Coming of Age - 1. Chapter 1

Thomas was an average kid, or so he thought. When he was younger, he was interested in baseball, football, soccer, and skateboarding, like all kids his age. As he got older, he lost interest in sports. At least that is what he told himself. He still watched football every Sunday, and never missed his favorite baseball team play. He never missed a high school soccer game, even if they played out of town.

The coach had asked Thomas many times to rejoin the team. He was the best forward that the coach had seen in years. Thomas always told the coach that he didn’t have time for practices; that right now he was concentrating more on his schoolwork, trying to get into a good school. This was what Thomas had told all his friends. The truth was, his grades were slipping, and his chances of getting into anything more that a community college were not looking hopeful for him.

Thomas had too many distractions, too many things that he was worried about to think about sports, school, or even dating. He was a junior, after all, and had never been on a real date with a girl. Sure, he had gone with groups of friends, including girls, to the movies, the mall and even high school dances, but never one on one with a girl. The prom was only three weeks and he still didn’t have a date. His mother had told him that once the right girl came along he would know it, and there would be sparks. He didn’t think he would ever feel those sparks with any girl.

At the end of his freshman year, Thomas had given up on sports. He told his friends and family that he would never get a college scholarship to play, so why waste his time. Thomas even tried to convince himself that that was the reason he gave up. The truth was his big secret he tried to keep even from himself.

In March of his freshman year Thomas had decided that he would not rejoin the soccer team next season. That was the first time he was honest with himself. He was in the locker room after a big game that they had won against their county rivals. Everyone was celebrating. Thomas was very excited. Then everyone started to get undressed to shower afterward. Thomas got even more excited. It was hard for him to hide his “excitement”. That was when he decided that sports were not for him. He was stuck in the locker room watching all of his friends, naked and sweaty, with a raging erection that would not go away. Thomas had to sneak into a stall and “take care of business” with everyone still wandering around. That was the most humiliating day of his life. He didn’t understand why his body reacted the way it did. All guys got excited in the locker rooms. He had seen lots of other guys walk around pitching tents. But usually when time to hit the showers no one had the same problem. Was he “the G word”? It had bothered him so much that he made a life changing decision right then and there. He would never put himself in that position again. For the remainder of the season, he would go to the locker room after each game with the rest of the team. When it came to shower, Thomas always snuck away to sit in a stall and wait for everyone else to finish, or just skip the shower. After every game Thomas would rush home to avoid the embarrassment of facing the team. He would run to his room and think about all the other guys on his team and what they would say if they ever found out. Eventually, as he was thinking about what they would say, his thoughts would wander back to the locker room, watching all his teammates get undressed. His cock would get so hard. He would try to ignore the raging hormones. But it never worked. He would start to stroke his cock while thinking about them, all sweaty and naked. Then, them in the shower, water splashing over their muscular bodies, soap sliding all over them. He would climax with thoughts of young hard bodies glistening in front of him. Thomas tried to masturbate before each game so he wouldn’t have the same problem, but it never worked. He still could not be in the locker room with his teammates and not get aroused.

Thomas’s best friend, Jason was very concerned about his friend. Jason watched the transformation Thomas made. Thomas was very popular in school, had lots of friends. But as their junior year continued, Thomas became more and more withdrawn. He stopped hanging out with his friends, didn’t go to as many dances, he even dropped out of sight at the soccer games. Others had noticed as well. Jason went to talk to the guidance councilor at school about Thomas. He was worried that Thomas was into drugs and no one knew. Ms. Kline, the guidance councilor told Jason to bring Thomas in for a meeting after school that Friday.

Jason shared fifth and sixth period with Thomas so he could catch him after class and talk him into the meeting.

“We have to go see Ms. Kline today after school today” Jason told Thomas.

“What for?” Thomas snapped back.

“She wants to talk to us about our futures. I told her that you were slipping on us, and that maybe she needed to talk to you about college or the military.”

“You had no right to do that Jason!” yelled Thomas, his face getting red with anger. “Besides, you just wouldn’t understand what’s going on with me.”
Jason retorted, ”I want to understand, that’s why I went to Ms. Kline”.

“I’ll go just because you are my friend, but don’t do shit like this again until you talk to me. You have no clue what is going on with me right now and Ms Kline is the last person I would turn to for help”.

The guidance office was exactly what you would expect in any high school. Motivational posters on the wall, college pamphlets on the desk, right beside the military recruitment pamphlets, for those students that couldn’t quite make it in the colligate world. Thomas sat seething at Jason outside Ms. Kline’s office. She walked out of her office five minutes later, escorting a sophomore that Thomas had seen but didn’t really know. The student was in tears, and Ms Kline was trying to comfort her. The guidance councilor noticed the boys sitting along the wall. ”Come on in boys. It is so good to see young men interested in the future.”

Jason got up and started walking toward the office. Thomas glared at him, while at the same time admiring his ass as he walked. Jason turned toward Thomas and caught him looking. “Come on dude, you said you would come. And stop looking at my ass.” Jason tried to sound joking when he said it but Thomas turned bright red. He again glared at Jason and stood to walk toward the office.

“So, what seems to be going on Thomas? Jason tells me that he is worried about you. Your grades are slipping, you quit the soccer team, and you are becoming more and more withdrawn. Is there something you would like to discuss with us? Remember, anything you say in here is confidential.”

Thomas coughed at that last statement. He didn’t think that his secret would stay confidential from anyone. Jason looked at Thomas expectantly.
”Look, I just have some things I need to work out in my personal life, that’s all. Nothing I can’t handle myself.”

“We are here to help Tommy. You shouldn’t have to go through things alone when you have friends and faculty that are willing to lend a hand.” Ms Kline had a way of trying to make you feel like you were talking to your mom when you were six, and that really bothered Thomas.

“My name is Thomas not Tommy, and I can handle my life myself.”

“ I am just starting to notice a pattern of behavior that I have seen in other students. That behavior usually leads to students making the wrong choice in life, getting into drinking and drugs and ruining their lives. I just don’t want to see that happen to you Thomas.”

Thomas was outraged. “DRUGS! You think I’m on fucking DRUGS! You must be doing them yourself if you think I am going to sit here and take this abuse from you.” Thomas stormed out of the office. Jason turned to Ms. Kline “I am sorry about that. He is usually not this angry. I don’t know what happened.” With that Jason turned and ran after Thomas.

“Wait up, man” called Jason. Thomas had no intentions of waiting for his so called friend. Thomas was so upset. His pulse was racing; his face, a mask of rage. One look at him and other students knew instinctively to move out of his way. Thomas had never been so upset in all his life. “Drugs, I don’t believe this shit”, Thomas mumbled to himself as he hurried through the halls and down the front steps of the school. This was turning out to be one of the worst days of his life. Not only was he coming to grips with his own sexuality, but the school thought he was on drugs, and Lord knows what else. How was he ever going to face anyone again?

Jason finally caught up to Thomas as they reached the parking lot.

“Why did you storm out like that? We were just trying to help you.”

“Yeah, you really helped me. Now Ms. Kline thinks I am a crack head, and you still have no idea what is really going on in my life.”

“You’re right, I have no idea, but that was the entire purpose of the meeting. I want to know because I am your friend. Is that so hard to believe?”. By this time Jason was getting mad at Thomas as well.

“This whole situation could have been handled differently if you would have come to me first” Thomas retorted.

“I tried that lots of times but you kept pushing me out. You had no desire to enlighten me, asshole. That’s why it went like it did.”

This got Thomas thinking about the past year of his life. Had he shut out his best friend? Had he really been that afraid of his own feelings that he didn’t let anyone close to him know that he had things to work out for himself? “It was just easier to keep my distance than to let anyone know what I’ve been going through”, Thomas rationalized. This was not his fault. Anyone in this situation would have done the same thing.

While running his inner monologue, Thomas began to let go of the anger that he felt and was now becoming more and more ashamed of his action of not only this afternoon, but of the last twelve months of his life. He was shutting everyone out, his mother and father, his brother and sisters, and worst of all, his best friend. Thomas knew that he couldn’t go on like this for much longer. If he didn’t talk to someone soon he would go crazy.

“Look I am sorry. I have some things going on that I just need to deal with on my own. I don’t mean to be an ass, it’s just that I don’t quite know how to handle this.” Thomas looked at Jason for the first time since storming out of the guidance office. There was real concern in his eyes.

“You have friends that will still be there for you no matter what happens in your life. That is why we’re called friends” Jason tried to break through the wall that Thomas had built over that last year, and it seemed like it was starting to work.

“You really put me in an awkward situation with Ms. Kline and I guess I just freaked”. Thomas was starting to understand why Jason had gone to Ms. Kline in the first place. “Why don’t you get in the car and we can go somewhere so I can talk to you about what’s going on?” Thomas relented.

“That is all I have been trying to get you to do since last year.” Jason relaxed, knowing that finally he would get to the bottom of what was bothering Thomas.

Thomas and Jason left the school’s parking lot and headed away from town. “Where are we going?” asked Jason. “Just somewhere a little more private that we can talk and not be interrupted.” Thomas answered.

They drove for what seemed like hours to Jason, but was really only twenty minutes. Thomas turned off the main road onto a dirt road. At the end the road sat a small pond that Jason had never seen before.
”How did you ever find this place?” Jason asked.
”My grandfather and I used to fish here when I was a little boy” Thomas explained. “Now I come out here to think, and clear my head.”, among other things, Thomas thought to himself.
”It really is quiet here. You aren’t planning on killing me are you?”, Jason joked.
”This would be the perfect spot; secluded, off the beaten path, and not many people even know that it’s here.” Thomas started to lighten just thinking about getting his problems off his chest.

“Ok, here it is. I really need to talk to someone about what is going on but I have been afraid. I didn’t know how anyone would react.” Thomas was getting nervous. Would Jason freak and leave? Would he want to kick his ass? Would he lose his best friend over this? He didn’t have the answers to any of those questions. But this had to be done, as much for Thomas as for Jason.

“I really need you to promise to just sit there and listen before I go any further” Thomas stammered. “Once I am done talking, if you don’t want to talk to me anymore I will understand. But remember that we are seventeen miles from town, and if you piss me off you will be walking.” That was Thomas’s ace up his sleeve. He had forced Jason to sit there and listen and not want to run off.
”Dude, we have been friends since the third grade. I don’t think you could say anything that would stop me from being your friend.” Jason tried to put Thomas at ease. That was easier said than done. Jason could tell that Thomas was nervous and was about to drop a bombshell.

“Alright here goes nothing and everything all at once. You know that I quit the soccer team last school year. I told everyone it was because I had to work on my grades to get into a good school. But with everything going on my grades are suffering, and now I don’t think any college will take me.” Thomas was sweating at this point.

“I know all this already. What I don’t know is why.” Jason stayed calm and let Thomas open up on his own terms. He didn’t want to push him too fast. He was dying to find out what was going on but, as he had learned earlier today, the best way to handle the situation was to let Thomas talk when he was ready.

“Well, it’s like this. You know Mr. Johnson?” Thomas spoke tentatively.

“You mean that old queen that lives down the street from you?”

“Yeah. Well him and I have a lot more in common than you would think.” Thomas just stared at Jason waiting for a response. Jason sat there, looking like he was waiting for the bomb to drop. “I think I am gay.” Thomas continued. Jason didn’t say anything, he continued to look at Thomas.

“Say something asshole. I just bared my sole to you, and you’re sitting there looking like a statue.”

“Is that all that was bothering you all this time?” Jason finally responded.

“What do you mean ‘is that all’. Of course it is. I am freaking out here. I don’t want anyone to think I am a ‘queen’ as you so eloquently put it.” Thomas was a little confused by Jason’s attitude. He was expecting anger, or shock, or even disbelief, but not this nonchalant response.

“Look man, I thought you were gay like three years ago. That didn’t change the way I felt about you. I even joked about it from time to time, trying to get you to tell me yourself. But obviously you thought less of me as your friend. You think that you are the only gay kid in our high school. Randy came out of the like closet six months ago.”

Thomas was not prepared for this news. Now it was his turn to just sit there and not say anything. Randy was the goalie for the soccer team. Thomas would have never guessed that Randy was gay. Randy was popular, he had lots of friends, and was even in the running for Prom King. “I guess we could end up with two Prom Queens this year”, Thomas joked. Jason did not laugh. “Sorry that was in poor taste. I guess I am so used to gay bashing that it just comes kind of naturally for me. Even after I realized that I was gay, I still carried on like I wasn’t. I didn’t know how anyone would react. I guess gay bashing was my way of trying to deny my own feelings, to myself and everyone else.”

Jason’s stare burned into the very fiber of Thomas’s being. Thomas turned a bright shade of red that could best be described as fire engine “Look man, no one cares who you want to have sex with. That doesn’t change who you are, or who your real friends are. And even if some people have a problem with it, that is their problem, not yours.” Jason was trying his hardest to let Thomas know that nothing would change between them. “We have been friends for like ever. Why would I stop being your friend just because you like to suck cock?” Jason laughed.

“Not cool dude. I have never even touched another guys cock, much less sucked one.” Thomas didn’t think that Jason was very funny.

“Then how do you know that you are gay?” Jason asked.

“Well for starters, the reason I quit the soccer team was because I couldn’t handle being in the locker room with all those naked sweaty men. I would get aroused and then have to ‘handle things’ myself if you know what I mean. Jason laughed out loud at this confession.

“Is that why you never showered after the games? I thought it was because you were embarrassed about your small pecker.” Jason tried to keep the mood light and continued with his jokes and laughter.

“I don’t have a small cock man, it is average, I guess. Besides what are you doing looking at my junk?” Thomas was starting to relax and feel better about talking to Jason about the entire thing.

“Everyone looks, man; that is just part of being a guy. You want to see what you have compared to everyone else. No one will tell the truth about it but we all look.” Jason admitted.

“I tried so hard not to look. Every time I did, I would get a stiff one and have to jack off in the stalls. That is way embarrassing.”
”I know”, Jason stated simply. “I was usually in the stall next to you doing the same thing. Sometimes it’s a turn on to listen while another guy is getting his rocks off”

“But you aren’t gay” Thomas demanded.

“I don’t have to be gay to want to choke my chicken, dumb ass. Every guy I know does it. I usually jack off at least once a day. Most days it is more like three.”

Thomas was flabbergasted. He was listening to his best friend admit that he jacked off three times a day. He was also getting aroused thinking about Jason stroking his manhood. He couldn’t help it. Jason was very attractive. And he was one of the nicest guys that Thomas knew.

“Calm down there buddy” Jason said, staring at the growing bulge in Thomas’s jeans. “I didn’t mean to get you excited.” Jason had his own tent going up in his shorts. His was a lot more noticeable because he was wearing his running shorts. They didn’t leave much to the imagination when you were flaccid, much less when you were sporting wood.

“Well, it looks like I am not the only one around here that is getting excited. You really should wear a jock strap when you wear those shorts Jason. They show all you’ve got to everyone.”
”You haven’t seen the worst of it dude.” Jason responded. “When I get hard like this and don’t jack off, I start leaking all over the place and I have to peel my shorts off.” Thomas was imagining Jason with his shorts off and couldn’t help let loose a small moan of pleasure.

“What was that for man? Are you thinking about my manhood over there?” Jason was not sure where this was going but he didn’t want to stop now.

Thomas blushed, giving Jason the answer. “I can’t help myself. You are sitting in my car in the middle of nowhere with a tent in your shorts, and you don’t expect me to fantasize? What are you thinking?”

“I was thinking that I really need to spank this thing before it gets out of control.” Jason reached down his shorts and grabbed his cock in his hand. He started to slowly move up and down in the seat, closing his eyes enjoying the moment. “Are you going to join me or are you just going to sit there and stare at me?” Jason asked Thomas.

“Umm, I am a little confused here. Was that an invitation to jack off with you, or was that an invitation to jack YOU off?”

“I’ll let you decide” Jason quipped.

Jason dropped his shorts to the floor of Thomas’s car. Thomas was in awe. He had seen Jason naked lots of times but had never seen his erection. Jason was definitely the bigger of the two. Thomas longed to touch it and see if it felt as good as it looked.

“Go ahead and at least start stroking. You can’t let me do this by myself” Jason moaned between his heavy breathing. Thomas immediately dropped his own jeans and went to work on his own manhood. It took all of about forty seconds for Thomas to climax. He shot his hot load all over his steering wheel. Jason looked over and laughed. “That didn’t take long” Jason smiled. “I don’t want to make a mess in your car dude. Where do you want me to shoot this?” Thomas wanted to say “on my chest”, but thought better of himself. Thomas reached toward Jason. Jason seemed to get a little more excited, if that was possible. But he was reaching for the glove box. “Here use the napkins I keep in there. Be sure to throw them away when you are done.” Just as he got the napkins in his hands, Jason let loose with his hot juices. Thomas couldn’t believe this was happening to him. A little over an hour ago he was sure that his friendship with Jason was over. And now here they were masturbating together. What a strange turn of events.

Jason cleaned himself up and looked at Thomas. “Was it good for you?” he teased. Thomas couldn’t tell if he was being serious or just joking. “How cold is that water?” Jason asked Thomas. “I haven’t been in yet this year” Thomas answered. “Usually I would come here in the summer and swim as long as no one was fishing. My grandfather knows the guy that owns the land and the pond. He told me that whenever I wanted to I could come and fish, or swim or canoe. The bottom is a bit muddy, but other than that it is pretty cool. Even in the wintertime it stays pretty warm. Grandpa told me that it is fed from an underground stream that is heated somehow.”

“Then lets go for a swim.” Jason responded.

“I didn’t bring any shorts to swim in.” said Thomas.

“Dude, we just jacked off in front of each other, you’d think that skinny dipping would somehow be much easier for you.”, teased Jason. He hopped out of the car and started to disrobe right there. Thomas couldn’t help but stare at Jason’s nice firm ass and well-muscled back. “Are you coming or are you just going to sit there and stare?” Jason asked. Thomas tripped over himself getting out of the car. He kicked off his sneakers and started to drop his pants. Jason was already completely naked and headed for the pond. Thomas pulled off his shirt to reveal his six-pack abs and chiseled chest. Now it was Jason’s turn to stare. “When did that happen? Last time I saw you naked you were just a scrawny kid that seemed uncomfortable in his own skin.”

“Yeah well, when you try to hide things you have to work out all that stress somewhere, I guess. My parents got me a weight bench at the end of our freshmen year and I started using it everyday. I guess it has paid off.” Thomas was blushing at this point. He didn’t think of himself as a stud, but apparently, Jason did.

They reached to edge of the water together, and slipped beneath the surface. It felt good. Thomas had unleashed a year’s worth of anxiety in one hot load. Now, he could relax and just be himself again. Jason disappeared below the surface of the water and came up half way across the pond. “This water feels great. You said that it had a thermal spring feed from somewhere?” “Yeah, if you go just a little further you can feel the warmth pushing up from the bottom.” Thomas answered.

Jason slid below the water one more time. He surfaced a minute later just a few feet away from Thomas. “I can feel the warmth right now. But it is not coming from the pond.” Jason was beginning to flirt with Thomas. ‘Could this be happening?’ Thomas thought. “I told you I am used to three times a day.” A sly look crept into Jason’s eyes. Jason leaped from the water and landed on Thomas’s back. Thomas could feel Jason’s erection stabbing him in the back of the neck. Thomas got hard immediately. Jason grabbed Thomas around the shoulders and tried to drag him under. Thomas could feel Jason’s cock sliding down his back as he pulled him.

Thomas did what came naturally. He twisted in Jason’s grip. Now they were face to face. Jason’s manhood pressed firmly into Thomas’s stomach, while Thomas was lodged between Jason’s legs. Thomas stopped, “What are you doing man? I can feel your cock touching me.” “Well you didn’t touch it in the car so I thought I would give you another shot.” Jason came back with. Thomas wasn’t sure what to do. He slowly reached his hand out and touched Jason’s throbbing penis. It was amazing. Thomas at that moment knew that he would never lie to himself again. Jason relaxed his grip on Thomas and gave in to his desires. Standing face to face as they were, Thomas gazed into Jason’s eyes. Thomas began to move his hand slowly over the engorged shaft of his best friend. Watching Jason enjoy this was again confirmation that Thomas should have come out long ago. Thomas’s movement increased in speed. He started to squeeze Jason’s cock on every up stroke, forcing pressure into his already oozing head. Jason’s toes began to curl in the mud as he drew closer to climax. He could feel the tingle in his scrotum that was a tell tale sign that he was about to explode. Jason let out a stifled cry of pleasure as he erupted into the warm water. Thomas couldn’t believe that he just made Jason cum that quickly, especially since they both just let fly a load not twenty minutes ago in the car. Jason, obviously spent, leaned into Thomas. Jason let his arms fall to his side. His fingers came in contact with Thomas’s pulsing rod. He grabbed it and pulled on it, eliciting a moan from Thomas. He quickly went to work on Thomas, gripping his penis. Jason continued his strokes until he recognized an arch in Thomas’s back. Just as Thomas was about to burst, Jason stopped, grinned at Thomas and went below the water. Thomas gasped as Jason’s lips parted. He felt the furtive tongue of his best friend wrap around the head of his cock. Before he could even start to enjoy his first blowjob, Thomas shot his load. In the water, Jason didn’t get the gusher in his face. Thomas’s semen slowly floated to the surface of the water. Right behind it came Jason, grinning like the cat that ate the canary.

“Oh my God that was hot” Jason exclaimed.

“What the hell was that for” snapped Thomas. He was not sure if he was upset or just shocked. Jason had never let on that he was gay or even remotely bisexual.

“I told you that you weren’t the only gay person in our high school.” Jason responded.

“Why didn’t you tell me when I shared with you?” Thomas said. “I was so scared that you would never talk to me again and here we are getting in on.

“Would you have believed me if I just told you, or was it better to show you?” Jason asked.

“I guess it was better that you showed me. I got to have great sex, while proving my own sexuality. Thank you Jason.” Jason blushed.

As they treaded back to the car, both exhausted from the activities of the day, Jason glanced slyly at Thomas’s flaccid penis. Thomas was still lost in thought. When all this was over would the relationship change? Would he still end up losing his best friend? “You have to do me a favor, Thomas. You can’t tell anyone at school about this. I mean, just because you came out of the closet to me doesn’t mean that I am ready to do the same. I am sorry if that sounds terrible but, that is just the way I feel.” Jason was not sure how this was going to go over with Thomas.
“I totally understand. I was just thinking of a way to ask you the same thing. My parents would disown me if they ever found out that I was gay. You know how active my mother is in the church. And my father is the head of the family decency league . I am afraid that I would be an embarrassment to them.” Thomas was voicing these concerns for the first time, even to himself. Being gay was not going to come easy for him, nor was it without a price. He had a lot of thinking to do right now, and he was glad that he had a friend like Jason to share his thoughts and problems with.