A Night at the Opera - 2. Part Two

He laughed as I hastily covered myself with the sheet. I guess it was a little too late for modesty but it was difficult for me to believe the innocent looking boy in the doorway, was the same guy who I had just spent the night with. I was a physical wreck; poisoned by alcohol, and exhausted from a wild night of sex but Devan looked as fresh as a daisy.

I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to feel happy that he hadn’t felt the need to leg it naked down the street after realizing his drunken mistake or worried by the fact that he had obviously been parading around the house wearing just my bathrobe. I would have felt a lot better if he had dressed before leaving my bedroom, an option, which thanks to my petulance, was no longer available.

Maybe I should have been a little more grateful that he hadn’t attempted suicide. He actually looked happy to see me and had even made me a breakfast, although there was no way that I was going to be able to eat any of it.

“I hope you don’t mind?” he said. “I didn't want to wake you up so I borrowed your bathrobe."

I did my best to return his enthusiastic smile, but I was finding it difficult to concentrate over the sound of a pounding headache, and the smell of his cooked breakfast was making me nauseous.

“Pink suits you,” I said, and it was true, he looked kind of cute in my pink fluffy robe, although I was still having trouble getting my head around what had happened.

It wasn’t as if we had just met or anything. Devon was a boy who I knew well and I was so used to seeing him with my brother, that he was very nearly a part of the family.

He was cute though, I’ll give him that much. In a puppy dog kind of way, although he wasn’t a boy anymore. He was fully grown—I could definitely vouch for that—and obviously not a child, but he looked young, which made me feel uncomfortable. I had to keep reassuring myself.

‘He’s over the age of consent…just, but he’s legal, so I’m not going to jail or anything, but what the fuck was I thinking when I asked him to come upstairs’?

I remembered asking him too, but he didn’t take much coaxing and he had been hanging around me all evening.

“Aren’t you hungry?”

I really wanted to eat something, if only to show some gratitude, and it would probably have helped to break down some of the alcohol but there was also a very good chance that I’d throw it straight back up again.

“I’m sorry Devan but I’m feeling a little sick at the moment.” I tried to be as nice as I could. “I think I’m a little hungover.”

“Oh, sorry. I don’t really get hangovers.”

‘Well, I’m so fucking happy for you’!

“You shouldn’t. You’re not old enough to drink.”

“Not legally.”

He smiled as he slipped off my robe and tossed it onto the floor and then climbed back into bed next to me. I definitely wasn’t as comfortable with the idea of him touching me as I had been earlier, but it didn’t seem right to object, after what we had been doing. I had, after all, been more than willing to participate in his rodeo games during the night. When I felt his hand between my legs though, I pushed it away.

“I thought that you would have had enough by now?” I said. I had lost count of how many times he had crossed the finish line, but he had definitely out-performed any of my previous male partners and I was starting to worry about the consequences.

According to my clock, it was ten past eleven, but I had no idea what time we had gone to bed or if anyone had seen us sneak upstairs after we had spent most of the evening flirting with each other. There was still a lot that needed to be filled in. For a start, I needed to know if I still had a brother who was willing to talk to me, so I began asking questions.

“Is anyone else awake?”

“A few,” he said.

‘What’s that supposed to mean’?

“Simon?”

He shook his head and I relaxed a little.

“He’s in the other room….”

“With Suzy,” I finished for him and he smiled as he handed me a glass of orange.

“They were really into each other last night,” he said and I nodded as if I could remember.

‘That’s good, maybe they didn’t see us’.

“Yeah, young love eh?” I said and when he wasn’t looking I pushed his t-shirt off the edge of the bed. “So, err, Devan. Hmm, we have to talk about last night.” I sat upright with my knees up in front of me and held the sheet up to my neck to cover myself.

“What about last night?” He sounded nervous before his expression gave way to a broad smile.

I pushed my hair from my face and turned toward him. He had a nice looking face with some seriously sexy, deep hazel brown eyes, which I found myself staring into. I was a sucker for eyes and I wondered if they had done the trick for him last night. My memory was still fairly hazy and probably wasn’t going to get much better, although I could clearly remember most of what happened during the night and judging by his goofy smile, so could he.

“Err, we’ve known each other for a long time, haven’t we?”

“About thirteen years.”

I was shocked. “Really, I didn’t think it was that long.”

“Yep, you used to babysit for me and my sister.”

‘Shit, I remember now. I would have been about fifteen’.

It freaked me out a little that I had just slept with a guy who I used to babysit. This wasn’t going well at all.

“Yeah…well, you know last night was really cool….”

“I liked it too,” he said enthusiastically and cutting me off.

“But I think that maybe it’s best if we don’t tell anyone…is that okay with you?” His smile quickly faded and he looked pensive. I wondered if I had hurt his feelings. “You don’t mind do you, it’s just that….”

“I understand." he stared into his lap. “It was a mistake right?” This kid was breaking my heart. He looked as if he was going to cry and I wanted to mother the poor boy but that was exactly the problem.

“No, it wasn’t a mistake, I mean, I think you’re a really nice boy and last night was special.” I cupped his cheek with my hand and lowered my voice. “And you’re pretty hot in bed.”

He was blushing at my compliment and smiled. “You’re just saying that.”

“Listen to me, I know what I’m talking, you were good!”

“Thanks,” he said. “It was my first time.”

“You’re fucking kidding me?” He shook his head. “Well, that was pretty amazing.”

‘Fuck, he was a virgin, he’s never gonna be able to keep this quiet’.

“Is it because of Simon?” he said. “You don’t want him to find out.”

“If he doesn’t already know, then it’s probably best if we don’t tell him, don’t you think?”

“I suppose. He probably wouldn’t understand anyway; it can be our secret if you want?” I smiled as he reached for my hand. Despite his age, he was actually quite a charmer. I had never seen this side of him before.

When I was living with my parents I never really had much to do with him, he was just there in the background, another annoying, grubby little kid who I occasionally had to look after. I got to know him a little better when he was older and Simon began turning up at my door with him, but I had never taken this kind of interest in him or noticed those beautiful eyes of his until last night.

‘How could I have missed those?’

“Are you okay?” he asked. “The orange juice might make you feel better.”

“Thank you,” I said, before taking a large gulp to quench my still rampant thirst. “I think I need some more sleep though.” I handed him the glass and moved down the bed to lie on my side.

My headache hadn’t got any better, but sleep was usually the best cure and my pillow was calling me. I had talked to Devan and he seemed to be cool, a potential disaster had been averted. Everything else would have to wait until I was human again.

'Two more hours and I’ll be fine…I think’.

I wasn’t sure what Devan planned to do with the rest of his day, but I was hoping that he would want to make himself scarce before Simon got up. The longer he stayed the more difficult it would be to sneak him out. But I had forgotten something.

“Where are my clothes?”

“Whatever sweetie?”

I felt his hand on my shoulder. “Do you know what happened to my clothes?”

I jumped up. “Shit, your clothes! I err…put them in the laundry. I was going to wash them for you.”

“You don’t have to wash them,” he said, “They’re not dirty. I can wear them to go home.”

I had to hold my head to stop it from spinning. “No, you can’t.”

“Why?”

“Because they’re not here.”

“What?”

“I err, look, I’ll explain later.”

“What have you done with them?”

“You can wear something of mine. Look in my wardrobe and see if there’s anything that will fit you. You can borrow whatever you want.” I fell back on the bed in agony and frustration, but when he opened the wardrobe, I heard him laughing.

“I’m not wearing any of these."

“There’s a pair of jeans in there somewhere.”

“Yeah, I can see them, but there’s no way that they’re gonna fit me.” I suppose he had a point. He was taller than me and quite a bit heavier than my thin frame. “Do you actually wear this?” I looked up to see him holding up a black leather outfit, complete with the zips and paraphernalia usually associated with a more specialist evening.

“Here,” I said. “Look, I’ve found your shirt.” I picked it off the floor and attempted to throw it at him, but in doing so, I overstretched myself and fell off the edge of the bed, dragging the sheet, the tray, and the remains of the breakfast on top me. The glass smashed as it hit the wall and the plate broke in two, but not before it had tipped its contents over me. I was covered in egg, grease, and chopped tomatoes and curled up in a ball, pretending to be someplace else.

“Are you okay?” he said as he rushed over to help.

‘This is not happening to me’.

When I dared to open my eyes, Devan was standing over me but the only thing that I could see was his penis as it dangled above my face. It wasn’t a pretty sight and looked a lot less appetizing than it had done the night before.

‘At least the lipstick’s worn off’.

“Can you please put that thing away?” Before he could answer there was a knock on the door.

“Georgie, are you okay?” It was Simon and I rolled my eyes.

“Go away, I’m fine. I just knocked something over, that’s all.”

“Can I come in?”

“No, go away.”

“I need to talk to you.”

“I’m not well,” I said. “Come back later!”

“Is Devan in there with you?”

‘Shit’!

I looked at Devan and led him towards the bathroom, mouthing at him to hide. “Wait a minute.” I pushed him inside and pulled the door shut in his face. “I’m not dressed yet.”

I could hear Simon mumbling under his breath on the other side of the door as I ran around the room to grab the bathrobe that Devan had dropped earlier. “Okay, you can come in now." I was just tying the cord around my waist when Simon entered.

He surveyed the damage before looking at me and laughing. “What happened to you?”

“It was just an accident, forget it, I’m okay?” I stooped to pluck Devan’s t-shirt from the floor before he recognized it.

“You’ve got egg on your face,” he said and it pretty well summed it up. “Who were you talking to?”

“When?” I said as I held a mirror up to my face and began cleaning it with the sleeve of my robe.

“Just now, I heard you talking to someone before I knocked.”

“Simon, I’m not sure if I should be allowing you to consume alcohol in this house. You’re too young and it’s obviously causing you problems. You were imagining it!”

“No, I wasn’t and I only had three beers last night. You were the one who was wasted.”

I had heard about as much of the truth as I could take from my little brother and gestured for him to leave. “Can you get out of my room please, I’m going back to bed.”

“Have you seen Devan?” he asked.

“Devan…?”

“Yeah you know, Devan. My friend Devan, about this high, dark hair, been my best friend forever, used to sleep over all the time, he was here last night, mostly talking to you…how many guys do you know named Devan?”

“Oh, that Devan. No, no, I haven’t seen him at all. Why would I?” I frowned at him. “He’s probably gone home already. Geez, what are you like?”

“I doubt it. His clothes are hanging from the tree in the back garden.” He pointed at the still open window and stared at me.

I shrugged and scratched my head. “Are you sure?”

“Take a look, Georgie?” I gave a resigned sigh of defeat as I walked gingerly towards the window. “Go on,” he said and I carefully pulled back the curtains just enough to peek at the damage. My brother was right; Devan’s pants had got caught on a branch just a little further down from the sill and were proudly flying in the wind like a flag, proclaiming his sexual awakening. His underwear had made it much further landing on top of the shed, but were no less prominent. It screamed out foul play and I winced as I turned around to look at my brother.

“How did that happen?”

He narrowed his eyes at me. “I thought you might know,” he said as he knelt down to pick up some of the broken glass from the floor.

“I don’t remember anything about last night, Simon.” I sat at the end of the bed, holding my head. “Can you find me some Tylenol or something?”

“I’ll see if there’s some in the kitchen. But if you do happen to bump into him, can you tell him that his parents have been calling me, and they’re worried about him. He needs to call them, okay?”

“I’ll let him know.” I waved him away. “If I see him that is…which isn’t likely, because I’m going back to bed as soon as you leave me the fuck alone!”

He seemed ready to retreat, but as he turned for the door, there was a loud cough from the bathroom and he spun back around making me dizzy. Then there was another, this time slightly louder.

“Someone’s in your bathroom, Georgie.” Then I remembered the drunken guy from earlier. There was another cough followed by a mumbled but troubled voice.

‘Shit, Devan. No’!

Is Devan in there?”

“What? Don’t be silly, of course not…what are you saying. Get out of my room?”

“ARRGGHHH SHIT!”

I nearly jumped out of my skin as the bathroom door flew open, and Devan, still as naked as a baby, came running out and across the room to stand behind me.

I looked at Simon. “What the fuck?” he said. “What’s going on?”

I looked at Devan. “THERE’S A DEAD GUY IN YOUR BATHROOM!”

They both looked at me. “He’s not dead. Just drunk. I think.”

“What’s going on in here?” said Suzy as she entered the room. “Devan are you naked?” She started giggling as poor Devan tried to hide his wares with his hands, but he was shaking like a leaf and as white as a ghost. I reluctantly passed him my pillow which he gratefully accepted and placed in front of his crotch.

Simon looked at the pair of us and shook his head in despair. “Shit man, this is so fucked up!”

“I know what it looks like,” I said. “But…?” I had nothing to offer and it was pointless to even try.

“Oh my God, this is weird,” said Suzy. “You two are totally different generations.” I narrowed my eyes and was preparing to kill her when her boyfriend intervened.

“Is somebody singing?"

“It's the dead guy in the bathroom,” said Devan.

“You have a singing dead guy in your bathroom and you've just slept with my best friend. Mom and dad were right about you."

"You're wrong, he's not dead." He was no Pavarotti either. I didn’t recognize the song but even I could tell that he was murdering it. “I have no idea, who he is or how he got there.”

“I don’t care,” said Simon, “And I don’t wanna know, either? It’s none of my business what you do with your crazy life.”

“Fine!”

“Come on Suzy, we should leave them alone.” He ushered his girlfriend out of the door. “You need to call your mom Devan, she’s worried about you. Oh, and your clothes are hanging on the tree out back.”

“Thank you, Simon,” I said curtly as I shoved him in the back and slammed the door shut. When I turned around, Devan was standing by the window, looking into the garden. “I can explain!”

* * * * *

I had no idea how many people had shown up that night for Simon’s impromptu birthday bash, but it had looked like a full house. Most of them were friends of his from school, a few were neighbors, and a couple were gate-crashers—including the mysterious operatic masturbator. Contrary to Devan's original prognosis, he wasn’t actually dead, but it took us the best part of an hour to get my opera singing friend out of my room and point him in the general direction of the door.

It turned out that Luigi was one of the taxi drivers who had earlier ferried my brother’s friends across town. Someone had invited him in and naturally, he became an instant hit, winning at beer pong, albeit against competition less than half his age and with no real drinking experience. I wasn’t sure how he managed to get into my bathroom that morning without me knowing, but I was thankful that I wasn’t around to witness his striptease to Lady Gaga in the early hours, which had apparently elevated him to near legendary status among my brother’s juvenile and fairly innocent friends.

Anna fitted neither of those categories but she had been my closest friend since high school. She was a frequent visitor to the house but her zest for a good time meant that she rarely made it home sober and last night, she had been drinking like a fish. It was no surprise, therefore, when I heard her gravelly voice in the kitchen when I finally ventured downstairs later that afternoon.

She must have stayed over and it looked as if she had cleared up a little because the house wasn’t the wreck that I was expecting to find. As I cautiously crept through the living room there was a guy sitting on the sofa watching TV. He looked surprised to see me, but I didn’t recognize him and headed straight for the kitchen and the smell of fresh coffee.

Anna was sitting talking to a guy who I knew as another of Simon’s friends. He looked a little uncomfortable by my appearance and made an excuse to leave as I poured myself a drink and took his seat.

“Don’t look at me like that,” I said.

“Like what?”

“Judgemental. I know what you’re thinking.”

“I’m not judging you. It’s your life, Georgie.”

I held my head in my hands. “I feel like shit.”

“You look worse,” she said and smiled. “I hope he was worth it?”

I glared at her and she put her hands up.

‘What was I expecting? Why is she still here’?

“So I take it you slept with him?” She seemed to be enjoying my discomfort and I could barely hold eye contact.

“Sleeping was the one thing that we didn’t do.”

“Young stallion, huh?”

“What…you don’t know the half of it. He’s like a fucking rabbit, he never stops. He was a virgin!” I gave her a little smile, unable to resist a little gloat over my conquest. Anna was the only person who would understand.

“Wow, aren’t you the lucky one?” she said. “Georgie’s got a toy boy.”

“Shut up, it’s not funny. He used up all of my condoms.”

“Wait a minute,” she said. “Don’t tell me that you allowed him in unwrapped?”

“Of course not…I…err had to use my head for the final performance.”

“That’s repulsive. I would never do that for a guy. But tell me, when was this final performance?”

I looked at her from the corner of my eyes and gave a little smile. “About an hour ago.”

“Hussy!”

“He was upset after the trauma from this morning, I was just being nice.”

“You can be nice to me if you want?” she said. “Trauma’s my middle name, baby.” I laughed. “But please don’t tell me you’re planning on making this a regular thing? Like you’re not gonna start dating him are you?”

“Don’t be silly Anna, I probably won't see him again. After this morning. I doubt if he’ll come within a mile of this house.”

I explained to her what had happened with Simon, Luigi the taxi driver, and Devan’s clothes, which were still blowing in the breeze. She remembered Luigi from the night before.

“He was standing out back, trying to sing Nessun Dorma, but not very well,” she said and I cringed. “But your brother left about an hour ago. So sweet little Devan can come out of hiding now.”

“He’s not hiding. He’s asleep.”

“I’m not surprised. You need to keep away from guys. It’s weird if you ask me.”

“I didn’t ask you, but you know I’m a sucker for a penis!” I said rolling my tongue over my lips. Poor Anna nearly heaved at the thought, but her own jokes were always laced with intent, and she never bothered to conceal her efforts to get me into her team and away from the boys.

* * * * *

By late afternoon, the hangover, which had earlier threatened to destroy me, was beginning to relinquish its grip on my fragile body, and I felt well enough to reclaim my modest abode from the hard-core reprobates who looked as if they were settling in. Anna was good at giving orders but poor at following them and was predictably the last to leave, but one. When the remaining guest eventually made his way downstairs, I was watching a movie.

“Hi, are you hungry?”

He nodded gingerly and followed me into the kitchen. “I should go home soon. I’ve got school in the morning.”

It sounded weird. “Right…yeah…school.”

‘Okay, he’s grade twelve. It’s not like he’s in fucking kindergarten’.

“Thanks for the clothes.”

“I’m so sorry about, you know…?”

“It’s okay,” he said. “It’s kind of funny.”

“I was hoping that the wind would’ve blown them down by now, but those almost fit you.” I had found him an old pair of jogging bottoms and the baggiest t-shirt that I had. He looked a little odd, but it was the best that I could do.

“Yeah, well it’s almost dark, so maybe nobody will see me.”

“I’ve made you something to eat. To replace some of that lost energy.”

He blushed as I sat him down at the table and took the seat opposite to watch him plow through my makeshift meal as if he hadn’t eaten in a week. Then I called him a cab.

“You’ve got some weird clothes,” he said. “Do you actually wear any of those?”

I knew what he was referring to. “Occasionally, when the mood takes me.”

“Really?”

“Yes, they’re not for wearing outside. They’re for certain nights and games…do you understand?”

“No.”

“I’ll explain another time. I take it that you’ll be back at the weekend with Simon?”

“Is it over between us then?” he said and I cringed.

“I’m sorry Devan, you’re really cute, but it was never gonna be anything more than one night. It wouldn’t work between us.”

“But I really like you and I don’t care that you’re older than me or that you’re Simon’s….”

“It’s nothing to do with that. There are other reasons…honestly.”

He looked hurt. “I don’t understand.”

“Devan, sweetie. I may as well tell you now. I’m gay.”

“You’re gay?” He looked confused. “I don’t get it, how can you?”

“Well, actually I’m bi-sexual. That would be a more accurate description.”

He laughed. “You’re joking right?”

I rolled my eyes at him, “Sorry sweetie, but I swing both ways. If you don’t believe me, you can ask Simon.”

“He knows this?”

“Of course, I'm surprised he never told you.”

Devan shook his head vigorously. “He never said anything.”

“Well, I never asked him to keep it quiet, everybody knows about me. I don’t hide from anyone.”

“Well, I didn’t know."

“No,” I said, “I guess you didn’t.”

He sat thinking it over for a while as I cleared up, then he followed me into the kitchen. “Can I ask you something? When you left home all those years ago, the girl who you moved in with, was it Lisa-Marie….?”

“She was my girlfriend, yes. Is that what you were gonna ask?”

He nodded. “Your parents told everyone that you were sharing with her.”

“They covered it up because they were embarrassed. They couldn’t handle the fact that their pretty girl liked other pretty girls. But I lived with Lisa-Marie for four years.”

“Oh, wow.” He looked me up and down scrutinizing me. “You don’t look like a Lesbian.”

“How many do you know, Devan?”

“None…sorry.”

“It’s okay, I guess it was a bit of a shock eh?”

“More than just a bit…but it kinda makes sense now, I think.”

“I’m sorry.”

We saw the taxi pulling up outside and he stood up and shrugged his shoulders then smiled, scoring a direct hit again with those eyes.

“That’s okay, it’s not your fault,” he said. “I finally meet a hot chick and the next day I find out she’s a lesbian. That’s just my luck.”

It was impossible not to feel for him, but he was such a cutie that there was no way he was going to be single for long.

I walked him outside to the cab and gave him twenty dollars. “That’s for the ride,” I said and winked. “You can buy yourself some candy with the change.”

“Very funny,” he said before I leaned in the window and gave him a quick kiss on the lips.

“Devan, if it makes you feel any better, I wasn’t lying earlier. You really were amazing in bed…for a guy that is!” He blushed as I waved goodbye.

“You haven’t tried me yet,” said the driver.

“Luigi?”

“When’s your next party lady?” he said. “That was crazy!”

I could hear him singing as he drove away and I gave him the finger. “I’ll let you know, asshole!”

‘Just drive careful and look after my boy’.