The Cockney Canuck - 97. Chapter 97 A Memorable Night to Forget

It was just before eight o’clock when my very tired and overexcited little sister dropped an empty bottle of juice on the kitchen floor. I was standing next to her at the time and carried the barefoot culprit out of the danger zone, through a minefield of broken glass and upstairs to bed.

I had been neglecting Amy of late. Time spent with my boyfriend had starved her of the attention that I once lavished on her and I felt guilty for it. Nathan was a demanding soul, both physically and mentally but there were times when I wished he would slow down a little if only so I could catch my breath.

“Robbie, are you going to heaven?” For a moment I wondered if Amy had been following my example and helping herself to a drop of the old amber nectar.

“Not yet I hope; why do you ask?”

“My friend said you can’t go to heaven, because God doesn’t let gay people in there.”

“Oh!” I was expecting to read a bedtime story not to be discussing the rules of entry to an undefined heavenly afterlife.

“I think that your friend is making this up Amy. Has she or he even been to heaven?”

“No, she’s not dead yet, silly.”

“Well, how does she know if she hasn’t been there herself? I think she’s just repeating what somebody else has said who’s not very smart. I wouldn’t let it worry you.”

She seemed happy to accept my explanation and my off-the-cuff wisdom earned me my fourth girl kiss of the evening and definitely the sweetest of them all.

‘Not allowed into heaven…no one bothered to tell me’.

I thought that Amy was going to have trouble getting to sleep. The noise from the party was coming in through the open window so I stood up to close it. Her bedroom was directly above the living room and two floors above the garden. It offered an unrivalled view of the festivities below so I stayed there for a while to watch and reflect on what had been a momentous day.

It was twilight but the pool was still the main attraction and it looked as if Tom had been the latest victim. I watched him peel off his soaked shirt—to the sound of cat whistles—and reveal a familiar body that was even paler than mine. Tom had a nice chest, more masculine than Nathan but nowhere near as defined as Alex. My friend in the basement had them all beat in that department. It was a pity that he wasn’t able to flaunt it and join in the party.

I watched Naomi hand, Tom, a towel; her eyes were on him all the time but I couldn’t read her lips. She gave me the creeps and I was hoping that she would do the same to Tom but he seemed to be encouraging her along with every other girl who he came into contact with. Unlike Alex, he was having fun and it was good to see.

Doug, Billy and Jimmy looked to be the main instigators behind the dunking and I watched them tug in another victim. This time it was Doug’s girlfriend but she was putting up quite a fight; kicking and screaming. I turned to look at Amy, expecting her to grumble but she was already asleep.

Doug’s girl was a feisty character and she ended up pulling Nicola’s boyfriend Jimmy in the pool with her. He looked as if he had been in a number of times already but his hoarse laughter was suddenly drowned out by Nathan’s favourite boy band as someone jacked up the volume. I had a feeling my boyfriend was responsible and I was having a quiet laugh to myself when Sue walked in.

She was surprised to see me still there. “Is she asleep?” I nodded as she joined me by the window. “What’s wrong honey?”

“Just watching the party. It’s a good view from up here.”

“It’s more fun if you join in, you know.”

“I know, I just needed to be on my own for a while that’s all.”

“I understand. It’s been a big day for you and a lot to think about.” She was right on both counts, although it had only just started to sink in. “It was the right thing to do, honey.”

“I still miss her; you know? Every single day.”

“I know.” She put her arm around me and for once I didn’t try to wriggle out of it.

“It still hurts.”

“I can’t stop that,” she said. “It takes time, but eventually….” I wiped away a single stray tear that had somehow managed to escape. A few months ago it would have been much more.

“I know.” I smiled. “I thought about her a lot today.”

“That’s a good thing. She’ll always be your mom, Robbie. Nothing can change that.” She kissed me on the cheek. Too many kisses in one day and the perpetrators were all females, except for one.

“What was that for?” I asked rubbing my face.

“Do I need a reason?” I eyed her suspiciously; it wasn’t normal behaviour for her and I suspected that alcohol had something to do with it. I had never seen Sue have more than a single glass of wine, so this was unchartered territory. “Why don’t you go downstairs and join your friends, they’re probably wondering where you are?”

I could see them from the window. A couple of dozen excited teenagers in wet clothes, laughing and teasing each other while scoffing down jumbo hot dogs and burnt hamburgers.

So far, apart from a few people being thrown in the pool, they had all been quite well-behaved but I wasn’t expecting it to stay that way. The adults were getting drunk but they weren’t the only ones who were drinking and it was almost dark. It was already difficult, even from Amy’s bedroom to see the back fence; soon it would be impossible.

After checking on Amy, Sue followed me out into the hallway.

“Are Nathan’s parents staying over tonight?”

“No dear, Liz is driving.” It meant Nathan would be going home too, but there wouldn’t have been enough room for him.

“Is Alex going to be living with us?”

“Only for a while, you don’t mind do you?”

“No, why would I? But where’s he gonna sleep?”

“We’ll manage somehow. Don’s gonna put a bed in here.” She opened the door to the spare room, which was still packed full of junk. It looked like a lot of work to me and I couldn’t see it being done in a hurry. Then, of course, there was Luke!

“I can probably stay at Nathan’s house tonight if you want, that way, Alex can have my bed.”

I thought it was an excellent idea but Sue had other plans. “Not tonight honey. I want you to be here in the morning for your birthday.”

I thought it was a nice thing to say and I smiled. I would have plenty of time to spend with my boyfriend tomorrow.

“You know that I’m going out tomorrow, with Nathan.”

“Yes dear. Anywhere nice?”

“I don’t know, it’s supposed to be a surprise, he won't tell me.”

“Well, knowing Nathan, it’s going to be somewhere unusual. You can tell us all about your day when you get back.”

I knew Nathan even better and somehow; I didn’t think I would want to tell them anything about my day when I got back.

‘From Palm Springs’???

I slipped away from my slightly tipsy, newly adopted mother to search for my sober but very sexy boyfriend and replace some of those female kisses with some proper ones.

He was in the garden, of course, where the real party was but the kitchen was filled with annoying adults who I knew would want to talk to me. The odds were slim on me making it to the other side without being hijacked but the basement was controlled by Alex. He posed a different challenge altogether but one that I was keen to avoid, so I turned back and went out the front door.

The aim was to walk around the side via the garbage and recycling. The gate there was never locked but this time it wasn’t even pulled shut and I could hear hushed voices on the other side. A couple of guys and a girl who sounded like Nicola. They were giggling and it wasn’t difficult to figure out what was going on.

I had long suspected that my sister liked the occasional puff of the wacky backy. I could smell it on her clothes sometimes when she had been out with Jimmy. Nights when she would come home red-eyed and giggly, before working her way through the refrigerator.

This time I could smell the distinctive aroma from the front of the house. It was so obvious; they were almost asking to be caught. Fortunately for them, it was me who crept up to the gate and jerked it open, not Don.

“BUSTED!”

I had never seen three people jump so much. It was hilarious and I was doubled up with laughter as they caught their breath and then turned on me.

“You fucking asshole!” They were tame words coming from Nicola and they made me laugh even more.

“Holy fuck man, you scared the shit outta me,” admitted Jimmy, who was still wet from the pool and without a shirt. I squeezed past him to stand opposite the other guy who Nicola introduced as Mark. He was Jimmy’s friend, although a bit older than him with blue eyes, stubble, and wild blonde hair. My eyes hadn’t left him since I opened the gate.

“This is my shit-for-brains brother, he’s the reason for the party,” said Nicola glaring at me.

“Hey man, cool party.”

“Thanks.” I was sure he was just being friendly, it was probably a little too young and tame for a guy who looked so cool. I could sense Nicola’s discomfort over my extended stay so I made myself comfortable next to Jimmy’s abs and stared at Mark.

“I think that Nathan was looking for you,” she said but I smiled at her feeble attempt to get rid of me. She was going to have to do a lot better than that and I ignored her and asked them what they were smoking. If it was my party, then I deserved some of the spoils and Mark must have been on the same wavelength when he offered me a puff.

I was never taken with weed but I decided to do it mainly to annoy Nicola who looked on horrified as I took the biggest drag I could muster before passing it to Jimmy and then coughing my guts up.

“Serves you right, you little shit!” she said but Jimmy calmed her down.

“Chill out, he’s only having a bit of fun.” He put his arm around me and slapped me on the back. “You okay buddy?”

I was better than okay. I was getting high while pressed up against Jimmy’s chest and chatting with the hottest guy I had ever seen. I felt great!

“Mom will go crazy if she sees him stoned.”

I pulled a face at her and gladly accepted a swig of Jimmy’s beer to wash the taste from my mouth. Nicola was a lot more conservative, taking only a tiny drag but her loss was my gain and ultimately also my downfall. It meant I would get another go and when Mark placed what remained of the soggy roach between my lips, I finished it off.

My sister wasn’t happy that I had infiltrated her drug gang but Jimmy—who always treated me like a kid brother—thought I was funny and his super sexy friend seemed to take a shine to me. I was quick to make the most of it and when we walked around the back to re-join the party, I asked him if he could grab me a beer. He was reluctant at first but agreed to a deal after I offered to introduce him to Naomi. I had noticed them eyeing one another as we talked and when he left to fetch my payment, I walked over to join her and her pal.

“Who’s the hot looking guy,” she said. I hated having to surrender my personal eye candy to her but I was convinced that I needed a beer more and he looked as if he was getting tired of hanging with a kid who kept staring at him.

“Oh, him? He’s my friend.”

“Liar, you haven’t got any friends…except for Nathan.” She shared a laugh with her big chested companion but I wasn’t about to be side-tracked.

“I think he likes you; I can introduce you if you want?” Even stoned, it was almost too easy for me and like Mark, she was happy to meet my terms so I grabbed a beer from both and left them to chat.

‘I should be a pimp’.

“Looks like she’s found someone closer to her own age,” I said to Tom as he watched Naomi flirting with her new target. “Here, have a beer instead, it’s better than sex.”

“I wasn’t trying to get off with her; just having fun. She’s not really my type.” Tom was looking fresh and fit with rosy cheeks and a healthy smile as he combed his wet hair with his fingers and shivered. I could see why all the girls liked him.

“What is your type then, Tom?”

“Huh, what do you mean?”

“I still can’t figure you out, I have never been able to.” He knew what I meant. It was a topic which he had skillfully avoided since his arrival. Now, an influx of alcohol and weed into my system had removed any need on my part for discretion. “Are you gay, straight or both?”

Tom laughed. “I’m bi-sexual, I think.”

“I thought so. Same here.”

“Bollocks, don’t make me laugh. You're as bent as two bob note…always have been.” I rolled up laughing mostly because of his colourful cockney slang. I hadn’t heard anyone talk like that for a while.

“I’ve had sex with a girl before you know, and she’s here…somewhere.”

“Really? They invited your ex-girlfriend?”

“Yeah, why not. We’re still friends just like me and….” I was about to say ‘you’ and he knew it. “Sorry.”

“It’s cool,” he said. “It’s not like I’m gonna forget, even if we don’t talk about it.”

He was right and I suddenly had a thought. “Tom, do you know that all the people I have had sex with are here at this party. At the same place. Don’t you think that’s odd?”

“It depends on how many there are, if it’s like twenty, yes.”

I slapped his arm. “Twenty! What do you take me for? It’s only four and ones a girl so she doesn’t really count. But it’s still unusual, don’t you think?”

Tom was busy trying to work out who number four was and was even more intrigued when I had to swear him to secrecy.

“So there’s a guy here who has secretly shagged you?”

“Maybe I shagged him?”

“Nah, he shagged you.” He was laughing but was determined to find out who.

‘Me and my big mouth’.

“Anyway, you're definitely not bi-sexual. You like willies too much.” It was true and he should know; he was the owner of one of my favourites.

“I hope you're looking after him properly,” I said breaking the rules and eyeing his crotch. I guess the beer must have loosened him up a bit because he played along.

“He doesn’t get a lot of exercise nowadays; not since I split with my girlfriend.”

“Not fair to keep him tucked away; they need regular exercise, you know. You should be a little more hands on…like Billy here.”

Daniel’s friend was out of breath and dripping water after another involuntary excursion into the pool but he strayed too close and I called him over. I knew he wouldn’t be comfortable talking to me.

“What’s up?”

“You’re looking fit Billy,” I said pointing to his bare chest. It was a lie, of course, he looked like a stick insect. “Do you work out?”

“No.”

“I don’t believe you. I’d say you're a once a day guy, maybe more.” Billy looked decidedly out of his comfort zone but I was enjoying the freedom offered by a puff of a joint and a few swigs of beer. “He’s got a cute ass too.”

Billy was nothing like his usual cocky, homophobic self and almost walked into Fran as he tried to get away.

“It wasn’t him, was it?” asked Tom.

“What? Are you kidding me? I have some standards you know. And here is the proof. This is my ex-girlfriend, Tam this is From. I mean Fram, oh whatever?”

“Are you drunk?” Fran shook her head at me disapprovingly before smiling at Tom and pulling him in for a hug. “Robbie has told me so much about you,” she said. “I feel I know you.”

“He has?”

“Yes, but only the really bad bits and we’ve never talked. It’s so cool that you were able to come over, you guys were really close.”

“Yeah, we were, I mean we still are.” Tom gave me a worried glance but the weed was doing some strange things to my brain and I was having trouble keeping up with the conversation. I couldn’t remember exactly how much I had told her about Tom but from the way she was talking it was probably quite a lot.

It was also the first time since we split that I had seen her without David by her side and I was concerned when she told me he wasn’t feeling well.

“I’ve just been sitting in the bathroom with him,” she said. “Poor thing.” I wondered what was wrong with him as she helped herself to my beer. “How did you get this?”

Fran was another underage drinker, who was keen to get her mouth around my bottle but when I explained my little matchmaking deal she laughed and nearly choked.

Worried she would attract unwanted attention from Don and Sue, in the absence of her boyfriend, I was forced to act, patting her back while she coughed beer down the front of her dress.

She thought it was funny but I figured she must be losing her touch. I had never known Fran to have trouble swallowing anything before and in a moment of drunken madness, I decided to point this out to her. It was a bad decision. She was never too embarrassed talking about such things and decided to let me in on a little secret that I would have preferred not to know.

The real reason why she was in the bathroom with David was much more in keeping with the Fran I knew so well. It also explained why he had a big smile on his face when he re-joined the party but I no longer fancied sharing a bottle with her and handed what was left to a grateful Doug instead.

*     *     *

Nicola looked into my eyes and called me a dickhead. I didn’t even know she was there.

“Great, now he’s stoned.”

“No I’m not,” I insisted, but I was feeling a little light-headed and was regretted being so greedy.

“He needs some water,” said Jimmy. “It’ll straighten him out.”

“I don’t wanna be straight.”

“I don’t blame you,” said Nathan as he wrapped his arms around me and kissed me square on the lips. “Where have you been sexy?” He pressed himself up against me and snaked his slim figure in time to the music. “I missed you.”

“I’ve been talking and things.”

“Anyone interesting?”

“Yeah, loads.”

“I don’t believe you; there’s no one interesting at this party, except for me, that is. Oh and you sometimes.”

“Only just sometimes?”

“Well, there are bits of you that are interesting all of the time,” he said grabbing my nuts. His vice-like grip around my goolies was like a shot of adrenaline. “You’ve been drinking? Let me have a look at your eyes.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” but the next kiss gave me away. “Have you been smoking?”

Laughing wasn’t the best way of covering up my indiscretion but Nicola made sure I was caught.

“He’s stoned.”

“I thought so.”

I was about to offer an explanation when we were interrupted by his favourite boy band and a song which he had made his own at the end of term show. I wasn’t much of a dancer especially when the ground was already moving but there was no way that my boyfriend was going pass up the opportunity to mime to ‘Rule the World’ and he dragged me into the shadows.

It was unusual considering his love of the bright lights but I understood his motive a bit better when I felt his hands on my butt and his mouth covering mine. It wasn’t anything like his usual polished performance but attracted just as much interest and a few jibes from the few who were close enough to see.

For me it wasn’t dancing so much as hanging on while trying to remain upright and as the song faded out, so did we. I was hanging around his neck like the proverbial anchor and when we came to complete halt, I stayed there snogging him like no one else existed.

“I was about to throw some cold water on you guys,” said Karen fanning herself with her hands. “People pay money to watch that kinda thing.”

*     *     *

I was spaced out and starting to lose large chunks of time. I remember talking to Rory for a while, then Daniel, and even Alex before finding myself sitting in a garden chair on the decking next to Naomi’s big-breasted friend. She told me that Nathan had gone off to get me some water.

“Your Robbie,” she said accusingly. “It’s your birthday party?”

“Yeah, kinda.”

“Happy birthday.”

“Thanks, it’s actually not now. It’s tomorrow I think....”

She laughed. “How old are you?”

“He’s sixteen.” I was wondering how I managed to say that without moving my lips. Then I saw Nathan standing beside me. He handed me a bottle of water but I wanted a beer.

“You're cute,” she said and smiled at me. I thought it was quite sweet of her but when I looked up, Nathan was rolling his eyes.

“You're not bad either,” I slurred before tactfully introducing my partner. “This is Nathan, he’s my boyfriend.” It was still a novelty to me but I was certain that I would never tire of saying those words.

She was surprised at first but it didn’t seem to bother her and she was much nicer than her friend. Nathan relaxed and sat on my lap to chat with her while I took a back seat and tried to ignore the way his buttocks were rubbing against my dick. With only two thin layers of cotton as a barrier and neither of us wearing underwear, it was only a matter of time before it slotted into place nestling between his butt cheeks.

He made no attempt to rectify the situation and I couldn’t remember him mentioning it afterwards but it could have been a lot more problematic if I hadn’t been so out of it.

The girl—whose name I had already forgotten—thought it was cool when Nathan told her that he loved me. I thought it was nice too, especially when I noticed him blushing. It was funny how a boy who was able to perform erotic dances in front of an audience could still be so coy in the company of his boyfriend. To me, those little moments were a bigger turn on than any of his excessively suggestive dances and had we been alone I would have been ripping his clothes off.

When I told him, he just kissed me and told me to wait until tomorrow.

*     *     *

“Your brother’s wrecked,” I heard Naomi talking to Nicola. I rolled my head at my sister and smiled but she wasn’t happy.

“We’ve gotta keep him away from my parents,” she said or he’ll be grounded for the rest of the year.

“Is he okay?” I heard a familiar voice and lunged towards a very cuddly looking Rory flinging my arms around him and burying my head in his neck.

“Hey Rory, you're my friend!”

“I know,” he said but he may have been regretting it and he wasn’t overjoyed at our intimate hug or the fact that I was drooling on his t-shirt. Rory was even more cuddly than he looked, like a giant teddy bear and I could have easily fallen asleep on him. Nicola pulled me off though and stood with me to hold me upright.

“You're such a dick,” she said as I looked down at the floor. “Don’t you dare be sick on me.”

I wasn’t about to be sick but I was getting a little dizzy watching the decking moving up and down. It was like a rollercoaster and I couldn’t understand how people were able to walk on it without falling over.

“It’s funny. I’ve never seen that before.”

“We need to sit you down somewhere,” said Nicola but I refused to budge.

“Wait until the floor stops moving first.”

“The floor isn’t moving, Robbie,” said Nathan but I didn’t believe him and needed another beer. Nicola was the solution.

She wasn’t old enough to be drinking so when I noticed her place a bottle of Blue on the table, I saw an opportunity. She was talking to Jimmy when I swooped past and shoved it down the front of my shorts. I was getting good at it and this one wasn’t as cold.

I limped away, grabbed Nathan’s hand and led him to the back of the garden with my hand between my legs.

“What are you doing?”

“I’ve got something for you…it’s in my shorts.” I stumbled to my knees laughing in the dark. “But I have to take it out because it’s killing me.”

“What were you smoking?”

“And it’s leaking,” I said as I pulled down the front of my shorts to reveal the now half-empty bottle of beer and a cold, wet and very tiny, penis.

Nathan laughed as I handed him the beer and collapsed onto my back holding my frozen tackle.

“You're crazy.”

“That was agony,” I said but I was laughing uncontrollably.

“You poor thing.” He sat down next to me and put his hand over mine. “Let me warm it up for you.” I was happy to let him take over and my hands fell to my sides as he worked some heat into my dick. “Is that better.” The proof was in the pudding as I went hard in his hand.

“You must have the magic touch.”

I rested my head on the grass and closed my eyes as he pulled my shorts back up and tucked me away.

“I’m not jerking you off out here.”

“Why not, no one can see us…I think.” When I sat upright though, I wasn’t so sure and I could see shadows walking towards us with a flashlight.

“Wait until tomorrow,” said Nathan. I was getting used to hearing those words but I doubt if I could have done much at the time anyway.

“What are you guys doing?” said Fran. She was holding David’s hand and they stood looking down at me.

“Is he okay?” asked David.

“I’m fine, I’m just watching the stars.”

Fran dropped to the ground next to Nathan. “Do you mind if we join you?” I wasn’t bothered, I had other things to worry about. Every time I opened my eyes I started to spin around and it was making me feel ill so I kept them shut as other people joined us.

I recognised the voices. Rory, Ginny, Daniel, Jimmy, Nicola and Tom.

It must have been midnight because the music suddenly cut out to a chorus of moans and boos, I could hear Sue’s shrill voice calling people into the house but no one took any notice and I saw in my sixteenth birthday, lying in the garden, well and truly wasted.

It was a little chilly but I was feeling relaxed listening to everyone talking as the party fizzled out. I heard Nathan telling them how I thought the decking was moving and they all laughed. I thought it was funny too but I was too tired and comfortable to open my eyes and join in.

I listened to Nathan’s voice as he chatted and joked with the others, without really listening to what he was saying. He never moved from my side and didn’t stop touching me either; whether it was stroking my hair, rubbing my arm or drawing circles with his finger on my stomach. There was always some contact and I liked it. I knew that he was there, looking after me and that was all that mattered.

I could hear Nicola asking if I was okay?

“Yeah, he’s sleeping,” said Nathan.

Apparently, I wasn’t the only one in a state and everyone laughed when Nicola told them that Don had fallen over in the kitchen and had to be carried upstairs to bed.

“I would like to have seen that,” I mumbled.

“He’s awake,” said Fran.

“I’ve been awake all the time,” I said as I sat up with a little help from my boyfriend but no one believed me. I felt a little better for the rest and paid Nathan back with an affectionate kiss that brought a mini cheer from our friends and rebuke from Sue, who had come over to break up the gathering and send everyone home.

“Wait until tomorrow,” whispered Nathan as he walked me back to the house where Liz was waiting to take him home.

I don’t recall him leaving but I remember Alex laughing at me and helping me one-handed to undress but nothing after that.

*     *     *

I was woken in the middle of the night by an arm across my face. It was too dark to tell who it belonged to but I pushed it back and sat up. I wasn’t in my bed; it was nowhere near as comfortable and when I looked around, it wasn’t even my room.

I was in the family room in the sofa bed with Daniel; I recognised his snoring. My mouth was dry and I was dehydrated so I got up to get some water from the kitchen. A light had been left on in the corner and it was enough for me to see my way to the sink where I quenched my thirst.

When I turned to go back downstairs I noticed someone sitting at the living room table. I was startled at first but as I moved closer it was a familiar face that greeted me.

“Alex, what are you doing up here? Can’t you sleep?” He shook his head and looked as if he was in pain. “What’s wrong? are you hurting?”

“I’m okay dude; don’t panic. I’m hurting a bit but it’s mostly up here.” He pointed to his head and I understood. I wasn’t expecting him to be okay after everything he had been through. “I’ll be fine,” he said but he didn’t look good and I asked him if he needed anything.

“I can make you a hot drink or whatever?”

“I said I’ll be fine,” he snapped. “Just go back to bed and leave me alone.”

He made me jump but I stayed where I was watching him. He looked scared and lonely; nothing like the Alex that I knew and I felt sorry for him. I wanted to hold him and make him feel better.

“Are you still here?” He was angry but when he looked up, there were tears in his eyes. I could never have pictured it.

“I’m not tired either.” It was a lie, I was exhausted but I pulled out the chair next to him and sat down, risking a backlash that never came. Instead, he leaned over and started sobbing. It wasn't something I ever expected to be doing but I put my arm around him and held him while he cried like a baby for maybe ten or fifteen minutes. Then stayed with him for ages, gently rubbing his bandaged body while he composed himself.

Neither of us spoke a word and it was daylight when I left him tucked up in my bed to go back to the family room and crawl back in with Daniel.

He was a difficult person to sleep with; all arms and legs and he never kept still. He was taking up at least three-quarters of the bed and I had to push his sweaty body across the mattress to grab an extra couple of inches. Then fight him for a share of the sheet and drag back my pillow before I was able to get some much-needed rest but I couldn’t get back to sleep.

I couldn’t get Alex out of my head.