Twisted - 4. Chapter 4

“So I found out Jason is suspended until next Wednesday,” Katy announced at school. “And did you text Joey?”

Michael almost wanted to tell her no, just to fuck with her. “I did, last night after Will and I went to dinner. He did ask to make sure I wasn’t into drag, thank you.” Michael elbowed Katy in the side.

“So, you two talked?” Katy asked. Michael didn’t want to admit it. He still wanted to give Will hell, but maybe last night didn’t count.

“It won’t happen often, but we did.” He stated firmly. “As long as I’m not into drag and not a girl deep down inside we’re all good.”

“Did he ask you that?” Katy smirked.

“No, I made a joke. He hasn’t adjusted to my sarcastic tastes yet.” Michael sighed. “And he thought I was dating you, before I told him I was gay. I swear to god, he must be oblivious.”

“My dad asked me that same thing.” Katy pointed out. “So I told him that you’re gay. Sorry. I hope that's okay?”

“Fine. I didn’t like the looks he was giving me anyways.” Her father had been glaring, a lot. Michael noticed.

“So what are you and Joey doing tonight?” Katy demanded.

“We’re seeing an 8:15 movie, and he’s picking me up at eight. That’s all we’re doing.” Michael shot her a look. “And I read your online profile last night. And your Blog. I am not sending you pictures!”

Katy squealed and rounded to the other side of one of the lunch tables. “It’s just wishful thinking?”

“Wishful thinking my ass, I am not sending you pictures of the two of us kissing! I don’t if I even want to kiss him!” Michael shrieked at her as the first bell rang.

“But he’s hot!” Katy screamed, grabbed her bag, and ran off towards class.

Psycho girl. Michael sighed and followed her into first period. It was useless of her to try and run away, but she tried anyways. A few people asked Michael about what he had done to Jason, but that was mostly wearing off. He hoped it was wearing off for Jason, too, and that he wouldn’t have a new broken something come next Wednesday.

Michael got a text half way through the day from Joey.

Excited about tonight :)

‘Clingy.’ Michael didn’t reply, and enjoyed watching as the teacher chewed out some girl for an unknown reason. That was about the highlight of Friday.

Michael almost thought that things were boring without that good old sense of competition of getting back at Jason. Maybe he needed to do something like that again?

Katy demanded to come over after school. Michael knew exactly why and tried to tell her off, but she forced her way onto his bus anyways. It was unavoidable then, because all she had to do was follow him.

“It’s not like I haven’t been on a fucking date.” Michael snarled on the walk to his house.

“Look at this!” Katy shrieked and pulled at his shirt. “At least wear something sexy. What is this, a medium? You should be wearing a small!”

“I can dress myself.” Michael jerked away from her. “Oh, whatever. Come on, he’s hot and you have to be at least a little bit nervous, right?” Katy pleaded.

“The only thing I’m nervous about is him stalking me.” Michael stopped to unlock the front door.

“What? What if he makes a move on you?” Katy demanded loudly. Of course Will had to be home to hear that.

“Hello.” Michael sent an embarrassed wave towards Will in the kitchen. Will just stared and went back to unloading the dishwasher. Michael dragged Katy upstairs and locked the door to his bedroom. “I swear to god.” Michael complained and tossed off his backpack.

“How far have you gone with a guy?” Katy asked. Michael nearly threw her out the window.

“Why is it any of your business?”

“That either means you’re a virgin, or…” Katy paused, breaking out into the widest grin yet. “Oh my god, have you had—“ Michael had two hands cupped over her mouth before she could finish screaming it into the house.

“Say a word about it to Will and I will personally make sure you never have a boyfriend.”

“Oh my god.” Katy repeated again, quieter. “Wow.”

“It’s not that big of a deal.” Michael snapped at her. “Statistically, a lot of people have sex at fourteen.”

“Holy shit, were you fourteen?” Katy gawped.

“No!” Michael turned on her. “I swear, you’re worse than any girl I have ever known!” He sighed and sat next to her on the bed. “It was birthday sex when I turned sixteen. We dated for four months and he dumped me a few months later. We do not discuss this ever again.”

Katy squealed and threw herself over on the bed. “Oh my god, that had to have been so hot!”

Michael slapped her on the thigh. “You’re creepy.” He grumbled and set up his iPod to play. Katy just kept smiling at him like an idiot. They hung out and did homework before Katy demanded that she have some part in his outfit.

Michael revealed to her a pair of tight black pants, a black fitted tank, and his hoody. “I’m not inept.” He said and held up the hoody. “It’s baggy, but it’s big enough on me for it to slide off a shoulder or something and show some skin there, see?”

“Too much straight black. You need some more color.” Katy jumped up from the bed. She started to go through her backpack, as if she carried clothes in there. She pulled out a bandana, checkered neon green and black. It was tied up and holding spare change, but she emptied it out. “Here.” She pointed down to his shoelaces, which were a neon green. “Matches that, and,” Off of her wrist she pulled of a green and black checkered wristband. “this too.” Paired with his green headphones, it all was enough to cancel out some of the stark black.

“Is Katy staying for dinner?” Will yelled up the stairs. “No!” Katy screamed and pulled out her cell phone to text her father. He picked her up a few minutes later, and Michael sat down at the table to eat with Will. It was a silent dinner, and Will didn’t talk until he was cleaning up. “What time is he coming?”

“Eight.” Michael answered unsurely. Would Will be wanting to meet him? Michael wasn’t even expecting it to be that serious.

Michael went back upstairs and changed clothes, putting on the small bits of green Katy had given him. Even though most of his clothes were black, his favorite color was in fact green. Green just didn’t dye well, so that’s why he’d done a red streak in his hair. It looked better anyways.

Only then did he realize red hair and green other things were Christmas colors. He swore and started to pull off the green, but he couldn’t leave his headphones. He swore again unhappily, but put everything back on. He redid the eyeliner on his eyes, nearly poking himself in the process. He put some more cover up on his nose. It was still sore and bruised but not so swollen.

He contemplated taking out his snakebites, but either Joey dealt with them or he could go fuck himself. Michael switched them out to a black pair with spiked ends.

And then the doorbell rang.

Michael swore once again, figuring Joey would at least have the common sense to send a heads-up text. Will was already at the door when Michael flew down the stairs, losing the shoulder of his hoody in the process. He yanked it back up and stood awkwardly as Will seemed to be inspecting Joey.

Joey was just smiling warmly, though obviously nervous. “Uh, Michael’s dad?”

“Will.” Michael corrected him. Will stepped aside and left it open for Joey to come in, if he wanted. “Ready to go?” Joey asked and jerked a thumb over his shoulder.

“Don’t be out late.” Will warned.

“Curfew law is midnight.” Michael said and bounced out the door before Will could protest.

Joey drove an older Nissan, silver in color and a little beat up. The inside was actually pretty clean, much to Michael’s surprise. Joey did most of the talking on the drive to the theater, and Michael secretly listened to his iPod.

Once they got to the theater, it was crowded with both teenagers and adults. Michael hadn’t realized how out this date was going to be. Some of the people looked familiar from his classes as they approached, but no names.

And Joey held his hand out, palm up in line. Michael tentatively took it, half trying to stand close enough to block the sight though. Some people still noticed, but didn’t say anything. Joey paid for the movie and bought some candy inside.

Michael hardly got his hand back. It was almost annoying—he couldn’t work his iPod with his other hand without it being obvious.

They got into the movie and Joey went right to complaining about the previews. “That looks so stupid.” Michael had to agree… it did look stupid. “I wonder if anyone will see that one, since the humans lose. I’m surprised it’s not an Asian movie.” Joey pointed out another. True again. Human’s rarely lost in American movies, it was kind of predictable.

Once the movie started, the first five minutes were absolutely horrible. Joey leaned over. “That is so not what high school is like. Shows how out of touch Hollywood is, right?”

Michael chuckled. “I know! I don’t get shoved into lockers—I hide in them willingly.” He joked quietly. Joey had to stop himself from laughing out loud. Another few minutes past before the two found something new to razz about.

The whole movie was like that. It was bad, so they spent the time complaining about it and laughing at it. Once the movie was over, they raced down the stairs and out trying to beat most of the crowd. Outside, Joey hopped up onto one of the railings and sat on it. Michael climbed up next to him, and they watched the rest of the people file out.

The crowd faded, and Joey started talking again. “That was just a shit movie, sorry.”

Michael shrugged, unable to admit he had liked making fun of it. “How old are you?” He asked for a change of subject.

“Eighteen.” Joey answered. Well, eighteen was a little bit better than nineteen. They talked quietly, sitting on the railing on the side of the theater. Michael explained firmly that he didn’t call Will “dad” or anything like that, but he didn’t feel like going into the details of it.

“Then I guess I fucked up in calling him that?” Joey asked cautiously. “I’m sure he’d like me to call him that, but I’ve only been living with him the past week.” Michael lowered his voice, trying again to avoid the details.

“So did that guy get suspended? The one who busted your nose.”

Not what Michael wanted to talk about either. “It’s not broken.” Michael protested. “Just bruised.” Was it noticeable? He hoped it wasn’t. “But yeah, he’s suspended until next Wednesday. West let me off.”

“Oh, the vice-principal?” Joey shuddered. “She never liked me.”

“You went to Chatfield?” Michael asked. Joey would have been a senior the year before, if Michael had been a freshman at that school. “Yeah. I guess you went somewhere else though, or I definitely would have asked you out sooner.” Joey winked.

“I lived in Denver.” Michael admitted. Joey nodded and seemed to notice that Michael didn’t want to talk anymore about it.

“Well what now? The mall closed at nine. You want me to take you home or what?”

“Home.” Michael answered, figuring it was late enough. He didn’t really plan to stay out to midnight. They walked back to Joey’s car in the now dark parking lot, aside from the lampposts. Joey started to fumble with his keys before actually starting the car. Air conditioning came on, but Michael knew the whole nervous fidget well enough.

He wasn’t surprised when Joey leaned over and kissed him, despite the threat of being poked by snakebites. Joey’s tongue traced Michael’s bottom lip and even played with the piercings a little. Michael opened up his mouth, figuring what the hell?

Joey slid a hand around the back of Michael’s neck, feeling over the bare skin there. Michael parted his legs a little more, hoping Joey would take the hint, but he didn’t. Michael yanked him over by the shirt, and Joey caught himself on a hand between Michael’s legs.

His hand made its way down Michael’s neck and over to an exposed shoulder, rubbing his thumb in a slow circle there. That went on for another moment before Joey pulled back. Michael felt disappointment override the arousal he had been starting to feel.

Joey carefully went back to his seat and cleared his throat awkwardly. Well damn if the guy was blind to an open invitation! Michael tried not to sulk on the drive back. Joey reached over occasionally, holding on to Michael’s hand when he didn’t need to shift.

Michael sent him a few inspecting glances, now finally paying attention to how Joey looked. He’d been trying to avoid it, but… he was, in fact, hot. He wasn’t skinny, but more lean muscle. His black hair was shaggy and he obviously spent a lot of time trying to make it look good. His face was smooth of any hair, which Michael preferred. His nose was sharp, and his chin was almost square.

“Here we are,” Joey announced, breaking Michael out of his stare. He blushed and hoped he hadn’t been caught. Joey leaned in again, but only gave a quick kiss. He wasn’t so stupid to start a make-out session right in front of the house, where Michael could see lights on.

“Text me?” Joey asked hopefully. “Yeah.” Michael agreed and let himself out of the car. Joey waited until Michael was inside before pulling off.

“I thought you would be out later?” Will asked from the living room.

“I was kidding.” Michael rolled his eyes.

“…How’d it go?” Will shifted awkwardly. “Movie sucked, but it was fun.” Not that Michael was going into the details of it. Will nodded but didn’t ask anything more.

Michael headed up to his room and started to text Katy about it.