Kyle and Kodi - 1. Chapter 1

Character list

Kyle McMichaels - aged 13

Kodi Tobias Waughrin - aged 13

Michaela Tina Thompkins (Mika) - aged 13

Jennifer Alexandra Marcia Rabbins (Jenny) - aged 13

Jonathan Alexander Euchus Rabbins (Jon) - aged 13

Jessica (Jessie) Clarice Waughrin (Kodi’s younger sister) - aged 9

Janet Waughrin – Kodi’s mum

Richard (Rich) Waughrin - Kodi’s dad

Clare McMichaels - my mum

Stuart McMichaels - my dad

Sally Eloise Rabbins – Jon and Jenny’s mum

Peter James Rabbins - Jon and Jenny’s dad

Margot Elizabeth Thompkins – Mika’s mum

Matthew Thompkins – Mika’s dad

I woke from a deep, dream-filled sleep to feel a cold breeze on my feet. I slowly became aware of my surroundings – my feet dangling off the end of my bed, my pillow and mouth slightly damp from my overnight drooling, and a presence next to me.

I was too afraid to move, too afraid to open my eyes; too afraid that yesterday would turn out to be part of one of my dreams, too afraid that the presence I felt next to me was just a remnant from my dream. After steeling myself for the disappointment and heartbreak, I rubbed the sleep from my eyes, turned my head to the left and slowly opened my eyes.

Next to me, still fast asleep, was Kodi. The angel I had fallen in love with yesterday was lying in my bed, and now that I was more awake and aware of everything, I heard his low, quiet snores. Yesterday wasn’t a dream after all; Kodi wasn’t a dream after all.

I rolled over onto my back, closed my eyes, and smiled what must have been the biggest goofball grin in history. I felt a sensation rush from the tips of my toes to the top of my head, and I giggled; I actually giggled. I haven’t giggled since I was six. I laugh, sure – great big belly laughs on occasion - though I don’t giggle anymore. 13 year old boys do not giggle – unless they want to get beaten up.

I felt a softness on my lips. I opened my eyes, and there was Kodi leaning over me, gently kissing me.

Kodi and I had been the best of friends since we were babies, probably before we were born even – our parents joked that whilst we were still being carried in the womb we were both awake at the same time, we both used to kick at the same time, our mums had morning sickness at the time. Although I find it hard to believe that we were that in tune, it wouldn’t surprise me; after all, we were both born on the same date (December 11^th 1998) within 5 minutes of each other (me at 10:46AM, Kodi at 10:51AM). Our parents were such close friends that Kodi’s parents were named as my Godparents and my parents were named as his.

We both grew up together, went to the same schools, both our families always went on holiday together, we always celebrated our birthdays together – we were and are joined at hip, our friends even say we should have been born brothers. Since we were born, I don’t think Kodi and I have spent a day apart. Kodi was in hospital when he was nine having his tonsils out; although he only needed to stay in overnight I refused to leave his bedside. Mum tried to drag me out about an hour after visiting had finished, and I told her the only way I was leaving Kodi was if she had me handcuffed, shackled and dragged out. I won, and stayed the night on the ward with him. I was in hospital when I was eleven with a broken arm (I’d fallen out of our tree-house for about the twentieth time, this occasion being the only time I’d really hurt myself). I was in hospital for three days and we had a repeat of the last time, with it being Kodi refusing to leave me in the hospital alone – eventually Kodi’s mum allowed him to stay with me. Quite how we got away with that I don’t know.

Kodi and I share our heart, mind and soul. When one of us is sad, so is the other; when one of us is elated, so is the other; when one of us is hurt, the other feels it. Though for how close we are, for how much of our lives we share with each other, we are actually almost nothing alike.

Kodi has blond hair, whilst mine is brown; I have brown eyes, whilst his are blue; he is very sporty and is on the school’s football and rugby teams; I play sports and enjoy them, though I’m not particularly good; I’m ridiculously smart (the last time I was tested my IQ tested at 189 and have already finished my A-levels), Kodi really tries and can do the work but he just about gets through (he managed to pass his year 7 and year 8 exams, but there is passing and there is passing. He managed one C grade in year 8, and that was a C by only one mark). We each have our strengths and our weaknesses, and although we are both competitive in our own areas, we have never, will never, and could never compete against each other – even though we are so close, I doubt our friendship could survive a competition like that. Kodi has helped me with my sports skills (or serious lack thereof), and I’ve helped Kodi with more assignments and projects than I can remember.

Although I am extremely easy going and get along with anyone and everyone, the only one thing I really hate (and the one thing guaranteed to seriously piss me off) is the way some people treat Kodi – like he’s an idiot or something just because he averages a low D. Before we found out how smart I am and I started skipping years (which was when I was nine), I used to be in the same classes with Kodi. I remember one math class:

Mr Taylor, who was our math teacher at the time, was belittling Kodi because he got a math problem completely wrong. Instead of simply explaining where Kodi had gone wrong, Mr Taylor spent 5 minutes talking to him like was an idiot in front of the entire class. As Mr Taylor looked up to the heavens and mouthed the words “Dear God, why me?” Kodi finally couldn’t take any more of the humiliation and allowed a silent tear to fall. I lost my temper and called Mr Taylor certain names which should never be repeated (I may even have implied that his parents were brother and sister). I also told him that Kodi and I were leaving and would not be back in his class until Kodi received an apology. Kodi and I got a one week suspension, and four years later Kodi is still waiting on his apology and Mr Taylor is still waiting for us to go back to his class. My mum demanded I apologise to Mr Taylor, but I point blank refused – one of perhaps only two or three times in my childhood I had outright defied my mum. I got grounded for a month, but I knew it would have been wrong to have apologised. I didn’t want to apologise not because I simply didn’t want to, but it was important for me to defend Kodi, and it would have felt like I was betraying him.

Kodi on the other hand is not as easy going as I am. He has no problems in using his fists to solve a problem first and then ask questions about it later. A few weeks after the incident in our math class, one of the school bullies, James, trapped me in the boys toilet. As I said, I get on with everyone; unfortunately, James Masterson was the exception that proved the rule. I’d never really been beaten up before, but I had the feeling James was about to correct that minor oversight. He threw me against the wall and was about to get down to business when Kodi walked in. He stood between me and James (even though James was three inches taller and outweighed Kodi by 25 pounds) with absolutely no thought for himself. Kodi got off with a black eye and James got two cracked ribs – both got a two week vacation from school. Just like my mum, Kodi’s mum told him to apologise and make up with James – Kodi like me refused, saying he was protecting me and he would do the same thing again in a heartbeat, and couldn’t apologise as he had done nothing to apologise for. Well, also just like me, he got grounded for a month.

I suppose with how close we have been over the years one of us should have seen this coming. We have both known we were gay for about two and a half years, and both of our parents know as well. The four of them were surprisingly OK with the whole gay thing – but we are now both entering uncharted territory and I wonder if our parents will be as accepting of us being together.

I think up until now our parents have been OK with us being gay as neither of us had boyfriends, and I think they were relieved that Kodi and I had each other to talk to and rely upon – but I keep thinking back to the whole knowing is one thing, but seeing is something completely different. I do so hope I’m wrong.

Before, our parents knew we were gay, but since we didn’t have a boyfriend, to our parents it was probably just a word, an idea, a concept with no physical form. They may well have even been hoping against hope that we were going through an “experimental phase” like so many professionals say pubescent kids go through. However, with us two being together they will now actually see us as being gay, they will actually see us kiss another boy, hug another boy, hold hands with another boy, cuddle with another boy in front of the TV, and when we are together in our bedrooms they are going to be wondering if we are doing anything other than homework or playing on the computer. Although we have both decided to tell our parents today about us being an “us”, we have decided that we will be an “us”, but agreed that we would not flaunt “us” in front of our parents until we know they are truly comfortable with the “us”.

The one person who I think we are going to have the hardest time trying to explain this to is Jessica – Kodi’s little sister. Well, I say little, she’s 9 years old but she had a difficult enough time of dealing with Kodi and me when we came out as being gay– she didn’t speak to either of us for a week, and has been so worried her friends will find out and tease her about it. Quite how she is going to deal with us going from being gay to being boyfriends now I don’t know.

Our closest friends Jonathan, Jennifer and Michaela know we are gay and have been really supportive – but I think this latest development will throw them for a loop. We have decided for the time being to keep their parents in the dark about us being gay as we have no idea about how they will react – Jon and Jenny’s mum is not shy about vocalising her disapproval of the non-white kids in our school (and is not shy about her choice of language either), and Mika’s dad has not spoken to his sister in 15 years after she married a Jewish guy and converted. Although none of their parents are overtly anti-gay, with the sentiments they have already expressed we are not yet ready to take a chance.

The final decision to keep their parents in the dark was theirs. Kodi and I told them that there was no way we could ask them to lie to or to keep secrets from their parents, and that they each had to decide for themselves whether to tell their parents or not. We told them that we would accept their decision, and that we would still be friends no matter what. They appreciated that we were leaving the decision to them, but each of them knew deep down that they couldn’t really trust their parents with something like this.

We both trust our friends to keep our secret (and they have done so far), and so we have always told them about any developments we have. Kodi and I decided about six months ago that after everything they have done for us we cannot and will not abuse the trust of our friends by keeping things from them – to do so could lead to problems in the future, and even though our parents will be with us all the way, we both fear that without our friends in our lives we may not be able to deal with what is to come.

“I could get used to this,” I said, as Kodi broke our kiss.

“Well we have the rest of lives.” Kodi replied with a wink.