L.A.F - 1. L.A.F.

    

    

     

     

  

The sound of the buzzer signaled the end of the second quarter. The home crowd groaned in disappointment. I joined in with the groaning. Our team was not doing well, at all.

Across the basketball court the visiting team’s band struck up the chords to Dude (Looks like a lady) just as white smoke flared up on the basketball court. I watched with dismay as some members from our team turned to watch the display.

The smoke dissipated to reveal a white ninja kicking and flipping his way down the basketball court, a basketball in his hands. I couldn’t help but shake my head, not as surprised as Trevor, one of the star basketball players, was when the ninja threw the basketball and nailed him in the forehead. A referee blew a whistle and started running after the ninja.

“Trevor and that asshole just need to fight it out one of these days,” said Maria, my ‘best’ friend, as more white smoke filled the gymnasium; the ninja escaped successfully.

“And the south side ninja strikes again, this time with a blow to Trevor Mason’s forehead,” the school commentator announced.

“Yeah, Trevor won’t, though,” I replied. I stood and began shuffling past people to get out of the stands, crushing the urge to run over and see if Trevor was okay. Trevor probably wouldn’t appreciate it since Mindy Cain, high-school cheerleader and promiscuous slut, was already on the court, admiring Trevor’s forehead.

“Someone should tell that ninja to come back and stab her,” I muttered, nodding my chin at Mindy. Maria snorted.

“I thought you didn’t like Trevor,” Maria said.

I shook my head. “I don’t,” I said, “I just like staring at his ass.”

Maria shook her head. “So you’re going to be completely shallow?” she asked. “I wish you two would just be friends again,” she said, sighing under breath.

I shook my head. “Not going to happen,” I replied, tugging at my leather coat until it was better adjusted to keep the warmth in.

“Yeah, I know. Where we going? Is the game even over yet?” Maria asked.

I eyed the scoreboard as I made my way down the steps and across the gymnasium. Forty-seven to seven and Southside High was in the lead. “We’re getting slaughtered. I’m not staying for this,” I replied. Maria pouted, looking toward the stand for something, or rather someone.

Scotty Jefferson; whom we ran into on their way out of the building.

I watched with bemusement as my ‘best’ friend and Scotty started flirting with one another, unable to avoid feeling like I was the misplaced wheel at the scene of a really bad car accident. One of them just needed to ask the other out, already.

It wasn’t going to happen, though. I started edging toward the exit. “Hey Maria, I’ve got something to do. You can give her a ride home, right Scotty?” I hollered.

Maria turned and gave me a horrified look. Scotty looked like he was about to be sick. “Great! Thanks man, I owe you!” I hollered, bolting for the exit. I didn’t feel like waiting for an answer. I was almost to the door when I heard Maria holler after me, “I’m going to kill you, Daniel!”

“Hah-hah! I laugh in the face of danger,” I hollered over my shoulder.

“Dork,” someone muttered. I ignored it, now in a hurry to get home.

 

I pulled on the blankets and snuggled under them, seeking more warmth. Only vaguely aware of the time, I was too engrossed in the swordfight playing out on my small TV to get up and close the window letting the cold winter breeze blow through my room.

Time continued to pass. Disappointment filled me as the movie ended around one a.m. I got up, needing to pee. When I was done going to the bathroom, I went back to my room and paused in my door. Something was wrong. I studied my bedroom. TV was still on, bed was a mess. It was getting warmer in my room. I probably wouldn’t need so many blankets now.

It was getting warmer!

Pretending nothing was wrong, I walked back to my bed, listening intently to my surroundings. I was grateful for the old house and its squeaky floors. My would-be attacker gave himself away as he tried to slip out of the closet. I whipped the quilt off my bed and turning, tossed it like it was a net. I followed through with a tackle, a slight thrill rushing through my stomach as I sat atop my now-victims chest, boxes of junk and clothing falling on top of us as my closet came apart.

“Give! I give!” The muffled voice came through as my bedroom light came on. I pulled the quilt down some so I could see my attacker, though the long, muscular body under me told me who it was. Only one person would be silly enough to try sneaking up on me in the middle of the night.

I smacked Trevor’s face lightly.

“Boys!” That warning came from my mom. I turned my head so I could see her peering into the closet at us with annoyance.

“Hi Mom,” Trevor and I chorused; the very epitome of innocence.

Mom rolled her eyes. “If you want to fight, take it to the barn,” Mom ordered. “Trevor, use the door, that’s what you have a key for!”

“Yes Mom,” Trevor replied meekly. I snickered at my best friend. Mom’s glare sent me cringing; I attempted to avoid her gaze.

“Daniel, when I said clean your room, I didn’t mean throw everything in the closet.”

“Sorry Mom,” I replied, unapologetic. I flashed my best puppy dog look at her.

Mom shook her head. “I’ve been immune to that look since I married your dad. Get this cleaned up and keep it down.”

“Yes ma’am,” we chorused. Mom rolled her eyes again but left my bedroom, presumably to go back to bed. I turned back to Trevor and frowned at his smiling face.

“You’re late,” I informed him. Trevor stopped smiling.

“Yeah, sorry,” he said, somewhat bashfully.

“Date with Mindy Caine?” I asked. Jealousy was rearing its ugly in the pit of my stomach.

Trevor looked startled for a second and then he started laughing at me. I glared at him.

“No,” he replied, “she’s too easy.”

“Oh.” Good. I crawled off Trevor, intending to get out of the closet. Trevor smacked my ass and then pulled me back in by the seat of my pajamas.

“I had to take a walk,” he said, somehow managing to maneuver us so I was under the blanket with him. In my closet. He sounded depressed.

“You know he only threw that basketball to provoke you, don’t you?” I asked. “Besides, you should have expected it. Everyone knows you’ll get suspended from the team if you get into another fight.”

Trevor sighed. “I know. I just wish we had a mascot to kick that guy’s ass, is all,” he said.

I shook my head. “I don’t think a lobster could kick a ninja’s ass, you know, so…it’s probably a good thing we’re getting a new mascot,” I informed him.

Trevor snickered. “Yeah, but it’d be funny to watch, anyway.”

I couldn’t help it. I started imagining a lobster and a ninja going at it. I didn’t think it would be very fun to watch. I shook my head again. “That’d be one cooked lobster,” I replied.

Trevor shrugged. I turned my thoughts to something more serious. “Trevor, why can’t we be friends in school?” I asked. He’d explained it to me before we had started high school, but… I was tired of the charade. He was my best friend, and having to go my sophomore year without being able to talk to him in school, or sit with him at lunch, sucked.

Trevor sighed. “Because…this way we can arrange mock fights to get suspended from school and play video games all day,” he replied.

“That’s stupid, though. Besides, we haven’t had any mock fights and school is out in like five months…” I informed him.

“Yeah. I know. I’m sorry,” Trevor replied. He placed his head on my shoulder. I smiled; decided I didn’t mind being used as a pillow. I just wasn’t so sure sorry was good enough anymore. As far as I was concerned, friends shouldn’t treat friends like shit, no matter the circumstances. It had been an idiotic idea to begin with. Now it felt like I was a paying a price that was no longer worth paying.

I nudged Trevor off my shoulder and crawled out of the closet into my bedroom, shutting off the now blank TV and its blue-screen.

“Where you going?” Trevor asked.

“I’m going out to the arena; you, sir, are staying in my closet and cleaning up the mess you made,” I informed him.

Trevor gaped at me. “The mess I made? You’re the one that tackled me,” he objected.

“I wouldn’t have tackled you if you hadn’t tried sneaking up on me; now get to work or you’ll never get any practice in,” I replied. Throwing clothes on, I left the house, walking out back to where the arena was.

The arena was actually a really large barn that looked more like a garage than anything else. Large rubber mats and wood flooring had been set on top of the concrete, allowing it to be used as a dojo and fencing hall. It was the one place outside of school I spent the most of my time. I grabbed a foil and started sparring across the room with an imaginary opponent: going into simple attacks, imaginary parries and ripostes, and counterattacks.

“A ninja would totally kick your ass,” Trevor remarked, interrupting me.

I dropped the tip of my foil to the ground and wiped the sweat off my brow, breathing hard. I bent over, a hand on one of my knees.

“Nuh-uh,” I replied, too winded to make a feasible comeback.

“Yuh-huh,” he responded. I rolled my eyes at him. I totally wasn’t going to fall into that trap. Sixteen was too old for that game, anyways.

“Wanna make a wager, then?” I asked.

One of Trevor’s eyebrows’ climbed up his forehead. “What kind of wager?” he asked.

I straightened up, thinking about it. “Our friendship,” I said after a considerable pause.

“Our friendship?” Trevor repeated stupidly.

I nodded. “Yup. Our friendship,” I said.

Trevor narrowed his eyes on me. “What are the terms?”

I shook my head at him. “Spar first, I’ll tell you the terms afterward,” I replied.

Trevor groaned. “Why do I feel like I’m not going to like this?” he asked.

I didn’t answer him. I went to the corner instead where Mom kept all the fencing gear as Trevor went to the corner where Dad kept all his gear. Trevor didn’t waste any time in stripping down to his underwear, and I didn’t waste any time in watching him strip either. I only turned my attention back to getting dressed in my gear when Trevor slid his keikogi over his back, hiding his admirable muscles from my view. The time for games was over.

“Are you going nitō or the ittō?” I asked. Nitō was two swords style; Ittō was one sword style.

“Ittō. It’ll be easier to beat you,” Trevor replied. I snorted.

“Alright then, ninja boy, bring it!” I hollered, mentally revving myself up.

Trevor laughed, “Sure thing, Zorro.”

I flushed and narrowed my eyes on Trevor. “I got bored cleaning up your closet, so I turned the movie you were watching back on,” he replied with a shrug.

“Hrm,” I mock growled. “You’re gonna pay for that.”

Trevor yawned and waved his shinai at me.

It was enough to goad me into attacking him. I charged, thrusting my foil at his chest. His shinai swept up, knocking my foil to the side. It was on.

It seemed like we danced across that floor for hours; Trevor figured out that I was playing for keeps when I tried kicking him in the nuts, even though my father would have scolded me for such a dirty maneuver.

But you know what they say, right: ‘All is fair in love and war.’

Despite Trevor’s longer reach, I was giving him a run for his money. I had him on the defensive when he managed a counterattack that sent me ducking. The tip of his shinai managed to get caught in my protective mask, sent it flying through the room.

I dropped the rest of the way to the ground and rolled out of his reach, spiraling into backflips until I had put some distance between us.

Trevor leaned over, hands on his knees. “I think…” he panted “…we should…take a break,” he suggested.

I shook my head at him.

“At least put your mask back on,” he said, straightening up.

“Nah, this’ll be over very shortly,” I responded.

“What—ˮ

I charged at him. My imagination lended itself in helping me see the look of surprise on his face as I dropped to my knees at the last second, attempting to slide beneath his leg, my foil pointing up in a desperate bid to stab him.

Victory was in the air. Victory turned to defeat as Trevor managed to swipe my foil to the side. Pain shot into my knees and as I came to a screeching halt, Trevor’s fist landed against my nose. I grasped at my face.

Trevor was frozen for a second, before he tore off his Men and dropped his shinai, pawing at me. “Oh my gawd! I’m so sorry! Are you okay?” he hollered

“Yungh,” I mumbled into my gloved hand, holding tightly onto my nose before pulling it aside. There was blood all over the place. Mom was going to kill me.

I think I wanted to kill me. I couldn’t believe I had lost; although technically I hadn’t admitted to defeat. I decided I didn’t care; my decision had been inevitable the moment I decided to force the issue.

Trevor had won. I stripped out of my gear, leaving nothing but my breeches, socks and shoes on. I didn’t even pause to admire Trevor as he stripped out of his gear. There was no point, really.

“Did I stop bleeding?” I asked, once he was dressed and examining my nose.

“Yeah. Looks like it,” he replied.

“Good,” I said, took a deep breath. Trevor looked at me expectantly, grinning. “What’s my prize?” he asked.

“I think you should go home,” I said. Trevor stopped smiling. I don’t think he was expecting that. “Dude, I said I was sorry,” he whined.

I shook my head at him. “I’m not mad at you for hitting me in the nose. Accidents happen…I mean…I don’t think we can be friends anymore,” I said.

Trevor looked confused, and then hurt. I ignored it.

“I mean, you won, and when I said we were fighting for our friendship, I meant…Look, you won, that means you can have things your way when we’re at school. We can pretend to hate each other, or you can hate me for real, if that’s what you want…but…we can’t be friends outside of school anymore, either,” I said, wanting to make sure I was heard.

“But—ˮ he started.

Cutting him off, I said “Look, I know you don’t want to hang out with me because you don’t want people thinking you’re a sword-loving geek like me, and I promise you I won’t tell anyone you wanted to be a ninja when we were eight. You can keep coming by and practicing with Dad and Mom and everything, but…people change, and I don’t want to pretend we’re not friends anymore. I’m sorry but…”

Trevor’s face was red. Redder then I was used to seeing him when he was around me. He looked like he wanted to punch me. I don’t think I could blame him.

“…you should go now.”

That was it. Everything was supposed to be done right then and there. It didn’t go the way I wanted it to. I watched with misery as Trevor turned away from me, started leaving. He wasn’t supposed to go like that. He was supposed to say we could be friends in school again. He was supposed to tell me he loved me.

Boys are so freaking stupid.

I wasn’t sure I was any smarter than he was as I watched him turn around at the exit. “You’re right, people do change. You wanted to be a ninja once, too,” he said.

Then he was gone.

Mom found me in my bedroom later that morning, crying as I picked the splinters out of my legs. The sun wasn’t even up yet.

“Oh Daniel, what happened? Where’s Trevor?” she asked, looking around like she expected my best friend since I was six years old to appear any minute now.

I shook my head. “He’s gone,” I said, sniffling. I winced as I pulled another splinter out of my knee.

“Where’d he go?” Mom asked.

“Home,” I muttered. Mom sat down on the bed next to me.

“Home? What’d he go home for?”

“I told him…” I trailed off when my mom raised her brow at me.

“You told him you like him?” she asked, startled.

I gaped at her, just as startled. “How’d you know I like him?”

Mom rolled her eyes at me. “I’m a mother. Most of the time mothers just know these things. So he didn’t take the news well? That’s a pity, I was pretty sure he liked you too, you know.”

“Huh? What? Wait, no I didn’t tell him!”

“So what did you tell him then?” Mom asked.

“That we couldn’t be friends anymore,” I mumbled.

Mom sighed. “That whole school thing?” she asked. I nodded at her.

“Well, it was bound to happen sooner or later, I think. I’m just sorry he didn’t make the right choice,” Mom said, hugging me. “Now how’d you manage to get a bunch of splinters in your legs?” she asked, taking the tweezers from me.

I snorted. “We need to buff the arena floor again, probably wax it, too,” I said. Mom shook her head at me. “I told you not to use that move without the right padding,” she said, smiling.

I shrugged. “You beat Dad with it, that’s why he married you, isn’t it?” I asked.

Mom smiled at me. “Yes, and…you’re too young to be thinking about marriage. Have you gone to bed yet?”

I shook my head. “Good thing it’s Saturday, then. Bedroom cleaned up?” Mom asked, looking pointedly at my closet.

I nodded. “It’s the only thing Trevor did right last night,” I muttered.

Mom slapped my leg. I winced, my mouth forming into an ‘o’ shape from the pain. I swear she hit thirty splinters. “Well, you’ll survive. Now come on, let’s go take care of the Arena floor.”

I frowned at her. “Sleep,” I said.

Mom snorted. “You’re young, you can sleep later. Let’s go, I’ll take you out for yogurt later and, if you do a good job, I’ll help you pull the rest of the splinters out of your legs, too.”

I sighed. “You know you’re only going to get more splinters,” she added.

“Fine,” I said, giving up out of exasperation.

Mom smiled approvingly at me. “That’s my boy. Now if only your older brother wasn’t such a pussy.”

I snickered. “Layne’s only a wimp because he’s dating Darcie Jenkins and she’s got her hand and mouth wrapped all around his—”

Mom smacked me lightly on the back of my head; her glare told me I better not finish that statement.

 

Lunch time Monday afternoon was depressing. Maria was sitting at the table with me, attempting to cheer me up. She wasn’t doing a very good job of it, either. Scotty was sitting with us and the two of them were sucking face like they were trying out for the Olympics.

I wanted to find the nearest ledge and jump off it. This was totally depressing. The only thing that made me feel better was seeing Trevor and his messy brown hair in a corner of the cafeteria, looking as depressed as I felt. That only lasted until Mindy Cain and several of her fellow cheerleaders sat down next to him and they started gabbing at one another like old friends.

Screw jumping off the nearest ledge. I wanted to push Mindy off it instead, or maybe see if I could arrange for a cheerleading accident. I glowered at her and, unable to watch anymore, I shoved myself away from the table where I was sitting and stood up, drawing stares from Maria and Scotty.

“I’m going to class,” I said. Maria caught up with me in the hallway, grabbed hold of my arm and pulled me to a stop.

“What?” I asked, annoyed. Maria frowned at the tone of my voice.

“Alright buddy, someone needs to get laid. We’re going out tonight,” she informed me.

I gaped at her. “What? I do not need to get laid,” I hissed at her, appalled.

“Yes you do,” Scotty said. I frowned at him. He just grinned at me.

“I got this cousin, he’d be perfect for you,” Scotty said. I gaped at him. Maria was kind enough to close my mouth for me.

“First my mom, now you… Does everyone know I’m gay?” I hollered; blushing the second I realized I was standing in the middle of school outside the cafeteria, in a crowd of people. It didn’t help that Trevor came out of the cafeteria the very second I shouted it.

He was staring at me. I was staring at him. “Oh crap,” I turned and high tailed it out of the hallway, ignoring the funny looks I was getting. Maria caught up with me again, Scotty hot on her tail. I couldn’t blame him. Even I could see that she had a really nice ass.

“We’re going out tonight. Six o’clock at the coffee shop; don’t be late,” Maria told me as I stopped at my locker, ripping down the poster advertising prizes for drawings and ideas submitted for a new school mascot.

“Fine,” I grumbled. Maria slapped my ass. “Good boy,” she muttered. Scotty looked jealous.

“Relax, she was just sucking your tongue out of your face, and I gotta tell you, I have not and will not ever go there…” I told him, trailing off.

Maria blushed. Scotty grinned. “See you at six tonight, I’ll bring my cousin,” he said.

They ran off for class as the bell rang. I considered running out of the school, but…screw it. Mom and Dad had always told me to be who I wanted to be, and they both knew I liked boys. We’d had a long, drawn out, embarrassing conversation about it Saturday night when I had been too tired to make much of a fuss. End result: They still loved me. Dad even held me down while Mom picked the rest of the splinters out of my legs; I got ice cream instead of yogurt afterward.

 

Double dating sucked, especially when my date was a shy, quiet boy that was just as blond, tall and attractive as his slightly older cousin. Unlike Scotty though, Kevin spent most of his time drawing in a sketch book and not making any conversation.

Scotty couldn’t seem to shut up. He was too busy trying to make sure everyone was having a good time. It was with some relief that the clock struck nine. I stood up. “I’m going to the restroom,” I announced, fleeing the table.

I did have to use the restroom, but mostly I wanted to make sure I looked okay. The mirror didn’t tell me one way or another. My brown hair still looked brushed, brown eyes were the same; my sweater hugged my five foot nine inch frame nicely. Bruised nose…I sighed.

I probably wouldn’t be interested in me either. Rolling my eyes I left the bathroom, heading back to the table to inform Maria that I was leaving. Only, she was already gone. So was Scotty. Kevin, unfortunately, was still there. He looked just as I annoyed as I felt when I realized we had been ditched.

“Sorry,” Kevin said softly.

I smiled at him. It was the third word he had said to me all night. The first two were “I’m Kevin.”

“It’s okay,” I replied. “So, uh…I’m taking off, I think…”

Kevin nodded. He didn’t look very surprised. “Uhm…do you have a phone I can borrow? I need to call my mom and see if she’ll come pick me up,” he said.

I frowned. “You’re cousin is a jerk,” I informed him, adding, “I’ll do one better. I’ll give you a ride home.”

Kevin smiled but followed me to my car. “Where do you live?” I asked. I frowned at him once he told me.

“I can still call my mom if it’s too far out of the way,” Kevin said quietly when he saw me frowning at him.

“We’re practically neighbors,” I said.

We were, too. I hadn’t realized how close we were until we were almost to my house. Kevin was staring at my barn when he said, “I wonder what’s in there.”

I raised my eyebrow. “What do you mean?” I asked.

“People are always going in and out of there, but they don’t keep any equipment in there that I can ever tell. My bedroom looks right down on the place. We moved here just before Christmas; Dad got a better job offer and, since it was closer to family, he decided to take it. They never have the barn doors open,” he replied.

I pulled into the drive of my house and pulled all the way back. “What are you doing?” Kevin hissed.

I laughed at him. “Relax, I live here,” I said.

The only thing that could have been better after I made that announcement was if there was light to see his face. I was pretty sure he was blushing. I shut off the car and opened the door.

“You coming?” I hollered over my shoulder, running through the cold wind toward the Arena.

Kevin was pleasantly surprised when I led him into the Arena.

“This is so cool,” he said, looking around. “I always wanted to do martial arts.”

“We can teach you,” I told him.

He smiled at me. “C’mon, I want to show you something,” I said. I led the way up the stairs at the side of the barn to the loft, revealing my mom’s most prized possession.

“Is that…” Kevin said, trailing off as he fingered the black cape hanging on a mannequin.

“Yup. The cape and clothes of Don Diego de la Vega himself,” I announced. “Better known as the man behind the mask; Zorro.” I pulled the rapier hanging off the side of the mannequin out and went into a fencing stance, slashing at the air.

Okay, I’ll admit it. I was starting to feel more comfortable with Kevin now that I was on familiar turf and not in some coffee shop. It even felt good being able to show off for him. The smile that was on his face as I horsed around felt good.

I didn’t even hesitate to start taking off my clothes when he asked me to put the costume on. It was a fit, barely. As long as I rolled the pant legs up and stuffed them into the boots, anyway. Kevin followed me down the stairs and sat down on the floor. I horsed around some more, striking random poses as he quickly began to sketch, holding the pose when he would ask me too.

“Do you know how to use the whip?” he finally asked.

I grinned at him. “Yup,” I cockily replied. Grabbing at the whip I sent it singing through the air, the familiar crack sent comfortable shivers up my spine.

“Hold it right there,” Kevin mumbled, already tracing in his sketchbook. I held the pose, my arm outstretched as the whip dangled uselessly in the air.

“Done,” Kevin announced shortly afterward. I pulled the mask off my head and strolled across the floor, wanting to see the drawings Kevin had done. He scrambled to shut his sketchbook. I pouted at him.

“Oh c’mon, pretty please…I’ll take my clothes off for you again,” I offered.

Kevin blushed. “You have to take your clothes off for me when you change again, anyway,” he pointed out, mumbling.

I grinned at him. “I can probably take off more than I took off last time,” I offered with a wink. Kevin dropped his sketchbook. I beat him to it when I picked it up, flipping the book open. Kevin shuffled his feet nervously on the ground but didn’t stop me. What I had meant to turn into a mad scramble through his sketchbook turned into me sitting on the floor, flipping slowly through it as I paused at each drawing, admiring them.

By the time I got to his drawings of me I was in awe of his talent. He was good. Really good, but it wasn’t the drawings of me that I liked the most. It was the very last: A fox dressed like Zorro, wearing a cocky smile and cracking his whip through the air with his rapier planted on booted feet, tail curled around him that I liked the most.

“You don’t need to be a ninja,” I informed him, serious. He looked at me, uncertain. “Your jiujutsu is right here in your sketchbook.”

He smiled at the compliment, went back to being shy. “I want to keep this one,” I said, pointing at the dazzling fox with the cocky smile. My eyes turned pleading. “Pretty please,” I begged.

“Okay,” he mumbled. I grinned at him, gave him the book back.

“I thought you wanted to keep it,” he mumbled, looking confused.

“I do, but you have to color him in first. You can give him to me in school,” I replied. Kevin looked uncertain. “And tomorrow we’ll start giving you lessons,” I added for extra measure. I wasn’t sure I’d want to date him, but…maybe some lessons in martial arts would help instill some confidence in the younger boy.

“C’mon, I’ll get you home,” I said as I stood up and patted him on the shoulder on my way up to the loft to change again. Kevin followed me up the stairs.

I shamelessly shook my ass at him the entire time, and made good on my promise to take a little extra off.

It was nice knowing there was another boy around who wanted to date other boys.

Even if he was shy.

 

“Can you come over tonight?” Kevin asked, smiling nervously at me.

“Sure,” I said, taking the piece of paper that Kevin handed to me a second later. It was the drawing I had wanted from him. I smiled back at him.

“Awesome. I gotta run and catch my ride. I’ll see you later,” he said, rushing off.

I watched with amusement, then surprise as he turned and spoke in a voice louder than a soft mutter. “Great…hey, bring the costume too,” he shouted. His face turned red. Scotty came out of nowhere and rescued his cousin from embarrassment by dragging him around a corner.

I could understand the rush. It was another Friday and anyone with any common sense would want to get out of the school. Including me, I thought as I grabbed my backpack and closed the door, startled to see Trevor standing next to my locker.

I didn’t say anything. Just tried to pretend I didn’t see him standing there. Yeah, it was rude of me, considering I missed having my best friend around. But, he had made his choice a long time ago, as far as I was concerned. Besides, it was probably a fluke for him to be in the same hallway as me, anyway.

So I was somewhat startled when he fell into step beside me as I headed toward the office, Kevin’s finished drawing in my hand. Trevor wasn’t saying anything. I wished he would say something.

By the time I got to the office and dropped Kevin’s drawing into the box labeled with ‘Mascot Submissions’ Trevor was on my last nerve.

“What?” I finally snapped at him as we left the office. Maria waved at me from a corner of the hallway, catching my attention. I forgot I had told her to meet me at the office after school.

“We need to talk,” Trevor said.

“No, we don’t,” I informed him.

“Damn it, Danny, yes, we do,” he replied.

“Fine, we’ll talk. Later. I’m in a hurry,” I said, annoyed. I hated it when people called me Danny. Well, when they were people that weren’t Trevor. He was the only one I didn’t threaten to kill.

“No. Now,” Trevor demanded.

“Sorry, no can do. Now shouldn’t you be running off somewhere? Wouldn’t want to be seen with me, you know…” I remarked. “Let’s go Maria,” I shouted a second later. I took advantage of Trevor’s look of utter betrayal and ran out on him, ignoring the curious stares looking at Trevor and me.

Maria met me at my car. “What’d he want?” she asked.

I shrugged. “Dunno, don’t care. Am I taking you home or dropping you off at Scotty’s?”

Maria sighed. “Home. Mom was pissed because I was out an hour past curfew with him last night,” she replied. I smirked at her. “Oh please, it was nothing like that,” she said.

“Uh-huh,” I replied, winking at her.

“So you and Kevin, huh?” she asked. I blushed. “I don’t like him like that, we’re just friends,” I informed her.

“You two are getting pretty friendly for ‘just friends,’ ” she said.

I shrugged. “He’s a good artist, besides, he’s also a student. Mom fell in love with him the second I brought him home and Dad’s all set to adopt him; says Kevin needs more confidence in himself if he wants to be an artist,” I replied.

“Uh huh,” Maria replied, not believing me for a second.

“I think Mom almost has Kevin convinced to do a big mural in the dojo, too,” I added.

Maria rolled her eyes. “Okay, so if you two aren’t a couple, then…why don’t you like him?” she asked.

I blinked. “I didn’t say I didn’t like him,” I said.

“Why don’t you like him like…you know…” she clarified.

I shrugged. “He’s a good guy; he’s just…meek and shy. I’m sure he’ll find a great boy who will admire those qualities in him. Just not…me,” I replied.

Maria fell quiet. “Did someone say something to you?” I asked.

“Scotty was curious,” she mumbled. I snickered at her. “Whipped,” I mocked.

She slugged me in the shoulder. I winced. “Hey, driving here,” I informed her as if she was blind and couldn’t see that we were on the road.

“You’ll live. We’re going to the basketball game tonight, right?” she asked.

I shook my head. “Nope,” I said.

Maria groaned, “Please, you have to.”

“Why do I have to?” I asked.

“Because Mom and Dad won’t let me go with Scotty; that means you have to pick me up and bring me home…please?” she pleaded.

“Fiiine,” I said. I made her wait before giving in. The only pleasure I got out of it was getting to watch her squirm in her seat and the loud squeal of delight she gave at my answer.

 

“Maria’s going to kill us,” I told Kevin as I threw the gym bag I’d smuggled Mom’s prized costume in into the backseat of my car.

Kevin shrugged. “It’s not my fault we lost track of time,” he remarked.

I grinned at him. That was so true. Turned out Kevin had a great talent for artistry and playing the Xbox, too. I guess his parents insisted he do some normal things that other boys our age liked doing. Otherwise he’d be holed up in his room painting and drawing all evening.

Mandatory Xbox time. Go figure. The only pleasure he got out of it was when he kicked my ass in Dead or Alive 3. I was right, too. Maria was full of death threats when we finally arrived at her house. She only stopped threatening to kill us once we got to the school and Scotty kissed her; looking slightly relieved when we showed up. I didn’t know what the big deal was; the game hadn’t even started yet. I figured out what the big deal was when the two of them started making out next to Kevin and me.

I only managed to stop paying attention to them once the game started. That’s because all my attention was on Trevor as he ran up and down the court. The visiting team was not going easy on him, doing everything they could to foul him up and get him out of bounds. Their mascot, a brawny kid wearing a knight’s outfit made of plastic even managed to get a shot in when the ref’s weren’t looking. He nailed Trevor in the head with a ball and chain made from a plastic handle, fake rubber chains and a foam ball.

It still looked like it hurt. Trevor’s teammates had to hold him back. It didn’t help matters any. The coach benched him for a few minutes before putting him back out on the court. The second time the knight got a blow in on Trevor it became obvious that the ref’s weren’t going to do anything about it; one of them had been looking right at the errant knight when he committed the crime.

Trevor almost got kicked off the court that time. The home team booed the ref for that; it still didn’t do any good.

“This is ridiculous,” Kevin muttered.

“Hrm?” I asked.

“Someone should do something. Why isn’t anyone doing anything?” he asked.

I frowned. Kevin had a good point.

Trevor had had a good point. The school needed a mascot; one willing to fight and help rally the school spirit.

One willing to defend Trevor’s honor.

I snickered at the thought. Trevor would look good in a dress; playing the part of a damsel in distress.

“What’s funny?” Kevin asked. I shook my head. “Nothing, I’m going to go get popcorn. Need anything?” I asked, standing up and slipping out my bench seat.

“No thanks,” Kevin said. I nodded, eyeing the basketball court. The closest exit I’d be able to get through was in the boy’s locker room, which was used by the home team. The visiting team got assigned the girl’s locker room, but that’s probably because they were a bunch of girls. At least, that’s what I was thinking as someone fouled Trevor up and got away with it, again. It was also becoming obvious that the home side was losing spirit.

I had five minutes until they called half time.

 

The band got cut off by the visiting band before they could even start their show. I watched with narrowed eyes from under the bleachers as the errant knight, greatly encouraged by the referee’s refusal to do anything about his antics, charged the darkened basketball court, swinging his homemade ball and chain at Trevor. He didn’t even get a chance to touch Trevor as I slipped through the shadows and onto the basketball court. The tip of my whip snapped through the air, startling the knight as I hit the handle and sent his ball and chain spinning from his grip.

The crowd quieted down, watching with interest and confusion as I curled my whip back up and placed it back on my belt; a hand on the hilt of my sword. I really wanted the knight to charge me. I was just grateful for the discretion I had used in bringing a foil with Mom’s costume rather than the antique sword that had been passed down from generation to generation. The knight didn’t look like he wanted to oblige me. I couldn’t blame him. I did look rather dashing and threatening decked out like I was Zorro. It was unfortunate that someone decided to provoke the guy.

It was Trevor, calling out like a chicken; his thumbs tucked under his armpits as he flapped about like they were wings. “Brawk brwk brwk brwk brwk brraaarraaach…” To further add insult to injury, Trevor started circling the guy, his legs coming up slowly as he stayed crouched low, his head bobbing up and down in the air like he was picking feed up off the ground. That’s when the errant knight charged, drawing his fake sword and swinging with the intent to ‘decapitate’ Trevor. His poor sword bent in half as it was met with my foil.

I quickly made my point. The edges and tip of my foil had been stained with a red-dye, and I marked the guy and his fake armor up like he was turkey dinner at thanksgiving, to the hoots and cheers of the home crowd. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a referee coming at me. I turned on him; realized it was the same guy who had been letting the visiting team slide with their transgressions against the sport in general, and Trevor in particular. My eyes narrowed and I charged at him, skidding to a halt as he fell to the ground, landing on his back. I paid the proper honors to his shirt. After all, Zorro probably would have done it, too, you know.

‘LAF’, stained in red across the breast of his heart.

Most people would assume it stood for Lake Austin High School.

The F was personal, though.

“Kid! Stop right there,” someone hollered. It was the principal. I swallowed nervously and looked around for an escape route. My chance came when the power went out for no good reason. I took advantage of it and charged across the court, through the locker room and back out to my car, the small side exit was prevented from closing all the way by a small piece of wood I had jammed in the doorway.

With luck, no one would know it was me.

 

Kevin was laughing at my discomfort Monday afternoon as Wanted Photos of me as Zorro appeared all over the corridors of school, their origins revealed by the Principal as he got on the school PA system and announced that any information leading to my capture would result in a pizza party for the grade level of whatever student brought me in. It seemed I had met my own personal Alcalde Ignacio De Soto in the form of my principal.

“Shh,” I whispered. Kevin kept laughing, though. It was understandable, really. It seems I couldn’t turn around without seeing people mock sword fighting through the school. I swear I even saw the gym teacher and the basketball coach sparring through the halls during lunch. Unfortunately their sword play had come to an early end when the Principal stumbled across them and their antics.

Maria and Scotty looked fairly cheerful, too. It seems Kevin hadn’t been able to keep his mouth completely shut during the game. He had told Scotty and Maria that it was me on the court. I forgave him when I found out it was Scotty who had aided me in my escape by shutting off the lights in the gymnasium. I was ready to kill him now though.

“Where’d you learn to do that?” he kept asking me.

“I’ll tell you after school,” I hissed, looking nervously over my shoulder for the principal.

“Now,” he insisted. Kevin still wasn’t of any help. He and Maria had taken to doing a mock sword fight of their own in front of Maria’s locker.

“My parents have a fencing academy and dojo in the back of my house,” I whispered.

“Do you think—ˮ

“Yeah, we’ll teach you. Just come over after school, and if you bring Maria just to make out with her I’ll stab you,” I hissed.

Scotty grinned at me, or perhaps it was the idea I had just planted in his head. I narrowed my eyes on him.

“No making out, swear it,” he promised.

“Good, now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go,” I muttered, seeing someone that I didn’t want to see. It was Trevor, looking way to cheerful as he walked down the hallway, engaging in random sword fights here and there. I shook my head, slammed my locker shut and bolted in the opposite direction.

 

There were more people than I expected there to be at my house, or rather, in my arena. I glared at Scotty and Kevin; they both just shrugged their shoulders at me and went back to sparring with one another under Mom’s guidance. She looked thrilled with the number of new students were signing up for lessons. Apparently Friday night’s vague demonstration had inspired some individuals to look into the art of fencing. I let out a groan and eyed the loft, wondering if I would be able to get up there and hide Mom’s costume without her noticing.

Probably. She was moving around the Arena with a few of her older, more experienced students that she had had to call in to help with the lessons.

Even Dad was looking pleased; he had gained some new students as well.

I was not pleased. At all.

“Will you relax, Daniel?” my older brother, Layne, asked. I narrowed my eyes on him, before my gaze flicked toward the loft.

He sighed at me. “Mom already hid it,” he said. I blanched.

“How’d she know…”

“How can she not know? I had to tell her when people just started showing up wanting lessons. She had to drop prices and offer student discounts, but considering the number of people that signed up, it’s probably going to be worth it…”

“Yeah but…why here?” I hissed.

Layne smacked me upside the head. “Use your brains, will you. There are only two fencing schools in the area, and we happen to be one of them. Now if you’re that worried about being found out, I suggest you go over there and help Dad teach his class, and I’ll go help Mom,” he said.

I frowned at him, hesitating. Layne rolled his eyes at me. “Your martial arts are just as good as your fencing, although even I’ll admit your fencing is a lot better. Just let everyone think you do the martial arts, and they can think I do the fencing. I’m taller than you, anyways. They won’t ever suspect either one of us. Now get, before Dad comes over here and starts asking questions,” Layne said.

That was a good idea. The less questions Dad asked, the better off we would all be.

I was exhausted by the time we got done with lessons. Mom and Dad ended up having to open up two new time slots just to accommodate everyone that wanted to take lessons. It was mostly due to the lack of certified instructors and room. We just didn’t have enough to fill the requirements for holding large classes. Even Maria looked exhausted. She was practically asleep on my bed. Mom had pressed her into service. Out of all my friends, Maria had the most experience with fencing, aside from me. Trevor only liked doing martial arts with Dad, and he couldn’t be bothered to help out any. Something about practice for Friday night’s game against the North Shore Buccaneers.

I couldn’t blame him though. I wouldn’t want to be around me either after what I had done to him.

“What are we going to do about this Friday night?” someone mumbled.

I was too tired to lift my head up off my floor. “What do you mean?” I asked.

“We’re facing the Buccaneers. Their mascot happens to be a buccaneer. He’s just as skilled in fencing as you are.”

“I don’t think there’s going to be a Friday night,” I replied, closing my eyes.

“What do you mean, you don’t think there’s going to be a Friday night?” a sharp voice asked. I opened my eyes and cringed at the look my Mom was giving me. I hadn’t been aware that she was even in the room with us. Dad and Layne were there, too.

“Uh…”

“You better bet your ass there’s going to be a Friday night, mister. Business has picked up because of that one small escapade you pulled, and if you think I’m going to keep working accounting forever, you got another thing coming,” Mom said. She straightened up and stepped over me; raiding my closet.

“What’re you doing?” I mumbled.

“You’re not wearing my costume again, it’s not safe enough. So, we’ll improvise. Now what’d you do with those leather pants you got for Halloween last year?”

Someone snickered. I turned my head enough to see Scotty stifling his laughter. Kevin was eyeing me, a prospective look on his face.

“Top shelf,” I mumbled. Mom found it and tossed it at Layne. She wasn’t done raiding my closet, though. I decided I was too tired to actually figure out what it was she had planned.

“All of you get to bed; arrangements have been made with your parents to crash here tonight. Maria, you’re in the guest bedroom next to ours. Scotty, you’re in here with Daniel. Kevin, you get to crash with Layne tonight.” Dad’s announcement was met with various groans of objections.

“Sorry boys, but considering the…uh…”

“I’m not interested in him like that,” Kevin mumbled. My head came up off the floor. I raised a brow. “Sorry,” he said, “I mean, you’re a great friend, but not really my type. You’re loud, cocky and way too boisterous. I really am sorry—ˮ

“Thank god,” I mumbled, ignoring the various looks we were receiving. “I mean, you’re a great friend too, and you’re talented with art. Like, really talented, but…I like em loud, cocky and boisterous. No offense?”

“None taken,” Kevin replied. “Now your brother on the other hand…”

Dad groaned. Mom snickered. Layne looked horrified.

“See Dad, he likes the pansies,” I mumbled. Layne bent over and thumped me in the forehead. I decided it wasn’t worth going through the effort to defend myself.

“New sleeping arrangements…”

I groaned and sat up. Layne helped pull me to my feet. “Where are you going?” Dad asked as I left my room.

“To crash with Layne. Scotty and Kevin can have my bed for the night,” I replied sourly.

“That sounds…ow!”

I snickered. “Mom only smacks you upside the head if she loves you,” I shouted over my shoulder, pleased. Kevin was coming out of his shell, even if he was a kinky little perv. I definitely liked him though, as a friend.

I was asleep before my head hit Layne’s pillow.

 

“Now remember, he’s quick, but you’re quicker…”

I resisted the urge to groan. Mom was stressing me out. I seriously wished she would just go inside and watch the basketball game with Dad and Layne; Kevin, Scotty and Maria. But no, she had to stand outside with me near the door leading into the boys’ locker room, rubbing at my shoulders like I was a boxer about to enter the arena. In a way, I kind of was. Layne had been sending mom text updates on everything that had happened so far; Trevor was not having a good night.

The door opened and an old man’s head popped out, waving at us. It was time for the show to begin. I wasn’t sure how Mom had managed it, but she had recruited one of the school janitor’s over to our side. “You remember the battle plan now, kiddo,” the janitor whispered, “everything’s been set up.”

I nodded and rushed past him, through the locker room and stormed the court, Dad’s face reassuring me. I was just in time to see the Buccaneer Billy stumble ‘drunkenly’ into Trevor, pushing him. Trevor turned on him, angry. Billy drew his sword, dancing in place as he began to show-boat to the crowd.

“Go low!” I shouted at Trevor as I continued my run across the court. Trevor hit the ground and rolled to the right, out of my way. My foil was out of my scabbard as Trevor cleared the area. I lunged at Billy and immediately withdrew. Just like Mom said he would, Billy advanced on me, eager to attack. Mom called him brawns and no brain. But he was good.

Really good. I retreated, lunged and parried the next blow, giving away ground bit by bit until we were out in the corridor. Referee’s and school faculty were keeping people out of the way as Billy and I danced through the wall, past a section of gate that the janitor had opened up for us.

“What’s a matter? Got no balls, boy?” Billy asked, sweating.

Mom said he liked to start hurling insults when he was getting tired in an effort to provoke his opponent. I stayed on the defensive as I moved past another opened door; the smell of chlorine strong in the air. It made me wonder briefly if my leather pants would be affected by the humidity in the air, but all worries faded away as Billy lunged forward and got out of the way quicker than I had expected from him. He scored a hit on my non-sword arm, looked ready to claim victory.

We weren’t in a tournament though. I reminded him of this fact when I swiped my sword at his head, took off the corny pirate hat he was wearing and sent it into the pool. Cheers from outside in the corridor told me people were still watching. I didn’t look, didn’t have too. I could see faces pressed up against the windows viewing in on the swimming pool, watching with slack-jawed amazement as Billy and I continued our dance.

It was a dance that was coming to an end. “It’s the plank for you, boy,” Billy growled, somehow managing to stay in character. I smirked at him, climbed up the small ladder and onto the diving board.

I responded with the first words I could quote that came to mind. “And so it was. Lightning split the sky, thunder shook the earth, and then all was quiet. The great warrior known as Zorro was gone. The people of the land gave him a hero's funeral, the largest anyone had ever seen. They came from far and wide to say farewell to their brave and noble champion. But don't worry. Whenever great deeds are remembered, Zorro will live on. For there must always, always be a Zorro. And some day, when he's needed, we will see him again... on his fearsome steed Tornado, riding like the wind, his sword blazing in the sun... leaping, jumping, swinging through the air... fighting like a lion. Fighting like a tiger. Fighting...”

Billy charged at me. If I had been in his position I would have done it, too. It was the one thing we had counted on. It was why the swimming pool had been chosen to fight in. I leapt up, bounced off the board and across the gap to the other diving board, my balance precarious as that board wobbled beneath me. I was just in time to look up as Billy went off the end of the diving board and into the swimming pool.

“…and it’s the bloody fishes for you, mate,” someone howled.

Trevor.

“Someone get that kid already!” Principal Alcalde Ignacio De Soto. A campus guard climbed onto the diving board, attempted to corner me. He wasn’t trying too hard, though. He must not have wanted to go swimming like Billy did. His eyes flicked toward the lifeguard chair; flicked toward me, back toward the chair again…I took the hint, leapt onto the chair and, getting a one-handed grip on it, spun around, landing in a crouch on the pavement.

I saluted the Principal. He paused, clearly outraged and shouted, “Are you out of your mind?”

I grinned. “Not yet, but I’m afraid I’m being driven there,” I replied. For good measure I looked at Trevor and added, “Love fries a man’s brains like a crisp tortilla!”

The lights went out. I disappeared out an emergency exit into the back lot. Mom was waiting for me on her motorcycle, looking worried until she saw me dashing toward her. I sheathed my sword and climbed on behind her, holding tightly.

“Away, Tornado!” I hollered. Mom obliged me, popping a wheelie as she gunned the engine and took off.

It wasn’t until we were a mile away that she pulled over and made me put a helmet on. It didn’t matter. I was still grinning the entire time, glad for the leather Mom had outfitted me in. It was keeping me warm.

My Mom was the coolest ever.

 

“Noooo,” I moaned, staring at the packed floor in the Arena on Monday evening. Even Layne, Mom and Dad let out small groans. Someone sighed. “It’s the price you pay when you’re a legend,” Trevor said. I turned and looked at him, startled to see him there.

“I’m not a legend,” I informed him, hissing to keep my voice low.

Trevor shrugged. “Maybe not to yourself, but you’ve given the school a mascot and made a hero out of him while doing it,” he replied. “Face it Danny, accidents happen.”

I looked in the corner toward the sparring blades, turned to face Trevor once more. “Yup, accidents happen. Why are you here?”

“You keep avoiding me in the hallways at school. I want to talk to you,” he said.

“No can do, we have paying customers. You kids will have to settle your differences later. Trevor, why don’t you work with me today? Daniel, you’re with Dad. Layne…I think Kevin needs some help with his form. He seems to keep forgetting how to hold the foil,” Mom suggested.

We all let out snickers, except Layne. He wasn’t amused at all when he had to stand behind Kevin, up close and personal while going through the forms with him. Kevin looked like he didn’t mind at all. Layne didn’t look like he minded so much either, after I checked on them two hours later. Weird.

 

I barely avoided Trevor that night. Hell, I barely avoided him at school the rest of the week. He was getting good at sneaking up on me. So good, in fact, that I ended up having to move into Kevin’s locker, then Scotty’s, and back to Kevin’s. Trevor looked extremely annoyed with me when he figured out what I was doing. I was annoyed with me when I figured out that I had become so paranoid with the fear of getting caught by him or the principal that I almost missed the special game announcement for that Friday evening.

The South Side Ninjas had requested a rematch, and since there were no games scheduled for our school or theirs, the principal had accepted.

“I think it’s a trap,” Kevin muttered. He did not look happy at all.

“Me too,” Scotty said, “I mean…I heard the principal placed a small side bet with South Side’s principal…”

“Of course it’s a trap,” I grumbled out loud.

“So we shouldn’t do it than, right?” Maria asked.

Mom, Dad and Layne were staying out of the conversation. I already knew their thoughts. They figured we should lay low for a week or so. This game was just too sudden for their comfort.

I rolled my eyes at them. “We have to do it. Now stop being chickens,” I said. Mom smacked me; lovingly mind you, upside the head.

“Now, I’m pretty sure this was arranged so here’s what we’re going to do…”

 

Everything was going as planned. I was hiding under the bleachers. The only thing that wasn’t going according to plan was Trevor was nowhere in sight. It wasn’t like him to miss a basketball game, even if the circumstances for it were unusual. Something was wrong. I just couldn’t put my finger on it, even as we came to half-time. That was when I knew for sure something was off. The white ninja wasn’t anywhere in sight either.

The slight shuffling of feet from behind me told me why. I barely ducked the blunted katana as it came whistling past my head, clinking off the side of the pole I had been leaning against. I wasn’t sure how or why, but ninja boy had snuck in behind me, and I was trapped. A man distracted is a man defeated. I ducked and dodged my way around the poles under the bleachers; reached under my belt and grabbed a large, tightly wrapped baggie.

Layne had been reluctant in forking over his supply of party snaps, but it had been agreed that they were needed, and since he was the only one who hoarded the precious supply of fireworks, it was him that had to give them up. I told him I’d send Kevin to his room later to make up for it. Kevin had ended up blushing and saying he had to go home. Apparently he was only good for sexual innuendo if he was the one volunteering them.

Regardless, Layne went out and dragged Kevin back to the house; he said it was because all good ninjas should know how to make smoke bombs. It was smoke bombs made using the rocks from the party snaps, magnesium, a small amount of black gunpowder and plain old sugar, wrapped tightly in a paper towel that was held together by tape that greeted the white ninja.

It was too much smoke in a small amount of space; it was enough to give me cover as I retreated into open ground where I would have more room for sword-fighting. I got my foil out just in time to counter the longer reach of his katana. The crowd was up and on their feet, cheering as we came into view. It was a distraction I didn’t need, even as I wondered where Trevor was.

I didn’t have time to wonder for long as Mr. Ninja came at me, the heavier strikes from his blade forced me to give away.

It was no use. My foil gave way and snapped. There was no room between us to draw my whip.

I rushed the guy, crouched low and slid across the floor, thankful for the reinforced knee pads Mom had sewn into my leather pants as I whipped across the floor; more smoke bombs that I threw at the last second provided cover.

It was perfect. Dad was going to call me a little cheater as I struck outward and punched the ninja in his nuts with as much force as I could muster. Ninja boy fell on top of me. I caught him with my knees and arms, flipped him over my head and rolled with him so I was sitting on top of his long, lithe form.

“Do you yield?” I asked.

“Yes.” He whimpered.

I squinted. I’d heard that whimper before. I grabbed hold of the ninja’s mask, pulled it upwards. Trevor’s mid-length, brown locks fell around his face.

I stared at him.

“Run!” someone shouted, laughing at the last second. It was too late. I was caught by Don Alcalde Ignacio…ehr, Principal Walters.

“Boys,” he muttered, “they make things so hard these days.”

It was with confusion on my part that he marched me toward a small podium that I hadn’t seen before. The crowd was clapping, even as someone helped Trevor to his feet. Mom, I realized. A camera was hanging around her neck. I peered around with confusion.

“Smile and go with the flow,” Principal Walters muttered, grinning as we finally got to the podium.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to tonight’s pep rally,” he announced into the microphone, “I am pleased to introduce you Lake Austin’s newest mascot…uh, what’s your name son?”

“Foxy!” someone shouted. Trevor, still holding onto his nuts as he managed to straighten up and point at the scoreboard. The board lit up briefly, a slight pop unrolled a large banner I hadn’t noticed. Kevin’s fox was painted onto the banner. Mom got in front of me and took a picture of my face.

“Say son, what’s LAF mean?” The principal asked.

“Uh…Like a Fox,” I answered. Someone cheered.

“Well…I like it…Lake Austin, doing it like a fox. Pep rally over; go home people!”

“Smile Daniel! And for heaven’s sake, take that mask off already,” Mom hollered. I didn’t feel like obliging her. The principal did. He didn’t even hesitate to pull my mask off to pose with me.

What was supposed to be a short evening turned into a long night as I ended up smiling for camera after camera.

I even had to pose with the cheerleaders and that boy-stealing wench, Mindy Caine.

Trevor laughed at me and the surprise pep rally the school had planned out, with the aid of my parents. The opposing team that I had thought was South Side turned out to be the JV basketball team. That explained why they sucked so bad.

I decided I wasn’t going to let Kevin anywhere near my older brother; not after I had found out he had helped plan everything. He even drew the large banner. The art teacher had recognized his work and the Principal had pulled him into the office. Kevin’s interrogation lasted all of five minutes. From what I understood, Kevin’s bladder had been ready to burst at the time. He wasn’t used to being called into the Principal’s office. Wimp.

Trevor was gone by the time I got out of there. I wanted him to still be there; just so I could brag that Zorro could totally kick a ninja’s ass.

 

My chance came later on, well after midnight. I was in the Arena, sparring in the dark with imaginary opponents when Trevor snuck in and tackled me from behind.

“Hey, what’re you doing?” I asked, objecting as he pinned me to the ground

“Claiming my prize,” he informed me.

“You’re prize?” I asked.

“Yup… You know…you never really yielded that night a few weeks ago…”

“Yeah…so…”

“So I yielded to you tonight,” he replied, squirming on top of me to keep me pinned down.

“You’re sure not acting like it,” I informed him.

He grinned at me; looked far too smug for his own good.

“You probably wouldn’t be acting like it either, if you got to claim the hottest kid in school,” he replied.

My brain was mush. “Claim the—ˮ

He shut me up with a kiss, pulled back. “I’m talking now. You just lay there like a good boy and listen,” Trevor mumbled.

He kissed me again when I opened my mouth to say something.

“Shhh,” he whispered, insistent.

I wasn’t sure what he kissed me for the next time, decided I didn’t care. Especially when I realized he was taking my clothes off.

It wasn’t until after my first experience with a blow job, when Trevor kept apologizing for anything and everything having to do with school, being a jerk because he had been in love with me for a while now and he thought distance might make his feelings go away; but mostly for repeatedly scraping the head of my dick with his teeth, that I decided I believed him.

I just wasn’t sure I was going to let his mouth anywhere near my dick again anytime soon.

My dick was helping make his argument for him when he told me that practice practice practice makes perfect when we were interrupted. It was through the dim light of the moon that we saw Layne and Kevin sneaking into the Arena, glancing worriedly over their shoulders as if they were going to be caught any second now. It was through a mutually reached decision that Trevor and I decided to keep our mouths’ shut.

“Poor Mom and Dad,” I whispered, watching with a weird, creepy sensation in my stomach as Layne and Kevin tentatively began kissing each other.

“Why poor Mom and Dad?” Trevor whispered, just as quietly.

“They’re never going to have grandchildren,” I replied.

“Sure they will,” Trevor informed me.

“How? I’m gayer than Zorro the Gay-blade and Layne’s over there getting frisky with Kevin, who happens to be my best friend, by the way,” I whispered.

Trevor looked thoroughly insulted at that announcement. It still didn’t stop him from cupping my ass in the palm of his hands. He was lying on top of me, his dick nestled and extremely excited by the feel of things, between my ass-crack. I wasn’t objecting, too much. It allowed us to whisper really really quietly.

“Why’s he your best friend?” Trevor asked.

“Because you’re my boyfriend,” I informed him.

“Now wait a second—ˮ

“If you’re going to wiggle that thing you got back there any further into my ass, you’re my boyfriend,” I hissed.

Trevor sighed. “Fine….fine…I yield,” he mumbled.

“Good ninja,” I mumbled. “Now how are you going to get pregnant?” I asked.

Trevor snorted. “I’m not getting pregnant…I do, however, know for a fact that we have a turkey baster at the house…”

I didn’t get it, until Trevor started wiggling his hips around, while I imagined a turkey baster…

“Oh hell no,” I mumbled.

Trevor snickered. “Hey, where are your leather pants at?” he asked.

“In my room, why?”

“Because, I’d rather be doing it than watching your brother and Kevin sit there and make out. This is the worse porno I’ve ever seen; seriously, at this rate they’ll never do the deed,” he whispered.

“My brother is not porno. Eww…Besides, Layne’s seventeen and Kevin’s still got a month to go before he turns sixteen. I don’t think either one of them are old enough to do it,” I said.

Trevor shrugged. “You’re probably right…we’re both only sixteen…does that mean we have to wait?” he asked.

“Hell no,” I mumbled. “It’s just one more thing to add to the night.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah…it’s been…epic, so far. Though that was a pretty underhanded trick you all pulled just to capture me,” I whispered.

“Yeah, it was….sneaky…like a fox. Totally legendary. I’m gonna tell this story to our kids,” he replied.

I shook my head. “You’re not using a turkey baster,” I muttered.

“Okay, I’ll use—“

“You’re not putting your dick anywhere near anyone else, and if I see you flirting with Mindy Caine again, I’m gonna chop it off…Mom has this really neat sword collection, you know.”

“Fine fine…whatever. Now how are we getting out of here without embarrassing those two?”

I shrugged, “Sneaky…Like a fox.”

I stuck to the shadows, crawling my way past Layne and Kevin on one side while Trevor snuck past them on the other.

“Hey, you think we should back go back there and watch? What if their first time isn’t so…”

I shoved Trevor. “Gross! Shut up…We have our own memories to make. It’ll be a legend worth telling, now let’s go, ninja boy.” I took off running for the house, “I get dibs on the turkey baster,” I shouted.

“Yeah…I’ll stuff you with a turkey baster, alright,” Trevor shouted after me.

The door to the arena was open a crack when Kevin, barely heard, said, “Thank god, I didn’t think they’d ever leave. You bring your mom’s Zorro costume?”

The end.

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