Best And Worst of Me - 5. Chapter 5

Zach, Travis, and Cory were absent the next day at school. Rumors were already flying around, but none with any near-truth as to the real reason for their suspension. A few people asked Quinn if he knew what had happened—people like Maria—he said he did, but that he wasn’t going to talk about it. Zach would talk about it enough when he got back.

Seventh period came, and Cameron was absent from the locker room. Quinn figured maybe he was skipping, but he was in the weight room and already dressed. As usual he hardly spoke, adding even more to the silences of Zach and two others being gone in the small class.

Quinn got pulled aside by the teacher, who was also the football coach for varsity. He got a lecture, the promise of running extra hills after practice each day the coming week, and wouldn’t be able to play in the next game because he missed a practice for suspension. The same would probably apply to Zach and the others. Quinn nodded quietly and accepted his punishment, returning out into the weight room where Cameron was waiting.

After the class ended, Cameron stayed in the weight room as everyone else left. Quinn changed and left with the others, trailing out as the end of the day bell rang. That was when Cameron passed by, heading for the lockers.

He had probably changed early before everyone else and was waiting until the rest had left now, to avoid confrontation. All Quinn would have to do was hide in the showers and wait or something… He shook the thought out of his head.

Lizzie grilled him for the reason of his absence. It was short-lived, as the topic quickly switched over to her older brother coming home from Iraq in December. Quinn just listened, watching as Cameron emerged off in the distance and paired up with his boyfriend.

Lizzie followed his line of sight and caught onto the couple right as they disappeared. “You know them?” She asked dully. “Uh, ones my partner in weight lifting…” Quinn shrugged helplessly, trying to scramble for some excuse as to why he had been caught staring.

Cameron and his boyfriend came out the other end of the hall they had gone into, only now something happened. Cameron was a good few feet ahead, walking backwards while flipping off the other with both hands. His boyfriend was trying to calm him down; glancing around self-consciously.

Cameron was raging, though—screaming out obscenities and constantly cutting the other boy off when he tried to speak. They had drawn the attention of the sparse groups mingling around in the commons. Cameron surged forward and gave the boy a rough shove, enough that he stumbled, before Cameron stormed off up the stairs.

“What the hell was that?” Lizzie exasperated, now watching the defeated looking boyfriend… or maybe it was ex now? Quinn chewed the inside of his lip with curiosity burning. Had they broken up? Was that what had happened?

Fuck, was Cameron single now?

“Quinn,” Lizzie interrupted. “Don’t you need to be getting ready for practice?”

Quinn caught the time off of a clock. “Oh, right.” He usually followed Zach’s lead when it was time to go. “I’ll see you later.” He gave the routine quick kiss on the lips and jogged for the locker room. Zach was understandably absent, and Quinn almost wondered why he was going if he wasn’t playing in the next game. But fuck if he would wimp out on running some extra hills when he couldn’t even confront the real person he liked.

By the end of practice, Quinn’s legs were shaking and he felt next to puking. He collapsed on the ground, chest heaving, while the coach wrapped up the jersey’s they had used during practice.

The parking lot was near empty aside from the cars of the janitors and a few mingling teachers. Quinn sunk into his car, exhausted. He drove home too tired to even deal with his iPod. He showered and inhaled his dinner before sitting down with his homework.

His sister ran around the house with one of her friends most of the time, forcing Quinn to keep his bedroom door closed and locked. Finishing his homework, Quinn stretched out on his bed and felt the tired ache of the muscles in his legs.

How could he bring it up asking Cameron? Plain out if he was single would be too… blunt. And if that’s what it was, he might still be on sore terms with talking about it. Quinn had never seen the teen so vibrant, even if it was with anger.

He fell asleep like that, much earlier than he usually did. His mother peeked in and turned his bedroom light off sometime later before heading to bed herself. Morning came, and Quinn stumbled on weak legs out of the bed. He dressed for school and drove himself, letting music play around in the car.

Lizzie interrupted his morning calm and swamped him with more gossip and ranting. Quinn just nodded and smiled through it all, faking an opinion at the appropriate times.

Lunch proved to have no sign of Cameron. Quinn felt disappointed at that, hoping maybe he could catch the younger teen alone. But do what then? Sighing, Quinn picked at his lunch. More questions about Zach and the others came in the following periods, but Quinn refused to talk about it.

He wondered how long it would take for it to circulate that he had been the one to get himself and others suspended, or if everyone would opt for the easier target—Cameron.

Quinn now saw his logic in not telling. Now everyone would think that Cameron couldn’t handle it, and maybe even attack him more. Quinn couldn’t imagine being under that pressure. Choose to be tormented by a select few, or want to see them punished but only turn more against you? Quinn had never been targeted before, and the thought of it scared him.

No way he could handle being assaulted with pink silly string or having his clothes stolen and soiled.

Cameron used the same tactic from the day before—he was already changed and waiting in the weight room when Quinn arrived. His eyes looked dry and red, but no other changes showed themselves. He was still quiet and talked only of the business of the class.

Quinn dreaded looking at the machines made for leg muscles. He still ached from the day before, which would happen again and again until the next Wednesday.

Curiosity gnawed at him the first half of class about the scene from the day before. Had they broken up? Asking casually… even if Zach was gone, there were still others. Others now were sharing glares towards Cameron for Zach’s suspension. How could so many people side with him? Quinn sighed to himself. Who was he to speak? He played along too.

“You look like shit.” Quinn broke the silence with that, leaning on the weight contraption. He only got a look from Cameron and no explanation as the younger boy’s legs slowly pumped the platform under his feet and lifted weights. That didn’t work. “I saw your little scene yesterday, after school.” Quinn continued snidely, smirking.

Cameron’s lips thinned into a frown. He tilted his head down, and wiped his eyes with the back of his hand, coming to a sliding stop of his workout.

Shit. Quinn panicked inside. Cameron was crying. Shit fuck! Quinn sucked in a deep breath. He hadn’t meant to. He hadn’t meant to make him cry!

“Fuck you.” Cameron hissed out quietly, softly.

Quinn looked away, trying to swallow over the tight lump in his throat. His chest ached along with that, another familiar feeling that he hated. The word “sorry” was behind his lips, but he couldn’t make himself say it.

Cameron swung out of the seat and stood up. “Your turn,” He mumbled, standing at the head of the chair and staring blankly at the wall. Quinn changed the weight pin out and into the chair, bracing his feet on the platform.

He tried to focus more on the strain and ache in his legs, pushing a few extra pounds than normal even, but still Cameron was behind him. He was close, and Quinn could do nothing about it. Maybe had he never started out so mean, never gone along with Zach’s plans, he might have had some chance with Cameron.

But he was still occasionally wiping his eyes, and a sniffle would sound every now and then.

Quinn had done that to him. Not Zach this time, not Cory or Travis. The pain in his chest escalated until it was almost unbearable. The thought of skipping practice sounded wonderful, just to get home before his family and be alone to sulk… but he wouldn’t let himself. Not until he had at least finished his punishment.

Maybe Cameron didn’t have to know, but Quinn silently fantasized he did. Quinn was toughing it out for Cameron without a complaint. He understood what he did was wrong, but for some reason he was still doing it! What was wrong with him?

The class was over before Quinn’s muddled mind realized it. Cameron stayed late in the room, tinkering around the weights, while everyone else went to change.

Quinn started to change his clothes, keeping an eye on the suspicious activity to the side. It wasn’t long before Cameron’s locker was jimmied open and someone threw in a pair of women’s underwear.

Maybe the joke was that Cameron wore things like that—He’s gay after all—or maybe it was meant to try and disgust him with something from the opposite sex. Whatever the message was, Quinn waited for the rest to leave and stole the underwear back out. He tossed it into a trashcan on his way out, passing Cameron at the door.

The deed still wasn’t enough to loosen Quinn’s chest or clear his mind.

All of practice he was distracted, that anxiousness creeping in again. How closely were people watching him? Were they judging him? Was there too much swing in his hips—did he look gay? Was he giving off gay vibes?

Quinn skipped his usual locker room shower, too unstable to try and act normal through it.

He raced home, hardly savoring his music, and rushed upstairs to shower. He holed up in his room until dinner was called, and though practice had made him tired, he hardly ate any of his dinner. Not that it went unnoticed.

Quinn fell into bed, feeling more tired than needed.

Morning was unwelcomed. That dead-weight feeling was back in his body and whether it was from pushing himself with football or just… pressure, Quinn wasn’t sure.

He was late to school to avoid Lizzie. His morning was spent avoiding people and being confused with day-by-day actions. Zoning out in class, getting called out and panicking inside every time.

People were watching him.

Quinn hid during lunch, waiting for weekend to come already. He would text Lizzie to cancel their plans. Maybe ask if he could go up into the mountains and spend the weekend at the family condo in Grand Lake. That had a nice, long drive and solitude when he got there, and was free of the charges of renting a hotel room.

He built the argument up in his head, knowing he would approach his mother about it first, explaining to her that he was having a hard time socially. That was all she needed to know. That paired with his scene from earlier in the week should be enough reasoning to let him go.

Quinn could hardly bring himself to smile at the unavoidable confrontation with Lizzie. She was too involved in everything else to notice his glum attitude and distant eyes as he tuned her chatter out between classes.

Seventh period crept up, and Quinn kept quiet along with Cameron for the period. The idea of Grand Lake was all Quinn could think about, second to Cameron.

The way he bit his lip in concentration and the strain it took for him to work weights a fraction of what Quinn could do, how his legs were somehow hairless from what Quinn could see. Shorts covered down to the teen’s knees, occasionally sliding up to mid-thigh if Quinn was lucky.

How obvious was it that he was staring?

He looked away and tapped a restless finger on his leg. Class was over soon, and as it was, they were dismissed to change out. Cameron stayed.

All Quinn had to do was tough it through practice and he was free for the weekend. He changed clothes, leaving his duffle bag for later practice. He left the locker room, Cameron entering at the time. Quinn made it just outside the locker room before stopping.

He looked back at the locker room door, closed. Cameron was changing.

Quinn slowly opened the door, trying to keep it quiet. Cameron was out of sight, hidden in the lockers. Quinn snuck around, mind on one thing. Cameron’s back was to him, picking up a shirt. Quinn stepped forward, hesitated, and locked one arm around Cameron’s neck and another over his mouth.

Cameron let out a muffled noise and tried to wiggle out from the arms, lower body free and trying to get out. Quinn held the teen’s head still, closing his eyes and inhaling. He was sweaty, but still better than Lizzie.

A rather harsh resistance from Cameron jolted Quinn. What the fuck was he doing?

His heart thundered in his chest. How would he explain this if Cameron knew it was him? Did he already?

Quinn freed one arm quick enough to yank the shirt from Cameron’s hands. He wrapped the cloth around Cameron’s eyes and tucked it into a knot behind Cameron’s head.

Quinn could over power him. Easy.

The thoughts of what he could do sent electric pleasure down into Quinn’s groin, making him harden against Cameron’s backside. Even just that warmth of another body pressing up against him felt good, even if Cameron was trying to squirm away.

Nothing reasonable came to mind then. Quinn could take what he wanted, and now. Cameron didn’t know it was him.

Quinn grabbed both of Cameron’s wrists and held them together. He turned Cameron around, hand coming off of the teen’s mouth. “What the fuck are you doing?” Cameron near shrieked. Quinn clamped another hand over Cameron’s mouth and pinned him back to the lockers.

Quinn pressed another hand over Cameron’s mouth. That silenced him for a moment, and Quinn’s hand freely explored. He ran a thumb over Cameron’s lips, pulling them apart slightly. Cameron kicked his legs out, blind at where he was aiming.

Quinn forced the other teen to his knees, hands hoisted and pinned to the lockers above his head. A lot of help the weight lifting class was doing him—Quinn held the two wrists easily with one hand.

His other hand was free to undo his belt and pants. He loosely held his half-hard shaft out, looking between that and Cameron’s face. Another surge of pleasure ripped through Quinn. Stepping closer, the head of his length pressed to Cameron’s lips.

Cameron brought his fight back at that, turning his head away and trying to pull his arms down again. Quinn tightened his grip on the thin wrists and pushed them against the lockers. Cameron let out a small whimper of pain, mouth opening for it, and Quinn moved forward again.

Cameron tried to turn away as the flesh invaded his mouth, but Quinn’s free hand fisted into Cameron’s hair, holding him still. Cameron’s arms fought until the pain of restraint returned to his wrists, his legs uselessly tucked under himself in a kneeling position.

Quinn’s length slid into the moist heat of Cameron’s mouth. The teen elicited another noise of complaint, but it went unregistered in Quinn’s overwhelmed mind. All he was focused on was the pleasure of himself, unrestricted in trying to act straight for the moment.

Breathing heavy, Quinn felt the tip of his erection hit the back of Cameron’s throat. He convulsed and gagged, making Quinn pull out a little. Quinn slowly started to pump his hips, eyes drifting shut and head falling forward.

Cameron’s tongue was on the underside of his shaft, with lips stretched around the impressive girth. His mouth was uncooperative and didn’t give Quinn any help reaching climax.

Quinn’s hips jerked forward involuntarily, making Cameron gag again with the touch as hot fluids shot down his throat. Quinn rested for a moment, enjoying the aftershocks of the orgasm before reality set in.

He looked at his grip on Cameron’s wrists—the shirt tied around his eyes and the struggling breath of the other teen. Quinn pulled his softening length free and tucked it away. Cameron tried to lean forward, hacking and coughing.

Quinn released Cameron’s hands and knelt next to the other. Cameron tried to remove the shirt from his eyes, but Quinn grabbed the hands again and pulled them forward. He tucked them into his stomach, holding them safely there, while another hand slid up and down Cameron’s back.

Quinn watched in mute shock as Cameron spit up a small amount of white fluid. A few tears managed their way under the shirt. Quinn’s stomach knotted again. What had he done? As if bullying wasn’t enough…

He leaned over and pressed a gentle kiss into Cameron’s ear. Cameron jerked away. “Don’t… don’t fucking touch me,” He growled, voice hoarse. Quinn closed his eyes and gathered himself. He let go and in one fluid movement was bursting out the locker room door. He ducked into an alcove of classrooms down the hall, just in case.

No sound revealed Cameron following. Quinn took off again, skipping practice and heading straight to his car.

Good fuck, what had he done?