The Acquittal - 2. Chapter 2

Kyle arrived home from school in his dad’s beat up old ‘87 Ford Ranger. The thing was a monstrosity but Kyle secretly loved it because of the good memories it held from the time growing up with his father traveling through the area to farmers markets in the fall to sell some of the apples that didn’t get loaded onto trucks during harvest time. Home was the “Howard and Howard” orchard just outside of town. His father has ran the apple orchard all his life, having it passed down to him from his father. It’s never made either one of them rich but Kyle’s dad, David, loves the work and the house the land sat on.

He grabbed his backpack and headed inside the house through the backdoor leading into the old style kitchen. Scrambling up the squeaking steps two at a time and into his room to change, figuring maybe his dad would have something that needed done now that spring was in full swing and the trees had started growing green and tall. It wouldn’t be until September when the apples would be ready for picking, then the whole area would be coming by to take in the harvest. He found himself still preoccupied thinking about that Jake kid from earlier today. The odd feeling was only made worse by the fact that Jake seemed to avoid him the rest of the day whenever Kyle may have had a chance to engage him in conversation. He’d never really gone out of his way to talk to someone like Jake. He’d never been fond of bullies in the past either but he’d also never had a problem getting someone’s attention. Yet each time they drew near each other, the dark haired boy would lower his face and move away.

He’d always been somewhat popular among his classmates over the years. Girls always liked sitting next to him and his friends were always coming around to hang out on the weekends or any of the parties they were invited to. He’d seen Troy and Andy date some girls in the past year or so and he had had some opportunities in the past but he never really found much interest in them. Most were just good friends he could hang out with and talk to in class. Jake seemed to be taking up all of his thoughts as he replayed the events in the hallway over and over in his mind. It was a little confusing and also a little troubling how much he was dwelling on him. He felt he should have said more or asked questions of him. He wanted to try but each time he got near Jake, he would slip away, keeping his face down with his hair hiding his eyes.

David was walking between the rows of trees on his property, inspecting everything and mentally planning what improvements he might make in the coming year, occasionally pulling out a small notepad to scribble something down. His tall, trim body moving slowly through the trees in his simple jeans and shirt with a wide-brimmed hat to cover his face from the sun. Brown eyes just like his son’s sparkled as he took in all the details. He heard Kyle’s distinct voice and all other thoughts stopped. His bearded face broke into a smile as he turned towards the sound, watching his son jog toward him. David had been a single father most of Kyle’s life. His ex-wife wasn’t fond of the idea of being tied down and regretted having bought into the idea of running an apple orchard. Their marriage was a short affair and they divorced when Kyle was only three years old. David was a little thankful for that. Being so young, Kyle had no real memory of his mother being a fixture in his life. He maintained an amicable relationship with his mother despite the fact that she lived on the other side of the country. They kept in contact but mostly through letters and the rare phone call. Since then, David dedicated his life to his son, making sure he wanted for very little in life.

“Hey,” Kyle called out as he closed in on his father, “what’s the plan for today?”

David laughed to himself. He loved how eager Kyle was to rush into things. “Already finished for the day, Baby Boy,” he replied in his deep and pleasant voice. “I’m just out taking a walk and making a couple notes. How was school?”

Kyle’s smile waned a little, wondering how he was going to spend the rest of his day. He was hoping he could have something to do to take his mind off of things. “Nothing special today. No homework either. I finished it all before I left school.”

“Really? Amazing job then, son.” David smiled with pride as he clapped his son on the back. His boy was nearly fully grown now, he figured. He might reach six feet in height but that would still put him a couple inches short of David. It was still a little hard to believe Kyle was able to look him in the eyes without straining his head upwards anymore like he used to as a small boy. David admired how his son had grown over his time in high school, having the same lean build as his father’s that Kyle loves to show off in the pool when he goes to his competitions. His son stayed committed to keeping himself in shape throughout the year, helped along by his friends who were also on the swim team with him. He never had enough to say about his son to his friends and neighbors.

“So, we’re just gonna wander around the place then until sundown,” Kyle asked curiously.

David smirked slightly as he looked around the area. He got the impression something was going on by how Kyle was trying to not look directly at him. “You can go back inside if you want. I’m sure you got better things to do. I’m just enjoying the warm spring air out here and listening to the trees.” David eyed his son as he watched the boy looking around like he was uncertain what to do or where to go. He sighed and smiled softly speaking to his son in his compassionate voice, “Kyle Andrew, what’s on your mind? And don’t tell me nothing because I already know that’s a lie.”

“Well,” Kyle blushed and looked down at the ground thinking hard on what to say next. “I guess you could say I... almost kind of got into a fight today.”

David was surprised but kept his tone casual. “A fight? That’s not like you. Tell me what happened.”

David resumed his leisurely walk as Kyle told him about breaking up the fight with the older boy and the freshman. Kyle left out the details about the two of them staring at each other. David listened silently as they walked, nodding his head as he listened. “So, what seems to be bothering you about it?”

Kyle shrugged in confusion. “I don’t know, Dad. It was just weird. I mean, he’s a bully and all, but,” Kyle paused, unsure how to continue at first until he blurted out, “I’m not convinced that’s all there is to him.”

David stopped himself from laughing. His son never ceased to amaze him. “Kyle, not everyone is all bad. Not all bullies are just bullies. I think what’s bothering you is that you’re wanting to know why this Jake kid was beating up someone smaller than himself. If you want to know that bad, just ask him. What’s the worst that could happen?”

“He could try and beat me up, I guess…”

“Doubtful,” David countered. “Maybe he’s just never had a friend before? Maybe he’s shy or something? You’d be surprised what you’ll find when you scratch under the surface. Just because you see him doing one thing doesn’t mean that’s all he does. Don’t pass judgement on someone you barely know.”

“So, you think I should try and talk to him?”

David shrugged, replying, “wouldn’t hurt. The worst that happens is he blows you off and in that case you can say you at least tried.”

Kyle thought about that and nodded. “Ok. I’ll do that then. Thanks, Dad.”

David sat down under one of his red apple trees. One of his favorites. He looked over at Kyle as he joined him. Putting his arm around Kyle’s shoulders he drew him in close. “Kyle, you’re gonna be eighteen at the end of the year. All grown up. The older you get the less you’re gonna need me to figure out what to do. Before we know it, you won’t need me at all and you’ll be out there in the world doing what you love to do.”

Kyle was a little surprised wondering where that came from. “I’m always gonna need you Dad.”

David smiled wistfully. “If only that were true. No matter what happens, I’ll always be here for you no matter how old you get.”

“If I get accepted to Penn State, I won’t be that far away,” Kyle supplied helpfully. “I could still come back on weekends and stuff.”

“I’d rather you focus on your goals. Do you know what you plan on majoring it yet?”

Kyle responded with a bit of uncertainty. “Maybe business management? Could be helpful when it’s time for me to run this place.”

His father grinned. “Plenty of time to decide still. I don’t expect you to keep coming back because you think you need to.”

“I know I won’t need to, Dad. I’ll want to.”

David let that be the last word on the subject. Keeping his arm around his son, he looked around them and enjoyed the warm spring air and the sun shining down on them. If he could, he’d would live in this moment forever.

They spent the next hour wandering around the apple groves, talking and laughing together. David stopped occasionally to give a particular tree a close inspection and making a note on it for later. He knew most of the trees, having spent most of his life here so he knew which ones needed extra attention and occasionally, which ones need to be removed. As the sun started to fade, David felt it was time to head inside. “Okay,” David said as he made a final note and closed his notebook, “I think it’s time I head in and relax for the rest of the evening. Why don’t we make dinner and forget about bullies and college and slowly watching apples grow, huh?”

Kyle grinned and nodded, “okay, Dad.”

****

It was two weeks later at school that Kyle managed to find a moment to talk to Jake. He’d noticed him walking through the cafeteria during lunch with his tray in hand. On impulse, he took the opportunity and quickly said to his friends, “I gotta go do something. I’ll see you guys later.” He stood up from the table and he made his way over to him. He must not have seen Kyle following him and seemed a little startled when he heard him call out, “Hey, Jake. Wait a minute.”

The boy frowned with suspicion as he turned to look at who was behind him. He was wearing black pants and a long sleeved shirt with another shirt over it. Kyle had been around the gym and working out enough he could tell the kid was more toned than others might suspect. While Jake might be an inch shorter than Kyle, he bet Jake was heavier than he was. When he recognized Kyle his frown deepened and his eyes narrowed. “What?” His voice was wary and affected an attitude of distrust.

Kyle stopped suddenly a few feet from Jake. He wasn’t expecting a hostile response. “Dude, it’s cool. I just wanted to talk.”

“About what,” Jake asked, keeping his eyes locked onto him like he was a potential threat.

Kyle took a few steps closer, trying to appear as non-threatening as possible. He lowered his voice as well, in the hopes that it might defuse his suspicions. “Just talk. I’m not wanting anything. I just noticed I haven’t seen you talk to anyone around here and thought you might want some company.”

The boy was quiet as he searched Kyle’s face for any sign of duplicity. Finding none, he kept his guard up but softened his tone a little, “You wanna talk? Fine.” He turned and headed to an empty table in the corner he usually sits at and plopped down with his tray. Kyle swallowed nervously as he sat down across the table from him.

Kyle suddenly felt exposed. He’d forgotten his tray and was forced to watch Jake eat like he was in a hurry. It also seemed that it was a practice Jake was used to as he efficiently went through the food on his tray. “I was, ah, wondering. About the fight the other day.”

“Wasn’t a fight. Was me setting that little shit straight,” Jake countered in a gruff voice. Keeping his eyes on Kyle even as he continued to shovel food into his mouth.

“Yeah, but you scared him. And he could have been hurt,” Kyle countered in a non-threatening tone.

“That was the point,” Jake said simply. His eyes narrowing again, staring at Kyle across the table. “Why do you care so much anyway? You don’t even know what happened.”

Kyle smiled a little. “That’s why I was asking. I wanted to hear your side of things.”

Jake frowned and shrugged, swallowing what was in his mouth before answering in a sullen voice, “doesn’t matter. Same shit, different day.”

Kyle’s heart felt an odd ache of pity for Jake. He felt a strange urge to take his hand. “Jake--”

“Jacob,” the boy interrupted with a slight hint of irritation.

Kyle’s brow furrowed, not understanding. “I’m sorry?”

“I don’t like being called ‘Jake.’ My name is Jacob.” Keeping his head down, he picked at what was left over on his tray.

“I’m sorry, Jacob,” Kyle replied sincerely. “I won’t do it anymore.”

Jacob stopped eating, giving Kyle his full attention for the first time since they sat down. His gaze was still cautious but his face seemed to relax a little. He was completely silent as his ice blue eyes took him in. Finally, after looking around for a moment, he leaned in to Kyle, his voice sounded tight with distrust. “How is this going to end?”

Kyle’s brow furrowed in confusion. He couldn’t understand Jacob’s question. “What do you mean?”

Jacob’s face darkened and his eyes seemed to glow brighter. Growling in a low voice, he asked, “are your jock buddies about to come up behind me and pour ketchup or mayo over my head or just throw shit at me or what?”

Kyle frowned and shot back, “no! They wouldn’t do something like that. How come you’re acting like this? I’m just trying to get to know you.”

“You already know who I am, Kyle,” Jacob said as he stood up with his now empty tray. “I’m just another piece of trailer trash not fit to be stepped on by the likes of you. That’s what your little friend said the other day and he’s right. So, why don’t you just go back to your jock friends and leave the poor worthless kid alone so he can get out of this hellhole.” With that said, Jacob turned and marched away, dumping his tray with the rest of the dirty dishes and out the door.

Kyle was so stunned at the sudden turn of events he could only sit there with his mouth open slightly. He’d never had a conversation like this one and it was taking him a minute to process what had just happened. Feeling he’d done what he set out to do, he reasoned he should just go back to his friends and forget all about it but some part of him felt compelled to follow Jacob. He stood up and walked past everyone in the cafeteria and out the door Jacob had disappeared through, looking around for any sign of his passing. As he was running through what Jacob had just said to him he started to get angry. He hadn’t said anything like that about him and yet he’d been accused of treating him like shit. The more he thought about it the angrier he got.

Down a long hallway he could see a figure in all black heading away from him until it turned, entering a bathroom. Kyle went rushing to catch up, shoving the door open and walked in. Standing there, he looked around and noticed a pair of ragged black shoes under one of the partitions. He stayed standing, frowning with his arms folded across his chest and waited. When he heard the toilet flush and the door open, Jacob emerged, wiping his face before noticing Kyle standing there. His entire body went back on defense and his eyes showed fear as he yelled out, “the fuck is wrong with you, dude?”

Kyle didn’t answer as he quickly closed the distance between the two of them, putting a hand on Jacob’s chest and pushing him up against the wall. His brown eyes flashed as he said to Jacob in a low voice, “let’s get a few things straight here, Jacob. I wasn’t trying to trap you into something or play a prank on you or try to embarrass you in any way.” He poked his finger into Jacob’s chest to emphasize his points. “I was trying to be a friend because I figured you could use one. I never thought you were worthless or trash or any of the other things you just accused me of thinking and it really pisses me off when someone thinks they’re a goddamned mind-reader and turn out to be really bad at it. I’m willing to overlook what you said and we can try this again sometime, but if that’s how it’s gonna be, I’m not gonna have time trying to get you to stop acting like a world-class asshole and at least try to let me be someone you can at least talk to.”

Jacob’s eyes widened in stunned silence as he stood there, mouth agape as Kyle spoke. Kyle suddenly realized just how close he was to Jacob. If he was any closer, he would be pressed up against him. He was also aware of how Jacob’s chest felt against his hand and it seemed to start a warm sensation growing inside him. He also saw those odd yellowish blotches around one of Jacob’s cheeks. They looked like faded bruises. Jacob must get in more fights then he thought. He was very conscious of his breathing sounding heavier than it should so he took his hand off Jacob’s chest and stepped back. Jacob said nothing, just stared at Kyle looking almost ashamed. Those tantalizing blue eyes were making Kyle’s stomach twist again so he decided to leave. Before he stepped out of the bathroom, he glanced back at Jacob and said, “I’ll see you in history class.”

An hour later, Kyle walked into his history class and opted to sit away from his friends and instead sit next to where Jacob usually sat. Regardless of how nervous he felt, he was determined to not walk away from this. Rolling it over in his mind, he realized what he was nervous about was Jacob seeing him and deciding to sit somewhere else to avoid him. It was the last thing Kyle wanted and he was starting to feel anxious, wondering what he was going to do if he was rejected. His breathing started to quicken and his stomach started to feel heavy. How was he going to manage if Jacob blew him off and probably never talked to him again? He held his breath for a moment and the sickening feeling started to fade within him. A few minutes later, but seeming like an eternity to him, Jacob finally walked into the room. When Jacob noticed him sitting next to his usual seat he stopped and stared for a moment, examining him with those arresting blue eyes. To Kyle, he appeared a little fearful which he found odd. There was no reason for Jacob to be afraid when it was he who was taking the risk. The dark haired boy finally resumed moving, slower now, towards his usual seat and slowly sat down, staring at Kyle sitting right next to him.

Kyle stared down at his open textbook, glancing over at Jacob. He could tell Jacob was nervous as he shifted in his seat. His blue eyes seemed troubled and his bravado had faded. A few moments before the teacher started in on the days lesson, Kyle heard a quiet voice next to him say, “I’m sorry.” Kyle looked over at Jacob to make sure he heard him right. The look on Jacob’s face was one of embarrassment and despondency. The kind of look someone gives when they’re afraid of being rejected and expecting it out of habit. Kyle could feel his heart start to beat a little faster and his stomach felt like it was on a roller coaster. There was a lot more to Jacob than he thought and he had the sudden need to know all of it. For now he just nodded and tried to let Jacob know they were ok. Saying anything more might have gotten the teacher’s attention and everyone else’s.

After class ended, Kyle stood just as Jacob did tapped Jacob on the shoulder to get his attention. When those blue eyes turned towards him, Kyle almost forgot what he was going to ask before he recovered. “I... Uh… What are you doing after school today?”

Jacob just shrugged in a quiet voice answering, “nothing. Going home. Why?”

“Do you need a ride or…?”

Jacob looked at Kyle carefully. “Not really. I usually walk. Besides, I don’t think you… I don’t think it would be a good idea for you to show up at my house.” Kyle looked down at the floor, dejectedly. Jacob realized how that sounded. “B-but if you wanna go hang out somewhere... or go do something, that’d be cool... I guess.”

Kyle pondered for a moment before he asked Jacob, “ever been to an apple orchard before?”

****

After his final class ended, Kyle exited the building after school, finished for the week. He walked casually as he waited for Jacob to catch up. As he slowed down his three friends met up with him just as he was nearing the student parking lot. “Hey, Kyle.” Troy, the self-appointed leader of their group asked, “whatcha got planned for the weekend?”

Kyle just shrugged. “No real plan just yet. Probably gonna help dad out around the place. Probably work out tomorrow to get ready for our next meet.” His skin suddenly felt hot, imagining how Troy and the others were going to react to Jacob.

“That’s cool, we were wondering…” Troy’s words trailed off as he saw Jacob walk up and stop nearby, looking at the other three uneasily.

Kyle followed Troy’s gaze and smiled, ignoring his own sudden worries. “Hey. Ready to go?”

“Uh...” Jacob looked around, unsure of what to say or do.

Troy looked at Kyle, perplexed. “I guess you do got plans today though, huh?”

Kyle seemed unconcerned. “Yeah. I’m gonna show Jacob the orchard. He’s never been out there before.”

“Jacob? Oh. Ok,” Troy looked back at the dark haired kid whose face seemed to be getting redder by the moment. “Well... catch you later then. Call me if you want some company tomorrow.”

“Sure thing,” Kyle replied as he watched the others walk away. He turned to look at Jacob and asked, “ready?”

Jacob watched the others as they left, feeling suddenly like this is all a bad idea. “You sure it’s ok?”

Kyle looked at him oddly and laughed more out of nervousness than anything else. “Well, yeah. Why wouldn’t it be? Come on.” He motioned Jacob to follow him and headed to the truck.

Jacob followed a few steps behind, hoping other students nearby wouldn’t give Kyle a hard time for having a loser getting in his truck. When he saw the battered old Ford pickup he felt a kind of relief. No one would say much about him getting in such an ugly thing. Kyle started up the truck and waited a moment for the beast to come to life before he set off for home with Jacob on the bench seat at the other side of the cab. His hands tightened on the wheel, trying to find something to say to him. It annoyed him that he had a hard time starting up a conversation with Jacob when it’s always been so easy with anyone else. Now, with Jacob sitting alone right next to him, that weird sensation in his stomach started up again and his cheeks felt a little flushed. He ultimately decided to go with the first thing that popped into his head.

“So… you look like you work out a lot. When do you find time to do that?” Kyle felt like an idiot. Stupid, stupid, stupid question.

Jacob didn’t notice Kyle’s discomfort as he stared out the passenger window, hiding his own discomfort as he replied, “I do early gym before classes start every day. Work out for about an hour or so, take a shower, go to first period. No big deal.”

“Oh. I guess that’s why I’ve never seen you in gym then,” Kyle said simply. “Maybe I’ll do that next year.” He actively avoided mentally picturing Jacob showering after his workouts. It was causing some discomfort in his shorts.

“Nothing stopping you from going now. But, it sounds like you got a workout planned tomorrow.” Jacob kept his face pointed out the side window, not wanting to be distracted by staring at Kyle’s face again. He was uncomfortable, not knowing where he’s going or what’s going to happen when they got there. He was wracking his brain trying to say something that wasn’t stupid. “So… you and your friends… What kind of swimming competitions do you guys do? Diving or racing or something?” Jacob had a sudden urge to bash his head against the glass.

Kyle smiled slightly now that he can talk about something he’s comfortable with. “No diving. We do single races and a few relay events. We work as a team and keep each other pumped up. Have you ever been to a swimming meet before?”

“No. Never really thought about it.” He hazarded a glance over at Kyle, looking him over and deciding that watching him swim might not be a bad idea.

“Well, we have a meet coming up in a couple weeks. You can come watch if you want.” Kyle just realized he asked Jacob to come watch him stand around and wait to swim while he was wearing nothing but a speedo. His face reddened slightly.

Jacob shrugged. “We’ll see.”

Mercifully, for both of them, he finally turned off the road and onto the gravel drive leading up to the house. As the truck got to the top of the incline, Kyle maneuvered it to its usual parking spot near the large barn-like shed where his dad keeps most of their equipment. On the other side of the gravel covered area was the biggest house Jacob had ever seen in his life. Two floors with large windows and old style wooden slat siding that had been painted a sort of olive green color. When the two boys got out of the truck, Jacob looked out towards the orchard. He’d never seen such a large area with no buildings or trash around. Everything looked so peaceful compared to where he grew up. He couldn’t believe they had only driven for a few minutes, it may as well have been a trip to another world for him. An embankment sloped down away from the graveled area they had driven in from with a worn path that lead towards an entrance to the short fence that surrounded the orchard. Beyond that was paths that trailed through acres and acres of apple trees, evenly lined up and swaying casually in the breeze that sang softly through the leaves of the trees. Even from this distance, the recent white blooms on the trees gave off a pleasant scent that perfumed the air.

Kyle came up behind him and smiled, “so what do you think?”

Jacob jumped a little at the sound of Kyle’s voice. He hadn’t heard him get so close to him. He looked back at Kyle and swallowed nervously before saying, “it’s nice.”

“Glad you like,” Kyle said proudly. “Do you have a curfew or any time in particular you need to get home?”

“Well,” Jacob said cautiously, “I shouldn’t be out past nine. My dad will get pissed.”

“We won’t stay here long,” Kyle assured him. “Just enough to show you around and maybe get something to eat. Then I’ll drop you off at home. Sound good?”

“Oh, you don’t need to feed me or anything.” Jacob’s face came close to blushing again for the second time in the day.

“Maybe I don’t need to,” Kyle said kindly, “but I want to. You are a guest after all.” Kyle carefully placed a hand on Jacob’s shoulder, giving him time to react before he motioned for him to follow.

Jacob tried to stay calm when he felt Kyle’s gentle touch on his shoulder. It carried with it a sense of both fear and excitement in equal measures. It was a foreign experience for him and he wasn’t sure how to react. When Kyle motioned him to follow, he did so without thinking. As he walked along the paths between the trees, his legs felt uncomfortable like they belonged to someone else. They seemed to just wander around as Kyle would point out certain varieties of apple trees which Jacob could only half remember because the skin on his shoulder was still remembering what Kyle’s hand felt like. His fear slowly eased the longer they were near each other. He wanted to feel more relaxed but his reflex has always been to be mindful of what might be coming so his body remained slightly tense and ready to move at the slightest hint of danger.

“So you ever climb the trees,” Jacob asked offhandedly.

He laughed slightly and nodded, “When I was little and only after picking. Dad used to throw a fit when I climbed up while the apples were still ripening.”

After about twenty more minutes of wandering around, Kyle smiled and motioned to Jacob, “let me show you one of my favorite spots.” Kyle turned and headed up an odd hill that almost seemed out of place in the rolling expanse of the orchard. He couldn’t see the top and the sides seemed steep enough that walking would be nearly impossible. There were a few rocks sticking out of the dirt and clay that afforded a handhold to climb. Kyle grabbed one of the stones and began pulling himself up in a way that suggested that he had been doing this his entire life. Jacob obediently followed behind, careful not to lose his grip as he effortlessly pulled himself up. When he got to the top, Kyle was standing off to the side and turned to smile down at Jacob as he slowly worked his way up the grassy incline in his ragged shoes. When Jacob came to stand next to Kyle, he looked out and around him he could see all the trees and the rolling hills. He was silenced by the beauty of it all. Kyle smiled and stood next to him watching as he took it all in. He started to enjoy Jacob’s reaction as he took in the view.

All the trees around them seemed to shimmer as the slight breeze made made the leaves seem to dance and sway. As if they were floating on a green cloud and the rest of the world and all its cares and worries were so far away they could no longer be seen or heard. Kyle noticed how Jacob’s face and eyes seemed to relax and allowed the moment to last. That sullen, stone faced guard he put on his face appeared to be lowering or at least relaxing.

He also couldn’t deny just how handsome Jacob was. Wearing all black didn’t seem to suit him, though. He would be more handsome if he wasn’t wearing a long sleeve shirt in May either. He gave the moment a little longer before he finally interrupted Jacob to ask quietly, “so, what do you think?”

“It’s, amazing,” Jacob blurted out after a breath. He took his gaze from the scenery and looked at Kyle who was very close to him. For the moment, being this close to another person didn’t feel uncomfortable like it normally did for him. He looked into Kyle’s brown eyes and started feeling hot in his face and chest. He had a sudden urge to touch Kyle. Maybe on his shoulder. Or maybe somewhere else. Just as his right hand started to move he blinked and took a half-step away from him to put some distance between them. Kyle seemed a little confused. Jacob looked down at his feet, embarrassed before he composed himself to ask Kyle, “is there a place we can sit for a minute or two?”

“Yeah, sure.” Kyle wanted to take Jacob’s hand but respected his space as he made his way down the same side of the hill and over to one of the older apple trees. It’s leaves gave them some cover from the warm sun as Kyle sat down and waited for Jacob to join him.

When Jacob sat down, he looked over at Kyle, trying to find the right words to say. “Kyle… I really am sorry about being an asshole to you today at lunch.”

Kyle nodded, “I know. You told me earlier. It’s cool.”

“It’s just..." Jacob struggled to say what he wanted to say and not feel like he was exposing himself, “I don’t get many people wanting me to be around that often.”

Kyle smiled charmingly. “Well, their loss. I know things may have started off on the wrong foot, but I had a feeling you were a decent guy.”

Jacob stared at the ground, unable to speak.

“So,” Kyle sensed his uneasiness and tried to fill the space, “I will be working out tomorrow morning I guess. After that though, I’m free if you wanna come back or whatever if you got nothing else going on.”

“And do what,” Jacob asked dubiously. He was starting to form some ideas of what he’d like to do with Kyle but kept them to himself.

Kyle shrugged, deciding it best to just ignore the slightly defensive tone in Jacob’s voice for now. “Do whatever. Doesn’t matter. We can sit in my room and play video games for all I care, though I doubt dad will approve of that.” The idea of having Jacob in his bedroom gave him a strange feeling. Jacob didn’t seem bought into the idea so Kyle decided to take an alternative approach. “How about I just give you my phone number before we leave here and you can call me tomorrow if you want?”

Jacob looked at Kyle and finally nodded. “Okay. No promises, though. My dad...” he frowned and continued, “he might want me to do something the whole day.”

Kyle shrugged, unconcerned. “That’s fine. You can call me whenever you want.”

They were interrupted by the sound of David Howard’s voice in the distance. “Kyle? Where’re you at?”

Kyle stood up slowly as Jacob nearly shot off the ground looking like he had been caught stealing something. Kyle noted the fear in his face and reassured him, “it’s just Dad. No big deal.” He looked around and raised his voice to answer, “over here, Dad. I got someone with me.”

David followed the sound of Kyle’s voice and gave a friendly smile as he walked up to them. “Hey. I wasn’t interrupting, was I? Who’s this?”

Kyle looked from Jacob to his dad and back. “Dad, this is Jacob. He’s in my history class. Jacob, this is my dad.”

David smiled and extended his hand to the young man who took it with a firm shake. David noted the look in the kid’s eyes, wondering what had him so spooked. “Nice to meet you, Jacob. First time out here?”

“Y-yes, sir,” Jacob struggled to speak, feeling nervous all over again. About what, he didn’t know.

David smirked playfully, “I see he’s polite at least, son. Could probably learn something from him, I bet.” He was hoping to get a positive reaction from Jacob but all he got was a kid with a bright red face.

“Whatever, dad,” Kyle rolled his eyes and grinned. “Dinner soon?”

“Yup. You staying for dinner, Jacob,” David asked with his customary welcoming tone and warm smile.

“Oh, ah...” Jacob tried to beg off. “I don’t wanna make any trouble.”

“Trouble,” David asked with a grin. “No trouble at all. Half the time he brings one of his friends over with him without telling me so I’ve just gotten used to making extra. Come on up to the house.” He motioned for both boys to follow him. As they walked, David asked Jacob a few questions about school and life out of school but he didn’t get much in the way of answers. He’s same age as Kyle, been in that school for three years now after moving to the area from Pittsburgh and he lives alone with his father. What he didn’t say got David’s interest. He only answered direct questions and didn’t add anything. His entire body language told David he was afraid. He felt pity for the kid wondering how he goes through life being scared of everything.

Jacob walked into the Howard home behind David. He was impressed by the amount of space and how everything seemed clean and put in its place. That alone was a big departure from his own home life. He wanted to relax but was afraid if he did, he would say or do something to make Kyle change his mind so he stayed silent as much as possible.

Kyle insisted he sit at the kitchen table even after Jacob tried to talk his way out of staying for dinner a second time. He honestly didn’t want to leave but he didn’t want to feel like he was taking up space he didn’t deserve. Finally Kyle noted to Jacob, “so you and I seem to have a couple things in common.”

“We do?” Jacob seemed surprised that the two of them would have anything in common.

Kyle smiled and he said casually, “we both have single dads. Where is your mom anyway?”

“She died when I was like two, or something.”

Kyle paled and felt a sense of panic, worried he’d just ruined this new friendship. “Oh, God, I’m sorry, Jacob. I shouldn’t have asked.”

Jacob looked up at Kyle and saw the genuine concern on his face. “It’s ok. We never talk about it.”

Kyle felt a moment of relief and then asked, “what’s your dad like?”

“He’s...” Jacob frowned and his eyes seemed to darken. Keeping his back turned to the boys as he prepared dinner, David’s ears perked up and he listened carefully. “He’s ok, I guess,” Jacob fumbled for words, “he can be a little harsh at times. He drinks when he’s not working usually.”

Kyle didn’t know what to say so he dropped the subject while David frowned to himself keeping his back to the boys as they talked. They eventually started talking about their school work. Kyle found out that Jacob had problems with algebra and English and offered to help out whenever he wanted. He also talked about his other friends which caused Jacob to feel a little inadequate. Kyle smirked and talked about how the four of them stick close together. Jacob patiently listened and kept his face carefully measured. He used to have friends at his old school in Pittsburgh but lost touch when they moved, but nothing like what Kyle was describing.

David filled two bowls of beef stew and sat them down in front of the two boys before going back and returning with his own bowl and a plate of warm bread. Kyle got glasses of water for him and Jacob before returning to eat. As they ate, David surreptitiously watched his son and his new friend as they ate and talked. The longer they sat there the more it seemed Jacob relaxed though he never seemed completely comfortable. David smiled to himself thinking the young blue eyed boy had the potential to be a sweet kid if he got out of his shell a little more. David liked all of Kyle’s friends. They were frequent guests in his home and many nights he would find one or more of them asleep either on the couch or on the floor in his son’s room. He expected at some point he would wake up someday and find Jacob in much the same manner.

At one point David stopped eating as he saw Kyle’s cheeks redden slightly while he was staring at Jacob as he ate, unaware of the inspecting gaze cast in his direction. David just watched saying nothing and giving away no reaction. He knew that kind of look. He’d both given and received looks like that in the past. He wanted to convince himself it wasn’t as serious as he initially thought but he realized his son was seventeen and things like this can happen. For the time being he chose to keep it to himself.

After they finished eating, Jacob told Kyle he really needed to get home before his dad started to get upset. With David’s permission, Kyle took his dad’s SUV instead of the beat up old truck to take Jacob home.

After they pulled out of the gravel drive, Kyle looked over at Jacob and said, “I hope you had a good time today.”

Jacob nodded slowly. “I did, actually.”

“Good!” Kyle practically beamed. “Then you’ll come back. Sometimes we have movie night at my house. Me and the others. You’d be welcome to join us if you ever want to.”

“Oh...” Jacob’s shyness returned full force. “Maybe. If they’re ok with it.”

“Jacob,” Kyle said in a softer tone to reassure him, “one thing you need to know about Troy and the others is that we’re a team. We look out for one another at school, in the pool and anywhere else. If I tell them you’re cool, they’re fine with you.” He chuckled a little adding playfully, “they might start liking you more than they like me eventually.”

Jacob glanced over at Kyle and their eyes met just as Jacob’s lips lifted up slightly in the first small smile Kyle had ever seen on his lips. Kyle felt a rush inside him when he saw it and hoped to see it again.

The ride ended at the entrance to a small trailer park about a ten minute drive from Kyle’s house. Jacob insisted he be dropped off there instead of right up to his home. Before he got out of the car, Jacob stuttered quietly, “I-I had fun today.”

“So did I,” Kyle replied, hoping to see another smile on Jacob’s lips but only saw a sad downcast look as Jacob opened the car door.

“See you later, I guess,” Jacob muttered. Grabbing his backpack and shut the door, he slowly made his way into the trailer park. If Kyle didn’t know better, he’d swear Jacob was walking towards his own execution. He sat there, waiting until Jacob slipped out of sight before putting the car back in gear and driving home.

****

Saturday morning found Kyle in the weight room of the local gym. Normally, management frowned on teenagers being unaccompanied but over the last two years he and his friends had been frequenting the gym on the weekends the managers got to know the boys and their parents and just looked the other way, knowing that they were more responsible than most kids their age. It was a decent sized building with rows of treadmills in the front room of the building, a large weight room behind them and a hallway connecting to a large pool area. He never worked out to bulk up like most guys his age on the basketball or football teams. His efforts were to tone up and improve his endurance and leg strength needed for his swimming meets. That day he was working on a chest press machine which he planned to follow up with a couple miles on a treadmill before hitting the pool for a few laps.

He sat there, going through his reps at a slow even pace, thinking about the day before and Jacob at the orchard as he had been since he woke up earlier. In his mind he could see over and over how his face looked in the sunlight and how his eyes looked as he stole glances at the table while they ate. Kyle always knew he was different. Girls never really interested him much. He always figured he’d find one someday that he would find beautiful and charming and sexy and he’d want to be with her but his heart and his body never so much as stirred whenever a girl openly looked over his body or casually touched his arm or back. He always imagined someday it would just click inside his head and things would go apace.

Only once did he go out on a date with a girl. It was in his freshman year and Andy had talked him into going out on a double-date to a movie. He agreed, imagining that it would be fun and maybe him and the girl would get along. The reality was far different. She seemed to be clingy and talked constantly about nothing he was interested in. After half an hour over dinner at a local fast food place, he was ready to go home but Andy’s pleas for him to stay compelled him to go through with the rest of the night. The movie was easier because all they had to do was sit and watch. The girl, whose name he can’t even remember, kept reaching over to touch his hand and would sometimes whisper comments to him. He was never so relieved when the movie ended and he left to jump into his dad’s truck and go home, vowing to never go through that again.

Jacob, on the other hand, was different. Kyle felt he could be a good friend at some point if he was patient enough. His overall manner seemed detached and suspicious of others but that seemed to only fuel Kyle’s efforts. He wanted to know more about Jacob so much so it was starting to feel like a compulsion. Every time he thought about Jacob last night and this morning he had a new question he wanted to pose to him. In the hopes of making things easier in the future, he had started thinking up things they could do together at his house and going out together around their small town. If Jacob had friends like Kyle’s maybe he would be more relaxed, he reasoned. He wanted to include him in his life and he wanted Troy and the others to like him as much as he did. Well, maybe not that much.

After taking him home and returning to go up to his bedroom, he found himself laying on his bed thinking about Jacob and his dick seemed to like what he was thinking. He’d never thought about another person anytime he masturbated normally. Last night all he could think about was Jacob. When he tried to avoid those thoughts, the memory of Jacob’s eyes slowly came to the forefront of his mind. He had started getting worried about it. It felt right but at the same time not normal. How could it not feel right when it felt so good? The more he thought about Jacob the more he wanted to be around him. The more he wanted to talk to him, spend time with him, go swimming and maybe at some point have him stay the night and maybe lay in the same bed together. Just thinking about it now sent a shiver down his spine and he nearly lost his grip on the chest press machine.

He stopped and took a breath to refocus himself. It wouldn’t do for his hands to suddenly slip and get injured. Resting his elbows on his thighs he leaned forward, rubbing his face slightly and then over his stubby hair in the hopes it’ll help clear his mind. Just as he lowered his hands, he noticed movement off to the side. When he glanced over, he saw Troy and Andy walking up. The tall brown haired friend was dressed in his usual grey gym gear he tended to favor on Saturdays. Andy was a few feet behind, wearing just a tank top and a pair of shorts. Kyle figured he probably had his speedo on underneath knowing he likes to show off for any of the girls who might be in the gym.

“Hey,” Troy offered in greeting as he stepped up to the machine next to Kyle’s. “How’s it going?”

“Not bad,” giving his typical response as he placed his hands back on the bars and started another set of reps.

“So, what’s up with Jake,” Troy asked casually as he eased into his routine.

“Jacob,” he corrected. “He hates being called Jake. Don’t ask me why, he just does. I took him to my place and showed him about the orchard. He had a good time. Stayed for dinner with me and dad.”

“Really,” Troy’s interest showed in his tone “Did your dad like him too?”

Kyle shrugged, “I guess so. He didn’t say anything about him not coming back when I got home. Didn’t say anything, really.” He kept his face forward not looking at Troy to focus on his lifting.

“Well,” Troy said casually, “if your dad likes him well enough then he must be an okay guy. What was up with the fight then?”

“I guess the kid was calling him names and pushed it too far. He’s kind of sensitive.” He kept up the conversation as he was going through his routine.

“A sensitive bully,” Troy offered with a chuckle.

“I don’t think he’s a bully,” he defended with a slightly louder voice than he meant to use.

“Sorry,” Troy quickly apologized. “So, is he gonna hang out with us to or are you gonna keep him to yourself?”

Kyle blushed, thinking about Jacob all to himself. “I mentioned you guys to him but he seemed a little standoffish. I think he’s kind of shy.”

Troy chuckled again. “A shy, sensitive, not a bully. Gotcha. You seem to like him, though. If you like him I’m sure the rest of us will.”

Andy suddenly appeared in front of them and said, “you guys talking about that Jake kid?”

“Jacob,” Kyle and Troy said in unison. Troy giggled and Kyle rolled his eyes and tried to suppress a grin.

“Whatever,” Andy said in his casual drawl. “What’s his deal, Kyle?”

Kyle groaned, hating having to repeat himself but that’s what it’s like having three close friends. Each one needs their own explanation at times. “He’s kind of a loner kid who’s only lived here a couples years. He doesn’t have any friends. He’s a bit on the shy side so don’t expect him to start sitting with us at lunch right away. He’s kind of sensitive about being called trash like that kid was doing the other day in the hallway and overall I think he’s a good guy and my dad seems to like him. Anything I missed?”

Andy grinned. His green eyes full of mischief. “You sound like you like him well enough. Gonna ask him out or something?” Kyle glared up at Andy who immediately threw up his hands to defend himself. “Just kidding! Just kidding.”

“He reminds me of Brian, to tell you the truth,” Kyle muttered. “He was all by himself when his family first moved here. You liked him pretty fast yourself, Andy. Did you ever ask Brian out?”

“No,” the short haired blonde boy responded with a frown which quickly turned into a grin, “but I like girls, so it’s cool. If you like him, Kyle you know we’re all okay with it. Just invite him to the table next week and we can all hang out together. It’ll be fun.”

“We’ll see,” Kyle responded. A part of him didn’t want to share Jacob with the others.

The three boys settled into their routines and their other friend Brian joined them soon after. Brian’s always been something of the oddball of the group in Kyle’s opinion. He’s been a great friend and fun to have around but he has a somewhat mischievous streak to him that seems to have been passed onto Andy over the years. The two of them have a lot in common, both being blondes and about the same height. Brian’s eyes being a dark bluish grey to Andy’s deep green eyes. While all four boys have been close over the years, Andy and Brian have shared a somewhat closer friendship to the others, almost like they’d known each other since birth. It wasn’t uncommon for one or the other to be spending the night at each others’ houses when they weren’t spending time together as a group.

The two of them tended to speak to each other in half sentences which only the two of them seem to understand and follow. They use conversation as a sort of game between each other as they’ve gotten older, using innuendos and vague answers to even vaguer questions mostly for their own personal entertainment. Andy once told Kyle they do it just to stay on their toes when they have to explain what they’ve been doing to their parents or teachers that they don’t want to talk about. Using veiled references and half-truths to come up with ways to answer questions without answering them completely. Kyle’s never understood it but has to admit it can be amusing to watch when they start going back and forth with each other. Once in awhile he can even figure out what they’re talking about.

“So, the dark haired boy isn’t here,” Brian quipped as he sat near Andy.

“So it would seem,” Andy retorted with a casual smirk.

“Probably out causing mayhem…”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake you two,” Troy said in quiet exasperation.

“What,” Brian asked defensively, “we’re just talking. Besides, from the looks of it we’re gonna have a fifth guy in our little group.”

“There’s no fifth guy on our team,” Troy returned, “yet.”

“Yet, he says,” Andy muttered with a lopsided grin.

“There’s no definite on that,” Kyle said starting to get frustrated. “I only just met him this week and he’s only been to my house once. He’s shy and a little scared I think. I need time to get him comfortable with me first.”

Brian said something under his breath and Andy broke into a fit of giggles.

“What did you just say?!” Kyle’s voice started to get louder, not even sure why he was getting upset.

“Brian. Andy. Shut up.” Troy’s commanding voice silenced the argument. After a few seconds passed he added, “say you’re sorry for talking shit.”

“I’m sorry, Kyle,” Brian said sincerely.

Kyle sighed and got up to go work on the treadmill. The others watched him go silently.

“What’s he so worked up about,” Brian asked as he took Kyle’s vacated seat at the chest press.

“I dunno,” Troy muttered, “but I’m pretty sure change is coming. You two be nice to Jacob. Don’t call him Jake and don’t say anything that you wouldn’t say to me.”

Andy and Brian both shrugged their acquiescence and went back to their workout routines.