Goon - 13. Chapter 13

Church on Sunday had been plain awful. The bible study class with all those other teenagers looking at him, and dropping hints said that the so-called ‘confidentiality’ of the de-gayification group didn’t exist, or at least it didn’t exist for him. He had the familiar feeling of being an infidel walking in enemy territory, although he’d never quite had the feeling take place in America.

The best part of Sunday was the phone call he got in the early afternoon. Big John had him take the younger kids to the park, and he was playing catch with little John while Gina played on the jungle gym. He had put little John between him and the playground so he could keep an eye on her.

“Hi.” Micah said as he saw who was calling. “Little John, why don’t you go play with your sister?”

“Okay.” John said in that long, plaintive tone that said he’d rather not, but did it anyway.

“How are you doing, young man?” Mrs. Howard’s voice held fondness for him. “I heard you got your phone back and wanted to check in with my favorite soon-to-be-in-law.”

“Two years classifies as ‘soon’?” Micah asked with a little laugh. “You have a lot of faith in my ability to keep Corey interested in me while we are separated.”

“I have faith in both you and in my son.” She said with pride.

“Thank you.” Micah said as he blushed.

“How are you surviving the attempts by the religious zealots to convert you?” She asked him with a hint of a laugh.

“About as well as the Senator is doing peeling them away from the moderate Republicans.” Micah said.

“Shame on you, keeping up with politics.” She chided him. “Oh, how I’ve missed having you here the last few weeks.”

“I’d be heading out to Alabama today anyway.” Micah said.

“Yes, and we just finished dropping Corey off at the campus.” She told him. “Be a doll and give him a call later tonight before lights out, will you?”

“Yes, I will.” Micah said with a smile. “Have you had any major shopping trips?”

“No, none at all.” She said in what almost sounded like a pout. “William is quite thankful you have left, complaining that we would have reduced him to poverty if you stayed much longer, but missed having you along to take a look at the new winter fashions.”

“I have to go shopping with my mother to pick out a winter coat soon.” Micah said with a sigh.

“Well, try to be a dear and enjoy it.” Mrs. Howard said. “I may not agree with what she is doing, but she is your mother and doing what she is doing out of love.”

“I know.” Micah said with a sigh. “It’s just hard to remember that at times.”

“I am sure, dear.” Mrs. Howard said. “Now, speaking of shopping.”

“Yes?” Micah said, hearing excitement in her voice.

“I’ve figured out how you can go shopping with me even if you are away up there.” She said with a smile in her voice and Micah laughed.

“Have you now?” Micah asked.

“Yes, did you know those fancy web cameras you use to have naughty conversations with my son can be used in a store?” She said, causing him to blush. “Now, don’t bother trying to pretend you don’t have those nasty conversations, but we can use them for better purposes. I have found a young man who has a very similar build to yours and will pay him to model some outfits. You will watch from your computer while I have one of the other clerks handle the computer from this end. What you like, I will buy and ship to you.”

“If you insist, ma’am.” Micah said with a smile. He knew how much she enjoyed the trips, and to be honest, he had as well. Not necessarily for the buying, because there had been days when they never bought a thing, but for the company.

“Excellent!” She said happily. “Our first shopping trip will be tomorrow. Now, I understand you are getting your license this week. Have you selected any favorites yet? I can stop by the dealerships here and make sure they are good enough for you.”

“You don’t have to do this.” Micah said.

“I thought we took care of those protests ages ago.” She chided him. “There are two reasons for my doing these things. Healthy relationships cannot survive inequality, and I will have you be my son’s equal in every way. That means you will have as much money as him, as high quality an education as him, and every opportunity he has because I see you two intend to make a permanent go of this relationship. You must be able to grow together, or it will fail and I do not want failed relationships for either of my sons, although it is looking like Billy has already achieved that problem on his own.”

“The other reason is that you just enjoy the shopping and company.” Micah said.

“I see little need to restate the obvious.” She laughed again. “Billy has already begun his year and is swamped with work. He sends his love too.”

“Give him mine back.” Micah said with a sigh. “How are the repairs going?”

“You’ll be able to swim in the pool again by next year, although we are demolishing and totally rebuilding the pool house.” She told him. “Unfortunately we are better off than most of the state, and there is infighting already in Congress because most of our delegation has voted against funding for the relief agencies that are now needed most. Nor do they appreciate my husband’s attempt at building a new political party. I fear the every-day person in Georgia will once pay the price for the political infighting.”

“I don’t think some things ever change, ma’am.” Micah said. It was almost like their discussions when they were shopping together. “Oh dear, the signal is starting to break up. I will have to talk to you next week. Enjoy your first day of school!”

“I will, and thank you.” Micah said and the call ended.

The rest of the day passed fairly quietly, although his mother made him go to church that night. Once again he had a ‘laying on the hands’ experience as the youth pastor took his turn to try and cast the demons out of him. He almost went into a fake seizure fit just to give them something for the troubles, but decided against it.

Monday and the first day of school proved to be completely anti-climatic. Micah dressed in his favorite Oldomo jeans that were faded denim. Then came the russet red Oldomo undershirt with the long sleeves and the powder blue Milbruiner shirt. Everything was skin-tight, and he enjoyed putting on the black leather half-boots.

Combing his hair actually took the most time for getting ready that morning. He’d already loaded the black leather messenger bag with the supplies he’d need for the start of school and as soon as his hair was done he headed out the door. The school was close enough to walk in fifteen minutes, and that was exactly what he did.

“You even look gay.” Jedidiah said as he came up beside Micah just outside of the school’s main entrance. The guy was wearing his powder-blue NC cap and smiling.

“Guess you heard the rumor mill.” Micah said, wondering if the smile was genuine or some type of ploy.

“I also heard you’re going out for the team.” Jed said. “Maybe we got off on the wrong foot. My name’s Jed.”

“I’m Micah.” Micah said, taking the hand that was offered.

“Mike and I go way back.” Jed said as he fell into step beside Micah. “He makes fun of me in class, and I give him shit around town.”

“He didn’t mention that.” Micah said with a direct look.

“I can see why you wanted my cap so bad.” Jed said, changing topics. “It’d go great with that shirt. Where’d you get it?”

“Georgia.” Micah answered and then signed. “It’s a Milbruiner original, one of about six that I have.”

“Is that some fancy designer?” Jed asked with a laugh.

“Yes.” Micah said.

“So your family is rich?” Jed asked as they entered the building. Micah just headed to his locker. There were plenty of extra pens and paper in his bag he planned to store in there, plus he had some extra gear that he’d bought over the weekend for football. He’d had John take him so his mother didn’t know that it was Micah who had bought them.

“Hey Matt.” Micah said as they passed the guy in the hall. He got a nod in return for his trouble. Then he turned back to Jed. “My family’s not rich. My boyfriend’s family is rich and his mother liked to go shopping with me. What game are you playing?”

“Woah, no game here, bud.” Jed said. “Look, I figured we got off on the wrong foot, and I could care less about you being gay. Actually now it’s good because I don’t have to worry about you picking off my girlfriend, and hell if you want to look at my ass, you can. Just don’t touch.”

“I have no interest in touching your ass.” Micah said, harsher than he intended and was surprised when Jed turned around, bending over slightly.

“What’s wrong with my ass?” Jed asked him, looking over his shoulder and grinning as he shook it. “That’s prime 100% country boy ass there. How could you not be interested in looking at that?”

“Jed, stop picking on the gay boy.” Another male voice demanded as a dark haired, well-built guy about the same height as Micah came up to them. Micah had just managed to open his locker and was horrified to find Jed going to a locker two down from his and opening it. The new guy came up and held his hand out. While as tall as Micah, he was a lot slimmer, but had well-defined muscles that showed through his tight t-shirt. “I’m Kyle Underwood. You’re Micah Jericho, the new guy.”

“Nice to meet you.” Micah said, missing the First Day formation. The new cadets would be grilled over the Standing Orders, and would be made to do pushups every time they forgot them. It was far easier than what he was going through here and now.

“This is good, we all got lockers next to each other.” Kyle said. “I’m the QB this year. We haven’t had a really good team the past couple of years, but we’ve got some new talent coming that might just make the difference. What position do you play?”

“I’ve never really played football before.” Micah shrugged. “Baseball’s been my game. The only time I’ve played was defense.”

“Well, we’ll just have to see where you fit in the best.” Kyle said as he began to open his locker. Micah wasn’t sure how he felt about being put in the ‘jock’ area as it was apparently, but when the cheerleaders came from across the hallway where their lockers were located, he figured it could be worse.

“You are a bad, bad flirt.” Sherry said as she tossed her side and wrapped her arms around Jed, who smiled and kissed her cheek. “You could have at least told me you were gay before trying to take me away from my boyfriend.”

“Sorry, I was in a bad mood and not thinking right.” Micah said as he refused to let his smile falter.

“I heard your mom is freaking out major over your being gay.” She said and he nodded.

“There’s a couple things you should know.” Jed said to Micah. “On school grounds, they take the zero tolerance policy on bullying very seriously. Stay away from the drugs too, because they do the random testing thing all year long if you’re in sports. You got a problem with a kid you deal with it off school grounds, and you be careful about any anti-gay shit – but then I guess you aren’t going to exactly be homophobic.”

“Okay.” Micah said with slightly wide eyes.

“I give Mike shit for being the State Champion in his weight class for wrestling and going around wearing eyeliner and all that goth shit trying to pretend he’s a rebel and hates life.” Jed said with a frown. “It has nothing to do with him liking guys or girls. Truth is I don’t know which he cares about.”

“This is Laramie.” Sherry said with a serious expression. “After what happened to Matthew Shepherd, anti gay doesn’t go over too well here. Even the churches don’t do more than try to make you pretend you’re straight.”

“Now those are the real kooks.” Kyle said with a gruff laugh. “So, Micah, rumor vine has it that your old man is some type of serial killer, but my old man works at the hospital and says your father is a paramedic.”

“My stepfather.” Micah said with a sigh and then let his shoulders slump. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have said that. I just found out recently that John Jericho isn’t my father. My real father is in prison for beating a kid to death here in the school before I was born.”

“Damn, no wonder they take the zero tolerance policy so far.” Kyle said.

“I asked my folks about it and they said it was because your dad and the kid were confronting the guy about getting your mom pregnant.” Jed said.

“Yeah, pregnant with me.” Micah said with a frown.

“Damn, we have ourselves a real celebrity here.” Kyle said, clapping Micah on the back while putting his arms around a pretty brunette cheerleader. “Where have they been hiding you?”

“Military school in Alabama.” Micah answered as someone pushed through behind him to get to a locker on the bottom row. He turned around to see Mike wearing all black and extra-heavy eyeliner. “Hey Mike.”

“Hey.” Mike said but nothing else as he opened his locker, threw a few things in and closed it before hurrying away.

“Excuse me, guys.” Micah said as he hurried after Mike. When he caught up to the guy he put a hand on his shoulder. “What’s up?”

“Look, don’t bother.” Mike said in a rush. “I don’t like those guys and they don’t like me so if you’re going to hang with them, leave me alone.”

“What, I can’t be friends with you and them?” Micah asked in a hurt tone.

“I don’t like them.” Mike said with a huff. “They’ll act all like they’re your friend, but if you’re a little different, they just tease you all the time and don’t let up.”

“I’ve seen you give back as good as you get that way.” Micah said with a frown. “You and Katy go at it sometimes like mad.”

“Yeah, well, let’s just say I don’t like doing it with them.” Mike said and then started to giggle when Micah’s lips curled upwards. “I didn’t mean it like that.”

“Yeah, uh huh.” Micah said. “So which is it?”

“Which is what?” Mike asked.

“Which one do you like?” Micah clarified. “Jed or Sherry?”

“Both?” Mike said and then sighed.

“Oh, that’s gotta be bad.” Micah said and couldn’t help giggling.

“I knew you’d react that way if I told you.” Mike said with a laugh of his own.

“Jed does have a nice ass.” Micah said. “He was showing it to me earlier. All you gotta do is pretend you don’t want to see it.”

“I don’t think I could take that.” Mike groaned. “I have to go, but we’ll talk later, okay?”

“Yeah, sure.” Micah said, feeling better that he’d successfully navigated that particular relationship minefield. He recognized the signs though, because he’d seen them before, although it had been all guys involved in that mess.

“You work it out with Mr. Grouch?” Jed asked as he came up behind Micah and put his arm around Micah’s shoulders. For some reason that made him uncomfortable. Wasn’t he supposed to be sniping with the guy and dancing around each other like two strange bears in the middle of a field of bee hives?

“Yeah.” Micah said with a sigh.

“What homeroom do you have?” Jed asked him.

“Calder.” Micah said.

“Figured you might.” Jed laughed. “Most of the jocks have Calder too. They tend to stick us together so we won’t pick on the geeks too much.”

“I don’t like people who pick on those smaller than them.” Micah warned him.

“No wonder you took my hat that day.” Jed laughed. “It’s all cool man. No hard feelings on my part. Does your boyfriend go to that military school place?”

“Yes.” Micah said with another sigh. He missed Corey really bad.

“Damn you have it bad.” Jed said as he led the way to the gym and the locker rooms.

“That obvious, huh?” Micah asked.

“Yep.” Jed laughed. “What’s his name?”

“Corey.” Micah said. “Corey Howard.”

“Not a bad name.” Jed said. “Now I’ll know who you’re talking about if you say ‘Corey’. Good news is I don’t think we have a Corey at this school – at least not in our grade.”

“That’s good.” Micah said, almost surprised that the guy hadn’t recognized the last name. Then again, he hadn’t known Corey’s father was a Senator until Corey had told him.

“Did you turn off your phone?” Jed asked as they neared the locker rooms.

“Crap, forgot.” Micah said and took out his phone to power it down.

“Nice, is that the new model?” Jed asked and Micah nodded. “Damn nice. So you’re like a kept guy or what?”

“No, but, well, it’s a serious thing.” Micah said. “His parents have a lot of… money and they don’t like to think their kids have nicer things than their friends, or the people they are dating.”

“Damn, they got any daughters?” Jed asked with a laugh.

“Nope, two boys.” Micah said. “Corey’s older brother is in law school.”

“That’s cool.” Jed said. “So what’s it like knowing rich people?”

“Fun.” Micah admitted. “Mrs. Howard likes to go shopping a lot, and well, all I had to do was try on all the clothes and let her look them over.”

“You mean she was perving on you.” Jed laughed as they made their way through the locker room to where Coach Calder was standing. Mike was already leaning over against the far wall, his frowns keeping anyone from coming close.

“Yeah, but it wasn’t all that bad.” Micah said. “Besides, I got a whole bunch of clothes and other stuff out of the deal. Tell me you wouldn’t have done the same if it was Sherry’s mother.”

“Just look, no touching?” Jed laughed. “Hell yeah. How much did that outfit cost that you’re wearing?”

“Around eight hundred.” Micah said and Jed whistled.

“Can I come and model for your boyfriend’s mother?” Jed asked and Micah laughed. He hated to say it, but he was starting to like Jed’s sense of humor and the way he made a joke out of everything. It was also very apparent why Mike couldn’t stand him. Mike was all about serious attitude and would probably have been mortified with the whole story.

“Sorry, family only.” Micah laughed and then settled down as the bell rang and the Coach’s face turned serious.

The school day went well after that. He only had two classes with Jed, Kyle, or other guys from the football team. On the other hand, Mike was in every class, and ended up warming up once again to Micah, at least in the classes where members of the football team were not present.

Practice was tough, to say the least. He’d gotten geared up and out on the field and was put through his paces. It was pretty obvious he hadn’t played football much, and wasn’t all that good on offense, but he made a good showing on defense. Despite his size he was fast, and ran circles around the offensive line, making several runs into the offensive line’s backfield. Three would have been sacks, and he was penciled in to the varsity defensive lineup.

At least this way he wouldn’t have to learn all those plays the offensive team had to run.

“It’s about time you got home.” His mother’s voice wasn’t exactly happy as he walked in the door. She had no more than spoken before she was out the door on her way to work, leaving him with little John, Gina, and a very messy house. If he didn’t know better, he might think she had kept him home just so she wouldn’t have to pay a baby sitter any longer.

“Can we play catch?” Little John asked before Micah had done more than put his bag down in the dining room. It was the first day of school and he had a bunch of forms to fill out for different teachers, a playbook to go over (although thankfully he could skip the offensive plays), and a short essay to write for English about his summer vacation, such as it was.

“Don’t you have homework?” Micah asked his little half-brother just as Gina started demanding her snack at the top of her lungs. His little sister was at that curious stage where she wasn’t quite independent, but didn’t like to be hovered over either. He ended up making both of them a snack and setting them down in front of the television before he got his bag open and started wading through everything he had to get done.

At five, he was just finishing after having spent an hour in the back yard with little John and was thinking about what to start for dinner when his phone rang. He saw that it was Corey calling and a smile lit up his face. John disappeared inside at a sharp word from him, going to watch television with his little sister, who had been watching them play catch, and Micah answered the phone on his way into the kitchen.

“Hey you.” Micah said as he pushed the green button and put the phone to his ear.

“Hey yourself.” Corey said with a happy voice. “It’s free time and I thought I’d call you first. Any chance of a web call?”

“Not tonight.” Micah said. “Just finished homework and all the paperwork stuff they make you do here. Then I had to play ball with little John. Mom ran out the door as soon as I came home.”

“How was your first day?” Corey asked with a sound of hope.

“It was too normal.” Micah sighed. “No fights, no bullies, and no gay-hating bashers to start trouble and convince Mom I don’t belong here. I swear Corey, it’s like everything in the universe is conspiring to keep me here. I should be there with you. That’s how it was before.”

“But we weren’t a couple, right?” Corey said. “Maybe fate just wants to make sure we have to work for it to make things perfect. Is your mom lightening up at all?”

“No, but John’s keeping her at bay.” Micah said as he rummaged through the fridge. There was a fair amount of leftovers he could heat up from the weekend. That would be better than actually cooking, and Gina had enjoyed the potatoes that went with the roast, so he would be able to keep her happy too. She was becoming a very picky eater. “I get my license later this week.”

“I heard, you lucky bastard.” Corey almost sounded jealous. “Mom’s said the car will get there on the day you get your license. The dealership will call when it’s ready.”

“I told her not to do that.” Micah frowned. “Mom will flip, but it might be the straw that pushes her into kicking me out. It’s not like I can really push her buttons right now. John’s being so damn reasonable. He’s supposed to hate my guts, but now it’s like he likes me or something.”

“Who couldn’t like you?” Corey said.

“Well enough about my day.” Micah said. “How was yours? Who got the worst of it during morning muster?”

“This new kid called Jender.” Micah laughed. “He couldn’t even get the first Standing Order right and Sergeant Major reamed him a new asshole after he collapsed at the fifth pushup.”

“Is he overweight?” Micah asked with a smile as he began to get things out of the fridge and assembled. Little John came into the kitchen for a bottled water and looked at Micah funnily.

“Who you talking to?” Little John asked.

“Corey.” Micah said.

“Yes?” Corey asked.

“No, I was talking to little John.” Micah said as his little half-brother frowned and then smiled.

“Oh!” John exclaimed. “Your boyfriend!”

“Yes, my boyfriend.” Micah said with a shake of his head, wondering how John had picked that up and not really caring. John skipped out of the room chanting “Micah’s got a boyfriend!” over and over again.

“I heard him!” Corey laughed. “He is so cute! I wish I could meet him.”

“Who knows, you might be able to eventually.” Micah laughed. “My mother has to give up on this ‘trying to make me straight’ thing eventually.”

“Do you promise she won’t succeed?” Corey asked, worry in his tone.

“You promise you’re not going to be sleeping around?” Micah countered and Corey laughed.

“Yes, yes, I’m not even tempted.” Corey laughed. “Humboldt tried to give me shit about you not being here and I don’t have an Enforcer anymore but I took care of him myself.”

“Oh no, what did you do?” Micah groaned.

“Don’t worry, nothing against the rules.” Corey assured him, and as he told Micah about humiliating Humboldt at dinner, Micah set about making his own dinner. He missed Corey like mad, but it could be a lot worse.