.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s the lucky girl?¡± she asked.


    Going on a date was all the information she would get. He was not going to tell her anymore. Rocco certainly didn¡¯t want to ruin the evening with her histrionics. ¡°Just someone from school.¡± He wasn¡¯t lying¡­Mike was someone.


    ¡°Tell me all about her,¡± she pressed.


    ¡°We just started going out. It¡¯s someone I met at the party we played,¡± Rocco replied. Again, all technically true.


    ¡°Okay, Mr. Mystery,¡± his mom said and lit up a cigarette. ¡°I want details later.¡±


    ¡°Sure, okay,¡± Rocco mumbled. ¡°Can I have twenty dollars?¡±


    ¡°Twenty dollars??? You must be taking her somewhere special,¡± his mom said and started digging through her purse.


    ¡°We are going to go to the steakhouse,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Well, you are in luck. This is the last twenty I have,¡± his mom said and handed him a bill.


    ¡°Thanks Mom,¡± Rocco took the money and walked out the door of their two-bedroom apartment. ¡°Oh, I forgot something.¡± Rocco went back to his room. Their apartment was on the end of the complex. His bedroom had two windows instead of one¡ªone faced the front, the other was on the side of the building¡ªout of site. He looked at the side window and made sure it would open quietly. It silently opened. He closed the window. His plan was to come back here with Mike after dinner and sneak him into his room. He would come home and go to his room and lock the door. He would motion for Mike to come to the window. The two of them would then have a birthday make-out session¡ªhis final birthday present to Mike. Luckily, Rocco¡¯s mom¡¯s room was on the other side of the apartment so she would not hear any noise.  Once he was satisfied that his plan would work, he came back through the living room.


    ¡°Be home by midnight,¡± his mom said. ¡°I may be in bed by then so be sure you lock everything up.¡±


    ¡°Okay, we are just going to dinner, so I¡¯ll be home before that,¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°Okay, honey. Have a good time.¡±


    Mike wasn¡¯t sure what he was going to wear on his date with Rocco. Rocco already told him to wear something nice. He perused his closet and found a plaid button-up shirt and a pair of blue khakis. He brushed his teeth and combed his wet hair into a part. He spread a very thin layer of gel in his palm and lightly smoothed it onto his hair¡ªjust enough to keep it in place. He was satisfied with how he looked and sprayed on some Polo cologne. As an afterthought, he pulled the waistband of his pants open and sprayed some cologne down there. He wasn¡¯t sure how they would have some solitude, but, after Rocco¡¯s tape and guitar picks, he was going to be ready. Perhaps, it was wishful thinking, but he would, at least, be prepared.


    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    He walked into his room to wait for Rocco to come pick him up. Mike was so eager to see Rocco and to show him his new license. There was a knock at his door.


    ¡°Can I come in?¡± It was Joe.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Mike said as the door opened.


    ¡°Are you ready for your date?¡± Joe said smiling.


    ¡°I think so,¡± Mike replied and smiled. ¡°Do I look okay?¡± He stood up and turned around for Joe¡¯s inspection.


    ¡°You look like you are going on a date,¡± Joe said and laughed.


    ¡°Right,¡± Mike said and sat back down.


    ¡°Where are you guys going?¡± Joe asked.


    ¡°The steakhouse in town,¡± Mike answered.


    ¡°OOOO, fancy!¡± Joe jested. Mike laughed. ¡°I got you these.¡± Joe produced a little brown paper bag and handed it to Mike.


    Mike took the bag and opened it up. Inside were a box of condoms and a little tube of lube. Mike blushed and immediately closed the bag.


    ¡°Joe! What the fuck!¡± Mike exclaimed.


    ¡°Just in case, right? You don¡¯t want to get pregnant,¡± Joe said smiling.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to use these tonight!¡± Mike exclaimed and put the bag on the bed.


    ¡°If not tonight, then sometime,¡± Joe said. His eyes caught the flash of headlights turning into the driveway. ¡°I think your date is here.¡±


    Mike peered out the window and saw Rocco¡¯s car approaching the house. He exhaled loudly and looked at Joe. Joe gave him a thumbs up and went back to his room. He had plans himself and needed to get ready. Mike went down the stairs to the front door.


    ¡°Mom, Dad, my ride¡¯s here. What time do I have to be home?¡± Mike yelled towards the living room.


    ¡°Midnight,¡± Emily yelled back.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Mike said and went out the front door. He waited for Rocco to approach the house. Rocco¡¯s car pulled up to the door. Rocco turned the car off and got out. He stood looking at how handsome Mike was standing on the steps waiting for him. He saw Mike smile and approach.


    ¡°Do you want to drive, Mr. License?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°Really?¡± Mike asked eagerly.


    ¡°You¡¯re legit now and it¡¯s your birthday,¡± Rocco smiled and jingled his keys in the air.


    ¡°Give me those!¡± Mike snatched his keys and made his way over to the driver¡¯s side. He got behind the wheel and adjusted the seat and mirrors. Rocco sat next to him in the passenger seat.


    Mike started to turn the key but was interrupted by Rocco, ¡°Um, the price is a kiss.¡±


    ¡°Gladly,¡± Mike said and leaned in to give Rocco a long kiss. Rocco¡¯s smell overwhelmed him with pleasure. It was a dark, spicy mix of cologne and the smell of Rocco. Mike swore he saw sparks as he closed his eyes to kiss Rocco. He tasted like toothpaste.


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s go,¡± Rocco said as he pulled away. ¡°Do you know how to get to the steakhouse on the square?¡±


    ¡°Yep,¡± Mike said and started the car.


    They were seated towards the back of the restaurant. It was a busy night since it was a weekend. They both noted that there was no one in the restaurant they knew so they did not have to be as discrete as usual. This was not a usual place for any high-school kids.


    ¡°Can I start you off with something to drink?¡± the waiter asked and handed the two menus.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have a coke,¡± Mike said and looked at the menu.


    ¡°Same here,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Rocco??¡± the waiter asked. Rocco looked up, shocked that someone recognized him. It took a second, but Rocco recognized the waiter. It was Meigs. Rocco didn¡¯t recognize him because he was very toned down in comparison to how he comes to school. His hair was slicked back. He was wearing a white dress shirt and black slacks.


    ¡°Meigs??¡± Rocco asked not believing his eyes.


    ¡°Yes! Fancy meeting you here,¡± Meigs said and smiled.


    ¡°Yeah, how are you?¡± Rocco said nervously.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been better but that¡¯s always the case,¡± Meigs said and smiled.


    Of all the people in this town, he would have Meigs as his waiter on his first date with a guy. There was an awkward pause, but Rocco came to his senses, ¡°Um, do you know Mike?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I do. I¡¯m Meigs, resident high-school queer,¡± he said and bowed.


    Mike laughed nervously, ¡°Pleased to meet you.¡±


    ¡°If I didn¡¯t know better, I¡¯d say you two were on a date. The only time people our age come here is because they¡¯re on a date,¡± Meigs said and smiled.


    Mike and Rocco blushed and felt a rush of panic. Mike was speechless. The only thing Rocco could say was ¡°err¡­umm¡±.


    ¡°Relax, I¡¯m joking,¡± Meigs said. ¡°And if I weren¡¯t, my lips are sealed.¡± He made a zipped-up motion across his lips. He walked off to get their drinks.


    ¡°Do you think he knows?¡± Mike asked anxiously.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Rocco said. ¡°But you don¡¯t have to worry. He¡¯s alright.¡± Rocco remembered their interaction in the bathroom.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Mike asked, again anxiously.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± Rocco replied and placed his hand on Mike knee under the table. ¡°Trust me.¡±


    Mike smiled and nodded. Rocco wanted to ease his anxiety.


    ¡°Welcome to Cawfee Tawk. I¡¯m ya host Linda Richman¡­¡± Rocco said in a thick New York accent.


    ¡°Oh my god! That was so funny!¡± Mike laughed. ¡°555-4444. Cawll, we¡¯ll tawk¡±


    Dinner was delicious. Meigs brought out a free dessert with two forks to share.


    ¡°It¡¯s on me. Enjoy,¡± he said and winked as he left the check. Mike and Rocco both laughed and dug into the slice of chocolate cake. The check was a little under $16. Rocco left the twenty-dollar bill. He got up and waited for Mike to get up. Mike followed Rocco¡¯s lead.


    ¡°Thank you. This was perfect,¡± Mike whispered into Rocco¡¯s ear. The two left the restaurant and got into the car. This time Rocco was driving. He saw on the radio clock that it was a little after nine.


    ¡°What time do you have to be home?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°Midnight,¡± Mike said and smirked.


    ¡°So, we¡¯ve got a little time,¡± Rocco said and returned the smirk.


    ¡°Yes, we do,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°I was thinking we could go back to my house and hang out,¡± Rocco said but immediately followed with, ¡°only if you want.¡±


    ¡°I definitely want to,¡± Mike said looking at Rocco head on.


    ¡°Okay, so here¡¯s what we have to do. We will park the car on the side of the building. I¡¯ve left a window unlocked. My mom will still be up. I¡¯ll go inside, say good night to her, and then go to my room and lock the door. I¡¯ll open my window for you to sneak in. We will have the room to ourselves,¡± Rocco explained eagerly looking at Mike for approval.


    ¡°I¡¯m game,¡± Mike said smiling wide.


    They drove back to Rocco¡¯s apartment and parked at the side of the building where the window was. Rocco pointed out the window for Mike to keep his eyes on.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you soon,¡± Rocco said and kissed Mike who reciprocated. Where they parked was dark so they could have continued kissing in the car, but Rocco wanted to initiate his scheme. His plan seemed more dangerous. He got out of the car and walked into his apartment. His mom was lying on the couch watching tv and dozing off. When Rocco entered, she woke up.


    ¡°How was your date?¡± she sleepily asked.


    ¡°It was fine. Hey, I¡¯m going to be in my room. I¡¯m going to have my headphones on working on some music,¡± Rocco said and made his way to his room.


    ¡°Okay, honey. I¡¯m probably going to bed early tonight,¡± his mom yawned and went back to watching tv.


    Perfect, Rocco thought. She¡¯ll be out cold in a few minutes. He went into his room and closed the door. He silently locked it being careful that it did not make any click noise. He walked over to the window and slowly opened it silently. Rocco saw the car and waived for Mike to come in.


    Mike was waiting in the car for a few minutes in dark silence. After such a perfect night and the gift that Rocco had given him, Mike made up his mind that tonight he wanted to do more than make-out. He wasn¡¯t sure what, but he kept remembering what Joe told him¡ªyou¡¯ve got the same equipment, do what you like to do. He also remembered that no matter what, Rocco wouldn¡¯t think he was inadequate. Whatever he had to offer, Rocco would like it. He didn¡¯t need to worry about anything. The kiss that they shared a minute ago was just enough to get him revved up. He was more than ready.


    He saw Rocco open the window on the side and wave him in. That was his cue. This all felt so rebellious. He loved this feeling. He got out of the car, locking both doors. He crept over to the side of the building. The light from Rocco¡¯s bedroom illuminated the way. He saw Rocco standing at the window. Mike¡¯s stomach was full of butterflies. The window was only about three feet from the ground. He grabbed the windowsill and hoisted himself up into the room. Rocco grabbed him from under his arms and pulled him in. It didn¡¯t take much effort at all until he was standing in Rocco¡¯s room. Rocco embraced him and kissed him deeply. Mike closed his eyes and surrendered into the kiss running his hands through Rocco¡¯s stiff hair. The spicy scent of Obsession filled his nose making him lose his sense of where he was.


    They stood kissing for what seemed like an eternity but was only a few minutes. Rocco pulled away, closed the window, and pulled down the blinds. Mike looked around and saw his drawing hanging over Rocco¡¯s bed. Mike smiled and sat down on the bed. He patted the spot beside him for Rocco to join him on the bed. Rocco obliged and resumed kissing him. Mike¡¯s heart was pounding in his chest with excitement. The smell of Rocco, in addition to the sensation of Rocco¡¯s soft lips on his, put him into sensory overload. He laid back on Rocco¡¯s bed, untucked and unbuttoned his shirt, and took it off. Rocco did the same. The feel of Rocco¡¯s hairy chest on his smooth chest sent shivers throughout his body. He buried his nose deep in Rocco¡¯s chest hair and inhaled deeply. After a few minutes, Rocco sat up.


    ¡°Want some music?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Mike said and sat up on his elbows.


    Rocco got up and riffled through his CD collection looking for something to put on. While Rocco was working on the music, Mike quickly decided to take matters several steps ahead. He waited patiently but nervously for Rocco to finish with setting the stereo to softly play the CD and put it on repeat. Rocco went over to turn the overhead light off. He turned on a Lava Lamp which he had on his nightstand. Rocco slid under the comforter and started to kiss Mike again.


    It was a little after 11 when Mike spoke. Both had nodded off lightly afterwards.


    ¡°I really enjoyed all of that,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°I did too. I wasn¡¯t expecting all of that,¡± Rocco chuckled.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure I would know what to do,¡± Mike said looking deep into Rocco¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t either, but you did just fine,¡± Rocco said and kissed Mike gently on the lips.


    ¡°So did you. I guess we can do that again sometime,¡± Mike laughed.


    ¡°I won¡¯t object,¡± Rocco returned his laugh.


    ¡°That does count, right? Even though we didn¡¯t do everything?¡± Mike asked earnestly.


    ¡°It definitely counts,¡± Rocco smiled and gave Mike another light kiss.


    ¡°Now comes the hard part,¡± Mike said causing Rocco to sit up on his elbows. ¡°I¡¯ve got to get home.¡± He kissed Rocco and sat up in the bed.


    ¡°Ick, yeah, you are right,¡± Rocco said getting out of the bed. He walked over to the overhead light switch. ¡°Bright light!¡± he said and turned on the light.


    Mike squinted but watched as Rocco got dressed. Mike got out of the bed and got dressed as Rocco watched. Rocco turned the music off. He left the overhead light on so that he could see his way back into his room after dropping Mike off. His mom must have been in bed by now, but he put his finger to his mouth to indicate for Mike to be quiet. He quietly opened his bedroom door and saw that the tv and the lights were off in the living room. It was all clear. He closed his bedroom door and walked over to open the window. He motioned for Mike to leave out the window. Mike hoisted himself out the window. Rocco followed him and closed the window shut. They gingerly snuck to the car and pulled out of the parking lot.


    When Rocco pulled up to Mike¡¯s house, it was almost midnight. Mike gave Rocco a quick passionate kiss and went inside just in time to make curfew. Rocco was wired the entire trip back home. He had just spent the best night of his life with his boyfriend. He yelled in elation into the dark night. He parked his car and snuck back into his room through his window. He locked the window and turned off the overhead light. He took his clothes off and laid back in his bed thinking about the night¡¯s events. As he drifted off to sleep, he could still smell Mike on his pillow.

 15. Afterglow

    Mike laid on his bed with Rocco¡¯s Yankees hat covering his face. He was thinking about the previous night in Rocco¡¯s room. He was almost in a light meditative state when Joe knocked on his door.


    ¡°Can I enter?¡± Joe asked.


    ¡°Yeah, come in,¡± Mike said and sat up in his bed. It was late Sunday morning. Mike didn¡¯t shower before he went to bed, so the smell of Rocco was all over him. The thought of never showering entered his mind. Joe opened the door and saw Mike sitting in bed still in his briefs.


    ¡°Well, you must have had a late night. You¡¯re usually up and around by 8,¡± Joe said and sat down at Mike¡¯s desk.


    ¡°I did,¡± Mike sighed and laid back on his bed. It was close to 10:30 now. He was past the point of being ready for church. Both boys frequently skipped family church time. Joe kept looking at Mike. There was something different about Mike this morning.


    ¡°So, how was your date?¡± Joe started to pry.


    ¡°Fantastic,¡± Mike sighed again and covered his face with Rocco¡¯s hat.


    ¡°Oh? Do I get details?¡± Joe asked.


    ¡°Do you want details?¡± Mike replied from under the hat.


    ¡°Of course!¡± Joe pressed.


    ¡°We went to dinner, then snuck into Rocco¡¯s room and you know¡­¡± Mike said still under the hat.


    ¡°What?¡± Joe asked playing dumb even though he now knew what was different about Mike at this point.


    ¡°We did it,¡± Mike said as he took the hat off his face and sat up.


    ¡°Wait, what??¡± Joe asked surprised. He really wasn¡¯t surprised¡ªhe knew this would happen. He was shocked that these words were coming out of his little brother¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°Well, not all of it, but we did enough for it to count,¡± Mike said.


    Joe sat there not really knowing what else to ask. He did not want all the details, but he wanted to know enough. His curiosity got to him.


    ¡°I see,¡± Joe said and nodded his head. That was all he needed to hear. ¡°How do you feel?¡±


    ¡°I feel wonderful,¡± Mike sighed and got out of bed. Joe watched as his brother put on a pair of pajama bottoms and a t-shirt. He couldn¡¯t believe this freckled, doughy little brother of his had become a man last night.


    ¡°How are you doing mentally?¡± Joe asked. There are emotions that start to surface the day after. He was very familiar with the guilt that sometimes comes later.


    Mike turned to look at Joe and thought a moment. ¡°I¡¯m actually in a good place mentally.¡±


    ¡°Seriously?¡± Joe prodded.


    ¡°Seriously. It¡¯s like I was so nervous about it, but now that I¡¯ve done it, I realize I was worried about nothing,¡± Mike answered.


    ¡°Yeah?¡± Joe kept prodding.


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s like the big mystery is solved. Like I know what it¡¯s like with another guy. And I want to do it again,¡± Mike replied.


    ¡°And you don¡¯t feel bad?¡± Joe asked.


    ¡°Not at all. I think I understand what you mean about invading another guy¡¯s privacy. I know I was worried about not measuring up for no reason at all. But there¡¯s something else I realized that I can¡¯t really describe,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Joe asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s like, maybe this is weird,¡± Mike started. ¡°It¡¯s like I know this private stuff about Rocco, but now he also knows the same private stuff about me.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. It is a weird feeling. I think the best word for that is vulnerability,¡± Joe replied.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Mike didn¡¯t understand what Joe was talking about.


    ¡°You and Rocco were vulnerable with each other. You let your biggest guard down,¡± Joe explained.


    ¡°Oh, yeah, I guess. Do you feel like that every time you have sex with a girl?¡± Mike inquired.


    ¡°To an extent. But it¡¯s a lot stronger with another guy for some reason. Maybe it has something to do with breaking down masculinity,¡± Joe replied.


    ¡°Yeah, I can see that,¡± Mike said looking off in thought. ¡°You know, you¡¯re a good big brother. I don¡¯t know who else I could have talked to about any of this.¡±


    Joe got up and smiled, ¡°That¡¯s my job.¡± He extended his arms and gestured for Mike to give him a hug. Mike happily complied with his request and squeezed his brother hard.


    ¡°Have you showered yet???¡± Joe said pulling away quickly.


    ¡°No, not yet,¡± Mike replied.


    ¡°Take a shower! You smell like Rocco!¡± Joe said and smirked.


    ¡°Fuck off,¡± Mike laughed and made his way to the shower.


    ¡°Rocco! Just the man I wanted to talk to!¡± O¡¯Malley grunted when Rocco approached the gate of the skate park.


    ¡°That¡¯s something I never thought I¡¯d hear from you, O¡¯Malley,¡± Rocco laughed. O¡¯Malley was the definition of a salty old bastard¡ªnever a smile on his face, gruff, gray, but barely 40 years old.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to have a show in a couple of weeks. We want you to play,¡± O¡¯Malley said and coughed a couple of times.


    ¡°Oh yeah? You¡¯ve never asked us to play before,¡± Rocco was a little surprised at the invitation.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been hearing some good shit about your band. We¡¯ll pay you, of course,¡± O¡¯Malley lit a cigarette.


    ¡°You guys pay?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°Yeah, if you¡¯re good,¡± O¡¯Malley replied taking a drag from his Camel.


    ¡°What do you pay?¡± Rocco was interested. Getting paid to do something he enjoyed was nice.


    ¡°$50?¡± O¡¯Malley replied.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Rocco thought. ¡°We¡¯ve been getting $100 to play at private parties.¡± Rocco felt a little dirty trying to negotiate with O¡¯Malley, but he was certain that the other members would have wanted him to ask for at least that.


    ¡°Fine,¡± O¡¯Malley said not upset at all. Rocco thought it was a dick move for O¡¯Malley to low ball him especially after all the time he spent at the park. Rocco would have to confirm with the guys that they were willing and available, but he didn¡¯t want to tell O¡¯Malley since that could lower the price. After all, playing at the skate park allowed them to really play what they wanted instead of having to work in host requests. That was the tradeoff with playing private parties. They would play Troy¡¯s party next weekend, and he had already given them a list of requests in advance for them to practice. At least half of their show was music that they would not have otherwise played. There was far too much hair metal in the show. That¡¯s showbiz, kid.


    ¡°Deal,¡± Rocco said and shook on it with O¡¯Malley. ¡°What¡¯s the date and time?¡±


    ¡°Saturday, October 12 at 9?¡± O¡¯Malley asked.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Rocco confirmed ¡°You want us to make it Halloween themed?¡± Rocco couldn¡¯t believe he was planning for things in October already.


    ¡°Do what you want,¡± O¡¯Malley answered. Beautiful, Rocco thought. He would talk to the guys tonight. If nothing else, he could come up with an excuse if the band didn¡¯t want to play.


    Rocco walked over to the big bowl. He wanted to feel the concrete on his wheels and the now crisp air in his face. He had been so involved with practice and with Mike that he couldn¡¯t remember the last time he skated. It was a Sunday which is usually a quieter night at the park. There were only a few younger kids in the big bowl, but they were mostly at the bottom.


    Rocco spent about an hour on his board until he was beginning to feel lonesome. Sure, it¡¯s great to be alone every now and then. However, he was getting used to seeing Mike almost every day of the week. After last night, he wouldn¡¯t be able to get enough of Mike.


    Being the brother of a popular football player allowed Mike to know when all the best events would be. There was, of course, the Fall/Halloween Festival at the end of October. There were the various popular kids¡¯ parties between now and Christmas break. There was the Valentine¡¯s Day Dance and more parties between the Dance and Senior Prom. Then, there were all the Graduation Festivities.


    Graduation. He started to dread that day because Rocco wanted to move to Los Angeles to go to UCLA. There was no way Mike could do a long-distance relationship especially one that long-distance. Maybe, if Rocco went to school a couple of hours away, he would be able to drive now that he had a license. But not California. They would ultimately have to break it off. If not for the distance, Mike was certain that Rocco would meet more interesting and hotter guys in California. In a city with so many actors and models, Mike would pale in comparison. Rocco would certainly lose interest in a country hick like himself.


    Mike didn¡¯t want to think about that. Just enjoy the time you have together now. That¡¯s all he had. To take his mind off summer, Mike began sketching out some designs for Fred. He had worked on one that was a chihuahua wearing a birthday hat. He had one that was just the head of a chihuahua with its tongue hanging out. Now, he was working on one that was wearing a huge ruffle collar like an Elizabethan person would wear.


    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    He wanted at least four drawings, so he was thinking of a chihuahua sitting down with a backpack on. There was not any significance to the backpack other than Mike liked to go camping. There was something about a campfire and looking up at the stars that Mike loved. At one point, he was a cub scout and would count the days until the next jamboree. However, after he finished 6th grade and moved on the junior high, Cub Scouts just seemed so infantile. He thought about progressing to the Boy Scouts, but he got involved with baseball which took up a lot of his time. Besides, he could always go camping whenever he wanted. His parents were confident in his outdoors skills that they would let him go on solo excursions. He always had to camp at the same spot every time so that they would know exactly where he was.


    He had an affinity for the big lake between the two counties. The lake was a hotspot for local teenagers during the summer for drinking and partying on a boat, but, once school started, it became almost deserted except for the occasional family from out of town. He picked one spot that spoke to him. It was a spot a few yards from one of the least visited shorelines of the lake. He cleared a little area behind a couple of large oak trees. From the lake, all but the very top of his tent was hidden. He would spend many nights by a fire looking out at the vast sky away from the town lights and ponder his future.


    He was due for a camping trip soon. He hadn¡¯t been out on the lake since he met Rocco. That¡¯s when it clicked. He should invite Rocco to go camping with him. Rocco didn¡¯t seem to be the type that would particularly enjoy camping. But Mike was not the type to enjoy skateboarding and, yet he loved going to the skate park with Rocco. He loved going because he loved experiencing something that Rocco loved. Perhaps, Rocco would feel the same way about camping. It would be a bonus that they would be able to spend the night together alone with no danger of parental interloping. It would be just him and Rocco under the stars snuggling cozy in the same sleeping bag.


    Next weekend was Troy Brighton¡¯s party which Rocco was playing. That weekend would be out. Mike didn¡¯t know Troy, so he wasn¡¯t invited. However, since Rocco was playing, he was sure to be there. He would be ¡°with the band¡±. It was settled, he would ask Rocco to go camping with him.


    Mike had a phone in his room. However, the family only had one phone number for the entire household. If Joe was using the phone, Mike would just have to wait a few minutes. Joe was not a telephone talker. His dad never used the phone. It was his mother that would spend hours on the phone. He picked up the receiver, relieved that there was a dial tone. No one was using the line. He dialed Rocco¡¯s number.


    ¡°Hello,¡± a woman¡¯s voice answered. It was Rocco¡¯s mom.


    ¡°Can I speak with Rocco?¡± Mike said in a pleasant tone.


    ¡°Hang on.¡± Mike heard the receiver on the other end of the line hit a hard surface. He then heard his mother yelling for Rocco. A few seconds later, Rocco came on the line.


    ¡°Hello?¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s Mike.¡±


    ¡°Hey there! I¡¯m happy to hear from you!¡± Mike could hear Rocco¡¯s excitement through the line. It had only been about 24 hours since they had their first date.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking,¡± Mike started. Rocco laughed and said ¡°Uh-oh¡±. Mike laughed and continued, ¡°Do you like to go camping?¡±


    There was a pause on Rocco¡¯s end. Then Rocco spoke, ¡°Like camping in a cabin or a tent?¡±


    ¡°In a tent,¡± Mike replied.


    There was another pause on Rocco¡¯s end. ¡°Come to think of it, I¡¯ve never been camping in a tent.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Mike was stunned. How has he not been camping before?


    ¡°Yeah, I never had the opportunity,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Would you like to go camping with me?¡± Mike asked. He anxiously awaited a positive response.


    ¡°Of course I would. Who¡¯s going with us?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°Just you and me,¡± Mike replied.


    ¡°Then definitely, yes,¡± Rocco said. Mike could sense Rocco was smiling.


    ¡°Perfect!¡± Mike replied.


    ¡°There¡¯s only one thing. I don¡¯t have any equipment,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. I¡¯ve got everything we need. You just have to drive,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°I can do that,¡± Rocco said. ¡°Don¡¯t I need a sleeping bag?¡±


    ¡°No, I have a one big enough for the two of us. We can stay warm and cozy cuddling up with each other.¡± Mike knew Rocco¡¯s mom must have been close since Rocco was keeping his comments G-rated.


    ¡°Then that is a definite yes!¡± Rocco exclaimed. ¡°Where are we going?¡±


    ¡°I have a nice, secluded spot by the lake. It¡¯s just about 45 minutes from town,¡± Mike replied.


    ¡°Very cool. So, if things go south, we can always go back to town,¡± Rocco laughed.


    ¡°Ha-ha, very funny,¡± Mike said sarcastically. ¡°What weekends do you have shows?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s see, this coming weekend is Troy Brighton¡¯s party. And then probably the skate part on Oct 12th.¡±


    ¡°Wait, you guys are playing at the skate park?¡± Mike asked enthusiastically.


    ¡°Yeah, I got asked tonight. I haven¡¯t even brought it up with the guys yet,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°That¡¯s awesome! How about not this weekend but next?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°How about yes!¡± Rocco answered happily. ¡°Hey, when do I get to see you again?¡± Rocco said giving the word ¡®see¡¯ a tone of innuendo.


    Mike giggled. ¡°ASAP!¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t wait,¡± Rocco said. Mike knew he was giving his crooked half smile. Then Rocco said quietly, almost barely audible, ¡°Do you want me to come over?¡±


    ¡°If you can, a thousand times, yes. Do you think you can sneak out?¡± Mike said in his normal tone of voice. Mike did not have to worry about being caught on the phone.


    ¡°I can do that,¡± Rocco said in his normal tone. He then whispered, ¡°the plan?¡±


    Mike thought for a moment. ¡°My parents will be going to bed at ten--in about an hour. Be at my house at 10:30. Park off the road right before you turn into the driveway. Walk up the driveway. Come to the back of the house. I¡¯ll be looking for your car lights and meet you in the back.¡±


    ¡°That sounds great,¡± Rocco said in his normal tone. ¡°I¡¯ll get to work on it now.¡±


    ¡°Perfect. See you soon,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Okay, bye,¡± Rocco said and hung up the phone. He stood at the phone for a moment with a smile on his face.


    ¡°Who was that?¡± Rocco¡¯s mom said.


    ¡°Oh, Austin. He wanted to see if I would be interested in camping in a couple of weeks.¡±


    ¡°Camping? I didn¡¯t know Austin liked to camp¡± his mom asked inattentively.


    ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s just started getting into it and doesn¡¯t want to go alone,¡± Rocco lied.


    ¡°Ah, okay,¡± his mom said and settled on the couch to watch TV.


    For a few moments, Rocco thought about the plot to see Mike. He began trying to think about how to make it like he would be in his room the rest of the night. It was 9 so he had almost an hour and half to kill. He was too nervous to sit and watch tv with his mom.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got some homework to do so I¡¯ll be in my room. I may go to bed early too. I¡¯m beat,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Okay honey. I¡¯m probably going to watch tv and doze off like I usually do so I¡¯ll see you in the morning,¡± his mom said, ¡°Good night sweetie.¡±


    ¡°Good night, mom,¡± Rocco said and went to his room. This was perfect. She was likely not going to bother him the rest of the night. She never bothered him when he was doing homework. Just in case though, he started to look around his room for items he could roll up and put under his comforter to appear like he was in bed. The best thing he could find was his pile of dirty clothes. He bundled them up in a Rocco-sized lump under the comforter. It would pass but the lights would need to be out. That would not be a problem of course since he was supposed to be asleep. He would need to be sure to take a flashlight so he could find his way back into his room. His side of the building was almost pitch black at night. With all the success he had last night, why hadn¡¯t he snuck out of his room more often?


    All of that plotting and bundling only took about 20 minutes. If he were to be at Mike¡¯s at 11, he wouldn¡¯t have to leave until 10:30. That gave him an hour to occupy his time. How could he burn an hour? He certainly wasn¡¯t going to do homework. He was too excited for that. He decided to strum on his guitar for a little while. That would help him pass the time and settle his nerves. Before he knew it, it was 10:20. Rocco put his guitar back on its stand and tiptoed to his door. He quietly opened the door. The TV and lights were out indicating his mom had gone to bed. Excellent!


    He was ready. The bed was arranged so that it looked like he was in bed sleeping. All he had to do was sneak out. He slid a jacket on. He turned off the light and looked around the room. There was streetlight in the parking lot that let in just a sliver of light. If he didn¡¯t know any better, he could swear he was standing outside of his body looking at himself asleep. He turned the flashlight on and opened the window. He put the butt of the flashlight in his mouth and wiggled out the window without any incident. Once he was outside, he quietly walked the few dark yards to the parking lot. He didn¡¯t need the flashlight anymore. His car was a few spots down. He started the car and drove off to Mike¡¯s house.


    He parked his car on the road just right before turning into Mike¡¯s driveway and turned the car off. He thought there would be enough moonlight to navigate the tree lined driveway, but he took his flashlight just in case. Hopefully he wouldn¡¯t have to use it. As Mike told him, he walked down the dark driveway. To his relief, it was not as dark as he anticipated, but it was creepy, nonetheless. The moonlight eerily peered through the trees giving the path a haunted feeling. Rocco shivered at how quiet it was. Had it not been for Mike waiting, Rocco would have hauled ass out of there in a flash.


    The house was dark aside from a dim yard light and the front porch light. He saw a light on in an upstairs room. He saw a person looking out the window. He hid behind a tree. He peered around the tree to look at the window. His eyes adjusted and he could make out that it was Mike. Rocco smiled seeing that Mike was waiting on him. Rocco looked around to make sure no one else was looking out any of the other windows. He stepped out and flashed his light. Mike waved at him from the window.


    Rocco avoided stepping from out of the shadows. He guessed that the back door would be somewhere in the middle of the back of the house. He figured he could go either to the left or right side of the house. He chose the side that looked the darkest. Once he rounded the front corner to the side yard, he had to turn his flashlight on to make sure he didn¡¯t trip on anything. As he rounded the corner to the back yard, he heard a door click quietly open. Rocco peeked around to see Mike standing on the back patio. Rocco quietly walked towards the patio. Mike had caught motion and peered into the darkness. He lit up when he saw Rocco approaching. Mike walked to the edge of the patio and embraced Rocco as he stepped up to the patio. They kissed briefly before Mike took his hand and led him inside. Both tiptoed into the house. Mike slowly closed and locked the back door. The two quietly climbed the stairs and dashed into Mike¡¯s room.


    Mike closed the door and kissed Rocco. They made out against Mike¡¯s bedroom door for a few minutes.


    They lay in Mike¡¯s bed for a while staring up at the ceiling both breathless and exhausted. It was getting close to 12:30. Since it was school night, Rocco was trying to get the motivation to get up so he could sneak back into his room. He knew he was going to be dead all day, but it would be well worth it. He could easily get used to doing this on a frequent basis.


    ¡°I should be headed back home. I got to get some sleep so that I can see you tomorrow!¡± Rocco laughed.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m going to be dead on my feet,¡± Mike returned the laugh. ¡°You think we can do this more often?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely,¡± Rocco smiled and sat up in bed. He surveyed the room for his clothes which were by the door on the other end of the room. He got up and made his way over to the pile of clothes haphazardly strewn about.


    The room was dim, so he could not make out which clothes were his. At this point if they fit, it didn¡¯t matter. What was it going to hurt to wear his clothes? He put on a pair of underwear, a pair of pants, and a shirt. Lucky for them, they both wore briefs. Everything felt like they fit except the briefs. They were a little snug. However, Rocco didn¡¯t think anything of it. He was needing to get to bed. Mike didn¡¯t bother to get dressed just yet. He was still lying in bed. Rocco looked over and admired Mike. He hated to leave but knew there was no other option.


    ¡°Put your clothes on and walk me out?¡± Rocco asked.


    Mike reluctantly obliged. He had a pair of pajama bottoms and a t-shirt by his bed that he slipped on.


    ¡°You think I can use the bathroom?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°Do you have to pee?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°The bathroom is across the hall attached to Joe¡¯s room. Do you think you can hold it until you get outside? I don¡¯t want Joe to walk in on you,¡± Mike answered.


    ¡°Sure, but let¡¯s make this quick,¡± Rocco said hastily.


    Mike took his hand and quietly led him out the back door. He stood watching Rocco as he relieved himself next to the patio. Halfway through, Rocco sensed Mike staring at him and turned towards him missing Mike by a few inches. Mike jumped out of the way of the stream. They quietly laughed. When Rocco finished, he pulled out his flashlight. He would need it for the side yard. He smiled and waved at Mike. Mike waved back at him and watched as Rocco rounded the corner. He snuck back inside into his room. He watched as Rocco walked down the driveway. He saw Rocco¡¯s silhouette get into the car, the lights turn on, and the car drive off.


    Mike laid back in this bed for a moment before deciding he also needed to go to the bathroom. On his way back to bed, he gathered the pile of clothes and started to put them in the dirty clothes. His eyes noticed something unusual about the underwear. They were not his¡ªthey were Rocco¡¯s. He had to stop himself from bursting out laughing at the thought that Rocco went home unaware that he was wearing Mike¡¯s underwear. Poor Rocco was wearing tight underwear.

 16. Tight Drawers

    ¡°I think I have something of yours,¡± Rocco whispered to Mike from behind his desk. Mike¡¯s hair was getting longer and darker. Rocco wanted to run his hands through Mike¡¯s silky hair.


    ¡°Yeah, you do,¡± Mike turned around laughing.


    It was Monday, the next day. Just as he imagined, Rocco was exhausted¡ªin a good way. The past two days had been divine. Mike and Rocco had taken the first steps of intimacy. It all went so fast. What could possibly be next?


    ¡°Hey, are you serious about camping?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°I am,¡± Rocco smiled.


    ¡°I only have one tent and one sleeping bag,¡± Mike smirked.


    ¡°That¡¯s all we need,¡± Rocco whispered.


    ¡°What are you two talking about?¡± Toya interjected unbeknownst to the two of them.


    ¡°Um, nothing. We were talking about going camping,¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°OOOO, fun!¡± Toya perkily said.


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯ll be a boy¡¯s trip,¡± Mike immediately said. She gave him a shifty grin as if she knew what was going on.


    ¡°Hey, Mike, we are playing Troy Brighton¡¯s party this coming weekend,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°I heard,¡± Mike replied.


    ¡°Would you be interested in helping us set up?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°Like I¡¯d be a part of the band?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯d be our assistant,¡± Rocco said. Toya and Moni were watching the interaction between Mike and Rocco. They found it entertaining how much they were hiding their relationship. While they did not know for sure, they knew something was up between the two of them. Even to the untrained eye, it was obvious that Rocco and Mike were flirting with each other.


    ¡°I¡¯d love it. Does it pay?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°No¡­at least not with money,¡± Rocco gave a half smile which led Mike to blush. Rocco loved to make Mike blush. His pale freckled cheeks would turn bright red along with his ears and neck. As Rocco watched the blush rush down his neck, he remembered the salty sweet taste of his skin.


    ¡°That reminds me. I¡¯ve got some drawings for you,¡± Mike produced a couple of pages of drawing paper. There were drawings of potential designs for Fred.


    Rocco gave the drawings a look. He was impressed. He loved all of them. It was going to be a tough decision, but since Austin was the one sacrificing his drum, it was Austin¡¯s decision. Toya and Moni eagerly looked over Rocco¡¯s shoulder at the drawings.


    ¡°Mikey! These are so cute!¡± Toya squealed.


    ¡°Ah, thanks!¡± Mike blushed even more at people admiring his work.


    ¡°What¡¯s this for?¡± Moni asked.


    ¡°One of these is going to be our band logo,¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°Really?¡± Moni asked.


    ¡°Which one are you going to pick?¡± Toya asked Rocco pointing at the drawing of a chihuahua in a birthday hat. ¡°I like that one.¡±


    ¡°Well, Austin is the one choosing the design. It¡¯s his drum that will have the design on it, so it¡¯ll be up to him,¡± They all gave a look as if to say ¡°that makes sense¡± in unison.


    ¡°Do you think you¡¯d be able to draw or paint one of these on his bass drum?¡± Rocco asked Mike.


    ¡°I¡¯d have to look at the drum. I don¡¯t know what kind of material they are made of,¡± Mike replied expertly.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll show these to Austin and let him pick. I¡¯ll do that at lunch today. Then you can come by practice and give it a look,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°That sounds like a plan,¡± Mike said. That meant Rocco would have to take him home and maybe come up to his room for more ¡°extracurricular¡± activities.


    Mr. Pendleton walked in just as the bell rang.


    ¡°Okay, class, let¡¯s get started.¡±


    ¡°Well, guys, I¡¯ve got some designs from Mike for Fred,¡± Rocco said as he produced the drawings. ¡°There¡¯s four of them. Austin, pick a good one.¡± He laid the sheets of paper in the middle of the table so the band members could look.


    They all inspected the drawings and noted how all of them were so well done. Raz and Pete secretly decided on the chihuahua with the birthday hat but would defer the decision to Austin. To their relief, Austin chose their selection as well¡ªunanimously in favor of the dog with the hat. Rocco liked all of them mainly because Mike did them so he would have settled for any of them.


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ¡°I think this is the one I want on the drum, but I seriously like them all. I think we should use all of them somehow,¡± Austin said.


    ¡°Mike has agreed to come by practice to look at the drum and get started painting it or whatever he needs to do to put Fred on the drum,¡± Rocco said collecting all the drawings and placing them in his jacket pocket.


    ¡°You think he can do this by this weekend?¡± Pete asked.


    ¡°I can persuade him to expedite the matter,¡± Rocco assured the group.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you can,¡± Raz said in a non-sarcastic tone. Rocco smiled and raised his eyebrows a couple of time.


    ¡°How¡¯s all that going?¡± Austin asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s been going very well,¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°Details?¡± Pete eagerly asked.


    ¡°Do you really want to know?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°I gotta live vicariously right now,¡± Pete replied and laughed.


    ¡°I asked him to be my boyfriend. He said yes. We went on our first date Saturday. We snuck into my room afterwards and you know. I snuck into his room last night and you know,¡± Rocco was stating all of this like a news cast not realizing that all three of his bandmates were staring at him wide eyed and open mouthed. ¡°Oh, what?¡± Rocco asked picking up on their surprise.


    ¡°I mean, you just sped through all the bases in one weekend,¡± Austin said.


    ¡°It just seemed so natural,¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t even gotten to cop a feel with Wendy,¡± Austin said.


    ¡°It¡¯s gotta be different with two guys,¡± Pete chimed in.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Rocco asked with a confused look on his face.


    ¡°Guys are horny. Get two of them together and it¡¯s an instant you know,¡± Pete said making fun of how Rocco glossed over the spicy parts. ¡°Girls are much more selective and cautious,¡± Pete stated flatly.


    ¡°Well, I can understand that. I mean, they have to put up with us looking at them all the time,¡± Austin proposed.


    ¡°I never really thought of that,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°How did it happen?¡± Austin inquired. He seemed very interested in Rocco¡¯s exploits.


    Rocco looked around and then turned back to the group. ¡°After dinner, we went back to my place. I snuck him into my room through the window when my mom was asleep. I put on some music and when I turn around, he was obviously ready.¡±


    ¡°Whoa! He¡¯s the one that started it?¡± Austin¡¯s eyes were wide again.


    ¡°Yeah. That time, we didn¡¯t do a whole lot. Just touching and making out,¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°That¡¯s still pretty far. What about Sunday?¡± Austin kept prodding for details.


    ¡°Well, he called and asked if I would sneak over to his house. So, I did. We did a little more last night.¡± Rocco continued with a dreamy look across his face.


    ¡°A little more?¡± Austin pressed. ¡°Like what?¡±


    ¡°You know¡­¡± Rocco said and made a gesture. All three sat there stunned.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never gotten that far so fast. Maybe I should become gay,¡± Pete quipped.


    ¡°I thought it was going to be gross, but it wasn¡¯t at all,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Are you going all the way?¡± Austin asked.


    ¡°You mean like¡­¡± Rocco made another gesture. Austin nodded.


    Rocco shrugged his shoulders. ¡°I don¡¯t know. That scares me a little. I mean, there¡¯s a lot more involved with that. I¡¯d be okay if I never did the other.¡±


    Austin nodded his head in understanding.


    ¡°Oh, changing the subject abruptly! O¡¯Malley asked if we would play at the park on Oct 12. We¡¯ll get a hundred dollars for it,¡± Rocco said. Raz and Austin¡¯s face lit up.


    ¡°For real?¡± Pete exclaimed. ¡°Fuck yeah!!!¡±


    ¡°I figured you all would want to do it, so I said yes. He offered us $50 but I said $100. I figured if I didn¡¯t say yes, it would drop down to $50,¡± Rocco explained.


    ¡°Wait, he was going to just offer $50? That cheap bastard,¡± Pete sneered.


    ¡°Yeah, I know!¡± Rocco agreed.


    ¡°Still, we can actually play some good music instead of all this fucking hair band music,¡± Austin said.


    ¡°My thoughts exactly,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°You are our official agent, Rocco,¡± Pete said and slapped him on the back.


    Joe dropped Mike off at Pete¡¯s garage that evening so that he could get a feel for the size of the drum and the material. He figured he could get a measurement of the circumference and then create a rough stencil to use to lay down the foundations of the logo. He could then fill in the foundation with more details. He had simplified his drawing enough that it shouldn¡¯t take him any longer than an hour or so to have it done. He would then come back the next day to see if he needed to put down a second coat.


    ¡°Rocco is going to bring me home afterwards,¡± Mike said to Joe as he grabbed his measuring tape and got out of the car.


    ¡°Is that right?¡± Joe said with a knowing tone.


    ¡°Stop it!¡± Mike replied and smirked. ¡°This is business.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure it is,¡± Joe said. ¡°Have fun.¡± He backed out of the driveway and sped off back to the house.


    Mike walked up into the garage. All the members were sitting around working out their lineup for Troy¡¯s party.


    ¡°Hey there!¡± Mike waved and walked up to the band. ¡°I¡¯m here for measurements.¡±


    Pete snickered at this statement thinking Mike meant it as an innuendo. Austin motioned Mike over to the drum. Mike bent down and eyeballed the drum making a guess as to the center. He measured the diameter of the drum three times to make sure it was the same.


    ¡°How are you going to do this?¡± Austin asked.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m going to first made a big circle the size of the drum. I¡¯ve got a projector that I¡¯ll use to blowup the sketch to the right size of the circle. I¡¯ll trace out the design and then make a stencil so I can lay down the lines. Then, I¡¯ll just paint inside the lines. Easy peasy.¡± Mike explained.


    ¡°Easy peasy, huh?¡± Austin quipped. Mike nodded. It all sounded easy to Mike at least.


    Mike watched them practice with a sense of pride in the band. This was his boyfriend¡¯s band playing and his boyfriend on the guitar. When they finished up, Mike wanted to hear more, but he could tell that Rocco was eager to get him in the car.


    ¡°Great practice, guys. Same time tomorrow? We got to speed up our tempo a little,¡± Pete said with finality.


    Rocco unplugged his guitar and packed it in its case.


    ¡°Mike, you think you will work on the drum tomorrow?¡± Pete asked.


    ¡°I will see how far I get with the stencil,¡± Mike said looking at Rocco. Rocco smiled at Mike.


    ¡°I know,¡± Pete said picking up Rocco¡¯s intentions.


    Rocco and Mike loaded up in the car and made it a couple of miles down the road.


    ¡°Pull over somewhere dark,¡± Mike said. Rocco looked over and saw Mike was looking at Rocco. Rocco was a little surprised but found a closed gas station to park. He parked the car in the darkest corner of the gas station being sure the front of the car was facing the road. He had an inkling of what was to come and wanted to be sure to be able spot anyone approaching them.


    ¡°Okay, now what?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°Pull your seat back,¡± Mike silently said. Rocco reached down and unlocked the seat so that it would slide back completely.


    They were back on the road in less than fifteen minutes. Rocco wanted to reciprocate but Mike insisted that it was all about Rocco tonight. Rocco pulled into Mike¡¯s driveway. He stopped the car at the front door.


    ¡°This is three nights in a row,¡± Rocco said facing Mike. Mike smiled and grabbed Rocco¡¯s hand.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to break the streak,¡± Mike said and leaned in to kiss Rocco. They continued to kiss until the front porch light came on. That was their cue to wrap things up. Mike got out of the car and went up to his room to work on his stencil. He wanted to please his boyfriend¡¯s band.

 17. Mike鈥檚 Confrontation

    Friday arrived before Mike knew it. He had finished his logo on Austin¡¯s drum to everyone¡¯s delight. As Austin played his beat, the chihuahua with a birthday hat in a black outline looked out onto the audience with the name ¡°FRED¡± under it in red. Mike had to admit it looked great.


    He looked around for a place to sit with his old friends, Stanton, Chris, and Matt at lunch. He saw them sitting at a table with the more popular kids in his class. There was no room for him at the table. As he stood, he saw the three guys glance over at him and then look away. He was being frozen out of the group. His relationship with his old friends had suffered greatly since he started dated Rocco. He rarely hung out with them anymore. He didn¡¯t really want to dedicate any time to them anymore given their backwards attitudes. They would certainly not approve of his relationship with Rocco.


    He found a table in the corner of the lunchroom. There was a kid sitting alone at the table. All the other tables were full. He couldn¡¯t just stand and eat. Not being defeated, he walked over to the table.


    ¡°Can I sit here?¡± Mike asked the guy.


    ¡°It¡¯s a free country,¡± the guy said unphased by Mike¡¯s presence.


    The guy sitting at the table was vaguely familiar to Mike. He had seen this guy at his old junior high school. This guy may or may not have had classes with Mike. He wasn¡¯t sure. He was a compact fellow, short and skinny. He had long brown bangs combed over his eyes and parted in the middle. He was wearing a toboggan hat even though it was still warm outside. He was wearing an oversized red flannel shirt and a huge t-shirt of a band that Mike had never heard of. His pasty white skin, tiny pink lips, and big blue eyes were the features that stood out the most to Mike. He smelled of clove cigarettes.


    ¡°I¡¯m Mike,¡± he introduced.


    ¡°I know who you are,¡± the guy said and continued to eat his lunch.


    Mike picked up his sandwich and took a bite. He chewed his sandwich awkwardly and swallowed hard. His old friends peeked over at him a couple of times and laughed. Mike pretended not to notice.


    ¡°Have we met? You look familiar,¡± Mike said trying to break the awkwardness.


    ¡°Nah, we haven¡¯t,¡± he had a thicker Southern accent than Mike expected since he looked like a skater punk. ¡°I¡¯m not popular enough for us to be introduced.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not popular. Certainly not today,¡± Mike murmured. The guy looked at Mike with his big eyes and laughed.


    ¡°My name is Jared,¡± he said.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you, Jared,¡± Mike said and took another bite of his sandwich.


    ¡°How come you¡¯re not sitting over there with your friends?¡± Jared asked pointing at his old trio.


    Mike looked over at Stanton, Chris, and Matt. ¡°They¡¯re not really my friends anymore. Their just some dickheads I used to know.¡±


    ¡°Falling out?¡± Jared asked.


    ¡°I guess you could say that,¡± Mike said looking back at Jared.


    ¡°What did they do?¡± Jared pressed for more.


    ¡°They like to make fun of people that don¡¯t fit their mold,¡± Mike said thinking of Rocco.


    ¡°I find that hard to believe,¡± Jared said flatly. Mike looked at him surprised. Jared started to laugh which made Mike lighten up.


    ¡°Yeah, imagine that!¡± Mike said sarcastically.


    ¡°Who were they making fun of?¡± Jared said still chowing down on his lunch.


    ¡°This guy Rocco I know from class,¡± Mike smiled thinking of his boyfriend.


    ¡°The dude in the band???¡± Jared said surprised.


    ¡°Yeah, you know him?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Jared continued to eat as he talked. ¡°Well, not personally, but I know of him.¡±


    Mike was impressed at the reputation Rocco and his band had been acquiring.


    ¡°What¡¯s he done to be made fun of?¡± Jared asked.


    Since it was not really a secret about Rocco being teased, Mike let his guard down a little. Besides, he was starting to like this Jared kid.


    ¡°People say he¡¯s gay,¡± Mike carefully said testing the water with Jared.


    ¡°And those guys call him things like queer or some shit like that?¡± Jared asked.


    ¡°Yeah, some shit like that,¡± Mike repeated.


    ¡°Fuck them,¡± Jared said, his mouth full. ¡°They¡¯re mindless sheep.¡±


    Mike chuckled. ¡°Yeah, you could say that.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s good at the guitar. I¡¯ve also seen him at the park on his board.  Mad skills. I could care less if he¡¯s gay,¡± Jared said.


    ¡°You¡¯ve heard him play?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Yeah, at that party. Great ass show,¡± Jared said.


    ¡°You were there?¡± Mike was surprised again. He doesn¡¯t remember seeing Jared there, but he wasn¡¯t exactly looking for Jared.


    ¡°Yep, crashed it. But so did everyone else,¡± Jared said still with his mouth full.


    ¡°Man, I was there too!¡± Mike exclaimed.


    ¡°I know, I saw you hanging out with Rocco,¡± Jared said shoving food in his mouth.


    ¡°You did?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Yeah, I think I saw y¡¯all smoking pot out back,¡± Jared looked up from his plate and smiled.


    ¡°Yeah, well,¡± Mike nervously laughed.


    ¡°No worries. I didn¡¯t think you were the type to get into herb. But it¡¯s cool,¡± Jared said almost finished with his lunch.


    Mike found this conversation fascinating. ¡°Do you know they are playing the skate park in a couple of weeks?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°No shit!¡± Jared exclaimed.


    ¡°Yeah, October 12,¡± Mike confirmed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be there for sure!¡± Jared excitedly said.


    ¡°I¡¯m helping them set up and all. I also painted their new band logo design on the drum,¡± Mike proudly professed.


    ¡°Yeah???¡± Jared put his tray aside and looked at Mike. ¡°I had no idea you were close to the band. I never would have thought you were into that stuff.¡±


    ¡°People can surprise you. Besides I¡¯m tight with one of the band members,¡± Mike said and shrugged.


    ¡°Man, that¡¯s cool,¡± Jared said impressed at Mike¡¯s status.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s the main reason I¡¯m not friends with those assholes anymore,¡± Mike said pointing at the table of his old friends.


    ¡°So, then, you¡¯re tight with Rocco?¡± Jared asked.


    Mike felt very comfortable with Jared at this point. ¡°Yep.¡±


    Jared paused for a moment. ¡°Are you guys dating or something?¡±


    Mike looked up at Jared. This was a chance to be honest with a potential new friend. The bandmembers already knew about him and Rocco, why not this guy? ¡°Yeah, we are.¡±


    ¡°Cool, that¡¯s really cool,¡± Jared said nodding.


    ¡°Yeah, really cool,¡± Mike repeated. Jared was going to be alright. Mike had just met a new friend who accepted him for who he was.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were gay,¡± Jared stated.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not totally gay but I¡¯m not straight either,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Okay, I get it,¡± Jared nodded.


    ¡°You do?¡± Mike was surprised.


    ¡°Yeah, no labels, man. You date the person, not what¡¯s in the panties,¡± Jared said.


    Mike burst out laughing almost blowing milk out of his nose. That was the most perfect way to describe his sexual attraction.


    ¡°Yeah, exactly,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°I¡¯m down with that,¡± Jared said nodding again.


    ¡°Really?¡± Mike was surprised at Jared progressiveness.


    ¡°Never had the opportunity, but I¡¯d give it a try,¡± Jared said.


    ¡°You¡¯re an okay guy. I¡¯m sad I never bothered to get to know you,¡± Mike said finishing his sandwich.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be sad, we¡¯re doing that now,¡± Jared smiled.


    ¡°Yeah, we are,¡± Mike said looking at his tray. He didn¡¯t want the rest of his lunch. The way Jared scarfed down his lunch and by the looks of his thin frame, Mike assumed that lunch must be Jared¡¯s main meal. ¡°You want the rest of my lunch? I don¡¯t want it.¡± Mike pushed his tray over to Jared who gladly finished up the remainder of his lunch.


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    ¡°So, who¡¯s your new lunch buddy, Mikey?¡± Stanton teased as Mike left the school building. Stanton, Chris, and Matt stood outside by the door almost as if they were waiting to confront Mike.


    ¡°Jared. We went to junior high with him, you know,¡± Mike said nonchalantly as he started to walk past the group.


    ¡°You hanging out with the scum, now?¡± Stanton continued to tease Mike.


    ¡°He¡¯s not scum. He¡¯s a cool guy if you give him a chance,¡± Mike said walking by.


    ¡°Hey, what gives, Mike?¡± Chris shouted. Mike stopped and turned to the group.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Mike asked calmly.


    ¡°You¡¯re hanging out with these weird guys now. You¡¯re never around anymore. I thought we were friends,¡± Chris firmly stated.


    ¡°We still are friends, but I guess you could say I¡¯m expanding my options.¡± Mike continued to remain calm.


    ¡°Dude, you spend all your time with that Rocco. Now, you¡¯re buddies with Jared who you never knew even existed. Are you turning into a punk?¡± Chris started to raise his voice.


    ¡°Maybe I am,¡± Mike stated.


    ¡°Maybe you¡¯re turning queer,¡± Stanton added. Mike started to feel the blood rush to his skin in anger.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that,¡± Mike replied in as even a voice as he could muster.


    ¡°Maybe you are! Maybe Rocco is your boyfriend,¡± Stanton chided in a sing-song voice.


    ¡°You¡¯re a dick,¡± Mike said and started to turn around.


    ¡°Not so fast, Mikey,¡± Stanton shouted. ¡°You think you¡¯re better than us now that you are becoming some enlightened alternative dude?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the case at all,¡± Mike stated.


    ¡°Then, tell me. Why are we no longer good enough to be your friend?¡± Stanton approached Mike. The others followed.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that,¡± Mike said backing away.


    ¡°Then, what is it? Tell me. What¡¯s so fantastic about these new friends of yours?¡± Stanton kept at it.


    Mike snapped. ¡°What¡¯s so fantastic is that these new friends of mine accept everyone for who they are. They don¡¯t care what you wear or who you hang out with. They are genuine.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Mikey and his boyfriends are genuine,¡± Stanton mocked.


    ¡°Yeah, so if I want to hang out with better people than you¡¯ll ever be, what¡¯s it your business! You never gave a shit about how I¡¯m feeling or what¡¯s going on with me!¡± Mike started to approach Stanton.


    ¡°How you¡¯re feeling? It¡¯s all about your feelings now? My God, Mike, you are turning gay,¡± Stanton exclaimed.


    Without thinking, Mike¡¯s most animal of instincts took over. Mike clenched his hand into a fist and gave Stanton a right hook square in his jaw. It was such an impulsive action that he hadn¡¯t realized what he had done until he saw Stanton fall back in shock. His fist pounded with pain from the impact of his punch. Stanton put his hand over the spot on his jaw that Mike hit. Mike stood his ground ready to punch him again. Chris ran up to Mike and grabbed his shoulders.


    ¡°What the fuck, Mike?¡± Chris shouted. Mike snapped out of his altered state, but he was still boiling angry.


    ¡°I¡¯ve had it with you guys. Fuck you all and the horses you rode in on.  Don¡¯t ever talk to me again,¡± Mike said and stormed off to Joe¡¯s car. Mike paid no attention to the crowd that had stopped and watched the interaction. He paid no attention to Chris yelling for him to wait. He paid no attention to Stanton yelling ¡°you faggot¡± at him. He just wanted to get out of the situation as fast as he could. He just wanted to be alone to ice his aching hand.


    ¡°What happened to your hand?¡± Mike¡¯s dad asked. His hand was starting to bruise.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Mike said changing his ice bag.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that. That was no accident,¡± His dad was a large beast of a man¡ªJoe clearly inherited his genes. ¡°I¡¯ve thrown a few punches in my day. I know what happens to a fist that¡¯s thrown a punch.¡±


    Mike looked down at the carpet in the living room afraid to tell him the events of the afternoon. He was mostly embarrassed that he resorted to violence. He felt that Stanton needed to learn a lesson, however. If that¡¯s what it took, then so be it.


    ¡°I hit a guy,¡± Mike confessed and rubbed the hand.


    ¡°Why?¡± his dad asked looking at Mike with both disappointment and concern.


    ¡°He was being a jerk,¡± Mike quietly said.


    ¡°What was he doing?¡± his dad pressed on.


    ¡°He was calling me names,¡± Mike did not really want to talk to his dad about this afternoon. However, it seemed unavoidable.


    ¡°What names was he calling you?¡± his dad asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to get into it, Dad,¡± Mike just wanted to lay in his room. He wanted Rocco to come over and comfort him.


    ¡°I want to get into it. Look at me when I¡¯m talking to you,¡± his dad continued. Mike looked up at his dad. ¡°What did this guy call you?¡±


    ¡°He called me gay,¡± Mike answered after a few moments of contemplation. ¡°Well, actually, a slang term for that.¡±


    ¡°And you hit him because of that?¡± His dad was not angry, but Mike could tell he was displeased.


    ¡°He just kept at it. He¡¯s such a jerk,¡± Mike stated.


    ¡°Was this some random guy?¡± his dad asked.


    ¡°No, it was Stanton,¡± Mike confessed.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t he your friend?¡± his dad¡¯s displeasure turned into concern.


    ¡°He was,¡± Mike said and looked at the floor again.


    ¡°Mike, what¡¯s going with you?¡± his dad got up and sat next to him.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Mike felt a tear welling in his eye.


    ¡°Something is up with you. You don¡¯t like sports anymore. I¡¯ve noticed you don¡¯t go to sleepovers with your friends anymore. And now you punched a friend. That¡¯s not nothing.¡± His dad put his hand on Mike¡¯s back to comfort him.


    ¡°I¡¯m just¡­¡± Mike couldn¡¯t find the words to say. ¡°I¡¯m just not into all that anymore.¡±


    ¡°Is there a reason?¡± his dad asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s just that those guys are such idiots. All they do is make fun of people. They make people feel different and worthless. I just hate it¡­. I hate them!¡± Mike started to feel like he could talk to his dad like he talked with Joe.


    ¡°Is that why you aren¡¯t playing any sports?¡± his dad continued.


    ¡°Yeah, I just don¡¯t like sports like Joe,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s fine. We never expected both of you to be into sports. That was always for you two to find on your own. It¡¯s totally fine if you don¡¯t want to be on a team,¡± His dad said.


    ¡°Thanks, Dad. I¡¯m not like Joe. I don¡¯t think I want to do that,¡± Mike looked at his dad, the tears in his eyes falling down his cheek.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be like Joe,¡± his dad said. ¡°I just want you to be happy.¡±


    ¡°I know, Dad,¡± Mike said and looked back at the floor.


    ¡°You also don¡¯t have to hang out with people you don¡¯t like,¡± his dad said and ran his fingers through Mike¡¯s hair.


    ¡°I know, Dad,¡± Mike continued to look at the floor. Momentarily, he almost told his dad about his relationship with Rocco. The words were on the tip of his tongue. He was not ready for that right now. He may never really be ready¡ªnot right now.


    ¡°I just want to be sure there¡¯s not anything deeper you want to get off of your chest,¡± his dad said. It was as if he were reading Mike¡¯s mind.


    ¡°Like what?¡± Mike looked up.


    ¡°Anything,¡± his dad looked at him. ¡°You can tell me.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Dad,¡± Mike said still unsure if he should just let it all out.


    ¡°I know how much you are into art. I know we haven¡¯t been very supportive of you in the past. If that¡¯s what you want to do with your time, it¡¯s fine by me. You¡¯re talented with your art. It would be a waste if you didn¡¯t do something with that.¡±


    Mike was surprised by this statement. It was not at all what he expected to hear from his parents. ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, really. I know you work at that art shop in town for lessons. I think you should take some more classes. Really get into it,¡± His dad continued.


    ¡°You¡¯d be alright with that?¡± Mike asked in surprise.


    ¡°I would,¡± his dad replied.


    ¡°I want to,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Deal,¡± his dad patted Mike on the back.


    They sat there for a moment in silence. There was a tension in the air that was noticeable between the two of them.


    ¡°Is there anything else you want to tell me?¡± his dad asked looking at Mike.


    Mike was silent for what seemed like an eternity. His dad knew there was more but did not want to put words into his son¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°I¡¯ve just been a different person since starting high school,¡± was the best Mike could come up with to break the silence.


    ¡°I¡¯ve noticed that,¡± his dad responded. ¡°Mike, I want you to be honest with me, okay.¡± Mike nodded his head. ¡°Why did Stanton say you were gay?¡±


    Mike could not speak when his dad asked. Perhaps it was that he wanted to tell his dad everything. Perhaps it was the events of the day. Perhaps it was his aching hand. Whatever it was, Mike started to cry uncontrollably. He sat slumped over sobbing. Sensing that he touched a raw spot, his dad reached over and held Mike in his arms as he continued to cry. His dad didn¡¯t have to ask any more questions. Mike didn¡¯t have to say anything else. His dad just knew he had not only hit a nerve, but he had also chipped away to the truth. Words were not necessary¡ªhe just knew. It made no difference to his dad. He loved Mike no matter what.


    ¡°You think you can sneak over tonight?¡± Mike said into the phone receiver.


    ¡°I just got back from practice. I¡¯m kinda beat,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°I know. I really need to see you tonight,¡± Mike said almost pleading.


    Rocco paused for a moment. ¡°Okay, I can be there in about an hour,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting,¡± Mike said and hung up the phone. They had been getting together almost every night since Sunday. Mike was getting used to his nightly encounters with Rocco. He knew Rocco was tired and that he had to rest for tomorrow¡¯s party. But, tonight, he really wanted to see his boyfriend. He just wanted to be in his arms¡ªhe wanted to feel Rocco¡¯s heart and know there was another person in the universe like him. It had been a tough day for Mike. He just wanted to be comforted¡ªnothing more. He wouldn¡¯t be opposed to more, of course, but he was not searching for that right now. He just wanted to be with someone who knew all his secrets.


    As he waited, he pulled out his sketch book and started to doodle some random shapes. It was a little difficult now that his right hand was still hurting. There was a little bruising, but the pain had subsided substantially. There was now just a dull ache which did not hinder his drawing abilities.


    Before he knew it, the shapes started to morph into more intricate shapes. He sketched those more intricate shapes into a landscape. He kept pondering his conversation with his dad earlier. At least one of his parents now sanctioned his artistic endeavors. He never hid his art, but now that he got his dad¡¯s approval, he could spend his time drawing without feeling guilty¡ªwithout feeling like he should be doing something else. Art was now that something else he should be doing. It felt spectacular to get an official ¡°ok¡± to spend his time drawing.


    He also felt the closest to his dad than he ever felt in his entire life. His dad knew about his feelings towards guys without saying the words. Of course, it would feel definitive if he said the words. That could come later. Right now, he felt his dad understood everything going on with him. He also felt that his dad loved him no less than before. He started to look forward to being more honest with his dad about his life and his relationship with Rocco. He looked forward to his dad¡¯s acceptance.


    He looked at the clock. Rocco would pull up to his usual spot in about ten minutes. He wanted to do something a little different tonight. He put his drawing aside and grabbed his jacket. He put on Rocco¡¯s hat. He left his light on and quietly snuck out of his room into the hallway. The house was silent. It was 11, and his parent were already in bed. Joe was out either on a date or hanging out with friends. He tiptoed to the back door and quietly opened it. He stepped onto the back porch. Once he was outside, he walked to the corner of the house to the side yard. He stayed in the shadows working his way to the driveway. He walked down the driveway to the main road. He wanted to meet Rocco.


    He waited on the side of the main road away from the house so as not to be seen. The air was crisp. It was no longer early fall when the summer heat still lingered. It was clearly an autumn night. There was a layer of light fog lingering over the field across from his house. He breathed in some of the cool air to clear his mind of the day¡¯s events. As he exhaled, he saw headlights in the distance. This must be Rocco.


    As the car got closer, Mike started to waive his hands. The high beams flickered. The car pulled over. It was Rocco¡¯s car. Mike ran up to the passenger side as Rocco leaned over to unlock the door. He got in the car. Rocco had the heater on which made the transition from the cool air comforting.


    ¡°Hi,¡± Mike said getting into the seat.


    ¡°Hi,¡± Rocco said a bit confused. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting you to be waiting by the road.¡±


    ¡°I wanted to get out of the house,¡± Mike said and looked at Rocco.


    ¡°Do you want to go somewhere?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°Yes, please,¡± Mike said and smiled.


    ¡°Where?¡±


    ¡°Anywhere,¡± Mike immediately answered. ¡°Wait, let¡¯s go to that gas station we stopped after practice.¡±


    Rocco smiled crookedly and nodded. He made a U-turn and drove to the closed station. As it was the other night, it was closed and dark. He pulled into the same spot and killed the engine and lights.


    ¡°Did something happen tonight?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°A lot, but I don¡¯t want to talk about it,¡± Mike replied and looked out into the distance.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Rocco said. He placed his hand on Mike¡¯s thigh. Mike looked over at Rocco. The two leaned into each other and kissed.


    Rocco pulled away leaving Mike a little confused.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Not a thing,¡± Rocco said. ¡°I want to return the favor.¡±


    Rocco dropped Mike off at the side of the road where he picked him up. He kissed Mike on the lips. Mike closed his eyes to savor Rocco¡¯s kiss. He needed Rocco¡¯s company more than anything tonight. Everything else was just icing on the cake.


    ¡°I¡¯ll pick you up tomorrow at 6?¡± Rocco asked as Mike got out of the car.


    ¡°Reporting to work at 6,¡± Mike said and saluted Rocco.


    As Mike started to walk to the driveway, Rocco admired Mike¡¯s backside. There goes your man, he thought.

 18. Rocco鈥檚 Confrontation

    Rocco picked Mike up at his house promptly at 6. This was going to be Mike¡¯s first experience as a band assistant. His job was to help unload the equipment, help with the set-up, and other duties as assigned. The other duties would most likely include fetching water and cheering the band on to get the audience keyed up¡ªand be Rocco¡¯s groupie, of course.


    Troy Brighton was one of the popular kids that frequented the Haven although he did not play any sports. His parents owned and ran one of the car dealerships in town which afforded him instant access to cars¡ªimmediate popularity. His family was well known in the county since most of the parents had a car from Brighton Motors. He was a fit guy with brown hair and green eyes. His hair was done in a standard bowl cut with a side part. His popularity allowed him to date one of the cheerleaders. It would be inevitable that all the popular kids including most of the football team would be at the party. Troy requested that Fred play mostly late 80s/early 90s rock music like Bon Jovi, Motley Cr¨¹e, etc. The band members accepted this play list but would surprise the audience with an occasional skate punk song. Most of the partygoers would be so wasted that they would not even notice.


    Rocco and Mike arrived at Troy¡¯s house around 6:15. The house was a two-story brick colonial. Troy had a wooden stage set up in the back where the party would take place. There were plenty of dark spots in the large back yard for more nefarious activities. There would be sparse DJ music¡ªthe band would be the primary source of music. Rocco pulled up next to Austin¡¯s car. He saw Austin and Wendy sitting in the front. When Rocco got out of his car, Austin saw the boys and started to open his car door.


    ¡°Hey Austin, you ready?¡± Rocco asked as he and Wendy got out of the car.


    ¡°Indeed, I am,¡± Austin said. ¡°Hey Mike, this will be the premiere of your logo design. I still love it so much.¡±


    ¡°Thanks!¡± Mike said smiling broadly with pride. ¡°You guys ready to put me to work?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely. You can start by unloading the drums,¡± Austin said unlocking his back doors and popping open his trunk. Even though Austin drove a bigger car¡ªone that would be more appropriate for a grandparent¡ªthe drums were still a tight fit.


    Wendy came over to Mike. ¡°First a hug!!!¡± she said and gave Mike a huge squeeze.


    ¡°Ah shucks!¡± Mike said and blushed.


    ¡°My comrade in groupie status!¡± Wendy squealed making Mike giggle.


    Mike, Austin, and Rocco started to unload the drums from the car when Pete and Raz pulled up behind Austin¡¯s car. Pete got out of the car and immediately spotted Mike.


    ¡°Assistant, some assistance please!¡± Pete barked and snapped his fingers in the air just like the diva he was.


    ¡°How may I be of assistance?¡± Mike said in a waiter-like voice.


    ¡°Actually, you¡¯re doing just fine. I just wanted to say that,¡± Pete said and mussed up Mike¡¯s hair. ¡°Such a cutie-patootie, you are!¡± Pete pinched Mike¡¯s cheek.


    ¡°Hey, he¡¯s spoken for,¡± Rocco interjected with fake jealousy. Mike laughed at Rocco¡¯s display of mock possessiveness.


    ¡°Hey Raz, need some help with your guitar?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°No, man, I¡¯m good. Looks like you got a lot going on with those drums,¡± Raz replied and got his guitar out of the back seat of Pete¡¯s car. ¡°On second thought, you can help with the amps.¡± Mike happily obliged.


    Even though Mike was charged to transport all the equipment, the band members were already so used to it themselves that they made Mike¡¯s job easy. Once they had moved all the equipment to the stage, Mike began helping Austin assemble his drum set first. Austin had to guide him through all the steps of setup since he had never put together a drum set before. When the drums were in place, Pete directed Mike on where the amps, microphones, and guitar pedals should be placed on the stage. Troy had already had the speakers set up on the sides of the stage, so Mike¡¯s last job in setup was to connect all the equipment so the band could do their sound checks.


    The party was not supposed to start until 8. By the time everything was set up, it was only 7 giving them at least an hour to chill out. They would likely start playing between 8:30 and 9 and end around 10. They had a full hour-long song list practiced and ready to go.


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s test out the equipment. Mike, I¡¯ll need you to go out in the yard about halfway between the front of the stage and that line of trees,¡± Pete pointed to some trees in the back yard. The area between the trees and the stage would be the audience pit. Mike gave him a thumbs up and found a spot to Pete¡¯s liking. ¡°Okay, that¡¯s going to be the center of the audience. We are going to start testing our equipment one by one. You give us a signal if we need to turn it up or down.¡± Mike gave him another thumbs up in understanding.


    Pete first started by saying ¡°Test 1-2, 1-2¡± to which Mike motioned for him to turn his mic up a couple of times. Pete then started to sing a few bars of the first song to which Mike gave him a thumbs up. Next was Rocco who started to play some random notes. Mike asked for some more volume only once before Rocco started to play a couple of riffs of the first song. Mike gave a second thumbs up. Raz was next requiring a couple of adjustments followed by Austin who sounded perfect the first attempt. They all played the first few lines of music all together. Mike gave an enthusiastic two thumbs up. He was enjoying this job.


    ¡°I think we are all set,¡± Pete said turning off his mic. Troy was standing off to the side the entire time watching them¡ªunbeknownst to the band members.


    ¡°You guys sound fantastic!¡± Troy said in a calm tone.


    ¡°Thanks for hiring us,¡± Pete replied.


    ¡°We¡¯ve got some drinks and snacks set up for you guys in the kitchen if you want to chill out before people get here,¡± Troy said and pointed to the back door.


    ¡°Cool, thanks,¡± Pete said and motioned for everyone to join him for a potential cocktail. Hopefully, Troy was just a liberal with the libations as Tiffany was a few weeks ago. It was always nice to have something to get rid of the pre-show jitters. The band went into the kitchen to find a full array of liquor, beer, and nibbles. Pete went over to get 6 cups. He spaced them out all next to each other. He grabbed a bottle of whisky and liberally poured at least a couple of ounces in each cup. He divvied out the cups to all the band mates as well as Mike and Wendy.


    ¡°Here¡¯s to our first paid gig!¡± Pete said lifting his cup to toast. Everyone else joined him in the toast and downed the fire water¡ªall of them making a face as the liquor went down. Troy came in after their first drink missing the opportunity to toast with the band.


    ¡°Do you guys have everything you need?¡± Troy asked as a few cars started to pull in early.


    ¡°Yep, I think we are good,¡± Pete said making another drink.


    ¡°Great. You let me know if you need anything. Looks like I¡¯ve got some early arrivals to greet. We will get you on the stage at 9?¡± Troy asked. The band members nodded and made themselves comfortable.


    Mike and Rocco found a seat on a nearby couch and sat next to each other.


    ¡°You did very well,¡± Rocco said smiling at Mike and placing his hand on Mike¡¯s thigh.


    ¡°Thanks! If I didn¡¯t know any better, I¡¯d say Pete was flirting with me,¡± Mike said and laughed.


    ¡°Yeah, I know! I was getting jealous!¡± Rocco said taking a sip of his drink.


    ¡°I only have my eyes set on you. But it was hot to see you defend my honor,¡± Mike replied taking a sip.


    ¡°And defend I shall!¡± Rocco said in a half English accent making Mike giggle.


    A few of the early arrivers came inside to make a drink before the rest of the partygoers arrived. This must be the pre-party crew. It was mostly cheerleaders and football players including Joe and David Wick. Joe spotted Mike and Rocco on the couch.


    ¡°Hey, Rocco and Rocco¡¯s assistant!¡± Joe exclaimed. Mike and Rocco waved. ¡°You ready to rock?¡±


    Rocco gave a thumbs up. Joe returned the gesture. David noticed Rocco on the couch but only gave him a look of disdain. At best, to David, Rocco was just the hired help. David did not need to acknowledge his presence. He took a Solo Cup and filled it three-quarters of the way full of vodka and splashed in a bit of Sundrop. His intention was to get as drunk as he could. He chugged half of the drink and refilled the cup with vodka. He did not even bother with the mixer for the refill. The pre-partiers hung around the kitchen¡ªthe entire time, David giving Rocco an evil eye look. Rocco pretended not to notice but it was difficult. Rocco felt David¡¯s glare no matter how hard he tried to ignore it.


    It was getting close to 8:30 when the pre-party crew made their way out to join the rest of the attendees. David must have refilled his cup at least three times. By the time he made his way out the door to join the party, he was well into the tipsy stage of drunkenness. When David left, Rocco felt a sense of relief from being out of the glare of this hateful guy. Hopefully, he would just pass out soon and no longer be a concern for Rocco.


    ¡°Dude, that one football player was giving you the stink eye,¡± Raz leaned over and said to Rocco.


    ¡°Yeah, David Wick. The football dick,¡± Rocco replied and took a sip of his drink.


    ¡°What¡¯s his beef with you?¡± Raz asked.


    ¡°He¡¯s got a real problem with gay guys. He¡¯s the one who always taunted me and called me names,¡± Rocco recounted. Mike quietly listened. It clicked that David Wick was for Rocco what Stanton was for himself.


    ¡°Well, fuck him,¡± Raz said and sat back.


    ¡°Yeah, fuck him,¡± Rocco repeated and finished his drink. He was about to fix himself another one when Troy came in.


    ¡°I think we are about ready for you guys. There¡¯s already a crowd so let¡¯s get the party started.¡± Troy said and went back out.


    ¡°Damn, I didn¡¯t even get a chance to get a refill,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°That¡¯s my job, isn¡¯t it?¡± Mike said and smiled.


    ¡°So it is,¡± Rocco said and smirked. ¡°Boy, get me a drink.¡±


    ¡°Boy???¡± Mike said jokingly defensive making Rocco laugh.


    ¡°Actually, just a Sundrop. I don¡¯t want to be drunk on stage,¡± Rocco said. Mike gave an ok sign and went to fix his drink.


    ¡°Alright, guys, you ready to rock?¡± Pete exclaimed.


    ¡°Ready!!!¡± Raz, Austin, and Rocco said in unison.


    They started to make their way out when Mike interrupted, ¡°You guys want me to bring anything out for you?¡±


    ¡°Bring me a glass of water to start,¡± Pete said. Austin and Raz declined.


    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    The band members made their way to the stage. The yard was already surprising full of popular teenagers. Mike followed with the beverages a few minutes after the band members got their equipment turned on. He handed Pete his water and Rocco his Sundrop. Mike then found a spot in the front but off to the side next to Wendy. The crowd started to cheer when Pete looked out waved.


    ¡°We¡¯re Fred and we are here to rock,¡± Pete said. The crowd let out lots of cheers and woos. ¡°Alright, 2¡­ 3¡­ 4¡­.¡±


    They started to play their first song, a request from Troy. The performance was different for Rocco. At Tiffany¡¯s party, he was taken to an alternate universe while he played. This time around, he stayed on this planet fully aware of the audience. This performance was not as transcendent as his first one. Though he technically played the right notes and kept time, this performance just did not have the same magic as Tiffany¡¯s party. It didn¡¯t help that a drunk David Wick was standing front and center in the audience. He looked like a big dumb rock standing among a writhing and enthusiastic crowd. He just sneered and drank for most of the set. A few cheerleaders tried to get him to dance but he refused to budge.


    The band played the second of their surprise punk songs. As they anticipated, no one really noticed the change in tone. A few people could be seen giving a confused look but then went along with the song. When they finished the song, the crowd cheered even though most didn¡¯t know what they had played. There was a lull in the frenzy as they began to transition back to Troy¡¯s playlist. Rocco and Raz tuned their guitars up while Pete started to thank the audience for their applause. Out of nowhere, a voice from the crowd yelled.


    ¡°Hey, faggot. Play Freebird!¡± the voice yelled. It was David. The liquor had hit.


    Rocco looked up and into the audience. So did Mike. The crowd went silent.


    ¡°Not cool,¡± Pete said loudly into the mic.


    ¡°Play Freebird, you fucking queers!¡± David yelled.


    Rocco went over to Pete and whispered something. Pete smiled and nodded. Rocco went back over to his spot.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Pete yelled into the mic. ¡°We will play y¡¯all some Skynyrd.¡± He pointed over to Rocco who started to play the first few characteristic bars of Sweet Home Alabama.


    Pete chimed in when he was supposed to sing ¡°Turn it up¡±. Instead of sticking to the traditional lyric, he yelled, ¡°Yeah, we are queer as fuck¡­here¡¯s your goddamed Skynyrd, you fucks!¡±. Rocco sped up the tempo of the song to make it a punk version of Sweet Home Alabama. Pete scream-sang the entire song. The band members smiled and joined in on the new tempo. Halfway during the song, David huffed off in anger.


    As the song came to an end, Pete yelled into the mic, ¡°Thanks to dickhead, that¡¯s the end of the show. Good night, fuckers!¡± He dropped the microphone and walked off the stage along with the rest of the band. Most of the audience cheered for an encore but the band went into the kitchen. They were done. Troy quickly followed them.


    ¡°Oh man, I¡¯m so sorry about that. I can¡¯t believe that asshole,¡± Troy said sincerely.


    ¡°Fuck the money. We aren¡¯t going back on stage,¡± Pete adamantly said. ¡°That¡¯s what you get for dissing one of our band members.¡± Rocco could have kissed Pete for standing up for him like he did.


    ¡°No, man, keep the money. That was uncalled for. You guys enjoy the bar. Chill out, please, stay¡ªas long as you like,¡± Troy said pleading. Pete shrugged his shoulders and made another drink.


    ¡°Just keep that dickhead away from us,¡± Pete said.


    ¡°You got it¡­. absolutely. You won¡¯t see him again,¡± Troy said and smiled apologetically. As Troy left, Mike and Wendy rushed in. Mike went over to Rocco.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°I am,¡± Rocco said confidently.


    ¡°You handled that like a pro!¡± Mike said and hugged him.


    ¡°Thanks!¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°That was by far the best song in the show,¡± Mike said holding Rocco¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Yeah, totally unpracticed,¡± Rocco said proudly.


    ¡°If I could be honest¡­¡± Mike said then stopped.


    ¡°Go on¡­¡± Pete said.


    ¡°You guy sounded good, but something was missing,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°You noticed it too?¡± Rocco said looking at the rest of the band members. ¡°I wasn¡¯t feeling it with those songs until we played our punked up Skynyrd at the end.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, me too,¡± Raz nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Yeah, okay.¡± Pete said. ¡°From now on, we only play music we want to play. Fuck the money.¡±


    ¡°Fuck the money!¡± the rest of the band members said as a chant in unison.


    ¡°Alright, you guys want to pack up the cars? If you want to stick around, it¡¯s your call,¡± Pete asked. The group agreed and went outside to dismantle the stage. The crowd had dispersed around the yard a bit so there were no shouts for an encore. A couple of people came up to Pete to ask about playing their party. He got names and numbers and said he would get back with them. He mentioned their gig at the skate park¡ªdoubtful that any would attend. People were too intoxicated at that point to tell them that they were only playing songs the band wanted to play. He figured that conversation could wait until people were more sober. The band started to load the instruments into the cars. Once the drums were in Austin¡¯s car, he and Wendy decided to take make their way out for their own private party. Raz, Pete, Rocco, and Mike stuck around for a few more minutes before Pete decided it was time for he and Raz to head out.


    ¡°Do you want to stick around?  Maybe check out the woods in the back?¡± Rocco said with a smirk.


    ¡°Well, we can but we can go to an even more private setting,¡± Mike said returning the smirk.


    ¡°Let¡¯s do that,¡± Rocco said and unlocked the car. He leaned over and unlocked Mike¡¯s side of the car. ¡°Where do you want to go?¡±


    ¡°Well, my parents are still going to be up. What about your place?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Yeah, I can scope out the situation at home,¡± Rocco said and started the car.


    He pulled into the dark part of the lot where he had parked that first night they snuck into his room. The living room lights were off which was a good sign. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll take my stuff in and go to my room. I¡¯ll wave you to the window like last time.¡± Mike nodded and patiently waited for Rocco to complete his reconnaissance. Within a few minutes, he saw the light on the side come on followed a few seconds later by a hand waiving out the window. That was his cue to get to the window. He locked both doors and made his way to Rocco¡¯s window. Rocco was waiting at the window with his hand extended. Mike grabbed Rocco¡¯s hand and hoisted himself into Rocco¡¯s room. Mike reached around Rocco¡¯s waist and pulled him towards himself eager to get a passionate kiss. Rocco was still moist with sweat which did not deter Mike in any way.


    Afterwards, the two laid in Rocco¡¯s full-sized bed staring at the ceiling. Mike had his head on Rocco¡¯s chest listening to his heartbeat inside his chest. Rocco ran his hands through Mike¡¯s cool auburn hair causing Mike to quake.


    ¡°I¡¯m so looking forward to our little camping excursion,¡± Rocco whispered to Mike.


    ¡°Yeah, I can¡¯t wait either,¡± Mike said dreamily.


    ¡°You know, isn¡¯t there a dance associated with the Halloween Festival?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°Yeah, a dress up dance,¡± Mike answered.


    ¡°You want to go with me?¡± Rocco asked.


    Mike looked up from Rocco¡¯s chest. Rocco was still staring at the ceiling but looked down when he felt Mike look up.


    ¡°Are you being serious?¡± Mike asked a bit shocked at the question.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m serious,¡± Rocco confirmed. Mike sat up in the bed.


    ¡°How are we going to do that? No one outside of our group knows about us,¡± Mike said in a serious tone.


    ¡°Well,¡± Rocco looked off still covered up, ¡°it is a dress-up party. We could go in good costumes. No one would know who we were.¡±


    ¡°They would eventually, don¡¯t you think? I mean, if we went in masks, they would get too hot to wear at some point,¡± Mike answered.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s true. But we could keep them on at first and dance together. Then, as the night progressed, we could swap being maskless,¡± Rocco pondered.


    ¡°People would catch on eventually, Rocco,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°So what?¡± Rocco asked.


    Mike thought this over a minute. ¡°Are you going to be ready for that?¡±


    ¡°I will. But the question is will you be ready?¡± Rocco asked.


    Mike thought a little more. ¡°I could be.¡±


    ¡°Then, let¡¯s do it. If you decide down the road that you don¡¯t want to, then it¡¯ll be fine if we back out,¡± Rocco said and placed his head in Mike¡¯s lap.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Mike said. ¡°I¡¯ll think it over.¡±


    Rocco sighed and looked off to the corner of the room. They were silent for a moment.


    ¡°I think my dad figured out about me,¡± Mike said breaking the silence.


    Rocco immediately sat up in the bed. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°We had a talk about yesterday and, oh shit,¡± Mike realized mid-sentence that Rocco didn¡¯t know about his altercation with Stanton. ¡°There¡¯s a lot that happened yesterday.¡± Rocco sat quietly as Mike recounted how Stanton treated him and how he punched Stanton in the jaw. That was likely the reason Stanton did not go to Troy¡¯s party. He told Rocco about his heart-to-heart with his dad and about how, even though he didn¡¯t explicitly state his sexuality, he didn¡¯t deny anything to his dad. He also told Rocco about how his dad did not seem to mind.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re pretty sure he figured you out?¡± Rocco said after hearing what Mike told him.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m pretty sure,¡± Mike said. ¡°If he can accept it, I don¡¯t really care about what anyone thinks. Stanton is the worst I¡¯ve encountered, and I did a decent job at defending myself. I even met a new friend, and I was completely honest with him about us.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Rocco said stunned.


    ¡°Yeah, this guy from my junior high. I never really talked to him until yesterday, and I really enjoyed our conversation. I was feeling so relaxed and comfortable. I was just honest, and he completely accepted it.¡±


    ¡°Wow. The people in this town never cease to amaze me,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Yeah, he may be a fan. He saw you playing at Tiffany¡¯s party and thinks you rock,¡± Mike boasted on his boyfriend.


    ¡°Is that right?¡± Rocco said. He was building up a fan base.


    ¡°He says he¡¯ll be at the show at the park,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Who is this guy?¡±


    ¡°His name is Jared,¡± Mike said scratching his head.


    ¡°Do I need to be jealous of this Jared?¡± Rocco asked half-jokingly.


    ¡°No, he¡¯s cute, but why bother when I have someone even cuter right now,¡± Mike smiled and kissed Rocco.


    They got out of bed. As Mike got dressed, he grabbed Rocco¡¯s sweaty t-shirt and put it on. It felt nice to have a piece of Rocco with him whenever he wanted. Rocco smiled at him and gave him a thumbs up. He drove Mike to his house and returned home going through his window. He laid in bed thinking about how lucky he was to have found a great boyfriend¡ªone who adored him more than he knew. He drifted off to sleep thinking of Mike.


    The next morning, Rocco got up and went into the kitchen to fix a bowl of cereal. He didn¡¯t eat before going to bed. He was starving. Playing with the band always built up an appetite, but he was not thinking of food last night.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± Rocco¡¯s mom said as she started to make a pot of coffee. ¡°How did the show go last night?¡±


    Rocco poured the cereal and milk in his bowl and made his way to the attached living room. ¡°Very well and we got paid.¡± He wasn¡¯t going to mention the events with David Wick. The less she knew about his struggles, the better. She would inevitably make his struggles all about her. He did not need that right now.


    ¡°That¡¯s good. I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s almost October,¡± his mom yawned and poured a cup of coffee. ¡°What are you thinking about college?¡±


    Rocco put his cereal down on the coffee table. ¡°Mom, I told you. I want to go to UCLA.¡±


    ¡°I thought you were joking about that,¡± his mom said taking a sip of coffee. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious about that.¡±


    ¡°I am serious,¡± Rocco was shocked this hadn¡¯t sunk it with his mom.


    ¡°Marcus, sweetie, there¡¯s no way you¡¯re going to college all the way in California,¡± his mom said.


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°How are you going to afford that? And how are you going to afford to live out there?¡± His mom put her coffee down.


    ¡°I can do work-study or get a job or something. I can figure it out,¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°Honey, you need to be realistic. There¡¯s no way I can pay for you go to school in California,¡± his mom said.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do anything. I¡¯ve got good enough grades that I could get a scholarship,¡± Rocco explained.


    ¡°You¡¯re being serious, aren¡¯t you?¡± his mom said suddenly adopting a serious tone.


    ¡°Yes, Mom. I don¡¯t know how many times I need to tell you this,¡± Rocco said defensively.


    ¡°Well, you just can¡¯t move to California. I won¡¯t allow it,¡± his mom said definitively. ¡°It¡¯s a ridiculous notion that I won¡¯t let you entertain.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not really up to you,¡± Rocco said as the anger started to build up.


    Tears started welling up in her eyes, as she sensed Rocco¡¯s obstinance. ¡°What will I do with myself if you go to California?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll be fine,¡± he said. He was going to be 18 at that point. She needed to let him go.


    ¡°Why there? Why so far away? There¡¯s plenty of schools close by. I won¡¯t be able to drop by if I wanted to,¡± his mom said.


    ¡°That¡¯s the point. I want to be as far away from this place as possible. I want to be able to find out who I am,¡± Rocco tried to explain.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize it was so awful here,¡± his mom said crying.


    ¡°It¡¯s not awful for you. This place is just not me,¡± Rocco replied feeling the enormous guilt sink in.


    ¡°Why is this place not you? What¡¯s been so terrible here that you have to move clear across the country?¡± his mom demanded to know.


    Rocco sat there staring at his now soggy cereal for a few minutes. He was thinking about ripping the band-aid off and telling her everything. Since she was already upset and crying, why not just tell her all of it and be done.


    ¡°Well?¡± his mom asked impatiently.


    ¡°You really want to know what is so terrible?¡± Rocco started. ¡°Ever since we moved here, I¡¯ve been picked on for being too sensitive or for being a sissy. Then, guys would pick on me because they thought I was gay. And guess what? I am gay. That¡¯s what¡¯s so terrible about this place. But my friends are okay with it. I even have a boyfriend now. And I have snuck out of the house when you are asleep to be with him. Just last night, I snuck him into my room. So, yes, I want to go to California because I want to be in a place where I¡¯m not viewed as some aberration against God. So, there it all is.¡± Rocco didn¡¯t realize that he was yelling as he got to the end of confession.


    His mom sat silent for a few seconds then started to sob. It was a bittersweet moment. Rocco felt relieved to have everything out in the open, but he was angry at himself for making his mom weep.


    ¡°I had no idea you were going through all of that,¡± his mom sobbed out.


    ¡°Yeah, well, there wasn¡¯t anything you could have done about,¡± Rocco was still angry.


    ¡°You could have told me,¡± his mom sniffled.


    ¡°What would you have done? Everything must be hunky-dory here. Anytime I had a problem, you always have to blow it out of proportion. I could never just be sad for a few days¡ªyou think I¡¯m suicidal and start booking me appointments with a shrink. I could never tell you I was just going through some normal growing up stuff¡ªyou¡¯d always call the teacher and the principle and make it ten times worse. That¡¯s why I never I tell you anything. That¡¯s why I want to move to California. I want to be an adult and figure things out on my own. You still treat me like I¡¯m 5 years old¡± Again, Rocco was yelling. These were some feeling that were deep down in him that he was finally getting out.


    His mom got up and went to her room. Rocco exhaled deeply and went to his room. While it felt good to get all of that off his chest, he felt terrible for how it all came out. It was all true, but his brutality in telling the truth was a step too far. He had learned a valuable lesson that sometimes the truth requires tact.

 19. S鈥檓ores

    Mike had a seat at the table where Jared was sitting for lunch. Mike saw Stanton and Chris at the popular table as usual. Stanton¡¯s jaw was bruised where Mike gave him a solid right hook. They hadn¡¯t exchanged so much as a glance since that incident. Chris had not tried to contact Mike either since that day. Mike guessed whatever shreds of their friendship was left was long gone at this point.


    There was a tall, lanky guy also sitting at the table with Jared and Mike. He had a buzzcut and a large, hooked nose. His beady eyes were brown, and he had a gap between his two front teeth. He was wearing similar attire to what Mike was getting accustomed to these days: Rocco¡¯s hat, a band t-shirt, a flannel shirt, and baggy jeans.


    ¡°Hey Mike,¡± Jared said. ¡°This is my friend Rusty. Rusty meet Mike.¡± The two nodded to each other. ¡°Mike and Rocco are boyfriends?¡± Jared asked unsure of their status.


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Mike said and eyed Rusty.


    ¡°Rocco, the guitarist of Fred?¡± Rusty asked.


    ¡°The one and only,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Righteous,¡± Rusty said and held up a fist. Mike immediately felt at ease¡ªRusty seems to not care about his relationship with Rocco.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to see Fred at the park in a couple of weeks,¡± Jared said pointing to Rusty.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll be working it,¡± Mike said and cut into his lasagna.


    ¡°You work at the park?¡± Rusty asked wide eyed.


    ¡°No, I help the band set up and get them whatever they need during the show,¡± Mike explained to Rusty.


    ¡°Nice!¡± Rusty said. He had a very distinct California surfer accent.


    ¡°Are you from here? I¡¯ve never seen you before,¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Nah, I just moved here from San Berdoo,¡± Rusty replied.


    ¡°Where?¡± Mike asked confused.


    ¡°Oh, San Bernadino. I forget that¡¯s not a thing around here,¡± Rusty explained laughing.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s in California, right?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Yep, Inland Empire man,¡± Rusty replied.


    ¡°Cool,¡± Mike replied not really knowing how to respond. Mike didn¡¯t know much about California other than the stuff he learned in geography classes. He certainly didn¡¯t know much about Californians as a group of people.


    ¡°Man, I¡¯ve been hearing lots about Fred. Can¡¯t wait to hear them,¡± Rusty said. ¡°It¡¯s pretty dope you¡¯re going out with the guitarist.¡±


    Mike had not heard this turn of phrasing, but from what he gathered Rusty was okay with gay people. ¡°Thanks, man. Hey, I¡¯ve got a question.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Jared said.


    ¡°Do you guys know how to skate?¡± Mike asked putting his fork down.


    ¡°Of course, man,¡± Jared said.


    ¡°You think you can teach me sometime?¡± Mike asked. He wanted to learn for Rocco since it meant so much to him. He would probably never do tricks, but he wanted to share in an experience that Rocco liked. Rocco could teach him, of course, but he wanted to surprise him.


    ¡°Fuck yeah, man!¡± Rusty said nodding at Jared.


    ¡°I tried once and fell off, but I want to give it another shot,¡± Mike said in a way to convince himself that he wanted to give it a go again.


    ¡°When you want to learn?¡± Jared asked.


    ¡°Maybe tomorrow after school?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°You got it, little guy,¡± Rusty said lightly punching Mike on the shoulder.


    ¡°What do you want to learn?¡± Jared asked.


    ¡°Just how to ride without falling on my ass right now,¡± Mike replied laughing.


    ¡°You got it,¡± Rusty said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a board,¡± Mike said looking at his plate.


    ¡°No worries. You can rent a board at the park for the afternoon,¡± Jared replied. Mike did not know this and was a little surprised.


    ¡°Hey, do you know what Fred¡¯s going to play at the show?¡± Rusty asked.


    ¡°No idea but I¡¯m pretty sure they don¡¯t take requests anymore,¡± Mike said smiling remembering Troy¡¯s party.


    ¡°I made you something,¡± Austin said as he pulled out a piece of wax paper from his inside jacket pocket. ¡°I was inspired after Troy¡¯s party.¡± He handed the piece of paper to Rocco. On the paper were three equal length strips of white electrical tape laid out flat. On each of the strips was a word Austin had written in a black Sharpie marker. The three pieces of tape put together read ¡°Queer as Fuck¡±. Rocco looked at the present and let out a belly laugh. He showed the tape pieces to Raz and Pete who joined him in laughter.


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    ¡°What¡¯s this for?¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°If you wanted, you could tape those to your guitar,¡± Austin said with a proud smile on his face.


    ¡°I can¡¯t wait to do that. I¡¯ll have it on there with pride, man,¡± Rocco said looking at the homemade sticker. He was deeply touched by Austin¡¯s gesture as well as his progressive way of owning the heckling incident at Troy¡¯s.


    ¡°I want to get a t-shirt made that says that so I can wear it when we perform,¡± Pete said.


    ¡°I¡¯d wear that,¡± Raz added.


    ¡°Count me in,¡± Austin said.


    ¡°You guys, that¡¯s so awesome of you. If you are wearing them, of course, I¡¯ll be in,¡± Rocco added.


    ¡°Well, it might actually kinda be subversive for the gay guy not to wear it,¡± Pete said pondering the idea.


    ¡°But I don¡¯t want to be left out,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°4 shirts then, well, 5?¡± Pete asked. ¡°You know, one for Mike. He¡¯s a member of our band now.¡± Austin and Raz nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Sure, but I¡¯m not sure he¡¯s the type to wear a shirt that reads ¡®Queer as fuck¡¯,¡± Rocco thought.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that. Those quiet one are the ones you gotta watch out for,¡± Austin said.


    ¡°Yeah, I know!¡± Rocco said thinking about all the times Mike instigated their intimate encounters.


    ¡°Oh? Is Mike the one that starts the engine?¡± Raz asked.


    ¡°You¡¯d like to know!¡± Rocco exclaimed and laughed.


    One of the popular students that Rocco had never met approached their table.


    ¡°Hey, are you the guys in Fred?¡± the popular girl asked.


    ¡°We are,¡± Pete replied.


    ¡°I¡¯m having a birthday party next month and wanted to know if I could hire you to play it?¡± the girl asked.


    ¡°It depends,¡± Pete replied. ¡°You get to make two requests. The rest of the playlist is ours.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you can play whatever you want. I loved how you guys handled that Skynyrd song,¡± she said


    ¡°You did?¡± Pete asked curiously.


    ¡°Oh, yeah, everyone¡¯s talking about it. How you made it all metal,¡± she replied.


    ¡°Well, it wasn¡¯t metal. We punked it up. But I see your point,¡± Pete said.


    ¡°My name is Tina Mailer by the way. What do you charge for like a two-hour show?¡±


    Pete looked at his band members. Raz gave him a shrug. Pete turned back around. ¡°How about $100 and a few bottles of liquor.¡±


    ¡°Deal,¡± Tina said. She waved one her friends over from another table. The friend got up and stood next to Tina. ¡°This is my friend, Dana. She has a party the next weekend after mine but was too afraid to ask if you¡¯d consider playing her party too.¡± Tina looked over at her friend, ¡°Dana, they charge $100 and some alcohol.¡±


    ¡°What weekends are you talking about?¡± Pete asked cautiously.


    ¡°My party is the weekend before the Halloween dance¡ªthe 25th. Hers is the weekend after the dance¡ªthe 2nd,¡± Tina replied.


    Pete looked over at the band mates who all nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Ladies, you¡¯ve got yourselves a band. Give me your numbers and we will be in touch,¡± Pete said. Tina and Dana wrote their names and numbers down and gleefully handed it over to Pete. He put the numbers in his pockets.


    ¡°Wow, two shows booked during lunch,¡± Austin said. The conversation reminded Rocco of the Halloween Dance.


    ¡°Hey, are you guys going to the Halloween Dance?¡± Rocco chimed in.


    ¡°A school dance?¡± Pete sneered. ¡°I kinda doubt it.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m thinking of taking Wendy,¡± Austin interjected. Pete looked over in a surprise.


    ¡°You are?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°Yeah, she¡¯d really like to go and it¡¯s my last year here so, why not?¡± Austin replied.


    ¡°Would you want to make it a double date?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°You and Mike are going to go?¡± Austin was interested in where this was going.


    ¡°We¡¯ve talked about it. We haven¡¯t decided for sure,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Like as a couple?¡± Austin asked.


    ¡°Yeah. We¡¯d dress up in something that disguises us well so no one would recognize us. But we¡¯d go together. Maybe sneak in a slow dance,¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°I like where this is headed,¡± Pete inserted himself in the conversation.


    ¡°I think if we went as a group, it could persuade Mike to say yes,¡± Rocco posed.


    ¡°You really want to go to a high school dance?¡± Pete asked.


    ¡°Yeah. Austin¡¯s right. This is our senior year, we should enjoy all this shit while we can,¡± Rocco said.


    Pete looked over at Raz. Raz nodded his head to indicate that he would be in for going to a dance. ¡°Okay. It could be fun. If not, we could make it fun,¡± Pete said with an evil grin.


    ¡°Since we are all going, do you guys want to go as something together?¡± Pete asked.


    ¡°Maybe¡­¡± Rocco thought. ¡°I want to see if Mike wants to go and if he wants to go as something together.¡±


    ¡°Oh man, you are already pussy whipped,¡± Pete said but then corrected himself. ¡°I mean peter whipped.¡±


    Rocco rolled his eyes and laughed.


    ¡°Do you like s¡¯mores?¡± Mike asked as he turned around to Rocco in the minutes before class started.


    ¡°Of course, who doesn¡¯t?¡± Rocco said making a face. ¡°What kinda question is that?¡±


    ¡°I wanted to make sure. I was going to bring the stuff for them this weekend,¡± Mike said. Rocco smiled big at this coming weekend¡ªtheir outdoors getaway, just the two of them. Rocco had been thinking seriously about spending the weekend with him. He was thinking that this was going to be the weekend that he would give himself fully over to Mike. Rocco wanted to bring it up numerous times, but he chickened out. That was such a big step. Seeing Mike¡¯s smile and his hair falling over his eye this morning sealed the deal.


    ¡°Ah, yes, this weekend,¡± Rocco said putting his head in his hands.


    ¡°Yeah, I feel the same way,¡± Mike was also thinking the same thing as Rocco, but he was also afraid. Seeing Rocco dreamily looking forward to their time together took all his anxieties away. Rocco would not care about Mike¡¯s anxieties. He certainly wouldn¡¯t do anything that would hurt Mike.


    They stared at each other for a minute when Toya and Moni walked in.


    ¡°Oh, I want to tell you. I think I¡¯ve convinced the guys in the band to go to the Halloween dance. We could make it a group thing if it makes you any more comfortable,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°You really want to go, don¡¯t you?¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Only if my boyfriend goes with me as my date,¡± Rocco said and smirked.


    ¡°How can I possibly say no to that?¡± Mike said laughing.


    ¡°You can¡¯t,¡± Rocco half smiled.


    ¡°Then fine, I guess I¡¯ll be a good boyfriend and go,¡± Mike said rolling his eyes in an exaggerated manner.


    ¡°Now the important question,¡± Rocco said. ¡°What are you dressing up as?¡±


    Mike sat thinking for a moment. ¡°Now, that is something I haven¡¯t thought about.¡±


    ¡°The guys were thinking of going as something together,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Mike put his finger to his chin in thought. ¡°Like maybe as KISS?¡±


    ¡°Holy shit Mike!¡± Rocco exclaimed. ¡°That¡¯s brilliant!¡±


    ¡°So, if you¡¯re going as KISS, what could I be?¡± Mike pondered. ¡°I¡¯m kinda wanting to go as something really creepy since it is Halloween.¡±


    ¡°Like the Grim Reaper?¡± Rocco proposed.


    ¡°OOOO, that¡¯s good. Or like one of those medieval plague doctors with the bird mask and a black robe,¡± Mike posited.


    ¡°Wow, I didn¡¯t know you were so dark,¡± Rocco said semi-impressed.


    ¡°I¡¯m learning,¡± Mike nodded.


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t bother you if we didn¡¯t go as something together?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°Not really. I mean, how can you pass up the chance to be KISS for the night?¡± Mike said.


    ¡°I¡¯m more impressed that you even know who KISS is,¡± Rocco smirked.


    ¡°Of course, I do. I can¡¯t say I know any of their songs, but I know who they are,¡± Mike said. ¡°Now, which one are you going to be?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d say Pete would want to be Gene Simmons,¡± Rocco immediately replied. Mike gave him a look of confusion. ¡°You know, the guy with the tongue.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah. Definitely,¡± Mike agreed.


    ¡°I guess since I play guitar, I¡¯d be Paul Stanley¡ªthe guy with the star. Or I could be Ace Frehley¡ªsilver mask eyes,¡± Rocco pondered. ¡°Well, let¡¯s not get ahead of ourselves. I gotta propose the idea first.¡±


    The bell rang indicating the start of the day.

 20. Bug Spray

    ¡°Okay, Mike,¡± Jared said holding onto both of Mike¡¯s hands. ¡°The only thing you gotta focus on is your stability.¡± Mike held on tightly to Jared¡¯s hands. It was a struggle for him to remain steady on the skateboard. The board kept wobbling back and forth much like the time when he tried to stand on the board with Rocco. That time was a bit different, however. He wanted to fall off then. They found a grassy area at the skate park away from the bowls and all the young kids.


    ¡°This is so hard,¡± Mike said laughing and overcompensating his balance as the board teetered back and forth.


    ¡°If it makes you feel any better, the trunks on these rentals are loose. If you can learn your balance on these, you¡¯ll do fine on mine. I keep my trunks much tighter.¡± Jared said trying to keep Mike as even as possible.


    ¡°Yours?¡± Mike asked losing his balance and stepping off the board.


    ¡°Hey, good save there. Just walk off the board if it gets away from you. Yeah, I was going to let you borrow mine so you can practice.¡± Jared said.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that,¡± Mike said. Even though Jared didn¡¯t say it, Mike could pick up on the fact that his family¡¯s financial situation was not anywhere near his. Mike noticed many times when Jared would pick up uneaten fruit from other kids¡¯ trays at lunch.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a problem. It¡¯s my spare. I¡¯ll just have to be sure not to break my primary board in the meantime,¡± Jared smiled.


    ¡°Ah man, I appreciate that. Only until I get my own board. You¡¯ll have to tell me what to get though,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Not a problem at all,¡± Jared said and motioned Mike back on the board. ¡°Come on. You¡¯re not going to learn just standing there being nice.¡±


    Mike tiptoed onto the board with the same amount of difficulty as before all the while holding on to Jared¡¯s rough hands.


    ¡°Does this ever get easier?¡± Mike asked a little frustrated at his ineptitude.


    ¡°It does, and it happens fast. You just got to practice. Don¡¯t worry about pushing yourself on it. We are just working on getting you on it and keeping you on it,¡± Jared said patiently. Mike stepped off and looked up at Jared. He gave Mike a thumbs up. Mike got back on the board holding Jared¡¯s hands. This time he was able to keep the board stable for a couple of seconds before wobbling and stepping off.


    ¡°See, you did it for a little bit. Now we just got to make those little bits longer,¡± Jared smiled and nodded. This guy could teach skateboarding. ¡°Always remember, just step off if it gets away from you.  Just step off.¡±


    Mike gave him a thumbs up and tried again. This time, he was able to add another few seconds.


    ¡°You¡¯re getting it!¡± Jared laughed. ¡°Now, let¡¯s see if you can be stable for five seconds at a time. If we can do that 10 times in a row, we will be done for the day.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a big task, but okay,¡± Mike laughed and hopped on the board. He was successful a few times in a row. Once he even stayed steady for 10 seconds straight.


    ¡°I want you to try something. When you get on your board, point your front foot forward and your back foot perpendicular like this¡­¡± Jared demonstrated this technique and remained on the board. ¡°Then, when you feel steady, pivot your front foot perpendicular like your back foot.¡± He showed Mike this a few times before hopping off. ¡°If you can do that, we will call it for tonight¡ªthat was going to be tomorrow¡¯s lesson.¡±


    Mike repeated Jared¡¯s instructions exactly as he said with no issue. He did this a few times but the last time, he had to step off the board. ¡°I almost had it.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? You did it!¡± Jared encouraged.


    ¡°Why do I need to move my foot like that? I don¡¯t want to do any tricks yet.¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s not a trick. You¡¯ll want to do that. That¡¯s how you stand on a board when it¡¯s rolling. It¡¯s for stability. You want to keep your feet perpendicular over the trunks. That will be your standard stance when you¡¯re rolling. You only want to have your front foot forward and push from the back foot. But let¡¯s work on that later. Right now, I want you to be able to stand on the board in the standard stance with no wobbling.¡± Jared explained. Mike nodded. It made perfect sense, but the only thing was to train his feet to do all of that without him having to think it through.


    ¡°You should really teach skateboarding,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Nah, I¡¯m just enjoying being here passing on the skills,¡± Jared smiled.


    ¡°Seriously, you should put up a flyer or something. I¡¯m decent with art so I could draw you up something.¡± Mike grabbed the board to return it.


    ¡°You¡¯d do that?¡± Jared was surprised at Mike¡¯s willingness in this matter.


    ¡°Yeah, absolutely,¡± Mike said. ¡°It¡¯s the least I can do since you¡¯re teaching me.¡±


    ¡°Well, okay,¡± Jared shrugged. ¡°Why not? It couldn¡¯t hurt earning some cash.¡±


    ¡°Not at all,¡± Mike said. He and Jared walked up to the stand to return the board. ¡°Hang on.¡± Mike turned to the clerk. ¡°Is O¡¯Malley here?¡±


    The clerk looked up and yelled ¡°O¡¯Malley!! There¡¯s a dude here wanting to see you.¡±


    O¡¯Malley came out from behind the little shop. He had a Camel hanging out of his mouth. ¡°Yeah, what is it?¡± he said in his surly voice.


    ¡°Hey, I was wondering, are you guys looking for a skateboard teacher?¡± Mike asked. Jared blushed and slouched further trying to make himself small.


    ¡°I¡¯m listening,¡± O¡¯Malley said taking a drag from his cigarette without touching it.


    ¡°My friend, Jared, here is teaching me how to skate. He¡¯s an awesome teacher. I was thinking about making him a flyer to advertise his services,¡± Mike said pointing to Jared. O¡¯Malley looked over at Jared.


    ¡°Oh yeah? I know you,¡± he said looking at Jared. ¡°You¡¯re pretty good on the board.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Jared said softly.


    ¡°Shit! I ain¡¯t no sir,¡± O¡¯Malley said laughing. ¡°Well, tell you what. I¡¯m not looking to hire any more folks right now but, give me your flyer when you get it done. I¡¯ll make some copies and put ¡®em up.¡±


    Mike looked over at Jared who gave him a shy nod. ¡°Thanks!¡± He walked over to Jared, ¡°And now, I just paid you for my lesson tonight.¡±


    ¡°Have a seat, Marcus,¡± Rocco¡¯s mother said. ¡°We need to talk.¡±


    Rocco closed his eyes and rolled them inside his lids so his mother would not see his anger. He remembered how awful he felt after telling his mom everything, so he dropped his attitude.


    ¡°Ok,¡± Rocco said and sat in the chair next to the couch. They had hardly exchanged anything more than ¡°Good Morning¡± since Sunday.


    His mom inhaled and exhaled deeply before starting. ¡°You told me a lot of stuff a few days ago. A lot of stuff that I can¡¯t just ignore, and hope it goes away.¡± Rocco nodded. ¡°The first thing we need to talk about is your being gay. Is that true or was that just something you said in the heat of the moment?¡±


    Rocco stared at the floor for a moment and then looked up at his mom. He was embarrassed at how he came out to her. ¡°It¡¯s true.¡±


    His mom smiled, ¡°Thank you for telling me and being honest. The first thing I want you to know is that it doesn¡¯t matter. You are my son. I love you no matter what. I¡¯m sad that I didn¡¯t pick up on it.¡± She lit a cigarette and inhaled. She exhaled. ¡°I guess I always knew it. I just didn¡¯t know what to say. I mean, I figured that¡¯s for you to figure out on your own.¡±


    Rocco nodded. ¡°I can see that.¡±


    ¡°I always blew things out of proportion because I knew you were struggling with being different. I thought that maybe if I got you some professional help, you could work things out on your own. That¡¯s why I always wanted to get you to go see someone if you were feeling blue. I was just worried that whatever you were going through would get too out of hand.¡±


    Rocco really felt bad when he heard this. He just assumed it was some way for her to hold it over him¡ª ¡°Look what I did for you¡±. It never occurred to him that she blew things out of proportion out of concern.


    ¡°That offer will always stand, you know. As for the boyfriend, I¡¯m very happy you have found someone to share your experience with. What¡¯s his name?¡±


    ¡°Mike,¡± Rocco said looking at his mom.


    ¡°What¡¯s he like?¡± she asked interested.


    ¡°I mean, he¡¯s cool. He¡¯s into art. He¡¯s in a couple of my classes. He¡¯s a sophomore,¡± Rocco didn¡¯t really know what else to say. That question was like when someone says, ¡°tell me about yourself¡±.


    ¡°Art, hmm. That sounds interesting,¡± his mom replied.


    ¡°He designed the logo for our band,¡± Rocco answered.


    ¡°How long have you two been an item?¡± she asked.


    ¡°A few weeks now,¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°That¡¯s so sweet,¡± she responded. ¡°I don¡¯t understand though. What about all those girlfriends you¡¯ve had?¡±


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    ¡°I never really liked them.  They liked me,¡± Rocco looked down.


    ¡°Oh, I see,¡± his mom said. ¡°You were dating them out of false pretenses?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I didn¡¯t want anyone to know about me,¡± Rocco replied. ¡°So, I just went along with it.¡±


    ¡°Well, Marcus,¡± his mom said taking a drag from her cigarette. ¡°That part of the story is not nice. I think you owe them an apology for going out with them when the feeling wasn¡¯t mutual.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Rocco replied. ¡°But I¡¯m not totally out to everyone.¡±


    ¡°Who else knows?¡± his mom asked.


    ¡°A few friends, Mike¡¯s brother, that¡¯s all I think,¡± Rocco responded.


    ¡°Well, you need to figure out a way to address that and apologize,¡± his mom said. ¡°Do Mike¡¯s parents know everything?


    ¡°I think his dad may know,¡± Rocco answered.


    ¡°Well, that brings me to next thing. Sneaking him into your room and sneaking out to go see him. I do not like that one bit,¡± his mom responded firmly. ¡°You cannot do that anymore. I don¡¯t care if you bring him here. He can stay for however long he likes provided his parents give him permission. But no more sneaking around, understood?¡± She was getting a little angry in her voice.


    ¡°I understand,¡± Rocco said looking down at the floor.


    ¡°He is to come in through the front door from now on. And from now on, you are to leave your door unlocked so I can check to make sure you haven¡¯t snuck out. I¡¯ll take your car keys away if I find out you¡¯re not in your room,¡± his mom said in a firm tone again.


    ¡°I understand,¡± Rocco said still looking at the floor.


    ¡°Now, for California. I know you want to get out and explore the world. I just don¡¯t think I can help you out with that move, honey. Where else are you thinking of applying? Anywhere closer? I mean, you can be at least within driving distance!¡± his mom said.


    ¡°That¡¯s the only place I want to go,¡± Rocco said, eyes still on the floor.


    ¡°I think you should consider some other options, Marcus Antonius Rocio,¡± his mom exclaimed. ¡°What if you didn¡¯t even get in to whatever California college you want to go to?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think about that,¡± Rocco said looking at his mom.


    ¡°Well, you better give it some thought,¡± his mom continued.


    ¡°I know,¡± Rocco said with tears in his eyes.


    ¡°I mean, you can go out to California and see how you do, but it won¡¯t be with my blessing,¡± his mother had finished her cigarette.


    ¡°I understand,¡± Rocco said with a tear falling off his cheek.


    ¡°Now, all the rest, you being gay and you having a boyfriend¡­¡± she said. ¡°I fully support you.¡± She extended her arms to indicate he needed to give her a hug. Rocco got up and hugged his mother. He started sobbing in her arms. He felt like an idiot for how he treated her and for being so foolish. ¡°It¡¯s all going to fine, honey. It¡¯ll work out in the end. Just know that I love you so much and I want you to be happy.¡±


    ¡°I love you too,¡± Rocco said, his voice muffled in her arms.


    ¡°My mom knows everything,¡± Rocco said into the receiver.


    ¡°What do you mean by everything?¡± Mike said.


    ¡°She knows about us. She knows about being gay. She knows about the sneaking into my room. All of it,¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°Oh shit,¡± Mike said sitting down on his bed. ¡°What¡¯s the fallout?¡±


    ¡°Well, the gay thing and us is fine. It was the sneaking around that she doesn¡¯t like,¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°I can see her point about that,¡± Mike said. ¡°She¡¯s really fine about us?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Rocco laughed. ¡°She kinda knew about me being gay. She wants to meet you sometime.¡±


    ¡°Are you ready for that?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Well, no, but, if you come over, you have to use the front door,¡± Rocco replied.


    Mike laughed. ¡°I suppose that¡¯s not terrible.¡±


    ¡°She is okay with you staying as late as you are allowed. So---¡± Rocco drew out the ¡®so¡¯.


    ¡°Yes?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Maybe you can stay over if your parents let you,¡± Rocco suggested.


    ¡°Oh, I like that idea. I¡¯d probably have to ask my dad though since he has an idea about me now,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Yeah, how¡¯s that been going?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°We haven¡¯t really broached the subject since we had our little talk,¡± Mike replied.


    ¡°Hmm, something to think about,¡± Rocco replied. ¡°Okay, enough parents. What the fuck am I supposed to pack for our camping trip?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± Mike asked a little sarcastically.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never been camping. Like am I supposed to bring beef jerky and toilet paper or something survivalist like that?¡± Rocco laughed but was serious about his question.


    Mike belly laughed at the thought of Rocco just showing up with a package of beef jerky and a roll of toilet paper. ¡°You silly, adorable man! Just pack some clothes you don¡¯t care about getting dirty. I¡¯ll take care of everything else.¡±


    ¡°You will?¡± Rocco was surprised at this.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Mike replied. ¡°Just clothes and you. That¡¯s all you need to bring. I¡¯ve got all the gear, the food, and drinks.¡±


    ¡°I can manage that,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Oh, and bring bug spray. I think mine is expired,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure we can just get some on the way, right?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°If you want to do that last minute, that¡¯s fine. But just remember, the more time we waste before setting up camp, the less time we have to snuggle,¡± Mike stated. Rocco laughed at Mike¡¯s statement.


    At that moment, Mike heard some shuffling outside his door. He looked over and saw his dad in his doorway. His stomach fell. He sensed that as soon as he got off the phone, he was about to have another chat with his dad.


    ¡°Listen, I¡¯ve got to go. We will talk tomorrow, ok?¡± Mike said into the receiver. Rocco said goodbye. Mike hung up the phone. He stared at the phone for a moment before turning around to face his dad.


    ¡°Hey Dad,¡± Mike said not looking at him.


    ¡°It sounds like we need to talk,¡± his dad said and closed the door.


    ¡°Yeah, I think so,¡± Mike said looking up at his dad.


    ¡°I heard a little bit of that. Snuggling on your camping trip,¡± his dad said and sat down at Mike¡¯s desk. Mike felt the color rush to his face. His heart started to beat fast at what was to come.


    ¡°You heard then,¡± Mike exhaled as he rubbed his legs in anxiety.


    ¡°I thought you were going camping with your friend, Rocco,¡± his dad started, making some more connections.


    ¡°I am. Dad,¡± Mike started seeing that his dad was staring at him. ¡°Rocco is my¡­¡± he paused and looked down at the floor. ¡°Rocco is my boyfriend.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± his dad said walking over to the bed where Mike was sitting. ¡°So, that¡¯s why you got in that fight with Stanton. He called you that slur because it¡¯s true.¡± His dad sat down next to Mike.


    ¡°Well, he doesn¡¯t know about me and Rocco. None of my old friends do. Only Rocco¡¯s friends know about us,¡± Mike explained still looking down.


    ¡°Okay. So, you are gay?¡± his dad asked.


    ¡°Not exactly, Dad,¡± Mike replied. He saw his dad¡¯s confusion. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m totally gay or totally straight.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± his dad said.


    ¡°I like the person, not what gender the person is,¡± Mike replied in a factual manner.


    ¡°So, you like Rocco who is a guy but you¡¯re not gay?¡±  his dad asked still puzzled.


    ¡°It makes more sense if you just stopped at ¡®So, you like Rocco?¡¯ which the answer to that is yes,¡± Mike explained.


    ¡°But you still like girls?¡± his dad asked.


    ¡°Right now, I like Rocco. Period. I don¡¯t care that Rocco is a guy,¡± Mike said.


    Mike could see that this was starting to make sense to his dad.


    ¡°Wow, I don¡¯t think I was nearly half as mature when I was your age as you are now,¡± his dad said and smiled. Mike returned the smile.


    ¡°Thanks, Dad,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°So, you and Rocco are dating. He¡¯s your significant other,¡± his dad replied.


    ¡°Yeah, I guess you could say that,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m happy you have been such an adult with your love life. Now, since you all are dating, I can¡¯t say I¡¯m thrilled you two are going out on your own to camp. I mean, if Rocco were a girl, I don¡¯t think this trip would happen,¡± his dad pondered.


    ¡°I can understand your point. But we really want to do this,¡± Mike explained.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, I know. I¡¯m just wondering if I should let you two do this,¡± his dad thought.


    ¡°Why are you worried?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°You two are dating. I mean, you two are going to be alone in the woods. I know what happens,¡± His dad replied.


    ¡°Dad,¡± Mike began, ¡°that¡¯s already happened.¡±


    His dad¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What???¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve already done what you¡¯re afraid we will do,¡± Mike answered frankly.


    ¡°You two have already had sex?¡± his dad blushed. He was not expecting to have this conversation on this night. ¡°How long have you two been going out?¡±


    ¡°A few weeks,¡± Mike responded.


    His dad breathed in deeply. ¡°Of course, you have¡ªa lot, I imagine. Did he force you into anything?¡±


    ¡°No, Dad. It was mutual for the both of us,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°I can¡¯t say I understand fully the mechanics in this situation, but I¡¯m going to trust you know better than I do,¡± his dad replied. Mike looked down at the floor a little embarrassed that his dad was imagining him having sex.


    ¡°Dad, we¡¯re going to be fine,¡± Mike said trying to ease his dad¡¯s mind.


    His dad looked off and then back at Mike. ¡°I suppose you are.¡± He shrugged. ¡°I guess I don¡¯t see why you two can¡¯t go camping. You¡¯re going to do what you¡¯re going to do regardless.¡±


    Mike looked at his dad and gave a coy smile. ¡°So, does that mean we can still go camping?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see why not,¡± his dad said and got up. ¡°Are you thinking of telling other people?¡±


    ¡°Not just yet. We haven¡¯t gotten to that point just yet,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Have you told your mom all this?¡± his dad asked. Mike shook his head. ¡°Do you want me to tell her?¡±


    ¡°No, I think I should be the one to tell her,¡± Mike said. His dad nodded.


    ¡°Okay. What about Joe?¡± his dad asked.


    ¡°He knows,¡± Mike stated.


    ¡°Oh, I see,¡± his dad said surprised.


    ¡°He knew very early on,¡± Mike said. ¡°Please, don¡¯t be mad at him.¡±


    ¡°No, no, of course not,¡± his dad said. ¡°Brothers have their secrets. I get that.¡±


    ¡°Dad?¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Thank you for being so cool about all of this,¡± Mike said and got up to hug his dad. His dad left to go to the kitchen. Before Mike could turn around, he saw Joe peeking out of his door which was cracked.


    ¡°You can come out, Joe,¡± Mike said and rolled his eyes.


    Joe opened his door and walked into Mike¡¯s room. ¡°That went really well.¡±


    ¡°I swear, this house has ears,¡± Mike said and sat back down on his bed.


    ¡°Yes, it does,¡± Joe said and sat down at Mike¡¯s desk. ¡°So, you and Rocco have the official okay to go camping on your own.¡±


    ¡°We do!¡± Mike said and laid on his bed.


    ¡°What do you have planned?¡± Joe asked in a prying manner.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you like to know?¡± Mike said and laughed.


    ¡°From what I heard, I already have an idea,¡± Joe laughed.


    Mike sat up in his bed. ¡°Actually, there¡¯s one thing we haven¡¯t done that I¡¯ve been thinking about.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­¡± Joe made a gesture. Mike nodded. ¡°You haven¡¯t done that yet?¡±


    ¡°No, not yet. I really want to but I¡¯m nervous about it,¡± Mike said earnestly.


    ¡°It¡¯s a big step but a step I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be glad you take,¡± Joe said.


    ¡°Do you have any advice?¡± Mike asked looking at the floor.


    ¡°Well, like Dad said, I don¡¯t understand the mechanics, but I would tell you to just relax and let it happen,¡± Joe said.


    Mike looked up and laughed. ¡°Yeah, relax and let it happen.¡±


    Joe winced thinking about his little brother having sex and then laughed.


    ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Just the thought of you and Rocco bumbling around in a tent,¡± Joe laughed. Mike threw a pillow at Joe barely missing him by an inch.


    Rocco was waiting by his car having a cigarette when Joe and Mike pulled into the parking lot. He had been waiting to see Mike before class for several minutes. They pulled into a spot on the other side of the lot which meant Rocco would have to wait another few minutes. By the time he finished his cigarette, Mike and Joe were a few feet from him. The two waived as Rocco put his backpack over one shoulder and walked up.


    ¡°Hey y¡¯all,¡± Rocco said. ¡°Guess what?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Mike said with a sly smile.


    ¡°I have secured a big can of bug spray,¡± Rocco said with a grin on his face.


    Mike¡¯s smile turned into a broad grin matching Rocco¡¯s. ¡°So, we don¡¯t have to waste any time!¡± Rocco laughed. ¡°Actually, I need to tell you something before we go in the building,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Rocco said and stopped. Joe sensed they needed some privacy.


    ¡°See you later, guys,¡± Joe said and walked off.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Rocco said with concern in his voice.


    Mike looked around to see if anyone was listening. ¡°I came out about us to my dad.¡±


    Rocco¡¯s eyes grew wide. ¡°How did he take it?¡±


    ¡°It went very well. For a minute, I thought he was going to nix our trip, but he¡¯s fine with everything,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Mike, that¡¯s fantastic!¡± Rocco exclaimed. ¡°I¡¯m proud of you. Fuck, do you realize we are out to our parents?¡±


    ¡°Well, my mom doesn¡¯t know yet,¡± Mike replied.


    Rocco nodded. ¡°How do you think she will take it?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I was more nervous about Dad. And that went well,¡± Mike said and looked off. ¡°Now, that I¡¯ve come out to one parent, I¡¯m not really that worried about Mom. But I still want it to come from me if that makes any sense.¡±


    ¡°Totally,¡± Rocco said. ¡°We are practically out now.¡±


    ¡°I guess so,¡± Mike said a little weary. ¡°I mean, I don¡¯t want to make an official announcement or anything to everyone. I just want us to be together and, if someone figures it out, then that¡¯s fine.¡±


    Rocco nodded. ¡°I totally get that. It¡¯s our business.¡± Mike smiled at his boyfriend.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s time are you picking me up?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°What time are you thinking?¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°I¡¯m thinking that you pick me up at 6 tomorrow. It¡¯ll still be light for us to set up camp. How does that sound?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do whatever you want me to do,¡± Rocco replied hoping Mike would pick up on his innuendo. Mike gave him a little evil grin and squeezed Rocco¡¯s love handle.

 21. The Great Outdoors

    Rocco pulled up to Mike¡¯s house at almost exactly 6pm. He was eager to get Mike all to himself in the middle of nowhere. It was going to be so peaceful to be under the open sky by a campfire with the lake rippling in the background. There was a chance of rain, but that would not put a damper on the trip. It may be cozy to be in a tent with the rain falling through the leaves above.


    As he pulled up, Mike was setting some of the equipment on the front stoop. A man was helping him. Rocco¡¯s heart stopped. That must be his dad. Even though he knew about the two of them, it was still unnerving to meet his boyfriend¡¯s dad. Mike waved at Rocco as he turned the car off.


    ¡°Rocco! Hello!!!¡± Mike exclaimed and jumped a little off the ground. Rocco¡¯s heart melted at this excitement from Mike. Mike was wearing Rocco¡¯s hat¡ªbackwards, of course. He was wearing the t-shirt he took from Rocco¡¯s bedroom, a pair of jeans, and a flannel shirt tied around his waist.


    ¡°Hello!¡± Rocco waved. Mike¡¯s stomach fluttered at seeing Rocco in his jeans and t-shirt. Rocco was wearing Mike¡¯s old junior high baseball hat. Mike¡¯s dad waved and approached Rocco. He held out his hand to shake Rocco¡¯s hand.


    ¡°You must be Rocco. I¡¯m Dan, Mike¡¯s dad,¡± Dan said. Dan was a handsome man that looked like Joe would look like in about 20 years. He was tall with a padded muscular frame. He was developing a belly. His dark hair was graying on the temples. He had dark smoldering eyes like Joe.


    ¡°Hello, sir. It¡¯s nice to meet you,¡± Rocco said shaking his hand looking Dan in the eyes.


    ¡°Please call me Dan,¡± he said and put his hands in his khaki shorts.


    ¡°Okay, Dan,¡± Rocco said feeling uncomfortable. He blushed at the fact that he knew almost all the personal details of his son. Rocco felt like he had somehow invaded Dan¡¯s personal property.


    ¡°So, I hear you boys are dating,¡± Dan said kicking at the paved driveway.


    Rocco¡¯s eyes grew large. He was speechless. Even though he knew that Mike told his dad everything, it was still uncomfortable to hear Dan say these words.


    ¡°Dad!¡± Mike said. ¡°Don¡¯t embarrass him!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I hope I didn¡¯t make you uncomfortable saying that,¡± Dan said.


    ¡°No, sir,¡± Rocco said but caught himself. ¡°Dan, I mean. I¡¯m not embarrassed.¡±


    ¡°Good, you shouldn¡¯t be!¡± Dan said. ¡°I¡¯m glad that you make Mike so happy.¡± Rocco cringed at this statement. How much did Mike tell his dad?


    ¡°Would you pop open the trunk, Rocco, so we can load this stuff up?¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Rocco said as he opened his trunk. Rocco didn¡¯t clean out his trunk. His skateboard was laying in clear sight.


    ¡°Oh, so you are a skater?¡± Dan said noticing Rocco¡¯s board.


    ¡°I am,¡± Rocco said nervously.


    ¡°I did a little back in the day. I quit after I broke my wrist,¡± Dan lifted his palm to show Rocco an old scar. ¡°Had to get surgery and everything.¡±


    ¡°Yikes, that looks like it hurt,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t pleasant, that¡¯s for sure. Still aches when it¡¯s about to rain,¡± Dan said and laughed.


    ¡°Awesome,¡± Rocco said and put Mike¡¯s backpack in the trunk.


    ¡°Where are you guys camping? Your usual spot?¡± Dan asked Mike.


    ¡°Yeah, by the lake,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Speaking of achy wrists, it¡¯s going to rain. Did you pack the tarp to put over the tent?¡± Dan asked.


    ¡°Oh, no, I didn¡¯t,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go get it,¡± Dan said and started to go to the garage.


    ¡°That was really awkward,¡± Rocco whispered.


    ¡°Relax, he likes you,¡± Mike said and pecked Rocco on the cheek. Mike caught Rocco¡¯s earthy scent and salty taste.


    ¡°You think?¡± Rocco whispered.


    ¡°I know!¡± Mike said and put more gear in the trunk. Rocco helped position things in the trunk. The faster they got out of there, the more at ease Rocco would be.


    ¡°What do you want to do first when we get there?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°Well, you know what I want to do, but we should set up the camp first while there¡¯s still light,¡± Mike said with a smirk.


    ¡°I¡¯m following your lead,¡± Rocco said returning the smirk. ¡°Besides, we have all weekend for that.¡± Mike laughed at Rocco¡¯s statement. They certainly did.


    ¡°Okay, it was right where I thought it was,¡± Dan yelled from a few feet away. Mike went over and grabbed the tarp. It took the three about 20 minutes to load everything into Rocco¡¯s little car.


    ¡°I think we are set!¡± Mike said and turned to his dad. ¡°Okay, we are heading out.¡±


    ¡°Alright, you are in good hands, Rocco,¡± Dan said and shook Rocco¡¯s hand again. ¡°It was nice to meet you, Rocco. I hope I get to see you more often.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Dan,¡± Rocco said returning the handshake.


    ¡°Seriously, you are welcome here anytime,¡± Dan said earnestly looking at Rocco. Rocco nodded.


    ¡°Okay, Dad. We¡¯re leaving,¡± Mike turned to hug his dad.


    ¡°Be careful and don¡¯t do anything you don¡¯t want to do,¡± Dan whispered into Mike¡¯s ear. Mike nodded at his dad and got in the car. Rocco was surprised that they were able to fit everything into his car. It seems like so much but even with the back seat filled, he could see through the back window shield without any obstructions.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to have to navigate,¡± Rocco said looking at Mike.


    ¡°Well, we are going to Miner¡¯s Lake. You know how to get there, right?¡± Mike said. Rocco nodded. ¡°Just go that way and I¡¯ll guide you when we get close.¡±


    The drive to the lake took close to an hour. Mike¡¯s house was on one end of town while the lake was 15 minutes outside the other end of town. By the time Rocco got to the sign that read, ¡°Miner¡¯s Lake¡±, it was getting close to 7:30. It was dusk, and the light was starting to fade quickly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think we will have much light to set up the tent,¡± Rocco said a little concerned.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I know this place like the back of my hand. I was just wanting to get away as fast as we could,¡± Mike smiled. ¡°I¡¯ve set up my tent when it was close to midnight. Okay, turn left here.¡±


    Rocco turned onto a narrow one lane country road. On either side were tall oak trees that did a good job at crushing out any shreds of remaining sunlight. Rocco had to turn on his headlights.


    ¡°Up here, make a right,¡± Mike said pointing at a fork in the road. Rocco turned onto a gravel road and had to slow down. The road was bumpy but drivable. He was glad it had been dry. A wet bumpy gravel road would not have been good for his little sedan. They went up a little incline. At the top of the hill, Rocco could see the dark waves of the gigantic lake.


    ¡°Now, there¡¯s going to a little gravel road on the left. Turn on it,¡± Mike said.


    Rocco edged slowly turning left onto a road that was basically two gravel tire trails. The middle section of the road was overgrown with tall grass that brushed along the bottom of Rocco¡¯s car. They went down the little gravel path about ten minutes.


    ¡°Now on your right is going to be a little clear spot you can park,¡± Mike said pointing ahead.


    Rocco saw the clearing large enough for one car. The spot was half dirt-half gravel. Rocco pulled into the spot and looked over at Mike.


    ¡°Is this it?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°This is it!¡± Mike said. ¡°We are here.¡± Rocco turned the car off and looked around.


    ¡°This place is in the middle of nowhere!¡± Rocco said, his mouth open in awe. He had no idea this part of the lake existed.


    ¡°We can do whatever we want,¡± Mike said and leaned in to make out with Rocco. Rocco happily reciprocated. They kissed for a minute before Mike sat back.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get settled so we can pick this back up,¡± Mike said smiling wide. Rocco nodded and got out of the car.


    They unpacked everything setting it down next to the front of the car. Mike brought two camping lanterns for each of them. He ignited the wicks with a match and closed the lanterns. The illumination of two lanterns brightened the immediate area. Mike went for a long slender bundle which was the tent. He took the bundle and a lantern. He motioned for Rocco to take the other lantern and follow him. Rocco followed Mike to a spot next to two huge oak trees.


    ¡°We will set up the tent here,¡± Mike pointed to a spot between the trees that was well cleared. Mike put his lantern on the ground and unpacked the bundle. Lots of synthetic fabric slipped out and slickly fell to the ground. Mike smoothed out the shimmery fabric into a large square. In the bundle, there were some hard flexible poles which Mike started to put together. With surprising efficiency, Mike assembled the poles and slid them through slots in the fabric. The smaller poles assembled into two long poles that crossed into an X at the top of the tent. Within a matter of minutes, Mike had the tent erected with no assistance. He fumbled through the bundle to find several spikes that he placed in the ground to secure the tent.


    ¡°Stay right here and I¡¯ll get the tarp,¡± Mike said taking the lantern with him to the car. Rocco looked at what Mike had just assembled. He was impressed at the speed of Mike¡¯s work. Rocco saw the light start to move. Mike was approaching him with the tarp under his arm.


    ¡°This is the part where I may need your help,¡± Mike said and started to climb one of the trees. When he was about a foot about the tent, Mike said to Rocco, ¡°Okay, can you throw me the tarp?¡± Rocco tossed up the tarp which Mike caught. ¡°Now, shine the light up to me.¡± Rocco pointed the lantern Mike¡¯s way so that he could watch Mike thread a rope through one corner of the tarp. He tied the corner up in one tree. He jumped down and climbed the other tree to do the same for the other corner of the tarp. He then jumped down and started to thread rope in the two other corners. He pulled the ropes around the trunks of two other trees so that the tarp was sloped and taut over the tent.


    ¡°Our room is ready!¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Wow! That took all of ten minutes,¡± Rocco said amazed at Mike¡¯s skill.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got an agenda to stick to,¡± Mike said smiling. ¡°Now let¡¯s go get the rest of the stuff.¡±


    It took them two trips to bring everything from the car to the tent. By the time they had the tent set up inside with the sleeping bag, it was getting close to 9. Mike had worked up a sweat at this point.


    ¡°Sit down and take a break,¡± Rocco said getting him a bottle of water.


    ¡°Yeah, I always forget how much work that is,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°I can see that,¡± Rocco said. ¡°Let¡¯s sit in the tent for a minute so you can catch your breath.¡±


    Inside the tent, Rocco had rolled the sleeping bag out flat. He took a lantern into the tent so he could find the zipped-up window holes. He unzipped the windows on either side just enough to get a cross breeze going. Both windows had a tight mesh to keep bugs out. It was a crisp night but, in the tent, it would easily get stuffy. Mike extinguished his lantern and left it outside by the door. He crawled into the tent with a flashlight.


    ¡°Here, take the flashlight. You can use this inside the tent. It¡¯s not a great idea to have a lantern in the tent.¡± Mike took the lantern and placed it outside extinguishing the light. He crawled back into the tent and sat across from Rocco. ¡°Now what?¡±


    Rocco reached over and took Mike¡¯s hat off.


    ¡°My gift to you is my body. You can do anything you want,¡± Rocco whispered as his heart pounded hard and fast.


    ¡°Anything?¡± Mike nervously said.


    ¡°Anything,¡± Rocco said confidently and gave him his crooked smirk.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe we did that,¡± Mike said trying to lift himself up but found his arms and legs were like spaghetti.


    ¡°Yeah, I can¡¯t either,¡± Rocco said and chuckled.


    ¡°Was that alright?¡± Mike lifted his head looking into Rocco¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Absolutely,¡± Rocco said and kissed Mike on his head. His red hair was soaked from the sweat. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong. I loved it¡­being so close to you,¡± Rocco laughed.


    ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± Mike said startled at Rocco¡¯s laughter.


    ¡°I swear, I think Rose Nylund said that in a Golden Girls episode,¡± Rocco said laughing again.


    ¡°I never watched that show,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°WHAT???¡± Rocco was shocked. ¡°You never watched the Golden Girls?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Mike said crestfallen.


    ¡°Never mind about that,¡± Rocco said. ¡°My point is that I enjoyed it because you enjoyed it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not a winning endorsement,¡± Mike said still crestfallen.


    Rocco leaned in and gave Mike a tender kiss on the lips. Their eyes met. ¡°Mike, I want you to do that again so don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Mike¡¯s expression lightened considerably. ¡°Right now, I¡¯m starving, and I¡¯d like to rinse off. Is there a shower around here?¡±


    Mike looked at him blankly. ¡°We are out in the woods. Where would there be a shower?¡±


    Rocco¡¯s eyes grew huge. ¡°You mean, I can¡¯t take a shower all weekend???¡±


    ¡°No! We are camping. That¡¯s the whole point,¡± Mike said sitting up.


    ¡°Oh shit,¡± Rocco said slouching back.


    ¡°You can take a late-night swim and wash off in the lake,¡± Mike said. ¡°Actually, I was thinking about doing that myself.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah, there is that!¡± Rocco said shaking his head. He couldn¡¯t believe he didn¡¯t think of that.


    ¡°You can¡¯t use soap in the lake though. It would kill the fish,¡± Mike replied.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Rocco said looking at Mike for further instructions.


    ¡°I packed some towels in case we wanted to swim. Let me dig them out and we can walk over to the water,¡± Mike said. He reached around to the pack where the towels were and pulled out two clean fluffy bath towels. ¡°Let¡¯s go. You¡¯ll want to wear your shoes when you are in the lake. There¡¯re rocks on the bottom.¡±


    They wrapped the towels around their waists and slipped on their shoes. Mike crawled out of the tent and stood up making his back crack a little. Rocco followed him out the tent still a little shaky in the legs but more stable than a few minutes earlier. His stomach was growling. Mike relit the lanterns. They walked down a little cleared path to the lake with their lanterns. There was a stump where they both hung their towels. They placed the lanterns on the shore away from the towels and the water. There was enough light to go out a few feet into the water. Mike took Rocco¡¯s hand and led him into the frigid lake. The lake water at this time of year was icy making both guys exclaim in shock. Mike continued to led Rocco farther and deeper into the water stopping when the water was about waist deep.


    ¡°We should stop here since it¡¯s so dark,¡± Mike said. The initial shock of the chilly water started to wear off. The only movement in the water was Mike and Rocco. There was no one else camping on the lake. The summer season was over, and most people had already put their boats away in preparation of winter. Rocco started to rub the areas he wanted to clean and bent down to get his chest wet. Mike watched Rocco clean up and did the same.


    ¡°How long do you want to be out here?¡± Rocco said. He felt clean and was ready to get out.


    ¡°Did you take care of what you needed to?¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Rocco said and walked closer to Mike.


    ¡°Then we can get out. We¡¯ve got all day tomorrow if it¡¯s warm,¡± Mike said and took Rocco¡¯s hand. Mike led him back to shore to the towels and lanterns. When they got out of the water, the chill of the night air hit their wet skin causing them to shiver. They dried off which took away some of their shivering.


    ¡°You want me to start a fire to warm us up?¡± Mike asked Rocco watching him wrap his towel around his waist.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t that take a while?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°Yeah, but I¡¯ll do it for you if you want,¡± Mike said smiling at Rocco.


    ¡°No, I want to eat, and I¡¯ll probably pass out right after,¡± Rocco said taking one of the lanterns.


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Mike said.


    They walked back to the tent and crawled in. Mike extinguished the lanterns and turned on the flashlight. He reached for his backpack and dug out some protein bars and snacks. He handed the food to Rocco and went out to the cooler to get two sodas.


    ¡°How¡¯s all of this for dinner?¡± Mike said presenting the instant feast.


    ¡°It¡¯s perfect,¡± Rocco said opening one of the cans of soda and the protein bar. Mike pulled out a small transistor radio and turned it on. He flipped through the stations and found an AM station that was playing jazz. The FM stations did not come in well enough this far out in the forest. Most of the other AM stations were talk radio.


    ¡°Is this okay?¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Again, it¡¯s absolutely perfect,¡± Rocco said laying back on the sleeping bag. ¡°I love the food, I love the entertainment, and I love the company.¡±


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Mike looked up at Rocco in silence. ¡°Rocco?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± Rocco said catching his gaze.


    Mike stared at him for a second, his heart pounding. ¡°I love you.¡±


    Rocco almost choked on the bite of his bar. He swallowed his chewed-up protein bar and leapt towards Mike giving him a long passionate kiss. ¡°I love you too, Mike. I think I¡¯ve loved you since that first night you came to our band practice.¡± Mike returned another kiss. Rocco laid back on the bed. Mike snuggled up with Rocco.


    They finished their bars, snacks, and sodas. As Mike gathered up the trash and empty cans, Rocco took his towel off and got inside the sleeping bag. Mike looked over and saw Rocco settling in. He took his towel off and joined Rocco inside the cozy bag. Rocco put his arm around Mike as Mike positioned himself next to Rocco. He inhaled Rocco¡¯s scent¡ªlake and forest. The heat of their bodies warmed the inside of the sleeping bag. Both drifted off to sleep as smooth jazz softly came through the radio.


    Rocco woke up to the sound of a news show and birds chirping nearby. It was a cool, sunny morning. The crispness of October was clearly present in the air. The inside of the tent and the sleeping bag were warm and cozy. He looked over to his side to see Mike asleep on his side facing Rocco. Rocco looked upon Mike as he slept peacefully. His red hair had grown out significantly since they first met. His auburn tresses laid across his forehead down to his reddish-brown eyebrows. The sun hit his face to give it a pale glow speckled heavily with light freckles. His plump pink lips were slightly parted. Rocco leaned down and gently pecked Mike on his lips. The kiss stirred Mike awake. Mike breathed in deeply and opened his blue eyes.


    ¡°Hey, there. Good morning,¡± Mike said and yawned.


    ¡°Good morning, handsome,¡± Rocco said smiling down at Mike.


    ¡°I probably don¡¯t live up that name right now,¡± Mike said finding his glasses in the corner of the tent and putting them on after rubbing his eyes.


    ¡°You always do,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°What time is it?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°I have no idea,¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°I guess that¡¯s the point of camping,¡± Mike said as he sat up. His hair was standing up in the back in all directions.


    ¡°What does one do on a camping trip to fill up the day?¡± Rocco asked. Mike looked back at Rocco.


    ¡°Well, first, we get dressed,¡± Mike said. Rocco made a grimace of displeasure at this idea. ¡°Then, we have some breakfast, maybe go on a little hike, a little swim, some lunch, and just watch the day go by.¡±


    ¡°I am totally down with that,¡± Rocco said, ¡°except for the getting dressed. I just want to lay around with you all day.¡±


    Mike laughed and crawled out of the sleeping bag. ¡°You want to look at this all day?¡±


    ¡°YES!¡± Rocco exclaimed.


    ¡°Get dressed, you fucker,¡± Mike said throwing Rocco his bag of clothes.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Rocco sighed and dug through his bag.


    They got dressed, Rocco going much slower than Mike. Mike crawled out of the tent while Rocco finished. Mike was standing outside rummaging through the cooler when Rocco crawled out of the tent. Mike brought a little double eyed propane stove which he set up and ignited. Within several minutes, he had some bacon frying on one eye and a pot of water boiling on the other. Rocco flipped open two folding chairs a few feet away from the little stove. He sat down and watched Mike flip the bacon. He was mesmerized at the sight of his boyfriend fixing him breakfast outside in the wilderness. He had no idea Mike even knew how to cook.


    ¡°There¡¯s some cups and plates in the green bag. Could you get those out for me?¡± Mike asked.


    Rocco nodded and searched for the eating utensils. He located the green bag and dug out the plates and cups. Each metal plate was like a round three compartment tray with a metal spork attached to the plate with a metal key ring. Rocco put the plates and cups next to Mike.


    ¡°There¡¯s a can of instant coffee in the bag,¡± Mike said. Rocco went back over and got the coffee.


    ¡°Anything else?¡± Rocco asked standing over Mike. Mike was crouching over the stove. The bacon was almost done at this point.


    ¡°Yes, get us four of those eggs from the cooler,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Bacon and eggs! I can get used to this treatment,¡± Rocco said going over to the cooler to fetch the eggs.


    ¡°Only on camping trips,¡± Mike laughed and took the eggs. Mike divided out the bacon and cracked all four eggs into the little skillet. He broke the yolks and scrambled the eggs in the skillet. A couple of minutes later, he divided the scrambled eggs evenly and turned off the stove eye. He scooped some instant coffee into each of the cups and poured hot water into the cups. He turned the eye with the water on low to keep it warm. The cool morning air made the cups of coffee steam heavily. ¡°Breakfast is served,¡± he said taking the plates to the folding chairs. He motioned Rocco over to eat.


    Rocco took his seat and unfastened the spork from the plate. He had not realized how hungry he was. The breakfast that Mike had fixed did not take long for him to devour. He sat sipping on his hot coffee watching Mike slowly eat.


    ¡°You¡¯re a slow eater,¡± Rocco noted.


    ¡°I like to savor the flavor,¡± Mike replied smiling and showing his mouth full of eggs. Rocco made a face and laughed. He continued watching Mike eat his breakfast.


    Rocco sipped his coffee as Mike finished his breakfast. ¡°Listen, I know we weren¡¯t going to talk about it, but my mom is not at all supportive of me going to California next fall.¡±


    Mike put his plate down and looked up at Rocco. He hadn¡¯t thought about this until now. ¡°She¡¯s not?¡±


    ¡°No, she¡¯s not. She said she can¡¯t help me out with tuition or living expenses. It¡¯ll be up to me to get myself out there,¡± Rocco said looking at his coffee.


    ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Mike said staring at Rocco.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. UCLA is the only place I want to go. I don¡¯t have a Plan B,¡± Rocco said looking off in the distance.


    ¡°Have you ever been to Los Angeles?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°No,¡± Rocco answered.


    ¡°So, you want to go to a school that is in a place you¡¯ve never been?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Yes, kinda stupid, isn¡¯t it?¡± Rocco looked at the water rippling.


    ¡°I would call it¡­¡± Mike searched for the words, ¡°bold, ballsy.¡±


    ¡°The thing is, if I don¡¯t get a scholarship or a student loan or something, I won¡¯t be able to do it,¡± Rocco said. ¡°I mean, I¡¯d have to move out there right after graduation and get a job.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a lot right after graduation,¡± Mike said sipping his coffee.


    ¡°Yeah, I know,¡± Rocco said distantly.


    ¡°I mean, there¡¯s nowhere else you¡¯d consider going?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°I guess I¡¯ll just have to talk to a guidance counselor next week about it,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°What about the community college? I mean, you can at least work on some courses and transfer next year,¡± Mike thought.


    ¡°Yeah, I guess that¡¯s always an option. It¡¯s just not how I wanted things to work out,¡± Rocco looked over at Mike.


    ¡°You know, Los Angeles ain¡¯t going anywhere. It¡¯ll always be there. It could be easier to get a decent job if you have a degree first,¡± Mike pondered.


    ¡°I guess so,¡± Rocco said sighing heavily.


    ¡°You could actually just go out there for a week or two this summer to see if you even like it,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Yeah, I guess I could do something like that,¡± Rocco thought.


    ¡°More coffee?¡± Mike said trying to change the subject. He didn¡¯t want to think about Rocco leaving for Los Angeles for good. Maybe his proposal to give it a trial run would mean Rocco would return to him. Even though there was a chance Rocco wouldn¡¯t come back, it sounded more likely to Mike that Rocco would find out LA was not the place for him. He knew Rocco had his heart set on California, but he was more than a little happy that Rocco¡¯s mother wasn¡¯t on board with this move. That was something he and Rocco¡¯s mother agree on even though he had never met the woman.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Rocco said handing his cup to Mike. Mike scooped some more coffee in each of their cups and poured some of the water. He walked back over to the chairs where Rocco was staring out at the lake. He handed Rocco his coffee.


    ¡°Look, Rocco, I want you to go out and live your dream. I want you to experience everything you want to experience. But I meant what I said last night. I love you. I want you here with me¡­but only after you¡¯ve lived your dream. I don¡¯t want to be what holds you back,¡± Mike explained.


    Rocco had tears welling up in his eyes. ¡°I love you too, Mike. You don¡¯t know how much you mean to me.¡± Mike sat back in his chair.


    ¡°Can we just leave it at that? I don¡¯t really want to talk about you leaving me anymore,¡± Mike said with a tear falling down his cheek.


    Rocco wiped away his tears. ¡°Yes, please! I didn¡¯t mean to bring it up over this wonderful breakfast you made us.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but it was on your mind. I¡¯m glad you brought it up because I felt like I was in limbo ever since you first told me about going to California,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°Like, I didn¡¯t want to fall in love with you because you were going to leave, but it happened anyway,¡± Mike explained.


    ¡°Yeah, it happened anyway,¡± Rocco smiled.


    ¡°Can I tell you a secret?¡± Mike asked smiling coyly.


    ¡°Of course you can,¡± Rocco said bracing himself for something bad.


    ¡°Did you know that Joe has hooked up with a guy before?¡± Mike said.


    ¡°WHAT???¡± Rocco almost dropped his cup of coffee.


    ¡°Yeah, we were talking about you and I and Joe told me he hooked up with a guy before one night when he was drunk,¡± Mike said excitedly as he told this secret.


    ¡°Who was it?¡± Rocco asked begging for more.


    ¡°He won¡¯t tell me that, but Joe said he didn¡¯t enjoy it,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Wow! Mr. Quarterback,¡± Rocco was stunned.


    ¡°He told me that it felt weird to know what another guy was packing. Like there was no mystery about how the other guy measured up,¡± Mike said.


    Rocco sat back and thought about this. ¡°Yeah, I guess that could be weird to know.¡±


    ¡°I was thinking about that the first time we hooked up in your bedroom,¡± Mike smirked.


    ¡°And how do you feel now that you know how I measure up? Are you weirded out?¡± Rocco asked jokingly.


    ¡°Not at all. Why would I be weirded out by my boyfriend?¡± Mike replied.


    ¡°Good answer,¡± Rocco stated.


    ¡°Well, you asked,¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°Yeah, I did. Okay, help me clean up and let¡¯s go for a little hike,¡± Mike said getting up.


    The hike was more like a light stroll along the shore of the lake. The cool October late morning made the trek easy and peaceful. Occasionally, Mike would point out various plants and land formations that stood out to him. They walked up a small bluff overlooking an inlet off from the lake. The bluff was a large rock formation jutting out over the inlet. When they reached the top, the two found a cleared off spot at the most forward point to sit and admire the lake in the autumn stillness. As they looked over the water, Rocco reached out and took Mike¡¯s hand. Mike turned to Rocco and stared into his brown eyes. Rocco gave him a smile and leaned in to give him a kiss. Mike tasted like bacon and coffee. They both laid back on the rock and made out in the open for several minutes.


    Mike broke away and whispered into Rocco¡¯s ear. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the tent.¡±


    Rocco looked up at Mike and gave him another kiss. Mike got up and extended his hand towards Rocco. Rocco reached up and took his hand. He got up from the rock. Mike led them back to the camp, his heart pounding in his chest. He was both nervous and excited to get back into the tent.


    It was clear to Rocco that Mike had physically enjoyed the act more than he had last night. He arched up and saw Mike glowing in satisfaction.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say,¡± Rocco said and laughed nervously.


    ¡°You can say we will do this a lot more!¡± Mike exclaimed.


    ¡°You are fucking amazing,¡± Rocco said. ¡°I love you, Mike Barber.¡±


    ¡°I love you, Marcus Antonius Rocio.¡± Mike said smirking at Rocco. ¡°The only thing is that I¡¯m going to need to take a dip in the lake if you know what I mean.¡±


    Rocco nodded. They both crawled out of the tent and grabbed the towels to wrap around them. The towels were hanging from a tree branch to dry out from last night. Once they were covered, they made their way to the shore and placed their towels on the tree stump as they did the previous night. The water was frigid but bearable within a few minutes. Since it was close to noon, they were able to go out further into the water to swim a little. Rocco dunked his head into the deep lake water and propelled himself a few feet. Mike did the same and made his way towards Rocco. They were only able to stay in the water for 10 minutes before getting too cold to stay any longer. They made their way out of the water and dried themselves off. Both were eager to get into dry, warm clothing. As they did the previous night, they hung the towels back on the tree branch and went inside the tent.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get in the sleeping bag,¡± Mike said. ¡°I don¡¯t want to get dressed just yet.¡±


    They both laid back in the sleeping bag allowing their body heat to warm themselves up.


    ¡°I¡¯m thinking before the sun goes down, I can start a fire. I can cook us dinner and we can sit by the fire together,¡± Mike said planning ahead.


    ¡°That sounds wonderful,¡± Rocco said pushing Mike close to him. They continued to lay together for a while when suddenly they started to hear rain hitting the tarp.


    ¡°Oh man, I love the sound of rain,¡± Mike dreamily said.


    ¡°Yeah, it makes me drowsy,¡± Rocco said feeling his lids get heavy.


    Mike got up on one elbow to get the radio to see if he could find anything to listen to. The jazz station from last night was still playing news. Mike searched the stations and found a station that played adult contemporary music. He turned it down just enough to be barely audible and got back under the sleeping bag. The warmth inside the bag started to make him drowsy as well. They dozed off warm and cozy to the sound of the rain.


    Rocco awoke alone in the tent. It was no longer raining, and he could hear birds chirping in the distance. The rain must have been a quick moving system. He peeked out the tent window to see Mike sitting out where they had breakfast this morning. He was working on something in his sketch book. Rocco got out of the sleeping bag and put on the same clothes he wore that morning. He crawled out of the tent and walked over to where Mike was sitting. Mike looked up at Rocco.


    ¡°What are you working on?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°Just sketching some random stuff, waiting on you to wake up,¡± Mike said jokingly.


    Rocco looked down to see Mike drawing a picture of the two of them in the sleeping bag. Rocco smiled at the sketch.


    ¡°That¡¯s not very random,¡± Rocco pointed out.


    ¡°Draw what makes you happy, right?¡± Mike said grinning. Rocco glowed with love and smiled.


    ¡°I love you, Garth,¡± Rocco said with a wink.


    ¡°Awww,¡± Mike sighed. ¡°I love you too, Wayne.¡±


    ¡°Do you care if I see some more?¡± Rocco asked extending his hands towards Mike¡¯s sketch book.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Mike said handing Rocco the book. Rocco flipped through the book and stopped at a picture Mike drew of a guy on a skateboard.


    ¡°Is this the start of the drawing you did of me?¡± Rocco asked showing Mike the drawing. Mike looked over at the book.


    ¡°Oh, no. That¡¯s something I¡¯m working on for a friend. Do you know Jared?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Jared?¡± Rocco asked. ¡°Jared who?¡±


    Mike thought for a moment. ¡°Well, shit, I don¡¯t even know his last name. Jared is this guy I¡¯ve been having lunch with lately. He skates at the park sometimes,¡± Mike was careful not to give too many details such as learning how to skateboard from Jared. He wanted to keep that as a surprise.


    ¡°What¡¯s he look like?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°He¡¯s my age, short and skinny. Wears a knit cap a lot, he has big blue eyes,¡± Mike described Jared feeling guilty he didn¡¯t really know that much about his new friend.


    Rocco looked up at the sky in thought. There were a lot of guys at the park that sort of fit this description. ¡°I may know who he is.¡±


    ¡°Well, I told him I would design a flyer for him so that he could teach people how to skate. That¡¯s what I am drawing,¡± Mike replied.


    Rocco raised his eyebrows, very impressed at both Mike¡¯s skill and that he was using his art for something. ¡°Wow! An art gig!¡±


    Mike laughed nervously. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t go that far.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impressive. I didn¡¯t know you had a new friend¡­much less a new skater friend,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Well, I can have skater friends other than my boyfriend!¡± Mike laughed.


    ¡°Of course, you can,¡± Rocco smiled at Mike. ¡°Wait a minute!¡± Rocco had a spark of recognition. ¡°Does this guy hang out with Rusty?¡±


    ¡°Yes! I met Rusty the other day. He¡¯s super cool,¡± Mike exclaimed.


    ¡°I think I know who you are talking about. If it¡¯s the same guy, yeah! He¡¯s good. He should be a teacher. That¡¯s rad you are using your art to help him out.¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Well, since my dad is now on board, I¡¯m thinking about taking art next year. See if I can learn some stuff,¡± Mike said flipping back to the drawing of the two of them. He continued to shade the drawing.


    ¡°Really?  That¡¯s wonderful news!¡± Rocco exclaimed.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe I haven¡¯t even asked you this. What do you plan on doing with your music?¡± Mike said stopping his shading.


    ¡°I really haven¡¯t given it much thought. For me, it¡¯s just a hobby. I never considered a career or anything¡ªI just like to play,¡± Rocco thought out loud.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been asking me all the time about my art! What about yours?¡± Mike said. He put his pad down. ¡°You guys are seniors. Fred will be no more at the end of the year. You all are going to go your separate ways, you know.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I hadn¡¯t even thought about that. I know Austin will be kinda close by. I think Raz is going abroad a while. Who knows what Pete is going to do¡­¡± Rocco looked off in the distance.


    ¡°And you¡¯re going to California,¡± Mike said sadly.


    ¡°Well, not at this rate,¡± Rocco pondered. ¡°Out of all of us, I could be the only one stuck here.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that,¡± Mike replied with a frown. ¡°If you stay here, you¡¯ll have me.¡±


    Rocco looked back over at Mike and smiled. ¡°Yeah, I will have you.¡± Rocco leaned over and kissed Mike who eagerly kissed Rocco back. They continued to kiss for several minutes enjoying the outdoors.


    ¡°It¡¯s starting to get a little chilly,¡± Mike said. ¡°How about I get that fire started. I¡¯d say by the time I get it going, we will be very happy to have it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m in for that. What do I need to do?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°Well,¡± Mike thought. ¡°I¡¯ve got kindling, but we will need some larger pieces of wood to maintain the fire. How about you start looking around for that. We will go closer to shore to have the fire.¡±


    ¡°How big does the wood need to be?¡± Rocco asked. Mike gestured the length and width of an imaginary piece of wood. Rocco understood and started looking around for dry pieces of wood that fit Mike¡¯s description. He searched the radius and found 7 pieces of potential firewood. Each time he found a piece, he brought it back for Mike¡¯s approval. All but two were sufficient. While Rocco searched for wood, Mike began to find large rocks to make a circle and cleared out the center of the circle. When Rocco had completed his task, he had worked up a sweat and need to sit down. Mike built up a small pyramid of small sticks and tucked pieces of paper between the sticks. He lit the paper and fanned the flames until the sticks caught fire. He started putting larger sticks in the small fire. Within ten minutes, the fire had grown enough for even larger sticks. In half an hour of caring for the fire, Mike was ready to use some of Rocco¡¯s selections. As this went on, Rocco had caught his breath and had enough of a break to search further for more pieces of wood.


    ¡°I think that will be enough,¡± Mike said. ¡°How about bringing the chairs and the cooler down?¡±


    Rocco complied with Mike¡¯s request. He brought the cooler first followed by the chairs. Rocco heard the pop of the wood and knew that this is what he imagined camping would be like¡ªsnuggling up by a warm fire with his boyfriend. This moment was all that he needed.


    Mike was right. By the time the fire was going, the evening air had settled into a chill. Mike situated one of the chairs facing the lake and took a seat. Rocco had an idea. He remembered Mike had brought some extra blankets. He walked up to the tent and located the blankets. He transported them down to the fire. He spread them out in front of Mike. Rocco sat on the blankets situating himself between Mike¡¯s legs. Mike played with Rocco¡¯s hair as they watched the fire. The lake rippled in the distance. It was calm and peaceful as they watched the sun begin its decent below the horizon.


    ¡°I want this moment to last forever,¡± Mike sighed.


    ¡°I agree,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°You starting to get hungry?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Yeah, but let¡¯s sit here a little while longer.¡± Rocco said. He was hungry but didn¡¯t want Mike to move just yet. They stared out at the lake embracing each other for a good thirty minutes. When Mike could no longer take it from hunger, he started to move in his seat.


    ¡°I¡¯m really getting hungry. It¡¯ll take a little while before the burgers are ready so let¡¯s get started,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to have burgers?¡± Rocco sat up.


    ¡°Yeah, I brought a couple of patties and some hot dogs. Is that alright?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°If you are making it, then it¡¯s perfect,¡± Rocco smiled up at Mike. Mike kissed Rocco on the top of his head and got up. ¡°What do you need me to do?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. Just sit and look pretty,¡± Mike said as he went to the cooler to dig out the meat which Mike had wrapped up in foil. Mike had each of the hamburgers wrapped individually in foil which he placed at the bottom of the fire. He then grabbed a couple of thin switches and stabbed a couple of hot dogs. He placed them so that the dogs were over the fire. It didn¡¯t take the hot dogs long to start to form a burnt skin on both sides. He went over to the cooler to get buns out. The ice in the cooler had almost melted at this point but there were still a few cold packs that were sufficiently cold. He pulled the hot dogs off the stick and place one in each of the buns. ¡°Well, the hot dogs are ready. The burger will take a little while longer. I¡¯ve already cooked them, but they are cold. Consider this your appetizer.¡±


    Rocco and Mike quickly ate the hot dogs. When they finished, Mike pulled out one of the foil packets to check on the hamburgers. They would need a few more minutes so Mike put two more hot dogs on his cooking stick. By the time they ate the other two hot dogs, the hamburgers were done. They devoured the hamburgers.


    ¡°That was delicious,¡± Rocco said. ¡°My compliments to the chef.¡±


    ¡°Well, thank you, Wayne!¡± Mike replied.


    ¡°You know what I most want to do now?¡± Rocco said with a smirk.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Mike asked already knowing the answer.


    ¡°I want to cuddle up in bed with my boyfriend,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°I think that¡¯s a great idea,¡± Mike replied. ¡°Help me put out the fire first.¡± Rocco got up and went to their equipment to find something to draw some of the lake water. Mike took out the contents of the cooler and dumped the melted ice onto the fire. The campfire started to smoke and sizzle, but it took a few trips to the lake before the fire was sufficiently out. Once Mike was confident that there were no remaining burning coals, the two made their way back up to the tent.


    Night had settled over the lake and the chilly air made it perfect for snuggling. They both crawled into the tent. It smelled like their musk inside. Mike turned on the flashlight hanging from the top of the tent. He reached over for the radio and found the station that played jazz from last night.


    The two fell asleep in each other¡¯s arms to the sound of light jazz.


    Mike and Rocco woke up early the final morning unaware that they had fallen asleep so early after last night¡¯s activities. Mike sat up on his elbows and rubbed his eyes. Rocco inhaled deeply and stretched.


    ¡°I guess we fell asleep,¡± Rocco said and smiled at Mike. The morning light hit Mike¡¯s chest making his pale skin glow radiantly.


    ¡°I guess so,¡± Mike said and laid his head on Rocco¡¯s chest. Mike inhaled Rocco¡¯s scent. He smelled dark and musky. The scent took Mike into an alternate universe. ¡°Damnit, we gotta pack up and go home.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know,¡± Rocco said wistfully. He thoroughly enjoyed this weekend and did not want to leave Mike. Not only did he not want to return to the mundane world, he also did not to part ways from Mike even for a few moments. Mike was becoming an extension of himself. He felt like every inch of Mike¡¯s body was a part of his. He wanted to take care of him forever. He started to feel a slight tinge of heartbreak in preparation of their parting after the trip. Rocco leaned in and inhaled the scent of Mike¡¯s hair. Every trace of Mike¡¯s smell made Rocco fall deeper in love with this guy. ¡°I want to stay here forever.¡±


    Mike looked into Rocco¡¯s dark eyes. He rested his chin on Rocco¡¯s sternum. ¡°Yeah, me too.¡±


    Rocco continued to play with Mike¡¯s rusty locks of hair. They stared at each other for a long time before Mike lifted his torso up to give Rocco a kiss.


    ¡°I love you, Rocco,¡± Mike said keeping his eye contact with him.


    ¡°I love you too, Mike,¡± Rocco said and held Mike¡¯s chin in his hand.


    They laid in the sleeping bag a few more minutes before Mike finally sat up. ¡°If we don¡¯t get packed up soon, we¡¯ll have parents sending out search parties for us.¡±


    Rocco sighed. ¡°Fuck, I know.¡± He sat up and ran his hand down Mike¡¯s back. His skin tightened into goosebumps. Rocco watched intently as Mike put on the clothes Rocco wore last night.


    ¡°Is it okay if I wear your clothes?¡± Mike asked after the fact.


    ¡°What¡¯s mine is yours,¡± Rocco said and put on Mike¡¯s shirt. Mike was shorter than Rocco so the pants would be too short. He put on the jeans he wore Friday.


    Slowly, they started packing up their gear first starting with the chairs they left at the lake side. As Rocco gathered up the equipment outside of the tent, Mike started to disassemble the tarp and the tent. It took almost an hour to get everything in the car. Once the final item was secured in the trunk, Rocco turned and looked at the spot where the tent had been. That spot would forever be seared into his brain. It would hold a special place in his heart. Mike sensed Rocco¡¯s hesitation.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be sad, Rocco. We will do this again,¡± Mike said and kissed Rocco¡¯s hand. Rocco looked over at Mike and smiled fondly.


    ¡°We better,¡± Rocco said and got into the car.


    When they got to Mike¡¯s house, the family was gone. Rocco and Mike unpacked his car putting all the equipment that did not need to be washed into the garage. The towels, Mike¡¯s dirty clothes, and the sleeping bag would go inside to get washed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you tomorrow?¡± Mike said standing on the stoop of the front door.


    ¡°That¡¯s the plan,¡± Rocco said giving Mike a good-bye kiss.


    ¡°Hey, wait a second,¡± Mike said before Rocco got into the car. ¡°These are yours.¡± Mike took Rocco¡¯s pants off and threw them at Rocco. Rocco tried to catch them but missed from the shock of seeing Mike standing in his briefs and Rocco¡¯s shirt at the front door. Rocco laughed and picked up his pants. Mike pulled his briefs down quickly to flash Rocco.


    ¡°Remember our weekend!¡± Mike said pulling the briefs back up and gathering the dirty items to take inside.


    Neither of them took a shower until the next morning.

 22. Jared and Rusty

    ¡°Take a look at this and tell me what you think,¡± Mike said pulling out a sheet of paper. There was drawing of a stylized version of Jared on a skateboard. Written on top were the words:


    LEARN HOW TO BE A BADASS ON YOUR SKATEBOARD


    Under the drawing was written:


    Or just learn how to stay on your board


    He slid the paper over to Jared who was sitting across from him at the round lunch table. Jared took a look at the paper. His dirty hair fell forward and hung down from his knit cap as he examined the advertisement Mike had created. Jared looked up with glee.


    ¡°This is fucking great!¡± Jared beamed.


    ¡°I was thinking of doing that thing where we cut the bottom into fringe and write your number on each of the fringes so people can tear off your number,¡± Mike explained.


    ¡°Yeah, I like that idea,¡± Jared said showing Rusty. Rusty gave a thumbs-up.


    ¡°It dawned on me this weekend, I don¡¯t know either of your last names,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°What? Seriously?¡± Rusty asked.


    ¡°Seriously. I¡¯m Mike Barber,¡± Mike said extending his hand to shake it.


    ¡°I¡¯m Rusty Simpson,¡± Rusty said shaking his hand.


    ¡°I¡¯m Jared Shackelford,¡± Jared said shaking Mike¡¯s hand. ¡°I mean, I already knew your name, but it¡¯s nice to make it official.¡±


    ¡°So, I¡¯ll write Jared Shackelford on this flyer. What¡¯s your number?¡± Mike said pulling out a pencil. Jared gave out his digits which Mike wrote on the back of the paper. ¡°Good deal. I¡¯ll do a real one tonight and get some copies made.¡±


    ¡°You rock,¡± Jared said and put his tray to the side.


    ¡°Hey, how¡¯s the lessons going?¡± Rusty asked.


    ¡°Well, I can stand and push myself off,¡± Mike answered. ¡°I¡¯ve only fallen off like twice a day now.¡± This made Rusty laugh.


    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s better than when I learned,¡± Rusty replied.


    ¡°Just be sure to watch your wrists when you practice at home. You can get a nasty break,¡± Jared said.


    ¡°Yeah, my dad did that when he skated,¡± Mike replied.


    ¡°It runs in the family then,¡± Rusty chuckled.


    ¡°Hopefully not the broken wrists,¡± Mike replied with a laugh. ¡°So, are we going to have a lesson tonight?¡±


    ¡°Yep, I¡¯m available,¡± Jared confirmed. ¡°Does Rocco know about these lessons yet?¡±


    ¡°No, not yet. I was thinking I could do a little boarding before the show this weekend,¡± Mike responded.


    ¡°The debut of the prodigal son,¡± Rusty laughed and gave a horn finger sign.


    Mike laughed at both Rusty¡¯s awkward sign as well as his off-target reference.


    ¡°What¡¯s been going on with you and Rocco?¡± Jared curiously asked.


    ¡°We went camping this past weekend,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Oh, yeah? Alone?¡± Rusty asked.


    ¡°All alone,¡± Mike said with a smile.


    ¡°From that smile, I can tell it was a good trip,¡± Jared said.


    ¡°Well, yeah. It was,¡± Mike said with a sheepish grin.


    Mike¡¯s attention went over to the table where his old friends, Stanton, Matt, and Chris, were sitting. He noticed they were looking over at their table and laughing. Jared looked over and caught the guys laughing at them. Without warning, Jared jumped out of his chair, tipping it over onto the floor. He stormed over to the table with his chest puffed out and his fists clinched.


    ¡°The fuck are you dickheads laughing at?¡± Jared yelled, his face turning bright red.


    ¡°Easy, little fella,¡± Stanton said.


    ¡°You got a problem with me and my friends?¡± Jared shouted, crazy faced.


    Stanton stood up. The lunchroom went silent. Chris and Matt¡¯s faces were frozen in fear.


    ¡°We were just laughing at a joke,¡± Stanton said trying to calm Jared¡¯s anger.


    Jared got within an inch of Stanton¡¯s face. ¡°It looked like you were laughing at us.¡± The look on Jared¡¯s face conveyed unchecked fury.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t, I swear,¡± Stanton¡¯s entitled smile quickly turned to fright. He caught onto Jared¡¯s fury that bordered on sociopathic behavior. He knew Jared was the rash type that had nothing to lose. He swallowed hard.


    Jared¡¯s face changed to an unsettling neutral expression. He leaned up and whispered into Stanton¡¯s ear. ¡°If you ever laugh at us again, I¡¯m going to cut that pretty face of yours.¡± He turned and walked back to the table completely expressionless. Stanton¡¯s face turned ghost white.


    When Jared returned to the table, he calmly picked up his chair and sat down as if nothing happened.


    ¡°Jesus, Jared! What was that?¡± Mike said fearfully.


    ¡°They were laughing at you,¡± Jared said. ¡°I take care of my friends.¡±


    Mike was not sure if he should be scared or touched. He looked at Rusty who shrugged. Mike looked back at Jared. Jared was staring at Mike. Though he was frightened by the outburst, he knew it came from a good place. He smiled and nodded at Jared in unspoken appreciation.


    ¡°So, anyway, yeah, we had a great weekend together doing a little something, something,¡± Mike continued as if nothing happened.


    ¡°Okay, okay, I gotta know something,¡± Rusty interrupted.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°What¡¯s it like to fuck a rock star?¡± Rusty bluntly asked. Mike sat back with a big smirk on his face.


    ¡°I take it he¡¯s got to have good rhythm,¡± Jared piped in. Mike¡¯s eyes got big, and his mouth dropped in joking surprise.


    ¡°There¡¯s quite a bit of crossover,¡± Mike laughed.


    Some of the kids in the lunchroom looked over at their table and whispered. The trio were not fazed by the attention they were getting due to Jared¡¯s outburst. They continued to joke at Mike¡¯s stories of conquest over the weekend. They seemed genuinely interested in his relationship with Rocco. It made him feel wanted. It made his relationship feel validated.


    ¡°Are we meeting at the park to check out the system?¡± Austin asked the band at the lunch table.


    ¡°Yeah, O¡¯Malley wants us to be there around 7,¡± Rocco said. ¡°He¡¯ll let us play a few songs to test out the equipment.¡±


    ¡°Cool, and we¡¯ve got our little assistant to help us out?¡± Pete asked Rocco referring to Mike.


    ¡°Of course we do,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°How did the camping trip go?¡± Austin asked.


    ¡°I had the best time,¡± Rocco said dreamily.


    ¡°Is that all we are going to get?¡± Pete asked.


    ¡°What more do you want?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°Details, my friend,¡± Austin replied.


    ¡°Well, we got there and ate. We got up the next morning. We ate breakfast, hiked, swam, had a campfire. Then we went home,¡± Rocco responded.


    ¡°Surely that¡¯s not all,¡± Pete said.


    Rocco looked around the table. Everyone was staring at him in anticipation as he gave details.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll ever be able to look at Mike in the same way again,¡± Austin responded.


    ¡°We¡¯re the same as we always have been,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Yeah, but it kinda takes away from his innocence,¡± Austin said.


    ¡°He was never that innocent!¡± Rocco said and laughed. ¡°But that¡¯s as much as I want to talk about. I like to keep some things between me and Mike.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Raz said. ¡°Hey, we still going to the dance?¡±


    ¡°The Hell-o-ween dance?¡± Austin said. Raz nodded.


    ¡°Yeah! I said I¡¯m down with it. Are we still all going as something together?¡± Austin asked.


    ¡°What if we all went as KISS?¡± Rocco suggested recalling his conversation with Mike about this.


    ¡°FUCK YES!¡± Raz perked up. ¡°I want to do that.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, okay,¡± Austin said.


    ¡°Well, I want to be Gene Simmons,¡± Pete said trying to do his impression of Gene Simmons¡¯s tongue.


    ¡°You know, he¡¯s the bass. That should be Raz,¡± Austin said.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have to go as what we play in our own band,¡± Pete replied.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter to me who is who. I just think that¡¯s a great idea,¡± Raz said.


    ¡°See! Raz doesn¡¯t care,¡± Pete said.


    ¡°Fine, you can be Gene Simmons. I¡¯ll be Paul Stanley,¡± Rocco said. ¡°That¡¯s leaves Ace Frehley and Peter Criss.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be Peter. Drummers need to stick together,¡± Austin said.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll take the Spaceman,¡± Raz said smiling. Rocco sensed Raz wanted to be Ace Frehley all along.


    ¡°Fucking A,¡± Pete said and drummed on the table. ¡°Now back to the show this weekend. Okay, the park at 7, we play a few songs for the kids to test out the sound. And we know what we are playing?¡±


    ¡°I think we should do our usual practice songs. I don¡¯t think they will have any expectations of what we play,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Nice,¡± Raz said. ¡°Hey Rocco, you think I could talk to you solo for a minute?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Rocco said and got up from the table. He pointed to an empty table in the corner of the lunchroom. He and Raz started towards the table.


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°You girls and your secrets,¡± Pete said as they walked away. Rocco rolled his eyes so only Raz could see.


    They sat down next to each other at the table. Raz was looking down at the floor.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Rocco asked. Raz paused for a moment. Rocco noticed Raz was growing his hair out. It was a falling forward in curls as he looked down at the floor. Rocco could tell something deep was on his mind. ¡°Everything going okay?¡±


    Raz looked up. ¡°You¡¯ve been an inspiration to me these past few weeks.¡±


    Rocco was taken back. ¡°I have?¡±


    Raz nodded. His dark hair flopped over his deep eyes. ¡°Your journey coming out, having a boyfriend. All of that.¡±


    ¡°Thanks?¡± Rocco said not knowing where the conversation was going to go.


    ¡°I think I¡¯ve come to a conclusion on my own,¡± Raz said seriously.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m gay too,¡± Raz confessed.


    Rocco sat quietly for a moment. He had no idea this was coming. He knew Raz didn¡¯t have any girlfriends, but he never imagined that it was because he was gay. Rocco thought for a moment. He had never really considered Raz¡¯s sexuality at all. Rocco couldn¡¯t think of anything to say. ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, being around you made me realize something deep within me. I¡¯ve always been attracted to other guys but never really considered it could be something I could pursue until you came along.¡± Raz said staring at Rocco.


    ¡°Wow. I don¡¯t know what I did, but I¡¯m happy I could help you figure some things out,¡± Rocco said. He was genuinely flattered at Raz¡¯s confession. ¡°It definitely has not been easy.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I know. But you¡¯ve shown me that, despite everything, you can have a boyfriend,¡± Raz said.


    Rocco looked at Raz. He picked up that Raz looked up to him when it came to sexuality. This meant the world to Rocco. ¡°Thank you for telling me. Does anyone else know?¡±


    ¡°No, just you,¡± Raz stated.


    ¡°You know the other guys will be cool with it,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Yeah, I know. I wanted to tell you first,¡± Raz said.


    Rocco started to well up with tears. He was deeply touched by Raz¡¯s confession. ¡°I just had no idea.¡±


    ¡°I always keep things deep inside,¡± Raz said.


    ¡°Yeah, I just had no idea you were going through all the same questions and doubts I had,¡± Rocco said wiping away his tears. ¡°To be honest, I¡¯ve been so self-absorbed that it never dawned on me someone else could be going through the same thing.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Raz nodded.


    ¡°I wish we had this conversation years ago. It might have made things so much easier,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Well, neither of us would have been ready to have this conversation,¡± Raz replied.


    ¡°Yeah, you are totally right,¡± Rocco said. ¡°Are you into anyone?¡±


    ¡°I was into you for a while,¡± Raz said looking down.


    ¡°Me? Really?¡± Rocco was really surprised at this confession.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Raz responded quietly.


    ¡°I had no idea,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Yeah, I know,¡± Raz said.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry if I ever caused you any pain,¡± Rocco said not knowing how to handle this situation.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m not anymore. It¡¯s for the best though. I don¡¯t think I could have stayed in the band if I was still hung up on you,¡± Raz said looking back up.


    Rocco sat awkwardly silent. He tried to say something. ¡°I¡ª¡±


    Raz interrupted him, ¡°Seriously, I don¡¯t like you that way anymore so don¡¯t be awkward. Please.¡±


    Rocco chuckled. ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t be. I promise.¡± Raz smiled.


    ¡°I know you and Mike are in love. I just wanted you to know how much that has spoken to me. It gives me some hope that I can find a guy, too,¡± Raz said.


    Rocco smiled and nodded. ¡°I want you to know that I will be there to support you in whatever way I can,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Raz said. ¡°Well, that¡¯s all I wanted to say.¡±


    ¡°Do you want to tell the guys yet?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°Not just yet,¡± Raz said.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Rocco said. Raz stood up. Rocco did the same. He held out his arms to signal to Raz to give him a hug. Raz hugged Rocco. They could hear Pete let out a loud ¡°AWWW!¡± from the other lunch table. ¡°You want to go punch him in the throat?¡±


    Raz laughed and nodded.


    Rocco and Pete got to the park at 7. They were going to meet O¡¯Malley at the gate. They had noticed that an impressive stage was set up in one corner of the park where there was grass. This grassy area was just large enough for an audience to stand.


    ¡°Hey O¡¯Malley, we¡¯re here for practice,¡± Rocco said as he and Pete walked up to the gate. Austin and Raz pulled into the park. As they got out of the car and made their way to the gate, Rocco lit up at seeing Raz. He waved at the guys. Rocco gave Raz a hug. He felt they shared a special brotherhood now.


    ¡°Come on in guys,¡± O¡¯Malley motioned them in. They entered the park and noted that there were a few kids in the big bowl skating along with a couple of parents watching. The light crowd was not unusual for a mid-weeknight. ¡°Not too many people here so it¡¯ll be perfect for testing out the sound system,¡± O¡¯Malley croaked out.


    They walked over to the stage. The sound system O¡¯Malley had procured was a nice system that came with a decent soundboard.


    ¡°You¡¯ve put some money in this,¡± Pete noted.


    ¡°Yeah, we¡¯d like to do regular shows this year. At least every two weeks. If you guys are good, maybe you can be our house band,¡± O¡¯Malley said laughing.


    ¡°It would be an honor,¡± Pete said. He knew O¡¯Malley was serious because the stage was semi-permanent. It wasn¡¯t going to be dismantled anytime soon.


    ¡°Well, we weren¡¯t sure how this would go so we don¡¯t have our equipment. I think Rocco and Raz have their guitars but no drums,¡± Pete said. Rocco and Raz nodded in confirmation.


    ¡°That¡¯s alright. I¡¯ve got the plug-ins ready for the guitars and the mics are connected so you can do what you can,¡± O¡¯Malley said.


    ¡°Raz, let¡¯s go get our guitars. Pete and Austin, go ahead and check out the set-up,¡± Rocco said putting his arm around Raz¡¯s shoulders. Austin threw his keys to Raz. As Rocco and Raz walked to the cars, they could hear Pete speaking into the hot mic. ¡°Test 1-2 Test¡±.


    ¡°I¡¯m really excited to see you!¡± Rocco said to Raz.


    ¡°Likewise,¡± Raz said smiling. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about our conversation. I¡¯m going to tell the guys tonight.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be with you every step of the way,¡± Rocco said proudly acting in the mentor role. Raz looked over in the distance.


    ¡°Speaking of gay, isn¡¯t that Mike over there?¡± Raz said pointed in the distance. ¡°I think he¡¯s on a skateboard too.¡±


    Rocco looked over in confusion. He was shocked to see that Raz was telling the truth. Mike was indeed on a skateboard rolling along the flat pavement. He was wearing jeans and a long-sleeved t-shirt. What stood out to Rocco was that Mike was wearing his Yankees cap backwards.


    ¡°What the fuck am I witnessing?¡± Rocco said and started towards Mike. He and Raz went over closer. Mike was unaware that he was being watched and continued to roll along in the other direction. Rocco and Raz moved into closer. Mike switched directions and started to roll towards the two. As he saw Rocco watching him skate, Mike lost his balance and fell onto the smooth concrete. Luckily, he had fallen on his ass.


    ¡°Good fall, Vonder kid!¡± Rocco exclaimed.


    ¡°Oh shit,¡± Mike cursed.


    ¡°What the fuck is going on?¡± Rocco asked all confused.


    ¡°Just skating,¡± Mike said getting up.


    ¡°Yeah, I see that,¡± Rocco dusted Mike off and stopped Mike¡¯s board. Jared and Rusty ran over.


    ¡°I was going to surprise you with my skate skills,¡± Mike said smiling.


    ¡°What? You¡¯ve been learning how to skate? For me?¡± Rocco asked, his voice a little shaky from emotion.


    ¡°Yeah. That picture I showed you that I drew was for Jared¡¯s teaching enterprise,¡± Mike said pointing to Jared.


    ¡°Hey Rocco!¡± Jared said and waved awkwardly. Rusty also waved.


    ¡°I don¡¯t really know what to say to this. How long have you been learning?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°Just before our camping trip,¡± Mike said proudly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be mad, Rocco,¡± Jared explained. ¡°He was going to surprise you. He¡¯s been doing awesome so far.¡±


    Rocco stood quietly for a few seconds. ¡°I¡¯m not mad at all. I¡¯m just surprised. I had no idea you were doing this!¡±


    Mike shrugged and looked down. ¡°Surprise!¡±


    Rocco laughed. ¡°I guess I ruined the surprise!¡±


    Mike looked up and laughed as well, ¡°You did.¡±


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s see you in action,¡± Rocco said handing the board to Mike and stepping aside.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Mike said. ¡°I can only stand and push off.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s how you start,¡± Rocco said. Mike stood on his board in starting position and pushed himself forward with his back leg. He pivoted his feet perpendicular to the board. His feet caught on the grip tape as he rolled away from the group. When he got to the other end of the concrete, he put his foot down and stopped the board. The group of guys cheered Mike. Mike then did the same rolling towards the guys. Rocco reached out and grabbed Mike and gave him a kiss. The board rolled away which Jared quickly retrieved. Rocco put Mike back on the ground. ¡°Very well done!¡±


    ¡°Thank you!¡± Mike said bowing in an exaggerated manner.


    ¡°I¡¯m so impressed. And touched that you did this for me,¡± Rocco said.


    Mike shrugged and looked down again.


    Rocco leaned forward to whisper in Mike¡¯s ear. ¡°I love you, Mike Barber.¡± Mike looked up at Rocco and smiled.


    Mike leaned up, cupped his hand around Rocco¡¯s ear and whispered back. ¡°I love you, Rocco.¡±


    ¡°We are doing a test of the stage for our show this weekend,¡± Rocco said. ¡°When you get done, come on over.¡± Mike nodded and joined Jared and Rusty.


    ¡°See, that¡¯s what I mean by you guys inspire me,¡± Raz said.


    ¡°Yeah, Mike is one that inspires me,¡± Rocco said watching Mike interact with Jared and Rusty. Raz and Rocco turned to the parking lot to get their guitars.


    ¡°What do you know about that Jared kid? He¡¯s a cutie.¡± Raz said.


    Rocco looked over at Raz. ¡°I¡¯m afraid nothing. But I suppose you want me to find out?¡±


    ¡°Oh yes,¡± Raz said as they went to the car to get their guitars.


    ¡°Excuse me, I don¡¯t mean to eavesdrop, but it looks like you all are having a lesson. I thought I heard the name Jared,¡± an older gentleman interrupted Mike, Jared, and Rusty.


    ¡°I¡¯m Jared,¡± he said waving at the man.


    ¡°The same Jared that¡¯s on the flyer about lessons?¡± the man asked.


    ¡°Yep, that¡¯s me,¡± Jared said.


    ¡°I¡¯m interested in getting some lessons for my son. Would you take on a 10-year-old?¡± the man asked.


    ¡°Sure, that¡¯s not a problem,¡± Jared said.


    ¡°My son over there is 13,¡± the man pointed to a boy on a skateboard in the big bowl. ¡°My youngest wants to learn, but his brother over there is too cool to teach him.¡±


    ¡°I can see that. It takes time away from prime shredding,¡± Jared said.


    ¡°He¡¯s so eager to get on a board but I can¡¯t teach him. I don¡¯t know how to do that,¡± the man said looking at some of the kids in the bowl.


    ¡°No problem,¡± Jared said.


    ¡°What do you charge?¡± the man asked. Jared had not considered the price. They put the flyers that Mike designed up a day ago, so Jared did not have time to consider the business aspect.


    ¡°Hmm, let me think about that,¡± Jared pondered. Mike knew that Jared hadn¡¯t thought about this.


    ¡°You charge me $10 a lesson, so I better not be getting ripped off,¡± Mike interjected. The lessons were free, but Mike thought if he prodded the situation a little, Jared would establish a decent price for himself. Jared smiled at Mike.


    ¡°That¡¯s my rate. $10 per lesson. 5 for $40 if you pay in advance,¡± Jared replied.


    ¡°Okay, when can you start?¡± the man said digging out his wallet.


    ¡°How does tomorrow sound after school?¡± Jared said.


    The man fished out two twenty-dollar bills and handed them to Jared. ¡°That sounds just fine. We will be here at 6. Does that work?¡±


    ¡°Sure does,¡± Jared replied. ¡°What¡¯s your son¡¯s name?¡±


    ¡°His name is Caleb. I¡¯ll introduce you two tomorrow,¡± the man replied.


    ¡°Does he have his own board?¡± Jared asked. The man nodded. Jared gave a thumbs-up.


    ¡°Whoa, man, your first customer!¡± Rusty exclaimed quietly.


    ¡°Yeah, and I couldn¡¯t have done it without ol¡¯ Mikey here,¡± Jared said as he patted Mike on the back.


    ¡°And I just paid for the rest of my lessons,¡± Mike said smiling.


    Jared flipped up the board that Mike was using. ¡°Lessons over, man. Let¡¯s go check out the band.¡± All three walked over to the other side of the park where the stage was erected. Jared put his board on the ground and sat on it. Mike and Rusty sat in the grass. Raz and Rocco had not come back so the three just watched Pete sing some scales into the microphone while Austin and O¡¯Malley adjusted levels. Since the equipment belonged to O¡¯Malley and the park, he was very careful to let Austin touch as little of the controls as possible.


    ¡°Could you give me a little bit of an echo?¡± Pete asked O¡¯Malley. O¡¯Malley turned up the echo level until Pete was satisfied. ¡°Perfect.¡± He started singing some of the lyrics of a song and gave O¡¯Malley a signal to indicate that the sound needed a touch more echo.


    A few minutes later, Raz and Rocco showed up with their guitars. They plugged in the instruments, and, at Pete¡¯s command, they started playing a song on their play list without drums. They ran through the song all the way through. A few of the skaters stopped to watch the show. Mike, Jared, and Rusty applauded at the free concert when they finished the song. The skaters also cheered. The response was so favorable that they decided to play another song. Austin felt left out without his equipment. O¡¯Malley was impressed at the response the band was getting from their practice set. He felt certain that hiring Fred to play the park was a good move.


    When they finished their practice, Mike ran up to Rocco to give him a huge hug.


    ¡°You guys sounded spectacular,¡± Mike exclaimed. ¡°I can¡¯t wait for the actual show!¡±


    ¡°Thanks!¡± Rocco said putting his guitar in its case.


    ¡°You guys want a coke or something? It¡¯s on the house,¡± O¡¯Malley said to which everyone nodded. He motioned for everyone to follow him to the snack bar. The group followed O¡¯Malley to the other end of the park and set out cans of soda for all the group. Everyone took a drink and gathered at a nearby picnic table. O¡¯Malley stayed at the counter to take care of some business.


    ¡°I think we are going to have a great show,¡± Pete said to the group. ¡°It¡¯ll sound even better with drums.¡± Austin lifted his can to the sky.


    The parent of one of the kids approached the table. ¡°You guys sound great. Do you play private parties?¡±


    ¡°Of course we do,¡± Pete said winking to the group.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be having a party in a few weeks and would love to have you play,¡± the parent said. He produced a card and wrote his number down. ¡°Here¡¯s my phone number. Give me a call and we can talk details.¡± He handed the card to Pete. Pete turned back around to the group and tucked the card into his pocket.


    ¡°Looks like we got another gig!¡± Pete said. ¡°Hey, Mikey, what are you going to the Halloween festival as? Did Rocco tell you we are going to dress up as KISS?¡±


    Mike looked over at Rocco and smiled. ¡°No, he didn¡¯t!¡± He smirked. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I was thinking of coming as one of those medieval bird doctors.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re gonna come?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°Of course! You think I¡¯d miss out on a dance with KISS?¡± Mike retorted. Rocco grinned.


    ¡°Very cool. Very cool indeed,¡± Raz said.


    ¡°Who are your friends, Mikey?¡± Pete asked.


    ¡°Oh, yeah, this is Jared and Rusty. We¡¯ve started hanging out,¡± Mike said as he pointed to the other boys.


    ¡°Jared is teaching Mike how to skate as a surprise to me,¡± Rocco told Pete.


    ¡°That ain¡¯t much of a surprise if you already know,¡± Austin said.


    ¡°I just found out about it tonight,¡± Rocco said looking at Mike.


    ¡°How romantic!¡± Pete said. ¡°Jared and Rusty¡­you guys hang out here a lot, don¡¯t you? You look familiar.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, we come here a lot. I think I¡¯ve seen you here a few times,¡± Jared said to Pete.


    ¡°Welcome to the group then,¡± Pete said and lifted his can as if to toast. Jared and Rusty reciprocated from the other end of the table.


    ¡°Be sure to get the word out about the show this weekend,¡± Pete said. Jared and Rusty nodded.


    ¡°Oh, I think Joe¡¯s here to pick me up,¡± Mike said looking at a car that pulled in.


    ¡°Oh no! So soon?¡± Rocco said getting up. ¡°I can give you a ride.¡±


    ¡°Well, he¡¯s already here,¡± Mike and Rocco started walking towards Joe¡¯s car. ¡°And I¡¯m sure my parents are expecting me. If you¡¯d like, you could come over later. I wouldn¡¯t mind seeing more of you,¡± Mike said grabbing Rocco¡¯s arm.


    ¡°Are you asking me if I will sneak up to your house later?¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°I¡¯m not asking, I¡¯m demanding,¡± Mike said giving Rocco a wink.


    ¡°I could get into trouble if I sneak out. My mom¡¯s on to me these days, don¡¯t you know?¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Hmm, well, if you¡¯d rather wait,¡± Mike said trailing off.


    ¡°Oh, no. I will see you later tonight for sure. I haven¡¯t gotten to see you alone since the camping trip,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°I know!¡± Mike said. They reached the car. Joe leaned out and gave Rocco a high-five.


    Rocco leaned into whisper in Mike¡¯s ear. ¡°Until tonight.¡± He gently kissed Mike¡¯s ear which made Mike quake with anticipation.


    Mike got in the car. The two brothers waved as they drove off leaving Rocco to watch the car disappear.

 23. Punk Rock Show at the Skatepark

    ¡°Ever since you came back from the camping trip with Rocco, you¡¯ve been different,¡± Joe said as he entered Mike¡¯s room. Mike set aside his sketch pad and pencils.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Mike replied a little nervous that Joe knew about the next step he and Rocco had taken in their relationship.


    ¡°I can¡¯t place my finger on it, but you are just different somehow,¡± Joe said looking Mike up and down.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t changed anything about my looks if that¡¯s what you mean,¡± Mike said unsure of how the conversation was going to go.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not that. It¡¯s like you carry yourself differently. Maybe more confidently? But that¡¯s not quite right,¡± Joe said continuing his prodding.


    ¡°If you figure it out, let me know,¡± Mike said grabbing his pencils attempting to go back to his drawing before Rocco picked him up to set up for tonight¡¯s show.


    ¡°Wait a minute,¡± Joe exclaimed. ¡°Of course. You were alone in the woods with your boyfriend. There¡¯s only one thing that could have happened.¡±


    Mike put his drawing supplies down again and looked up at Joe wide-eyed.


    ¡°You guys didn¡¯t!!!¡± Joe asked as if he solved a mystery.


    ¡°Joe, close the door!¡± Mike exclaimed. He had figured it out, but he certainly did not want his parents to know. Joe closed the door and pulled Mike¡¯s desk chair up to the bed where Mike was drawing.


    ¡°Well, am I correct?¡± Joe asked eager to hear the response.


    Mike looked around the room and then squarely at Joe. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°I knew it!¡± Joe said proudly.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t let Rocco know you know! He would be so embarrassed,¡± Mike pleaded.


    ¡°Relax, little guy. It¡¯s not leaving this room,¡± Joe reassured Mike. ¡°Well, give me the details.¡±


    Mike looked down at the floor. He was not sure if his brother really wanted to know all the details. It was just a few weeks ago that he said he was not sure if he would be okay having a gay brother. He had come around considerably, however. Mike was constantly impressed at his progressive attitude towards his relationship with Rocco.


    ¡°Are you sure you want to hear this?¡± Mike asked looking up at Joe.


    ¡°I¡¯m positive. Please. I want to be a part of this with you,¡± Joe said.


    ¡°Well, okay. We got there at the site and set up camp. It was getting late, so we ate a little. Then we made out. And one thing led to another--¡± Mike said matter-of-factly.


    ¡°That¡¯s all I get?¡± Joe exclaimed.


    ¡°Well, what else do you want to know?¡± Mike asked defensively but gave Joe the details.


    ¡°Afterwards, he told me he loved me,¡± Mike said sheepishly.


    ¡°He did what?¡± Joe said almost jumping up.


    ¡°And I told him I loved him,¡± Mike responded.


    ¡°You did what???¡± Joe stood up.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Mike said and nervously laughed.


    ¡°That¡¯s amazing, Mike,¡± Joe exclaimed and sat back down. ¡°I don¡¯t know what else to say,¡± Joe said open mouthed.


    ¡°You could say congratulations, maybe?¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Congratulations!¡± Joe replied.


    ¡°Shall I continue?¡± Mike casually said. Joe eagerly nodded his head. Mike filled Joe in on the details.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re going to be going around the block more often,¡± Joe said in a joking tone.


    ¡°Fuck off!¡± Mike said.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t resist. I promise, I won¡¯t say another word,¡± Joe said. ¡°Scouts¡¯ honor.¡±


    ¡°That means jack-shit since you were never a scout,¡± Mike said throwing his pillow at Joe.


    ¡°Ah, yuck! There¡¯s no telling what you two have done to this crusty pillow,¡± Joe said. ¡°It smells like butt!¡± He gaged for effect.


    ¡°You¡¯re a juvenile,¡± Mike retorted.


    ¡°So, listen, would it make you uncomfortable if I went to Rocco¡¯s show at the skate park?¡± Joe asked changing the subject.


    Mike cocked his head to the side. ¡°Why would it make me uncomfortable?¡±


    ¡°I mean, it¡¯s not going to be my crowd. I don¡¯t want to be the big brother watching over his little brother or anything like that,¡± Joe said.


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t bother me at all. But why would you want to go to the skate park?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been hearing this is going to be a great show. I just want to see your boyfriend in his element is all. I¡¯m not going to take up skateboarding or anything and step into your territory,¡± Joe said. Mike raised an eyebrow in confusion. ¡°I know that¡¯s your crowd these days.¡±


    ¡°Are you bringing anyone?¡± Mike asked cautiously.


    ¡°You mean, David Wick the Dick?¡± Joe asked knowing exactly why Mike asked this question.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Mike said. ¡°After his behavior at Troy¡¯s party, he¡¯s not exactly going to be welcomed.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not bringing him, and I didn¡¯t ask him to go. But it¡¯s a public space. I can¡¯t exactly prevent him from coming. If he¡¯s there, it¡¯s on his own accord,¡± Joe said.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s true,¡± Mike agreed.


    ¡°If he¡¯s there and acts up, I¡¯ll take care of him,¡± Joe assured him.


    ¡°What¡¯s his deal with gay people anyway? If you don¡¯t like gay guys, that¡¯s fine. But he doesn¡¯t have to go out of his way to make it such an issue,¡± Mike said looking off in the distance.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s because he¡¯s prick, and he¡¯s not secure in his own sexuality,¡± Joe explained.


    Mike gave him a confused look. ¡°The first part I totally agree. I¡¯m not sure what you mean by the last part.¡±


    ¡°Well, Mike,¡± Joe looked down at the floor and then back up at Mike. ¡°You remember me telling you about my gay experience?¡± Mike nodded¡ªof course, Mike remembered. How could he forget? ¡°David was the guy I hooked up with.¡±


    Mike sat stunned with his eyes wide and mouth gaping. ¡°What???¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Joe confessed. ¡°It was David.¡±


    ¡°The guy who¡¯s been tormenting the gay guys is gay himself?¡± Mike exclaimed.


    ¡°Typical, right?¡± Joe said snarkily.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it,¡± Mike was still stunned.


    ¡°Yeah, I know. I can¡¯t believe I hooked up with such an asshole,¡± Joe said guiltily. ¡°Believe me, I wish it wasn¡¯t him. I thought maybe I didn¡¯t like the experience because it was David. I don¡¯t think I would have enjoyed it with another guy either.¡±


    Mike started to come back to reality. ¡°I can understand that.¡±


    ¡°You cannot say a word to anyone though. If David is gay, he¡¯s got to come out on his own. I don¡¯t want to do it for him,¡± Joe pleaded.


    ¡°My lips are sealed if you keep it to yourself about me and Rocco on the camping trip,¡± Mike said. The two shook on their secrecy pact. ¡°Rocco is going to pick me up in an hour, so I need to eat and get ready.¡±


    ¡°What time do they start?¡± Joe asked getting out of his chair.


    ¡°They start at 9,¡± Mike replied. Joe gave him a thumbs-up and left the room. Mike sat on his bed thinking about their conversation. Joe Barber had a gay experience with David Wick the Dick¡ªthe bane of every gay guy¡¯s existence at Miners Creek High School.


    Mike was waiting outside when Rocco pulled up. Mike had on a pair of jeans, a white t-shirt, and a flannel shirt¡ªthis time he was wearing the shirt unbuttoned. He had on Rocco¡¯s hat which he was wearing backwards as he almost always did these days.


    ¡°Ready to report for duty,¡± Mike said getting into the car. He looked over at Rocco. He noticed Rocco was wearing Mike¡¯s old junior high baseball hat. ¡°You¡¯re wearing my hat!¡± Mike exclaimed.


    ¡°It¡¯s my good luck charm,¡± Rocco said batting his eyelashes at Mike. He leaned in to kiss Mike.


    ¡°I¡¯m not your good luck charm?¡± Mike said after they kissed.


    ¡°Well, yes, but I need something on the stage with me,¡± Rocco responded.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll give that one to you,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Hey, if I tell you something, would you swear not to say anything?¡± Rocco asked eager to tell Mike a bit of information.


    ¡°Wow, this is the night of secret swearing,¡± Mike mumbled. Rocco heard what Mike said and raised his eyebrow in confusion. ¡°Never mind. Yes, of course, I swear.¡±


    ¡°Okay, you¡¯ll probably won¡¯t have to keep it secret for that long in any case,¡± Rocco said and then continued. ¡°Raz told me he is gay.¡±


    Mike dropped his jaw. ¡°Really???¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Rocco replied. ¡°He said he was inspired to come out because of us.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be damned!¡± Mike exclaimed.


    ¡°I know! I couldn¡¯t believe it either. I had absolutely no idea,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Me either, but I¡¯m embarrassed to say that I don¡¯t know that much about Raz. He¡¯s usually so silent,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°He is, but, looking back, I guess it makes sense. I mean, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve even known him to have a girlfriend,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°And we are an inspiration to him?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°I know!¡± Rocco replied. ¡°I think he¡¯s going to come out to the guys tonight, but I didn¡¯t want you to be shocked.¡±


    ¡°Well, thanks for telling me. It¡¯s kind of an honor to be the one who gave him the courage to come to this decision,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°It really is. He thinks Jared is cute,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Ah, Jared. Yeah, I guess he is cute in a way. You gotta stop him there. Jared¡¯s all cool with us, but he said he¡¯s straight,¡± Mike stated.


    ¡°Well, so did you,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Excuse me. I said I¡¯m not 100% straight and not 100% gay. I like the person!¡± Mike corrected.


    ¡°You could have fooled me!¡± Rocco laughed.


    ¡°Just fucking drive to the park!¡± Mike said returning the laugh.


    Mike and Rocco arrived at the skate park two hours before the show was scheduled to start. There were a few younger kids skating in the bowls as well as the parents of those kids watching. The gate had a banner hanging over the gate that read ¡°Skate Park Concert Tonight $5 entry¡±. There was no mention of Fred. Rocco knew another band was opening the show but had not heard anything about them. He also knew that Fred was the main event. He could hear some music playing from the direction of the stage which sounded like a mixed tape of some sort. He saw that Pete, Austin, and Raz were already there as he had spotted their vehicles in the lot.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go see what needs to be done,¡± Rocco said to Mike as they walked up to the gate.


    ¡°You here for the show or to skate?¡± the vendor at the gate asked. It wasn¡¯t O¡¯Malley.


    ¡°Um, we¡¯re part of the band,¡± Rocco said to the guy at the counter.


    ¡°Are you with the Rejects or Fred?¡± the guy asked. The Rejects? That was an interesting name.


    ¡°I¡¯m with Fred,¡± Rocco answered.


    ¡°Okay, go on in. You know where the stage is?¡± the guy asked. It was obvious as the park was not huge enough that one could not see the stage from the gate.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Rocco replied not wanting to be sarcastic.


    ¡°Who are the Rejects?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s a couple of guys at the park,¡± the guy answered. ¡°I¡¯ve heard a lot about you. The rest of the band is back behind the stage.¡±


    ¡°Thanks!¡± Rocco said and entered the park with Mike.


    The two walked over to the stage. The youngsters and the parents watched the two make their way over to the stage.  A couple of the kids waved. ¡°Why is everyone watching us?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but it¡¯s like you are a rock star,¡± Mike said trying to ease Rocco¡¯s tension. Jared and Rusty were off to the side talking to a parent. Jared was lining up a lesson.


    ¡°Mike! Rocco!!¡± Rusty yelled and waved at the pair. Mike and Rocco approached Rusty and Jared. The parent gave Jared a card and some cash and wondered off.


    ¡°Just booking some business,¡± Jared said showing them a twenty-dollar bill.


    ¡°Excellent!¡± Mike exclaimed and lightly punched Jared on the shoulder.


    ¡°Hey guys, what¡¯s up tonight?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°Just here to see you guys,¡± Rusty said.


    ¡°Hey, what do you know about this band, the Rejects?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Not much. There just a couple of guys in 8th grade who know a few songs,¡± Rusty said shrugging.


    ¡°Did we go to junior high with them?¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Nah, I think they went to the other junior high,¡± Rusty said.


    ¡°Ah, okay. Are they any good?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°No idea. I¡¯ve never heard of them until tonight,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure they are no Fred,¡± Mike said looking lovingly at Rocco. Rocco gave him a Frenchman¡¯s wave as if to dismiss his compliment.


    They spotted the rest of the band standing around. Pete was pacing back and forth while Austin and Raz stood by the stage watching Pete pace.


    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    ¡°Hey guys,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Rocco!¡± Raz lit up. ¡°Welcome to the show.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s up with this Reject band?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°They are our first opening act. Can you believe that?¡± Pete said.


    ¡°No, not really,¡± Rocco said. ¡°It¡¯s like people know who we are.¡±


    ¡°Because they do!¡± Pete said.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s the plan for the show? Like when do we set up the equipment and all?¡± Austin asked.


    ¡°From what O¡¯Malley told me, the Rejects will get on stage at 7 but we can go ahead and set up since they don¡¯t use a lot of the stage,¡± Pete replied.


    ¡°Sounds decent,¡± Austin said.


    ¡°Did you invite Wendy?¡± Rocco asked Austin.


    ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s already here. She¡¯s over there,¡± Austin pointed over to Wendy who was with two other girls.


    ¡°Nice,¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°Raz, you okay?¡± Pete said. ¡°You look white as a ghost.¡±


    Rocco looked over at Raz. He could tell he was nervous. Raz looked at Rocco. Rocco gave him a smile and a nod. He pointed at Jared and Rusty and then made an okay sign to indicate they were cool with what Rocco assumed was going to Raz¡¯s coming out. Rocco grabbed Mike¡¯s hand to make it obvious to Raz that, if he was going to come out, they were there for him.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m good,¡± Raz said.


    ¡°You¡¯re not getting stage fright, are you?¡± Pete asked.


    ¡°No, not that. I need to tell you all something,¡± Raz said.


    ¡®Here goes¡¯ Rocco thought. All the guys stopped and looked at Raz. Raz let out a long forceful sight.


    ¡°Guys, I¡¯m gay,¡± Raz said and looked at Rocco.


    Pete let out a laugh but stopped himself immediately after seeing no one else thought this was a joke.


    ¡°Wait, really?¡± Pete said.


    ¡°Yes, really,¡± Raz said.


    ¡°Raz! I had no idea,¡± Austin said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say,¡± Pete said.


    Rocco picked up on the shock from the other guys. ¡°I know what to say. That¡¯s fantastic, Raz. Thank you for telling us.¡± He went over to Raz and gave him a long hug. ¡°I¡¯m proud of you.¡±


    Mike also went over to Raz and gave him a hug. ¡°Congratulations!¡±


    ¡°Of course, that¡¯s fantastic. Of course it is!¡± Austin went over to hug Raz.


    Pete shook out of his stupor. ¡°Yeah! Fuck yeah that¡¯s great,¡± he exclaimed. ¡°I¡¯m just shocked because, well,¡± Pete stopped for a moment trying to think of something to say. ¡°I think we are all shocked because we never asked you about your love life. We never would have picked up on it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sorry for not asking you what¡¯s been going on,¡± Austin said.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to say that. I haven¡¯t been the most forthcoming,¡± Raz said.


    ¡°What brought this on?¡± Austin asked.


    ¡°Seeing how you guys reacted to Rocco and how you welcomed Mike led me to think seriously about things,¡± Raz said smiling over at Mike and Rocco.


    ¡°Well, now we really are Queer as Fuck,¡± Pete said poking out his chest. He was wearing a white t-shirt. He had written ¡®Queer as Fuck¡¯ on it in a Sharpie.


    ¡°Holy shit, Pete, that¡¯s kickass,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Do you guys have the stickers for your guitar?¡± Pete asked.


    ¡°Fuck yeah,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Ditto,¡± Raz said.


    ¡°Hey, the crowd is starting to pick up a little. We should start bringing our stuff to the stage,¡± Austin said.


    ¡°O¡¯Malley!¡± Pete yelled over the mixed tape. O¡¯Malley poked his head out from the back of the stage.


    ¡°Yeah?¡± O¡¯Malley grunted.


    ¡°Can we set up?¡± Pete asked.


    O¡¯Malley jumped off the stage to where the guys were standing. ¡°Yep, the stage is ready.¡±


    ¡°You guys want some extra help?¡± Jared asked.


    ¡°Are you going after my job?¡± Mike joked. Jared held up his hands in surrender. Mike mussed his hair. ¡°Come on, then. Help me out.¡±


    They trekked over to their cars to unload the equipment. Even though Mike was there, all the guys helped in unloading equipment and walking it up to the stage. While Mike and Austin set up the drums, Rocco and Raz took out their guitars and placed them on the stands O¡¯Malley had provided. On both guitars, there was the ¡®Queer as Fuck¡¯ sticker Pete had made. Rocco stopped and admired Austin¡¯s bass drum with Mike¡¯s Fred logo. Rocco, Pete, and Raz looked over the growing number of people. It was going to be a great show. The maximum capacity was 200 and the park was already about a third of the way there.


    Rocco spotted Toya and Moni in the crowd. Toya waived in an overly animated way and hollered. He waived the two up to the stage. They approached the stage which was about 4 foot high. Rocco pointed to a small set of stairs off to the side. Toya and Moni ascended the stairs and ran towards Rocco. Rocco gave each of them a big hug.


    ¡°It¡¯s great to see you two here!¡± Rocco exclaimed.


    ¡°ROCKY!¡± Toya exclaimed. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see your show again.¡± Moni nodded her head. ¡°And there¡¯s Mikey!¡± When he heard his name, Mike looked around. He waved at Toya and Moni. He held up a finger to indicate that he would be there in a minute.


    ¡°Look at how Little Mikey works,¡± Moni said laughing.


    ¡°He¡¯s a great roadie,¡± Rocco replied.


    They watched Mike tighten up some pieces of the drum set. Austin gave him the okay that he was finished with his work. Mike ran over to Rocco, Moni, and Toya.


    ¡°Hello beautiful ladies!¡± Mike said with a huge smile on his face.


    ¡°How are you?¡± Moni asked.


    ¡°Fucking awesome! It¡¯s going to be a great show!¡± Mike replied excitedly.


    ¡°Hey Rocco, a moment?¡± Mike said calling Rocco over to the side.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Rocco said joining Mike off to the side.


    In a quiet tone, Mike said, ¡°I think I want to tell Moni and Toya about us.¡±


    ¡°I think they already know,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°I know, but I want to actually say it,¡± Mike said. Rocco nodded and they went back to Toya and Moni.


    ¡°Hey, I want to tell you something,¡± Mike started. Toya and Moni stood attentively. ¡°Rocco and I are boyfriends.¡±


    They burst out laughing. Mike gave them a look of confusion. ¡°Mikey, Little Mikey, yes we already knew that,¡± Moni said.


    ¡°So, it¡¯s not a surprise?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Not at all,¡± Moni replied.


    ¡°When did you know?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Aside from it being so obvious, we pieced it together at Tiffany¡¯s party,¡± Toya said flatly. ¡°What kind of idiots do you think we are?¡±


    ¡°Wow, I thought I was hiding it well,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Not even!¡± Toya said rolling her eyes.


    They all chatted for a few minutes before O¡¯Malley came up to them.


    ¡°We are about to have the Rejects start up in about 10 minutes,¡± O¡¯Malley informed them.


    ¡°Okay, we should clear the stage and let them get set up,¡± Rocco said and led Toya, Moni, and Mike to join Jared and Rusty off the stage. Austin, Pete, and Raz followed them. The nine of them remained in the front and off to the side of the stage.


    Rocco spotted Meigs in the audience which took him by surprise. He was sure that Meigs was not the skate park type.


    ¡°Hey, hang on. I see a friend I want to bring over,¡± Rocco said and weaved his way over to Meigs. As Rocco approached him, Meigs caught sight of Rocco and smiled.


    ¡°Hey Meigs! It¡¯s great to see you here!¡± Rocco beamed. ¡°I didn¡¯t take you as the skate park type.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not but everyone¡¯s been talking about this show. I had to see you guys play,¡± Meigs said.


    ¡°Is it okay to give you a hug?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°Well, sure?¡± Meigs said with a level of uncertainty. Rocco gave Meigs a huge hug.


    ¡°I¡¯m so happy to see you!¡± Rocco said genuinely.


    ¡°Well, Rocco! I had no idea you cared so much about me!¡± Meigs laughed.


    ¡°I do,¡± Rocco said looking up at Meigs who was at least 6 inches taller. ¡°I care about how other guys like us are doing.¡± Meigs smiled knowing what Rocco was saying. ¡°Hey, come over and meet the guys in the band.¡±


    ¡°Is it alright?¡± Meigs asked.


    ¡°Of course it is. I¡¯m totally out to them,¡± Rocco assured Meigs putting to rest any further speculation. Rocco took Meigs¡¯s hand and led him over to the band.


    They all looked over at Rocco and Meigs. ¡°Everyone, this is my friend Meigs. Meigs, this is everyone.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah, I know you. I¡¯m Pete, the lead singer,¡± Pete said shaking Meigs¡¯s hand.


    ¡°I¡¯m Austin,¡± Austin said extending his hand.


    ¡°I¡¯m Toya and this is Moni,¡± Toya said. Moni gave him a ¡®what¡¯s up¡¯ gesture.


    ¡°I¡¯m Jared and this is Rusty,¡± Jared said. Rusty gave a Meigs a wave.


    ¡°I¡¯m Mike,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Oh, I remember you from the restaurant,¡± Meigs said.


    ¡°I¡¯m also Rocco¡¯s boyfriend,¡± Mike added.


    Meigs raised his eyebrows. ¡°Oh, really?  I knew you two must have been on a date that night,¡± Meigs laughed. ¡°But aren¡¯t you Joe Barber¡¯s brother?¡±


    ¡°I am,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Interesting,¡± Meigs said with a tone of skepticism.


    ¡°Yeah, I know what you¡¯re thinking. He¡¯s been surprisingly supportive of me and Rocco,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Wow! People surprise you,¡± Meigs said.


    ¡°And I¡¯m Raz,¡± Raz said extending his hand.


    ¡°I¡¯m pleased to meet you all,¡± Meigs said. ¡°Pete, tell me about your shirt,¡± Meigs eyed his ¡®Queer as Fuck¡¯ shirt.


    ¡°Well, a guy at one of our shows was drunk and called us queer because of Rocco. So, I said, yeah, we are queer. We are queer as fuck. I sorta made it our thing,¡± Pete explained proudly.


    ¡°How metal of you,¡± Meigs said with a humorous tone in his voice.


    ¡°Mmm, more like how punk of you,¡± Pete corrected him. ¡°We aren¡¯t a metal band.¡±


    ¡°My apologies,¡± Meigs said.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure we are going to hang out after the show. Why don¡¯t you stick around with us?¡± Pete said feeling instantly at ease around Meigs.


    ¡°Well, sure. I¡¯d love to,¡± Meigs said.


    ¡°Ah fuck!¡± Mike exclaimed.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°Our heckler is here,¡± Mike said pointing to David Wick. David had come to the show. He was standing in the back alone.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. It¡¯s a public space. Anyone¡¯s free to come to the show. And O¡¯Malley knows how to handle rowdy spectators,¡± Pete said.


    ¡°Still, no one wants him here,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t he a friend of your brother¡¯s? My guess is Joe is coming?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°Yeah, but they are not friends anymore. Joe said he intentionally avoided telling David about coming,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Mike, it¡¯s alright. I¡¯m sure he did. He probably found out about it from someone else and he had nothing else to do,¡± Pete said.


    ¡°Meigs, are you okay?¡± Rocco asked Meigs quietly.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay. David¡¯s not going to do anything to me in a crowd,¡± Meigs reassured Rocco. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m more than okay. I¡¯m among my kind of people,¡± Rocco nodded and smiled.


    O¡¯Malley walked on the stage and introduced the opening act¡ªthe Rejects. The rumors were true. The Rejects were two junior high school guys. One guy played guitar, and one guy sang. The act was entertaining but was rough all over. The crowd did not have any ill will towards the young, amateur act. The audience just appreciated a live act. Halfway through the show, Rocco motioned for the guys in the band for a word.


    ¡°Hey, do you guys know ¡®Here Comes Your Man¡¯ by the Pixies?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Pete said as if it was offensive to assume they did not. Raz and Austin nodded.


    ¡°Do you think we could play that so I can dedicate it to Mike?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°AWWWW!¡± Pete exclaimed half-jokingly. ¡°Of course we can!¡± He pinched Rocco¡¯s cheek. ¡°Just motion to me when you want to make the intro.¡± Rocco nodded. Pete smooshed Rocco¡¯s cheeks together. They rejoined the others.


    ¡°What was that about?¡± Mike asked Rocco.


    ¡°Just a little request to change the playlist,¡± Rocco said. Mike accepted that explanation at face value.


    The Rejects finished up their lineup. The audience did not ask for any encores but avidly cheered the band for their efforts.


    O¡¯Malley walked up to the microphone. ¡°That was the Rejects. And now, make some noise for Fred!¡±


    The packed park roared in applause and shouting. This was a welcome that none of the guys anticipated.


    Rocco put on Mike¡¯s old ball cap. Mike leaned up to whisper in Rocco¡¯s ear.


    ¡°I love you, Rocco,¡± Mike whispered and kissed his ear.


    The members of the band made their way up the stage waving at the crowd as they cheered. They took their places. Rocco and Raz plugged in their guitars.


    ¡°Thank you for the welcome! We¡¯re Fred and we are here to rock!¡± Pete shouted.


    Rocco looked down at Mike who was dreamily staring up at Rocco. Meigs, Toya, and Moni were standing behind him.


    ¡°You guys ready?¡± Pete said. All the guys in the band nodded. ¡°Are YOU guys ready?¡± Pete said to the audience. The audience shouted in applause. ¡°2¡­3¡­4¡­.¡±


    Rocco was taken to his magic place when he played the music he loved. The crowd darkened except for Mike. He saw the music in front of him, just as he had experienced that night Fred played Tiffany¡¯s party. It was as if time was infinitely nonexistent.


    After their second song, Pete started speaking to the crowd.


    ¡°You guys want to hear some Skynyrd?¡± Pete shouted to the audience. ¡°That¡¯s not our kind of music but we played this one show when a douchebag who is actually in the audience tonight started yelling for us to play Skynyrd.¡± The audience started booing. David was visibly uncomfortable in the back of the crowd. ¡°This guy goes on to call us queer. So, I tell him yeah, we are queer. WE ARE QUEER AS FUCK!¡± Pete pointed to his shirt. The audience shouted in excitement. ¡°SO, HERE¡¯S YOUR FUCKING SKYNYRD¡± Pete shouted. The band ripped into their punk version of ¡®Sweet Home Alabama¡¯ which sent the audience into a frenzy. A little mosh pit formed in the front. Mike, Meigs, Toya, and Moni moved over to the far side of the audience. Jared and Rusty joined the mosh pit.


    Once the song was over, Rocco motioned for Pete to give him the floor. Rocco cleared his throat.


    ¡°I hardly ever say anything, but I have a dedication. I¡¯d like to dedicate this next song to my boyfriend,¡± Rocco said to the crowd who started cheering at the word ¡®boyfriend¡¯.  ¡°2¡­3¡­4¡­.¡±


    The band started to play ¡®Here Comes Your Man¡¯ which Mike instantly recognized from his birthday mixed tape. Mike grew weak in the knees. He now knew why girls at Beatles shows screamed, cried, and passed out. His boyfriend was singing to him in front of a hundred high school kids. It was all Mike could do to hold back the tears of happiness. The entire time he played, Rocco made sure Mike knew who the song was for. He turned himself towards Mike so that he could see the man he fell in love with standing in the audience. A few times during the chorus, Pete sang to Mike pointing at Rocco at the lyric ¡®Here Comes Your Man¡¯. At the end of the song, Rocco mouthed ¡®I love you¡¯ and tipped up his ball cap. Meigs, Toya, and Moni all jumped up and down in excitement for Mike. Jared and Rusty emerged from the pit with no visible wounds.


    ¡°You are one lucky bastard,¡± Meigs said to Mike who just laughed and wiped his tears aways. Meigs gave him a huge smile and put his hand around Mike.


    ¡°I¡¯m sick of these fucking faggots!¡± a voice shouted from the audience. It was David Wick. He had a scowl on his beet red face. The last two songs made him livid. Rocco and Pete looked up and made eye contact with David.


    ¡°You have something to say?¡± Pete said into the mic. ¡°Come up here on stage and say it to my face, David Wick.¡±


    David clenched his hands into fists and started to march towards the stage. He only made it a few feet from the back when a thick mob of punk teens gathered and encircled David.


    ¡°Fuck you, meathead!¡± one of the teens said.


    ¡°We don¡¯t want you here, football boy,¡± another shouted.


    ¡°Leave me alone!¡± David yelled and tried to break past the punk barricade.


    Someone punched David in the eye. ¡°That¡¯s what you get for calling one of us a faggot.¡± David fell back on his butt onto the trampled down grass.


    ¡°Get up, jock,¡± one of the teens said.


    David tried to get up on his feet but was meet with a Doc Martin boot to the stomach. It knocked the breath out of him and made him throw up. The group of teens started to laugh and taunt David.


    ¡°You¡¯re not so tough after all, are you?¡± one teen said. ¡°Pig!¡±


    ¡°Hey, break it up!¡± O¡¯Malley shouted tearing the group apart. ¡°Get outta here!¡±


    The group dispersed. O¡¯Malley leaned down to David. ¡°You alright, kid?¡± O¡¯Malley said to David as he checked him for any bleeding.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m alright,¡± David said getting up with O¡¯Malley¡¯s assistance.


    ¡°Good, now get the fuck outta my park,¡± O¡¯Malley said leading David to the front gate. ¡°I ain¡¯t having none of your hate here.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± David said trying to act innocent.


    ¡°You think I didn¡¯t hear you? The next time I see you here, I¡¯ll kick your ass myself.¡± O¡¯Malley said letting go of David a few feet from the front gate. O¡¯Malley pointed toward the gate. ¡°Get your ugly ass outta here.¡±


    David gave O¡¯Malley the bird and huffed out of the gate. O¡¯Malley walked back to the stage. He shouted, ¡°Alright, anyone else have something to say?¡± The crowd was silent. ¡°Continue on, fellas.¡±


    As O¡¯Malley walked to the back of the stage, Fred started back up with their lineup. The more the show went on, the more the crowd loved it. The crowd had reached a fevered frenzy when the show ended. Fred ended up playing two encore songs. The last one morphed into a random jam session. At that point, Pete thought it was a good segway to end the show.


    ¡°That¡¯s Rocco,¡± Pete pointed to Rocco as he played a solo.


    ¡°And this is Raz,¡± Pete looked over at Raz who played his solo.


    ¡°Behind us is Austin,¡± Austin started a drum solo.


    ¡°And I¡¯m Pete. We¡¯re Fred. Good night!¡± Pete said as the stage lights went out. The crowd went crazy wanting more, but the show was over at that point. The band members walked backstage to let the audience thin out a little before making their way down.


    ¡°Can you believe that asshole, David? The nerve,¡± Pete said.


    ¡°Well, he got his ass beat,¡± Austin said laughing.


    ¡°An opening act and a fight,¡± Rocco laughed a little proud of the accomplishment.


    ¡°Hey, Rocco, can I ask you something?¡± Raz asked as Pete and Austin made jokes with each other.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°How much do you know about Meigs?¡± Raz asked.


    Rocco looked around. ¡°Not much, really. I know he got beat up all the time by David.¡±


    ¡°So, he¡¯s into guys?¡± Raz asked a little nervous.


    Rocco laughed at Raz¡¯s question. ¡°Mmm, I really don¡¯t know,¡± Rocco said in an overly sarcastic tone. ¡°He¡¯s like the proto-gay.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Raz asked.


    ¡°Never mind,¡± Rocco shook his head. ¡°Are you interested?¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Raz said unsure of himself.


    ¡°Do I need to set you two up?¡± Rocco asked looking at Raz. ¡°All you have to do is talk to him a little bit. He¡¯s a cool guy. He¡¯s not going to bite your head off.¡± Raz nodded to acknowledge Rocco¡¯s advice.


    ¡°I think the crowd has died down,¡± Pete said looking out at the audience after a few minutes of being backstage. O¡¯Malley walked up to them.


    ¡°You guys were fantastic. What a great show! Next time I¡¯m going to have to charge more,¡± O¡¯Malley said.


    ¡°So, there¡¯s a next time?¡± Pete asked.


    ¡°Are you fucking kidding me? You tell me when you want to play and we¡¯ll do it,¡± O¡¯Malley said.


    ¡°You know,¡± Pete started to think, ¡°You could let us practice here during the week and you could start upping your price a little.¡±


    ¡°You guys would want to practice here?¡± O¡¯Malley asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s a great space, you¡¯ve got awesome equipment. It could draw a few more people in,¡± Rocco thought.


    ¡°Deal! We¡¯ve been wanting to branch out a little more,¡± O¡¯Malley said and extended his hand to shake on the deal.


    ¡°My parents will be happy to have the garage back as well as some quiet,¡± Pete added. ¡°Let¡¯s go catch up with the other guys.¡±


    They left the backstage area to find the group. Toya, Moni, Mike, Jared, and Rusty were all standing by the stairs on the side of the stage.


    When he saw Rocco, Mike ran to him and gave him a hug and kiss.


    ¡°Thank you for that song,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Thank you for being here,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°You guys rocked!!!¡± Jared said and gave Pete a high five.


    ¡°Guess what?¡± Rocco said to Mike.


    ¡°What?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°O¡¯Malley¡¯s going to let us practice here during the week so maybe I¡¯ll get to see you learning how to skate?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°Really?¡± Mike said his eyes lighting up. ¡°I¡¯d love that!¡±


    ¡°You want to show me some of your board skills?¡± Rocco asked pointing at one of the bowls.


    ¡°Oh, I can¡¯t do that yet. I can just go back and forth on a flat surface right now,¡± Mike said embarrassed at his novice skills.


    ¡°Come on. I can show you a few tricks,¡± Rocco said with a sly smirk on his face.


    ¡°I bet you can,¡± Mike returned the smirk. ¡°Yeah, okay.¡±


    ¡°Hey, we¡¯re going to break off and skate a little,¡± Rocco said to the group.


    They went to Rocco¡¯s car to get his board. Rocco first had to get a few kisses from Mike which he very willingly accepted. Rocco and Mike came back into the park and found a level piece of concrete.


    ¡°Here, you can use my board,¡± Rocco said laying his board down for Mike to jump on. Mike smiled and began showing off for Rocco. It felt natural for Mike to use Rocco¡¯s board. It was as if he were getting access to even more of Rocco. Rocco stood by and watched Mike go back forth on his board enjoying the look of glee on Mike¡¯s face. Rocco could still see the group and noticed Raz and Meigs were deep in a conversation. Pete and Austin were looking towards the stage and pointing occasionally, most likely about band stuff. Jared, Rusty, Toya, and Moni were playing hacky-sack.


    After 20 minutes, Mike was ready to put the board away. He was also ready to be somewhere alone with Rocco.


    ¡°You think you are up for some boyfriend stuff?¡± Mike asked Rocco.


    ¡°Definitely. Would you want to go to my place for a little while? I¡¯m not sneaking you in if we go in through the front door and my mom¡¯s asleep which I¡¯m sure she is now. She wouldn¡¯t want me to wake her up for sure,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°That makes me a little nervous,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. Of course, we won¡¯t if you are too nervous about it. I could take a chance and lock the door,¡± Rocco said holding Mike¡¯s hand.


    ¡°I¡¯ll risk it. I think my parents are still up so you will encounter them,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°My place it is,¡± Rocco said. ¡°Let¡¯s go say our goodbyes.¡± They walked over to the group, chatted for a few minutes, then headed back out to Rocco¡¯s car.


    When they arrived at Rocco¡¯s apartment, he saw the lights were off which meant that his mom had gone to bed. He led Mike to the front door and unlocked it. Rocco cracked the door open to peer inside. Mike stood behind him. Rocco saw the TV was off and the room was dark. Rocco opened the door waving Mike in.


    ¡°See, I tried to introduce you, but she was asleep,¡± Rocco whispered and led Mike into his room. He locked the door and grabbed Mike. He pulled him in close and started kissing him ravenously.


    Afterwards, they laid in each other¡¯s arms for a few minutes. Once they came to their senses, Mike sat up.


    ¡°Are you going to sneak me out?¡± Mike asked.


    Rocco looked at the clock. It was just 11:30.


    ¡°No,¡± Rocco said. ¡°You get walk out the front door, proud.¡±


    They walked out of Rocco¡¯s room and through the living room. Quietly, they opened the front door and walked out. Rocco slid the door closed and locked it. The entire ride to Mike¡¯s house, Mike had his hand on Rocco¡¯s thigh and his head on Rocco¡¯s shoulder. Mike had such a fulfilling evening. He wished it didn¡¯t have to end.


    Rocco pulled into Mike¡¯s driveway and turned the car off. Mike leaned up to give Rocco a kiss.


    ¡°I love you, Wayne,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°I love you, Garth,¡± Rocco returned.


    Mike got out of the car and stood on the front stoop watching Rocco go down the driveway. This time, they were not interrupted by the porch light.

 24. Lick It Up by KISS

    ¡°What exactly are you dressing up as?¡± Joe asked Mike the evening of the Halloween Harvest Dance.


    ¡°I¡¯m a medieval plague doctor,¡± Mike said smoothing out his black cloak. Joe gave him a confused look.


    ¡°Why that?¡± Joe asked


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I wanted something creepy, but I also wanted to wear something with a cool mask,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Out of the millions of possibilities, you landed on that?¡± Joe replied.


    ¡°I think it looks cool,¡± Mike said studying the bird like mask he had made out of paper mach¨¦. Joe shrugged. ¡°What are you going as?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Mike Myers,¡± Joe said.


    ¡°Mike Myers from Saturday Night Live?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°NO!¡± Joe said. ¡°Michael Myers from Halloween.¡±


    ¡°So, why didn¡¯t you say Michael Myers instead of Mike Myers?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it the same?¡± Joe replied.


    ¡°There¡¯s quite a difference,¡± Mike said chuckling. ¡°Are you taking anyone?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Tiffany,¡± Joe answered. ¡°Are you going with Rocco?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, we aren¡¯t going as a couple, but I¡¯m going in with him and his band. They are dressing up as KISS,¡± Mike said smiling ear to ear.


    ¡°KISS? Like that 70s rock band?¡± Joe asked.


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Mike said. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see how they all look.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s kind of an appropriate costume for them,¡± Joe replied. ¡°So, you¡¯re not going as a couple?¡±


    ¡°Do you think our school is ready for that sort of thing?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°I mean, you two have all but said it in words. I think word has gotten out that you two are more than friends,¡± Joe said.


    ¡°Really?¡± Mike said. He sat down on the bed.


    ¡°Well, Rocco pretty much came out at his show at the skate park. He said he dedicated that song to his boyfriend. Everyone¡¯s been talking about that all week,¡± Joe said.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Mike thought.


    ¡°The word is it is either you or that really girlie guy,¡± Joe said.


    ¡°Girlie guy?¡± Mike asked. ¡°You mean Meigs?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that guy,¡± Joe said.


    ¡°People think Rocco and Meigs are going out???¡± Mike exclaimed.


    ¡°It¡¯s between you two and most people assume it¡¯s Meigs,¡± Joe said.


    ¡°Have you corrected them?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Nope, I haven¡¯t said a word,¡± Joe said.


    ¡°Has anyone given you any trouble about it?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°No,¡± Joe said nonchalantly. ¡°They know not to mess with me. And, between you and Meigs¡­Meigs is the obvious choice to be Rocco¡¯s boyfriend,¡± Joe replied.


    ¡°Hmm, I don¡¯t know if I should be relieved or offended,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Well, listen. You should do something about the rumors soon. I mean, if everyone sees you and Rocco together at the dance and, if Meigs is not around, then people are going to assume you are the boyfriend,¡± Joe explained.


    ¡°Does that make you uncomfortable?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Me?¡± Joe raised his eyebrows. ¡°No, it won¡¯t make me uncomfortable. I just want you to be ready to answer any rumors,¡± Joe warned.


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t really care that much,¡± Mike said looking off in the distance. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to have to answer for something that I do.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s what big brothers do,¡± Joe walked over to sit next to Mike on his bed.


    ¡°The point is your relationship with Rocco is going to be public sooner or later. I want you to be prepared for the fallout. Not everyone will be cool about it,¡± Joe said giving Mike a concerned look.


    ¡°Your friend already made that very clear,¡± Mike replied glibly.


    ¡°David? I told you. He¡¯s not my friend anymore,¡± Joe said.


    ¡°Even after what you two did?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°That was a mistake, and, since he¡¯s being an overall ass towards gay people, I don¡¯t want anything to do with him,¡± Joe explained.


    ¡°Do you ever feel bad about any of that? Like I know you didn¡¯t beat Meigs up and you didn¡¯t call Rocco queer, but you let it happen,¡± Mike asked looking at his brother.


    ¡°Every fucking day I feel bad about it,¡± Joe said looking down at the floor. ¡°Even after apologizing to Rocco, I still feel like shit for not saying anything.¡±


    ¡°I think he¡¯s forgiven you,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t forgiven myself,¡± Joe said. Mike put his arm around Joe.


    ¡°Joe, it¡¯s alright. You¡¯ve been awesome this entire time about me and Rocco. You should be proud of that. I¡¯m proud of you for that,¡± Mike said. Joe looked up at Mike with tears running down his face.


    ¡°You are?¡± Joe asked.


    ¡°Very much so,¡± Mike said giving his brother a hug. ¡°Quit beating yourself up about the past.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s harder said than done,¡± Joe said wiping away his tears. ¡°I keep seeing over and over in my head how every time David called Rocco a name, a piece of Rocco¡¯s spirit died. How this little guy filled with such hope slowly got worn down. I don¡¯t want that to happen to you.¡±


    ¡°Rocco¡¯s got a strong spirit. He just looks sour on the outside. Inside, he¡¯s still that little guy filled with hope,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°I guess you would know,¡± Joe said laughing. ¡°I promise you. I will never let that happen to you.¡±


    Mike hugged Joe again. ¡°I love you, Joe.¡±


    ¡°Hand me the white face paint,¡± Raz said to Rocco after zipping up his skintight leather pants. ¡°I look like a fucking stuffed sausage in these pants.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, those pants leave nothing to the imagination.¡± Pete said giving Raz a side-eye peek.


    ¡°Not all of us can be beanpole skinny,¡± Raz retorted. Raz was not pudgy, but neither was he slim. The tight pants emphasized his soft physique and gave him exaggerated muffin top.


    ¡°Raz, don¡¯t worry. The vest will cover up your love handles,¡± Rocco said as he grabbed a handful of Raz¡¯s sides and jiggled.


    ¡°Stop that!¡± Raz said. ¡°I¡¯m already embarrassed at showing so much in these. I don¡¯t need you to jiggle my belly.¡±


    ¡°AWWW!¡± Pete purred. He leaned down and gave Raz a raspberry on his belly. ¡°It¡¯s adorable.¡±


    ¡°Ass!¡± Raz exclaimed and started to whiten out his face with the paint. ¡°You¡¯re gross. If I wake up tomorrow with a fever blister on my stomach, I¡¯ll be suing you for medical expenses.¡± Pete burst out laughing.


    ¡°Oh, okay. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll help you with your spaceman eye make-up,¡± Pete replied trying to apologize. Raz nodded.


    ¡°How am I supposed to do this cat face?¡± Austin asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ll help you out,¡± Rocco said picking up the black face paint.


    ¡°You lucked out. All you had to do was make a star,¡± Austin remarked with a laugh.


    ¡°Yeah, I guess I did,¡± Rocco said returning the laugh. ¡°So, what¡¯s Wendy dressing up as?¡±


    ¡°Something cutesy. Little Bo Peep or Strawberry Shortcake. Something like that,¡± Austin said rolling his eyes.


    ¡°She¡¯s not going to be a punk rock chick?¡± Rocco said as he applied the black paint around Austin¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°No, she hated that idea,¡± Austin said.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯ll still be punk,¡± Rocco replied. Austin cocked one eyebrow. ¡°You know, that babydoll aesthetic next to a rock and roll superstar. It¡¯ll work great.¡±


    ¡°I like the way you think,¡± Austin said. ¡°What about Mike? What¡¯s his costume?¡±


    ¡°He said he wanted to be a medieval doctor,¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°A medieval doctor? What does that look like?¡± Austin asked.


    ¡°You know, those doctors during the plague that wore the flowing robes and the bird masks,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Oh, yeah. Oh man, that¡¯s creepy as fuck,¡± Austin cooed.


    ¡°Yeah, I know. I don¡¯t know where that came from,¡± Rocco said working on Austin¡¯s whiskers.


    ¡°He¡¯s got a dark streak. I¡¯ve seen it every now and then. He¡¯s not as wholesome as I first thought,¡± Austin said.


    ¡°Yeah, he continues to surprise me,¡± Rocco said stopping to ponder what Austin said.


    ¡°You think you¡¯ll be able to keep your relationship a secret?¡± Austin asked.


    ¡°Well, we haven¡¯t exactly been discrete about it. The only thing left is to tell the entire school which we aren¡¯t going to do,¡± Rocco picked back up on Austin¡¯s whiskers.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to have to anything at this rate. You came out at the show in front of everyone. You two are inseparable. Everyone¡¯s going to figure out he¡¯s the one you were calling your boyfriend,¡± Austin remarked.


    ¡°I know. Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have done that,¡± Rocco put down the black paint.


    ¡°You totally should have. I don¡¯t think he minded at all,¡± Austin said.


    ¡°He didn¡¯t but I don¡¯t want to force him--¡± Rocco stopped himself. ¡°Out of the closet.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like there¡¯s much force involved. I think all someone will have to do is ask at this point,¡± Austin replied.


    ¡°Yeah, maybe,¡± Rocco thought.


    ¡°Are you going to finish?¡± Austin asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m done. All we need to do is put on your lipstick. Take a look,¡± Rocco said pointing to the mirror.


    ¡°Oh, my fucking God!¡± Austin was shocked at his transformation from an anonymous looking teenager into a member of KISS.


    ¡°Here¡¯s your wig,¡± Rocco handed Austin a cheap mullet styled black wig which Austin slipped on. He looked in the mirror again and started to laugh. He gave a devil¡¯s horn sign and stuck out his tongue. Rocco put on his black curly wig and picked it out to make it frizzy. Raz had the same style wig as Austin. Pete slipped on his wig before he did his demon man eyes. Rocco frizzed it out for him and clipped it up middle. The members of Fred had transformed themselves into KISS quite well. Pete stuck out his tongue to mimic Gene Simmons although Pete¡¯s tongue was not nearly as legendary.


    ¡°Goddamn we look good,¡± Pete said.


    The plan was for everyone to meet in front of the school. Rocco wanted to pick Mike up at his house, but Mike insisted on meeting in front of the school. He wanted to surprise Rocco with his costume. He also wanted to be surprised by how Rocco¡¯s KISS costume looked.


    Mike¡¯s plan was to lurk in the shadows and slowly approach Rocco from behind so he could scare the living daylights out him. He would get a ride with Joe.


    ¡°Are you ready?¡± Joe said peeking his head in. Joe saw that Mike was in his long black flowing robe.


    ¡°Yeah. What do you think of this?¡± Mike put the mask on over his head and tied the ribbons on either side of the mask.


    ¡°That is creepy as shit, Mike. What about me?¡± Joe slid on his white Michael Myers mask and held up his rubber kitchen knife.


    ¡°You look deranged,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Yeah, I know. That¡¯s the point,¡± Joe replied and gave an evil laugh.


    ¡°Are we picking up Tiffany?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°No, she¡¯s meeting us there,¡± Joe responded taking his mask off. Mike gave him a thumbs up.


    ¡°We better get going though. We¡¯re supposed to meet everyone in 30 minutes, and Mom wants to get pictures,¡± Mike said untying his mask and taking it off.


    ¡°She may rethink that when she sees us,¡± Joe said laughing and left Mike¡¯s room. Mike gathered up his robe belt which was a long rudimentary rosary he had made purely for decorative purposes. Since his family was not Catholic, he didn¡¯t have access to any rosaries. He certainly did not have one long enough to fit around his waist. He had used the remaining pieces of paper mach¨¦ from his mask and wadded them into rough round beads around silver string. When they dried, he painted them glossy black. Against his robe, it was a believable facsimile.


    Their mother only took a couple of pictures. Joe was correct in his assumption that their mother was not very keen on their costumes. She wanted to document their effort but did not want to have too much of a reminder of their creepiness. She was happy to see them depart and settled back into her wine.


    In the car, Joe turned on some grunge. Mike turned and gave Joe a look of surprise.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think you listened to Alice in Chains,¡± Mike said surprised at the selection.


    ¡°I¡¯ve started liking some of this newer music. It just seems appropriate before a Halloween dance,¡± Joe said nodding his head to the music.


    ¡°Are you going to start watching Headbanger¡¯s Ball now?¡± Mike asked sarcastically.


    ¡°Not yet,¡± Joe said as he drove. ¡°How do you know about all this stuff?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s stuff Rocco and the guys in the band have exposed me to,¡± Mike replied looking straight ahead.


    ¡°Exposed?¡± Joe said laughing.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s the most appropriate word I can think of. It hasn¡¯t been indecent if that¡¯s what you are getting at,¡± Mike chuckled.


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯ve heard,¡± Joe quipped. Mike gave him a light punch on the shoulder. ¡°So, are you sure about tonight?¡±


    ¡°You mean like being more open to people about me and Rocco?¡± Mike asked. Joe nodded his head. ¡°Yeah, I think so. I¡¯m not planning anything. I¡¯ll just play it by ear. I don¡¯t want to make any kind of a production or anything.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here for you, okay,¡± Joe said looking over at his brother.


    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    ¡°Thanks, Joe,¡± Mike said and gave him a reassuring smile. Joe got a sense that the perceptions of others did not mean as much to Mike as they did to himself. Mike did not care much about popularity; he cared about his happiness. Joe admired that about Mike. He envied Mike¡¯s carefree attitude.


    ¡°You know, I¡¯m impressed with your ¡®don¡¯t give a shit what others think¡¯ attitude,¡± Joe said.


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t give a shit,¡± Mike replied.


    ¡°That¡¯s the way to go about life,¡± Joe thought. Joe was going to make a commitment to be more like his little brother.


    They drove a little while longer before finally reaching the school. There was a line of cars waiting to be pointed into the parking lot. The dance was going be packed. Normally, unless it was Prom, the other dances at school always had a mediocre turnout. This year was different. It could have been more publicity. It could have been more of a commitment from the popular kids to go. It could have been the overall surge in interest in things macabre these days. Whatever it was, the surprise turnout was a positive. Joe finally approached the parking attendant after waiting for 15 minutes to get in. The school had invested in several sets of flashlights with protective cones that mimicked torches waving in the air. The attendants pointed Joe to a spot some distance from the school. Mike and Joe would have a walk to make to the front entrance.


    There was no point in trying to push through the crowd. They followed the flow holding their masks in their hands. The kids around them were vaguely familiar. Neither of them knew any of their names or any of their friend groups. They only had seen their faces here and there. In front of them was a group of guys in togas. To their right were a couple of girls impressively dressed up as Smurfs. Behind them was a quartet of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles without their shells. Instead of shells, they are wearing green coveralls. Only their painted faces and eye masks gave an indication of their characters. The togas and Ninja Turtles looked as if they were assembled that day.


    They rounded the corner to the front of the building. Mike saw the guys in the band in their KISS outfits. His eyes spotted Rocco¡¯s version of Paul Stanley. From where Mike was, he could see that Rocco was wearing tight shiny leather pants and a matching vest. Mike¡¯s stomach fluttered at seeing Rocco in leather. He could make out the star that Rocco had painted on one of his eyes.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m going to go over there in the dark and sneak up. I¡¯ll see you over there,¡± Mike said as he broke off from Joe and the flow of kids. Joe gave him a nod and continued with the crowd. Joe saw Tiffany talking with Rocco. She was dressed up as a pink princess equipped with a cone wrapped in pink netting of some type. She looked incredible in her low-cut ruffly pink dress. Her bust must have been pushed up with a corset of some kind as her breasts were spilling over and out of the neck cut out. He could see that she was laughing at something Rocco had said.


    ¡°Good evening, my fair lady,¡± Joe said as he approached the group.


    ¡°Hey Joe! How do I look?¡± Tiffany asked.


    ¡°Hot,¡± Joe said looking at her ample cleavage.


    ¡°Oh, stop it! My eyes are up here,¡± Tiffany giggled and pointed to her face. ¡°What are you?¡± Without the mask, Joe was just a guy in a blue-grey coverall. He slipped on his mask and held up his rubber knife as if to stab someone. He started to hum out the theme song to Halloween. Tiffany let out a little scream. ¡°Oh my God, that¡¯s great.¡±


    ¡°You guys look fantastic,¡± Joe said to the members of KISS.


    ¡°Thank you, Michael,¡± Pete shouted.


    Joe caught a shadow behind the group. It was Mike making his approach. Mike had his mask on. He had pulled up the hood of his robe over his head so that only the long beak of his mask was visible from the black folds of his robe. If he had not known this was Mike, Joe would have tried to push the group behind him to protect them.


    ¡°OOOOOOOOO,¡± Mike sang in a spooky manner from behind the group. Rocco peeked around and gasped.


    ¡°Mike?¡± Rocco exclaimed.


    ¡°I¡¯ve come for your soul!¡± Mike said in the same spooky manner.


    ¡°Oh my God, Mike. You¡¯re scaring the shit out of me,¡± Rocco said.


    Mike started to laugh. He pulled the hood back and took off the mask.


    ¡°That¡¯s spooky as fuck,¡± Raz said.


    ¡°You guys look so great!¡± Mike said to KISS.


    ¡°Thank you, evil bird ghost,¡± Pete said.


    ¡°I¡¯m a plague doctor,¡± Mike corrected Pete.


    ¡°Yeah, I know. It¡¯s all Rocco¡¯s been talking about for the past half hour,¡± Pete said.


    ¡°In any case, you scare me,¡± Austin said. Wendy was beside Austin. She was dressed up as Raggedy Anne. She nodded in agreement.


    ¡°My job here is done,¡± Mike said and took a bow. Rocco approached him.


    ¡°You look great,¡± Rocco whispered.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Mike said returning the whispered tone.


    ¡°I can¡¯t wait to have the first dance with you,¡± Rocco said looking deep in Mike¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°I can¡¯t wait either,¡± Mike said grabbing Rocco¡¯s hand and holding it tightly. Rocco smiled.


    ¡°Okay, love birds, can we go in? The dance is about to start,¡± Pete said. They could hear a voice speaking over the loudspeakers which meant the principal, or some other school administrator was making an introductory speech.


    ¡°Love birds?¡± Tiffany asked giving a confused glance at Rocco and Mike. Pete¡¯s face dropped as soon as realized the faux pas he had made. Pete didn¡¯t know that Tiffany was unaware of Rocco and Mike¡¯s relationship.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s just a joke,¡± Pete said trying to gloss over his error. ¡°I¡¯m just teasing them because they are such good friends.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay,¡± Tiffany said and laughed. ¡°Come on then, you old married couple!¡±


    ¡°Guys, I¡¯m so sorry. I didn¡¯t know,¡± Pete whispered.


    ¡°It¡¯s totally cool, Pete. We really don¡¯t care who knows any longer,¡± Mike said as he put on his mask and repositioned his hood over his head.


    ¡°Y¡¯all quit whispering and let¡¯s go!¡± Tiffany said and turned towards the front door. ¡°Put your mask on, Joe. It¡¯s time to party. I put a pint of vodka in my corset to sneak in.¡± She winked at Joe.


    ¡°Shall we?¡± Joe put on his mask and took Tiffany by the arm inside. From the outside, the voice over the speakers stopped and some bass started playing. The party had started.


    Everyone entered the front door. Past the front door was a hallway leading straight to the gym. The hallway broke off to either side where classes were. They all went into the gym. The doors were already opened. As they all passed through the gym doors, they were flooded with the sound of dance music. The gym floor was almost packed with dancing students in a multitude of costumes. There were lots of kids sitting off in the bleachers hanging out and chatting. In one corner, there was a photo backdrop where partiers could have their picture made.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get our pictures taken,¡± Tiffany said to Joe. She dragged Joe across the gym to the photo booth.


    ¡°Do you want to get a picture taken with me?¡± Mike asked Rocco.


    ¡°It would be my pleasure,¡± Rocco replied. ¡°Hey, guys, we are going to get our picture taken. Do you want to do one with all of us?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s go,¡± Austin said to Wendy.


    Mike and the band got lots of looks from the dancers on the floor. This was an indication that their efforts in creating their costumes was a success. As the guys in the band made their way to the photo booth, they heard lots of comments like ¡°great costume¡± and ¡°right on¡±. There was even an occasional ¡°righteous¡±.


    Mike was right behind Rocco. Rocco reached his hand back to take Mike¡¯s so that they would not lose each other in the crowd.  Even after all the two had been through in the past few weeks, Mike¡¯s belly fluttered every time Rocco took his hand. It was as if it were like that first night at Tiffany¡¯s party. His affection for Rocco had turned to love that grew stronger each day. He had given himself wholly to Rocco at this point and had no regrets. Each night they spent together further cemented his feelings for Rocco. He did not care what other people thought about their relationship. He was willing to do anything for Rocco. If Rocco wanted to be out and open to everyone, Mike was completely on board. Rocco looked back and smiled at Mike. Mike instantly saw fireworks in the background.


    Joe and Tiffany were the first to get their pictures together. All four of the guys in the band huddled together to get their picture taken after Joe and Tiffany. Right before the camera flashed Pete gave the photographer the bird. All four of the guys wanted to get a picture with Mike included. Austin and Wendy had their moment with the camera. Rocco and Mike were the last couple to get a picture taken. The photographer did not know the person behind the plague doctor¡¯s mask was Mike so the two were able to get a picture of them holding hands. It wasn¡¯t until the two of them signed up to get prints that the photographer realized two guys posed for a couple¡¯s photo. However, the photographer did not comment on this and took the order giving them a suspicious glance.


    Heavy D and The Boyz started to play through the speaker which prompted everyone to get out on the dance floor. It was not really the dance that Rocco and Mike had hoped for. While Mike enjoyed the freedom behind the mask to get close to Rocco during this song, it was not the slow dance he wanted. It was difficult for Rocco to see Mike¡¯s eyes behind his bird mask, but he could sense Mike¡¯s gaze on him.


    Finally, the first slow song of the night came on which was an old Bryan Adams ballad. Pete and Raz broke off from the group and started talking with some other students. Austin and Wendy started to dance together¡ªslowly swaying in an embraced circle.


    Mike and Rocco stood frozen on the dance floor staring at each other. Rocco saw that the beak of the mask was pointing down indicating to him that Mike was looking at the floor. The beak moved a little to the left. Rocco told a deep breath and approached Mike.


    ¡°May I have this dance?¡± Rocco asked his masked boyfriend.


    Mike¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He was not only elated but also nervous at the opportunity to have his first slow dance in front of everyone in the school. He inhaled deeply and looked up at Rocco. Rocco smiled wide and held out his hand.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Mike said and took Rocco¡¯s hand. From the side of the gym, Pete nudged at Raz and pointed at the couple. Raz flashed a smile of approval.


    It was slightly awkward for Mike to situate the long beak of his mask. However, he was able to look up slightly to rest the beak against Rocco¡¯s neck. Mike placed both of his hands on Rocco¡¯s shoulders while Rocco rested his hands around Mike¡¯s waist. They moved in unison as they rocked from side to side in a circle. No one paid any attention to them since Mike was behind his mask. Mike thought, at some point in the night, he was going to have to take his mask off since the mouth and eye holes in the mask released less hot air than he exhaled. At this very moment, however, Mike gave it no further thought. He closed his eyes as Rocco held on to him tightly through the lyrics:


    ¡°Oh, once in your life you find someone;


    Who will turn your world around;


    Bring you up when you''re feelin'' down¡±.


    Rocco held Mike closer and tighter when he felt Mike shiver at the words


    ¡°It isn''t too hard to see; We''re in Heaven¡±.


    Once the song was over, the two separated and remained looking at each other. Rocco could tell Mike was ecstatic at the barrier they had just broken.


    ¡°Want to go sit down?¡± Rocco asked Mike as a Red Hot Chili Peppers song came on.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Mike said. Rocco took Mike¡¯s hand and led him to the bleacher off to the side. It felt amazing to have had a dance with Mike. Rocco was delirious from his feelings for Mike and from the exhilaration of having done something so rebellious in the face of normativity. They sat down on a bleacher in the first tier.


    ¡°How do you feel?¡± Rocco asked Mike.


    ¡°I feel wonderful,¡± Mike cooed from behind the mask. His breath had heated the inside of the mask considerably, so Mike lifted it over his face just slightly above his eyelids. He looked down so that no one could see his face except Rocco. ¡°Can anyone see me?¡±


    Rocco looked up and around but saw that no one was looking at them. ¡°You¡¯re okay.¡±


    Mike kept his head down but caught a peek of Rocco. ¡°Rocco, I love you,¡± he said in a quiet whisper. Rocco could not hear what Mike said clearly, but he knew what Mike had just said.


    ¡°I love you too, Mike,¡± Rocco replied in a normal voice. The music was loud enough that no one could have heard what Rocco said.


    ¡°Promise me we¡¯ll never let this moment end,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°I promise,¡± Rocco replied. They sat on the bleacher for a couple of more songs until another slow song came on¡ªthis time a more recent Bryan Adams song. Bryan Adams seemed to be the rock ballad king of their day.


    ¡°This time, may I have this dance?¡± Mike asked Rocco.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Rocco exclaimed and jumped up from the bleacher. Mike pulled his mask back down and got up. Rocco led Mike to the dance floor. They came together again with Rocco leading the dance. They swayed in each other¡¯s arms to the lyrics of ¡®(Everything I Do) I Do It for You¡¯. They had positioned themselves on the dancefloor within eyesight of Joe and Tiffany. Tiffany had her back turned the entire song. Joe gave the two a thumbs up.


    The song ended but Mike and Rocco remained on the floor during the next fast song. When the song was three quarters over, Mike was getting hot inside his mask again, so he lifted it up enough to be able to see floor. He was sweating profusely. Mike was sure to keep his mask down enough so that no one could see his face. Since they had been slow dancing with each other earlier, Mike did not want to risk having anyone figuring out how who the plague doctor was.


    At that moment, David and his female date danced by Rocco and Mike. David smirked at Rocco while Mike slipped his mask back down.


    ¡°Who¡¯s your boyfriend, Rocco?¡± David asked continuing to dance.


    ¡°It¡¯s none of your concern, David,¡± Rocco said annoyed at the interruption.


    ¡°Are you dancing with that pretty boy, Meigs?¡± David pressed on.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter to you,¡± Rocco continued in the same tone.


    David reached out to take Mike¡¯s mask off, but Rocco intercepted the motion by shoving David¡¯s arm away.


    ¡°Come on, I wanna see which faggot you brought as your date, Rocco,¡± David taunted. Joe caught sight of David and immediately broke away from Tiffany. Joe ran over to Rocco and Mike and forcefully shoved David.


    ¡°Back off man,¡± Joe warned David.


    ¡°Why are you so quick to defend this guy?¡± David asked shaking off Joe¡¯s shove.


    ¡°Rocco¡¯s my friend,¡± Joe said. He also wanted to add that David was messing with his little brother but bit his tongue.


    ¡°I just want to know who Rocco brought to the dance,¡± David replied.


    ¡°It¡¯s none of your business,¡± Joe said. Tiffany was standing off to the side where she and Joe were dancing. She was already a little tipsy. She walked over to Joe and David.


    ¡°Leave my cousin alone, jerk face,¡± Tiffany said pushing her pointer finger into David¡¯s broad chest.


    ¡°What¡¯s up with everyone taking this queer¡¯s side?¡± David asked.


    ¡°Why are you so concerned about it anyway?¡± Tiffany yelled. Everyone on the floor stopped dancing even though the music continued to play.


    ¡°Enough!¡± Mike yelled taking his mask off. ¡°I¡¯m Rocco¡¯s date. I¡¯m Rocco¡¯s boyfriend.¡± Mike was fed up with this interrogation and needed to stand up for Rocco. Mike reached over and grabbed Rocco by the hand holding it tightly. Rocco could not form a sentence.


    There were a few gasps from different spots in the gym. There was whispering here and there. David looked dumbfounded. He was expecting the person behind the mask to be Meigs, the guy he regularly beat up for being gay. He was not expecting the brother of the star quarterback.


    ¡°Yeah, asshole,¡± Joe yelled at David. ¡°Rocco and my little brother are boyfriends. What about it?¡±


    No one whispered after Joe spoke. The floor was silent. The music stopped in the middle of a song. Within a minute, a chaperone teacher appeared pushing her way through the crowd. It was Mrs. Smith, one of the biology teachers on the verge of retirement.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Mrs. Smith barked. ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡±


    ¡°It seems David Wick has a problem with my little brother¡¯s date to the dance,¡± Joe said to Mrs. Smith keeping his eye on David the entire time.


    ¡°Is this true, Mr. Wick?¡± Mrs. Smith asked looking directly at David. ¡°What beef do you have with Joe¡¯s brother¡¯s date?¡± David stood staring at Mrs. Smith with blank expression. ¡°Well, what¡¯s the problem, Mr. Wick?¡±


    ¡°His problem is that I¡¯m his date,¡± Rocco finally said breaking out of stupor. He squeezed Mike¡¯s hand. Mrs. Smith looked over at Rocco and then at Mike. She gave a look of shock.


    ¡°Oh, I see,¡± Mrs. Smith said shaking off her initial shock. ¡°Well, I---umm, I,¡± Mrs. Smith was at a loss for words, but she quickly recovered, ¡°It¡¯s not up to you, Mr. Wick, who goes out with whom. I don¡¯t understand these things, but you, Mr. Wick, need to mind your own business. You¡¯ll be seeing the principal first thing Monday morning, that¡¯s for sure.¡± Mrs. Smith started to walk away. ¡°The same goes for Joe and for you two,¡± Mrs. Smith pointed her wrinkled fingers at Rocco and Mike. As she walked away, she gave a final warning, ¡°Any more out you and I¡¯ll have you thrown out.¡±


    She left leaving Joe, David, Mike, Rocco, and Tiffany standing on the dance floor looking at each other. Joe looked around at his classmates who were still standing staring dumbstruck. Joe walked over to Mike and gave him a long hug.


    ¡°I¡¯m proud of you, Mikey. You did something big and important just now,¡± Joe said almost at a whisper.


    ¡°Thanks, Joe,¡± Mike said looking at his brother.


    ¡°This is my little brother, and I¡¯m proud of him,¡± Joe yelled at the crowd. The music was still off so the entire gym heard what Joe said. He went over to hug Rocco. ¡°And I¡¯m proud of his boyfriend, Rocco.¡± There was a sprinkling of applause throughout the dancefloor. The applause started to pick up as well as a few ¡°right-on¡±s.


    The music started back up and some of the students started dancing again as if nothing had happened. The kids in the immediate vicinity were watching Joe and David half-way expecting a fight. Tiffany went up to Rocco. Rocco looked down at the floor. She then gave Rocco a hug.


    ¡°I¡¯m proud of you, cuz,¡± Tiffany said.


    ¡°Thanks, cuz,¡± Rocco said and laughed nervously.


    ¡°It¡¯s finally out there,¡± Tiffany said. Rocco gave her a quizzical look.


    ¡°You knew?¡± Rocco asked in shock.


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m not stupid,¡± Tiffany said rolling her eyes. ¡°I was just waiting for you to say something.¡± Rocco looked her in the eye. ¡°Well, you haven¡¯t said it yet. But I guess you don¡¯t have to now--¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Rocco interrupted. ¡°I¡¯m gay and Mike is my boyfriend.¡±


    ¡°Now you tell me!¡± Tiffany smiled. They both laughed and hugged again. She then went over to Mike and gave him a hug. ¡°You hurt my cousin, and you have me to deal with.¡± She pointed her finger at Mike and then pretended to punch him in the face.


    David was still looking at Rocco and Mike in disgust. He was about to say something else when Joe walked up to him and in a threatening whisper said, ¡°You even think about saying or doing anything else to them and I will get on the stage and tell everyone what we did. Understand?¡±


    David looked at Joe and then at Mike and Rocco. ¡°Yeah, I get it.¡± David turned back around to his date and tried to grab her arm. She refused and walked away leaving David alone on the floor. Joe turned back to Mike and Rocco and smiled.


    ¡°Joe, thanks for stick up for us,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Just protecting my fellas!¡± Joe said and patted him on the shoulder. Joe and Tiffany were in light spirits after the reveal and started to dance.


    Mike looked up at Rocco. ¡°I guess we can dance some more?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to sit down for a minute if that¡¯s okay. Come back to earth. I feel kinda out of my body right now,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Mike said and led Rocco to the same spot they were sitting earlier. They both sat down. Mike placed his mask on the bleacher above them.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe we are out to the school,¡± Mike said finally realizing what had just occurred.


    ¡°Yeah, I know. It feels weird. Like I¡¯m relieved but also, I don¡¯t know what to expect now,¡± Rocco said. His eyes met Mike¡¯s. Rocco wanted to give him a kiss, but he also did not want to push any more boundaries.


    ¡°Way to go!¡± a couple from the dance floor said and continued to dance. A guy that Rocco had in one of his classes gave him a thumbs up. Another guy nodded and smiled in acceptance.


    ¡°I guess we have a few allies,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Mike said. ¡°I¡¯m sure we are going to have a few enemies, too.¡± Mike looked over at David who was still on the dance floor looking around. Rocco saw that Mike was looking at David.


    ¡°Hey, let¡¯s not take away from this moment. It¡¯s just you and me tonight. To hell with anyone else¡¯s opinion,¡± Rocco tried to reassure Mike to enjoy the moment.


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Mike said and placed his hand on Rocco¡¯s thigh.


    Pete, Raz, Austin, and Wendy ran up.


    ¡°You doing okay?¡± Austin asked.


    ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re good,¡± Rocco replied.


    Austin came up to Rocco and gave him a hug smearing his face makeup. ¡°You guys did it! You¡¯re official!¡±


    Rocco looked up at Raz who was giving him a huge smile. Raz mouthed ¡°thank you¡± to him and came over to hug him and then hugged Mike.


    ¡°You two keep inspiring me,¡± Raz said. Rocco and Mike laughed.


    ¡°Queer as fuck, my friends. Queer as FUCK!¡± Pete yelled at the top of his lungs.


    A person walked up to the group that they did not recognize. This person looked as if they walked off the cover of a fashion magazine¡ªglamourous, modelesque, in a sequined gown and wind-blown hair. The makeup made this person look like an exact copy of Cindy Crawford. The group heard the stilettos click again the wood floor and stop in front of Mike and Rocco.


    ¡°Thank you for coming out,¡± a recognizable voice said. It was Meigs.


    ¡°Meigs???¡± Rocco exclaimed. Meigs nodded. ¡°Holy shit, I wouldn¡¯t have recognized you!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the best compliment I¡¯ve heard all night,¡± Meigs said and put one hand on his false hips and one hand in the air.


    ¡°Did you do all of this yourself?¡± Rocco asked in amazement.


    ¡°I did,¡± Meigs said making a turn to show off the costume.


    ¡°Wow, you look amazing,¡± Raz said barely able to finish the sentence.


    ¡°Thank you, um¡ª¡± Meigs started. ¡°I know you¡¯re a member of KISS, but I don¡¯t know which one.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Raz said still mesmerized at Meigs.


    ¡°Can a girl get a dance around here?¡± Meigs said to the group but making it obvious that the question was directed at Raz.


    ¡°Um, would you like to dance?¡± Raz asked nervously.


    ¡°I thought you¡¯d never ask,¡± Meigs said and walked to the floor. He turned around and motioned for Raz to follow. Raz nervously but eagerly followed Meigs to the dance floor.


    ¡°Can you believe that?¡± Austin said stunned.


    ¡°I¡¯m fucking jealous,¡± Wendy added.


    ¡°It¡¯s been quite a night,¡± Rocco said and looked over at Mike.


    ¡°It certainly has,¡± Mike said returning the glance.


    ¡°Now that I¡¯m back on earth and now that you don¡¯t have to wear your mask anymore, would you like to dance?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°I thought you¡¯d never ask,¡± Mike said trying his best impression of Meigs. They joined Raz and Meigs on the dance floor. The rest of the group followed their example and returned to the dance. What amazed Rocco the most was that everyone seemed to forget what had just occurred a while ago¡ªat least on the surface. All the kids returned to their dancing and partying as if nothing happened. Rocco expected lots of resistance from this moment, but everyone seemed to go back into their own social bubbles. He did not know if things would be the same on Monday. While Rocco was ecstatic to be able to freely dance with Mike, even slow dance, it seemed a little anti-climactic. Why hadn¡¯t they done this earlier?

 25. Joe鈥檚 Confrontation

    The rest of the weekend following the Halloween dance was uneventful for both Rocco and Mike. They hung out at the skate park and in Rocco¡¯s back seat on Saturday. On Sunday, it was Mike¡¯s bedroom after lights out.


    Monday morning rolled around. Mike walked into the High School prepared for anything. At the time, the kids at the dance seemed nonchalant about coming out as Rocco¡¯s boyfriend. The magic of the dance had faded. Joe was with him as he walked in, but he wouldn¡¯t be with Mike all day. There would come a time when he needed to stand up for himself.


    ¡°No matter what, you¡¯re still my brother and I love you,¡± Joe said to Mike.


    Mike watched Joe walk down the hall to the Haven. Mike looked up at the stairwell leading up to his first period class. He breathed out heavily before climbing the stairs. A few of the kids looked at Mike and then hurriedly averted their glance. Some kids looked at Mike and started to whisper. One or two kids nodded and high-fived Mike. Those were the kids that Mike needed to focus on¡ªnot the ones that showed passive disapproval.


    When he reached the top of the stairs, he saw Stanton, Chris, and Matt together at a locker. Mike¡¯s eyes caught Stanton¡¯s. Stanton sneered and looked away. Chris kept watching Mike with a blank expression. Mike looked away and headed towards Civics class. At least, he would have Rocco by his side.


    When he entered the room, Moni and Toya both waved cheerfully at Mike. He had not seen them at the dance and wondered what happened to them. A few of the other kids in the class avoided eye contact. Rocco was not in his seat which was not necessarily unusual. Mike wished Rocco was there right now.


    ¡°Hey Mikey!¡± Toya said.


    ¡°Were you two at the dance?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°No, my family doesn¡¯t let me celebrate Halloween,¡± Toya said with an exaggerated frown.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t feeling too well myself,¡± Moni answered.


    ¡°I heard we missed an event,¡± Toya said smiling widely at Mike.


    Mike rolled his eyes. ¡°What did you hear?¡± He, of course, knew what happened¡ªhe was there. He wanted to know how the events of the evening were being talked about.


    ¡°I heard a certain plague doctor and a certain member of KISS are officially going out,¡± Toya said.


    ¡°That¡¯s not a lie,¡± Mike said nervously laughing. ¡°Is the talk all bad?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s split, some good, some bad,¡± Toya replied.


    ¡°I can handle that,¡± Mike stated.


    ¡°We got you, Mike,¡± Moni said and patted him on the shoulder.


    Rocco screeched into the parking lot and ended up parking in the far corner. He was running late and, since he had to park so far away from the doors, he would end up being late for class. He did not have any excused note so he would have to suffer the consequences of his tardiness. He grabbed his bag and started a quick pace towards the school building. On his way, he passed many people who he did not know but who stood and watched as he walked by. He heard whispers from behind. It was amazing that these people were talking about him. On Friday, he was sure they didn¡¯t know he existed. As he got closer to the building, he heard the first bell ring. Rocco continued his pace because running would make him breathless.


    He was almost to the door when he came upon a group of guys who were somewhat familiar to him.


    ¡°Yo, Rocco,¡± one of the guys said. ¡°Heard about the dance. Congrats!¡±


    Rocco stopped in his tracks¡ªa congratulations? ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°Takes some mighty balls to do that,¡± another guy said. Rocco laughed. They all gave him a high five as he walked by them. A group of strangers was being nice to him the Monday after he came out to everyone. He didn¡¯t know how to take this.


    The second bell rang which meant that he was now late. He jolted up the stairs and into the classroom a minute after the second bell. At least he beat the late bell.


    ¡°Sorry I¡¯m late, Mr. Pendleton,¡± Rocco said as he entered the room.


    ¡°You¡¯re fine, Rocco,¡± Mr. Pendleton said looking up from his grade book. ¡°I haven¡¯t even gotten to your name yet.¡± He continued with his roll call.


    Rocco¡¯s eyes spotted Mike. Mike was staring at him from his desk. A big smile of relief spread across Mike¡¯s face as Rocco locked eyes with him. Rocco was glad to see Mike. He was also glad that Mike was smiling. Behind and to the side of him, Toya and Moni gave him nods and smiles. Rocco continued to keep his eyes on Mike as he made his way to his desk. A few ¡°OOOO¡±s and kissing noises came from the back of the room. Rocco had to give them something, so he gave a surfer¡¯s hello gesture. A few people giggled at the gesture.


    ¡°Class! Enough!¡± Mr. Pendleton said. ¡°Rocco, seat please.¡±


    As Rocco passed by Mike, Mike reached out and squeezed Rocco thigh. Rocco squeezed Mike on the shoulder and took his seat. He leaned up and whispered in Mike¡¯s ear.


    ¡°How you holding up?¡± Rocco whispered.


    ¡°Good, you?¡± Mike whispered.


    ¡°Good too,¡± Rocco said.


    A voice came on the loudspeaker. ¡°David Wick and Joe Barber report to the principal¡¯s office immediately.¡± Mike looked back at Rocco. Rocco raised his eyebrows and frowned.


    When Joe entered the school office, David Wick was already sitting on the couch. David looked up at Joe and made a grimace. The only seat available in the small front office was right next to David so, rather than stand, Joe took a seat next to David. David visibly tried to scoot further away in the small two-seated sofa. Joe rolled his eyes.


    ¡°Mr. Brown will be with you momentarily,¡± the receptionist said to the boys.


    Joe crossed his legs and twiddled his thumbs while David chewed on his thumbnail. The tension was thick between the two of them. Joe was expecting to see David at some point since they were both on the football team.


    A few minutes passed when the door of Mr. Brown¡¯s office opened. A short, portly man in a short-sleeved dress shirt and tie emerged. His hair was combed over to the side to cover his bald spots. Mr. Brown looked at the boys on the sofa.


    ¡°David and Joe, come in,¡± Mr. Brown waved and went back inside. David and Joe got up in unison, but David was the first to enter Mr. Brown¡¯s office.


    ¡°Sit down,¡± Mr. Brown said motioning to the two chairs in front of his desk. David took the seat against the wall and let out an annoyed sigh as he sat. Joe quietly took the other seat.


    ¡°So, I understand you two had an altercation at the dance this weekend,¡± Mr. Brown said clasping his hands together on top of his desk. ¡°We can¡¯t have this type of thing going on here.¡± David looked blankly while Joe nodded. ¡°Joe, why don¡¯t you start? What happened?¡±


    David rolled his eyes and started to tap his feet. Joe cleared his throat.


    ¡°Well, Mr. Brown, David was harassing a friend¡¯s date, and I put a stop to it,¡± Joe said nonchalantly. David let out a sour laugh.


    ¡°What¡¯s so funny, David?¡± Mr. Brown said.


    ¡°The friend and the date were his brother and his boyfriend,¡± David said glibly.


    Mr. Brown paused for a moment. ¡°Oh, I see. Is this true, Joe?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir, it is. David was harassing my brother and his boyfriend,¡± Joe replied.


    ¡°How was David harassing these two guys?¡± Mr. Brown asked Joe.


    ¡°David kept pressing Rocco, I mean, Marcus Rocio about his date,¡± Joe said.


    ¡°How so?¡± Mr. Brown asked.


    ¡°His date, my brother, was wearing a mask. David kept trying to get my brother to take his mask off,¡± Joe replied.


    ¡°Why was it your concern, Mr. Wick?¡± Mr. Brown asked.


    ¡°I wanted to see who he brought to the dance,¡± David replied.


    ¡°For what purpose?¡± Mr. Brown asked.


    ¡°I just wanted to know,¡± David replied.


    ¡°Was this because you knew Marcus brought another guy as his date?¡± Mr. Brown asked. Joe was surprised at the calm demeanor of the principal. He had no run-ins with Mr. Brown but had always heard he was a stern man.


    ¡°I suspected it,¡± David replied.


    ¡°And you wanted to shame Marcus and his brother somehow?¡± Mr. Brown asked.


    ¡°He called them faggots,¡± Joe interjected.


    Mr. Brown¡¯s eyebrows raised. ¡°Is this true, Mr. Wick?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember that,¡± David said with a smirk on his face.


    ¡°You liar!¡± Joe exclaimed.


    ¡°Now, now, calm down, Mr. Barber,¡± Mr. Brown said.


    ¡°He started shoving me,¡± David interjected.


    ¡°Is that true, Mr. Barber?¡± Mr. Brown asked.


    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Joe said looking down at the floor.


    ¡°We certainly do not tolerate physical violence here,¡± Mr. Brown said at Joe. ¡°But we also will not tolerate harassment,¡± Mr. Brown looked at David. ¡°David, would you step outside a moment. I want to speak with Joe alone.¡±


    David let out a gruff grunt and left the office. He went to sit out on the sofa. Mr. Brown inhaled deeply and shifted in his seat. He looked over at Joe who was still looking at the floor.


    ¡°Joe, did you know about Marcus and your brother before this incident?¡± Mr. Brown asked in a sympathetic tone.


    ¡°Yes, sir, I¡¯ve known for a while. David Wick has been calling guys names and beating them up for years. I was only trying to protect Mike,¡± Joe said.


    ¡°Mike is your brother?¡± Mr. Brown asked. Joe nodded. ¡°Look, I know about David. I¡¯ve gotten several complaints about him. I also understand you wanted to protect your brother. It¡¯s our nature to protect the ones we love.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Joe said.


    ¡°So, while I agree that you were right for wanting to protect your brother, I cannot let your physical altercation go unpunished. I also do not want this homophobia to go on like it has,¡± Mr. Brown explained.


    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Joe said.


    ¡°I usually would give you detention but since we are in the middle of football season, I know that will mess up with your practice,¡± Mr. Brown stated. ¡°I want to be a little creative here.¡± Joe looked up from the floor. ¡°With the assistance of our guidance counselor, I want to start up a Gay-Straight Alliance Club here.¡±


    Joe gave him a look of confusion. He was not sure what Mr. Brown was asking of him.


    ¡°A Gay-Straight Alliance?¡± Joe asked.


    ¡°Yeah, a club where gay kids can meet other gay kids and talk about their issues in a safe space.¡±


    ¡°Where do I fit into this?¡± Joe asked.


    ¡°I want you to attend the meetings so that you can get an understanding of what these kids are going through each day,¡± Mr. Brown said.


    ¡°But I already have an understanding from my brother,¡± Joe said.


    ¡°And that¡¯s where the punishment part comes in, if you want to call it that. I want you to help start it. What better person to help start it than the straight brother of a gay student?¡± Mr. Brown said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think a straight guy like me should start a club like that,¡± Joe said.


    ¡°You¡¯ll only help start it. I¡¯ve had some gay students come to me asking to start it. I imagine they will do most of the work,¡± Mr. Brown explained.


    ¡°And that¡¯s my punishment?¡± Joe asked.


    ¡°Think of it as doing this for your brother,¡± Mr. Brown stated.


    Joe thought about this for a minute. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll do it,¡± he replied enthusiastically.


    ¡°It¡¯s either that or detention,¡± Mr. Brown said. Joe nodded. ¡°Now, go to class. Ms. Richards will be in touch soon about getting started.¡±


    Joe got up from his seat. He went to leave but turned back towards Mr. Brown. ¡°Thank you for starting this alliance club. It will do some good around here.¡± Mr. Brown smiled.


    When Joe left, Mr. Brown got up and motioned for David to come into his office.


    ¡°Have a seat, David,¡± Mr. Brown said sternly. David took a seat. This time, his demeanor was much less arrogant and more repentant.


    ¡°Mr. Brown, I am so---¡± David started but Mr. Brown interrupted.


    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°Save it, David. I know you are going to give me some half-assed apology,¡± Mr. Brown interjected in a curt manner. ¡°Your days as a homophobic asshole are over, young man.¡± David was shocked at the frankness of Mr. Brown¡¯s tone. ¡°I have heard nothing but complaints that you are the instigator of most of the gay hate in this school. You call gay kids names, and you beat them up without any immunity. That atmosphere is not what this school needs.¡±


    David stared at the floor as Mr. Brown talked. All he could muster was a quiet ¡°Yes, Sir.¡±


    ¡°Now, the season is in full throttle so I¡¯m not going to give you any detention. However, I expect a more tolerant attitude. You don¡¯t have to agree with anyone¡¯s choices, but you have to respect them. I expect you to be at least civil. Our school is starting a gay-straight alliance where kids like those that you beat up can feel safe and empowered. You are certainly banned from attending any of those meetings. What I¡¯m going to do is ask that you apologize to each of those kids face to face. Your apology better be sincere, or I will see to it that your career as a football star is over at this school. You are also going to ask each of those kids what you can do to make up for your years of bullying. You are going to do everything those kids ask of you. And you are going to be grateful and happy. Is that understood?¡±


    David ashamedly replied, ¡°Yes sir.¡±


    ¡°Now get out of my office before I think of more.¡± Mr. Brown said. David got up and walked out of his office with his tail between his legs. Mr. Brown crossed his arms and smiled out of pride for what he had done.


    By the time, Mr. Brown was done, the bell for first period rang. David went to his locker to get his books for the next class.


    During a longer break, David stood at the Haven waiting for Joe. He hadn¡¯t seen him since this morning in Mr. Brown¡¯s office. He was eager to find out if Joe¡¯s punishment was the same. Several regular Haven kids, including Tiffany, gathered but avoided David. Stanton and Chris approached the Haven unnoticed by the other kids. Tiffany whispered at the kids not to engage with David.


    In the distance, Joe approached. Tiffany caught sight of Joe and waved at him. As Joe approached, he saw David standing off to the side staring at him. Joe avoided David¡¯s blank stare.


    ¡°Hey, Joe!¡± Tiffany said and gave Joe a hug.


    ¡°Hey, Tiff,¡± Joe said giving David the side-eye.


    ¡°What happened with Mr. Brown?¡± Tiffany asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have detention, but he wants me to help with starting a gay-straight alliance,¡± Joe said.


    ¡°A what?¡± Tiffany asked as some of the other Haven kids gathered around Joe.


    ¡°A club for gay kids to talk about their stuff,¡± Joe replied.


    ¡°Oh. That¡¯s not too bad.¡± Tiffany said.


    ¡°Yeah, and I want to do it. I want to do it for Mike and Rocco and all those other kids who were made to feel like shit,¡± Joe said trying to get David¡¯s attention without looking at him.


    ¡°Yeah, this school definitely needs that,¡± Tiffany said.


    ¡°That¡¯s all you get?¡± David exclaimed from the side.


    Joe and Tiffany ignored David. David was turning red from anger that Joe had gotten off so easily. He was going to have to be face-to-face with those that he tortured. He would rather have detention and be off the football team than have to face his victims in person.


    ¡°Mr. Brown is a fair man,¡± Tiffany said loudly. Joe nodded.


    Mike and Rocco walked up to Joe despite having caught sight of David. This was the first time Mike had seen Joe since he was called into Mr. Brown¡¯s office. Mike wanted to know what had happened and what he had to do. They went around David who remained alone off to the side.


    ¡°Hey guys!¡± Tiffany said to Mike and Rocco. ¡°Despite what happened, I loved hanging out with you two at the dance.¡± Mike smiled and waved but quickly turned to Joe.


    ¡°Joe, what happened?¡± Mike asked wide-eyed.


    ¡°Well, we talked about the dance and what happened,¡± Joe said.


    ¡°Did you get in trouble?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°Not really. I do have some good news,¡± Joe said smiling.


    ¡°Good news?¡± Mike exclaimed.


    ¡°I get to help start a gay-straight alliance¡ªa safe place for the gay kids here,¡± Joe said placing both of his hands on Rocco and Mike.


    ¡°Can I be a part of it?¡± Tiffany asked.


    ¡°Of course you can,¡± Joe said.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe this. What the fuck kind of punishment is that?¡± David scoffed. Stanton frowned at the injustice David faced even though he had no idea what punishment David had to endure.


    Joe finally made eye contact with David. Joe¡¯s anger was beginning to boil up. He knew Mr. Brown didn¡¯t give David detention because of football practice. ¡°It¡¯s called being of service to my fellow students and it¡¯s not punishment, David.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s called a cop-out. You get to run off and start a social club. I have to personally apologize to every queer in this school. What kind of justice is that?¡± David said and huffed in disgust.


    ¡°You mean you have to apologize to all those kids you beat up??¡± Joe said sarcastically. ¡°Oh, the humanity!¡±


    ¡°Fuck you,¡± David said. ¡°And fuck all those god-damned faggots I got to see.¡± David looked at Mike and Rocco when he said this.


    Joe¡¯s face turned bright red from anger. He had reached his limit with David and his bigotry. ¡°This attitude of yours is bullshit, David!¡± Joe freed himself from the crowd that surrounded him and climbed the stairs to the landing overlooking the Haven. Everyone¡¯s eyes were fixed on Joe as he stood at the landing.


    ¡°Now listen here, Miners Creek High School. This homophobia stops right now. I¡¯m not gay but my brother is dating a guy. A guy who I think is one of the best guys I¡¯ve ever met. Of course, I love my brother with all my heart and if he likes a guy, I¡¯m 100% behind him because that is who he is.¡± There were several nods in the Haven as well as some pats on Rocco and Mike¡¯s back.


    ¡°I know I¡¯m not gay because¡ª¡± Joe hesitated for a moment then looked at his brother. The look of pride on Mike¡¯s face gave Joe the courage he needed to continue. ¡°I know I¡¯m not gay because I tried it.¡± There were a few gasps in the audience. ¡°That¡¯s right! The quarterback, the star of the football team, hooked up with a guy once. And you know what? I didn¡¯t care for it. Who in this crowd can say that?¡±


    Joe looked around at the crowd of student who were in a state of shock. ¡°I can speak from experience. I can say with certainty that I am straight because I didn¡¯t like messing around with a guy. I¡¯m not going to out the guy I played around with, but he¡¯s a self-loathing gay basher who likes to beat up vulnerable guys.¡± Everyone looked over at David who had turned beet red from embarrassment. ¡°Classic case of the lady doth protest too much¡±.


    ¡°That¡¯s how you use that phrase,¡± Mike said loudly so Stanton could hear him.


    ¡°So, if you have a problem with any of that or with my brother or his boyfriend or any other gay kid, then fuck you! This school is starting a gay straight club, and I will be proud to help start it up because that¡¯s what this school needs.¡±


    Joe raised both his hands in the air, made them into fists, and walked down the stairs. The kids gathered around Joe started to cheer in solidarity. David scurried off. Joe descended the stairs and went over to Mike and Rocco to give them a group hug. Tiffany ran up to Joe and gave him a kiss.


    ¡°Wow, Joe, that was so brave!¡± Tiffany said.


    ¡°Joe, you didn¡¯t have to do that,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Yes, I did,¡± Joe said and pinched Mike¡¯s cheeks.


    ¡°Does it bother you that I played around with a guy?¡± Joe asked Tiffany.


    ¡°What bothers me is that it was David. Ick. Of all the guys, you picked him?¡± Tiffany said laughing.


    ¡°Well, it just sorta happened unexpectedly,¡± Joe replied.


    ¡°No wonder you didn¡¯t like it,¡± Tiffany laughed. Joe returned the laugh.


    The bell rang indicating the long break was over. All the kids started to disperse. Mike took Rocco¡¯s hand and started to go to class. As they walked, a voice from behind Mike spoke up.


    ¡°Mike?¡± It was Chris. He was alone. Stanton was standing at the Haven alone.


    ¡°Yes?¡± Mike said turning around.


    ¡°Can I have lunch with you today?¡± Chris asked. He had an eager puppy dog look on his face. Mike had almost forgotten about Chris since he met Rocco. He hadn¡¯t noticed that Chris had practically grown a foot since school started and his stubble was starting to thicken. Even though they had barely spoken since the school started, Mike did miss his old friend.


    ¡°Our table is always open,¡± Mike said and walked to class with Rocco.


    ¡°It¡¯s spreading like wildfire, man!¡± Raz exclaimed.


    ¡°Yeah! It was glorious,¡± Rocco replied. The entire school was a buzz about the dance and about Joe¡¯s speech. ¡°It all happened exactly like the rumors are reporting.¡±


    ¡°And we are going to have a gay-straight alliance?¡± Raz asked.


    ¡°Yeah! Can you believe that?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go if you go,¡± Raz said.


    ¡°Come on! Of course, I¡¯m going but your attendance doesn¡¯t have to depend on mine,¡± Rocco stated.


    ¡°Yeah, I know. But I¡¯ll feel more at ease if you¡¯re there,¡± Raz replied. Rocco nodded.


    ¡°And he really fucked David Wick?¡± Pete asked.


    ¡°Well, he said they played around. I don¡¯t know exactly what they did together,¡± Rocco answered. ¡°I really don¡¯t want to know.¡±


    Meigs appeared and sat down next to Raz. Usually, Meigs was nowhere to be found during lunch. It was a good bet that Meigs was in the bathroom tending to his wounds. Today however was a first.


    ¡°May I join you fellas?¡± Meigs asked after he sat down.


    ¡°Of course, Meigs. You are always welcome here,¡± Austin replied. Meigs and Austin shared a smile.


    ¡°So, is it really true about Joe Barber?¡± Meigs asked, his eyes wide with anticipation to find out the details.


    ¡°That¡¯s what he said!¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°And it was with David Wick??¡± Meigs was dripping in schadenfreude.


    ¡°He didn¡¯t say his name, but that was the obvious assumption,¡± Rocco replied. Rocco knew it was truth.


    ¡°Oh my fucking God! That is so rich.¡± Meigs said tapping his fingers on the table.


    ¡°I know!!!¡± Rocco agreed. He loved the fact that the bully had been put in his place.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t get a chance to tell you, Meigs, your costume at the dance was spectacular!¡± Austin said.


    ¡°Well, thank you!¡± Meigs replied.


    ¡°You were totally hot,¡± Pete smirked.


    ¡°Easy boy, I¡¯m taken,¡± Meigs said winking at Raz.


    ¡°Wait a minute¡­¡± Rocco spoke up. ¡°Do you mean you and Raz?¡±


    Raz and Meigs looked at each other and smiled. Rocco, Pete, and Austin nodded in approval.


    ¡°Good job,¡± Austin replied.


    ¡°Damn, I missed out,¡± Pete said. Meigs cut a smiling pouty face in jest at Pete.


    ¡°Back off Pete. He¡¯s mine,¡± Raz jokingly said and held Meigs¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Alright, alright. Let¡¯s talk some business then,¡± Pete said. ¡°O¡¯Malley asked if we would do a show in a couple of weeks.¡±


    ¡°Totally works for me,¡± Austin chimed in.


    ¡°Same here. I¡¯d rather play at the skate park than a party. The park is much more our kinda crowd,¡± Rocco added.


    ¡°I agree,¡± Pete said. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about getting a little rougher. I want to go straight punk.¡±


    ¡°YES!¡± Rocco exclaimed. Everyone else nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Do you need a tambourine girl?¡± Meigs asked.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Pete thought. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Every band needs a Stevie Nicks,¡± Meigs said and shook his hands like a tambourine.


    ¡°Tell you what,¡± Pete started. ¡°Come to practice and we will try to see how we can fit the bass¡¯s boy into the lineup.¡±


    ¡°Boy?¡± Meigs asked in defense. ¡°I prefer to be the bass¡¯s bitch.¡±


    ¡°Well, ok, then!¡± Pete exclaimed and laughed out loud.


    Mike sat down next to Jared at lunch. Rusty had not made it to the table just yet. Jared was already halfway through his lunch when Mike picked up his fork to dive into his Salisbury steak.


    ¡°So, it¡¯s official?¡± Jared asked putting his fork down. He would stop eating only to talk to his friend.


    ¡°Yep, it¡¯s official,¡± Mike said putting his fork down before he even cut into the steak. He was not very hungry after the excitement of the morning.


    ¡°How do you feel?¡± Jared asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t really know how I am supposed to feel. I¡¯m relieved but I¡¯m also a little¡­I don¡¯t know¡­edgy?¡± Mike replied.


    ¡°Edgy? Edgy about what?¡± Jared asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Like I feel like everything worked out a little too perfectly,¡± Mike replied looking off into the lunchroom.


    ¡°Like you are expecting something bad to happen?¡± Jared added.


    ¡°Yeah! Exactly!¡± Mike replied. Jared seemed to have a knack for knowing how he felt when he could not come up with the right words.


    ¡°You know what I think?¡± Jared said looking over the lunchroom.


    ¡°What?¡± Mike looked at Jared.


    ¡°I think a part of you expected your world to blow up when you came out. It didn¡¯t but you still have that dread inside of you that you want to channel somewhere,¡± Jared said. ¡°I also think the other part of you was expecting something magical to happen when you came out. Nothing magical happened. The world just kept going like it always does. You¡¯ve got these two powerful feelings in you that have nowhere to go. So, you¡¯ve got to find a use for them.¡±


    ¡°Like what?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°You should use those strong feelings to draw or paint,¡± Jared replied.


    Mike thought about what he said. It made perfect sense. He had to channel his feelings into something creative. ¡°You know what? You are right.¡±


    ¡°The question is, what are you going to create?¡± Jared asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to have to think about it,¡± Mike replied. ¡°You know, I might see if there is a space in Art class next semester.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit, my friend,¡± Jared said and picked his fork back up to dig into his lunch. Mike did the same. His appetite had returned after Jared helped him realize what was bugging him.


    Chris had just left the lunch line. He stopped to look for the table where Mike was sitting. His natural inclination was to go to the table where Stanton and Matt were sitting. Today was going to be different. He had to retrain himself to point in the direction of Mike¡¯s table.


    He spotted Mike, Jared, and Rusty sitting in one of the corners. He started towards the corner when he spotted Stanton and Matt at their usual table. He stood there in the middle of the lunchroom torn. Did he want to go with his old habits of eating with Stanton and Matt or be novel and eat with Mike and his new friends?


    Mike¡¯s new friends scared him a little. He felt intimated because he wouldn¡¯t know what to talk about with them. It was doubtful that they would want to talk about sports. Jared also blew up in front of everyone in the lunchroom at them. He didn¡¯t know how to take Jared.


    He started to walk to his old table but veered off to Mike¡¯s table when Stanton looked up at him. After this morning, he wanted to leave the hate behind him. Chris dearly missed his old friend and wanted to do whatever it took to get him back¡ªeven if that meant being the square at the table.


    Mike, Jared, and Rusty were deep in a conversation when Chris approached their table. All three looked up. Jared and Rusty gave Chris a quizzical look while Mike smiled at him widely.


    ¡°C-Can,¡± Chris stuttered, ¡°Can I join you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, c-can you?¡± Jared quipped.


    ¡°Sit down!¡± Mike said. Chris smiled and placed his tray on the table. He sat down while Jared and Rusty stared at him.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Chris said quietly.


    ¡°Guys, this is my old friend, Chris.¡± Mike introduced.


    ¡°Yeah, we know who you are,¡± Rusty said sharply.


    ¡°Chris wants to hang out with us,¡± Mike said and looked at Jared and Rusty as if to say, ¡®be nice to him¡¯. Jared eased his face and extended his hand for a shake.


    ¡°I¡¯m Jared. We never really met before.¡± Chris shook Jared¡¯s extended hand.


    ¡°And I¡¯m Rusty,¡± Rusty followed Jared¡¯s lead by shaking his hand.


    ¡°And I¡¯m Mike,¡± Mike said extending his hand to shake Chris¡¯s. The tension eased significantly as they laughed.


    ¡°Mike,¡± Chris started, ¡°I want to start out by saying I¡¯m sorry for everything¡ªfor shunning you and making fun of you behind your back. I haven¡¯t been a very good friend. I miss hanging out with you.¡± Chris looked down at his tray, ashamed of his behavior.


    Mike smiled sweetly. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I get it.¡±


    ¡°No, I forgot what it meant to be a friend. I forgot that you were going through something big, and I wasn¡¯t there for you,¡± Chris said still looking at his tray.


    ¡°Chris, look at me,¡± Mike said. Chris looked up from his tray. ¡°I forgive you. You¡¯re still my friend. I miss you too.¡± Chris smiled and nodded his head.


    ¡°I want to know all about you and Rocco,¡± Chris said eagerly.


    ¡°You do?¡± Mike asked surprised at his enthusiasm.


    ¡°Of course, this is a huge thing for you,¡± Chris said. ¡°It doesn¡¯t bother me about the gay thing.¡±


    Mike looked at Jared and then at Rusty. ¡°Well, first thing, I¡¯m not gay nor am I straight. I wouldn¡¯t even call myself bi. I¡¯m kinda fluid. I like the person, not whether that person is a boy or a girl.¡±


    ¡°That makes sense,¡± Chris said.


    ¡°I fell for Rocco the first time I laid my eyes on him,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Ok,¡± Chris nodded.


    ¡°And everything else just kinda wonderfully happened,¡± Mike said dreamily.


    ¡°Wow, if I didn¡¯t know any better, I¡¯d say you are in love,¡± Jared retorted.


    ¡°Yeah, I am. Rocco and I are in love,¡± Mike replied. ¡°Does that make you uncomfortable to hear, Chris?¡±


    ¡°No, not at all,¡± Chris replied. ¡°I like what you said about liking the person. I think I could be open to that.¡±


    ¡°Really???¡± Mike said in disbelief.


    ¡°Yeah, really,¡± Chris said. ¡°I haven¡¯t had feelings for another guy before, but I wouldn¡¯t necessarily rule it out.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all you need to be cool with us,¡± Rusty interjected.


    ¡°Are you guys like Mike?¡± Chris asked unsure if he phrased the question properly.


    Jared and Rusty laughed. ¡°Well, I¡¯d be open to it,¡± Rusty said.


    ¡°I mean, sure, why not?¡± Jared shrugged. Chris felt very much at ease after hearing this.


    ¡°Hey, Chris,¡± Mike said, ¡°I¡¯m learning how to skate.¡±


    ¡°Like on a board?¡± Chris asked impressed.


    ¡°Yeah, this guy is teaching me,¡± Mike said pointing at Jared. Jared waved off the comment.


    ¡°So, you teach skateboarding?¡± Chris asked in an excited tone.


    ¡°Meh,¡± Jared shrugged.


    ¡°He¡¯s only the best,¡± Mike beamed.


    ¡°I¡¯m only good because this guy drew me a killer flyer,¡± Jared said pointing at Mike.


    ¡°Oh yeah, your art. You did a flyer?¡± Chris asked.


    ¡°Meh,¡± Mike shrugged laughing at his bad imitation of Jared.


    ¡°Man, that¡¯s pretty awesome,¡± Chris said excited. ¡°For the both of you.¡±


    ¡°You should come down to the skate park sometime. Rocco¡¯s band practices there a lot while Mike learns how to shred,¡± Rusty said.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯d really like that!¡± Chris said barely holding down his enthusiasm.


    The four of them finished lunch talking about skating, art, and Rocco¡¯s band. As he usually did every day, Mike ate half of his lunch and gave Jared the rest. Mike always did this even if he was hungry enough to finish his own lunch. On the days when he wasn¡¯t so hungry, he would give Jared more of his lunch. Soon enough, Mike relayed to Chris why he did this. Chris started to do the same for Jared.

 26. Mike Van Gogh

    Mike walked into the guidance counselor¡¯s office. Ms. Richards was in her late 30s with long blonde hair neatly sprayed into a bun. She was trim and fit and wearing a green business outfit with a skirt that went to her knees. Her face make-up was tastefully done¡ªsubtle yet flattering.


    ¡°Welcome, Mike,¡± Ms. Richards said. ¡°Have a seat.¡±


    Mike sat down across from her and took his bag off his left shoulder. He looked up at her from the top of his round glasses. His reddish-brown hair fell over the rim of his glasses.


    ¡°How can I help you?¡± Ms. Richards asked pleasantly with a smile on her face.


    ¡°I¡¯m thinking of switching one of my classes,¡± Mike said plainly. He was not nervous since he wasn¡¯t in trouble. He just didn¡¯t like being in one of the offices.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Ms. Richards said and pulled out a notebook. ¡°What are you thinking of switching?¡±


    ¡°I have psychology this semester and sociology next semester. I wanted to see if I could get into Art I,¡± Mike replied.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Ms. Richards asked. ¡°Do you like art?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve always been good at it, and I wanted to get credit for it,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°And this has nothing to do with psychology?¡± Ms. Richards asked.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine,¡± Mike replied. He thought psychology was boring as hell, and he hated the thought of having sociology an entire semester. The only reason he stayed in psychology was to be around Rocco. But now that they were dating, that was not an issue.


    ¡°Well, let me see what options we have,¡± Ms. Richards said reaching for a folder. The tab on the folder read ¡®ART¡¯. She opened the folder which was filled with printouts¡ªrosters of the classes from what Mike guessed. She thumbed through a couple of sheets and settled on one. Her finger traced the stats on the paper. ¡°You are in luck. It looks like 2nd period is Art I and there are a few open spaces in that class. We are almost at mid-term for this semester, so you¡¯d probably have to do some extra credit to make up for it.¡±


    Mike¡¯s face lit up. He was happy to hear that there was even a possibility.


    ¡°I¡¯d have to talk to Mr. Landers¡ªhe¡¯s the teacher¡ªto see what you can work out. I think it¡¯s a possibility, however. Give me a day or two and I¡¯ll let you know,¡± Ms. Richards said looking up from her paper. ¡°Tell me about this decision.¡±


    Mike shifted in his seat. He thought for a few seconds. He was not prepared to answer any questions about his decision other than what he already told her. ¡°Well, like I said, I¡¯ve always been good at art and wanted to get credit for it. I¡¯m thinking I¡¯d like to pursue something in art if I do well.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fantastic! Any thoughts about careers in art or colleges?¡± Ms. Richards asked with her full attention on Mike.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t thought that far ahead,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Well, there¡¯s lots you can do. Perhaps graphic design?¡± Ms. Richards thought.


    ¡°Graphic design?¡± Mike asked. He didn¡¯t know what that phrase meant.


    ¡°Yeah, using your art to design advertisements, logos, posters¡­like some of the posters I have on the wall. Look at that one behind you,¡± Ms. Richards pointed to a poster behind him. It was a poster about school nutrition with a pyramid and some drawings of fruit. ¡°A graphic designer drew that and laid out the poster.¡±


    Mike let out an ¡®oh¡¯. He had been a graphic designer since school started with his ad for Jared and the logo Fred. ¡°Yes, graphic design,¡± Mike said out loud to himself. ¡°I¡¯d like to do that.¡±


    ¡°We do have a graphic design class in the vocational school that you could take. A lot of our art students take that,¡± Ms. Richards said.


    ¡°That would be great!¡± Mike said.


    ¡°I¡¯ll put a note in your file for next year to make sure you take Art 2, 3, and 4 as well as graphic design,¡± Ms. Richards said. ¡°Is there anything else going on?¡±


    Mike looked around not knowing what to say. ¡°No, that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure, Mike? I¡¯m not just here about your class schedule. You can talk to me about anything,¡± Ms. Richards said with empathy.


    Mike looked down then back up at Ms. Richards. ¡°Have you heard about the dance?¡±


    ¡°I have,¡± Ms. Richards said knowingly.


    ¡°I guess you know about the scuffle and all?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Yes. I also know that it can be tough to be yourself especially when you¡¯re different,¡± Ms. Richards said.


    ¡°Yeah, the whole thing was about me having a boyfriend,¡± Mike said and laughed nervously.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to be nervous. I know that must have been a huge decision on your part,¡± Ms. Richards said.


    ¡°Well, having a boyfriend wasn¡¯t a huge decision. That just sorta happened. Everyone finding out was the hard part,¡± Mike replied.


    ¡°I can imagine,¡± Ms. Richard said. ¡°We are forming a gay-straight alliance. It¡¯s meant to be a safe space for gay and lesbian kids to share experiences.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, my brother said he was supposed to help with that,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right!¡± Ms. Richards exclaimed and laughed. ¡°You¡¯re Joe Barber¡¯s brother.¡± Mike closed his eyes. Even though it didn¡¯t bother him that much anymore, he still didn¡¯t like to be known as Joe Barber¡¯s brother.


    ¡°I am,¡± Mike said respectfully even though he wanted to be a wiseass and tell her that Joe was Mike Barber¡¯s brother.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯d rather it be by gay kids for gay kids. However, I don¡¯t really see a problem with Joe helping. It is after all a gay-straight alliance.¡± Ms. Richards stated. ¡°Would you be interested in helping out with starting it as well?¡±


    ¡°What would be involved?¡± Mike asked genuinely.


    ¡°At first, just a few meetings during school to talk about what we want to do. Then we¡¯d put some posters up. Maybe you could design and draw them. That could be your part!¡±  Ms. Richards offered excitedly.


    ¡°I¡¯d really like that,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Then I will put you down for it,¡± Ms. Richards smiled and wrote his name on a list of names. ¡°Okay, for Art, let me talk with Mr. Landers. We will be in touch.¡± She got up from her chair and walked over to the door. She opened it. ¡°It was a real pleasure meeting you, Mike.¡±


    Mike got up from his chair and put his bag on his shoulder. ¡°Likewise.¡±


    The old drive-in was playing a ¡®Friday the 13th¡¯ double feature that evening. Rocco and Mike decided it would be a fun outing for a date¡ªRocco thought it would be a fun outing. Mike didn¡¯t care for gory horror films, but he didn¡¯t mind the idea of spending his night covering his face in Rocco¡¯s chest. The old drive-in had been there for decades. Its heyday was in the 60s. Since the early 80s, it had been on a steady decline. Hardly anyone went to the drive-in any longer. Much of it was in various states of disrepair. The screen had developed a crack that started to grow larger and larger each year. There were no plans to fix anything in the drive-in as it was the consensus that it would close down in a couple of years. Still, a few dedicated fans of drive-ins continued to patronize the place¡ªmostly older Boomer couples reminiscing about their younger days and a few younger kids who relished the deteriorated nostalgic decay.


    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    They pulled into a spot in the center of the drive-in. There were only three other cars parked around them. Rocco turned the car off.


    ¡°Would you like some refreshments?¡± Rocco asked Mike in a voice that tried to sound like he was a 50-year-old man.


    ¡°Yes, kind sir,¡± Mike said and laughed. Rocco got out of the car to go to the concession stand. Mike sat quietly in the car enjoying the silence. They got to the drive-in 30 minutes before the double-feature was going to start. It was run by teenagers, so they had a radio station pumping pop music through the speaker. It sounded like a Color Me Badd song was playing. He looked at the cars that were parked around them and did not recognize anyone his age. It didn¡¯t take long for Rocco to come back with concessions¡ªlikely because he was the only customer. Rocco opened the door and had a little cardboard tray with a couple of extra-large drinks and a couple of burgers wrapped in wax paper. He also was pinching a huge tub of popcorn. Mike reached up for the tray as Rocco got back in the car.


    ¡°Wow, you loaded up!¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Yeah, the burgers were free. I guess they were just trying to get rid of them,¡± Rocco said situating into the seat. He put the popcorn between them and rolled the car window down. He reached up for the little metal speaker and clipped it on the window.


    ¡°This is such a weird experience. I don¡¯t think I know anyone who comes here anymore,¡± Mike said looking around.


    ¡°It¡¯s perfect for a slasher movie,¡± Rocco grinned in an evil way.


    ¡°Stop it! You¡¯re already scaring me,¡± Mike laughed as Rocco let out an evil ¡®bwahaha¡¯.


    ¡°I¡¯ll protect you,¡± Rocco said changing the expression on his face. Mike smiled at him and put his straw in his drink. The cups were huge. They had to be at least 64 oz. Mike had a difficult time holding it with just one hand.


    ¡°It¡¯s a shame no one comes here anymore,¡± Mike said. ¡°It¡¯s pretty romantic.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know. Just think about all the kids that were conceived here,¡± Rocco said looking out. He and Mike laughed at the thought of their friends¡¯ parents having sex here.


    ¡°Rocco, I¡¯ve got to tell you something,¡± Mike said placing his massive drink on the floorboard since it didn¡¯t fit anywhere else.


    ¡°Okay, is everything okay?¡± Rocco asked suddenly concerned about what was going to come next.


    ¡°Oh yes. It¡¯s just something I did. I went to talk with Ms. Richards, the guidance counselor, the other day,¡± Mike started. Rocco nodded but was still concerned about what Mike was about to say. ¡°I am going to drop psychology and sociology next semester so I can take art.¡±


    ¡°What? Really?¡± Rocco exclaimed. ¡°That¡¯s great!¡±


    ¡°You think so?¡± Mike asked unsure that Rocco would be receptive to this news.


    ¡°Of course it is. You¡¯ll get to do what you like!¡± Rocco smiled widely.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t upset you that we will only have one class together?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Well, a little. But it¡¯s not like I won¡¯t see you any less,¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re okay about that?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m more than okay. I¡¯m thrilled!¡± Rocco exclaimed.


    Mike breathed a sigh of relief. Rocco saw the big picture. He was happy that Rocco approved of his decision.


    ¡°I have an idea,¡± Mike said and looked around. ¡°After the movie and after you drop me off, do you want to sneak into my room and sleep over?¡± Mike had a slightly naughty look on his face.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already told my mom that I¡¯m sleeping over at Austin¡¯s,¡± Rocco returned the look.


    ¡°You are a bad influence,¡± Mike said grinning.


    ¡°Yeah, I know. My whole reason for existing is to lead you down the wrong path!¡± Rocco chuckled.


    They leaned in to kiss a few seconds. The speaker stopped playing music and started playing the sound to the previews for upcoming movies. There were only two previews before the speaker popped loudly startling the couple. The first Friday the 13th started. Rocco sat back and extended his arm so Mike could lean his head on Rocco¡¯s chest. Mike was prepared for many opportunities to hide his face in Rocco¡¯s shirt and enjoy his earthy scent.


    Rocco dropped Mike off at his house after the first two Friday the 13th. Mike pretended to be scared even though he was more grossed out than scared. As always, the porch light was on so Rocco expected the light to go off when they kissed.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s the plan for tonight?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s almost 11. My parents should be in bed in about thirty minutes. You pull down the road like you usually do.¡± This plan involved a little more work. Usually, Mike¡¯s parents were already in bed when Rocco snuck in. ¡°Stay up close to the road. I¡¯ll flicker my bedroom light three times when it is safe for you to make your way to the back. Then, I¡¯ll let you in as usual,¡± Mike was methodical in his explanation of the plan.


    ¡°Ok. I¡¯ll see you soon,¡± Rocco said as he kissed Mike on the lips. The porch light went out as normal. Mike got out of the car and watched Rocco drive down and park the car on the side of the road. Mike went inside to greet his parents and sat down on the couch with them waiting for them to turn in.


    Meanwhile, Rocco turned his car off and got out. The chilly late October air hit Rocco causing him to gasp. He was glad he had on a substantial jacket but wished he had some gloves. He shoved his hands in the jacket pockets to warm them.


    Close to the road, he found a metal decorative table that served as a bench. It was a little wet from the late-night moisture, so he tried to wipe it down with his jacket sleeve. His attempt was not very successful because within a few minutes, the seat of his pants was starting to get wet. It didn¡¯t matter that much since he saw the light flickering in Mike¡¯s bedroom. His parents must have gone to bed earlier than normal. Rocco took his cue and made his way to the back of the house. He had done this enough to know where to avoid walking. It took him about five minutes to turn the corner of the house to the back. He saw Mike standing on the back patio waiting patiently. Rocco glided up to the patio and took Mike¡¯s extended hand.


    They tiptoed up the stairs to Mike¡¯s room. Rocco darted into the safety of Mike¡¯s warm room. Mike closed the door and gave Rocco a smile. He walked over to Rocco and leaned in to give him a kiss. Mike started to push Rocco towards the bed.


    ¡°Wait, my pants are wet. I don¡¯t want to get your bed wet,¡± Rocco said stopping Mike.


    ¡°Did you piss your pants?¡± Mike asked empathetically.


    ¡°No!¡± Rocco chuckled. ¡°I sat on something that was wet.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s get you out of those wet pants then,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Now, you can get in the bed,¡± Mike said. Rocco walked over to the bed and crawled on top of the comforter. Mike spread out Rocco¡¯s clothes so that they could dry during the night.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get under the covers,¡± Mike said and pulled down the comforter. Mike slid under the comforter and welcomed Rocco to do the same.


    A little while later, as Rocco was lightly dozing, Mike quietly reached for his sketch pad and pencils. He got the inspiration to do a sketch of Rocco as he slept. He lightly sketched the layout of the drawing and began mapping out the proportions of Rocco in the bed. Once he had the proportions right, he started shading in areas of shadow around the bed and then the part that was to be Rocco. He made the shading of Rocco a step lighter so that he would stand out in the drawing. Within the span of only 15 minutes, Mike had a well laid out and shaded drawing of his boyfriend lying in bed. Mike was starting to get drowsy, so he placed his sketch pad and pencils to the side and got back under the covers. He laid his head on Rocco¡¯s chest. It didn¡¯t take long for Mike to doze off in Rocco¡¯s arms.


    It was around 2 AM when Mike awoke to see Dan, his dad, standing in the doorway of his room. A rush of panic washed over him as Dan was standing silent and motionless. Mike sat up quickly causing the comforter to slide off the bed. Mike quickly grabbed the comforter.


    ¡°Are you awake enough now to talk about this?¡± Dan said.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Mike whispered trying not to wake Rocco. He knew he was in trouble.


    ¡°Meet me downstairs,¡± Dan said and walked away. Mike started to get tears in his eyes out of fear but batted them away. He put on the undershirt and the pants he had on previously. He exhaled and walked to the kitchen table where his dad was sitting waiting.


    ¡°Have a seat,¡± Dan silently said. Mike sat down next to his dad and looked down at the table.


    ¡°First, you¡¯re not in trouble. I¡¯m just disappointed at seeing that you snuck Rocco into your room. How long have you two been doing this?¡± Dan patiently asked.


    Mike continued to look down. ¡°We¡¯ve done this a few times.¡±


    ¡°I see. I don¡¯t like the idea that you two are doing this,¡± Dan said.


    ¡°I know,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°But I can see where you would be afraid to ask me if he could stay the night since he¡¯s your boyfriend,¡± Dan said. Mike looked up at his dad. How did he know this is why he didn¡¯t ask if Rocco could stay over?


    ¡°I knew you wouldn¡¯t say yes,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°And I wouldn¡¯t have. But here we are,¡± Dan said. ¡°Even though you are not trouble, I¡¯m still going to have to punish you. You know you did wrong here.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I did,¡± Mike responded.


    ¡°So, we¡¯re going to pretend you asked if Rocco could stay over. We¡¯re going to pretend I said it was fine. Just for tonight,¡± Dan explained. Mike nodded his head. ¡°Then, as your punishment, I¡¯m taking your car away from you for a week.¡±


    Mike looked at his dad in confusion. His car? Mike didn¡¯t have a car.


    ¡°My car?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Yes, Mike. We bought you a car that we were going to give to you tomorrow. It¡¯s a few years old, but it¡¯s in good shape and runs very well. However, you¡¯re not going to get it for a week,¡± Dan explained.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Mike asked in anticipation. His parents got him a car???


    ¡°I guess you will find out next week,¡± Dan explained. ¡°Now, go back upstairs. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡±


    Mike nodded his head. He was both relieved that he was not in as much trouble as he thought. He was in disbelief that somewhere out there in the world was his car even though he wouldn¡¯t have possession of it for another week. Most of all, he was embarrassed for Rocco. His dad saw his boyfriend. To spare him from this, Mike decided that he would leave this detail out of the story tomorrow morning when he would tell Rocco that it wasn¡¯t necessary to sneak out of the house. Since Rocco was officially a sleep over guest now, he would have to awkwardly have breakfast with everyone in the morning. Mike slipped back in bed next to Rocco. Explanations could wait until tomorrow. For now, Mike went back to sleep with his head on Rocco¡¯s chest.

 27. Shredding at the Park

    Mike anxiously paced back and forth in his room. It had been thirty minutes ago when his dad asked him if he was ready for his car. Of course, he was ready! He was ready last week. Had it not been for his punishment, he would have been tearing up the roads last week. Mike had no idea what the car was going be. He wasn¡¯t into cars that much and didn¡¯t have a dream car. Joe was able to get a BMW because he had some savings that he could contribute to the car. Mike did not have that kind of foresight so what his parents bought him was what he was going to drive. He didn¡¯t really care that much, however. He just wanted his own wheels. Mike heard footsteps coming up the stairs. Dan opened his door.


    ¡°Rocco¡¯s not in here, is he?¡± Dan chuckled.


    ¡°No, Dad!¡± Mike exclaimed.


    ¡°Come on downstairs,¡± Dan said and went down the stairs.


    Mike anxiously walked downstairs. He saw Dan, Emily, and Joe standing by the front door. This was quite an event for the Barbers. Emily pulled out the trusty family camera to capture the moment. The camera flashed as he reached the bottom stair.


    ¡°Mom!¡± Mike exclaimed.


    ¡°Well, honey, I want to capture the moment!¡± his mom said.


    ¡°Are you ready?¡± Dan said. Mike nodded. He glanced over at Joe who was smiling. Joe gave him a wink and a nod. ¡°It¡¯s parked in the front.¡±


    Mike walked over to the front door and opened it. In front of him was a 1989 red VW Jetta. It had a big bow on the top.


    ¡°Happy Car Day!¡± Emily said and snapped a picture.


    ¡°There¡¯s your car,¡± his dad said and handed him a set of keys. Mike stood at the front door stunned. The car wasn¡¯t a sports car, but it was perfect for him. It was cute and compact. The finish shined in the afternoon sun as if it had been freshly detailed. ¡°It¡¯s not new, but there¡¯s not too many miles. It¡¯s only a couple of years old. It does great on gas. It¡¯s an automatic,¡± Mike didn¡¯t know what to say.


    ¡°It¡¯s perfect,¡± Mike said. He continued to remain at the front door in awe of this Jetta. It was not just a car; it was Mike¡¯s car.


    ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you going to get in and take a drive?¡± Dan asked.


    Mike snapped out of his stupor. He went over to his dad and gave him a heartfelt hug. ¡°Thank you, Dad. I love it.¡± He took the keys and gave his mom a hug.


    ¡°Can I be the first one to get a ride?¡± Joe asked smiling.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Mike said.


    Mike slowly walked up to his new-ish car and ran his fingers over the hood. He unlocked the driver¡¯s side and opened the door. It gave a couple of beeps. Mike slid into the driver¡¯s seat and put his hands on the steering wheel. He looked at the controls quietly as he ran his hands over the steering wheel. He touched the buttons of the stereo. The stereo was an after-market installed Alpine AM/FM/CD/Cassette stereo. The Kicker speakers were also not factory installed. Mike inserted the key into the ignition and turned it one click. The car beeped pleasantly while the panel and car stereo lights came on. The radio was turned almost all the way down. He started to tune the radio when he heard a tap on the window.


    ¡°Are you going to let me in?¡± Joe said. Mike laughed and hit the unlock button. Joe opened the door and got into the seat.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± Joe asked.


    ¡°I love it,¡± Mike said dreamily.


    ¡°It¡¯s a nice little car,¡± Joe commented.


    ¡°It¡¯s my little car,¡± Mike said. Joe laughed and nodded. He rolled the window down.


    ¡°I think he loves it,¡± Joe said out the window to his parents.


    ¡°Take it out!¡± Dan said.


    ¡°Seat belts!!!¡± Emily yelled.


    They both put on their seat belts. Mike adjusted the seat and mirrors while Joe found a pop station.


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go!!!¡± Joe said as he started playing with the levels on the equalizer.


    Mike turned the key and started the engine. The car gave another pleasant beep as the engine cranked and ran. The engine idled quietly. Mike checked his mirrors again and put his foot on the brake. He put the car into Drive and released his foot from the brake. The car slowly started to move forward catching Mike by surprise. He quickly stepped on the brake.


    ¡°Dude, relax,¡± Joe said.


    Mike nodded and removed his foot from the brake allowing the car to roll forward. He slowly steered it around the cul-de-sac and put his foot on the accelerator. He made it down the driveway and turned left towards town. He looked over at the spot where Rocco would park his car when he snuck in and smiled. As he went down the road, he felt more comfortable with picking up speed. Before he knew it, he was taking the car up to 50 MPH. He was only able to do this for a few minutes before getting into town where the speed limit dropped to 30. He kept the car under 30 going through town.


    As he made the return route, he couldn¡¯t wait to give Rocco a ride in the car. They were planning on going to the skate park that evening so that Rocco could practice, and he could work on his skateboarding with Jared. He could now actually pick Jared and Rusty up each morning. He knew they still took the bus to school which was something that high school kids shouldn¡¯t do if they wanted any kind of street credibility.


    ¡°This is a smooth riding car,¡± Joe said as they pulled into their driveway.


    ¡°Yeah, maybe I can give you a ride to school now,¡± Mike said feeling confident in his driving skills.


    ¡°Nah, man. I appreciate the offer, but I got a reputation to maintain. I can¡¯t have my little brother driving me to school,¡± Joe said.


    ¡°Sure, man,¡± Mike said rolling his eyes and putting the car in park. Dan came out with a huge smile on his face.


    ¡°Well, how was it?¡± their dad asked.


    Mike ran up to him and gave him another huge hug. ¡°Dad, thank you! I love it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad. Now, no more sneaking your boyfriend into the house. I can take your car away again,¡± Dan said.


    ¡°What¡¯s this about?¡± Joe asked approaching the two.


    ¡°I snuck Rocco in and got caught,¡± Mike replied. ¡°I could have had my car last week.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it was not a sight I wanted to see,¡± Dan said rubbing his knuckles across Mike¡¯s scalp.


    ¡°Holy shit! Really?¡± Joe exclaimed.


    ¡°Language! And really,¡± Dan replied. ¡°Your boyfriend is one hairy teenager.¡±


    Mike blushed. Joe burst out laughing at the thought of his Dad walking in on Mike and Rocco.


    ¡°So, tonight, I¡¯m picking you up,¡± Mike said over the phone.


    ¡°You got your car?¡± Rocco asked excitedly.


    ¡°Yes, I did!¡± Mike replied.


    ¡°What kind of car is it?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s a Jetta with a kickass stereo system,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Awesome!¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°So, what time should I be there to get you?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°How about 6? We can cruise around in your new wheels for a little bit before practice,¡± Rocco responded.


    ¡°I will see you at 6 then,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see you,¡± Rocco said and hung up the phone.


    Mike hung up the receiver and sat back in his chair. An idea hit him. He opened the drawer of his desk and pulled out the tape that Rocco had made him for his birthday. What a perfect thing to listen to in his car. He carefully took out the guitar picks and put them in the drawer. He didn¡¯t want to risk losing those. He got up and started to get dressed. He put on one of the many t-shirts he ¡®borrowed¡¯ from Rocco. He tied a flannel shirt around his waist and put on Rocco¡¯s Yankees cap as he almost always did when he went to the skate park. Even though he constantly wore the hat, he still considered it Rocco¡¯s hat. He loved wearing his boyfriend¡¯s clothes.


    Mike got in his car and cranked the engine. The Jetta rumbled and settled into a quiet purr. He gently inserted the tape that Rocco made him for his birthday but did not press play. He wanted to surprise Rocco with the tape when he picked him up. For now, Mike kept the radio off. The little car took the curves responsively to Mike¡¯s delight. Within 20 minutes, he was parked outside of Rocco¡¯s apartment. He half expected Rocco to be waiting outside.


    Mike waited patiently for about five minutes before he started to get concerned. Rocco was rarely late especially when it came to hanging out together. He looked at his clock on the dashboard which read 6:10. Mike turned the car off and got out. He went up to the door of Apartment 1214 and knocked. He stood back expecting Rocco to answer his knock. Instead, Rocco¡¯s mother opened the door.


    He had never met Rocco¡¯s mother. He had only heard about her. She was a svelte woman in her early 40s¡ªmuch younger than his own mother. She had short brown hair and piercing green eyes. She reminded Mike of Linda Evangelista. Mike knew about Rocco being half-Mexican. She clearly looked the other half¡ªthe Anglo side of his genes. She was wearing a sleeveless blouse and a pair of jeans.


    ¡°Are you Mike?¡± she asked in a thick Southern accent.


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± Mike said politely.


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t call me ma¡¯am. That makes me feel old. I¡¯m Catherine,¡± she said, stepped aside, and motioned him in. It was surprising to Mike that he had never met Rocco¡¯s mother. It was also surprising that she looked nothing like him¡ªmaybe a little in the nose but certainly in no other facial features. ¡°Come in, come in!¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Mike entered the apartment. The few times Rocco brought him here, his mom was already asleep, and the apartment was dark. He finally got a good look at Rocco¡¯s home in the light. It was a modest two-bedroom apartment with one large open area in the middle. The building was likely built less than 10 years ago. The d¨¦cor was beige with touches of rose here and there. There was a glass and brass coffee table with matching end tables in the living room area which was matched with a beige cloth sofa-loveseat combo. The dining room area was behind the loveseat. It had a small wooden breakfast table with two chairs. The kitchen was more of a nook. The appliances were along one wall of the dining room and were inset enough for one person to stand in the kitchen area. On either side of the large living/dining/kitchen were two doors leading to bedrooms and bathrooms for each bedroom. The apartment was not cramped, but it was much smaller than Mike was used to. His bedroom was the size of the large open area.


    ¡°Have a seat. Rocco is running a little late. I believe he is still in the shower,¡± Catherine said as she pointed to the couch. ¡°Can I get you something to drink? A coke, maybe?¡±


    ¡°Thank you, that would be great,¡± Mike said as he sat down on the sofa.


    Catherine brought him a can of coke from the refrigerator and placed it on the coffee table. She sat down on the loveseat. Mike reached up and popped open the can. He took a sip while Catherine watched him closely.


    ¡°Do you mind if I smoke?¡± she said and pulled out a cigarette.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s fine,¡± Mike replied and placed his coke on the table.


    Catherine lit her long Marlboro 100 and took a deep inhale. She blew out smoke and crossed her arms. Mike began to feel uncomfortable as he felt her eyes pierce through him.


    ¡°So, you are the boyfriend?¡± Catherine said after taking another drag.


    Mike started to blush. He was not prepared for an interrogation. He was not sure if her tone was one of interest or one of consternation.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Mike said looking down at his coke.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s alright. I don¡¯t want to come across as accusatory. I¡¯m just making conversation,¡± Catherine said in a lighter mode. Her lighter tone did not make Mike any more at ease. ¡°How long have you two been going out?¡±


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    ¡°About three months now,¡± Mike replied still looking at his coke. Beads of condensation trickled down the can.


    ¡°Just three months?¡± Catherine said exhaling smoke. ¡°From the way Marcus acts, it sounded like you¡¯ve been going out for years.¡±


    Mike could sense that, even though she was just making conversation, she still had a biting tone to her voice. ¡°Just three months,¡± Mike repeated.


    ¡°Hmm, interesting,¡± Catherine said exhaling smoke again. ¡°You do know that he is hellbent on going to California after high school.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s told me,¡± Mike said. Despite her request to call her by her name, Mike felt the formality of the conversation did not warrant such familiarity. He decided to play it safe and just answer the question.


    ¡°And are you going to move out there with him?¡± Catherine asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m just a sophomore,¡± Mike replied.


    ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t know that. I thought you looked awfully young,¡± Catherine said taking a drag from her now half burned cigarette.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°What¡¯s going to happen when he graduates and move?¡± Catherine asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but he said he may not be able to go to California,¡± Mike answered.


    ¡°So, he¡¯s told you about that?¡± Catherine retorted blowing smoke out.


    ¡°We¡¯ve talked about it,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Oh, I see,¡± Catherine said putting out her cigarette. ¡°Young love may win over after all.¡± Her tone was saltier. Mike began to understand where Rocco got his sarcasm. He swallowed hard at a loss for anything to say.


    Rocco entered the room, his hair still wet from the shower. Mike breathed a silent sigh of relief. He didn¡¯t have to spend another moment alone with Rocco¡¯s mother.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I took a nap and woke up later than I expected,¡± Rocco said. ¡°I see you two have met.¡±


    ¡°Yes, dear,¡± Catherine said. ¡°We¡¯ve been having a lovely conversation about your intentions after graduation.¡±


    Rocco gave Mike a glance and then glared at his mother. ¡°Hopefully you didn¡¯t get an earful, Mike.¡±


    ¡°Oh no, it was fine,¡± Catherine said lounging back in the loveseat. ¡°You two have a good time and enjoy yourselves.¡± She waved them away as if to say she was done with the conversation. Rocco grabbed his jacket and the two started towards the door. ¡°Wait, Mike, I didn¡¯t know you were a Yankees fan.¡±


    ¡°Mom, it¡¯s my hat,¡± Rocco sighed. ¡°Mike is wearing my hat.¡±


    ¡°Interesting,¡± Catherine said and lit another cigarette.


    ¡°We¡¯re going now,¡± Rocco said and opened the door. Catherine did not say goodbye as he closed the door.


    Mike looked over at Rocco.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think he liked me too much,¡± Mike said once they got to the car.


    ¡°Of course she doesn¡¯t like you. You¡¯re my boyfriend. You¡¯re taking me away from her evil clutches,¡± Rocco said and rolled his eyes.


    ¡°That was very uncomfortable,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Yeah, well, let¡¯s forget about her,¡± Rocco said. ¡°Look at this sweet ride!¡± Rocco abruptly tried to change to subject.


    Mike shook his head as if trying to change his frame of mind and smiled. ¡°Get your sweet ass in my sweet ride!¡±


    ¡°Oh my goodness!¡± Rocco cooed and waited for Mike to unlock the door.


    Mike got into the car and unlocked the doors. He started up the engine and looked over at Rocco. ¡°I¡¯ve got a surprise for you.¡± He pressed play on the cassette.


    A few moments later, Rocco heard his own voice shouting ¡®Happy Birthday¡¯ followed by Pete¡¯s voice. Rocco let out a laugh when he realized it was his birthday present to Mike.


    ¡°This is the first thing I picked to listen to in my first car!¡± Mike exclaimed.


    Rocco¡¯s heart melted a little. ¡°I love you, Mike Barber.¡± Mike smiled as they drove off to the skate park.


    O¡¯Malley was working the front gate with his usual scowl. Mike and Rocco approached the gate. Mike had the skateboard he was using to practice. O¡¯Malley waved and looked as friendly as he was going to look.


    ¡°Hey fellas,¡± O¡¯Malley croaked and waved them in without paying. There was a sizable crowd that night at the skate park¡ªa mix of younger kids and high schoolers. Fred had started attracting an older crowd which O¡¯Malley appreciated. Most of the new, older crowd did not skate, but O¡¯Malley did not mind this so much. So long as there was a crowd, O¡¯Malley was happy whether the crowd was there to skate or watch the band.


    ¡°There¡¯s Jared. I think it¡¯s time for my lesson,¡± Mike said spotting Jared giving a lesson to a sixth grader. Jared was wearing his typical knit cap, jeans, a t-shirt, and a jacket. Mike thought it was a funny sight to see that Jared and his student were the same size.


    ¡°Okay, don¡¯t break a leg,¡± Rocco said and pecked Mike on the cheek. Rocco trotted off to the stage to practice.


    Mike walked over to where Jared was teaching. He sat down on a bleacher nearby setting his board next to him. He caught Jared¡¯s eye. Jared nodded and went back to his student to finish up. The kid was working on pivot turns. Mike watched as the kid tipped up the board over and over while twisting his body. Jared would occasionally clap or give the kid a ¡°good move¡±.


    A few minutes later, the kid gathered up his board and gave Jared a high five. Jared walked over to where Mike was sitting.


    ¡°Are you ready for your lesson?¡± Jared asked Mike. Mike nodded and grabbed his board.


    ¡°What are we working on today?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see how you do in a bowl,¡± Jared said. Mike¡¯s face went pale but, with Jared teaching him, he knew he had nothing to worry about.


    ¡°I gotta confess, I¡¯m scared about the bowl,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll get you through it. The only thing you have to remember is to commit to it. Don¡¯t lean back,¡± Jared said and patted Mike on the back. They walked over to one of the small and shallow bowls that no one was using.


    ¡°How¡¯s things been going?¡± Jared asked when they approached the rim of the bowl.


    ¡°I got a car,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°What?¡± Jared exclaimed.


    ¡°Yeah, I would have gotten it last week, but my dad caught me and Rocco in my room,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Wait, what???¡± Jared exclaimed even louder.


    ¡°Yeah, I snuck Rocco into my room last week and my dad walked in on us in the middle of the night,¡± Mike explained.


    ¡°Were you guys doing anything?¡± Jared asked.


    ¡°Not at that point. But he saw us¡­.you know¡­,¡± Mike said and blushed.


    ¡°Oh shit!¡± Jared laughed. ¡°That¡¯s nuts.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, lots of nuts,¡± Mike snickered.


    ¡°And the car???¡± Jared asked.


    ¡°Yeah, I drove it over here. It¡¯s a Jetta,¡± Mike said.


    Jared nodded. ¡°Not bad at all.¡±


    ¡°Hey, if you want, I can give you a ride to school and take you home,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Nah, man, you don¡¯t have to do that,¡± Jared said.


    ¡°I want to do it,¡± Mike answered.


    ¡°Yeah? You sure?¡± Jared said cocking an eyebrow.


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m sure. I¡¯ve thought about it a lot. I want to get you off that bus,¡± Mike said looking at Jared.


    ¡°Ah man,¡± Jared smiled. ¡°I¡¯m touched that you thought about this.¡±


    ¡°I take care of my friends. Plus, I want the company,¡± Mike said flipping his board up.


    ¡°Let¡¯s do this¡ªrides for lessons,¡± Jared said extending his hand.


    ¡°Deal,¡± Mike said and shook Jared¡¯s hand.


    ¡°You know, you guys have made gay a cool thing at our school,¡± Jared said. Mike wrinkled his eyebrows in confusion.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Ever since you and Rocco made your relationship public and ever since Joe made his confession, all the kids are trying out same sex relationships now,¡± Jared said.


    ¡°What???¡± Mike exclaimed.


    ¡°Yeah, cheerleaders are dating other cheerleaders. Guys are holding other guys hands in the hallway. It¡¯s like we are in a big Pride parade,¡± Jared explained.


    ¡°I had no idea our tiny hick town would be okay with something like that,¡± Mike said in disbelief.


    ¡°What the popular kids do is what the entire school does,¡± Jared said. ¡°I¡¯ve even heard tell of some of the guys in the vocational school hooking up.¡±


    ¡°No way!¡± Mike said. The vocational school kids were the most conservative kids at school.


    ¡°You guys have started a fad,¡± Jared said.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a fad though. It¡¯s how I really am,¡± Mike added.


    ¡°Oh, I know. But it¡¯s made things a lot easier for you. You haven¡¯t been bullied since Joe said he hooked out with that David dude,¡± Jared stated.


    ¡°You know, you¡¯re right. I was expecting all kinds of bad shit to happen, but it hasn¡¯t,¡± Mike thought.


    ¡°You see, you guys busted down a wall,¡± Jared said. Mike let out a ¡°ha¡± as if in thoughtful amazement.


    ¡°I¡¯m really glad to hear that,¡± Mike said looking off to the distance.


    ¡°This place has even become a cool spot to go,¡± Jared said.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve noticed the crowd here,¡± Mike said looking around. At that moment, he spotted Chris at the gate paying O¡¯Malley to enter. He never would have thought Chris would come to the skate park, but he never imagined himself here either. Chris was alone without Stanton or Matt which was a relief to Mike. Chris was wearing a denim jacket and a ballcap on backwards. Jared looked over to where Mike was looking.


    ¡°Is that Chris? Here?¡± Jared asked pointing him out.


    ¡°Yeah, it is. I¡¯m shocked to see him here,¡± Mike said watching Chris enter the gate and look around.


    ¡°He looks lost. Shall we wave him over?¡± Jared asked.


    ¡°If you want,¡± Mike said. Mike was getting a little more comfortable around Chris but there was still a little distance between the two of them. After Chris had lunch with him and Jared, Chris started going back and forth between him and Stanton during lunch. One day, he would eat with Stanton and Matt, the next day with Mike, Jared, and Rusty. Lately, he was spending more of his lunches with Mike, Jared, and Rusty. Still, Mike was slow to open himself back up to Chris.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have to,¡± Jared said.


    ¡°Nah, it¡¯s fine. He¡¯ll find us eventually,¡± Mike said and watched Chris to see if he looked over. Chris scanned the crowd and spotted Jared and Mike. When their eyes met, Mike waved at Chris. Chris raised his hand to wave hello and started towards them.


    ¡°Hey guys,¡± Chris greeted as he approached.


    ¡°Hey man, good to see you,¡± Jared said.


    ¡°Hey Chris,¡± Mike said and flipped his board up.


    ¡°So, you are skating!¡± Chris said pointing at Mike¡¯s board.


    ¡°Well, learning,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°He¡¯s doing just fine,¡± Jared added. ¡°Speaking of which, are we going to do this or what?¡±


    ¡°I was just about to have my first lesson in the bowl. Have a seat and watch me bust my ass,¡± Mike said jokingly. Chris laughed and went over to the side of the bowl to watch.


    ¡°Okay, when you¡¯re going down, lean forward and commit. You want your weight towards the front,¡± Jared said.


    The bowl was more like a slight dip in the pavement. It didn¡¯t look intimidating at all. Mike hopped on his board and made it to the edge. He then took a breath and started down. Before he knew it, the board flipped up throwing Mike off. He landed on the pavement on his thigh.


    ¡°Ouch!¡± Mike yelled.


    ¡°You leaned back. I saw you do that and knew it was coming,¡± Jared said. The board rolled to the other end of the bowl and then rolled back to him. Mike got up and dusted himself off. He flipped up the board and caught it. He made his way to the edge and tried again with the same effect. He landed on his butt this time. The board came back. Again, he went to the edge and tried again. The third time was a charm as Mike remained on the board all the way to when the bowl started to incline on the other side.


    ¡°Good job!¡± Jared exclaimed. ¡°Now come back to this side.¡± Mike tried successfully from the other side rolling back to Jared.


    ¡°Hey, I did it!¡± Mike shouted. In the distance, he could hear Rocco¡¯s band start to play.


    ¡°Now, do that back and forth ten times,¡± Jared said. Mike was almost perfectly successful all ten times. He only fell off the board a couple of times but not nearly as hard as the first time. He had learned the momentum enough to know to walk off when he felt the board get too far out from under his feet.


    ¡°My first bowl!¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Congrats!¡± Jared said. ¡°You want to go watch Rocco?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Mike replied and started towards the stage.


    Chris grabbed Mike¡¯s arm. ¡°Hey, could we have a minute?¡±


    Mike stopped and looked at Chris. He could sense Chris had something he wanted to get off his chest. ¡°Sure. Jared, I¡¯ll meet you over there.¡± Jared nodded and walked off to the stage.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Mike asked Chris.


    ¡°I just wanted to say something to you alone,¡± Chris started. ¡°I have not been a good friend to you. I should have seen that something was going on with you and didn¡¯t say anything. Friends know when their friends are going through things. I didn¡¯t. I¡¯m so very sorry about that.¡±


    ¡°Chris,¡± Mike replied. ¡°You already told me this at lunch the other day.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know, but I wanted to do it again without the audience,¡± Chris said.


    Mike stared at Chris for a few seconds. He could tell Chris was having a hard time getting these words out. He had never known Chris to be sensitive about his own feelings. He had never opened to Mike about anything deep. This apology was sincerely heartfelt. Mike was taken aback by his sentimentality.


    ¡°Chris, thank you for saying that,¡± Mike said deeply touched by what Chris had said.


    ¡°I want you to know, I¡¯m totally behind you and Rocco. I think it¡¯s great you are in a relationship. I wish I had expressed that from the start and not worry about what Stanton would think. I am very happy for you,¡± Chris said.


    ¡°That means the world to me, Chris,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°I want to be here for you two from now on,¡± Chris said smiling at Mike. Mike gave Chris a huge hug.


    ¡°And I want to be here for you,¡± Mike said. They stood there for a moment. ¡°Come on, we¡¯re missing the show!¡±


    ¡°You think Rocco would like me?¡± Chris asked nervously.


    ¡°Well, he doesn¡¯t like anyone at first, but he¡¯ll warm up to you,¡± Mike chuckled and put his arm around Chris.


    ¡°We¡¯re off a little on that one but I can¡¯t figure out where,¡± Pete said.


    ¡°I think I came in a little late,¡± Rocco replied.


    A small crowd gathered at the front stage to watch Fred practice. It was a group that Rocco had seen in school but had not met. From the looks of them, they were not regulars at the park. They looked a little too put together. He was happy nonetheless that they had an audience.


    ¡°From the top¡­2¡­3¡­4¡­¡± Pete said into the mic as the band started on time. Halfway through the song, Rocco spotted Mike in the crowd and gave him a wink. Mike waved and bopped his head to the song.


    ¡°Oooo, ooo, oooo¡± Rocco and Raz sang as backup to Pete.


    They finished the song. Pete was pleased with the results. The audience clapped and whistled for more.


    ¡°We¡¯re gonna take a break. We¡¯ll be back,¡± Pete said to the crowd. There was a disappointed moan from the audience.


    Mike, Chris, and Jared went backstage to meet the guys. Mike went up to give Rocco a kiss and a hug.


    ¡°You guys sounded great up there,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Thanks! We¡¯ve got a few things to work on, but I think we¡¯ve got a good lineup,¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°Rocco,¡± Mike said and waved Chris and Jared over. ¡°This is my old friend, Chris.¡±


    Rocco¡¯s expression turned a little cold. ¡°We¡¯ve met.¡±


    Chris smiled and extended his hand. Rocco looked down at Chris¡¯s hand and reluctantly shook it.


    ¡°You guys sounded really good,¡± Chris said trying to be nice to Rocco.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Rocco said curtly.


    ¡°When are you playing?¡± Chris asked.


    ¡°Um, our next show is here next weekend,¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°What day?¡± Chris asked interested in attending.


    ¡°I think Saturday. It¡¯s on the flyer at the front,¡± Rocco said looking off to the side. Mike caught on to Rocco¡¯s discomfort with Chris.


    ¡°So, Chris has been having lunch with me and Jared,¡± Mike explained remembering how Rocco¡¯s mom made him feel so uncomfortable earlier. This iciness was most definitely a trait Rocco learned from his mother.


    ¡°Oh, cool. Hey Jared!¡± Rocco said looking at Jared.


    ¡°Hey man! Can¡¯t wait for the show,¡± Jared said. Rocco snatched Jared¡¯s cap off his head. Jared¡¯s hair fell down around his face. ¡°You dick!¡± Rocco laughed and gave Jared his cap back.


    ¡°How¡¯s the lessons been going?¡± Rocco asked Jared.


    ¡°We tackled the bowl today,¡± Jared replied.


    ¡°No way!¡± Rocco said looking at Mike. ¡°I¡¯m impressed.¡±


    ¡°Well, I busted my ass a few times, but I got the hang of it eventually,¡± Mike replied.


    ¡°He did an awesome job at it,¡± Chris interjected. Rocco faked a smile at Chris and nodded. Mike had an idea.


    ¡°Do you guys want something from the snack bar? I¡¯m going to get something,¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Sure, how about a coke?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°Jared, I¡¯m going to need some help. Come with me,¡± Mike said. ¡°Chris, why don¡¯t you stay here and keep Rocco company?¡± Rocco gave Mike a silent disapproving look. Mike shrugged which was his silent way of saying to Rocco to give Chris a chance.


    Rocco picked up on Mike¡¯s gesture and nodded. Mike and Jared went off to the snack bar leaving Chris and Rocco alone.


    ¡°So, you liked our playing?¡± Rocco asked uncomfortably.


    ¡°Yeah, it sounded awesome,¡± Chris said enthusiastically.


    ¡°Awesome¡­¡± Rocco repeated. They stood silently looking at each other for a few seconds.


    ¡°Look, Rocco,¡± Chris started. ¡°I want to apologize for being a dick to you and Mike. I was wrong about everything. I think it¡¯s awesome you and Mike are going out. I¡¯m happy you two found the courage to be who you are. I hope you can forgive me for my thickheadedness."


    Rocco looked at him for a moment. "Do you really mean that?"


    "I''ve realized that I have not been much of a friend to Mike lately. I¡¯ve been trying so hard to fit into the crowd that I forgot who my real friends are,¡± Chris said. ¡°Hanging out with Mike again made me realize how much I missed him.¡±


    Rocco¡¯s iciness started to thaw. If Mike was willing to hang out with him again, perhaps Chris was worth getting to know. Everyone deserves a second chance.


    ¡°It takes a lot of courage to realize you were wrong and admit to it,¡± Rocco said and smiled.


    ¡°Yeah, I was totally wrong. I think your relationship with Mike is something to celebrate.¡± Chris said. Rocco could tell that what Chris was saying was coming from an authentic place.


    ¡°Thank you for saying that,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°I really mean it. I hope I can have that someday,¡± Chris replied. Rocco smiled and nodded.


    ¡°So, you¡¯ll come to our show?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°Of course I will!¡± Chris exclaimed.


    ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see you!¡± Rocco smiled and extended his hand to redo their handshake. Chris accepted the handshake.

 28. The GSA

    Ms. Richards walked into the auditorium in her usual attire. She was wearing a blue plaid tweed business suit and a white blouse. Her hair was pinned up in a heavily sprayed bun. Under her arms, she held a leatherette portfolio with a couple of manila folders. She walked up to the front letting her matching high heels clack on the tile floor.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s talk about the gay-straight alliance also known as the GSA,¡± she said placing her portfolio on a table in the front.


    There were about 10 students sitting in various spots of the auditorium. Joe was in the middle of the crowd sitting next to Tiffany. Mike and Rocco were towards the front. Raz and Meigs were front and center. Pete was in the back. Rocco was surprised to see him since Pete often did not participate in any school-supported extracurricular activities. There were three or four other kids that Rocco had seen but not met.


    ¡°My intention of this group is to provide a safe space for gay and straight students at Miners Creek to interact and exchange ideas,¡± Ms. Richards continued. ¡°I want to stress that no one--¡± she held up her pointer fingers on both hands, ¡°I mean, no one, is to call anyone names. Bullying will not be tolerated, or you will be sent to detention. This is still school grounds, and you are expected and required to treat each other with civility and respect. Am I clear?¡± Half the kids nodded; the other half audibly mumbled a ¡®yes¡¯.


    ¡°So, let¡¯s start by going around the room. Tell us all your name and what your expectations are of this club,¡± Ms. Richards said and pointed to Meigs since he was first.


    ¡°I¡¯m Meigs. As a gay man, I am expecting a place where I can be gay,¡± Meigs replied.


    ¡°I¡¯m Raj, everyone calls me Raz. Meigs and I are boyfriends. I guess I expect a safe place,¡± Raz answered.


    Ms. Richards looks up at Rocco. ¡°I¡¯m Rocco. I¡¯m expecting also expecting a place where I can feel safe from bullies.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Mike. I¡¯m Rocco¡¯s boyfriend. I want to be a part of a club that allows me to express who I am.¡±


    Ms. Richards pointed to Joe. ¡°I¡¯m Joe. I¡¯m here to support my little brother down there, Mike.¡± Mike looked over his shoulder at Joe and smiled.


    ¡°I¡¯m Tiffany. I want this school to be a safer place for my friends.¡±


    The three other kids introduced themselves and said they expected the same things as what had been said. Finally, Ms. Richards got to Pete.


    ¡°I¡¯m Pete. I¡¯m here to support my best friend, Rocco.¡± Rocco looked back at Pete. He waved at Rocco. Pete had never said Rocco was his best friend. That statement deeply touched Rocco.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Ms. Richards said after the introductions. ¡°It sounds like we all want a safe space to be ourselves, or we are here to support our friends. That¡¯s a perfect starting point. Usually, a GSA is a place where gay and straight kids can come together and have a dialogue about what it means to be a member of a persecuted minority group. Hopefully, we will make the entire school a safer place for gay kids. A few of you have already expressed your sexual orientation. Does anyone wish to tell us whether you are gay or straight?¡±


    Mike rose his hand. Ms. Richards waved as if to give the floor to Mike. Mike stood up. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not really one or the other. I wouldn¡¯t say I¡¯m all straight or I¡¯m all gay. I just started to fall for this guy right here,¡± Mike pointed to Rocco.


    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s a great share, Mike. You bring up a great point. There are many people who are neither one nor the other. You are more fluid in your sexuality. Many researchers think that sexuality, being gay, straight, bi, is on a spectrum. On one end is heterosexuality, one the other end is homosexuality. Most people, even those of us who appear straight, fall somewhere between the two ends,¡± Ms. Richards explained. ¡°I bet those of us in this room that say we¡¯re straight have at some point in their lives wondered what it was like to be gay, they may have even tried.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s me,¡± Joe said standing up. ¡°I tried out gay stuff with another guy once. I didn¡¯t like it.¡±


    ¡°Great share,¡± Ms. Richards said. ¡°You tried it out and it wasn¡¯t for you. That¡¯s how most people decide their sexuality¡­by trying either side out for themselves.¡±


    ¡°What if you are attracted to both?¡± one of the other kids said.


    ¡°Well, Phillip, that is very common. That¡¯s called bisexuality. In fact, there is a school of thought that suggests that we are all bisexual,¡± Ms. Richards explained. ¡°But even so, going along with the spectrum idea, some of us are more gay than straight and vice versa. Sometimes, our sexuality changes over the course of our lives.¡±


    The club elected Joe as its president. He declined. Joe stated he didn¡¯t feel comfortable because he felt the GSA should be led by someone who was not straight. The club then elected Meigs as its president. This was the first time in Meigs¡¯s life to be elected to a position. Mike volunteered his talents to design a poster campaign for the GSA. Pete and Rocco volunteered to do a concert to raise some funds.


    When the first meeting of the GSA ended, Mike went over to Meigs to congratulate him on his presidency. Rocco approached Pete. At that moment, David Wick walked into the auditorium. Rocco and Pete were the first to see David and stiffened up their postures in preparation of a conflict.


    ¡°Hey, guys, is this the GSA startup group?¡± David asked.


    ¡°It is,¡± Pete said coldly. ¡°We¡¯ve just wrapped it up.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay,¡± David said nervously. ¡°I was hoping to say something to the group but, I guess it will have to wait.¡±


    ¡°No, everyone is still here. If you have something to say, I¡¯m sure we will listen,¡± Pete said in a suspicious tone.


    Ms. Richards looked up from her conversation with Meigs. Meigs caught sight of David and crossed his arms. Ms. Richards whispered something to Meigs and walked towards David.


    ¡°Hello, we are just finishing up. Is there something I can help you with, David?¡± Ms. Richards was fully aware of his bullying activity as well as the restrictions he had placed upon him by the principal.


    ¡°I was hoping I could say something to the group,¡± David said looking down at the floor.


    ¡°I see,¡± Ms. Richards responded doubting his intentions. ¡°This is really a closed group, and you are not supposed to be here. I don¡¯t think this will be the time or place for any opposition.¡±


    David looked up. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not that at all. I wanted to apologize for my behavior. I¡¯ve been thinking about a lot of things lately, and I¡¯d like to be a part of the group.¡±


    ¡°Oh really?¡± Ms. Richards was still skeptical. Joe spotted David and started to clench his fist. His face started to turn red. Ms. Richards thought a moment and decided to see where this was going to go. ¡°Attention everyone, Mr. Wick would like to address the group. He says he wants to be a part of the group. What does everyone think of this?¡±


    Several people including Joe, Tiffany, and Meigs looked at David suspiciously.


    ¡°I wanted to apologize---¡± David started but was interrupted by Ms. Richards.


    ¡°David, the group must be okay with you first. Hands up if you want Mr. Wick to continue.¡± Ms. Richards said and faced the scattered teenagers. After a few moments, hands reluctantly went up into the air. It was almost unanimous except for Meigs.


    ¡°Meigs, what do you think?¡± Ms. Richards said. Meigs stood in the front with a grimace on his face and then waved David to the front to give him the floor.


    ¡°If you insist, the floor is yours,¡± Meigs said and walked away from the front. David slowly walked up to the front. The scattered teenagers reconvened towards the center and front of the auditorium to hear what David had to say.


    David got to the front and looked at the crowd. ¡°My name is David Wick, and I would like to apologize to everyone. I¡¯ve been such a dick---¡± David stopped himself, ¡°I mean, I¡¯ve been such a bully to most of you in this group.¡± He looked over at Meigs. ¡°Meigs, I¡¯ve been especially brutal to you. I¡¯ve beaten you up, called you names, everything because I was too scared to admit how much I admired you for being yourself. From the bottom of my heart, I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Meigs uncrossed his arms and faced David, giving him all his attention. David looked over at Mike and Rocco. ¡°Mike and Rocco, I¡¯m deeply sorry for my behavior at the dance and for the entire year so far. It¡¯s been an embarrassment how I treated you.¡± Mike and Rocco looked at each other not sure how to take this apology.


    David looked over at Joe who was still standing defensively. ¡°Joe, I¡¯m sorry for treating your little brother badly. But, most of all, I¡¯m sorry for not being a friend. I¡¯ve been such a horrible person. It¡¯s no wonder you stopped hanging out with me.¡± Joe unclenched his fists. His face turned its normal color.


    ¡°I am sorry for all my past behavior. I want to make it right if you let me. Part of my punishment for my behavior at the dance is to apologize but it¡¯s not a punishment. This is how I really feel. I want to be better. I want to be a part of the group because---¡± David stopped himself. He started to visibly get nervous and upset. When he had tears well up in his eyes, the tension from the crowd started to dissipate. David took a deep breath and exhaled loudly, ¡°I want to be a part of this group because¡ªbecause I¡¯m gay.¡±


    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Meigs put his hands to his mouth. Mike and Rocco looked at each other with their jaws opened. Joe sat down.


    ¡°I¡¯ve hated gay people because I, myself, am gay. Imagine that.¡± David said and chuckled nervously.


    Ms. Richards walked up to the front next to David. ¡°David, it¡¯s not uncommon for a bully to be the very thing he or she hates.¡±


    Pete started to clap slowly. The rest of the crowd joined in the applause. There were a couple of ¡°bravos¡± here and there. A tear fell from David¡¯s cheek. He wiped it away and smiled. Joe got up from his seat and started towards where David was standing. When he got to David, Joe gave him a hug as the crowd continued to clap and shout.


    ¡°Do you really mean that? Are you gay?¡± Joe asked.


    ¡°Yes, yes,¡± David said definitively. ¡°I¡¯m gay.¡± Joe gave him another hug.


    ¡°I vote you in,¡± Joe said and looked at the crowd. There were nods followed by ¡°I vote you in too¡±s from different spots. Ms. Richards looked over at Meigs. He was clapping and gave her a nod.


    ¡°Well, David, it looks like the group wants you in, but I¡¯ll have to clear this with the principal,¡± Ms. Richards said. David smiled widely and looked over at Meigs. Meigs approached him.


    ¡°Welcome to the GSA,¡± Meigs said and extended his hand for a shake. He was still apprehensive about anything more than a handshake. David accepted the handshake.


    ¡°If it would make you feel better, you can beat me up each day until I graduate,¡± David said giving him a coy grin.


    ¡°I don¡¯t resort to such brutish techniques,¡± Meigs said. ¡°But I won¡¯t rule it out.¡±


    David laughed and nodded.


    ¡°Can I watch you draw?¡± Rocco asked Mike.


    ¡°You¡¯ve seen me draw many times,¡± Mike said with a confused look on his face.


    ¡°I know, but I¡¯ve never really watched. I¡¯ve never seen you in the depths of inspiration,¡± Rocco replied.


    Mike continued to give Rocco a look of confusion but shrugged and unrolled the sheets of poster paper Ms. Richards allowed him to take for the GSA posters. Rocco intently watched Mike as he took his supplies out from under his bed. Ms. Richards let Mike take some large markers home, but the color palette was limited to basic colors. Mike had a whole box of water-based markers he could use that had a greater array of colors. He looked over at Rocco watching him and felt a little like he was under a microscope. He gave Rocco a little smile which Rocco returned.


    ¡°Do you need silence to work, or do you want to talk?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°We can talk,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°I hope you don¡¯t feel uncomfortable with this,¡± Rocco asked.


    Mike looked at the blank poster paper and started imagining the layout. ¡°It¡¯s a little weird being watched but I¡¯ll get over it.¡± He started moving his hands around the paper as if to put imaginary pieces together of a puzzle.


    ¡°Well, talk me through what you are doing. Maybe that will make it a little less weird,¡± Rocco said sitting back on Mike¡¯s bed.


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Mike said. ¡°I¡¯m imagining how the poster should be laid out first. What do you think should go on a poster for a gay-straight alliance?¡±


    ¡°Well, a rainbow,¡± Rocco replied. ¡°And, of course, the day and time.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­right,¡± Mike thought. ¡°Maybe some people holding hands in one of them.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Rocco said. ¡°How about you and me on another one?¡±


    Mike looked up from the paper at Rocco. ¡°Aw, that¡¯s so sweet. Yeah, I¡¯ll do that for another one.¡±


    ¡°How many do you need to do?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°Three,¡± Mike replied. ¡°I¡¯ll do those two first and maybe an idea will come for the third one later.¡±


    Mike started to write out the information of the meeting first on the paper. In the center of the paper, he sketched out ¡°First GSA Meeting¡± on one line. Under that line, he wrote the date and time. On the last line, he wrote ¡°Auditorium¡±. He then started to fatten out the letters to make them look like bubble print. He colored in the letters in a rainbow pallet. However, he rethought that idea. Instead, he thought about making the background a large rainbow flag. He outlined the letters in black so that he could come back and fill them in with black. Rainbow in back; black letters in front. Simple.


    Rocco watched as Mike pondered and corrected his poster. The sight of Mike working on his art gave Rocco a sense of pride in his boyfriend. He watched as Mike intently outlined the colors. The attention Mike was giving the letters fascinated Rocco. He wondered if Mike looked at him in the same way when he played his guitar. One artist admiring the craft of another artist. He watched Mike take a pencil and trace a series of lines across the background where the flag colors would be. He drew them in such a way as to appear as if the flag were waving in the wind.


    Mike¡¯s dad and Joe walked by as Mike was finishing up the first poster. Rocco immediately stood up from Mike¡¯s bed. Even though Rocco did not know the details of Mike¡¯s dad walking in on them, he knew they had been caught. Dan laughed.


    ¡°Keep this door open, guys. I don¡¯t want any messing around going on,¡± Dan said. Joe tried to keep his laughter hidden.


    ¡°We¡¯re not doing anything, Dad,¡± Mike said. ¡°I¡¯m just working on some posters.¡±


    ¡°Is that for the GSA?¡± Joe asked stepping inside Mike¡¯s room.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Mike said showing Joe what he had done. Joe gave a look of total approval.


    ¡°GSA?¡± Dan asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s the school¡¯s Gay-Straight Alliance we are starting. All three of us are on the forming committee,¡± Joe explained. ¡°I¡¯m the vice-president, Mike is public relations, and Rocco is fundraising.¡±


    ¡°I was just going to play a show to raise money. I didn¡¯t realize that meant a title,¡± Rocco pondered.


    ¡°Well, it sounds more official that way,¡± Joe said and smiled at Rocco.


    ¡°Wow! You guys are really doing something awesome!¡± Dan said. ¡°That¡¯s super impressive! I¡¯m proud of all of you.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Dad,¡± Mike said going back to his poster.


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave you to it,¡± Dan said and walked back downstairs.


    ¡°So, it¡¯s been quite a whirlwind lately,¡± Joe said.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Mike said.


    ¡°I mean the tide has turned at our school. Everyone is either out, experimenting, or totally supportive of gay students,¡± Joe said.


    ¡°You think that¡¯s the case?¡± Rocco asked and laughed.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say everyone is on board,¡± Mike said. ¡°I think we are in our own bubble.¡±


    Joe gave Mike a confused looked. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°We all hang around supportive people so that¡¯s all we see. I¡¯m sure that outside of our group, there¡¯s plenty of opposition,¡± Mike explained.


    ¡°That¡¯s probably true,¡± Joe thought. ¡°At least the bullying is not tolerated. People are more comfortable calling out the bad behavior.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s true. I guess that¡¯s the point of all of this,¡± Rocco said. ¡°Meigs is not bloodied up every day. That¡¯s something positive.¡±


    Joe nodded in agreement. ¡°I¡¯ve talked with David. He seems like a new person. It¡¯s like he¡¯s pleasant to be around these past few days.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s got a smile on his face,¡± Rocco noted.


    ¡°How are the guys on the team?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Now that you¡¯ve mentioned it, most of the guys are on his side, but I can tell that some guys are better with his coming out than other guys,¡± Joe thought. ¡°I guess I do pay more attention to the supporters.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s gotta be a little tough for him,¡± Mike said. ¡°For as much misery as he¡¯s caused, I still feel for him.¡±


    ¡°All of us seniors on the team are just biding our time anyway. We only have a few games left and then, after that, we¡¯re done with high school football,¡± Joe said. ¡°I guess, David has a certain air of not giving a shit anymore.¡±


    ¡°I can understand that,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°What are your plans after high school, Rocco?¡± Joe asked. ¡°Where are you going to college?¡±


    Mike looked over at Rocco and then down at his poster. ¡°Well, I initially was going to go to UCLA, but I doubt that¡¯s going to happen.¡±


    ¡°Like as in California?¡± Joe asked.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Rocco said. Joe raised his eyebrows and looked at Mike. ¡°But I just don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to afford it.¡±


    ¡°Is that the only place you are considering?¡± Joe asked in disbelief.


    ¡°Kind of a stupid move, right?¡± Rocco said looking at the ground.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about stupid but no plan B?¡± Joe asked. Rocco shook his head. ¡°What are you going to do?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not really sure at this point,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Have you talked to Ms. Richards? She¡¯s good at being a guidance counselor. She got me into art class and talked to me about careers,¡± Mike said picking back up on his drawing.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t. I should¡ªsee what my options are,¡± Rocco said. ¡°What kind of careers did she tell you about?¡±


    ¡°Well, she said I could get into graphic design as a career. She even put a note in my file to sign me up for more art next year,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Yeah, next year¡­¡± Rocco said trailing off in thought. Next year. What was going to happen next year? Rocco would likely not be in Miners Creek next year even if he wouldn¡¯t make it out to Los Angeles. He and Mike would have to make a difficult decision before the next year. He thought for a moment and then shook out of his doom thinking. Here and now is what he needed to focus on. This moment with Mike is all he needed¡ªwatching Mike finish the poster.


    Rocco and Pete walked up to O¡¯Malley¡¯s office to talk to him about fundraising for the GSA. They were scheduled for a show that weekend which would bring in at least 200 people at $10 per person¡ªnot including concessions that were sure to be sold. The members of Fred would end up getting $200 for playing which they would give half of their fee to the GSA. O¡¯Malley was not known for being especially charitable, although no one really knew if he had ever been asked to give. Everyone assumed by his brusque demeanor that he would say no. Pete and Rocco knocked on his office door.


    ¡°Who is it?¡± O¡¯Malley¡¯s gravelly voice emanated from behind the door.


    ¡°Pete and Rocco,¡± Pete said.


    ¡°Come in,¡± O¡¯Malley huffed. They opened the door. The office reeked of stale cigarettes and weed. There was one desk lamp which made the office look like something from a gangster movie. ¡°What¡¯s up guys?¡±


    ¡°O¡¯Malley, we are members of the school¡¯s GSA club and wanted to know if you¡¯d be interested in contributing any of our show¡¯s proceeds to it,¡± Pete said. Rocco stood silently intimidated by the way O¡¯Malley blankly stared at them.


    ¡°What¡¯s the GSA club?¡± O¡¯Malley asked stubbing his cigarette out in an overflowing ashtray.


    ¡°It stands for the gay-straight alliance,¡± Pete explained.


    ¡°Oh, no shit? Your school has one of those?¡± O¡¯Malley said in a louder, more excited voice.


    ¡°We do, yes. We¡¯re just starting out and this would help with the cashflow,¡± Pete said. Rocco started to feel a little more at ease.


    ¡°How much do you need?¡± O¡¯Malley said.


    ¡°We don¡¯t really have an amount,¡± Rocco answered.


    ¡°That¡¯s no way to fundraise. You¡¯ve got to have a number to present if you are going to be successful. Otherwise, people will try to lowball you,¡± O¡¯Malley said. ¡°Ask me again but with a number this time.¡±


    Pete and Rocco looked at each other. Pete cleared his voice. ¡°We would like to ask you for $500.¡± Rocco looked over at Pete in disbelief. Five hundred dollars was a steep ask.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s high. How about 10% of the proceeds from the show and concessions for the night. I¡¯d estimate that to be between $250 and $300?¡± O¡¯Malley said.


    ¡°You¡¯d really do that?¡± Rocco asked further in disbelief.


    ¡°Of course. It¡¯s for a good cause. But I want our name on the poster¡­you know, for advertising,¡± O¡¯Malley proposed.


    ¡°You got it,¡± Pete said.


    ¡°And you¡¯ll want to pass around a bucket for people who want to give some more. All of that will go to your club,¡± O¡¯Malley suggested.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s a great idea,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got a few. I can put one at the concession stand and one at the gate. You guys can have one at the stage to pass around to the audience,¡± O¡¯Malley thought.


    ¡°That¡¯s awesome,¡± Pete said.


    ¡°On top of that, I¡¯ll add $100 into the pot as a personal donation,¡± O¡¯Malley said without smiling.


    ¡°Seriously?¡± Rocco said in shock.


    ¡°I mean, I¡¯d like to give more but I got bills to pay,¡± O¡¯Malley said.


    ¡°That¡¯s great, O¡¯Malley,¡± Pete replied.


    ¡°The only thing you gotta do is get the crowd in,¡± O¡¯Malley said. ¡°The more people you get to show up, the more you get.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, for sure!¡± Pete said. ¡°Thanks, O¡¯Malley. That¡¯s more than we ever expected.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re good kids doing good things. I¡¯m happy to support it,¡± O¡¯Malley said leaning back in his chair. ¡°You¡¯ve drawn in a lot of new business lately so I¡¯m grateful.¡±


    ¡°We have?¡± Pete asked.


    ¡°Yeah! We used to just be a skate park for little kids but now we¡¯re a hang out spot for high school kids,¡± O¡¯Malley said. ¡°I owe you guys.¡±


    ¡°Ah man, you don¡¯t owe us anything!¡± Rocco said.


    Pete and Rocco walked out surprised at how amenable O¡¯Malley was to their request. ¡°Wow, that was easier than I expected,¡± Rocco said.

 29. The Guidance Counselor

    ¡°Have a seat, Rocco,¡± Ms. Richards said from behind her desk. She folded her hands on her desk and looked at Rocco attentively.


    ¡°I wanted to talk to you about college,¡± Rocco started.


    ¡°You¡¯ve come to the right place. And just in time. This is around the time universities get their applications in,¡± Ms. Richards said.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s just it. I have my heart set on one school, but wanted to explore some alternatives,¡± Rocco started.


    Ms. Richard¡¯s raised her eyebrows. ¡°Where are you wanting to go?¡±


    ¡°UCLA,¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°Oh wow!¡± Ms. Richards replied surprised.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure I¡¯m going to be able to go,¡± Rocco replied in a dejected way.


    ¡°That¡¯s a long way from Miners Creek,¡± Ms. Richards said.


    ¡°Yeah, that was the whole point,¡± Rocco answered.


    ¡°Ah, I see now. You¡¯re wanting to use college as your way to get out of Miners Creek,¡± Ms. Richards nodded. ¡°That¡¯s very understandable. There¡¯s not much for a young person like yourself around here.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Rocco nodded.


    ¡°Have you ever been to LA?¡± Ms. Richards asked.


    ¡°No,¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°Any connections in the area? Family?¡± Ms. Richards asked.


    ¡°No,¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°That¡¯s a brave decision to go to school for four years in a place you¡¯ve never been,¡± Ms. Richards said. ¡°You say you are not able to go. Why do you say that?¡± Ms. Richards asked.


    ¡°My mom says she can¡¯t afford to help me to move out,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°That¡¯s understandable. It is expensive to move across the country not to mention. Los Angeles is an expensive city,¡± Ms. Richards said.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I gathered,¡± Rocco said looking down at the floor.


    ¡°Well, I looked at your file before and your grades are excellent. So are your test scores. You have so many options,¡± Ms. Richards said. ¡°Have you even considered anywhere else?¡± Ms. Richards asked.


    ¡°No,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Of course, you¡¯ve still got time to apply to other places,¡± Ms. Richards replied.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Rocco breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°I thought I was screwed.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Ms. Richards laughed. ¡°You¡¯re not screwed. This is around the time when everyone starts applying so you¡¯re going to be fine.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Ms. Richards continued, ¡°Let¡¯s explore some other options. With your grades, you can almost name your school. The only barrier is going to be all the application fees you¡¯ll have to pay. I¡¯d recommend maybe applying to 5 schools, 3 good ones and two back-ups. Does that make sense?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Rocco said feeling comfortable with Ms. Richards.


    ¡°What do you want to study?¡± Ms. Richards asked.


    ¡°I was thinking I¡¯d like to study music,¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°Of course!¡± Ms. Richards said. ¡°You don¡¯t have to go to college to play music, but you should have a backup. What about music education?¡±


    ¡°Music education?¡± Rocco asked in wonder.


    ¡°Yeah, you could teach people how to play musical instruments and continue to be in a band! It would be perfect!¡± Ms. Richards exclaimed.


    ¡°I never really thought about that,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°You¡¯d be able to create music but have something more stable like teaching something that you love,¡± Ms. Richards said in logical tone.


    ¡°I kinda like that idea,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°There¡¯s some wonderful music education schools that are close but far enough away from Miners Creek that your parents would have to plan a trip to see you, if you know what I mean,¡± Ms. Richards said giving him a wink. She knew exactly why Rocco wanted to go away to school.


    ¡°Like where?¡± Rocco was eager to hear his options.


    ¡°Well, there¡¯s Vanderbilt in Nashville. There¡¯s Emery in Atlanta. If you want to get out of the South, there¡¯s some options in Chicago if you want to be in a big city,¡± Ms. Richards started. ¡°I¡¯d recommend UT which is in Knoxville and maybe University of Memphis?¡±


    ¡°Wow, I like those options,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Tell you what. Give me a couple of hours, and I can get together a packet of materials for you to look at over the next couple of weeks. You¡¯re going to have to hustle with the applications because the deadlines for next fall are coming up fast,¡± Ms. Richards said.


    ¡°How long do you think I have to apply?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got a good couple of weeks. Plus, any of these schools would be happy to give you financial aid. There are tons of scholarships out there like minority scholarships. I¡¯ll be honest with you, Rocco. UCLA is a very popular school with people in LA not to mention the rest of the US, so they¡¯re not falling over themselves to give aid to out of state students,¡± Ms. Richards explained.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what I figured,¡± Rocco said rolling his eyes.


    ¡°I want to set up an appointment with you for next week so we can talk about your application process so far,¡± Ms. Richards said. ¡°How does next Tuesday sound?¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll look over everything by then,¡± Rocco said smiling.


    ¡°A piece of advice, Rocco,¡± Ms. Richards added, ¡°LA is not going anywhere. Why don¡¯t you think about saving up a little and going out to LA over the summer. You can check it out to see how you like it. You can even go visit UCLA. If you like LA, you can always transfer.¡±


    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Rocco thought for a moment. ¡°That¡¯s a great idea.¡±


    ¡°Come back at the end of the day. I¡¯ll have a packet of schools and scholarship opportunities for you to pick up at the front desk,¡± Ms. Richards said standing up.


    Rocco stood up. He started to leave but turned around. ¡°Thank you for talking me through all of this. I was so scared that I had messed up everything.¡±


    Ms. Richards smiled. ¡°It¡¯s going to all work out. Next time, ask for help when you¡¯re making such a big decision, okay?¡± Rocco nodded. ¡°Besides, if you go somewhere closer, it won¡¯t strain your relationship with Mike.¡±


    Rocco smiled at that thought.


    At lunch, Rocco sat with his bandmates to go over the lineup for their GSA charity show. Rocco¡¯s mind was elsewhere. It was on his conversation with Ms. Richards. While he was bummed that UCLA was looking more off the table than ever before, he was relieved to know that he had other options.


    ¡°Rocco, where are you? You haven¡¯t been paying attention to anything we¡¯ve been talking about,¡± Austin said.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry guys. I had an appointment with the guidance counselor about college. I¡¯ve just been thinking about that,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°I thought your future was already set,¡± Raz replied.


    ¡°Not at all. I¡¯m probably not going to UCLA,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Really? That¡¯s all you¡¯ve been talking about,¡± Austin said.


    ¡°Yeah, I know. But I¡¯m not going to be able to afford to go there,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°So, what are you going to do now?¡± Austin said.


    ¡°Well, Ms. Richards said I can apply anywhere if I¡¯m quick about it,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°She¡¯s not wrong. I don¡¯t have to turn my applications until the end of the month,¡± Austin replied.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what she said,¡± Rocco said distantly. ¡°Where are you applying?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m staying close by. Some of the state schools,¡± Austin replied.


    ¡°Right, she said I should do that. But she also thought I¡¯d be good material for Vandy or Emery,¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°Yeah, man, you¡¯ve got the grades,¡± Austin assured. Rocco smiled back.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re not going to LA?¡± Pete asked disappointed.


    ¡°Well, she suggested I should at least go out to LA over the summer to see if I like it. I could transfer later down the road,¡± Rocco said.


    Pete smiled. ¡°You know, if you do that, you think I could tag along?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Rocco said with a confused yet surprised look on his face.


    ¡°Ever since you mentioned it, I thought about going out to LA. You know, to see what I could do with my music for a while,¡± Pete said.


    ¡°You¡¯d want to go?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°Fuck yeah, man! I mean, yeah, I want to go to college but I¡¯m thinking that I¡¯d like to do that a little later,¡± Pete explained. ¡°I¡¯d like to give the music thing a go.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve got the voice,¡± Raz said.


    ¡°Thank you, kind sir!¡± Pete retorted. ¡°What do you say?¡±


    ¡°You and I in Los Angeles?¡± Rocco asked to make sure he was on the same page as Pete.


    ¡°Fuck yeah, you and me in sunny LA,¡± Pete said.


    ¡°I¡¯d just be there a few weeks over the summer. I wouldn¡¯t be moving there. I¡¯m coming back for school,¡± Rocco explained.


    ¡°I know,¡± Pete said. ¡°But we could go for a few weeks, try it out. If we bust, I come back with you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve really thought this through, haven¡¯t you?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°I really have. I¡¯ve got nothing to lose. You¡¯re coming back so it¡¯s just a summer trip for you,¡± Pete stated.


    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Rocco thought. After some silent consideration, he lit up. ¡°Fuck yeah! Let¡¯s do it!¡±


    ¡°FUCK YEAH!!!!¡± Pete yelled getting the attention of some of the students around him. ¡°It¡¯ll be the Queer as Fuck tour!¡± Rocco laughed at this.


    ¡°Ah man, I feel like I¡¯m losing out!¡± Austin said.


    ¡°Yeah, me too,¡± Raz said.


    ¡°You guys can come too!¡± Pete said.


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Austin said in a way to indicate that he would not seriously consider the opportunity. Raz was silent.


    ¡°Well, if nothing else, it¡¯s you and me, Rocky,¡± Pete said. ¡°Now, can we get back to talking about the show?¡±


    ¡°How was your conversation with Ms. Richards?¡± Mike asked Rocco. Mike was lying down on Rocco¡¯s bed under the drawing he had done of Rocco. Rocco was sitting on the edge of the bed.


    ¡°Kinda odd,¡± Rocco said. ¡°She doesn¡¯t think I have a good chance at UCLA. I¡¯m starting to believe her.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah?¡± Mike asked sitting up.


    ¡°She said there¡¯s so many options I have. I¡¯ve got a packet of stuff with information about other schools that she wants me to look at,¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°Other schools?¡± Mike¡¯s energy picked up. ¡°Like where?¡± He was hoping that Ms. Richards had changed Rocco¡¯s mind about California.


    ¡°There¡¯s Vandy and Emery. There¡¯s a couple of schools in Chicago. She also thought I should apply to a couple of state schools,¡± Rocco replied.


    Mike instantly perked up when hearing these closer school suggestions. ¡°How do you feel about that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m bummed it¡¯s not LA, but I have a good chance at financial aid to these other schools. I guess I¡¯m going to have to go where I can afford when it comes down to it,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Of course you¡¯re bummed. That¡¯s all you¡¯ve been talking about since I met you. I can see her point, however,¡± Mike said trying to contain his excitement that California was not going to be a real viable option.


    ¡°Yeah, I can too. As much as I hate to say it, I¡¯m doubting I¡¯ll get to go to UCLA,¡± Rocco said looking at Mike with big sorrowful eyes.


    ¡°Hey, I can try to come up to see you and you can come down to see me,¡± Mike said cheerfully.


    ¡°A long-distance sort of relationship?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°Yeah, but a shorter long-distance relationship!¡± Mike exclaimed. ¡°Let¡¯s look at that stuff she gave you.¡±


    Rocco got up to get the packet of information from Ms. Richards. It was a hefty manilla envelope stuffed to its maximum with pamphlets and papers. He emptied the contents onto the bed and sat down next to Mike to sort through the slick paged booklets. Mike and Rocco flipped through several of the papers.


    ¡°Why is there all this information about education?¡± Mike asked looking a sheet of paper from the University in Chicago.


    ¡°We talked about fields of study too. I told her I wanted to do something in music, and she suggested maybe I could think about music education,¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°You? A teacher?¡± Mike asked loudly.


    ¡°Yeah, me. A teacher,¡± Rocco answered defensively. ¡°You think I would be a bad teacher?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that at all,¡± Mike said. ¡°I just never thought about that possibility. That¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°You know, neither have I. It makes sense though. I could play my guitar, and I could teach other kids how play guitar,¡± Rocco thought.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s true,¡± Mike said looking at a few of the other booklets. A thought crossed his mind. Even though Rocco was considering a school closer to home, it was very likely that Rocco would be busy with college¡ªtoo busy for a high school boyfriend. Rocco would meet other college students and start hanging out with them. He wouldn¡¯t want to have to give up the college experience to go home to see his boyfriend in high school. He wondered how long after Rocco started college that he would begin to see less and less of Rocco. It hurt his heart thinking about Rocco slipping away from him. Of course, he was happy that Rocco had so many options. However, he couldn¡¯t help of thinking about the inevitable.


    ¡°Hey, you alright?¡± Rocco asked sensing Mike was miles away.


    ¡°Oh, yeah,¡± Mike said. ¡°I¡¯m just thinking about when you go to college.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to lose touch with me,¡± Mike said with a melancholy in his voice.


    ¡°Oh, Mike,¡± Rocco replied holding Mike¡¯s chin in his hand. ¡°No matter what, I¡¯ll always be your boyfriend.¡±


    ¡°You mean that?¡± Mike said.


    ¡°I mean it,¡± Rocco leaned in to give Mike a kiss. Mike ran his fingers through Rocco¡¯s hair. He wanted to get as many kisses and caresses in before the end of the school year. He heard what Rocco said but knew that these promises were hollow.


    ¡°Hey, let¡¯s think about here and now,¡± Mike said trying at shaking off his sadness. ¡°Are you guys getting ready for your GSA fundraiser?¡±


    Rocco perked up. ¡°Yeah! As a matter of fact, O¡¯Malley is going to give 10% of the night¡¯s profit to the GSA plus some extra money on his own.¡±


    ¡°What?  You¡¯re kidding!¡± Mike exclaimed.


    ¡°No shit! So, the more people we get in, the more we can raise for the GSA,¡± Rocco replied with equal fervor. ¡°That leads me to a question.¡±


    ¡°Yes???¡± Mike replied wondering what the question would be.


    ¡°Would you design and draw some posters for the show?¡± Rocco asked shyly.


    ¡°You know I will!¡± Mike answered.


    ¡°Your designs are sure to bring attention to the show. But you have to be sure to mention the park in the posters. O¡¯Malley is expecting some free advertising,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Oh, of course. I¡¯ll come up with some ideas,¡± Mike said. ¡°I do have a model I can use,¡± Mike pointed up at the drawing that he did for Rocco. Rocco smiled.


    Rocco¡¯s smile turned into a smirk. ¡°When do you think we can go camping again?¡±


    Mike returned the smirk. ¡°It¡¯s getting a little cold to go camping. But we don¡¯t have to save what we did on the camping trip only for a tent.¡±


    Rocco snickered. ¡°Very true.¡±


    ¡°Is your door locked?¡± Mike asked. Rocco got up and checked the knob to make sure it was locked.


    ¡°It is now,¡± Rocco replied coyly.


    ¡°Then come over here,¡± Mike said as he hastily tossed the college pamphlets on the floor.

 30. The Charity Blowout

    Mike laid out three sheets of poster paper and stepped away to imagine how he was going to lay out the posters. He wanted to do one of a guy on a skateboard. He could not figure out what the second one was going to be. He was not concerned about the third one. The idea would come to him while working on one of the other two. The wording was going to be the same for all three¡ªMiners Creek Skatepark presents A Concert for GSA; 10% of Proceeds to MCHS gay-straight alliance; date and time; $10.


    He turned on his tape player to listen to some music while he worked. He picked up his tracing pencil and began working on the skater boy. As he was in the middle of tracing out the skater, the idea for the second poster hit him. Why not Fred himself? Fred with a rainbow birthday hat and maybe another one of Fred on a skateboard. Of course, why didn¡¯t he think of that before?


    All Mike had to do was draw. He only had a couple of nights to work on the posters because he wanted to hang them up in the hallways well before the show itself. If he was able to finish the posters by the end of the week, he could hang them up first thing Monday morning. The posters would be up the entire week before the concert that following weekend.


    Another idea came to his mind. As he drew in the outline of the skater, it occurred to him that the posters themselves could be auctioned off at the show for money for the GSA. He started to slow down his work to make sure his drawing looked perfect to sale. As he began on the lettering, Joe came into the room to watch.


    ¡°That looks great, Mike,¡± Joe said admiring Mike¡¯s work.


    ¡°Thanks! I¡¯m thinking of selling the posters to benefit the GSA,¡± Mike said while he worked on the lettering.


    ¡°That¡¯s a great idea,¡± Joe looked at his brother. ¡°Can I tell you something?¡±


    Mike stopped the lettering and looked up at Joe. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I wanted to tell you how proud I am of the man you are becoming,¡± Joe said giving Mike a smile.


    ¡°What brought that on?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Just watching you work on the poster. I¡¯m thinking about all that you have done since you started high school. You started dating a guy, came out, started a gay-straight club, raised money for it. Shit, I didn¡¯t have a fraction of your ambition and your bravery when I started high school,¡± Joe said leaning against the wall.


    Mike put the cap on his marker and turned to face Joe. ¡°That¡¯s about the nicest thing you¡¯ve ever said to me.¡±


    ¡°I mean it. Mike, you¡¯ve set an example for me on how I should live my life. On my own terms. You inspired me to announce to everyone about my trying out guys. You continue to inspire me every day,¡± Joe said and got on his knees in front of Mike. Mike was beginning to tear up. ¡°I look up to you.¡±


    ¡°Oh man, you¡¯re going to make me cry,¡± Mike said letting a tear fall down his cheek. Joe gave Mike a hug.


    ¡°Thank you for being my brother,¡± Joe said.


    ¡°What are you doing right now?¡± Mike asked as they ended their embrace.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Joe said.


    ¡°Hang out with me while I work on these posters. I would love the company,¡± Mike said picking his marker back up and uncapping it.


    ¡°It would be an honor,¡± Joe said and pulled out the desk chair to have a seat. Joe¡¯s attention turned to the music coming from Mike¡¯s boom box. ¡°What are you listening to?¡±


    ¡°The Cramps,¡± Mike said continuing working on the letters. ¡°It¡¯s a tape Rocco gave me.¡±


    The music was foreign to Joe¡¯s ears. He listened for a moment. ¡°Are they saying bikini girls with machine guns?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s the name of the song,¡± Mike said drawing in some of the smaller shade lines in the skater.


    ¡°You listen to some weird shit since you met Rocco,¡± Joe said. Mike looked up and laughed. ¡°When are you going to start getting tattoos?¡±


    ¡°What makes you think I don¡¯t already have one?¡± Mike said smirking.


    ¡°Oh, well, what did you get tattooed?¡± Joe asked jokingly.


    ¡°¡¯Mike hearts Rocco¡¯ right on my butt cheek. Want to see?¡± Mike laughed.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s alright. I¡¯ll take your word on it,¡± Joe said rolling his eyes.


    By the time they went to bed, Mike had finished two of the posters. It was too late to start on the third, so he rolled all the posters up and placed them in a tube. Joe bid him good night and went to his room. Mike went over and sat on his bed. He spent a couple of minutes thinking about how nice it was to hang out with Joe before turning his lights out.


    ¡°You guys sound kickass,¡± Jared said when Fred finished up their practice session.


    ¡°Thanks, Jared,¡± Rocco said. ¡°What songs did you like the best?¡±


    ¡°I loved your Ramones song. And how could I not like your Buzzcocks songs and Dead Kennedys medley,¡± Jared recalled.


    ¡°Wow, you know your music!¡± Pete said.


    ¡°Yeah, you guys are playing all my favorites,¡± Jared said approaching the stage.


    ¡°Did we do your favorites justice?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°And some! It¡¯s great to hear these songs live. All I¡¯ve got are copies of copies of tapes so they all sound shitty on my cheap tape player,¡± Jared said.


    ¡°Copies of copies? That must sound terrible,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Yeah, but it¡¯s what I can get,¡± Jared said. Rocco gave him a confused look.


    ¡°You can go to the record store and get those albums pretty cheap at this point,¡± Pete said.


    Jared looked down at the ground and moved his foot in half circles back and forth. He put his hands in the pockets of his baggy jeans. His jeans were old and ragged. His flannel shirt had a small tear in the front tail that had been haphazardly sewn up. It hit Rocco and Pete simultaneously that Jared¡¯s family were dirt poor. Going to the record store was not a viable option for Jared.


    ¡°Hey, do you think you¡¯d want to borrow those albums sometime?¡± Pete asked.


    Jared looked up and smiled. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯d love to!¡±


    ¡°Do you have a CD player?¡± Pete asked. Jared¡¯s smile dissipated.


    ¡°No, I only have a tape player,¡± Jared replied.


    ¡°Tell you what. Since you have copies of copies, how about I make you copies of your favorites from a CD? It¡¯ll sound like you just bought them from the record store,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°You¡¯d do that?¡± Jared said smiling again.


    ¡°Fuck yeah, I would. It¡¯s a disservice to those bands to listen to shitty bootlegged copies,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Make us a list of the albums you want, and we¡¯ll see if we have them,¡± Pete added.


    ¡°Cool! Man, you guys are awesome!¡± Jared said excitedly.


    Pete looked at the members of the band. There was a general sense of what Pete was thinking. They all agreed to the unspoken thought.


    ¡°Hey, would you be interested in earning some extra money?¡± Pete asked Jared.


    ¡°Sure, what are you thinking?¡± Jared asked.


    ¡°Well, Mike helps us with set up, but we can tell that our demands are too much for one person,¡± Pete started. ¡°We could use some more help.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah?¡± Jared asked eagerly.


    ¡°Yeah, we don¡¯t pay Mike. He¡¯s doing it because he¡¯s Rocco¡¯s boyfriend. So, sometimes¡­.well, you get what you pay for,¡± Pete said. Rocco gave him a sarcastically dirty look. ¡°Sorry, Rocco. It¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, he can take some convincing to do his job,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°If we paid someone, we could guarantee that we¡¯d have quality service,¡± Pete replied. ¡°We could pay you $15 per show?¡±


    ¡°That would be awesome! What would you want me to do?¡± Jared asked.


    ¡°Unload the car, take our instruments to the stage, set them up, make sure we have food and drink before, during, after the shows, break down the equipment. That kind of stuff,¡± Pete responded.


    ¡°Sweet deal! I¡¯m yours,¡± Jared replied.


    ¡°Great, you¡¯re hired,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°We have a show this coming weekend. It¡¯s a private party. Are you available?¡± Pete asked in a business-like voice.


    ¡°I can be,¡± Jared replied.


    ¡°What¡¯s your transportation situation like?¡± Pete asked.


    ¡°I can get a ride where I need,¡± Jared answered.


    ¡°I can get you,¡± Austin replied. ¡°You can help me load up the drums in my car.¡±


    ¡°You sure? I can get a ride to your place,¡± Jared said.


    ¡°Let me pick you up the first time and we can go from there,¡± Austin said.


    ¡°Cool, oh, I think my next lesson is here. You have a pen and paper so I can give y¡¯all my number?¡± Jared asked. Raz produced a pencil and a paper from his pocket and gave it to Jared. Jared wrote down his number and handed it to Pete. ¡°Just give me a call when you¡¯re ready to come get me.¡± Jared waved and walked over to a 12-year-old in full protective gear. The two walked over to a small bowl to work on tricks.


    ¡°We did a good deed tonight, fellas,¡± Rocco said strumming on his guitar.


    ¡°I felt bad for the little guy. And Mike does need some help,¡± Pete said. ¡°You think Mike will be okay with this arrangement?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I have a feeling he¡¯ll be happy to pass the work off to Jared. He only agreed so we could hang out more under the guise of a job. I don¡¯t think he knew what he was getting into,¡± Rocco cut Pete an evil smirk to indicate that Pete¡¯s diva demands would send anyone over the edge.


    ¡°Very funny,¡± Pete quipped.


    Monday morning, Mike hung all his posters on the walls of Miners Creek High School. As he tacked the posters up, kids started looking at the posters. Mike heard a few ¡°Sweet¡± and ¡°Cool¡± remarks coming from various points behind him. Such a positive response gave Mike a spark of hope. He looked forward to being in a crowd of his peers that supported the effort¡ªor at least wanted to hear music.


    At lunch, Jared and Mike were talking about the weekend and the private show when Chris sat down.


    ¡°Hey guys, what¡¯s up?¡± Chris asked.


    ¡°Hey Chris, we were just talking about working with the band this weekend,¡± Jared said.


    ¡°Oh yeah? How¡¯d that go?¡± Chris asked.


    ¡°Very well!¡± Jared replied.


    ¡°Yeah, so well, that I think I may resign,¡± Mike said laughing.


    ¡°Seriously?¡± Jared asked.


    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°No, not really. But I may opt out of the hard physical work. I mean I only did it so I could get into Rocco¡¯s pants,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, such is the life of a groupie,¡± Chris laughed. ¡°Hey, Mike, baseball tryouts are coming up soon. You think you¡¯re going to try out?¡±


    Mike looked down at the table for a moment before responding. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I don¡¯t know if I want to be on any sports teams.¡±


    ¡°Come on, you are so good. It¡¯ll be a chance to hang out,¡± Chris said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s my vibe anymore,¡± Mike said looking off in the distance.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were into baseball,¡± Jared said.


    ¡°Yeah, he played all during junior high,¡± Chris said. ¡°We won lots of games because of him.¡±


    ¡°Is that true?¡± Jared asked Mike.


    ¡°I guess. It was a team effort,¡± Mike said trying to play down the conversation.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so modest, Mike. You¡¯re good. We¡¯ll have a chance of going to state if you¡¯re on the team,¡± Chris stated almost pleading.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Mike said unsure of how to respond.


    ¡°If you¡¯re that good, you should do it,¡± Jared said.


    ¡°It takes up so much time,¡± Mike said. ¡°I like having all the extra time to hang out.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you mean, you like all the extra time with Rocco,¡± Jared retorted.


    ¡°Well, yeah,¡± Mike said sarcastically.


    ¡°Your boyfriend is a punk rocker. Being on a sports team is not going to take away any of your street cred,¡± Jared said.


    ¡°Oh, is that right?¡± Mike said laughing.


    ¡°I mean, you don¡¯t have that much to begin with,¡± Jared chuckled. Mike gave him a sarcastic ¡°haha¡±.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll think it over. I got to make the team first,¡± Mike said.


    Rocco sat down in front of Ms. Richards¡¯s desk ready to discuss potential colleges. He had picked out three schools he wanted to apply to: Vanderbilt, University of Chicago, and the University of Tennessee. Ms. Richards was in the next room making copies of transcripts for the steadily increasing number of student requests. This time of year, Ms. Richards spent most of her days copying transcripts, stamping them with the school seal, and sealing envelopes.


    Ms. Richards entered her office and took a seat.


    ¡°Sorry about that, Rocco. I had a few transcript requests I didn¡¯t get to yesterday,¡± she said as she pulled out Rocco¡¯s file. ¡°What did you think of the schools I had you look at?¡±


    Rocco opened the manilla envelope and laid out three booklets.


    ¡°Oh, these are GREAT choices! I think you have an excellent chance of getting into all three. They will be fighting for a student like yourself,¡± Ms. Richards exclaimed.


    ¡°You think so?¡± Rocco asked unconfidently.


    ¡°Absolutely! Straight A¡¯s, in a band, lots of extracurriculars, and forgive me for bring this up but it¡¯ll be important, Hispanic.¡± Ms. Richards said.


    ¡°Well, I prefer Latino. Being Latino matters?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s not the only thing but it certainly helps,¡± Ms. Richards stated. ¡°I¡¯ll be honest. Schools are killing themselves to accept minority students.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to take that,¡± Rocco said. ¡°I¡¯m not a very good representation of Latino culture. I can¡¯t even speak Spanish.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be a stereotype, Rocco. Your presence as a Latino is what matters. Be proud of who you are,¡± Ms. Richards said. Rocco nodded.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s my next step?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to want to start writing essays. Vandy and the University of Chicago asks you to write about why you¡¯d be a good student. My advice is to write a two-page essay about why you should be accepted. Then take that essay and tailor it a little for each of the schools. You¡¯ve got to sell yourself in these essays. I also want you to start filling in these applications. It¡¯s not difficult but you¡¯ll have to gather lots of information and write in the information for all three. That can be the time-consuming part, but it is totally doable.¡± Ms. Richards explained.


    ¡°Okay, that is a lot to do, but I can get it together,¡± Rocco assured her.


    ¡°The Vandy application needs to be sent by end of the month. Do that one first. Then work on the University of Chicago application. The UT application can wait until last,¡± Ms. Richards said. ¡°Would you like me to look over the applications before you send them?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I want to be sure they¡¯re good,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Great. I¡¯m happy to help. Since you have a couple of weeks to get Vandy in, let¡¯s meet next week so I can see your progress. Try to get that one done by next week,¡± Ms. Richards said.


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± Rocco said giving her a salute. He gathered the three booklets together and stuffed them in his backpack. He got up to leave. As he left the main office, he was excited for his future.


    Mike waited in the car for Jared. Mike agreed to drive since he was still working for the band.  He would be the designated driver for the roadies. Mike had already been picking up and dropping off Jared every day for school. Austin had to give Raz a ride as well as lug his drums, so room was limited in his car.


    Mike didn¡¯t really mind as he and Jared had become closer than he and Chris had ever been. Mike and Chris mostly just talked about baseball. Mike and Jared talked to each other on a deeper level. They shared their hopes and fears with each other. Mike felt that Jared had let Mike into his world.


    Jared¡¯s house was a faded and aging trailer in one of the town¡¯s most rundown trailer parks. On one end of the trailer was a large antenna held up by duct tape. In front of the trailer was a rusted patio two-seater along with a couple of torn out car seats. Jared and his younger brother shared a room in the trailer. They lived with his dad who had been divorced for years. The entire trailer smelled of vegetable beef soup. Jared would have been deeply embarrassed about someone picking him up at his trailer. Jared spent as little time at home as he could. When he couldn¡¯t be at the skatepark, he was at some school function, not out of school spirit, but to get away from this god-forsaken place. However, since Mike shared about his relationship with Rocco the first time they met, Jared felt a certain level of comfort with Mike.


    Jared opened the door of the trailer. It looked as if he were telling his dad something. Mike had never been inside the trailer. He only saw one small piece of the inside when Jared opened the door. From the brief glimpse inside, Mike could tell that no one in the family was assigned household cleaning duties. Jared slammed the door, not out of anger but out of necessity as the door would not latch unless it was forced. He made his way to the car.


    Mike saw that Jared was not wearing his usual knit cap. His chin length hair was parted in the middle and hung down on either side of his face.


    ¡°You ready?¡± Jared said as he got in the car. He placed his backpack in the floorboard.


    ¡°You¡¯re not wearing your cap,¡± Mike noted.


    ¡°Yeah, my dad took it. He said he needed to wear it to work because the factory was cold,¡± Jared said.


    ¡°Oh, okay,¡± Mike said. Jared looked like a different person without his cap. He looked even thinner and younger. ¡°You going to be alright without a cap?¡±


    ¡°I guess,¡± Jared said. ¡°My head feels kinda naked.¡±


    Mike was wearing Rocco¡¯s hat, and, without hesitation, he took it off and offered it to Jared. ¡°Want to wear this?¡±


    ¡°Nah,¡± Jared said a little surprised at the gesture. ¡°That¡¯s Rocco¡¯s hat. I can¡¯t let you part with it.¡±


    ¡°You can borrow it just for tonight,¡± Mike offered again.


    ¡°No, I¡¯ll be fine,¡± Jared said. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here.¡±


    Mike put Rocco¡¯s hat back on and maneuvered the car out of the trailer park. It was a difficult feat to avoid all the potholes in the gravel road. They made it to the main road and out to the skatepark.


    Their first stop was to Austin¡¯s house to help him load up his drums into the car. This was the toughest part of the job. Austin¡¯s car was a smaller vehicle. Considering the front seat had to be vacant, it was like a game of Tetris to load the drums into the back seat, the trunk, The drums themselves had to be positioned into the backseat followed by the stand and the cymbals in the trunk. The large bass drum would be carried by Mike in the back seat now that he had his own vehicle.


    Austin was waiting for Mike and Jared out in the front. Mike pulled into the driveway. The two got out of the car. Austin waved them over to the garage. His drum kit was already setting behind the garage door in a neat and tidy formation. It took only a few minutes for Mike and Jared to load everything into the two cars. Austin tried to help but Jared insisted that he stand back to allow the paid professional to do the job.


    The next stop was Pete¡¯s house. The only real equipment Pete had was his microphone and himself. Mike and Jared would chauffer Pete to the show just like the lead singer he was. Once they got Pete, they would make their way to the park. Rocco would take his own car there. Before they drove off from Pete¡¯s, Pete handed Jared some tapes that he had recorded. He asked Mike to play one of the cassettes on their way.


    When they pulled into the lot of the skatepark, they saw that the crowd was already forming. The lot was already three quarters full even though the show was not supposed to start for another two hours. Luckily, O¡¯Malley had a special set of spots roped off for the band which was next to the stage. Over the past few weeks, O¡¯Malley noticed how far the band members had to haul their equipment, so he installed a gate next to the stage for easy access.


    Mike pulled into a spot almost in front of the gate. Austin and Raz must have stopped somewhere on the way since they were not at the park yet. Mike and Jared started to unload the bass drum and Pete¡¯s equipment.


    ¡°Oh shit. We¡¯re going to sell out tonight,¡± Pete noted as he got out of the car. There were already groups of teenagers in front of the stage. They were mostly just hanging out chatting amongst themselves. Several had brought lawn chairs. Mike smiled at the crowd as he opened the gate. Jared took the drum with Mike¡¯s Fred logo and transported it to the stage. Mike took the stands for Pete¡¯s microphone and set them up on stage. Mike spotted Toya and Moni in the crowd and waved. Toya, in her usual spritely manner, jumped up and down waving back.


    Mike spotted a set of headlights pulling in next to his car. It was Austin and Raz. Jared took note and bolted towards the gate. Mike followed behind to help with unloading and transporting the drums to the stage. Jared started setting up the stands for the drums without Mike¡¯s assistance. Seeing that Jared did not need his help, Mike stood back and waited for Rocco. Aside from their frequent late night rendezvouses, the two had not been alone away from everything since their camping trip. They had been so busy with band practice and the GSA show that they hadn¡¯t stopped to enjoy each other¡¯s company for quite some time. Mike started to think about a camping trip when he saw Rocco pull in. Mike immediately ran towards the gate to greet him.


    ¡°Hey, there!¡± Mike said excitedly.


    ¡°Hey!¡± Rocco said giving Mike a kiss and hug.


    ¡°Are you ready?¡± Mike asked.


    Rocco reached in the car and put on Mike¡¯s junior high school baseball hat. ¡°I am now.¡±


    Mike loved the way Rocco looked in his old hat. He loved that Rocco revered a piece of his own history so fondly. He loved that his old hat had become his lucky charm. Rocco had it on backwards. Mike reached up and situated the hat as it should be worn with the tattered bill in the front. He pulled the bill down over his eyebrows.


    ¡°You look sexy like that,¡± Mike said and pecked Rocco on the lips. Rocco gave Mike his crooked half-smirk and grabbed Mike to give him a deeper kiss. The bill of the hat hit Mike¡¯s forehead and slid up higher. Mike reached his arms around Rocco¡¯s neck while the hat fell off Rocco¡¯s head.


    ¡°Uh oh, I guess I¡¯m not sexy anymore,¡± Rocco said smiling.


    Mike reached down and picked the hat off the ground. He repositioned the hat as it was before their kiss.


    ¡°There, all sexy again,¡± Mike said. ¡°I have an idea I want to float by you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m listening,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°We haven¡¯t been camping alone for a while. Part of the reason for that is the weather, but I really miss the solitude we have. What do you say we get away for an overnighter somewhere?¡± Mike proposed.


    ¡°I¡¯d love that,¡± Rocco said grabbing Mike¡¯s waist.


    ¡°I was thinking maybe I could ask my dad to rent us a cabin at the state park,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°He would be alright with you and I going to a cabin alone?¡± Rocco asked with skepticism.


    ¡°Well, I wouldn¡¯t tell him it was just us. I could tell him something like we are having a band retreat or something along those lines,¡± Mike proposed.


    ¡°Oh¡­you sneaky bastard,¡± Rocco joked.


    ¡°He¡¯d think it would be a group of us, but it would really just be you and me,¡± Mike added.


    Rocco thought about this idea then smiled widely. ¡°I love this idea. I¡¯m all in.¡±


    ¡°As I expected you would be!¡± Mike said. Rocco took Mike¡¯s hand and gave it a kiss. Mike took Rocco¡¯s hand and placed it on his chest.


    ¡°I love you, Mike Barber!¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°I love you, Rocco!¡± Mike replied. They stared into each other¡¯s eyes for a few seconds until Pete poked his head from the gate.


    ¡°Rocco, get over here, you gotta see this!¡± Pete exclaimed waving over toward him.


    Rocco and Mike went over to the gate and peered in. Rocco was stunned at the sight of the crowd. The audience area was already starting to overflow. He couldn¡¯t believe the turnout. Easily, they must have already raised $200 in attendance alone.


    ¡°Can you believe this turnout?¡± Pete exclaimed.


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t!¡± Rocco exclaimed.


    Jared appeared from the back. ¡°Rocco, is your stuff in the car?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah. It¡¯s unlocked,¡± Rocco replied to Jared with eyes still on the crowd. Jared darted out to Rocco¡¯s car.


    O¡¯Malley approached Pete, Rocco, and Mike.


    ¡°You guys are officially a sell out performance!¡± O¡¯Malley exclaimed. He must have been super excited since he rarely got so hyped up.


    ¡°How many people are here?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°We¡¯re at 200 right now. We¡¯re going to have to stop admitting people in a few minutes,¡± O¡¯Malley said excitedly.


    ¡°Wow! What about the people who come later?¡± Pete asked.


    ¡°I guess they¡¯ll just have to stand in the parking lot. I had no idea you guys would attract such a crowd,¡± O¡¯Malley said.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s for a good cause,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°I can¡¯t really charge people to stand outside but we could have someone with a bucket to get donations,¡± O¡¯Malley said. ¡°Of course, all the donations are yours.¡±


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s get backstage and make sure everything is in working order. We don¡¯t want to disappoint our crowd,¡± Pete said. They meandered their way behind the curtain to check the equipment as best as they could. It was a difficult feat with the chatter of the gathering audience. Luckily, all the sound levels did not need to change which made them glad that they practiced at the park over the past few weeks.


    Pete started to warm up his voice with some vocal exercises. Rocco stretched his fingers and did some finger exercises on his unplugged guitar. Raz sat quietly to calm his nerves. Austin pretended to play the drums without hitting the batter heads. Once they had about 15 minutes before the start of the show, Mike and Jared went around to get drink orders from the guys. They returned with a cooler of drinks that O¡¯Malley had prepared for them.


    A few minutes before curtain time, the members of the band gathered in a huddle to pump themselves up. Their plan was to be backstage when the curtain opened. Pete would walk on stage and introduce each band member as they walked on individually.


    ¡°Have a great show, sexy,¡± Mike whispered to Rocco right before curtain call. He flicked Rocco¡¯s cap down a little further so that only his nose and lips were visible from straight on. He loved the mystery it gave Rocco.


    The curtain opened and the crowd went into a frenzy of cheers and applause. Pete ran onto to stage. The crowd started to cheer even more.


    ¡°Welcome to our show. Tonight, we are playing for the Miners Creek High School Gay-Straight Alliance because we are QUEER AS FUCK!!!!¡± Pete screamed into the mic. The crowd cheered even louder. ¡°I wanna introduce the posse. On lead guitar, the awesome Rocco.¡±


    Rocco took a breath and ran onto stage. He was startled by the amount of people in the crowd. He couldn¡¯t believe all these people came to see them. He waved and went over to his guitar.


    ¡°On bass, the fantastic Raz,¡± Pete said as Raz ran on the stage and took his spot. ¡°On drums, the impeccable Austin,¡± Austin ran on the stage, spun a drumstick in the air, caught it, and went up behind the drums.


    ¡°I¡¯m Pete, we¡¯re Fred. LET¡¯S ROCK!!!!!¡± Pete yelled and looked over at Rocco. Rocco nodded. It was good that the bill of the hat blocked his view of most of the audience except the front row. If he saw the audience again, he would have frozen from fright. He saw Mike in the front corner of his visual field.


    ¡°2¡­3¡­4¡­¡± Pete counted. Rocco started playing the beginning chords of their first song as he drifted into his internal visions of music. He only saw the notes and Mike standing in the front. The rest faded out of his awareness as they played through their set.


    As always when he plays a stellar set, Rocco forgot all time and space. It was as if he had highway hypnosis. Before he realized it, the show was over, and the curtain closed. They enjoyed the sound of the crowd cheering them on for an encore.


    ¡°Here Comes Your Man?¡± Pete asked Rocco. Rocco nodded his head in excitement. Pete looked over at Raz and Austin and said the name of the song. They returned to their positions. The curtain opened again to louder cheers.


    They began playing the Pixies song. Mike started to melt as he watched Rocco play only for him. His heart started to flutter at the sight of Rocco singing backup to Pete.


    ¡°Here Comes Your Man¡­¡± Rocco sang along with Pete.


    As the song wrapped up, Rocco looked up from his guitar at Mike. He mouthed the words ¡°I love you¡± before the curtain closed.


    The band ended up raising a little over $500 for the GSA that night including the $50 from the sale of Mike¡¯s posters.

 31. Into the Woods

    Rocco walked into Ms. Richards office with all his applications and essays completed. He had spent the past few days feverishly filling out every form and answering every question. The only thing he had left was to get transcripts and letters of recommendation. Everything that he had to do on his own was done.


    ¡°So, Rocco, how far have you gotten with your applications?¡± Ms. Richards asked.


    ¡°Here,¡± Rocco laid out all three completed applications. ¡°I¡¯m done.¡±


    ¡°What? You¡¯re done?¡± Ms. Richards exclaimed shocked at his speed.


    ¡°Yeah, once I got going, I didn¡¯t want to stop. I¡¯ve stayed up late to get these all done,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Wow! I¡¯m impressed. One application usually takes days,¡± Ms. Richards said as she took the applications to review them.


    ¡°They pretty much all ask the same thing,¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°Yes, that is true,¡± Ms. Richards started reviewing the application for Vanderbilt first. Her mind was already set that Rocco would be attending Vandy. Even though she knew Rocco wanted to get out of Miners Creek, he was not that different from other students who told her this. Those students wanted to be away from home, but not far enough that plane travel was required to go home. She could not count the number of kids that went far away to school but decided to transfer closer. Rocco was no different. She also knew Rocco had the grades and activities that would likely get him into Vandy.


    Rocco sat uncomfortably as she read his essay. He did not like the idea that he was watching her read his innermost thoughts¡ªat least as much he would reveal in a college entrance essay. He cleared his throat as she flipped the page. She looked up at him and nodded in approval. That small gesture eased his anxiety. There must be something in his essay that she liked.


    She finished the essay and went back to the application quickly to check a few items. She looked up and gave him a huge smile.


    ¡°This is perfect, Rocco. With your grades and your essay, I¡¯d be shocked if you didn¡¯t get in,¡± Ms. Richards said and handed the application back. She took a few minutes to review the University of Chicago and the University of Tennessee applications which were so similar that Ms. Richards didn¡¯t need to go in depth. The essays for the other two were so like the Vanderbilt application that there was no need.


    ¡°What¡¯s the next step?¡± Rocco asked when she returned the other two applications back to him.


    ¡°Next, I¡¯ll get your transcripts ready. Your next step is to identify the teachers that you want to ask to write a letter of recommendation. You¡¯ll want to do this now because the Vandy application deadline is coming up,¡± Ms. Richards said.


    ¡°How do I go about asking?¡± Rocco inquired.


    ¡°Teachers understand they¡¯ll get lots of requests for letters of recommendation. Don¡¯t worry, most of them already have a template ready. But, because they get so many requests, you should start asking today,¡± Ms. Richards said. ¡°Ask the teachers that know you well.¡±


    Rocco nodded his head. He would ask Mr. Pendleton, his English teacher, and his Calculus teacher. Those three would be excellent references. Rocco started to get up.


    ¡°Hang on, Rocco,¡± Ms. Richards said. Rocco sat back down. ¡°I wanted to tell you how much I loved your concert.¡±


    ¡°You went?¡± Rocco asked shocked that she even knew where the skatepark was.


    ¡°I did! I wouldn¡¯t have missed it for the world. I knew you were good, but not that good!¡± Ms. Richards replied. ¡°You all raised so much for the GSA. That¡¯s such an accomplishment!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you knew the skatepark even existed,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Of course I do. I¡¯m not that out of touch,¡± Ms. Richards said. She knew that Rocco wanted to ask her something.


    ¡°Well, thanks! What did you think of the crowd?¡± Rocco asked. That was not the question she was expecting.


    ¡°Massive. Impressive! I even talked with that owner guy, Flannigan or McMurphy?¡± Ms. Richards responded.


    ¡°O¡¯Malley???¡± Rocco exclaimed. Ms. Richards pointed recognizing the name she couldn¡¯t remember. ¡°He actually spoke to you? He¡¯s usually so gruff!¡±


    ¡°Nah,¡± Ms. Richards said. ¡°He¡¯s a sweetheart. He¡¯s just around rowdy kids all day. That¡¯s just a front.¡± Rocco laughed out loud. O¡¯Malley? A sweetheart?


    ¡°I¡¯m shocked he even spoke two words to anyone!¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°He really thinks the world of you, Rocco,¡± Ms. Richards added.


    ¡°Really?¡± Rocco exclaimed again. ¡°Are we talking about the same guy?¡± Ms. Richards laughed.


    ¡°Really. He told me he was close to closing the park until you guys turned things around and got more people to come in,¡± Ms. Richards said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say. I just thought O¡¯Malley thought I was another punk kid hanging around,¡± Rocco said in shock.


    ¡°Just don¡¯t let him know any of this. I think he wants to keep up the appearance that he doesn¡¯t care about you all,¡± Ms. Richards said. ¡°Thank you again for the money you raised for the GSA.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m happy to do what I can for the GSA,¡± Rocco started to get up but stopped himself. ¡°Ms. Richards?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Is it acceptable if I asked you for a letter of recommendation?¡± Rocco asked. That was the question Ms. Richards was waiting for.


    ¡°Yes, and I would love to write you a recommendation!¡± Ms. Richards said. ¡°I¡¯ll have them ready in a couple of days.¡±


    ¡°Thank you so much!¡± Rocco said and stood up.


    ¡°Absolutely, it would be my pleasure,¡± Ms. Richards said.


    Rocco walked out of the main office to class. The bell had rung so the hallways were filled with students going to their next class. On his way back to his next class, he bumped into David. He hadn¡¯t seen David since their first GSA meeting when he came out to everyone.


    ¡°Hey, Rocco,¡± David greeted him with a pleasant expression on his face.


    ¡°David. Hello,¡± Rocco curtly said.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad I bumped into you,¡± David started looking down. While Rocco admired that he had come out, David had caused him so much trauma over the years.


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m running late for class,¡± Rocco said trying to flee. David grabbed Rocco by the arm.


    ¡°Hang on, I really need to talk to you,¡± David said. While David did not have a strong grip on Rocco¡¯s arm, Rocco instinctively covered his face with his other arm. David released his grip. ¡°I¡¯m not going to hurt you.¡±


    Rocco let his arm relax at his side. Even though he was curious as to what David would say, part of him was not interested in a half-assed apology. Rocco looked up at David with raised eyebrows. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m listening,¡± Rocco said hurriedly.


    ¡°I guess I deserve the icy reception,¡± David started. ¡°I didn¡¯t have a chance yet to personally apologize to you since the GSA meeting. Rocco, I did so much emotional damage to you over the years. I called you names¡ªI called you names at one of your concerts. I treated you like a dog. I will do anything to get your forgiveness. I was going through so much on the inside that it spilled out and you were the collateral. Rocco, I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    David stopped and looked at the floor. Rocco knew it was a heartfelt apology. However, the wounds that David inflicted were deep. Rocco was not the type of person to just forgive and forget.


    ¡°David,¡± Rocco started, relaxing his natural inclination to fight. ¡°Thank you for your apology. I appreciate it.¡± David looked up at Rocco. ¡°All those years of being called ¡®queer¡¯ and ¡®faggot¡¯ cut deep. I can¡¯t---¡± Rocco stopped himself. There was a lot of anger on the inside that he did not want to surface. ¡°It¡¯s going to take me some time to accept your apology. It¡¯s going to take a while for me to welcome you as a member of the community.¡± Rocco was pleased at his restraint when he spoke. He had wanted David to drop dead for so long. He never imagined that their paths would end up as they had at this moment.


    ¡°I understand,¡± David said looking down at the floor again. Rocco noted David¡¯s disappointment that Rocco did not accept his apology with open arms.


    ¡°I¡¯m not saying I won¡¯t ever forgive you. I just don¡¯t have it in me today¡ªI won¡¯t for a while,¡± Rocco said. David nodded in understanding.


    Rocco looked at David wallowing in disappointment and started to feel pity for him. David must be having a hard time dealing with his newly announced orientation. Rocco figured the guys on the football team must have been teasing or avoiding him. No one ever really wanted to be around David, but now, his alienation must have intensified.


    ¡°Listen,¡± Rocco began, ¡°if you get Meigs to forgive you, I will too.¡±


    David looked up at Rocco and smiled. ¡°Okay, deal.¡±


    Rocco started to walk off when David began to say something. ¡°You guys did an awesome show at the park. I donated $100 to the GSA.¡±


    Rocco gave him a crooked smile. ¡°That¡¯s a good start.¡± Rocco walked away to go to his next class.


    Chris sat in the bleachers beside the baseball field waiting to be called by the coach for tryouts. He had always been more of an outfielder than a batter. Part of the tryouts were to hit a series of balls followed by playing various positions in and out of the diamond.


    ¡°Okay, count off 1-2,¡± the coach yelled pointing at the end. Candidates started counting¡ª1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2. Chris counted 2. A voice towards the end counted 2. Chris thought this voice sounded very familiar. He looked over and saw Mike standing at the other end of the group of guys. Chris¡¯s heart skipped a beat¡ªMike had decided to try out for the team. Chris could barely contain his happiness.


    The ones went to bat. Each person tried to hit 5 pitches. Chris ran over to Mike as the twos made their way to the outfield. Chris put his arm around Mike¡¯s neck.


    ¡°You made it!¡± Chris exclaimed.


    ¡°Yeah, why not? It¡¯s just a tryout,¡± Mike said putting his mitt on. He adjusted Rocco¡¯s hat, so the bill pointed further up.


    ¡°I knew you couldn¡¯t resist,¡± Chris said as they passed second base. Chris went over to left field. Mike played shortstop. Mike caught several of the hits each time throwing them back to the pitcher with precise accuracy. Chris saw that the coach made notes on his clipboard several times.


    ¡°Okay, Shortstop, I want you to switch with third,¡± the coach said as he pointed to Mike. ¡°Left field switch with first.¡± Chris started to make his way to first base.


    Chris was able to catch most of the balls coming towards first base. The coach made a few notes on his clipboard.


    ¡°Third base, switch with pitcher,¡± the coach said. Mike was going to try his hand at pitching¡ªa position he had in junior high school. Mike did three pitches each time making the batter strike. Mike looked over at Chris. Chris nodded at Mike which meant that Mike should demonstrate his curveball. Mike centered himself before curving his pitch. The coach made further notes on his clipboard.


    ¡°Okay, change field,¡± the coach yelled. It was time for Mike and Chris to be batters. The first couple of batters struck out. Mike approached the plate and hit three balls in a row into the left field. He was able to make it to third base the third time he batted. Chris hit two of the balls making it to first base.


    After the tryout was over, the coach reviewed his notes on the players. Chris waited anxiously while Mike was far more nonchalant. He would be okay either way the coach decided.


    The coach started pointing at guys on the bleachers. When the coach pointed at a guy, he would get up and stand behind the coach. These were the guys that made the team. Before he was able to hold his breath in anticipation, the coach pointed to Chris and Mike. Both had made the team. Chris gave Mike a high-five. Mike nodded in happiness. Even though he would not have been crushed if he didn¡¯t make the team, it was a boost in confidence to get picked.


    ¡°Your name is?¡± the coach asked Mike.


    ¡°Mike,¡± he answered. ¡°Mike Barber.¡±


    ¡°Mike Barber. Are you Joe Barber¡¯s brother?¡± the coach asked with tone of being impressed.


    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Mike answered.


    ¡°I want you to be back-up pitcher and shortstop,¡± the coach said nodding his head.


    ¡°Nice!¡± Chris whispered.


    Mike¡¯s dad was sitting on the couch watching TV when Mike came in and sat down next to him.


    ¡°Hey Dad,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°How¡¯s it going?¡± Dan asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s going fine,¡± Mike responded. ¡°Guess what?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Dan asked.


    ¡°I made the baseball team,¡± Mike said proudly. It was at that moment that he realized he belonged on the team. He had hidden his pride until this point.


    ¡°That¡¯s fantastic!¡± Dan said, his face beaming with happiness.


    ¡°Yeah, I wasn¡¯t sure I wanted to try out. Chris talked me into it. I forgot how much I really enjoyed playing ball,¡± Mike said looking off and basking in his accomplishment.


    ¡°I¡¯m so proud of you!¡± Dan replied.


    ¡°Hey, can I ask you something?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Dan replied and turned the volume down on the TV.


    ¡°Would it be possible if me and a few friends rented a cabin at the park this weekend?¡± Mike asked hoping there would not be many follow-up questions.


    ¡°A cabin at the State Park?¡± his dad asked with a touch of confusion.


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s just a couple of friends. It¡¯s too cold to camp outside, but we wanted to do something outdoorsy,¡± Mike replied.


    ¡°Who are the friends?¡± Dan asked suspiciously.


    ¡°Uh, Chris and my friend Jared,¡± Mike answered hastily.


    ¡°Rocco?¡± Dan asked even more suspiciously.


    ¡°I hadn¡¯t thought to ask him, but I¡¯d like to,¡± Mike replied guiltily.


    ¡°You hadn¡¯t thought to ask your boyfriend? The same boyfriend that sneaked into your room to stay overnight?¡± Dan crossed his arms.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Mike replied nervously. His dad stared at Mike for what seemed like an hour but was less than a minute. That¡¯s all it took to break Mike. ¡°Fine. The cabin is just for me and Rocco.¡±


    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°No shit!¡± Dan said both annoyed and jokingly.


    ¡°Rocco and I wanted to go camping alone. We hadn¡¯t been able to spend a lot of time together lately by ourselves,¡± Mike said and looked down at the floor.


    ¡°Well, at least you¡¯re honest¡­after some coaxing that is,¡± Dan said uncrossing his arms.


    ¡°I figured you¡¯d automatically say no if I asked if Rocco and I could go camping alone,¡± Mike said.


    His dad sighed and turned the TV off. ¡°How serious is this thing between you and Rocco?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Obviously, you guys have gone pretty far but is this more than curiosity?¡± Dan asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t follow,¡± Mike answered wondering where his dad was going.


    ¡°Are you two just experimenting with each other or is this something deeper?¡± his dad asked.


    ¡°Dad! That¡¯s such an embarrassing question!¡± Mike replied rolling his eyes.


    ¡°I barged in on you two. So, you can stop with the embarrassment,¡± Dan retorted.


    ¡°Dad,¡± Mike said growing serious. ¡°It¡¯s deeper. A lot deeper. I love him, Dad.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve told him that?¡± Dan asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Mike replied. ¡°And he¡¯s told me he loves me.¡±


    ¡°So, it is something deeper,¡± Dan surmised.


    His dad looked off to the side in thought for a moment then back at Mike. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll call the park to see if there¡¯s something available. But you have to promise me that it will only be you two. I don¡¯t want to rent a cabin to a bunch of wild teenagers. Is that understood?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Mike exclaimed. ¡°Thank you, Dad!¡±


    ¡°Well don¡¯t thank me yet. Wait until I call to see if there¡¯s even an opening,¡± Mike nodded at his dad. ¡°And afterwards, I think it¡¯s time to tell your mom. I didn¡¯t want to say anything because I thought you two were just experimenting. Now that it¡¯s serious, I think it¡¯s time to be honest.¡±


    Mike nodded his head in agreement. He wasn¡¯t looking forward to telling his mom about him and Rocco, but Mike was not going to let that thought spoil his weekend with Rocco. Mike hugged his dad and went up to his room. He picked up the phone to call Rocco to tell him the good news.


    ¡°Hello?¡± Rocco¡¯s voice answered from the other end.


    ¡°Hey Rocco,¡± Mike answered. ¡°I¡¯ve got some good news.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah?¡± Rocco said happy to hear Mike¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Dad is fine with us renting a cabin. He¡¯s going to call the park tomorrow,¡± Mike said into the receiver.


    ¡°You actually told him it was going to be us?¡± Rocco asked in a surprise.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Mike started. ¡°At first, I said it was going to be a group of us, but he caught on to me quick. I fessed up.¡±


    ¡°Was he mad?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°Not really. If he was, he didn¡¯t show it. But he said it was fine so he must not be too mad,¡± Mike laughed.


    ¡°I can¡¯t wait to be alone with you,¡± Rocco whispered into the phone. Even though Mike knew Rocco was whispering so that his mom wouldn¡¯t hear, Rocco¡¯s whisper reminded Mike of the time Rocco whispered into his ear in class. Shivers of excitement rippled through his body.


    ¡°We can spend all weekend snuggled up by the fire,¡± Mike dreamily said.


    ¡°I can¡¯t wait!¡± Rocco said and snickered.


    ¡°I just wanted to let you know that,¡± Mike said. ¡°And I wanted to hear your voice.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you did,¡± Rocco said. They didn¡¯t say anything for a few moments. They could hear each other breathing over the phone line.


    Mike broke the silence, ¡°I¡¯ll let you know tomorrow if my dad could reserve the cabin.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Rocco said in a low voice. ¡°I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°And tonight, in your dreams?¡± Mike replied.


    Rocco chuckled. ¡°Oh my God, that¡¯s so fucking corny. I love you, Mike.¡±


    ¡°I love you Rocco¡±


    Mike hung up the receiver and settled into his bed. He drifted off to sleep thinking about being in Rocco¡¯s arms next to a warm fireplace. The next thing he knew, his alarm went off. It was morning.


    As he stumbled his way to the kitchen table still slightly asleep, his dad hung up the phone and saw Mike at the kitchen table pouring a bowl of cereal. His dad gave him a thumbs up.


    ¡°You¡¯re all set for the weekend,¡± Dan said.


    ¡°Okay, Mom, my ride¡¯s here,¡± Rocco said looking out the window. Mike parked his car in front their apartment and waited for Rocco to come out. He was not going to spoil the weekend by having another icy encounter with Rocco¡¯s mother. ¡°I¡¯ll be back Sunday evening.¡±


    ¡°Now where are you going again?¡± Rocco¡¯s mom asked without looking up from her Cosmopolitan magazine.


    ¡°I told you I¡¯m going camping,¡± Rocco answered. He went into his room to grab the bag he packed the night before.


    ¡°Who are you going with?¡± his mom asked still looking at her magazine.


    ¡°Just friends,¡± Rocco said putting his bag on his shoulder.


    ¡°Is that boyfriend of yours going?¡± she asked with a touch of snark as she finally looked up.


    Rocco contemplated telling her the truth since Mike was honest. However, he knew bringing up Mike would incite some type of histrionic scene. Mike was waiting in the car, and Rocco did not want to keep him waiting.


    ¡°No. Just the guys in the band. We¡¯re working on some music,¡± Rocco resigned to telling her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you need your guitar?¡± his mom asked raising an eyebrow in suspicion.


    ¡°No, Austin has a guitar he¡¯s bringing for me,¡± Rocco made up.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you taking yours?¡± his mom asked.


    Rocco took a second to answer trying to come up with something that sounded believable. ¡°We¡¯re going to try something less edgy. He¡¯s bringing his acoustic guitar.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay. Have a great time!¡± his mom said looking back at her magazine.


    Rocco felt a pang of remorse for being so deceitful. He had told his mother lies before to avoid incidents, but he felt regretful this time for some reason.


    ¡°Okay, mom. I love you,¡± Rocco said walking over to his mom to give her a kiss.


    ¡°Ah, I love you too, sweetie,¡± his mom said returning the kiss. Rocco gave her a final look as she sat reading her magazine. He came to his senses and left the apartment.


    Mike was patiently waiting. He had turned the car off and started it back up when Rocco appeared. Rocco came to the passenger side and opened the door. He slid in the car and threw his bag in the back.


    ¡°Are you ready?¡± Mike said with a grin on his face.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Rocco said sullenly looking off to the side.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°I feel bad for lying to my mom. She thinks I¡¯m working on music with the guys,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Mike said and took his hands off the steering wheel. ¡°Is it because my dad was ok about our trip?¡±


    ¡°A little,¡± Rocco said looking at Mike. ¡°But more that I hate lying about us to her.¡±


    ¡°I thought she was alright with us,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if she really is,¡± Rocco said looking down.


    ¡°Is it me or is it you being gay?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know with her,¡± Rocco said looking back up at Mike. Mike was staring at Rocco with an empathetic look on his face. As always, he was wearing Rocco¡¯s hat this time with the bill pointed forward. Seeing Mike in his hat made Rocco feel warm inside. His red hair was now down over his eyes.


    ¡°If it makes you feel any better, my mom still doesn¡¯t know,¡± Mike said admiring the way Rocco¡¯s eyes reminded him of a sad puppy dog.


    Rocco chuckled. ¡°Mothers.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Mike said and put the car in reverse. He pulled out of the parking lot and onto the main road towards the state park. Even though they were going to an official park, the cabin was far out in the woods. It took them a little over an hour get to the entrance of the park. It took them 30 more minutes to get to the cabin.


    Cabin 4 was a rustic two room building made from local timber. The neighboring cabins were at least a quarter mile in either direction. In the front of the cabin was a firepit and a little barbeque grill. The bedroom was a queen sized bed in one corner. There was an old TV set in the other corner with a love seat that looked like it had been surplused from an old office. There was a tiny kitchenette along the wall next to the living area. Next to the bed was a large built-up fireplace. The fireplace was the obvious focal point of the room. The second room was a basic bathroom with a toilet, sink, and shower.


    Despite the lower end accommodations, it was perfect for Mike and Rocco. Rocco and Mike brought in all their provisions. Since there was no need for sleeping bags and tents, they had less to bring in and set up. Mike only brought enough food and drinks for the night. They would need to make a trip to the local store in the morning.


    They set the supplies in the living area. Rocco needed to go to the restroom, so he made a beeline to the facilities. Mike took Rocco¡¯s hat off and ran his fingers through his hair. He looked around and saw that there were logs by the fireplace. It was too early to start a fire, but he started to place some of the logs into the fireplace. On the mantle were some long kitchen matches and some newspapers for kindling. As he waited for Rocco, he placed the drinks and sandwiches he brought in the dorm sized refrigerator.


    Rocco appeared from the bathroom. Mike admired Rocco standing in the doorway of the bathroom. Rocco was wearing baggy jeans and an old t-shirt. He hadn¡¯t shaven that morning, so his stubble darkened his muzzle with a blueish tint. His black hair had grown out since the first of the year. It was thick and wavy but tamed down with a thin layer of gel. His bangs started to curl up as they hung over his forehead. Mike walked over to Rocco and pulled him in closer. Mike inhaled Rocco¡¯s pheromones which had the slight hint of a porterhouse steak.


    Mike looked deep into Rocco¡¯s brown eyes. Rocco closed his eyes and shivered as Mike¡¯s hands brushed lightly across his chest. Rocco followed suit and ran his hands over Mike¡¯s chest resting his fingertips on his waist. Mike stared intently at Rocco. Rocco picked up traces of musk and Irish Spring emanating from Mike¡¯s skin. Rocco reached up and smoothed Mike¡¯s hair down and held his face in his hands.


    Their lips met gently at first and then again. Mike put his arms around Rocco¡¯s neck, and they kissed deeper. Mike pulled away and led Rocco to the bed in the corner of the cabin.


    Afterwards, they lay on the bed recovering in their afterglow. They both stared up at the ceiling as the light of the day faded into the shadows of the quiet night.


    ¡°It¡¯s been quite a while since we did that,¡± Mike said breaking the silence.


    ¡°I know,¡± Rocco replied. ¡°It¡¯s always been rushed. We haven¡¯t had time to slow down and enjoy the experience.¡±


    ¡°How does it feel to have had a jock?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°A jock? You¡¯re not a jock,¡± Rocco retorted.


    ¡°I am now,¡± Mike said looking over at Rocco.


    ¡°What are you telling me?¡± Rocco asked propping his body on his arms. He sat up slightly and laid his head on the headboard. Mike rolled over and placed his head on Rocco¡¯s chest.


    ¡°I joined the baseball team,¡± Mike confessed.


    ¡°You did?¡± Rocco asked surprised.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be shortstop and backup pitcher,¡± Mike chuckled. ¡°Can you believe that?¡±


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t,¡± Rocco replied. ¡°What made you want to do that?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Mike said distantly. ¡°Actually, Chris kinda talked me into it. I thought what the hell. I¡¯ll at least try out and I made it.¡±


    ¡°How does that make you feel?¡± Rocco asked running his hands through Mike¡¯s hair.


    ¡°Actually, I¡¯m pretty stoked about it,¡± Mike said looking up at Rocco. Rocco could see the pride that Mike felt about making the team. He smiled warmly at Mike.


    ¡°Then congratulations!¡± Rocco replied. ¡°I¡¯m proud of you, Mike Barber.¡± Mike laughed and looked off to the distance. ¡°Seriously,¡± Rocco continued. ¡°I can tell it means a lot to you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Mike said. ¡°So, that¡¯s alright with you?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Rocco replied. ¡°You don¡¯t have to get my approval.¡±


    ¡°I want it,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Then you have it,¡± Rocco said. ¡°It¡¯s going to be a clich¨¦ though. A jock and a punk.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know. That¡¯s how it works out sometimes,¡± Mike said and sat up. ¡°I¡¯m starving.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Rocco said and sat up. He started to get out of the bed.


    ¡°Hang on, not just yet,¡± Mike said and admired Rocco lying next to him.


    Mike got out of the bed after a few minutes and brought over the sandwiches he packed. Rocco fiddled with an alarm radio on the nightstand trying to find something that they could listen to while they ate. He flipped through the FM stations and only encountered static. He switched the radio to AM and found the same light jazz station they listened to on their first camping trip by the lake. They ate their sandwiches quietly for a few minutes until Mike broke the silence.


    ¡°How¡¯s the college situation going?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Well, I haven¡¯t had a chance to tell you all that happened,¡± Rocco started. Mike placed his hand on Rocco¡¯s knee and smiled. ¡°Actually, Ms. Richards suggested I go to LA for the summer to check it out.¡±


    ¡°She did?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Yeah, just for a few weeks to see if I like it,¡± Rocco added. ¡°I may end up hating it and never want to go back.¡±


    ¡°So, you gonna do it?¡± Mike asked picking his sandwich back up.


    ¡°I¡¯m planning on it. Pete¡¯s going to come out with me,¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°You and Pete. In Los Angeles for the summer. What the fuck?¡± Mike said surprised.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Rocco said. ¡°He wants to take his chances with his music.¡±


    ¡°He is pretty good,¡± Mike agreed. ¡°So, what about college?¡±


    ¡°Ms. Richards helped me out with where I should go. I¡¯m applying to Vanderbilt, the University of Chicago, and the University of Tennessee,¡± Rocco said proudly.


    ¡°Really?¡± Mike replied with utter surprise. ¡°Those schools are pretty close¡­well, Vandy and UT are.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know. She thinks I could get into all three,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°And you¡¯d be okay with that?¡± Mike asked. He couldn¡¯t believe this sudden change in Rocco¡¯s plans.


    ¡°Yeah, I think so,¡± Rocco stated. ¡°And I¡¯ll still be close so we could see each other.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Mike said taking a bite out his sandwich. A shred of dread stabbed through Mike¡¯s heart. Even though Rocco was going to be much closer, a piece of him still knew that once Rocco started college, he would be out of sight, out of mind. College guys don¡¯t go out with high school girls. How would this be any different? Rocco could go to college in the same town, and this would still hold true. Mike shook his head. ¡°Absolutely!¡±


    Rocco smiled widely at Mike with a mouth full of food. Mike laughed at Rocco¡¯s light heartedness in the moment. While Mike¡¯s impending dread remained, Rocco reminded him to stay in the moment. Cherish now.


    The next morning, Mike and Rocco lay in the bed enjoying the comfort. Rocco woke up first to the sound of thunder. It was going to be a rainy gray day which was fine with him. There is nothing like a lazy morning when it is chilly and wet outside. Mike had fallen asleep snuggled up with his head nestled on Rocco¡¯s chest. Over the course of the night, Mike had rolled over facing away from Rocco. Rocco looked over at Mike. He admired how Mike¡¯s hair was sticking up in all directions. He also admired how Mike¡¯s back was covered in light, barely noticeable freckles. He loved the way Mike¡¯s skin was a patchwork of freckles layered over a pale pink undertone. Rocco smiled as he ran his eyes over Mike¡¯s back.


    Mike started to stir after a few minutes. Rocco propped his head up with his arm and watched as Mike came to reality. Mike rolled over on his back and opened his eyes. The morning light caught the shimmer of his red hair and long reddish eyelashes. Mike blinked a few times and rolled over to face Rocco.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± Mike sleepily said and grinned at Rocco.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± Rocco replied and stroked Mike¡¯s cheek.


    ¡°How long have you been watching me sleep?¡± Mike asked and yawned.


    ¡°Does it matter?¡± Rocco asked. Mike chuckled.


    ¡°So, what are we doing today?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Hopefully, we¡¯re doing it,¡± Rocco replied. ¡°It¡¯s going to be a rainy day.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I thought that might be the case,¡± Mike rubbed his eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m not complaining,¡± Rocco smirked. He watched as Mike stretched his arms.


    ¡°Well, we¡¯ll have to get some food at the store for today and tomorrow at some point this morning,¡± Mike replied.


    ¡°Let¡¯s wait a little while before we get out of bed,¡± Rocco said as his crooked smile spread across his face.


    ¡°Yes, please,¡± Mike replied. He inched his way over to Rocco and buried his face in Rocco¡¯s chest.


    They laid in the bed another 30 minutes before Rocco finally had to get up to go to the bathroom. Mike watched as Rocco sat up and got out of the bed. He watched as Rocco walked away.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to go ahead and get showered up. I could really go for some coffee,¡± Rocco yelled from the bathroom.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Mike yelled back and fell back on the bed. He had thought about a hike today but, with the weather as it was, it was likely they would spend a good part of the day inside. He did not mind this at all especially if they had a fire to keep them warm.


    As Rocco was in the shower, Mike had an idea. He had an art project due which was a series of sketches that all had the same theme. He thought about the idea of having Rocco as his theme. He could do a series of sketches of Rocco¡ªRocco in the cabin. The project required that he draw 6 sketches and pick the best 3 to be graded. Those three would be displayed to all the students in the class. This was to be their mid-term exam. Mike already knew that one of the drawings was going to be Rocco going into the bathroom just a few minutes ago. Naturally, he would probably not pick that one to be graded but would count it as one of his 6.


    Rocco appeared out the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist still damp from the hot shower. A little bit of steam floated off his shoulders. Mike took in this sight carefully as this would be a perfect sketch to do as well. Rocco took the towel off as he put on a pair of briefs.


    ¡°Hey, would you be opposed to me drawing you for my mid-term?¡± Mike asked watching Rocco put the rest of his clothes on.


    ¡°What?¡± Rocco wrinkled his brow at this question.


    ¡°We have to do a series of sketches and pick the best ones for a grade for our art midterm. The drawings all have to be related. I want to make you the theme of my project,¡± Mike explained.


    ¡°You want to draw me for your grade in art?¡± Rocco asked buttoning his shirt.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Mike said. ¡°I¡¯ve drawn you before. I know your face and body well enough I can draw you from memory.¡±


    Rocco stopped and looked at Mike for a moment. ¡°Sure, I guess.¡±


    ¡°I was going to do it anyway, but I figured it¡¯s a courtesy to at least ask,¡± Mike replied.


    ¡°In that case, I guess I don¡¯t have much of a choice,¡± Rocco laughed.


    ¡°Nope,¡± Mike said returning the laugh.


    ¡°Are there going to be any nudes in this series?¡± Rocco joking asked.


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Mike smirked.


    Rocco twisted his mouth into a look of disapproval. ¡°Well, then, do you have to make it obvious that I¡¯m the subject?¡±


    ¡°I could just call it ¡®R in the Cabin¡¯,¡± Mike thought.


    ¡°What about just ¡®Man in the Cabin¡¯,¡± Rocco suggested.


    ¡°Not ¡®Skater Punk in the Cabin¡¯?¡± Mike laughed.


    ¡°I kinda like that,¡± Rocco replied. ¡°But that¡¯ll link them to me.¡±


    ¡°Everyone¡¯s going to know anyway,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Yeah, but I don¡¯t want to make the connection obvious,¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll call the series ¡®Man in the Cabin¡¯,¡± Mike replied.


    ¡°Go get ready. I¡¯m getting hungry,¡± Rocco said.


    Mike got out of the bed, showered, and got dressed. They drove to the little store on the main road a few yards from the entrance of the state park. They picked out enough food and other supplies for today and the next day. When they got back, Rocco immediately put on a pot of water to make them some instant coffee and dug out some cookware that was left for cabin occupants. He put together a breakfast of scrambled eggs and toast while Mike started a fire. Neither of them realized just how hungry they were as they devoured their breakfasts by the small fire.


    The rain lasted most of the day which kept them indoors. They spent the day playing cards and listening to AM radio. Once, they came across an evangelical preacher on the dial. Rocco acted out the preacher¡¯s words while Mike pretended to be one of the preacher¡¯s congregates. A few times, they would take turns singing along to whatever song they recognized. The entire time, Mike started to capture images of Rocco to store in his memory for when he would work on his art project. He wanted to capture the fun and comfort that Rocco had brought to his life over the past few weeks.


    They had a late lunch/early dinner of hamburgers and chips which Mike made. As the fire started raged later that night, they made s¡¯mores and talked about their upcoming Christmas plans.


    ¡°We always go to my grandparents for a week for Christmas,¡± Mike mentioned while they ate s¡¯mores.


    ¡°A whole week?¡± Rocco asked with a touch of disappointment.


    ¡°Yeah, they live down in Atlanta,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Damn, a whole week without seeing you,¡± Rocco repeated.


    ¡°I know, I don¡¯t really want to go, but I have to,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Yeah, family obligations suck,¡± Rocco said looking at the fire. ¡°When do you all head down?¡±


    ¡°The day after break starts,¡± Mike replied.


    ¡°So, I¡¯ll get to see you before you go?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°Absolutely!¡± Mike exclaimed. ¡°I¡¯ve got to give you your Christmas present.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve already thought about that?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°Of course I have!¡± Mike said. Rocco looked at the fire realizing he hadn¡¯t given Christmas a single thought. What on earth could he get Mike? ¡°Haven¡¯t you?¡± Mike asked.


    Rocco laughed. ¡°It¡¯s a surprise,¡± he replied laughing and looking at Mike. He didn¡¯t want to give any indication that this was the first time he thought about a Christmas present for Mike. Luckily, there was still plenty of time.


    The next morning, they cleaned up the cabin and left it in the same condition as when they arrived. The weekend had flown by, and now they had to face the short span of time left before Christmas break.


    ¡°What do you think of coming here over break when I get back from Atlanta?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°I think that¡¯s a great idea!¡± Rocco exclaimed.


    ¡°Maybe we could have a New Year¡¯s Eve party?¡± Mike asked aloud.


    ¡°Oh yeah?¡± Rocco asked excited.


    ¡°Yeah, why not? I could get my dad to rent a bigger cabin, and we could have the guys in the band here,¡± Mike said. ¡°I think he trusts us enough not to trash the place. I know he¡¯d feel a lot better if it were a group of us instead of you and me. I mean, I could kinda tell he was apprehensive letting just us alone in a cabin the woods.¡±


    ¡°I can understand that,¡± Rocco replied. ¡°I¡¯m sure he knew we weren¡¯t just hiking.¡±


    Mike laughed. ¡°We didn¡¯t even do that.¡±


    Rocco looked off for a moment. ¡°Yeah, I like that idea. Let¡¯s do it!¡±


    ¡°Done,¡± Mike said and gave Rocco a kiss. ¡°I¡¯ll be sure we have a room to ourselves.¡±


    ¡°You better!¡± Rocco said. ¡°I really like this place. Can we make it our place?¡±


    Mike looked around the cabin. ¡°This is our place.¡±

 32. New Year鈥檚 Rocking Eve

    For the next week, Rocco agonized about what to get Mike for Christmas. Rocco¡¯s family had never celebrated Christmas¡ªat least from the religious standpoint. It was more of a secular holiday for Rocco and his mom. Even still, there was always a tree with presents under it in his household. Rocco was baptized a Roman Catholic, but he could not remember ever being in a Catholic church. Rocco knew that Mike¡¯s family were very religious. He didn¡¯t know what denomination they were, but he knew they were not Catholic. He also knew they were not evangelical. Perhaps they were Lutherans or Presbyterians. It didn¡¯t really matter to Rocco except that Christmas was a big deal to the Barbers.


    Rocco narrowed down a present to one of two categories: either something related to camping or something related to art. Rocco didn¡¯t know the first thing about camping aside from his excursions with Mike. Rocco also didn¡¯t know much about art supplies. He knew that Mike used pencils and papers but did not have a clue as to what pencils and what kind of paper were considered good. Rocco only knew about guitars and skateboards. Then, an idea popped into his head.


    Mike had started to learn skateboarding from Jared. He knew that Mike didn¡¯t have his own skateboard¡ªhe was either using one he rented from the park or one that Jared loaned him. What if he got Mike a skateboard? That would be perfect for Mike¡ªhis own skateboard. It was obvious to Rocco that Mike initially learned to skate just to be around Rocco but, over the course of weeks, Rocco started to pick up that Mike was really enjoying the sport. He asked Rocco what kind of a board to get if he were to ever buy one.


    Rocco had just one issue. Skateboards¡ªat least the good ones¡ªwere expensive. Most of the best ones were custom¡ªtop-quality parts put together. Anyone who was serious about boarding would never buy a pre-made all-in-one. They only bought the parts. That¡¯s what his board was. Over the summer, he bought a deck and had O¡¯Malley put grip tape on it. A few weeks later, he got some Independent trunks and some primo Spitfire wheels. His board probably cost him over $200 total in parts. Rocco had money from the shows that he was saving for his trip to California. Taking $200 from that pot of money would be worth it for Mike, but he preferred to save that money.


    Another idea came to him. What if instead of getting Mike a new board, he gave Mike his skateboard? Sure, he would have to get new wheels, but it was in decent shape. It was a well-loved board. Mike loved wearing Rocco¡¯s clothes, so why not give Mike something of his that Rocco really loved. He would give Mike his guitar if Mike knew how to play it. Since Mike knew how to skateboard, he would surely treasure Rocco¡¯s beloved board. He would have to get O¡¯Malley to order him some new wheels. He could also get Mike¡¯s name put on the board somewhere. Rocco loved this idea. His Christmas gift conundrum was solved.


    ¡°Dad?¡± Mike asked at the breakfast table a few days after the camping trip.


    ¡°Yes?¡± Dan replied as he shoveled a spoonful of bran flakes into his mouth.


    ¡°What would you say if a group of friends wanted to have a New Year¡¯s Eve party at one of the cabins?¡± Mike asked as his mom took his empty cereal bowl.


    ¡°A party in the woods?¡± Emily asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I like the sound of that.¡±


    ¡°Who would be going to this party in the woods?¡± his dad asked.


    ¡°Only the guys from the band really and their plus one,¡± Mike replied.


    ¡°And Rocco?¡± his dad raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Well, Rocco is in the band,¡± Mike replied.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Dan pondered. ¡°A group of teens in a cabin under my name. How do I know you guys aren¡¯t going to give it the rock star treatment?¡± Mike wrinkled his face into a confused expression. ¡°You know, trash it.¡±


    ¡°Well, I want to go to the cabin again so you would have my word and my future use of a cabin,¡± Mike vowed raising his hand in a scout¡¯s honor gesture.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m listening,¡± Dan said stretching out the response.


    ¡°If we trash it, then I would no longer be able to go camping in a cabin again,¡± Mike said and then though for a moment. ¡°I¡¯ve got my car for collateral?¡±


    ¡°I like the sound of this, keep going¡­¡± Dan continued.


    ¡°If we trash the cabin, no more cabins and no car for a month,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Wow! You¡¯re serious!¡± his dad replied.


    ¡°I am, Dad,¡± Mike said. ¡°I want to do this.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± his dad said, pondering a little more.


    ¡°Um,¡± Mike thought, ¡°we would all be in the middle of nowhere so we wouldn¡¯t have any place to drive.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a great point, honey,¡± his mom replied.


    Mike¡¯s dad thought for a minute then turned to Joe who was eating his cereal. ¡°Did you give him this idea?¡±


    ¡°No, Dad,¡± Joe said with his mouth full. ¡°This is the first I heard of it.¡±


    ¡°Are you doing anything on New Years?¡± Dan asked Joe.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure yet,¡± Joe responded.


    ¡°I will say yes if Joe can go and keep an eye on things,¡± Dan said.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Mike said having absolutely no issue if Joe and some his friends were also there. Mike and the guys from the band would be fine if they were there.


    ¡°Joe?¡± Dan asked.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Joe replied.


    ¡°Then, I¡¯m convinced. Deal,¡± Dan replied. ¡°Assuming there is a cabin available for a rowdy group of teenagers.¡±


    Joe and Mike rolled their eyes but laughed.


    ¡°So, who are you going to bring to the cabin, dear?¡± Mike¡¯s mom asked.


    Mike, Joe, and Dan all looked at each other not knowing what to say. At the breakfast table before school would not be a great time for Mike to tell Emily that his plus one would be Rocco, his boyfriend.


    ¡°Emily, dear, let¡¯s get the cabin first before we talk about the guest list,¡± Mike¡¯s dad responded much to Mike¡¯s relief.


    Emily nodded and went into the bedroom to get ready for work. Mike breathed exhaled loudly and looked at his dad.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to have to tell your mom. I¡¯ve been to blame here for persuading you to hold back. She¡¯s going to be mad that we all know about you and Rocco without letting her in on it,¡± Dan said in a low voice. ¡°I think we should wait until after your party.¡±


    ¡°Dad,¡± Mike said, ¡°it¡¯s not your issue.¡±


    ¡°It is now since I wanted you to wait so long,¡± Dan replied putting his hand on Mike¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Let me help you with this one.¡±


    Mike looked lovingly at his father. ¡°Thanks, Dad.¡±


    It was the day that Christmas break started. Rocco had new wheels on his skateboard and had O¡¯Malley paint Mike¡¯s name on the deck in an Old English font. O¡¯Malley was good at customizing decks. Rocco had his skateboard boxed up and wrapped nicely to give Mike. He was both excited and nervous¡ªexcited to see if Mike liked the present and nervous that he wouldn¡¯t.


    Mike turned around in his desk towards Rocco. ¡°I¡¯ll see you tonight after lights out?¡±


    ¡°As usual,¡± Rocco replied with an eager smile on his face. ¡°I can¡¯t wait!¡±


    ¡°Come to my house around 11. My parents are going to be in bed by 10 since they will want to get lots of sleep before we leave,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°What are you two whispering about?¡± Toya interrupted.


    ¡°Just our Christmas present exchange,¡± Mike answered.


    ¡°Is that what you are calling it now?¡± Moni laughed. Mike gave her an evil eye in jest.


    ¡°If I don¡¯t get to tell you, Merry Christmas fellas!¡± Toya said.


    ¡°Oh, that reminds me. What are you two doing for New Years?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Toya answered. Moni shrugged to indicate she had no idea what her plans were going to be.


    ¡°My dad rented a cabin for me and my friends. I am officially inviting you as guests,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Really?¡± Toya asked. ¡°I¡¯ll see if I can go.¡±


    Moni nodded. ¡°I¡¯m in. I¡¯m sure my parents will be okay.¡±


    ¡°Great! I¡¯ll give you the details when I get back,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Get back from where?¡± Moni asked.


    ¡°The family is going to Atlanta for a few days for Christmas,¡± Mike answered. The bell rang for class to start.


    ¡°Rocky! You¡¯re going to be alone for Christmas???¡± Toya said making an exaggerated frown. Rocco shrugged. ¡°You poor baby!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I guess I¡¯ll survive,¡± Rocco said mimicking Toya¡¯s sad expression. Moni put her hand on Rocco¡¯s shoulder out of empathy.


    ¡°Pobrecito!¡± Moni said.


    ¡°Yo s¨¦¡± Rocco replied.


    Rocco saw Mike waiting as he snuck up onto the patio as they had planned. The box his skateboard was wrapped in was large and awkward. He was surprised that he had not tripped and ripped the wrapping. When he saw Mike waiting, a little touch of melancholy ran through him. It was going to be almost a week that he wouldn¡¯t be able to snuggle with Mike.


    ¡°Hey, there!¡± Mike said in an excited whisper.


    ¡°Good evening!¡± Rocco said glad to see Mike.


    ¡°What are you carrying there?¡± Mike said knowing it was a present for him.


    ¡°Nothing. I just love carrying around boxes in wrapping paper,¡± Rocco laughed. He leaned in to give Mike a kiss. Mike willingly returned Rocco¡¯s kiss. Mike enjoyed the sensation of Rocco¡¯s warm soft lips on his. It was a chilly night. Mike had been waiting a few minutes but started to think it would be better to wait for Rocco inside. As they continued to kiss, the patio light came on.


    Both Rocco and Mike looked up in terror. Rocco almost dropped his present. Mike¡¯s dad was standing at the patio door. Mike turned bright red from both fear and embarrassment for being caught making out with his boyfriend on the patio. Mike¡¯s dad opened the door.


    ¡°Well, come on inside you two. You¡¯ll freeze your balls off out there,¡± Dan said stepping aside to allow the two teenagers to enter the warm house. Mike took Rocco¡¯s hand and led him inside. Neither of them looked at Mike¡¯s dad.


    ¡°I thought you were in bed,¡± Mike said looking at the floor. Rocco shifted his stance and looked at the floor with Mike.


    ¡°Obviously, you did. So, tell me what this is about?¡± Dan said.


    ¡°Dad,¡± Mike started. ¡°Please don¡¯t be mad at Rocco. This was all my idea. We wanted to see each other one more time before we left for Grandma and Grandpa¡¯s house. We wanted to swap Christmas presents.¡±


    ¡°I can see that,¡± Dan said. ¡°Rocco, do your parents know about this?¡±


    ¡°No, my mom doesn¡¯t know I snuck out of the house,¡± Rocco replied. Dan did not know about that his mom was single.


    ¡°I have the right mind to call her and let her know her son is out cavorting around,¡± Dan said.


    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Rocco said in a quiet voice.


    Dan looked at Mike and Rocco for a minute then softened his expression. ¡°Go on, you two. Have your Christmas together.¡±


    ¡°You mean it?¡± Mike said looking at Dan in disbelief.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a heartless bastard. I remember what it¡¯s like to be away from each other,¡± Dan said with a smile.


    ¡°Are you going to call Rocco¡¯s mom?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°No,¡± Dan replied. ¡°But don¡¯t stay too long. We¡¯ve got a drive tomorrow and you better be up and ready in the morning.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Dad!¡± Mike said with a look of excitement on his face¡ªsanctioned after hours time with Rocco.


    ¡°And you¡¯re on your own when you leave. If Mike¡¯s mom catches you leaving, I¡¯m going to pretend I didn¡¯t know anything about this,¡± Dan said to Rocco raising a finger.


    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Barber,¡± Rocco said. Mike took Rocco¡¯s hand and led him up to his room. Dan smiled as he watched the two go upstairs. He locked the door, turned out the light, and went back to bed.


    Mike closed the door of his bedroom behind Rocco. The room smelled of oranges and spice¡ªlikely his mom¡¯s choosing.


    ¡°Your dad is so cool,¡± Rocco said taking off his jacket.


    ¡°I know,¡± Mike said getting close to Rocco. ¡°But let¡¯s not ruin the moment talking about my dad.¡± Mike gave Rocco a deep kiss running his hands through Rocco¡¯s cold hair. Rocco placed the box down beside him and returned the gesture. They stood by the closed door kissing for a few minutes before Rocco broke away.


    ¡°Here,¡± Rocco handed Mike the box. ¡°Open it!¡±


    Mike took the box and gave Rocco a look. He motioned for Rocco to sit on the bed. Mike sat down next to Rocco and put the box on his lap.


    ¡°Go on! Open it!!!¡± Rocco exclaimed. He was desperate to know if Mike liked the present.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Mike ripped off the wrapping paper and opened the box. He stared at the contents, speechless.


    ¡°Merry Christmas!¡± Rocco exclaimed.


    ¡°Rocco,¡± Mike said. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say.¡± Mike took the skateboard out of the box and stared at it. He saw his name in Old English font.


    ¡°Say you like it!¡± Rocco said smiling ear to ear.


    ¡°It¡¯s your skateboard,¡± Mike said still stunned at the present.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s your skateboard,¡± Rocco exclaimed.


    ¡°You¡¯re giving me your skateboard??¡± Mike said looking at Rocco with a tear welling up in his eye. ¡°You love this skateboard.¡±


    ¡°Not as much as I love you,¡± Rocco said wiping away Mike¡¯s tear. A couple of tears fell down Mike¡¯s cheek which Rocco wiped away. ¡°I know how you¡¯re learning because of me and that you have to borrow or rent a board. I want you to have it.¡±


    ¡°Rocco,¡± Mike said. ¡°This is the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me. Thank you!¡±


    ¡°I had O¡¯Malley put on some new wheels because the ones on it were all chewed up. I had him put your name on the deck. Everything else on it is in good shape,¡± Rocco said running his hand over the deck.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t care if it were busted into pieces. I love it,¡± Mike said. ¡°I love you!¡± Mike leaned in to give Rocco a wet kiss but was blocked by the skateboard. He placed it on the floor and proceeded to kiss Rocco. Mike broke away and reached for a wrapped box under his bed. ¡°Now, for you. Merry Christmas, Rocco!¡±


    Rocco took the box and examined it. It was half the size of the skateboard box and a little lighter. He shook the box. There were a lot of loose pieces inside rattling around. Rocco looked up at Mike. Mike made a gesture for Rocco to open. Rocco unwrapped the box and looked at the present. It was a set of Legos that assembled into a medieval castle.


    ¡°Oh my God, Mike! Legos!¡± Rocco exclaimed and looked up at Mike.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure what style you liked but I figured you¡¯d get into the castle,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°I love it. How did you know I like Legos?¡± Rocco asked with a puzzled look on his face.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think I remember our trip to Walmart when you bought the frame for my drawing? You told me that you and your Dad would play with Legos,¡± Mike answered.


    Rocco smiled. He had almost forgotten about their Walmart adventure in the toy aisle. ¡°I¡¯m shocked you remembered that!¡±


    ¡°How could I possibly forget?¡± Mike said. Rocco gave Mike a kiss.


    ¡°Thank you!¡± Rocco said. Now he would have something to do that reminded him of Mike while he was visiting his family.


    ¡°Merry Christmas, Rocco,¡± Mike said looking at the skateboard. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe you gave me your skateboard.¡±


    ¡°Merry Christmas, Mike,¡± Rocco said. ¡°Hey how did that ¡®Guy in the Woods¡¯ project turn out?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah¡­you mean ¡®Man in the Cabin¡¯,¡± Mike replied. ¡°A¡¯s all around. A for design, A for technique, A for theme.¡±


    ¡°I knew you would ace it,¡± Rocco said sitting back on Mike¡¯s bed.


    ¡°Want to see?¡± Mike asked getting up.


    ¡°Of course!¡± Rocco replied.


    Mike went over to his desk and picked up a cardboard tube leaning against it. He uncapped the tube and shook out some rolled up papers. He took the papers over to Rocco. Rocco unrolled the papers to look at the drawings Mike had done. There were six. One was of Rocco from behind. One was of Rocco in a towel coming out of the shower. One was of Rocco laughing by the fireplace. One was of Rocco asleep in bed. One was of Rocco acting like a preacher. The last was of Rocco staring into the fireplace. Rocco swallowed hard trying to suppress his emotions. He was deeply touched not only by Mike¡¯s technique but also by the fact that Mike observed Rocco so closely during their trip.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± Mike asked eager to hear an honest response.


    ¡°I love each and every one of them,¡± Rocco said looking at the drawings a second time.


    ¡°My teacher wants me to submit a couple for the school art show,¡± Mike said with pride.


    ¡°You have to, Mike. These are too good to just keep stashed away,¡± Rocco said as he rolled up the drawings. ¡°Do you know which ones?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Mike replied. ¡°But probably not the butt shot or the one of you in a towel. I want to keep those to myself.¡±


    ¡°Come here,¡± Rocco said handing back the drawings. Mike placed the drawings on the floor and crawled up on the bed. Rocco laid on his back while Mike leaned in to make out with him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you a call as soon as we get back,¡± Mike said snuggling into Rocco¡¯s chest.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Rocco replied in a whisper.


    ¡°It¡¯s only a few days. I¡¯ll be back before you know it,¡± Mike said more as an assurance for himself.


    ¡°I know,¡± Rocco whispered. He gave Mike a final kiss for the night. As Rocco put his coat on, Mike handed him the Legos. Mike walked Rocco to the backdoor and out onto the patio. Mike waved as Rocco disappeared into the shadows.


    Christmas at Rocco¡¯s house was lonely. All his friends were busy celebrating the holiday with family either in town or abroad. His mom gave Rocco $500 for his summer in Los Angeles. Ever since he told his mom about applying to college closer to home, her mood was considerably more jovial. He couldn¡¯t count the number of times he heard her say ¡°thank God you¡¯ll be close to me.¡± Rocco hated that she wanted to cling to him like she did. She refused to let him grow-up which drove him further away.


    The day after Christmas, Rocco started to assemble the Lego set that Mike got him. He couldn¡¯t muster up the motivation because he missed Mike so much the first couple of days he was gone. The day he left, Rocco cried himself to sleep. The next day, he moped around the house. The day after that, he took a Christmas Eve drive looking at all the lights. His raw emotions settled down on the fourth day which was Christmas Day. The next day, he broke out the Legos and got to building. Not only did Legos remind him of his dad, but now they reminded him of Mike¡ªthe two most important men in his life.


    On the sixth night, the phone rang. It was Mike.


    ¡°I¡¯m back,¡± Mike¡¯s voice said from the other end.


    ¡°I have missed you so much,¡± Rocco said without attempting to hide his excitement.


    ¡°We just got in the door, and I ran to call,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you did!¡± Rocco exclaimed.


    ¡°How was your Christmas?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Awful without you,¡± Rocco said earnestly.


    ¡°Mine too. My grandma kept asking if I was dating any pretty girls,¡± Mike said. He and Rocco laughed. ¡°My dad kept having to tell her to drop it in a nice way.¡±


    ¡°Man, I love your Dad,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Mike replied.


    ¡°You want me to come over tonight?¡± Rocco asked eagerly.


    ¡°I¡¯m really beat. Do you think we could get together tomorrow?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Rocco replied. Rocco understood that after being with his family and after a long drive, Mike must be exhausted. Rocco was still disappointed.


    ¡°Come over tomorrow during normal business hours,¡± Mike giggled. ¡°I¡¯ve got a New Year¡¯s Eve Party to plan and only a few days to do it! My dad got us a cabin.¡±


    ¡°Absolutely!¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to go, but I just wanted to hear your voice,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you did,¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Okay, good night, Wayne,¡± Mike said chuckling.


    ¡°Good night, Garth!¡± Rocco laughed and hung up the phone.


    ¡°Mom, my ride¡¯s here,¡± Rocco said zipping up his backpack of overnight items.


    ¡°Have a great time at the party. Be careful,¡± Rocco¡¯s mom said looking up from her magazine. ¡°You guys stay off the roads.¡±


    ¡°Mom, I told you. We are going to be in a cabin in the woods. We don¡¯t have any place to go,¡± Rocco reassured his mother.


    ¡°Still, you never know!¡± his mom said getting up. She gave Rocco a kiss on the cheek. ¡°Happy New Year!¡±


    ¡°Happy New Year!¡± Rocco said and walked out the door.


    Joe was driving them to the cabin. In the front seat was Tiffany. Mike was in the back.


    ¡°Hey cuz!¡± Tiffany greeted Rocco as he hopped in the back seat. ¡°You ready to get this party started?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely!¡± Rocco said.


    ¡°Hey there,¡± Mike said taking Rocco by the hand. ¡°Happy New Years!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not the new year yet,¡± Rocco said with a sly look on his face.


    ¡°Here,¡± Tiffany handed Rocco a Solo cup. ¡°One for the road!¡± Rocco took a sip of what was in the cup. It was the standard teenager drink¡ªvodka and Sundrop¡ªheavy on the vodka.


    ¡°Well, if we run out of gas, we can use this!¡± Rocco exclaimed as he exhaled fire breath.


    ¡°Go easy on that. I want you coherent for my new year¡¯s kiss,¡± Mike whispered.


    ¡°You can have a New Year¡¯s Eve kiss right now,¡± Rocco said and leaned over to give Mike a light kiss on the lips.


    ¡°Save that for the cabin!¡± Joe said as he backed out of the parking spot and out of the lot.


    ¡°Who¡¯s going to be at the cabin?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°Well, I invited Jared, Rusty, Chris, Toya, and Moni. And then all the guys in the band,¡± Mike replied.


    ¡°How is everyone getting to the cabin?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°Well, I think Jared, Rusty, Toya and Moni are going with Chris. Pete said he¡¯s coming up with Austin and Wendy. Raz and Meigs will be coming in Meigs¡¯s car,¡± Mike replied.


    ¡°And the cabin has enough bedrooms?¡± Rocco asked.


    ¡°Well, we will have to double up, but it should work out,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°I guess we will have to sneak off at some point,¡± Rocco whispered.


    ¡°I guess we will!¡± Mike whispered back.


    The drive to the cabin took a little over an hour. The larger cabins were close to the entrance and did not require the long winding journey involved with getting to the smaller cabin where Rocco and Mike stayed. Even though Rocco only finished half his drink, he was already feeling the effects of the vodka. He could tell Mike was also feeling the liquor as he was more amorous than usual.


    ¡°Okay, everyone is supposed to be here in an hour. That will give us some time to set up and claim our spots,¡± Joe said as he unlocked the door to the cabin. It was a large two story 5-bedroom cabin with 3 bathrooms. The first floor was an open room with a living room area and fireplace. Off to the corner was a kitchen and dining area. Upstairs where four small bedrooms and one large bunk room with several beds. If they utilized the couches, no one would have to sleep on the floor.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go claim our room!¡± Mike said leading Rocco by the hand upstairs. Mike and Rocco looked in each of the bedrooms. They all had the same layout and d¨¦cor, so it didn¡¯t matter which room they chose.


    ¡°How about this one?¡± Rocco said entering the bedroom next to the bunk room. ¡°I mean, they all look the same.¡±


    ¡°This one is perfect,¡± Mike said and sat down on the bed. He patted the spot next to him to indicate to Rocco to sit next to him. Rocco happily put his bag down on the floor and obliged Mike¡¯s request. Mike cupped Rocco¡¯s chin in his hand and pulled him in to give him a kiss. They remained in a passionate lip lock until they were interrupted by Joe.


    ¡°I see you¡¯ve chosen a room,¡± Joe said standing at the door of bedroom with Tiffany.


    Mike and Rocco separated from their kiss and looked at Joe and Tiffany coyly. Tiffany laughed and went into the room across the hall. Joe remained for a moment.


    ¡°You know you might have to share the room with someone,¡± Joe reminded them.


    ¡°We will manage,¡± Mike said. Joe walked out leaving the two alone in the room. Rocco laid on his back looking up at the ceiling. Mike laid beside Rocco on his side and rested his head on Rocco¡¯s chest. Mike could hear Rocco¡¯s steady heartbeat. Rocco took one of Mike¡¯s soft hands and wove their fingers together.


    Chris pulled up to the cabin with Toya, Moni, and Jared in tow. According to Jared, Rusty had the flu all during break and couldn¡¯t make it out of bed. Joe promptly supplied them with alcoholic beverages and showed everyone upstairs. Toya and Moni chose to stay in one of the empty bedrooms next to Mike and Rocco. Chris and Jared picked one of the four beds in the bunk room. Within fifteen minutes of the first group picking rooms, Austin, Pete, and Wendy arrived. Austin and Wendy chose the remaining bedroom while Pete took one of the bunk beds. Five minutes later, Raz and Meigs pulled in to be left with a sofa and the one remaining bed.


    The evening naturally progressed into two groups. Mike, Chris, Jared, Moni, and Toya hung out in one corner of the living room while Rocco, Pete, Austin, Raz, Meigs and Wendy hung out in the kitchen area. Joe and Tiffany spent most of the evening in the bedroom.


    ¡°I heard you made the baseball team, Mikey! Congratulations,¡± Toya said in her exaggerated excitement.


    ¡°Thank you!¡± Mike replied.


    ¡°The baseball team?¡± Jared asked. ¡°So, you are turning jock on me?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Mike replied. ¡°Not at all.¡±


    ¡°You gonna have time to skateboard?¡± Jared asked.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Mike said. ¡°Especially since Rocco gave me his skateboard for Christmas.¡±


    ¡°What???¡± Jared asked shocked.


    ¡°Yeah, he put new wheels on it and got my name painted on it,¡± Mike replied.


    ¡°No fucking way!¡± Jared exclaimed. ¡°I thought he was just taking a breather, but I guess he¡¯s giving up the boarding.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s giving it up,¡± Mike responded. ¡°I just think he has different priorities right now.¡±


    ¡°Well, you learned for him,¡± Jared replied.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Mike said. ¡°But I really enjoy my time in the bowl. I want to stick with it for now.¡±


    ¡°Plus, you got your sweet board now,¡± Jared said. Mike laughed and nodded. Mike looked over at Rocco deep in a conversation with his bandmates. Rocco seemed to be having a good time.


    ¡°So, you really give lessons?¡± Chris asked.


    ¡°You interested?¡± Jared replied.


    ¡°Yeah, I could be. I mean, I¡¯ve never been on one. I don¡¯t know if I¡¯d like it,¡± Chris said.


    ¡°There¡¯s only one way to find out,¡± Mike added.


    ¡°Yeah, sign me up,¡± Chris said.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you your first lesson free,¡± Jared said giving Chris a wink.


    ¡°Sweet!¡± Chris exclaimed.


    ¡°What is it about baseball that you like so much?¡± Jared asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t really know. Being on the field, the feel of the ball. There¡¯s just something about it that kinda centers me, I guess,¡± Mike replied.


    ¡°Yeah, same here. And I love the cheer of the crowd. I couldn¡¯t make football or basketball, but I seemed to be a natural for baseball,¡± Chris said. Mike nodded at Chris¡¯s statement in agreement.


    ¡°I don¡¯t get it,¡± Jared said.


    ¡°You¡¯re talking like we are the jocks, but skateboarding is pretty physical, too,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Yes, I guess it is,¡± Jared thought. ¡°I guess it is. They should make it a sport, right?¡±


    ¡°I totally agree,¡± Mike said.


    Rocco occasionally looked over at Mike talking with his friends. Of course, Rocco was friendly with them and enjoyed hanging out with them, but he didn¡¯t quite fit in with that group. Those people were Mike¡¯s friends. He only knew Toya and Moni because of Mike. He knew Jared from the park but had not interacted with him that much until Mike came along. He didn¡¯t know anything about Chris. Mike seemed to be getting along just fine without Rocco.


    Rocco felt a pang of jealously run through his veins. When he went away for college in the fall, Mike was going to be fine socially. Rocco wondered if he would even be missed by Mike and his group¡ªout of sight, out of mind. What made Rocco jealous was that, without him, Mike would go on. Without Mike, Rocco was afraid that he would have nothing. He wanted Mike all to himself. It wasn¡¯t until that moment that Rocco realized just how possessive he could become. Perhaps, that was his family illness coming to surface¡ªthe sickening possessiveness his mother had for him.


    Rocco shook off his compulsion to pull Mike away. He was being silly. No one was taking Mike away from him. It was perfectly normal and healthy to have others in your social circle besides your love interest. Rocco had his band mates which were right here in front of him. But still, Rocco was jealous. Mike would have two more years at Miners Creek¡ªtwo years without Rocco. A dreadful thought hit Rocco. When he left for college, who would Mike go out with next? Mike was a sweet, handsome fellow. When Rocco was gone, there was certain to be a line waiting to be his next. With Mike open to being with both sexes, his chances of finding a replacement were twice as high.


    ¡°Rocco,¡± Meigs said. ¡°You okay?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Rocco said still half in his daze.


    ¡°You looked like you were a million miles away,¡± Meigs said with a deep vein of empathy.


    ¡°Oh, yeah,¡± Rocco said. ¡°I was just thinking about what¡¯s going to happen after graduation.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wondering if you and Mike will still be an item?¡± Meigs¡¯s perception was uncanny.


    Rocco chuckled. ¡°Yeah, yeah, I am.¡±


    Meigs inhaled deeply. ¡°Yeah, I wonder about me and Raz after graduation too.¡±


    Rocco laughed at his foolishness. Of course, he wasn¡¯t the only person going through these emotions. Every person in high school goes through these emotions¡ªwondering if they will really stay in touch with the people they chose to be around. Every person in high school wonders if their relationships will last the miles apart. None of his emotions right now were novel.


    ¡°I guess we just have to enjoy the time we have,¡± Rocco thought.


    ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you philosophical, So-crates,¡± Pete interjected himself into the conversation.


    ¡°That happens sometimes,¡± Rocco laughed.


    ¡°Why are you two so melancholy?¡± Wendy asked.


    ¡°Ah,¡± Rocco waved. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Just New Year¡¯s musings, I guess. If I could save time in a bottle bullshit.¡±


    ¡°Pass the weed,¡± Pete said.


    ¡°What? I don¡¯t have any,¡± Rocco retorted.


    ¡°I thought you must be baked with all the deep thoughts, Jack Handy,¡± Pete laughed.


    ¡°And now, Deep Thoughts, with Jack Handy,¡± Raz piped up.


    Jared joined Mike and Chris out on the porch of the cabin. The cold air hit his lungs.


    ¡°What¡¯s up guys?¡± Jared asked.


    ¡°We¡¯re just talking about the baseball team,¡± Chris answered.


    ¡°Mike,¡± Jared asked in a serious tone. ¡°You¡¯ve become a close friend to me this past semester. You¡¯ve given me rides all over town. You helped with my skateboard lessons. I¡¯ve been able to make so much money these past few weeks.¡±


    ¡°I feel the same, Jared,¡± Mike said sensing Jared was getting emotional.


    ¡°I hope that being on a sports team doesn¡¯t change our friendship,¡± Jared said looking at Mike.


    Mike¡¯s heart melted when Jared said this. ¡°Of course, our friendship is not going to change. You were one of the first people I told about me and Rocco.¡±


    ¡°I just don¡¯t want you to become one of these mindless jocks. I enjoy spending time with you,¡± Jared said to Mike.


    ¡°Jared,¡± Mike started. ¡°I¡¯m always going to be your friend. You¡¯re gonna get sick of me.¡± Jared laughed at this statement and punched Mike on the shoulder.


    ¡°I know you two are tight. I hope you have room for me,¡± Jared said looking over at Chris.


    ¡°There¡¯s always room for you,¡± Chris said. Jared nodded but Chris went over to Jared to give him a hug. ¡°You¡¯ve taken care of Mike when I was being a total dick. You¡¯re a top-notch dude.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to make sure you always have a seat at all of our games,¡± Mike said. ¡°If you are ever interested in coming to one.¡±


    ¡°Of course! I¡¯ll be there!¡± Jared said and smiled.


    ¡°I¡¯m serious about those lessons,¡± Chris said to Jared.


    ¡°Next week, man, I¡¯ve got a spot for you,¡± Jared replied.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen you since everyone got here,¡± Rocco whispered to Mike as he approached Mike sitting on the couch.


    ¡°I know!¡± Mike said leaning over to gently kiss Rocco on the neck.


    ¡°I like that!¡± Rocco said giving Mike a sly smirk.


    ¡°There¡¯s plenty of that to come,¡± Mike returned the smirk.


    ¡°Hey guys, it¡¯s almost time,¡± Toya announced. ¡°Has everyone made their New Year¡¯s resolutions?¡±


    ¡°Bah,¡± Pete croaked. ¡°Resolutions only get broken.¡±


    ¡°That may be but at least you¡¯ve got something to work on,¡± Moni replied.


    ¡°What¡¯s your resolution?¡± Mike asked Rocco.


    Rocco thought for a moment, ¡°My resolution is to love you more.¡±


    ¡°More? How much more can you love me?¡± Mike asked with a sarcastic tone. Rocco laughed at his expression.


    ¡°I guess you¡¯ll find out,¡± Rocco said. ¡°What¡¯s yours?¡±


    ¡°My resolution?¡± Mike asked. Rocco nodded. Mike hadn¡¯t even given a resolution any consideration. He could say draw more. He could say skate more. He could say love you forever. He knew in his heart however that, despite all his best intentions, this would be a resolution he would break. The thought of Rocco going away to college never left him. The more time he spent with Rocco lately, the more he realized that dreaded day would come¡ªthe day that Rocco would leave him in Miners Creek alone. He couldn¡¯t stand the idea that one day Rocco would be his ex-boyfriend. His ability to enjoy the present was constantly hindered with his dread.


    Mike swallowed his dread and replied, ¡°My resolution is to love you forever.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s countdown time!¡± Toya exclaimed.


    Everyone started to chant the countdown to the New Year. ¡°10¡­9¡­8¡­7¡­6¡­5¡­4¡­3¡­2¡­1¡­HAPPY NEW YEAR!¡±


    Everyone cheered. Someone brought a bottle of sparkling wine which shocked everyone with a POP. Solo cups of cheap ¡®champagne¡¯ were passed around for everyone to partake.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t given me my New Year¡¯s kiss yet,¡± Mike said to Rocco.


    ¡°Happy New Year, Mike,¡± Rocco leaned in and kissed Mike sweetly on the lips. Mike¡¯s lips were soft and tasted sweet from soda.


    ¡°Happy New Year, Rocco,¡± Mike replied and returned the kiss.

 33. Valentine鈥檚 Day Dance

    Mike was miles away lying in bed when his dad entered his room.


    ¡°Hey, Dad,¡± Mike said and sat up in bed.


    Dan pulled up the chair from the desk and rolled it over to the bed. He took a seat in the chair and faced Mike.


    ¡°So, I think it¡¯s time we let your mother know about you and Rocco,¡± Dan said with a look of concern on his face.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about that,¡± Mike said and looked down at the floor. ¡°I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s such a great idea.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Dan said changing his expression from concern to bewilderment.


    ¡°Well,¡± Mike started. ¡°I¡¯m just not sure how long Rocco and I are going to be together.¡±


    ¡°Are you guys having problems?¡± Dan asked.


    ¡°No, not at all,¡± Mike replied. ¡°It¡¯s just that he¡¯s a senior and going away to college in the fall. He¡¯s planning on spending the summer in LA, so I won¡¯t see much of him after graduation. When he goes away to college, I¡¯m not sure he¡¯s going to want to have a boyfriend who¡¯s still in high school.¡±


    ¡°I hear what you are saying,¡± Dan responded.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I want to break up with Rocco. I just doubt that we will still be together after graduation. I think our worlds are going to drift apart so much that we won¡¯t stay together,¡± Mike continued in a solemn voice.


    ¡°I understand,¡± Dan replied.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to upset Mom unnecessarily. I mean, if I had to label myself, I¡¯d say I¡¯m fluid in my sexuality, but, if Rocco and I are over in a few months, then why bother mentioning anything?¡± Mike said finally looking up at his dad.


    ¡°You¡¯ve said some valid things,¡± Dan replied. ¡°You¡¯ve really given a lot of thought to all this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about this a lot lately¡ªmore so since New Years. Every time I see Rocco now, I keep thinking what¡¯s going to happen to us in a few months. It makes me a little sad every time I lay my eyes on him,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°That¡¯s pretty terrible that you even have to think about your relationship like that,¡± Dan said.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s going to get worse the closer it gets to summer,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Breaking up is never easy,¡± Dan replied.


    ¡°It¡¯s not something I want to do, but I¡¯m sure it¡¯s going to happen. I just don¡¯t want Rocco to be bitter towards me. Wherever he is and whoever he¡¯s dating, I want him to look back on me fondly,¡± Mike thought.


    Dan sighed. ¡°I can¡¯t guarantee that¡¯s going to happen. Have you told Rocco about your feelings?¡±


    ¡°I just love him too much to bring it up,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°You should tell him how you feel. The longer you wait, the more of a surprise it will be for him. That will not end up well,¡± Dan added.


    ¡°Yeah, I know,¡± Mike said looking back down at the floor. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m being stupid even thinking about this?¡±


    ¡°No, not at all,¡± Dan said. ¡°It just pains me that you are facing a life lesson like this. That everything in life will have an end.¡±


    Mike laid back on the bed and put his hands above his head. ¡°So, enjoy the time you have?¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Dan said.


    ¡°I keep telling myself to enjoy our time together. It worked at first, but it doesn¡¯t work so well anymore,¡± Mike said looking up at the ceiling.


    ¡°It never has for me,¡± Dan agreed. ¡°Okay, we will not tell your mother about you and Rocco. You¡¯re right. There¡¯s no reason for her to get all riled up to have Rocco go off to college in a few months.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Dad,¡± Mike said and looked over at his dad. Dan got up and put the chair back with the desk. When his dad left the room, Mike took Rocco¡¯s hat and put it on his head. He had worn the hat so much that it had started to mold itself to his head instead of Rocco¡¯s. Rocco¡¯s scent was long gone from the hat but that didn¡¯t matter. Mike still got comfort knowing it had once been on Rocco¡¯s head.


    Mike and Chris were sitting on the bleachers after baseball practice. They were wearing their uniforms ¨C a dark blue stripped with red and white. Mike was wearing Rocco¡¯s cap even though he had a uniform cap. The coach handed out sheets of paper.


    ¡°This is a calendar of practice and of our games for the rest of the year,¡± the Coach announced. ¡°Be sure to keep these handy and to let me know if you are going to miss anything.¡±


    When he got one of the calendars, Mike¡¯s heart dropped at the number of practices and games that were on the calendar. Practice was three days a week. Games were every Saturday. This was a full schedule. There was going to be little time to hang out with Rocco or Jared. He loved playing baseball so much. Ever since he put on his mitt again, he felt a new calling.


    ¡°This is an intense schedule,¡± Chris remarked as they headed to the locker room to change out of their uniforms.


    ¡°Yeah, lots of games and practice,¡± Mike said looking at the paper.


    ¡°This is going to cut into your skateboarding time,¡± Chris remarked.


    ¡°Yeah, I know. I like being on the team though. I don¡¯t want to give it up,¡± Mike said folding the paper in his pocket.


    ¡°Cheer up old pal. You¡¯ll work through it!¡± Chris said running into the locker room.


    Mike stopped at the door. This was yet another roadblock in his relationship with Rocco. Of course, he could quit the team to spend his time with Rocco. However, quitting would hurt his chances on getting back on the team when Rocco was gone. He was going to be stuck here another two years, and he wanted something of his own liking for those two years.


    ¡°Hey Rocco,¡± Mike said as he took his time to sit in his seat for class.


    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s going on? You don¡¯t look like you¡¯re in a great mood,¡± Rocco replied with a look of empathy on his face. Rocco was concerned about what may have happened to Mike between yesterday and this morning.


    ¡°We got the schedule for our baseball practice and for our games,¡± Mike replied giving Rocco a sad look.


    ¡°It¡¯s that good, huh?¡± Rocco chuckled trying to give the moment a bit of lightness.


    ¡°Baseball is going to put quite a dent in my social life. I¡¯m not going to get to see you as much anymore,¡± Mike replied.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Rocco asked. Mike handed him a folded-up piece of paper. It was the schedule the coach passed out yesterday. Rocco unfolded the paper and looked over the sheet. ¡°Oh, I see what you mean.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Mike replied. ¡°I¡¯ve got games when you are playing at the skatepark on Saturdays. Plus, all the practice during the week. I¡¯m not going to get to practice skateboarding nearly as much as I want.¡±


    Rocco sat back in his chair and thought for a moment. ¡°How much do you like baseball?¡±


    ¡°I love it,¡± Mike said not realizing his facial expression perked up.


    ¡°Yeah, I picked up on that,¡± Rocco mumbled. ¡°I can¡¯t ask you to give up something that you love so much.¡±


    ¡°But I want to see you too,¡± Mike pouted. Rocco was so moved by Mike¡¯s sincerity in his statement that it took his breath away for a moment.


    ¡°See, your games are during the day on Saturday. We don¡¯t play until night. You can still make our shows,¡± Rocco reassured Mike. ¡°We can manage this.¡±


    ¡°You think so?¡± Mike asked. Mike was certain he would be beat after games so he knew he would likely not be up for a nighttime concert.


    ¡°I know so. It¡¯ll just mean you won¡¯t be able to come to as many of my shows as you used to. We will manage,¡± Rocco replied.


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t bother you?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Not at all. I want you to enjoy the fuck out of baseball. When you¡¯re happy, I¡¯m happy,¡± Rocco smiled sweetly at Mike. Seeing Rocco¡¯s smile instantly lifted Mike¡¯s spirits. He loved it when Rocco flashed him his crooked little smile. It was both sweet and mischievous.


    ¡°You think you might want to come to one of my games sometime?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯d love to. I bet you look hot in your baseball uniform,¡± Rocco replied, his smile changing from sweet to sly. Mike blushed.


    ¡°You know, I always wear your hat instead of the uniform cap. Everyone thinks I¡¯m really into the Yankees,¡± Mike replied.


    ¡°You¡¯re not?¡± Rocco replied sarcastically.


    ¡°Nah,¡± Mike said. ¡°I only wear it because it reminds me of you.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Rocco said. ¡°I¡¯m not into them either.¡±


    ¡°Then why did you even buy it?¡± Mike asked bewildered at Rocco¡¯s response.


    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°I wanted a hat and really the only baseball team I could think of was the New York Yankees,¡± Rocco replied with a shrug.


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Simple as that,¡± Rocco replied. Mike chuckled at Rocco¡¯s rationale for buying a Yankees cap¡ªtypical of Rocco.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been wanting to ask you something all week,¡± Rocco said changing the subject quickly.


    ¡°Yes?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°Would you go to the Valentine¡¯s Day Dance with me?¡± Rocco asked Mike. Rocco put his hands together mimicking a pleading motion. Mike looked at Rocco for a moment to take in this image. He would never forget how romantic Rocco could be, and he wanted to remember this moment forever. ¡°We don¡¯t have to hide behind masks or anything this time. We can go openly as a couple.¡±


    ¡°It would be an honor to be your date, Rocco,¡± Mike said blinking away the beginnings of his misty eyes.


    ¡°You mean it?¡± Rocco replied blinking his eyelashes a few times.


    ¡°I mean it,¡± Mike smiled.


    ¡°You¡¯re going get me all verklempt,¡± Rocco replied as he started grasping for imaginary big hair.


    ¡°Oh my GOD, that was so funny!¡± Mike exclaimed. ¡°Linda, don¡¯t tawk to me. I¡¯m having a bad hair day!¡±


    They were acting out a Saturday Night Live skit that had recently aired. It was the Coffee Talk skit with Mike Myers, Madonna, and Rosanne Barr in which they acted like a trio of stereotypically Jewish New York ladies. Mike started to roll his tongue over his teeth and sucked in air trying to clean something from between his teeth.


    ¡°Ya hair is like butta,¡± Rocco replied trying to mimick Mike Myers¡¯s impression of a character named Linda Richman. Neither Rocco nor Mike knew anything about Jewish culture, but the skit was hilarious all the same. ¡°This dance is going be like butta.¡±


    ¡°Like a big stick of butta,¡± Mike replied as they both had to contain their laughing before the start of class. Rocco loved to cheer up Mike. He hated to see his little guy wallow in misery.


    Mike sat down at the lunch table with Chris, Jared, and Rusty. It was a particularly unappetizing mixture of mystery meat and randomly thrown together vegetables. Of course, Jared had already finished half of his tray by the time Mike sat down at the table.


    ¡°Hey Mikey,¡± Jared said. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s up?¡± Mike asked the table.


    ¡°Did you hear the news about Stanton?¡± Chris asked.


    ¡°What news?¡± Mike asked. He hadn¡¯t seen much of Stanton since last semester.


    ¡°He¡¯s going to a private school now,¡± Chris asked.


    ¡°What?¡± Mike was stunned at this revelation.


    ¡°Yeah, he told his parents he wanted to transfer somewhere else, so they enrolled him in that private Catholic school one town over,¡± Chris informed the group.


    ¡°Really? I didn¡¯t think he was Catholic,¡± Mike pondered.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be to go,¡± Chris said. ¡°My parents thought about doing that. I pitched a fit about it, so they backed off.¡±


    ¡°Wow, no more Stanton,¡± Mike thought. He was not unhappy about this piece of information. Stanton was a dick. He had become a non-entity once the school became more gay tolerant. This must have sent Stanton over the edge to want to leave. Mike was not going to be sad at this news.


    ¡°Yeah, no more Stanton,¡± Chris repeated.


    ¡°Hey, Jared,¡± Mike said. ¡°Listen, I¡¯ve got some bad news.¡± Chris stopped picking at the Salisbury steak to hear what Mike was about to say. Jared also stopped eating to look at Mike.


    ¡°Uh-oh,¡± Jared said putting his fork down.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I may not be at skateboard practice as much this semester. I¡¯m going to have baseball practice during the week which is going to cut into my practice time,¡± Mike explained.


    ¡°Oh, I see,¡± Jared replied looking down at his tray. ¡°I was afraid things were going to change once you joined the team.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯ll take a lot of time. More than I thought it would,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°So, I¡¯ll see less of you?¡± Jared asked downtrodden.


    ¡°Well, just for skateboard practice. I mean, we are always going to have lunch. And I¡¯ll always be able to pick you up for school. I just won¡¯t be able to take you home since practice is right after school,¡± Mike replied.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Jared replied with one of the saddest expressions Mike had ever seen Jared make.


    ¡°Our games are on Saturdays, but they are during the day. I will always make sure that you have a seat at the game whether you want to come or not. We will make sure you get to the shows in time to set up. That is, if you ever want to come to a game,¡± Mike tried to reassured Jared.


    Jared thought for a moment. ¡°Yeah, I guess that could work. We¡¯ll just have to make it work.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Mike said grabbing his fork to dig into his lunch.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t care if I went to a game?¡± Jared asked.


    ¡°I would fucking love to see you there! I¡¯ll need my best bro there to cheer me on.¡± Mike said. Jared¡¯s face lit up. Mike was amazed at how much he meant to Jared. They had grown close over this year, but it wasn¡¯t until this moment that Mike realized how much Jared valued their friendship. Jared always had a rough exterior, but Mike knew deep down Jared was just a kid that wanted to belong to a group. Jared belonged to Mike¡¯s group no matter what.


    Mike admired himself in the mirror. His suit and tie matched perfectly. His hair was slicked back with copious amounts of gel. He even managed to neatly fold his pocket square. His intention was to leave Rocco breathless. The chance of doing so was going to be very high. This was the night of the Valentine¡¯s Day Dance. While this dance paled in comparison to the Prom or even the Halloween Dance, it was a significant event for him and Rocco. It was going to be the first time they attended a dance together out in the open as a couple. It wasn¡¯t going to be like the Halloween dance when they could hide behind masks. Tonight, everyone would know Mike and Rocco were an item.


    Joe came in all dressed up, not in a suit, but in a fashionable ensemble. He was wearing a pair of slacks and button-up shirt that was tailored to highlight his physique. His hair was neatly parted to the side.


    ¡°Wow!¡± Joe said. ¡°Look at you in a suit!¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡± Mike said making a turn to show off his attire.


    ¡°You went all out.¡± Joe said impressed.


    ¡°Is it too much?¡± Mike asked looking at the suit.


    ¡°Not at all!¡± Joe said. ¡°A suit and tie are never too much.¡±


    ¡°I just wanted to look good for the dance,¡± Mike said looking at himself in the mirror again.


    ¡°You mean, you want to look good for Rocco,¡± Joe said smirking.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Mike giggled and smoothed out the blazer.


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re going to knock him dead,¡± Joe said.


    ¡°You think so?¡± Mike asked.


    ¡°I know so,¡± Joe said. ¡°Why are you so worried about this? You know Rocco will approve.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Mike said facing Joe. ¡°I just wanted to do something extra nice.¡±


    Joe gave him a puzzled look. ¡°Something extra nice?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Mike said looking down. ¡°I told him about my practice and game schedule. He pretended to be okay with it, but I could tell he was kinda sad about all the time baseball will take up.¡±


    ¡°I get it,¡± Joe said. ¡°Sports take up a lot of time, but he¡¯ll understand.¡±


    ¡°He said we will manage it,¡± Mike said. ¡°I just don¡¯t want him to think I¡¯m moving on.¡±


    ¡°Moving on?¡± Joe said.


    ¡°You guys are graduating this year and going off to college. I¡¯ve still got two years. I feel like I need to carve my own path after you guys are gone,¡± Mike explained.


    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Joe said slowly. ¡°Aren¡¯t you guys going to continue to be boyfriends?¡±


    ¡°I definitely want to,¡± Mike replied. ¡°But I know the deal. He¡¯s going to go off and have this great college experience. I don¡¯t want to hold him back from that.¡±


    ¡°You really think of yourself as something that¡¯s holding him back?¡± Joe asked.


    ¡°A little,¡± Mike said. ¡°I don¡¯t want him to be obligated to come back every weekend to see me and miss out on the excitement of his freshman year at college. He¡¯s going to make new friends and probably find someone in college to date.¡±


    Joe stood and looked at his brother for a moment. ¡°You really think that¡¯s how it¡¯s going to end up?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just preparing for it,¡± Mike said kicking at the carpet.


    ¡°Oh, Mike,¡± Joe reached up and put his hand on Mike¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You can¡¯t predict how anything is going to happen. You shouldn¡¯t be focused on something that may or may not happen.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t help it,¡± Mike said looking up at Joe.


    ¡°Hey, that¡¯s a way off. Just enjoy tonight,¡± Joe said with a soft smile.


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Mike said shaking his head. ¡°It¡¯s not going to happen tonight so don¡¯t think about it.¡±


    ¡°Not tonight,¡± Joe said.


    ¡°Ok,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Are you ready to go?¡± Joe said.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Mike said nervously laughing. ¡°Rocco is picking me up here.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay then,¡± Joe said. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll see you at the dance.¡± Joe walked out of Mike¡¯s room. Mike walked over to the bed and sat down. Rocco was going to be at his house in ten minutes. He had some time to get in the right frame of mind. Tonight, he was not going to think about the Fall. He was only going to focus on tonight even if it killed him to do so.


    A few minutes later, a pair of headlights entered the driveway which meant that Rocco was here. Mike exhaled deeply and made his way downstairs. His parents were sitting on the couch watching tv.


    ¡°I think my ride is here,¡± Mike announced to his parents. Both turned around to look at Mike. They were both impressed at the way Mike looked.


    ¡°Well, don¡¯t you look handsome!¡± Emily exclaimed and got up to approach Mike.


    ¡°Thanks, mom,¡± Mike said.


    ¡°Who¡¯s the lucky girl?¡± his mom asked.


    ¡°Oh, a bunch of guys decided to go stag,¡± Mike replied and looked at his dad. His dad gave him a nod and a smile.


    ¡°You¡¯re going stag and wearing a suit?¡± his mom asked in surprise. ¡°That¡¯s a little odd.¡±


    ¡°Well, I want to make a good impression. We may not have dates but who knows who I¡¯ll meet there,¡± Mike retorted and smiled. Emily laughed out loud.


    ¡°Oh, okay, honey,¡± his mom said. ¡°Well, are you driving?¡±


    ¡°No, Rocco¡¯s picking me up. He¡¯s here now actually. He just pulled in the driveway,¡± Mike replied. He looked over at his dad who gave him a thumbs up.


    ¡°Bachelors on the town,¡± Emily said chuckling as she went into the kitchen. ¡°Have a great time, sweetie!¡±


    ¡°Thanks, mom. I will. Bye, dad,¡± Mike waved at his dad who returned the wave.


    Mike walked out the door and stood on the step as Rocco¡¯s car approached. When Rocco¡¯s car came to the front, he turned the car off and got out. Rocco was instantly mesmerized. Standing before him was his handsome boyfriend decked out in a suit with a matching tie and pocket square. Rocco had no idea that Mike was going to dress up this nicely. Rocco was wearing a solid black dress shirt and a pair of khaki slacks¡ªnot in line with Mike¡¯s outfit. Rocco couldn¡¯t help but be dazzled by Mike¡¯s neat appearance.


    ¡°Good evening, Rocco,¡± Mike said pleasantly and stepped to approach Rocco¡¯s car. Rocco couldn¡¯t find the words to say a sentence. ¡°Something wrong?¡±


    Rocco thought his heart skipped a beat at the sight of Mike. He found the composure to speak. ¡°Wow!¡±


    Mike laughed. ¡°Is that all you can say?¡±


    Rocco blushed at his stupor. ¡°You look incredible.¡±


    ¡°Do I take your breath away?¡± Mike said jestingly.


    Rocco took a moment to respond. ¡°Yes,¡± he said¡ªhis voice shaky.


    ¡°Then my mission is accomplished. That¡¯s what I wanted to do,¡± Mike replied.


    ¡°I feel so underdressed,¡± Rocco said quietly.


    ¡°You look as handsome as ever,¡± Mike said smiling.


    Rocco swallowed hard and opened his car door. ¡°I had no idea you were going to get so dressed up.¡±


    ¡°Well, I wanted to look my best for you,¡± Mike said as he got in the car.


    Rocco quickly got into driver¡¯s seat and sat staring out in front of him.


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Mike asked after a few moments.


    Rocco turned to look at Mike. Mike¡¯s eyes glimmered in the moonlight and sent a shudder through Rocco¡¯s body. Rocco hastily leaned over and gave Mike a deep passionate kiss. Mike returned the kiss with equal desire.


    ¡°Okay, you¡¯re going to mess up my hair,¡± Mike said after a minute of kissing.


    ¡°You just look so amazing tonight,¡± Rocco said locking eyes with Mike. Mike simply smiled feeling proud that he was able to stun Rocco.


    They parked just a short walk from the entrance of the school. It didn¡¯t look as if the Valentine¡¯s Day Dance was going to be as well attended as the Halloween Festival. However, that made no difference. What mattered was that Mike and Rocco were going to enter as a couple.


    When they entered the gym, the entire space was filled with red and white. There were red hearts and white balloons all over the place. The stage was decorated with images of Cupid and hearts along with the school¡¯s sound system which was blaring some pop dance music. In the front of the dance floor, Rocco spotted Joe talking with a group of the popular kids including David. While David had become more comfortable with his gay identity these days, Rocco was still cautious about him. The effects of years of bullying and harassing don¡¯t just go away in a few weeks. The scars that David inflicted upon Rocco¡¯s psyche went deep.


    The dance was relatively uneventful in comparison to the Halloween dance. There were no surprise reveals or any name calling. Everyone seemed to mind their own business having a good time. None of the guys in the band were there. It was only Mike and Rocco enjoying each other¡¯s company. Joe and Tiffany seemed to catch on that the two wanted to be alone to dance with each other. Rocco and Mike walked over to the photo booth to get their picture taken together. Before they knew it, the last song played. They had gotten so lost in the moment of dancing with each other, they lost all sense of space and time. They came to their senses when an announcer said it was the last dance. To close out the festivities, the DJ played ¡°Save the Best for Last¡± which was a new slow dance song about a friends-turned-into-lovers scenario.


    ¡°May I?¡± Rocco asked and offered his hand to Mike. Mike smiled and took Rocco¡¯s hand as Rocco led the dance. They were in an embrace going around in a circle. Mike noted several couples around them watching Mike and Rocco with an appreciation of their love for each other¡ªalmost as if they were saying ¡°how sweet.¡± Rocco inhaled the smell of Mike¡¯s hair. The gel prevented him from running his hands through it.


    ¡°I want this moment to last forever,¡± Mike whispered as the song came to an end.