Knots 4

Chapter 5

Andy

Gina and Emily came for a visit early Sunday morning to fill me in on the details of what went on at the pond. I was still lying in bed in the dining room with a cast on my arm and leg. My body was naked except for my running shorts and the cast on my arm and leg. My parents wanted me to look decent when I had visitors so if I got too warm and wanted to take the covers off I wouldn’t be naked or in my boxer briefs.

Gina and Emily’s tale pissed me off but also made me smile at the same time. All I managed to say was, “What a dumbass.”

Fortunately, they left before Matt got here. I calmed down some by the time Matt came over because I realized that I’d often been a dumbass myself.

My parents were home when Matt came by. They were still unsure of my story, but had let it go. Well, they had let it go until Matt walked into the room.

My parents, and probably everyone in our town, must have heard about what went on at the pond. At least they knew some version of it. If they knew the complete truth, God only knows what would have happened.

My dad opened with the first salvo. “So Matt, we heard you had a good time at the pond Saturday. Want to tell us about it in case we didn’t get the information correct?”

“What did you hear?”

I grinned. After Dillon’s trial, Matt knew better than to give his adversary more information than necessary.

“We heard it got a little wild out there and you put on a show for everyone.”

“Show?” he asked as if he had no idea what they were talking about.

“Yeah. We heard something about you going in the pond naked.”

He smiled. “Oh that. I jumped in and told everyone Andy and I used to swim nude. I wasn’t nude. Shows how incorrect information can get out.”

Damn, I thought. Matt never used to be such a cool character and lie like that. His guilt wouldn’t let him. Then for the first time I wondered if he’d ever lied to me. The one thing we promised each other was that we’d never lie to each other and that was what made our friendship so strong. Suddenly, I began to wonder.

“We didn’t think so,” my mom said with a smile. “Doesn’t sound like you. We heard there were a lot of drugs and alcohol there.”

“Some. There are always some dumbasses that just can’t have a good time without it. Andy and I don’t need that kind of stuff.”

My mom gave me a questioning look. “Is that true, Andy?”

“Of course, Mom. You and dad brought me up better than that.”

My dad jumped on that. “That’s what we thought until Dillon’s trial. Now we never know what to think.”

I scratched under the edge of my cast. “Who told you this stuff anyway?”

“Never mind. We have our ways.”

Matt let his curiosity get the best of him. “Did you hear anything else?”

“Yeah, something about you and Andy making a lot of money this summer working for some guy.”

Matt glanced at me. “We both wish we made a lot of money. But we didn’t. Isn’t that right, Andy?”

“Damn straight. Half the time the work he promised never came, or when it did, there wasn’t much of it.”

My dad got a questioning look on his face. “You didn’t tell us anything about a job.”

“That’s where I was most of the summer.”

“We thought you and Matt were hanging around together, doing lawn jobs, and spending the evenings together.”

“We were. But that only took up some of our time. The guy who hired us manages the Outback. He had us come in and do dishes and stuff like that. So, in a way, we were spending evenings together.”

I felt like I was digging two graves, one for me and one for Matt.

“Why didn’t you tell us?”

I shrugged. “You didn’t ask.”

“Something doesn’t add up,” my dad said. “You getting beat up, not going out for football, going to Rockbury, and hanging around with Randy. Is there something you’re not telling us?”

“Aren’t you ever going to leave this alone? Besides, Matt came by to say hello and tell me about the party. Let’s talk later.”

My mom turned to Matt. “Is what Andy said true?”

“Yes, Mrs. Gibson. We mowed lawns during the day and washed dishes at night.”

“Well, at least you’re out for football and didn’t get beaten half to death,” she said. “I had a lot of concerns when Andy was organizing the GSA club. And now look at him. One of those fanatics almost beat him to death.” She wiped a tear from one eyes with her index finger.

“He had more courage than me, Mrs. Gibson. I kind of hung back.”

“Maybe so, but at least you’re not lying in bed broken in pieces.”

Matt nodded. “You’re right. I’m just lucky I guess.”

I wanted to kick him. Lucky I guess? Where’d he get off with that crap? “Yeah, Matt’s always been lucky. It’s like he has a coat of armor protecting him. Nothing can touch him.”

“Too bad you don’t have one too,” my dad said. “Well, we’ll let you two talk. We have some errands to run.”

*****

Matt and I made small talk until we heard the garage door close and the car start.

“You know, Matt, you’re a real asshole sometimes. What the fuck got into you at the party?” He gave me a funny look. “Stupid question I know, but you smoked pot, drank, and got shitfaced. We’ve done some crazy things, but never that. Emily and Gina told me all about it. You’d think you’d have been smart enough to get here before they did.”

“Damn, Andy, ease up. I felt like crap this morning. I was worried my parents might have heard something so I spent some time with them to make sure they hadn’t heard anything more about the party or my crazy antics. We’re going to be in deep shit if they find out we were prostitutes this summer and not washing dishes.”

I laughed. “I’m quick on my feet, aren’t I? I mean, on my back, aren’t I? So tell me what went down yesterday.”

He told me what he could remember from what Gina and Emily told him, but he wasn’t much help. “Why in the hell did you mention the money?”

“I don’t know. I was high. I was stupid. I’m a dumbass. What else can’t I say?”

We both went quiet and just shook our heads at each other.

The next words out of my mouth were: “Get naked and climb into bed with me.”

“You’ve got to be kidding. What about your parents?”

“They won’t be back.”

“I’m not doing it.”

“Then blow me.”

“Damn, Andy, we’re in deep shit and you want to have sex?”

“Damn right. If we’re going down, we just as well go down big and you just as well go down on me too while you’re at it. Anyway, my parents know we’re having sex.”

“Not with each other lately.”

I grinned and reached out for his hand. He grabbed mine and I pulled him in for a kiss. He didn’t resist, and soon his lips were on mine, and for some reason it was like the greatest kiss I ever had. I think misery does that to you. He slipped his tongue in and both our tongues swam together in our saliva. I pulled the covers back while his lips clung to mine. He unzipped his pants and dropped them to the floor as he stepped out of them, and then fumbled with the buttons on his shirt, never once stopping our kiss. He knelt on the edge of the bed with his cock bulging in his boxer briefs. Matt pulled his socks off and pushed the blankets to the end of the bed. I was on my back as he gently laid his body over mine. When the warmth of his body touched mine, I felt whole for the first time in a long time. “Am I hurting you?”

“Yes, but it’s the kind of hurt that comes from what we have, Matt. Comes from what we share. It’s something I can live with.”

My teeth hadn’t been fixed yet, so when he stopped to take a look at me, he said, “Being with you is like being with Coby and George.”

I laughed. “They were something weren’t they? Not sexy, kinda fat, and a little ugly, but nice guys.”

He smiled at me as he kissed me on the forehead. “Yeah, you remind me of them, except for the fat part.”

“I love you, Matt.”

“I love you, Andy.”

Matt kissed me again and then kissed his way down toward my cock which was hard long before he got to it. He pulled my shorts down to my knees, nestled my cock in his hand like it was a precious and priceless jewel, and then gently kissed the tip from every angle and position before taking it into his mouth. I let out a loud groan of pleasure. “Damn, Matt. You don’t know how much I need this.”

He looked up at me. “You’re wrong. I do know how much you need it.”

Matt worked my cock slowly and gently extending my long missed pleasure for as long as possible before he let me explode into his mouth with wails of pleasure.

He swallowed, then said, “Ah, such sweet nectar.”

I said nothing because I was too weak and limp to answer. He faced me as he moved in next to me, getting as much of his skin next to mine as he could without hurting me. And then you know what the asshole said? “You must have been working out because your arms and legs are hard as plaster.”

“Not for long, ole buddy. Soon I will be mended and we can get our lives back on track.”

He must have noticed something in my look because he said, “I can see the doubt in your face. Mending is going to take time. But you’re right about one thing. We can start getting our lives back on track. What we need is a plan.”

“A plan?”

“Let’s assume a worst case scenario.”

“And what would that be?”

“I hate to say, but it would be everyone finding out about our whoring around and the money. We’d go from the top of the social ladder to the bottom. We’d be lucky if Gina, Emily, and the others stood by us.”

I managed a smile. “Ollie would if we promised him sex.”

Matt smiled back. “Yeah, Ollie would.”

We laid there together and came up with a plan. As we talked about it, he occasionally planted kisses on my cheeks, forehead, and lips.

“I better get dressed before your parents get home. No need to make them freak out.”

“You’re right. Plus, they might both die of a heart attack if any of this shit gets out.”

“Well, we have our plan and maybe we can stop it. It’s worth a try.”

Matt

Andy was pissed when I got to his house to talk about the party, but giving him a blowjob made him quickly forget. I couldn’t help but think that all the knots we were tying in our young lives were taking their toll on us both mentally and physically. I know for sure it was taking its toll on me on the football field.

It’s strange how in the hardest times you can feel the greatest love. Andy and I laid in bed together with me lying against his broken body, his casts in the way and hard against my body. But the warmth of our bare skin against each other was more special than it had ever been before. Married couples vow to love each other for better or for worse. Well, as odd as it may seem, seeing Andy at his worst and Andy feeling he was at his worst, made us closer. I felt a deeper love for him than I’d ever felt before. I think he did too.

Who knows how many blowjobs I’d given before that day, but when I saw Andy’s hard cock, some strange feelings passed through me. I grabbed it gently and lovingly and treated it as if it was the most precious thing Andy owned. I’d never given him a blowjob like I did that day. It wasn’t just about sex or the feel of his dick in my mouth; it was about feeling a deeper love for him that I’d never felt before.

After he came in my mouth, Andy was spent, happy, and weak, even though he’d only laid there and taken what I had to give. I nestled in next to him. We laid there for a time enjoying the warmth of our bodies until the reality of why he was in bed and I was there visiting hit us, and we had to talk.

*****

Andy and I came up with a plan that we figured wouldn’t work, but would be worth a try. I called Derrick and told him the situation, explaining that if anyone found out about what we did that summer, we’d all be in deep shit. He agreed. I told him the story about us washing dishes and him being a manager. He laughed at that, but agreed to play the part. Neither of us were sure how a twenty-four year old guy like Derrick would pass as a manager, but we’d told our story to Andy’s parents and were kind of locked into it.

My biggest fear was that my parents would hear some of what Andy’s parents heard, and of course they had by the time I got home. They’d gone to church while I was gone. A few parents came up to them and just couldn’t keep from asking my parents about what they heard. And when they found out my parents hadn’t heard anything, they rattled on about everything they’d heard. Their kids were probably at the party too. You could imagine how the story hit my parents. So of course, when they got home, they were both pissed and embarrassed.

I came into the house as if everything was cool until they gave me the parent stare. They were sitting at the kitchen table and motioned for me to sit down. No one said anything. They just gave me the parent scowl that said we’re disappointed in you. I knew better than to open my mouth first.

My mom finally broke the silence. “Matt, we’ve always trusted you to do the right thing and tell us the truth. Did you lie to us about the party?”

Shit, I thought. Should I tell them the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help me God, or cheat a little?

“A little,” I replied.

My dad took a sip of his coffee with his eyes glaring at me over the top of his cup. “What do you mean, a little?”

“Uh. I don’t know. Just a little.”

A frustrated look slid across both their faces as my dad set his cup down. “Tell us about this little lie.”

“I need a cup of coffee,” was my response.

“I’ll get it,” my mother said. There was no way they were going to let me out of the witness chair.

I didn’t say anything as my dad looked at me with an expression of betrayal. “Well, tell us.”

“What do you want to know? What did you hear?”

My mom set the coffee in front of me.

“It’s too hard, Matt. You betrayed us,” my dad said with deep anger in his voice.

“You have me on the witness chair. Ask me and I’ll try do my best to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth.”

“We don’t want you to try to tell the truth. We want the truth. Do you understand?” he asked in his less than usually calm voice.

I nodded. “I understand. But I’m not saying anything. You’ll have to ask the questions.” I figured that way I’d know what they knew and would only have to tell them as much of the truth as necessary.

They weren’t going for any of it. “We’re your parents and we’ll handle this our way and not your way.”

“You’re right. But I’m not talking unless you ask me questions.”

My dad got up to refill his almost-full cup of coffee. I guess he needed time to think. He sat back down. “Okay. We’ll ask the questions.”

“Did you smoke pot at the party?”

“Yes.”

“Did you jump in the pond naked?”

“Yes.”

“Did you say something about having sex with Andy?”

“Yes.”

Damn. All these yeses made me feel like the dumbest shit in the world.

“Did you drink anything?”

“Yes.” I knew one word answers are best if possible.

“How much?”

“I don’t remember.” That’s always a good pat answer. But in this case it was true.

My father took a sip of his coffee with the same glare over the top of his cup, and then spilled some on his shirt. That pissed him off all the more. “Damn!” He paused. “We heard something about you making a lot of money over the summer. How did you earn it?”

“Mowing lawns and washing dishes at the Outback.”

My mom jumped in. “How come you didn’t tell us about the dishwashing job?”

“I’m sixteen.” I could have said I’m sixteen and I don’t need to tell you everything, but I knew it was better to keep my answers short. My eyes were heavy from that night even though I’d come home early day before. And now the interrogation. I yawned and took a long sip of my coffee.

“Bored?” my father asked.

“No, just tired.”

“I guess so,” he replied. “Did you bring the pot to the party?”

“No.”

“Where’d you get it?”

“I can’t say. You know how guys feel about a snitch.”

“And the liquor?”

“Same answer.” It seemed like it was a good time to go on the offense. “Look, I made a mistake. I’d never smoked pot or drank before. Someone dared me and I took two puffs.” That was better than telling them I’d taken two hits. “I coughed some, and then handed it back.” That was better than saying I handed the joint back. “Someone offered me some beer. I drank a couple, and then somewhere along the line I jumped into the pond and told everyone to jump in with me. I think I said something about Andy and me swimming nude when we were kids.”

Then my dad asked the hardest question to answer. “What did you do with the money you earned?”

I had a bank account and should have put a little in there, but I didn’t think of it and now it was too late. “I spent it.”

My dad gave me a questioning look. “Spent it? We heard you made a lot of money this summer. Did you spend all of it?”

“We didn’t make a lot of money, so we didn’t have much to spend.” I was hoping they wouldn’t ask for details. But of course they did.

My mom warmed her hands on her coffee cup. “What did you spend it on? We haven’t seen you wearing any new clothes or noticed any new things in your room and you still have your old cell phone.”

Damn. We’d been so busy trying hide the fact we had money that we ended up showing that we didn’t have any. We definitely weren’t professionals. “Went to Rockbury, bought gas for the car. Stuff like that.”

They’d gotten me sidetracked from my offensive strategy so I went back on offense. “Anyway, Gina and Emily realized I was making a fool of myself, so they got me to leave with them, too me to Burger King to eat something, and then brought me home. The party went on long after I left.” The answers were so smooth and my control of the situation so cool that it made me realize how good I’d become at deception.

My dad gave his first positive nod. “That’s true. You came home early and we heard the party went on for a long time after you got home.”

Thank God for small favors, I thought.

“Yes, I came home. I made a mistake. I won’t do it again. I promise.” I actually meant it and was telling them the truth.

They had anxious looks on their faces. Finally my dad said, “You’re grounded.”

I should have been relieved, but asked, “For how long?”

“I don’t know. Your mom and I will talk about it.”

It seemed that, at least for the time being, that Andy and I were okay. But who knew what lay ahead.

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Chapter Quotes

The beginning of love is the will to let those we love be perfectly themselves, the resolution not to twist them to fit our own image. If in loving them we do not love what they are, but only their potential likeness to ourselves, then we do not love them; we only love the reflection of ourselves we find in them. - Thomas Merton, No Man Is an Island

“Above all, don't lie to yourself. The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to a point that he cannot distinguish the truth within him, or around him, and so loses all respect for himself and for others. And having no respect he ceases to love.” - Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov

Now I believe I can hear the philosophers protesting that it can only be misery to live in folly, illusion, deception and ignorance, but it isn't -it's human. - Desiderius Erasmus

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If you like this story, please write a review, click like, and follow me. Contact me at eliassctt@gmail.com I answer all emails.

I’d like to thank Lisa for taking the time to edit Knots 1, 2, & 3. As the author, I take final responsibility for all parts of the story, including any errors.

This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination and are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales, is purely coincidental and no slanderous intent is implied.