Regrets And Heartaches - 6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Once they arrived at school, they headed over to the cafeteria. As soon as they grabbed their breakfast, Caleb found his friends. They went over and sat with him and almost immediately, Joey felt as if he were not even there.

Lonnie, Kurt, Ivan in a couple other guys that Joey hadn't met yet pulled Caleb into there conversation. So Joey, Alan and Fran continue their conversation they had before they picked up Caleb. As soon as they finished eating, they got up and headed over to the register's office with out telling Caleb. He was too involved with his friends from the football team to really realize that Joey had left.

As they arrived at the register's office, Fran left Joey and Alan at the door. They headed straight to the registrar clerk as soon as they walked in. Joey lied to the clerk in order to get Alan registered. He told her that he is a cousin that moved in from El Paso, and will be staying with him for the remainder of the year.

Since Alan has a disability his classes are different than Joey's. They knew that when they walked in that they will not have any classes together. After getting his schedule, Alan and Joey headed off to find Alan's locker.

The minute they found the locker the bell rang for the first period class. Joey knows where his first period class is, so he helped Alan find his. After Joey left Alan at his class he had to run to make it before the tardy bell rang. He walked in the doors right as the bell rang. He looked around and saw Caleb waiving him over.

Joey walked over to Caleb and sat down at the desk that he saved for him. As soon as Joey sat down, the teacher started to take roll call and than went right into the requirements of the class. Every now and then Caleb tried to get Joey to talk to him, but Joey would act as if he is writing something down or paying attention to what the teacher is saying at the time.

The bell rang; they headed off to their second period class. Caleb had to run to catch up to Joey in the hallway. Once he caught up to Joey, he patted Joey on the shoulders to get his attention. Joey looked at Caleb as they walked down the hall.

“What is wrong with you, Joey? You disappeared during breakfast, and you refuse to talk with me during class. Then the bell rang, and you ran out of there as if there were a fire in the classroom. I yelled for you and I had to run in order to catch up. What is going on?”

“The minute we got to the table you started chatting with your friends and ignored me. Your friends don't like me and you know that. They don't even acknowledge my presence whenever I'm around. I'm fine with that, honestly, I am. I don't need them or anyone like me to be my friends.

From now on we need to figure out a way that you can hang with your friends, and I'm not a bother. So what we should do is during lunch and breakfast. You sit with them, and I will either sit alone or with Alan if he has the same lunch break.”

Caleb was lost for words as they reached their second period classroom. They sat down and he started to think on how it looked this morning. He couldn't believe that Joey is actually right about what had happened.

Not only had he ignored Joey. He actually moved completely across the bench. He didn't even notice Joey was gone until the bell rang. He is comfortable with Joey, so why didn’t he pull Joey into his conversation with his friends. This action makes them worse than his friends, because he says one thing and does something else.

The rest the morning, Joey and Caleb talked during class, but never mentioned what happened at breakfast. They acted as if what had happened in the morning had actually not happened. Caleb felt guilty, but again Joey didn't rub it in.

When the lunch bell rang, Joey told Caleb that he's going to go and get Alan. They reached their lockers and put away the morning books. Joey went to Alan’s locker to get him for lunch. Caleb headed straight to the cafeteria to get his tray and the table.

Joey didn't find Alan at his locker but he found him at the entrance of the cafeteria. They walked in and found Caleb sitting at the table with his friends. Joy put down his tray and pulled Alan out of the line.

“Why don't we go off campus and eat lunch instead of being in here? I really don't feel like eating what they are serving for lunch today.”

Alan just looked at Joey, but didn't say a word. They headed off campus and grabbed lunch at the Subway a couple blocks away. As they ate. They chatted about their morning classes on what they like and don't like so far. It seemed like they both had the same complaints about their teachers and their classes.

As they headed back to school. Joey noticed his uncle's car parked in the street with his uncle and mother in it. He debated with himself on either going up to see what they were doing or just calling the police. He decided to be safe and to call the police. He doesn't know why they are there, and if they have any weapons.

After he got off the pay phone with 911 Joey walked over to see if his mother and uncle are still waiting in their car. To his surprise, he found them still there. A few minutes later, the police drove up behind Dominic and Beth. They started the car, but one of the officers got down and stopped them in time.

“We got a phone call about a suspicious vehicle parked here at the school. This vehicle matches the description and license plate number given. Why are you parked out here on the side of the school?”

Dominic looked over to Beth and back over to the officer. “We are here to speak with our son and daughter and make sure they're okay on their first day of school.” He answered the officer with a shaky voice.

“Let me see your driver’s license and insurance please!” The officer asked as the other officer walked up on the other side of the vehicle.

Dominic pulled out his driver's license and his insurance card to hand to the officer. The officer walked back over to his patrol car and radioed in. A few minutes later, he walked back up to the car and handed Dominic back his proof of insurance and driver's license.

“You are not supposed to be here and you know that. There is a restraining order on both of you. If you are caught at this school again, you will be arrested. This is the only chance that we are going to give you. Do you understand what I am telling you?”

Dominic and Beth both shook their heads in agreement to the officer. The officer stepped back and let them leave. They headed over to their patrol car as an undercover car drove up behind them. The detective that was investigating the robbery at Joey's house stepped out of the vehicle and walked up to the patrol car.

“Where are Dominic and Beth Alvarez? I understand that we got a call that they were stalking Joey and his sister.”

The officers looked at the detective not understanding why he came out on a routine call. They got out of the patrol car to speak with detective.

“We gave them a warning and let them go. The call that we got was a suspicious vehicle, not a stalking call. If we knew that it was a stalking call we would have arrested them on the spot. This kind information needs to be given to us when we call into dispatch.”

“Damit, now I can't even go to their house and arrest them. They have to be arrested as they are breaking the restraining order. Now I will have to go in front of a judge and let the judge know that they broke the restraining order. More than likely the judge will just let it go. Like you did, because you did not execute the restraining order.”

The officers argued with detective about what leeway they have when it comes to routine calls. Since they didn't execute restraining order and cannot go back and correct it, the officers and the detective went on their way.

Joey walked back into the building upset that nothing actually got done. As he headed to his locker to get his note book and pencils, Caleb caught up to him and started talking, but was out of breath and had to lean against the wall.

“You completely ignored me during lunch. I thought we settled this issue about my friends and you. Then you just completely spaced out and did not even show up for lunch. That really sucks, you know, Joey.”

“Look I did go to the lunch room, but again, you were with your friends. I will not sit there at the same table and be ignored. I told you that already. I have no problem with you wanting to hang out with your friends.

I am not one of those types of people that demand their significant other to be with them all the time once they are together. Have fun with your friends here at school. We work together and we see each other almost every night.”

Caleb just leaned against the wall looking at Joey trying to figure out what is going through his mind. One thing is for sure. There is something going on, and Joey doesn't want to tell him what it is. So he decided to just leave it alone for now, and maybe later as well. Caleb can't figure out a way to get his friends to hang with Joey as well.

Joey and Caleb headed different directions when the bell rang. This is the only period during the day that they don't have together. Caleb has PE and Joey has his ROTC class.

The minute that Joey walked into the door, his instructor pulled him to the side. “Joey I know that we told you that you’re not going to be the company commander for this company, but we need you in another slot. Our battalion executive officer did not sign up for her final semester, which leaves us in a bind.

A company commander slot is easier to fill than a battalion executive officer. We can groom you for the battalion commander position for next year as we were doing with the old executive officer. What do you think Joey; can you help us out and pick up the ball?”

Joey just looked at Colonel Chandler. He saw what Jacob went through on Battalion staff. He knows that most of that was probably caused by Major Moore. Joey knows that he is ready, but that he also has enough problems on his plate right now. He cannot afford or want anymore problems added to his already confusing life.

“Colonel Chandler, I would really like to be on Battalion staff. But in my last school, my friend is the battalion commander and everyday he has to worry about having the position. He does so much for that battalion and he continues to get kicked back down.”

“I have heard rumors about the senior army instructor down there. Let me say this, I do not run my battalion that way. You guys know your positions, and we are either going to succeed or not on you guys' leadership.”

“I want to tell you the truth from the beginning. I have no plans on going into the military after high school. They won't let me in because of my lifestyle anyways. Maybe it will be best that you promote someone else that is going to go into the military after graduation.”

“Joey, I would not have offered this position to you if I did not know all the facts. I have to call your battalion and ask why would a junior transfer in the middle of his semester. I spoke with Major Moore, and he told me a lot of things. Most of what he told me I am going to ignore.

He did tell me what a great shooter you are. He also told me about your relationship with another cadet. I don't care anything about that. What I care about is getting the right people in the right positions. No one else in my battalion is ready for this position, except you. We can groom you for battalion commander and maybe brigade staff next year.”

Joey stood there in front of Colonel Chandler trying to see if he is a 'wolf in sheep clothing.' He figured that he shouldn't judge the entire ROTC program by the way Major Moore ran his program. That isn’t right and he is better than that.

“Okay, I will be proud to take that position. I know that I am up for the task and I will not let you down.” Joey finally spoke as he shook Colonel Chandler's hand.

The rest of the day went by pretty quickly. Before Joey knew it, he found himself walking to his locker to gather what homework he has to do. He and Cesar have lockers next to each other. So they only have to find Fran and Alan.

As they walked out to the truck, they found Fran and Alan standing there waiting for Joey. He got to the truck and unlocked the doors. On the way home, they chatted about their first day back to school. Alan had the hardest time keeping up with the conversation because he couldn’t see Joey’s and Caleb's lips as they talked.

Helen gave Joey and Caleb the day off because of it being their first day back to school. Joey and Caleb planned to spend the evening together days before school had started. Now Calebis thinking it might not have been a good idea doing so. Cesar doesn’t know what is going on with Joey. He is confused about his behavior to say the least.

Once they stepped into the house and deactivated the alarm. Joey wanted to speak with Fran before she headed off to do her homework. He didn’t care if Cesar and Alan listened in on what he has to say to Fran.

“Before I start or say anything let me say this. I don't have any answers. Alan and I went off campus for lunch today, and when we returned. I spotted mom and Dominic parked on the side of the school. I didn't want to take any chances on confronting them.

So, I called the police, and they came down. I didn’t go over to find out what was being discussed, but the police let them go. The reason I'm telling you this, is there has to be a reason why they were there. You know mom just as well as I do. There is always a reason for what she does.

For now on, I want you to meet me at my locker after school, not the truck. If you step outside of the school during the day and make sure you are with somebody. Do not go near mom or Dominic if they show up again.

I am pretty sure they are not after me. They want you without question and they are willing to do anything to make that happen. I have always left it up to you on who you want to live with. If you ever change your mind and you want to go back to mom, just tell me. I will not be angry if that is what you want to do.”

“Joey, I have told you this since the day mom moved out of this house. I do not want to live with her and Uncle Dominic. I want to live with you and only you. I will never change my mind on that.

As far as leaving this school, I will not do that unless I'm with you or you two.” Fran pointed to Caleb and Alan. “While you're home alone I will not answer the door to her or Uncle Dominic much less go to their car if they call me over.”

Joey felt satisfied with the answer he got from his sister. He let her go back to her room to do her homework, or whatever she had planned to do. Joey and Caleb walked over to Joey’s room. Leaving Alan in the living room to do what ever he wants to do.

Joey and Caleb quickly did their homework before anything else. They finished at the same time and Caleb wanted to talk about breakfast and lunch. He got up from the floor and sat on the bed next to Joey. He grabbed Joey’s hand into his.

“Joey I know you are very uncomfortable with the way my friends are with you. I will talk with them and tell them that they have to include you in the conversations. I want to spend every moment that I can with you. That is the god honest truth Jacob!”

“I know you're not ready Caleb on coming out with your friends. I am not willing to tell them about me. So I know you are even worse because of the amount of time you have known them. I just want you to be comfortable with your decision. If you know your friends will react badly about your request, and then don't do it. I will just sit there at the table like a bump on a log. I love you, and I'm willing to do that for you.”

With that said, both of the boys got up to head to the kitchen to prepare dinner. They both felt they made their feelings known on what they had told one another. Joey started to prepare dinner as Caleb looked on.

Every so often, Caleb would get up and either pinch Joey on the butt or grab his front end. Joey would not even slap away Caleb's hand. So by the time Joey started to set the table, Caleb had his hands all over Joey.

After dinner, everyone helped with the clean up. After cleaning up, they headed over to watch a movie. Caleb and Joey though had something else in mind that they wanted to do instead of watching a movie. All through the movie, Joey and Caleb couldn’t keep their hands off of each other. At one point, they had their hands on each others package.

Once the movie ended, Caleb had to go home. So Joey and Caleb jumped in the truck and headed over on the short ride to Caleb’s house. They parked in the street and started making out. They had each other shirt off when they heard a car backfire as it passed.

They got up and started laughing. Caleb put on his shirt before he got out of the truck. He ran around to the driver’s side as Joey rolled down the window. Joey crawled halfway out of the window to reach Caleb in order for them to kiss.

Joey watched Caleb walk into his house. He didn’t leave until he saw that Caleb got in and shut the door. Once he saw that Caleb shut the door, he started his truck and headed off home. He couldn’t stop thinking of Caleb. At one point he almost drove off the road because he didn’t pay attention.

The next couple of days went by fast. The school day became routine for them. Joey and Caleb also returned back to work. Nothing big or news worthy happened. Joey started to learn his new position in ROTC as well rifle team practice. Caleb would go to football practice while Joey was at rifle team practice.

During lunch on Wednesday Joey wasn't paying attention to who is following him. He walked into the guy’s bathroom, and before he knew it. He went sliding across the dirty wet floor. He quickly got up and turned around to see Caleb’s friends standing there.

Kurt stood guard at the door to make sure no one walked in. Ivan and Lonnie walked towards Joey. Joey is not about to go down without a fight. One thing he had learned is that he can no longer allow others to push him around.

“What the hell are you guys doing? I thought that we are friends, but by the looks of it. You guys have a totally different idea of what friends are. If you think you're going to gang up on me and I am going let you beat me up, you've got another think coming.”

“We do not like your kind around here. This is a smaller town than where you came from. Word gets around and it gets around fast. Everyone knows about you, your family and how you lived in El Paso.

This is the only time that we are going to be nice about this with you. You need to leave Caleb alone. Right now he is confused and he doesn't need you confusing him even more. We are going to help him stay on the straight and narrow. So you need to step off and go away. The next time we talk, it will not be as nice as this talk.”

All three of them walked out of the bathroom. Joey just stood there, astonished on the backward thinking of these guys. They know about Caleb, and they're not willing to let him live his life. This is backwards because normally the family is the one that reacts like this, not the friends.

Joey walked over to the urinal and did his business. He cleaned himself up and walked out of the bathroom. Joey didn't have another chance to speak with Caleb until they headed to work. He decided to just drop it and not make any waves.

Their shift flew by quickly. Before they knew it, they started cleaning up the video store. Helen gave the boys permission to take home any videos they wanted to watch, as long as the videos got back in the store within a couple of days. As they were leaving, Joey got a couple videos for them to watch.

Caleb noticed the tires are flat on his side as they walked to the truck. They looked at the tire and you could see that the tires were stabbed with a knife. Caleb thought it could only be Joey’s mother and uncle, but Joey now has a few other names to add to his list of names. People that hate his guts!

Caleb took a ride home with his mother after Joey asked him to do so. Joey waited for a local tire company to arrive and change out his tires for him. Once they got them changed out, Joey did not get a home until a little after midnight.

The next morning Caleb kept telling Joey to file a police report. The problem with that is that Joey really doesn’t know who did it. He could have been his mother and uncle, but it could have been Caleb’s friends as well. Joey didn’t want to tell Caleb about what had happened yesterday between him and Caleb's friends in the bathroom.

Joey does know one thing for sure, and that is that he can no longer turn his back on Caleb's friends. He also knows that he has to always be checking on his truck. He cannot afford the expense on replacing his tires.

All day long between classes, Joey ran out to check on his truck. He kept doing that as well at work that evening. The only place where the truck is safe is at home because of the garage. They used it for storage, but the minute that Joey got home. He cleared it out in order to park his truck in it during the night.

Caleb started to get a weird feeling not only from Joey, but as well from his friends. He knows there is something going on between Joey and his friends, he just doesn’t know what it is. Finally during football practice on Friday, Caleb had enough of wondering.

As they changed out of practice gear, Joey walked up to his friends. He found them together at Lonnie’s locker whispering. Caleb looked at what they were doing. He couldn’t believe his eyes. They are watching a video of them slashing Joey’s tires.

Caleb turned around and walked away. How can he tell Joey that the ones that slashed his tires weren’t his mother and uncle. Instead the ones that did it are his friends. Caleb cannot understand why his friends would even do that to Joey. As far as Caleb knows, Joey has not done anything to his friends.

Caleb finished getting dressed and started heading out of the locker room. Caleb's friends approached him as he reached the door. It took every ounce of power in his body to not go off on his friends. Caleb just wanted to get out of the locker room before he lost complete control and does something that he's going to regret.

“Your mother told us that you are off tomorrow. So we were wondering if you wanted to hang with us and do something. We didn't hang that much during the Christmas holidays, because you were working or with Joey.”

“Yeah Lonnie, I am off tomorrow, but already had made plans to hang with Joey. Why don't we all just do something together?”

All three of them just looked at each other. They thought for sure that Joey would have told him about what they did to him the other day. They started to rock back and forth trying to figure out what to say.

“Wait a minute, where are my manners? You guys normally only deal with Joey if he is not around and slashing tires. Answer me this. What in the world has Joey done to you guys to deserve this kind of treatment? As far as I know he has tried everything to be you guys' friend, but you guys go and do this.”

“We did not to anything to his truck or tires. If he has told you that he is flat out lying to you. You do not want or need a friend like that around you.”

Caleb just stared at his friends. He couldn't believe that Ivan would actually stand there in front of him and lie like that. Caleb started to gather his thoughts in order to not say the wrong thing to his friends.

“Joey never said a word to me that he thought it was you guys that slashed his tires. I got dressed and walked over to you guys to see what your problem is with Joey. When I walked up, you guys were looking at the video you had taken that night. It wasn't Joey that said a word, it was you guys bringing the video here and watching it.

You guys are my best friends, and Joey is also my friend. I have tried everything to get you guys to get along with Joey. It isn't Joey that refuses to get along with you guys. It's you guys that refuse get along with him.

What you guys did to his truck that night cost him in the hundreds of dollars to replace those tires. Hell, you guys don’t care, because if you did, you would have not done it in the first place. You took away money that he uses to keep the bills paid in his house and that is not right at all.”

Caleb walked passed his friends into the hallway. As he reached the entrance to the building, his friends ran up to him and stopped him at the door. Caleb turned around to see them out of breath, breathing hard.

“Here you are defending a guy that you have only known for a month. Do you even know anything about him? We had found out a lot about him and didn’t want to tell you. We tried to deal with Joey on our own, but it looks like that is not working.

We warned him to stay away from you…….”

“Wait a fucking minute. You warned Joey to stay away from me. Who in the hell do you guys think you are? I decide who I hang with and who I don’t. No one, I mean no one makes those decisions for me.”

Caleb pushed through his friends and walked out of the building. His friends followed him out and ran in front of him. They stopped him once again as he walked towards the parking lot to meet Joey.

“Look you guys are going to make me run late for work. Plus, right now I am not in the mood to speak with any of you. If I say what is on mind right now, you guys will regret it. Let’s all just take a step back for now.”

“No, we are tired of you thinking that Joey is this good person when he is not. We found out a lot about him. The whole school knows basically everything that we know, except you it seems. Get your head out of the dirt and open you fucking eyes Caleb. Joey is no good and he is nothing but bad trouble.”

Lonnie interrupted Ivan and took over. “There are things that you need to know before you get tied into it. Joey is not the person that he presents himself to be. He left El Paso under specious circumstances to say the least.

I don't even know where to start, but I'll just throw it all out for you to see. First Joey is not straight, and you do not need to get tied into that. You already know that people are looking at you and thinking that you are gay. We have defended you every time the rumor starts about you being a fairy.

Second, he had a boyfriend over there and something happened. What ever happened is not good. It got so bad that he had to leave in the middle of the night like a criminal. You know that when a person moves out in the middle of the night, that is not good.

Third, don’t get me started about his mother. Come on Caleb, you have hung around him enough to know there is something going on there. The other day when the police were here at the school, they were here because of his mother. You cannot…..”

“ENOUGH DAMIT! I should not have allowed you to go this damn far. Everything you have told me I know already. Joey has told me and why it happened. He has not hidden a thing from me. If you would have given him a chance he would have cleared all this up with you as well.”

Caleb started to walk away and turned back around. “Oh one more thing and I do not care who you tell. The rumors that you guys have been fighting on behalf, well, you guys have been on the wrong side. I am gay and Joey and I are together. If you cannot handle that, than I do not want you as friends.”

Caleb’s friends just stood there shocked at what the last thing Caleb just said. They watched their best friend walk away from them. He just threw out a bomb and didn’t wait to see what it had done.

Caleb reached the truck and jumped in. Joey had already been waiting for him for a little while. Joey looked over at Caleb and saw that he is shaking. He put the truck into drive and drove out of the school parking lot. The entire way to work, neither of them said a word to each other.

They walked into work right in time. After clocking in, they walked over and took over the video store. Being that it is Friday evening; the store is packed with customers wanting to get the new releases to watch.

Once to settle down, Caleb and Joey started walking around the video store, straightening out the mess the customers had left. Joey noticed that Caleb wasn't himself. He wanted to ask what was going on, but he doesn't want to overstep his bounds.

Just then, Caleb’s friends walked into the video store. They walked over to Caleb and didn't even notice Joey. Joey had been kneeling behind the counter getting the videos out of the return box when they walked in.

Moments later, Caleb walked up to Joey and told him that he's taking his break. Caleb walked out of the video store and out of Albertsons all together. Joey put one and one together and figured out what ever is bothering Caleb. It has to do with his friends.

As soon as Joey finished checking in the videos he put them back on to the shelves. After he finished that up, he pulled out the vacuum cleaner and started to vacuum the store. They are going to have one more rush, but after that it is going to slow down.

Joey didn't even notice Caleb when he walked back into the store. He felt someone patting him on the shoulder as his back was turned to the door. As Joey turned off the vacuum cleaner he turned around to see who needed his attention. To his surprise he found Caleb's friends standing behind him.

“We know that you are working and you really cannot talk. We spoke with Caleb, earlier today, and he told us everything. It took us by surprise, but deep down inside us. We knew that Caleb is gay.

All of us grew up together and almost are like brothers. We love Caleb and we only want the best for him. He loves you and he is willing to do anything to keep you. That includes losing us as his friends.

If any of us leave this group, it would be as if we had an arm or leg cut off. What I guess I am trying to say is that we don't want to lose Caleb. He is part of us and we really don’t care about what he had told us.

Please take our apology on acting like dicks to you. There is no excuse for what we have done to you the other day in the bathroom and that night. Let us know how much it cost you to replace your tires and we will give you back your money. You will not have anything to worry from us anymore. We would like it if you would give us another chance and hopefully this time we can become friends, and not enemies.”

Joey couldn't believe that Caleb actually took this step with his friends. That had to take a lot of guts on his part to come out to his friends. Joey sees that Caleb is going faster than he did when he came out.

When it comes down to the truck, he wants to be a bigger person and not ask for the money. Joey knows that he really doesn't need the money, but it's the principle of the thing. If he lets them get away with it this time, they might try it again on someone else that cannot afford replacing their tires.

“Caleb is a very good guy, and I am so lucky that he and I met. I promise you guys that I will do everything to make him happy and not hurt him. I know if I do that you guys be back and I don't want that. As far as the cost of the tires, I will go ahead and bring the receipt to school on Monday.”

Lonnie and the guys agreed and shook Joey's hand as they walked back to the counter to Caleb. They talked for couple minutes to Caleb before leaving the store. They had noticed that we were about to get into our second rush of the evening.

Caleb couldn't help but smile, all through the rush. He feels as if he won a football game all on his own. Caleb finally came out to his friends, and he didn't lose them. Plus his boyfriend and his friends are going to be able to try and become friends. That is an accomplishment all on its own.

As soon as the rush ended, Joey and Caleb quickly went to work to clean up the video store. They want to get out right at closing time not wasting anytime on cleaning when they can do that right now. Caleb finished cleaning his part of the store, before Joey did. So instead of just sitting around, Caleb helped Joey finish cleaning his part of the store.

Once they finished Caleb left to go and get permission from his mother to stay the night with Joey. He had already got permission to go and watch movies with him. Now he wants to stay the night with Joey.

It took a little digging on Caleb's part, but his mother finally caved in. She gave Caleb permission to stay the night. Just as Caleb started to walk out the door of his mother's office, she called him back in. He turned around, closed the door behind him and sat back down in the chair.

“I know you and your sister are never going to always tell me the truth on what you guys do with your boyfriends. With your sister I always have to worry about her getting pregnant, but with you that is a worry I don't have. Instead I have a different worry and as a mother I need to ask.

Joey came off a relationship of several years in which they lived together through all that time. You cannot tell me that Joey and his ex-boyfriend didn't have relations. I don't think Joey is the type of person that is going to rush you into something that you are not ready for. Still I am wondering if you and he have had relations.”

“I haven't heard it called that mom. Whenever my friends and I talk about that, we just call it what it is, sex. You are right that Joey isn't pressuring me on having sex with him. I have always told your mom that I will be honest with you about everything. And that has to include this conversation as well.

Joey and I have kissed a lot, and on New Year's Eve. We went a little further than just kissing. We didn't have complete sex, but we, you know. I really don’t know how to say it to you mom. I think you know what I am saying though.”

Helen walked around the desk and leaned against it facing Caleb. “You don't have to finish that statement. I thought you guys did something in your room that evening. You guys came out way too happy and giggly as if you guys went a little further.

I cannot keep you from having sex. I want you to always come to me, when ever you feel the need to. If I continue to pressure you on not having sex you may not come to me. Just do your father and me a favor. Be safe when you guys do have sex. I know that you both love each other very much. Just do your father and me that favor.”

Caleb got up from his chair and promised his mother to be safe. He hugged her, kissed her on the cheek and left the office. Caleb almost ran back to the video store to give Joey the good news. He has gotten permission to stay at Joey's house for the night.

Joey finished up with the last customer as Caleb pulled out the videos they stashed. The only things they have left to do are close off the registers, and wait for Helen to pick up the money. She makes sure that the draws are not short.

Helen counted out the drawers and made sure they were not short. Once she completed counting both draws, the boys were almost out the door. Helen called them back into the video store. They walked in to see what she wanted.

“Don't you boys stay up all night watching those movies and eating nothing but junk food. I want to see all of you guys for breakfast tomorrow morning at the house. After that, you guys can take off and do whatever you want to do.”

Helen walked around the counter as the boys walked towards the door. “Oh, I know Joey that you don't have a spare room anymore with Alan living with you. I also know that neither of you will stay on the couch. Just take care of my son, and please understand that he is my only son. Excuse me, that you two are my only sons!”

“Helen I promise to always keep Caleb safe. He means a lot to me. There is nothing in this world that will hurt him, if I can help it!”

Joey and Caleb waited for Helen at the entrance of the video store. They both kissed Helen as she passed them. They pulled down the gate and Helen locked it up. Before leaving, they gave Helen one last hug and walked out the door.

All the way to Joey's house, they talked about what had happened earlier at school. Over and over again Caleb kept saying he couldn't believe he actually came out. He also made it clear to Joey that he does not regret coming out. He felt it was past due and needed to be done with his friends.

As soon as they walked into the house, Fran and Alan met them at the door for the videos. They grabbed them and ran into the living room. Joey looked at Caleb trying to figure out what is going on between his sister and Alan. They walked into the living room to find them sitting already on the couch really close to each other.

“I am way too tired to cook anything for dinner. Why don't we just order pizza or I can go out and get hamburgers from McDonald's or Sonic? I leave the food choice up to you guys, just as long as I don’t have to cook tonight.”

Everyone started talking all at once about what to eat. They all have one thing in agreement and that is no pizza. Now they have to decide what they are going to eat instead of pizza. They started going down the list of fast food restaurants and landed up with choosing McDonald's because of its variety of choices.

Alan turned off the TV as they all got up and headed out the door. About five minutes later, they drove into the drive-through of McDonald's. They quickly ordered, got their food and drinks and headed back home. As they sat back down in their seats they found that the seats are actually still warm.

Joey turned off the lights as Alan started the movie. Half way through the first movie, they all finished eating. Caleb sat down on the floor stretching on his legs where Joey could lay down on them.

All through the movie, Joey lay down on Caleb’s legs and Caleb brushed his fingers through Joey’s hair. Both of them got hard the minute that Joey laid down. Not once did their hard ons go down during the movie.

At the end of the movie, Joey and Caleb got up from the floor. Caleb wrapped his arms around Joey as they walked down the hallway to his room. They said their good nights to Fran and Alan as they closed the door.

Caleb let go of Joey and turned him around. He started to kiss Joey as he guided him over to the bed. Neither of them even bothered to turn on the lights. As the fell onto the bed, they both kicked off their shoes.

Caleb looked down at Joey, rubbing his fingers across the side of his face. He leaned in and started to kiss the side of Joey’s neck. Caleb nibbled on Joey’s ear lobe as he kissed his way around to Joey’s lips and than to his other ear lobe.

Caleb got up and pulled Joey up to the sitting position. He pulled off Joey’s shirt and pushed him back down. Caleb un-did Joey’s belt, the buttons to his jeans and pulled them off. Leaving Joey in just his underwear and white socks laying on the bed.

Caleb went between Joey’s legs and started to play with Joey’s dick through his underwear. “I have wanted this in my mouth ever since New Years Eve. I cannot tell you how many times I woke up dreaming of you and me having sex. It has made me do a lot of laundry I can tell you that much.”

Caleb pulled out Joey’s hard cock through the fly of Joey’s underwear. Caleb wrapped his big hands around Joey’s dick. With his thumb, Caleb rubbed Joey’s dick head. Causing Joey to shiver each time Caleb’s finger went across the head of Joey’s dick.

Without warning, Caleb went down on Joey. This time he didn’t gag. He deep throated Joey’s dick, throwing Joey into another world. As Caleb sucked Joey’s dick, he started playing with Joey’s balls.

Joey knew if Caleb kept doing this to him, it would not take much more to make him cum. He pulled Caleb off of his dick and up to his face. Joey wrapped his hands around the back of Caleb’s head and pulled him towards his face. Their lips touched and they started kissing. Joey could taste his pre-cum in Caleb’s mouth.

He flipped Caleb to his back and got up. Caleb looked up at his boyfriend with his dick sticking straight out of his underwear. He reached out to grab Joey’s dick, but Joey gently slapped his hand away.

Joey pulled off Caleb’s shirt and threw it on the pile with his clothes. Caleb isn’t wearing a belt, so Joey only had to undo Caleb’s buttons to his jeans. He pulled them off with his underwear. Joey quickly fell to his knees between Caleb’s legs.

He grabbed Caleb’s dick and put it right into his mouth. Caleb immediately started to moan the minute Joey started to go up and down on him. He reached out and grabbed hold of Joey’s hair. Caleb started to control the speed in which Joey is going.

Joey let Caleb’s dick slip out of his mouth. He looked up at Caleb and saw that he has his eyes closed. He reached up and started to play with Caleb’s tits. Caleb started moaning even louder as Joey gently squeezed Caleb’s tit.

Joey let go of Caleb’s chest and got up from his knees. He lay down on Caleb and started kissing him on the lips. Caleb opened his mouth and let Joey’s tongue in. A few minutes later, Joey let Caleb’s tongue into his mouth. They did this for a while until Joey broke the kiss. He looked down into Caleb’s open eyes.

“I really want you inside me Caleb. I have wanted you inside me the day I saw you. If you are not ready, just say so and I will let it be. If though you are ready, I really would love it if you would do it.”

Caleb just looked at Joey. He reached out and put his hands through Joey’s hair. “I really want to do that for you. I just don’t know how to do it though. Please walk me through it and I will do my best.”

Joey shook his head as he got off of Caleb. As he walked over to the closet, he pulled off his under and threw it on the pile of the rest of the clothes. He came back with lube and several condoms for Caleb.

“I have been only with Jacob, and we are both clean. But to make you more comfortable, I bought these condoms for us to use. That way you do not have to worry about anything while we have sex.”

Joey kneeled down between Caleb’s legs again. He unwrapped a condom and put it on Caleb’s dick. Joey grabbed the lube, squeezed some on Caleb’s dick and some on his hand. Joey reached around and started to lube up his butt as he spread the lube around Caleb’s dick. Caleb just sat there looking at what Joey is doing.

“Okay you are going to go really slow at first Caleb. You got to let me adjust to your huge dick in me!” Caleb started laughing at what Joey said. “That isn’t funny Caleb. You are huge and I love it, but I need to get use to it.

Now what I am going to do is lay on the bed. You are going to get between my legs. Put each leg over your shoulder. I will direct your dick to my hole, you are going to press slowly until you penetrate. Once that happens go slowly until you are completely in. Rest and then I will take it from there. Once you get into the groove, I will let you drive.”

Caleb got off the bed with his dick sticking straight up. Joey got back on the bed, on his back. Caleb did as Joey explained to him and crawled between his legs. Joey lifted his legs, as Caleb placed them over his shoulders.

Joey grabbed a hold of Caleb’s dick, guided it to his hole. Caleb gently pressed against Joey’s hole until his dick broke through. Just as he was instructed, he slowly, as gently as he could, continued pushing forward.

Caleb has never felt what he is feeling right now. Joey is so tight; Caleb felt at times that he couldn’t push any further. His dick is so snug inside Joey; he also didn’t think that he could last. He stopped pushing forward and leaned in to Joey.

“Joey you are so tight, my dick could barely move forward. I am afraid that if I don’t stop pushing, I am going to cum. Man Joey, this feels so dam awesome. I have never felt this way before. You are showing me feelings I never knew I had.”

“When ever you feel that you are about to cum, stop. Don’t move any further and let yourself fall back from your climax. It will take you several times to learn how to keep yourself from blowing your load too fast.”

Caleb shook his head as he started to kiss Joey. Joey gave Caleb complete control over their kiss. Caleb didn’t even feel when Joey wrapped his hands around his butt and started pulling him towards Joey.

Caleb hit Joey’s prostate, throwing him into another universe. He broke the kiss and started to moan. Caleb looked down and saw that he is actually completely inside Joey. He didn’t know what to do from there until Joey put his hands on his hips and started to push him up, which caused Caleb’s dick to exit out of Joey.

Caleb started to moan along with Joey. They started to get so loud; Fran with Alan could actually hear them in the living room. She knew the minute she heard their moans what Joey and Caleb were doing.

Caleb felt his dick going back into Joey right as it was about to completely come out. Joey controlled the flow for a few minutes, and before Caleb knew it. He started controlling the flow. He got into a rhythm that satisfied both of them.

It few minutes of Caleb being in control, he reached his climax. Without warning, Caleb started shooting inside the condom. The reason Joey knew that Caleb was actually shooting, was because Caleb grabbed a hold of Joey’s shoulders really tight with both hands.

As soon as Caleb finished unloading inside his condom, he fell onto Joey. Trying to catch his breath, Joey started rubbing his back. Caleb started to mumble to Joey as he came down from his high.

“Man-o-man, that felt awesome. I have never felt like that before. You are one awesome love-maker Joey. I can never get tired of making love with you. I love you Joey, I really, really love you. You make me feel so alive!”

Caleb rested a few more minutes before he realized that Joey had not gotten off yet. He rolled off of Joey and pulled off his condom. He threw it in the waste basket as he stood on the bed and walked behind Joey. Caleb sat down behind Joey, putting his back against the head board. He pulled Joey towards him until Joey’s back rested on his chest.

“Let me bring you to your climax Joey. I want to return a little of what you made me feel today.” Caleb whispered as he grabbed Joey’s dick.

Joey completely rested against Caleb’s chest as he started to jerk him off. Joey’s dick never went down, and it didn’t take long for him to blow his load. As Joey started to shoot, the first couple shots hit on the wall behind them. The next couple actually hit Caleb in the face. Eventually Joey’s shots of cum started hitting him on neck and chest!

Once Caleb drained every drop of cum out of Joey, he let go of his dick. Joey rested his head on Caleb’s chest. Caleb looked down at Joey, with his right hand. Caleb reached over to Joey's chin and lifted Joey's face up. Caleb leaned in and started kissing Joey. They kept switching their tongues back and forth. Neither of them fought for control.

Caleb kept rubbing Joey’s chest until he fell asleep. Once Caleb realized that Joey had fallen asleep, he gently lifted Joey’s upper body in order to crawl out from behind him. Caleb gently laid Joey’s head down on the pillow.

He got off the bed and headed to the bathroom. Caleb returned with several wash clothes and a dry towel. He started to clean up Joey from his face, to his chest and finally his dick. The minute Caleb touched Joey’s dick, it got hard instantly again.

He thought about relieving Joey, but decided against it. Caleb finished cleaning Joey’s dick before lifting his balls. He did his best to clean Joey’s crack. After he finished sponge bathing Joey, he dried him up. Through all this, Joey did not wake up.

Caleb took the wash cloths back to the bathroom before he cleaned himself up. He returned to the bed, gently pulled the covers from underneath Joey. He got on the bed and stepped over Joey. Caleb lay down, pulled the covers over them.

As soon as Caleb settled in, he crawled up to Joey and wrapped his arms around him. Caleb couldn’t stop thinking about how Joey got hard the minute he touched his dick. He slowly moved his hands down to Joey’s dick. He wrapped his hand around it, and just like before, Joey’s dick got hard instantly. That caused Caleb to get hard as well.

Caleb finally went to sleep with his dick hard as a rock, holding onto Joey’s hard dick. All night long, both boys had sex dreams about each other, causing their dicks to stay hard. Even at times, Caleb would actually rub against Joey as they slept.

The next morning they got woken up with loud banging coming from the front door and then the burglar alarm going off. Joey jumped out of bedding faster then he has ever done. He ran to his closet and quickly put on some running pants. Grabbing a bat on the way out of his room, Joey walked up to the front of the house.

As he passed Fran’s room, she started to open the door. Joey whispered to her to stay in the room and closed the door. He slowly walked down the hallway until he reached the living room. He peaked around the corner and saw nothing. He started walking around the living room, kitchen and back to the living room.

The phone started to ring, causing Joey to jump. As he answered the phone, he walked over to shut off the alarm in order to hear the person on the other end. It is the alarm company trying to find out if everyone is okay and that they have already dispatched the police to their residence.

After answering a few questions, Joey noticed the back door open. He walked over to see the door had been kicked in. He quickly walked back to the living room letting the alarm company know what he just saw. They instructed Joey to not look around the house, just get everyone out of the house.

Just as Joey started his way down the hall to get the others, a masked person jumped Joey from behind. Before Joey could react, the guy flipped Joey around and started hitting him in the face. Joey raised his arms in order to defend off the attack.

Joey didn’t even see Caleb coming out of the room, but neither did the attacker. Caleb kicked the attacker in the face. He grabbed the bat on the ground and started to hit the intruder several times as he made a run for the back door. Caleb continued to chase him, hitting him several more times. Caleb watched the intruder limping and holding his right arm as he ran and jumped the fence.

Caleb ran back into the house and straight over to Joey. He fell to the floor and grabbed a hold of him. “Are you okay Joey, are you okay? You should have never left the room like you did. That crazy fuck looked like he wanted to kill you.”

“I know it did look like he wanted to kill me. That means it is someone I know that wants to do me harm. That leaves only two people with that much hate. Look over there…” Joey pointed to a knife on the ground. “If you didn’t come out when you did, he would have stabbed me with that knife.”

Just then, they heard knocking in the door and than the person yelling that they are the police. Caleb got up, pulling Joey up with him. They walked over to the front door and opened it, letting the police in. They searched the house and the back yard before sitting down with Joey and Caleb to get their statements.

They told the police what they saw each. Joey explained all the way to the attack. Caleb took over when he came out of the room and until he chased the intruder out the back door and over the fence. After taking their statements, the police promised to have a patrol car pass every fifteen minutes for the next forty eight hours.

After the police left, Joey and Caleb put on their shoes and went to the back door. The two of them quickly removed the door and threw it on the side. Joey didn’t want to leave his sister alone, so they took the door off the wood shed in the back yard. They measured and found it fitted the back door, so they hung it for now.

Joey tried to make everyone promise not to tell Helen or anyone about what had happened this morning. He tried to explain that if Helen found out that someone broke in the house, she will not let Caleb stay over anymore. But Caleb had a problem lying to his mother though. He has never lied to her before and he will not start now.

“Joey, I am not going to lie to my mother. We will tell her the truth and she will see that I am safe. Look how fast the alarm company got the police to respond. After explaining all what had happened, she will be thankful you have so much security. In return she will not have a problem with me staying over.”

They walked into Joey’s room. When Joey turned to close the door, Caleb squeezed Joey’s butt through his sweats. Joey turned around and started chasing Caleb around the room. He tackled Caleb on the bed and started ticking him.

Through laughs, Caleb spoke. “You think I want to give up that nice piece of ass. No one will ever take your ass away from me. What we did last night had to break some kind of record. I know I have never felt anything like that before in my life.”

Joey stopped tickling Caleb and pulled him up from the bed. They walked into the bathroom together. They stripped and jumped into the shower. After cleaning each other, they got out, dried and got dressed.

By the time they finished getting ready and got up front to the living room, Fran and Alan are waiting for them. Joey checked the house one more time to make sure every window and door is locked before setting the alarm.

They drove down to Caleb’s house. The minute they walked in the door, Helen knew something went wrong. She quickly walked up to Caleb and checked him out. After checking him out, she checked Joey out.

“What happened to you Joey? These are fresh….” Helen pointing to Joey’s face and arms. “And you didn’t have these yesterday. I got a bad feeling in my gut this morning that something happened. Mothers are tied into their kids and know when their kids are afraid or hurting.”

They walked into the dining room explaining to Helen and Harold on what happened. Caleb’s parents didn’t interrupt Joey or Caleb as they talked about the events earlier in the morning. Both of the boys saw that Helen and Harold didn’t look too happy on what they were hearing from them.

“Why didn’t any of you boys call us and let us know what had happened. Your mother and I would have jumped into the car and headed straight over. You boys are not alone and should not have to deal with this alone.”

Joey and Caleb shook their heads up and down. The parents said, “There is no need to kick a dead horse. From now on you need to call us on anything that happens, both of you. Joey, you, your sister and Alan are part of this family. Stop acting as you are not and trust us. Now enough said! Let’s have breakfast and then go over to your house and fix that door right.”

Harold looked at Helen and she got the message. She got up and went to the kitchen to finish cooking breakfast. Harold doesn’t like the idea that Joey, his sister and Alan are minors and living on their own. When the time is right, he is going to ask them to move in with them. That is the only way he can rest at night.

After breakfast, Harold, Joey and Caleb jumped into Joey’s truck and headed to the Home-Depo. They bought a new door and door frame for the back door. They loaded it in the truck and headed back to Joey’s house.

Between the three of them, they put up the new frame and door and put the door back on the shed in little less then two hours. They sat in the back yard relaxing. None of them was saying a word to the other as the just sat there.

They might not be saying a word, but they were thinking. Caleb couldn’t get out of his mind on what he and Joey did last night. He is hungry for some more and doesn’t know if he could wait. If he could, he would pull Joey up and carry him to the Joey’s room in order to have his way with him.

Harold watched the boys as they looked at each other. He knows the look in their face. He has had that look before in his face. His boy and his boyfriend had sex. Not only did they have sex, they enjoyed being with each other.

Joey though on the other hand isn’t thinking about sex. He is thinking how lucky he is on finding as person like Caleb. He is moving along so quickly. Getting comfortable in his own skin a lot faster than he and Jacob ever did!

Joey kept hoping that Caleb’s parents don’t take Caleb away from him. Things are getting a lot better, except for this morning. Caleb did a number on that guy, which will make it easier for the police to get who ever it was that broke into the house. Although Joey hopes it had nothing to do with his mother and Dominic, but he knows more than likely it was them. Joey started to wonder what else are his mother and Dominic going to do in order to get what they want.

TO BE CONTINUED……………

WRITER’S CORNER:

Hello to all you readers out there, Thank you for coming back and reading the sixth chapter of Regrets and Heartaches. I know it started out slow, but as my other stories, it is developing and starting to move along.

This is the first chapter of Regrets and Heartaches that Jacob really didn’t get mentioned. You will see more and more this story first moves away from Jacob and then moves back to Jacob. I know it doesn’t make sense, but as it gets developed, it will.

I like how this chapter unfolded. As I started writing it, it was not coming out fast. At one point I was going to put it away and start on another one of my other stories, but it started moving along. I like all the new twist and turns in this story.

First I like what I did with Caleb’s friends. At the beginning of the chapter, I made it look like they were going to be gay bashers. Then in the middle, I turned that around. They showed how close they are to Caleb; they don’t want to mess that up. Also I have told you readers, I don’t like repeating story lines.

In three of my stories I have mothers as evil. Trust me my real mother is nothing like the evil mothers in my stories. She was strict when I was growing up, but in the last several years she has really mellowed out. That is why I am trying to move Jacob’s mom that way. Martha doesn’t look like she is going to have much more of a future. So there is going to be only one evil mo left and that is Beth.

Talking about Beth, what is up with her? In Jacob, she was the nice mother. All of a sudden, like a light switch, she changed. Is it the love she has for Dominic that is changing her? If so, what power does Dominic have over her that made her change? She used to love her son and daughter. Something else is behind the scene, or could it be love.

Caleb and Joey are getting to know one another in many ways than one. Joey walked Caleb through their actual first full sex. Caleb enjoyed it so much; he cannot wait until he and Joey go at it again.

Joey is also showing another side of himself that he never showed in Jacob. He is being as patient as possible with Caleb. At the beginning of the chapter he didn’t want to force Caleb to go somewhere he isn’t ready to go yet. Caleb is the one that decided to come out to his friends. Let’s not forget Joey walking Caleb through their first full sex. Joey has now become the teacher and Caleb the student.

Fran and Alan--what is going on there? Throughout the chapter I threw out suttle hints about them. Do you think they are going to be more than friends? If so, how do you think Joey is going to react when he really finds out his suspicions are right?

I am opening a lot of plots and still a lot to come. There is still Beth and Dominic’s plans on getting a hold of Joey’s money. The detective that is after Beth and Dominic, what is up with that? Who broke into Joey’s house at the end of the chapter? Are Caleb’s friends actually accepting Caleb and Joey, or is it just a lie? Joey getting promoted to executive officer of the battalion, is that going too go far? Like I said, so many open plots and a lot more to come. Don’t give up on this story, it is just beginning.

I do not want to say too much more and spoil the future chapters to come, so I won’t. I warn you though! Do not skip a chapter, or you will be lost. There is a so much to answer in the chapters to come. Keep reading the future chapters, and enjoy! Please email me and let me know how I am doing at jacobmillertex@aol.com, Thanks!}
EDITOR’S CORNER:

I am much enjoying this story. As in real life, our characters have their ups and downs. Relationships of any kind usually have highs and lows. For me the interesting element is how our author builds bridges to bring these fluctuations to a level where future growth is possible. But can there be a better future relationship between Joey and Fran with Beth and "Uncle"? I am curious as to how our author approaches this human problem.

I am so proud of Caleb's football friends as they have shown growth in their ability to accept diversity as they value long-time friendship. This personal movement on their part is a clear sign of emotional growth and maturity! They have given us a "how-to" lesson which we can share with others.

I do have some key questions that I want answered in future chapters. Will Joey find real personal success in the ROTC program? Will the program leaders continue to lead in ways that Major Moore did not? Might Joey and Jacob find ROTC competitions and meetings as a way to 'reconnect' in some way? If so, how will that happen and what will be the results?

Joey's financial assets seem to be the target of him mother and uncle. Is there any way they can be totally kept out of their hands? Even if the regain custody of Joey? What lengths will they go to in order to "capture" Joey?

The next chapter(s) may have some answers for us but you and I will have to read it/them ourselves to find out I guess. Best wishes!

Kent D. (sw Ohio area)