Give It To Me Straight - 3. Give It To Me Straight - Chapter 3

Waking up the next morning was bit frustrating for me. I didn't even drink that much last night, but I still felt a bit sluggish regardless. Not to mention that my phone announcements kept going off with one message after another. It had to be Silas. Who else would it be?

Barely opening my eyes, I felt around on the dresser next to my bed until I was able to grab my phone. I rubbed my eyes to check out his texts, and he said, "What happened with Ricky last night? Did you jump his bones? Did he jump yours? Wake up and call me already, bitch!" Followed by another text that said, "Omigod, I'll bet Ricky's semen tastes like angel's food cake batter! Yummy!" I smiled to myself, and put the phone back down. God forbid, my mother were to ever find out how we talk to one another. Thank the stars for blissful willing ignorance.

It took me a while to get moving, but I eventually got my butt in gear, hopped in the shower to get all squeaky clean, and then trotted downstairs to see if I could get myself some breakfast. I sort of expected to just grab a couple of poptarts and make up for it at lunch today. My mom was showing an open house for one of her real estate properties in another neighborhood this morning, and despite her being good at her job, she always seems to get a bit nervous the morning before traveling out there. It doesn't necessarily put her in a pancakes and bacon sort of mood.

She was already dressed up in her lucky business suit, going through her notes and checking her folders to make sure that she had everything ready. "You alright?" She asked me as I reached in the cabinet for the poptarts.

"Yeah. I'm fine. Why?"

"Your eyes are red, honey. Did you get any sleep?"

"I got plenty. I dunno, maybe I'm just a little worn out." I said.

She gave me a kiss on the forehead, "Well, get some rest then. But no too much rest. You've got school starting in a couple of weeks, I don't want you walking around at all hours of the night because you got your natural rhythm all out of whack." She grabbed herself a cup of morning coffee, and asked me, "How was your party last night?"

"Ah, you know. Same ol' same ol'. Nothing too eventful." I mumbled.

"The uneventful parties are the ones I like best. You stick to those." She smirked, and then saw me unwrapping one of the poptarts to take a bite. "Jamie...don't you want to warm those up?"

"Nah. I always eat one hot and one cold. I don't know why. Strange habit, I suppose."

"Well, don't fill up on too much junk this morning. I'll bring us something home for lunch." She said.

"Hehehe, more junk, you mean?" I grinned.

"Proper junk, yes. Something with some protein in it." She replied, and then she grabbed her stuff and got ready to leave. "I'll see you later, sweetie."

"Best of luck." I told her, but she said that she was hoping she wouldn't need any. I doubt she will either. Like I said, she's good at what she does.

I went back upstairs and turned on my laptop, looking for random silliness on Youtube. I really didn't have much ambition to do anything with the rest of my day. It was pretty hot and humid outside, and I figured I'd do better to just lounge around in the air conditioned house until the sun went down and took some of that end of Summer heat out of the air. But as the sweet little sugar high of my morning poptarts wore off, I found myself wanting another fix. Just something tasty to tide me over until my mom came home later with burgers or something. I wasn't sure what I had a taste for, but I did remember that Silas had given me a couple of coupons for a few free sundaes at the local ice cream shop. A little booklet full of them, actually. Silas' older sister was dating some guy that used to work there, but he got fired for some stupid reason and I don't think he's even allowed to go back in the store anymore. Who knows what happened there? Probably got canned for stealing whole books of coupons for free ice cream, for all I know. Either way...I got something out of it, thanks to Silas.

Besides, on a hot day like today, ice cream seems like it would hit the spot. So I grabbed the little booklet off of my desk, tossed on a pair of faded sweat shorts and a pullover tee...and I gathered up the energy to start the short seven block walk to my little Summer oasis spot for the day.

However...

The moment I opened my front door and took my keys out to lock it behind me...I heard the slow and steady bouncing of a basketball coming from across the street. I looked over...and, omigod...there he was. Ricky was outside in a pair of sky blue soccer shorts...you know, the shiny ones. He had on a glaring white tank top t-shirt, and he was sort of shooting a few lazy baskets against his garage door. Nothing too strenuous or excited, he was just sort of putting up a few shots and letting them land, one after another. I felt myself get a little lost in watching him for a few seconds. His calves were so smooth and tight, those silky shorts clinging to the curves of that delicious backside as if to mock my inability to do the same. I was so jealous. Oh wow...he has the cutest little tufts of brown hair under his arms when he shoots. He, seriously, takes my breath away sometimes.

I had to shake myself out of my trance, and then looked down at what I was wearing. No! No no no no no! I suddenly rushed back in the house before Ricky could turn around and see me standing there, gawking at him like an idiot. I slammed the door behind me and ran upstairs to change my clothes. I've got a decent pair of blue jean shorts that look better. Belt. Do I have a whiter pair of socks? Red shirt...no, no green shirt! Wait! What am I thinking? I'll go tie dye. Yes...this is totally a tie dye situation. I fluffed and teased my hair in the mirror, made a quick breath check, and tried to calm my nerves as much as I possibly could before going back downstairs.

I took a deep breath...and then I opened my front door again. Hopefully making a better entrance than I would have just throwing on a few rags like some sort of uninspired hobo.

Ricky was still dribbling his ball, occasionally bending lower to the ground and letting the curves of that miraculous ass smooth out the back of those shorts until I was almost dizzy with the impulse to get down on my knees and hug those tight buns against my face while I sighed with my eyes closed. As I stepped off of my front porch, this nervous pressure began to build inside my chest. I mean, I was going to have to pass his house to get to the next block. Chances are, he was going to see me. I don't know, maybe I want him to see me. Hehehe, this is so wild!

I hadn't planned to speak to him or anything...at least not at first. I kept looking over to see if he'd notice me first, but he seemed a little preoccupied with shooting hoops. Maybe I should say something first? Would that be, like...I mean...can I do that? What am I saying? Of course I can do that. It's just me...talking to Ricky Sweeten...who lives across the street from me. No biggie, right?

I was thinking of what to say, but all of the words sounded like impossible tongue twisters inside my head. Plus, my voice has a tendency to squeak when I get nervous. Got to control that. Omigod, I can't believe that I'm actually crossing the street now. I'm going to walk right past him. I'm going to HAVE to speak to him now! It'll look totally rude if I don't.

I caught a lucky break while shaking with fright as I got close to his driveway, though. Ricky missed a shot, and the ball bounced off of the rim and to the side, causing him to turn around and get a hold on it again. That's when he saw me, and he flashed me that dreamy smile, saying, "Hey, Jamie."

My name sounds so much more beautiful when spoken through those luscious lips of his. "Hey, Ricky..." I said, trying to hold myself together. So far so good. Ummm...soooo...what now?

Oh no! A few seconds have passed. Things are starting to get uncomfortable now! Say something else! Hurry up! SAY SOMETHING!!!

Ricky's smile widened slightly, and he dribbled the ball a few more times, his little dimples accentuating the stunning beauty of his face. "You going out somewhere?" He asked.

"I'm...yeah. Just, for a little while." I said. My voice was getting more shaky now. Get it under control. Concentrate.

"Cool." He said, and he turned around to take another shot. A perfect 'swish'. He stepped forward to get the ball back again, and walked it back over towards me with a few more bounces. "So...I'm still pretty new to the neighborhood. What kinda stuff do you have around here to do for fun?"

Breathlessly, I joked, "I ummm...I think you're doing it already. Heh..." And he giggled quietly to himself. Oh wow. Something I said made Ricky giggle. God, I told myself that I wasn't going to get myself all wrapped up in this nonsense...but he just makes it so easy to fall for him, you know?

"Aww, well that sucks. I was starting to get bored already." He said. "It's too hot to really go much of anywhere. I just figured I'd sleep in and take a lazy day after last night, but...I dunno...I'm kinda feeling like I want to do stuff all of a sudden."

I'm not sure where I found the words or the courage, but in a slight panic, I reached into my pocket and pulled out the booklet of coupons and held it up. I don't know why I held it up like that, but...fuck off! Give me a break! I was SCARED!

"I'm going to walk to the ice cream shop and grab a free sundae." I said, my voice straining to keep from cracking. "I got free coupons. They're not that big...the free cups, I mean...but you can have a coupon if you want one." How I was able to keep from hyperventilating while I was talking to him was a complete mystery to me. I was basically just prolonging my own agony, and giving myself more opportunities to screw up any chance that I ever had to ever be close to a boy like him...but a big part of me just didn't want to let him go just yet.

Ricky's sexy brown eyes met mine, and I swear that I could feel a strong magnetic pull on my actual testicles as I tried to look away. The kind of feeling that you get on that initial drop of a super tall roller coaster. The air was getting so thin at that moment.

I was almost ready to give him a nonchalant shrug of my shoulders and make it seem like it was no big deal, just to keep from looking too needy. But Ricky spoke up first, and he said, "I could certainly go for some ice cream. You mind if I join you?"

"Oh..." I said, a bit shocked that he accepted the invitation. "Sure. I mean, no. I mean...like...ok." The biggest smile broke out on my face, and I had to force my hand back down to put the coupon booklet back in my pocket so I could stop holding it up like I was trying to flag down a taxi.

"Cool. Well, wait right here. I'm gonna go grab some cash. Just in case." He said, and I nodded...feeling a sliding surge of warm shivers running through me all over. He bounced his basketball as he walked back into his house, and I watched that cute butt gracefully walk away from me, the sun bouncing off of those shorts as it caressed his body in the most intimate way possible.

As soon as Ricky was back in his house with the door closed, I turned around and tried my best to keep from dancing right there on the sidewalk. I actually began to pace a little bit, trying to find ways to contain an almost maniacal smile. I talked to him. I actually came right over here and talked to him. And now we're going for ice cream. Oh man, I swear, I'm going to jack off so HARD when we get back! For once, it felt awesome to be a little more like Silas and a little less like me. Hehehe!

THIS IS GREAT!!!

I had to straighten up and clear my throat as he came back out of the house with his keys. Even his house keys are cute! What the heck is going on with me right now? "You ready?" He smiled.

"Uh huh..." I sighed.

"Lead the way."

And, with that said...we started walking together. Me and Ricky Sweeten. Oh man, Silas is going to totally WET himself when I tell him about this later!

The strange thing is, as frightened as I was to talk to Ricky on the walk over there...he seemed to have this uncanny talent for effortlessly initiating further conversation from me. Even when I was overthinking every word in my head and trying not to make a fool out of myself in his presence, he managed to give me every opening that I could ever need to keep talking. And he really listened to what I had to say. He responded, and he joked around, and he just...he made me feel super comfortable around him. How did he manage that? Because it seemed like any level of comfort around this hottie would have been impossible just ten minutes ago.

The ice cream shop was just around the corner, so I decided to get the coupons out. I couldn't just take the whole booklet of freebies out right there inside the store, you know? "Ok, so...I had coupons for five of each flavor. Which one do you want?" I asked.

Ricky stepped closer to me to look at the tiny print, and I had to fight the urge to jump back away from him. Jesus...he's so close to me right now! I can practically smell his breath...and it smells heavenly.

"What flavors do ya got?" He asked. Gah! He's so CUTE!!!

Trembling slightly, I looked through the pages and said, "Well, ummm...I've got chocolate fudge, and pineapple, and raspberry...there's strawberry, but I've only got one of those left. Strawberry's my favorite. Oh, but there's a baked apple one, if you wanna try it."

With a boyish smirk, Ricky said, "Strawberry."

"Hehehe, but that's my favorite."

"Cool. Then it should be really good."

I blushed. "I've only got one coupon left for strawberry, Ricky."

"Yeah, and that means that you had four of them already. So give it up." I thought he was just kidding around at first, but when our eyes connected again, he was obviously waiting for his prize.

With a slight roll of my eyes, I ripped out the coupon. "Fine. Take it."

"Hehehe, I'll let you know how awesome I think it is. Promise." He grinned.

"This is so not fair..." I groaned playfully, and we both went inside to get our Summer rewards. I did give him my last strawberry sundae coupon and ended up getting the baked apple for the first time, which was actually pretty damned good! But, more than anything, it was just awesome to sit in a booth in an ice cream shop, and watch the cold substance slip between Ricky's heated lips over and over again. He really did enjoy it, and there was nothing more erotic than watching his pink little tongue reaching out to gently swipe away traces of strawberry jelly. Step aside, PornHub...I've got a new form of entertainment now.

I wasn't sure if Ricky was just going to eat his sundae and then get up, ready to head back home or something...but I was surprised when he got up to throw his empty cup away, and then he came back to the table to just sit and talk with me for a while. Which was cool. I have to admit to being sort of proud of myself for being able to hold Ricky's attention for this long. Especially considering that I can barely look at him from a distance without shaking myself to pieces most days. So yeah, this was...this was cool. This was different.

"You almost broke your leg riding a skateboard? Hahaha!" Ricky laughed as we found ourselves finding a decent little 'groove' in our talk. "You don't look like the skater boy type at all."

"Trust me, I'm not." I giggled. "I'm the farthest thing from it. But...I kind of wanted to try it, you know? Just to say that I did it."

"Yeah, and you almost got all busted up for it."

"Well, at least I'd have a meaningful memory to save for later in the long run, right?"

"This is true." He said.

"Besides, I always felt like...this compelling urge to try a little bit of everything. Just once." I told him. "I'm still a bit of a chicken when it comes to a lot of things, but...just in the off chance that we've all only got one shot at this whole 'living life' thing...I want to go out saying that I did it all."

"Is that so?" Ricky asked.

"Definitely. I want to break an arm climbing up the side of a mountain. I want to nearly drown trying to surf a killer wave. I want to worry about being splattered all over the concrete when I go skydiving for the first time."

"Hehehe, you're getting a little dangerous there, buddy." He said.

"I know. I just...I feel like there's so much in life to experience, you know? I don't want to be celebrating my 100th birthday, and spend the whole day regretting all of the things that I wish I had done when I was fifteen."

There was a quiet pause between us, and I thought that I might have gotten so comfortable that I had begun babbling incoherently and boring my excellent company for the afternoon. But Ricky took a moment and said, "I can see that. Makes sense."

"Does it? I hope I don't sound too crazy about this stuff. I just...when I get old and grey, I want to have a story to tell. Something inspiring." I said. "I think that's why Silas and I are so close. He kinda pushes me when I need pushing. He keeps me from being 'stationary', I guess. Does that make any sense?"

"Of course it does." He said, much to my relief. "I mean, why wouldn't it? I think a lot of people live their lives today as though it's completely affected by what happened in their lives yesterday." Then he added. "I kinda like the idea of living your life today as though it's going to affect the life you lead tomorrow, you know? Or...wait...does that make sense? Hehehe, you know what I mean. Always better to look ahead, I s'pose."

I'm not exactly sure what got my heart pounding so hard when he said that, but I just kind of stared at him, completely mesmerized by his point of view on the whole thing, and I could feel my uncontrollable attachment to him begin to weave itself into my heart. Tightly wrapped vines that were constricting themselves around my emotions and making it more and more difficult to deny their influence on me. God help me...I'm falling in love, aren't I?

Oh no! This wasn't supposed to happen! It was just supposed to be ice cream!!! ICE CREAM, dammit!!!

I think my brain began to shut down on me. All logic was seeping out of my ears, and only raw emotion was left behind. Every time he smiled, every time his fingers twisted his empty ice cream cup, every time he even blinked and I was there to catch it...I found myself filling up with another round of uncontrollable shivers. It kept me on edge until we were getting up to leave, and then it seemed to get even worse.

Ricky was just supposed to be really cute. And maybe kind of sweet. Where did all of these other lovely traits come from? He's got to have some sort of horrible flaw in him somewhere. He just has to! It's the only thing that could possibly classify him as human at this point.

It was hard to look at him while we were walking back. It felt like my heart was collapsing in on itself, and I was tempted to just...I don't know...roughly push him into a nearby thicket of bushes and run away before I fell even further in love with him. I'm setting myself up for failure. BIG TIME failure. But his whole aura enticed me just the same.

As we were nearing his house, Ricky said, "You know something? You're really easy to talk to, Jamie."

Are those sparkles floating in the air real, or is my mind making that up? "I am?"

"Yeah. At least, I think so." He grinned. He looked over at me, but I was too scared to look back. Those baby brown eyes could be used as one hell of a weapon when he amplified its charm with those dimples of his. "This is fun."

I laughed nervously. "Well...I don't know about fun, hehehe...but it certainly is intellectually stimulating." I took a peek at him, and fell in love all over again. This was bad. Really bad. I started to increase my walking speed so I could get him back to his driveway and rush across the street before he had a chance to screw my emotions up even worse. Or...at least that was the plan. We stopped just outside of his house, and I told him, "Today was really cool, Ricky. I mean that. I'm...I'm really glad you came to hang out with me for a while."

His smile widened, and he said, "Does this mean that we're done 'stimulating' each other for the day?"

It caught me off guard, and I stammered, "Ummm...I...well, I mean...aren't we?"

"You tell me." He said, this flirtatious tone creeping into his voice. "Say, whatchya got going on over at your house today?"

I would have turned bright red if all the blood hadn't suddenly been drained from my face. "You...you want to come over? To my house?"

"Sure. Why not? Unless you want to send me back to the sadness and boredom of shooting hoops all by myself. Hehehe!"

With an infatuated sigh, I managed to say, "I wouldn't dream of it." I shyly bit my bottom lip, and took another brief glance at those magic eyes as he grinned back at me. "So...you wanna come over?"

"Sounds fun. Lead the way."

Some terrible mistakes and potentially traumatic situations can be so fun to get yourself tangled up in.