The Arrangement - 8. Chapter 8

“Sam, he’s playing you for a fool.”

 

“Yeah, well you sound like an American.” I retorted.

 

“If you have to resort to taking the piss out of my nonexistent American accent then you get that your argument is weak and that you know I’m right.”

 

I’d been chatting with Pete over Skype. He is my best friend and up to three years ago was the closest person to me, but now there’s a whole ocean between us. I’m talking literally here, as he moved to New York along with the rest of his family when his father accepted a transfer to his company’s head office. So obviously we were not as close as we once were, the distance between us meant that the only way to get together was over the internet. And my making fun of his ‘American accent’ was just my way of winding him up. As far as he was concerned his accent hadn’t changed since the day he left London. This was so not true and I took great pleasure in reminding him at any possible moment in our conversations.

 

But our playful banter aside, he was still someone who I would confide in and we shared a lot of our lives with each other as much as possible. His life had changed so much since he and his family moved to the States. His parents enrolled him into a good school and he realised quickly that he had a chance to re-invent himself, as no one there knew him. He went from the nobody geeky kid that he was here, much like myself, to being the popular British kid who everyone wanted to know.

 

 

Of course this was helped by him dating Amanda, who was part of the ‘it crowd’ and not only adored his accent, but loved the fact that he was bi-sexual. By that I mean he was quirky enough not to be the norm and that she loved it because although he liked guys, she was the one who got to be with him. They’d been dating exclusively for two and a half years.

 

I really liked Amanda, she was not the usual run of the mill popular air head girl that you’d have expected her to be. True, her beauty allowed her into the inner circles of the popular crowd, her bubbly personality kept people on her side. But for me it was her intellect that I found to be her biggest draw. She was a closet geek, who would get just as excited by talk of the large hadron collider as she would about the latest fall lines from some big fashion house that I had never heard of.

 

In Amanda, Pete had not only found his girlfriend, but also his soul mate. I was really looking forward to meeting her in person this summer, because as soon as I leave school after the exams I have been invited to spend the summer with Pete and his family at their summer home in the Hamptons.

 

The thing was that Pete got that opportunity to reinvent himself and seized on it. I never had that. I went through school being me, a social outcast. Even if I wanted to get on with the twats in my class, I would never be able to shake off my image. That was why I was looking forward to starting university in the autumn. No one in Cambridge would know who I was and I would get a chance to be anyone who I wanted without out the baggage of my years of schooling hell. Well, that was the plan anyway.

 

But going back to my conversation with Pete, I had been telling him what had been happening over the past three months since January when Dane and I started to fool around.

 

The spring term found Dane and me falling into a routine of rigorous study and exercise. The result being that Dane and I were rarely out of each other’s company, Dane, said he couldn’t really get the peace and quiet that he needed at home to study, what with four siblings taking up much of the space, he either came round to my house during the most of the weekday evenings after school or we both stayed at my uncle’s house over the weekends.

 

With the exams looming ever closer the work load was mounting up and we spent as much time as possible hitting the books. Dane had become a great study partner with me, he never once asked me to do the work for him like he used to, but I was on hand to help him get his head round some of the things that he didn’t get.

 

Meanwhile, he was more than willing and able to help me along with my revision. He’d pick up a book to quiz me on subjects that he had no idea about, and end up learning things himself. His confidence with things academic was so much higher than it was when we first started with our arrangements. He no longer wanted to do just enough to merely pass his courses; he wanted to excel at them. It’s his natural competitiveness channelling itself into something other than sport.

 

However, sport was also part of the deal. You remember that arrangement that Dane instigated with me back in January, where he traded sexual favours for my spending time working or exercising? Well despite my constant protestations and moaning I did everything that I was told to. Because of our study time Dane dropped out of some of his extracurricular sporting activities. Aside from his Sunday league football matches with his mates and what he had to do for school the only exercise Dane made time for was when we worked out together in my uncle’s gym or our regular morning runs.

 

This of course I found out was to be more beneficial that I could have ever hoped for. Not just because I was definitely feeling fitter. Okay, so I still looked in the mirror and saw a skinny runt. But I could now run for more than a mile without getting a stitch or losing my breath and I could bench press more than three times as much weight than when I first started. True, I was starting from a very low point, but it was a real achievement, and one that made Dane very proud.

 

But above all were the rewards. Yeah there was a lot of sex. Before, during or after studies at my house if my mother wasn’t home and most weekends when we stayed at my uncle’s. Now, when I say sex, we’re not talking about anything too heavy like full penetration here. It wasn’t something that Dane and I ever really discussed, but I kind of got the feeling that he wasn’t ready for that yet. I got the hint when after I had gone down on him that he might want to return the favour. He went into one about there was no way that he was putting anyone’s cock in his mouth.

 

Of course he later apologised for freaking out at me over it and too be honest I understood where he was coming from. He still had a lot to get his head around and I figured that he’d get there if I didn’t push him too far too fast. After all, I got the feeling that he was really getting into playing around with my dick almost as much as I was with his.

 

“Look Sam” Pete went on. “I’m not saying that you shouldn’t enjoy yourself, but just be careful that you don’t get your heart broken. Sure, he probably likes you. But he’d not about to dump his girlfriend for you and tell the world that he loves you.”

 

“I wouldn’t want him to, not till he’s ready anyway.”

 

“Man, he’s really done a number on you hasn’t he. He’s got you doing what he wants when he wants. But you’re worth more than being someone’s dirty little secret. Sure, if it’s just a bit of fun for both of you, then no worries. But let’s face it you’ve had deep feelings for Dane ever since you first saw him. I’ve never understood that. As far as I’m concerned he was a wanker when I was in school with you, and nothing you have told me makes me think he’s changed that much either. I don’t think that he has even the slightest feeling for you. I mean for fuck sake, he’s been bringing his girlfriend over to your uncle’s to shag her brains out. Doesn’t that tell you that he’s playing you? He’s going to hurt you Sam.”

 

“Well he hasn’t done that for a while now.”

 

“But if he asks you again to let him use your uncle’s you won’t say no will you?”

 

I didn’t reply. I couldn’t believe that Pete was so willing to piss on my fireworks. When I told him about me and Dane I thought that he’d be at least happy for me.

 

“Sam, look at me.”

 

I raised my eyes to the webcam and saw the worried expression on Pete’s face.

 

“Sam, you’re my best friend and I love you. And if you want me to be happy for you then I am happy. But I just don’t think that Dane is doing anything more than using you. That’s fine if you were just using him back. But you’re in love with him, and that’s why he has the potential to break your heart. Just keep that in mind will you.”

 

I nodded.

 

“Okay, I’ve got to go now. I’ll speak to you soon?”

 

“Yeah, sure.” I replied.

 

We broke our Skype connection and I sat there just staring at a blank screen. Maybe Pete had a point? After all, Dane has never once said that he loved me, or professed any feeling for me other than friendship. I knew in my heart of hearts that if he had to choose between Michelle or me then I wouldn’t be the one he picked.

 

***

 

Meanwhile dear reader, there are three further telephone conversations that are relevant, so you should eves drop in on them as well. The first took place more or less at the same time as Sam’s chat with his best friend; the second was later that evening and the third happened the following day and can be found at the end of this chapter.

 

The first was between Dane and his cousin Feidhlim.

 

“Hi Dane, how they hanging?”

 

“Fel, yeah good bro, bit to the left but generally swinging free. What’s down with you?”

 

“Ah not much these days. But that’s gonna change soon.”

 

“How so?”

 

“What will you be doing when you’ve done with yer exams?”

 

“Don’t know, I’ll probably have to work with me dad and brothers on the building sites for the summer.”

 

“Yeah, well you can forget that. How do ya take bumming around Europe with me this summer?”

 

“Like I’ve got the cash for that.”

 

“Now little brother, that’s not the attitude. Not when we’ve got the bank of Da financing us.”

 

“You what?”

 

“Okay, here’s the deal. Da asked me what I was planning for this summer and I told him that I was saving up me cash for a trip round Europe, then he asked me if I knew what you was doing?”

 

“Why?”

 

“Well between you and me I think he’s planning to chip in some funding for us. He wants to give you a present for getting yerself into university. He told me to ask you if you’d come to Dublin for a few weeks after school breaks up to spend some time with the family and then we’ll go on our merry way round Europe.”

 

“You’re shitting me right? My dad’ll go ballistic when he finds out. Y’know what he’s like. I’ve been walking on eggshells around here since Christmas because I’ve now got two dads. I’ve spent as much time as I can out of the house just to stay out of his way.”

 

“Hold on Dane, Da wants a word.”

 

“Dane, how you doing?”

 

“Yeah, find Uncle Ed... Er, I mean dad.”

 

“It’s going to take some time to get used to that for both of us. Dane, if you’re not comfortable calling me dad I won’t be offended in any way. You can carry on calling me Uncle Edward if you want. It’s all been a lot to take in for you and I admire your courage and resilience in not freaking out about the whole thing.”

 

“Yeah, well at first finding out that my dad is really my uncle and my uncle is really my dad was a bit much to take in, but I’ve always loved you and Aunt Sarah, so I guess that helped me get my head round it. But I want to get used to calling you Dad, if that’s alright.”

 

“I’d like nothing more. You’ve a good head on those shoulders my boy. Anyway, here’s the deal. Your Aunt Sarah and I have been putting some money away for Feidhlim and Aibhilín for university and what I do for one of my kids, I do for all. So there’s some money for you as well.”

 

“Dad, you don’t have to do that. The money should just go to Fel and Eve.”

 

“Dane, we’ve been putting money aside for you since you were born. Like I said, what’s for one of my kids is for the others as well. So I don’t want to hear any more argument about this. Me and your Aunt Sarah are so proud of you for wanting to go to university and working real hard to make sure that you get there.”

 

“Thanks. But what about Fel? He’s not going to uni is he?”

 

“Now, that’s where you’re wrong. I guess he hasn’t told you, but he’s been taking intensive classes since he returned home from the Far East back in January. All being well, with the credit he earned before dropping out of school, he’ll have the caught up by the end of term and take his exams at around the same time as you. But he’s missed this year’s university intake deadline, so, well I’ll let him fill you in on his plans. But I just wanted you to know that if you go to university this year or take a gap year and go next year that you’re fees and accommodation will be paid for you as it will be for Feidhlim. But in the mean time I’ll give you some money to go and enjoy yourself for the summer.”

 

“I don’t know what to say. Wow, thanks.”

 

“Ah, but there’s a catch, so don’t go celebrating just yet. Like I said there’s money for your and Fel for a good summer, but as you don’t get your exam results until halfway through the summer holidays, if you fail them then there’s a price to pay.”

 

“I’m listening.”

 

“If you fail your exams you’ll still have had a great summer to be sure, but then you’re going to have to pay that back by re-taking your exams and working until you can take your university place the following year. Fel will skivvy for my company and you will join your dad on the building sites. Do we have a deal?”

 

“Wow, I’m a bit blown away by this. Yeah, we’ve got a deal. But couldn’t I come to Dublin and work for you than go back to the building sites?”

 

“Ah, well, that’s not going to happen. He’s a proud man is my brother. And what with the five of you he’s raising he’s not in a position to offer you this type of funding. But he’s not going to hold you back either. So he’s agreed the proposal on the condition that if you fail your exams you’re to work with him to pay the money back for your summer break. Do we have a deal son?”

 

“Erm, yes. Yes, we’ve got a deal. Thank you.”

 

“Okay, I’ll hand you back to Feidhlim.”

 

“Hey bro, so your day working out any better for ya?”

 

“Fuck yes. I’m blown away. But you yer gobshite, you didn’t tell me that you were going back to studies.”

 

“Yeah, well it’s not like a big secret or anything. I just never got a chance to tell ya. What with all your shit you’ve been laying on my doorstep, with your Michelle this and Sammy that. It’s hard for a fella to get a word in edgeways with you.”

 

“Is it fuck. So sorry for monopolising our last conversation with my troubles.”

 

“Monopolising is it? Listen to you with your big words and everything. You’ll be a learning man would ya? Might just make it to university then?”

 

“That’s the plan. Especially now. How about you? When did you change your mind?”

 

“Ah, you know how it is. Too much parental pressure and all that business. Truth is I couldn’t take anymore of Da’s Dane this and Dane that. So I thought I’d have to set him straight and put you in your place by get better grades than you and go off to uni.”

 

“Ha, don’t make me laugh. You’ve got no chance beating me.”

 

“Well, it’s true that you have all the advantages. I’ve got a lot of cramming to do if I want to be ready for the exams and I don’t have a cute little guy to do my work for me either.”

 

“I’ll have you know that I do all my own work.”

 

“Sure you do. I can see the scene now. ‘Oh Sammy, when you’ve finished sucking my cock, could you do my homework for me?’ Nice little arrangement you’ve got going there.”

 

“Yeah, well maybe before, but not now. Yeah, he helps me a bit, but not like before.”

 

“Okay, I believe you.”

 

“Believe what you want you shithead. Anyway, you’ve got Niall. He looks like he’s a brain box and he’s already been to university. You can’t tell me that you’re not getting him to help you.”

 

“Nah, we’ve broke up last week.”

 

“Fel, what happened?”

 

“Y’know how it is. Getting together when yer far away from home is like a holiday romance. But the reality kicks in when you get home. I’ve got me studies and he’s got himself a job that takes up most of his time. We’re still good mates, but we’ve cooled ourselves down for now. Mainly though, it’s because of all the crap that he’s been getting from his parents since he came out to them.

 

“That’s too bad man, he was a good bloke.”

 

“Aye, he is. But he’s got too much to handle right now and like I said, we’re still mates. So if you still want Siobhan’s phone number I can still get it for ya. That is unless ya want me to find ya a good fella? So, how is yer love life?”

 

“Complicated. I’ve hardly seen Michelle for a while now because of all the time I’m spending with Sammy, revising for me exams and, well, you know...”

 

“Last you said to me was that Sammy was letting you see Michelle around his place some nights.”

 

“Yeah, he was. But after you and I had that chat a couple of weeks ago, I realised that I was being a wanker for asking him.”

 

“Too right you were. If I were Sammy, I’d have thrown you out ages ago.”

 

“Alright, get off your high horse. I’ve done the right thing, so the only time I’ve had with her is the occasional evening round at her house.”

 

“I thought you said that you couldn’t go round there because her folks can’t stand you.”

 

“Yeah, that’s true. But they’re not in all the time. Trouble is that her twat of a younger brother ratted on us last week to her parents and she’s been told that if she ever sees me again then she’s gonna be sent off to live with her aunt and made to go to college or something.”

 

“Wow, that’s heavy.”

 

“Tell me about it. Her folks weren’t too happy that she left school when she did and have been pressurising her into going back to college in the autumn, because they don’t think that her modelling is a proper career for her.”

 

“So where does that leave you two then?”

 

“I’m fucked if I know. I’ve only spoken with her once since. She says that she still wants to see me; the trouble is now we can’t even meet up in town in case her prick of a brother sees us. So right now I don’t see what we can do.”

 

“So maybe this is a sign.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“Well, you’ve already said that you haven’t seen much of Michelle lately and that you like spending time with Sammy. Maybe this is the push you need to break up with her and see how things go with Sammy.”

 

“It’s not like that. I still love Michelle, and me and Sammy are just messing about, y’know.”

 

“Aye, but does he see it that way? Now, I’m not being a self-righteous prick here, but I just want you to see that you’re messing around with the little guys’ feelings. From what you’ve told me before, I think he’s got it bad for you. And I think I know you well enough to know that you more than care about him.”

 

Silence.

 

“Tell me I’m wrong Dane and I’ll never mention it again. But I don’t think I am. I know this is all new for you, but take it from me, it’s alright to have feelings for another guy. You can hide behind crap phrases like ‘just messing about’, but you know that you like spending time with the guy. If you really loved Michelle as you say you do, then you wouldn’t be messing around with Sammy and you’d find a way to be with her, no matter what her family thinks. But I think that the only reason why you’re still with her is because it’s comfortable for you. You’ve been with her for a couple of years, and everyone knows that you’re a couple and no one is ever going to guess that you’ve got feelings for another guy. I know you care what your mates would think about you if they found out. But when you think about it, that just means that you’re using Michelle.”

 

“You’re wrong!”

 

“Am I? Dane, you can’t lie to me. I know you too well. I’m not saying that you should break up with Michelle and then walk around school hand in hand with Sammy, you’re not ready for that. But if you’re honest with yourself, you know your relationship with Michelle has all but run its course.”

 

“I don’t know, maybe you’re right. I like being with her, but when I think about it, it’s more about the sex than anything else these days. Nothing else. But with Sammy, I love spending time with him. We can talk for hours about stuff in a way that I never could with Michelle or even my other mates. And yeah, I do care about him. But I don’t think I love him. It’s more like we’re friends with benefits or something.”

 

“Well, that’s a start. Look, I’m not telling you what to do or not to do, I just want you to think about this stuff and work out what will make you happiest without hurting other people’s feelings. After all, you’re me brother and I love ya.”

 

“I love you too bro.”

 

“Cool, but think about what we’ve been talking about.”

 

“I will. Promise.”

 

“And as for Da’s offer for the summer, you good with that?”

 

“Fuck yes. Have you any idea where to go for the summer?”

 

“Oh yeah, I’ve got it all worked out. When the exams are done you should come to Dublin to stay with the family for a few weeks.”

 

“Yeah, I’d like that.”

 

“Then I thought we could head off to France, get ourselves jobs on the farms for a month or so. Then head down to Spain and end up on Ibiza and party 24/7 for the rest of summer. Then head back in time to get you to uni. Then I’ll apply to the same one that you’re going to and follow you the year later.”

 

“Or, if I get the grades I need for uni I could apply for a deferred place and we could start the following year together. Maybe I could get a job in Dublin and stay with you guys for the year?”

 

“Sounds like a plan. We’ll talk it over with Da and see what he thinks. Chances are that he’ll offer you a job in his company, probably making the tea or something.”

 

“I thought that was going to be your job for the year? Nah, he’ll want me running the office for him, making sure that we get a decent days work out of your lazy arse.”

 

“You know, as your older brother it is my duty to tell you when you’re talking a load of shite.

 

“Well as much as I would like to carry on this pointless conversation, because let’s face it, we’ll only end up with the same conclusion that you talk more shite than anyone on this planet. I’ve got to head off cos me mam is calling me down for dinner.”

 

“Okay bro, but seriously before we go. Will you promise to think hard about what you’re doing with Michelle and with Sammy? All jokes aside, you’re not an arsehole, but sometimes you need someone to tell you that you are acting like one.”

 

“Yeah, that’s what I need another brother to tell me that I’m an arsehole.”

 

“Hey fella, count yourself lucky that you’ve got three older brothers to look out for you. I’m stuck with only one brother who let’s face it is a bit of a prick.”

 

“This is what I’ve got to look forward to for the summer isn’t it?”

 

“Dane, I can feel it in me water. It’s gonna be a good summer.”

 

“Yeah, it is. I’ll speak to you soon.”

 

“Love you bro.”

 

“Love you too.”

 

***

 

The next phone conversation was a couple of hours later that evening between Michelle and her best friend.

 

“Hi Trudie. What’s up?”

 

“That was going to be my question to you. I saw that cryptic message you posted on Face Book and I saw you changed your status. Why have you put that you’re single? Is all not well in the world of Posh and Becks?”

 

“You know no one calls us that anymore don’t you?”

 

“Yeah, but it fits don’t you think? You’re a model and he’s a fit footballer. You’ll always be Posh and Becks to me.”

 

“Well, it looks like the modelling is going to take a back seat, my parents are enrolling me into beautician school in September.”

 

“Wow that’s harsh and so not part of the dream is it?”

 

“No! But they said I should have some qualifications in case things don’t work out the way I want them to. I think the real reason is that they want to split me and Dane up.”

 

“Is that why you changed your Face Book page?”

 

“No, not really. I just thought that if I did that I might just get Dane’s attention.”

 

“Honey, you’re his girlfriend, if you want his attention, just call him.”

 

“I shouldn’t have to. But lately if I don’t call him I don’t hear from him. That’s when he actually bothers to answer his phone. I was trying to call him earlier this afternoon and I kept on getting his voice mail. It’s like he’s trying to avoid me or something and when he’s not, he always says he’s too busy with his exam revision.

 

“Exam revision, that’s lame.”

 

“Tell me about it. Last year he couldn’t care less about his school work, but now he’s obsessed about going to university. It seems like it’s all he talks about, well that and his new friend Sam Baker. It’s Baker this and Baker that.”

 

“Baker? I don’t remember him. Who is he?”

 

“He’s this kid who’s been helping Dane out with his course work and as far as Dane is concerned the sun shines out of his backside. He’s super clever, like going to go to Cambridge clever. But, it’s like these days, every time I call Dane to see if we can meet up for the evening, Dane’s like ‘I’m round at Baker’s studying’. I don’t get why he’s studying all the time. He never used to be like that.”

 

“Chelle, you never did A’levels, they’re tough. If I didn’t put the revision in I’d have never gotten in to uni. I nearly split up with Dave because of it.”

 

“You did split up with Dave though.”

 

“Yeah, but that was only after my exams came through and he couldn’t handle the idea of a long distance relationship while I was away at university, so I dumped him. What I am saying is maybe you should cut Dane some slack, if he’s as obsessed about going to uni as you say he is, then maybe you shouldn’t give him any grief about it.”

 

“Grief about it? Who’s side are you on.”

 

“Yours hon. All I’m saying is that it’s less than a month to the exams, once they’re done you’ll have him back.”

 

“I’m not so sure about that. I think even if he didn’t have his exams soon, he’d still prefer to be hanging out with that Baker kid.”

 

“I take it you don’t like him then?”

 

“The guy creeps me out big time. There’s something queer about him if you ask me.”

 

“You think he’s a gay boy?”

 

“I’m sure of it. I’ve seen him looking at Dane, like he’s undressing my boyfriend with his eyes when he doesn’t think I’m watching. Not that he has to use much of his imagination, cos Dane walks around Bakers house stripped down to his shorts or sometimes less.”

 

“Am I missing something here? Dane walks about this guys house in next to nothing and you’re there too?”

 

“Well, it’s not actually Baker’s house. He’s got a rich uncle who has a big house that Baker gets to use when he wants. Dane got him to agree to let us use the place to get together.”

 

“Wow, that’s a good friend if he lets you two do that.”

 

“Well, maybe. But it would be a lot better if he wasn’t there as well.”

 

“Yeah, that’s a bit creepy. And Dane just walks around the house in just his underpants?”

 

“Like he owns the place. And Baker just lets him. I’ve been there a few times now and it’s the same every time. I mean, maybe I should be grateful that Dane had found us a place to get together, because you know that both our houses are more or less out of the question. But Dane seems to feel so much at home there that I wonder if it’s like that when I’m not there?”

 

“What, you think that Dane and his friend are..?”

 

“That’s not what I’m saying. There’s no way Dane is a bender. But I’m sure that Baker is, and I can’t help wondering if Dane’s not aware that this guy is perving him up at any opportunity that he gets.”

 

“Chelle, you know that doesn’t actually make any sense? Besides, now I come to think of it, you remember last summer when we all had that week down in Newquay?”

 

“Yes?”

 

“Well Dane barely wore more than a pair of shorts all week in the apartment or out and about. And remember when we found that deserted beach down by that cove? He stripped off his shorts before his feet even hit the sand.”

 

“Yeah, so?”

 

“Well he didn’t care that there was the rest of us about, your mates and their boyfriends, his mates and their girlfriends, it didn’t bother him. Maybe he’s just like that, he’s comfortable not wearing much or anything around people and let’s face it, he’s got the body to show off with and he’s not lacking downstairs either.”

 

“Hey, you shouldn’t have been looking.”

 

“I know, but hey if your boyfriend’s gonna put that out there, then what’s a girl gonna do? Besides, it was one of the reasons Dave and I broke up.”

 

“What? Why? Did you try something on with my Dane?”

 

“Chelle, we’re BFFL right? Of course I didn’t. But Dave caught me glancing over at Dane and got a bit of an inferiority complex. We rowed about it for the next few weeks afterwards, I mean there’s only so many times you can say to a guy that size doesn’t count and really mean it. But compared to Dane, Dave’s got an acorn nestling down there. You might have noticed that most of the guys eventually followed Dane’s lead and stripped down during the course of the day? Well not Dave, he might have had a body almost as good as your Dane’s but trust me, he’s got nothing else to boast about.

 

“But going back to my point. I think that even if most of the other guys hadn’t joined Dane and stripped, Dane wouldn’t have cared one bit. I’m not saying that he is an exhibitionist in a pervy kind of way, but that he’s just comfortable in his own skin. You remember when we got back to the cars? We got into Dave’s and he freaked out at Dane because he hadn’t put his shorts back on. Dane looked genuinely surprised, like he had forgot that he hadn’t got a stitch on. Maybe it’s the same at his mate’s house? He’s comfortable there, comfortable with you and not bothered that his mate can see him in his underwear. So what if his mate is gay, Dane’s never been that way has he?”

 

“Course not.”

 

“Then you’ve got nothing to worry about. If Dane’s not worried about his mate getting an eyeful and he’s definitely not that way, then you’ve got nothing to worry about. But if it creeps you out that his mate is about when you and Dane are over at his house then you should say something to Dane.”

 

“There’s no point, Dane said we couldn’t go there anymore. He said something about Baker’s uncle being home more often now. But that doesn’t stop him from spending all his time over there with Baker though.”

 

“Okay, here’s what I think. I’ve known Dane for as long as you two have been going out and I’d say that I know him pretty well by now. He’s self confident, easy to talk to and easy on the eye. And he’s totally in love with you. I’ve seen him when we’ve been out clubbing, he gets approached by girls as much as you get approached by guys and he’s never looked once at them. That’s because he knows he’s got the best, and it’s the same with you, you know that he’s the one for you. Yeah, sure it’s not easy what with your parents being so against him, but I don’t think that any guy would be good enough for you in your father’s eyes.

 

“You’ve said yourself that there’s no way Dane’s gay, so, so what if his mate is? Dane can look after himself if his mate ever put the moves on him. And besides, I’ve got to know quite a few guys here at university that are gay and not all of them jump on anything with trousers. So if Dane’s told this Baker guy that he’s straight, if he’s got an ounce of self respect he’ll have taken that as a big sign that Dane is off limits.

 

“And yes, so Dane’s priorities have changed over the last few months because he’s taking his exams seriously, but I’m telling you that you’ve just got to wait that out and once he’s done he’ll be with you no matter what it takes. I bet he’ll even try to switch to a university near your beauty college if he gets the qualifications that he needs. Then they’ll be nothing your parents can do to keep you apart and he won’t be spending any time with that mate of his because if he’s that clever he’ll be off to Cambridge and Dane will never see him again.”

 

“I guess you’re right. Maybe he’s not ignoring me on purpose. I just wish he’d call every now and then.”

 

“Then tell him that you feel that way. You know what guys are like. Sometimes they don’t get the subtleties of an adult relationship. Call him and tell him. Trust me once he realises how you feel he’ll come round. He loves you and there’s no doubt about that. Listen, I’ve got to go now. I’m meeting up with Ryan soon.”

 

“Ryan, who’s Ryan?”

 

“Check my Face Book page. Trust me, he’s a hottie. Plays rugby and hits the spot like Dave never could.”

 

“TMI Trudie, Too much information. Okay, I’ll speak to you soon, and thanks. I needed that chat.”

 

“Hey, that’s what friends are for. Bye.”

 

***

 

There was a knock at the door. Dane and I froze where we were. I was standing over a desk, bent slightly over and Dane was standing behind me, his hard on just poking at my hole waiting for his cue to enter. For a few seconds after the knock neither of us dared to move, then I looked over my shoulders and my eyes met his and I think I saw the fear in them.

 

There was another knock and then a voice.

 

“Hello, I’ve got this room booked.”

 

Yep, Dane and I were back in Audio Room 3 in the library. We both had a free study period when he turned up looking for me in the library.

 

“Hey Sammy” He said as he plonked himself down in the chair next to mine, and announced “I’m horny”

 

I looked up from my book at him and replied “Well go and crack one off in the bogs like anyone else would.”

 

I didn’t mean it to sound so harsh, but the conversation I had with Pete the night before was still playing on my mind. True, I was getting more from Dane over the past two months than I ever thought possible. Maybe I should be grateful for that alone and push those feelings from my mind that he doesn’t feel the same way about me as I do about him.

 

After all, I knew the score. Despite our fooling around, he was still in love with Michelle. I didn’t see that changing any time soon. I pretty much lived by the adage that something was better than nothing. But the weight of Pete’s words that Dane was just using me exposed a raw nerve that I had been trying to ignore.

 

Dane looked around the library to make sure that there was no one heading in our direction and then moved his hand and placed it on my crotch and started rubbing it through the trousers material and then replied to my comment about him taking care of himself.

 

“No, what I mean Sammy is that I am horny for you. I’ve just sat through the most boring lesson and spent the whole hour thinking about you. I’ve been counting down the minutes to our free period together.”

 

This was a revelation to me. I never knew that Dane did anything other than live in the moment where I was concerned. I never got the impression that he ever thought about me unless we were in the same room as each other.

 

“Yeah?” I smiled. “And what were you thinking about me?”

 

He looked around again and then unzipped my fly and took hold of my hardening bulge through my briefs, and replied.

 

“I was thinking that if we don’t get to the audio rooms soon then I’m just going to have to wank you off out here.”

 

“You’ve spent the past hour thinking about wanking me off?” I replied with a beaming smile.

 

“Yeah, well that and a few other things.” He replied then leaned in towards me and planted a kiss on my lips.

 

Yeah, I was a bit shocked and taken aback. Not that he kissed me. He’s done that plenty of times before, but that he kissed me in a public place.

 

With one mind we got up from our seats and almost ran into the audio room, the door barely closing before we started removing our clothes with a strange sense of urgency. We pulled our ties and shirts off, then Dane made a bee line for my trousers, undoing the clasp and yanking them down and then taking hold of my briefs covered bulge as I fumbled with his trousers button and let them fall to his ankles. At the same time we were both trying to kick our shoes off which resulted in a comedy moment when we both nearly tripped over each other.

 

Then Dane pulled me closer to him so our bodies touched and lowered his head until our lips locked in passion with the same sense of urgency that we had with removing our clothes.

 

Both of us were holding each other in an embrace, wearing nothing but our socks and underpants. Dane’s hard on was rubbing against my belly as we hugged and kissed while mine, because of our height difference was rubbing the underside of his balls through his shorts.

 

Okay, so none of this was new. There were plenty of times by now where we’d been in this position. But they were usually at home or round at my uncle’s. But this was different. Maybe it was because it was usually me who instigates any sexual contact that we have. Usually it was me, but not always. This was different because I had never seen this level of sexual hunger in Dane’s eyes before. Right there and then, Dane wanted me and it wasn’t pay back for an arrangement.

 

Dane dropped to his knees and placed his hands round on to my butt and pulled me closer to him. Then he started kissing my stomach and tonguing my belly button. Meanwhile the tent in my red nylon briefs was getting its own pleasure as it rubbed back and forth on the underside of his chin as he moved about. Slowly he lowered his mouth down from my belly button and started kissing the tip of my cock through the thin material of my briefs.

 

He’d never done that before. Sure, he’d played with my dick with his hand lots of times, I even got the feeling that he enjoyed it sometimes. But his mouth had never gone near it. I always put it down to a mental block. I mean, think about it you want to insult someone you’ll call them a cock sucker. It’s like a man isn’t supposed to suck another man’s cock. I certainly got the feeling that it was the case with Dane. But not today, not when he was kissing and licking my cock through the very thin, almost translucent with a mixture of my pre-cum and his saliva, nylon material of my briefs, much like I had done to him many times before.

 

“You know, if you carry on with that you’ll get more than my pre-cum in your mouth.”

 

He pulled back and looked up at me with a grin on his face and replied “So.”

 

“What’s brought this on? Not that I’m complaining mind.” I asked, trying really hard not to sound as confused as I was feeling.

 

“I’ve been doing a lot of thinking last night.” He replied as he bounced back on to his feet, put his arm around my waist and bulled me closer to him and planted a kiss on my cheek.

 

“Thinking’s good, I approve of thinking. Erm. What were you thinking?”

 

“That we’re more than just messing about here, I was thinking it’s not about arrangements or whatever else. It’s about me wanting to be with you. And I do. I really do. Which is a bit fucked up really when you think about it. But there you have it.”

 

“Y’know, I’m gonna let the fucked up bit go, don’t you?”

 

“Yeah, I thought you might, just after I said it. Especially if you want your present.”

 

“There’s a present?”

 

Dane took a couple of steps back from me and plunged his thumbs down the waistband of his shorts and pulled it away from his body to let his cock bounce out and slap his stomach and then let them fall to the ground. He then pointed to his stiffy and said.

 

“Present.”

 

Around the underside of his balls was a red ribbon that went round the base of his cock and tied in a bow on top.

 

“Present.” He repeated himself. “Yours to do with whatever you like.”

 

I took a step towards him and held his balls in my hand as I undid the bow.

 

“Dane, it’s what I’ve always wanted. How did you know?”

 

“You sarcastic bastard.”

 

“Okay, sorry. But come on. Who are you? And what have you done with the real Dane?”

 

“I told you, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately and I need to tell you how great I think you are and also to let you know that I really care about you. Then I woke up this morning knowing that I am ready to go to the next level with you.”

 

“Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

 

“Well, if what you’re thinking involves my dick, a condom and your butt then we’re probably on the same page.” He replied with a grin.

 

Okay, so it wasn’t quite what I was thinking. I was kind of hoping that he had come to the conclusion that he loved me. Pete’s words invaded my head, saying how I should have more self respect where Dane is concerned. But as quickly as they came I pushed them away with as much speed. After all, Dane had said that he cares a lot about me, that’s almost as good. Isn’t it?

 

“And you’ve been thinking about this all morning?”

 

“Hey, don’t take the piss. You’ve been thinking about it a lot longer.”

 

“You don’t know the half of it.”

 

He kissed me again, then let me go and walked over to where he’d dropped his trousers and pulled a condom and a tube of K.Y from it.

 

“You’ve come prepared.”

 

“Not the first time I’ve done this y’know.” He grinned.

 

“What? Had your wicked way with a guy and his arse.”

 

“Well, not a guy. But I’ve done it with Michelle quite a few times.”

 

“Spare me the gory details.” I replied with a tone that I hoped conveyed my distain.

 

Dane handed me the condom which I took out of its foil wrapper and rolled it down on his pole. Meanwhile, he opened the cap of the KY tube and squirted some of the jelly on to his fingers and then he nodded me over in the direction of the desk to the side of the room. I went over to it and placed my palms on the top of it and bent over slightly to give Dane easier access to his target.

 

He leaned over me and kissed the back of my neck at the same time as he squirted the KY on my entrance. The cold jelly sent a shiver up my body, but that was nothing to the feelings that I experienced as he slowly inserted a finger up my hole.

 

“Do you remember that I told you a few months ago that you had a cute arse?”

 

“Yeah, and I still hate that word.”

 

“I also told you that if you put the work in you could turn it into a hot arse. I’m telling you mate, you’re pretty much there.”

 

“Yeah, right. Whatever.”

 

“I know you’re not good at hearing good stuff about you. But take it from me, you have a cute, hot sexy arse and I wasn’t lying when I said that I’d been thinking about it all day.”

 

He inserted another finger and then a third up me and carried on with his digit fuck until he thought that I was loose enough for his oncoming intrusion.

 

As Dane removed his fingers he got right behind me and guided his missile in place. I looked at him over my shoulder and said.

 

“Go easy back there. I’ve not had anything that big up me before.”

 

He smiled the smile of someone who had just received a big complement.

 

I felt tip of his dick move slightly into me.

 

And that’s when we heard the knock at the door and we both froze.

 

There was another knock and then a muffled voice spoke.

 

“Hello, I’ve got this room booked.”

 

Dane stood up, the initial look of panic had subsided and he called out.

 

“Well find a different room fuckwit!”

 

“I can’t they’re all booked. And you come out here and call me a fuckwit to my face.”

 

I thought for one moment that Dane was going to take the guy up on his challenge as he balled his fists up and started crossing the room towards the door. I managed to grab his arm and pulled him to a stop.

 

“Erm, Dane. I don’t think you want to do that.” I nodded down for him to look at himself, his nakedness and his sheath covered hard on.

 

Dane realising the stupid situation that he was just about to put himself in, a smirk crossed his face. He pulled the condom off and then we both made a mad scramble for our clothes. I tried to ignore the stickiness that was squelching around my arse as I pulled my pants on and then grabbed my trousers that Dane had handed to me.

 

A record for the fasted dressing ever must have been broken that day. I am not saying that we were the smartest dressed, our shirts were hanging out and our ties weren’t done up. But at least we were clothed enough to unlock the door and step out of the room.

 

“About fucking time you prick.” The guy said to me as I exited the room. Then he added “Oh” as he spotted Dane leaving just behind me.

 

“Oh, is right. Now, you wanted me to call you a fuckwit to your face I seem to recall.”

 

The kids eyes were wide open and I couldn’t help sense a wave of panic wash over him as he realised that he had pissed of someone who not many people in the school would think it was wise to get angry.

 

Seeing Dane’s fists ball up again, I stepped in and said to him “Dane, I’m sure he’s sorry. Leave it yeah.” Then I looked at the kid, who I wasn’t sure I’d seen before, but I figured that he was a couple of years younger than us, and said to him. “You’re sorry, aren’t you?”

 

He nodded that he was, so I replied to him that we were sorry that our session in the audio room over ran into his time.

 

Situation dealt with and calm returned to the library once again. Y’know, I might join the U.N one day and get that Middle East situation sorted out!

 

As the kid nodded to me and went into the room, I heard a voice heading to our direction.

 

“Ah there you are Sam.”

 

I jumped at the sound of my name and turned round to see Margaret, the chief librarian.

 

“The library network has gone down and I can’t get tech support over until after school finishes. Can you work your magic for us again.”

 

I couldn’t really say no. Well I could have, but my head wasn’t working fast enough to come up with a viable excuse as to why I couldn’t help out. Margaret would often ask me for help for something or another. I spent so much time in the library I was like an honorary member of staff. She knew my timetable as well as I did, so I couldn’t exactly tell her that I had to be somewhere else, she’d know that I was lying.

 

“Um, yeah, sure.” I replied.

 

Dane’s eyes widened with shock or was it surprise. But luckily Margaret didn’t see it. I told her that I had to collect my stuff and I would be with her in a few minutes.

 

She walked off back to her office and Dane followed me back to the computer terminal where we had left our bags as we rushed into the audio room just minutes earlier.

 

“I can’t believe you did that?” Dane said, sounding exasperated.

 

“Sorry, I couldn’t think of a reason quickly enough for saying no. I’m always helping out around here, it would look a bit suspicious if I gave her a lame excuse.”

 

As I pulled my seat out by the terminal to pick up my bag I turned round to look up at Dane and noticed that the bulge in his trousers hadn’t gone down any since he tried to stuff it back into his shorts. I wrapped my hand around it and started to gently rub it up and down.

Dane took a quick look around and must have seen that there was no one else around nearby as he didn’t step away as I am sure he would have if there was a possibility of us being seen.

 

“We can always finish this off after school around mine.” I suggested.

 

“Sorry Baker that was a onetime romantic gesture on my part, never to be repeated.”

 

“What!” I almost yelled in disbelief.

 

“Well, yeah. It took a lot of planning on my part what with the bow and everything. It’s not my fault that we had to leave the audio room early, or that you found something better to do for the rest of the free period.”

 

“But I explained that...”

 

Dane laughed and then replied “Sammy, you’re too easy to wind up.”

 

I Squeezed his dick through the material of his trousers really hard until he almost doubled up and pulled away.

 

“What, no one every tell you never to wind a guy up when he’s got your dick in his hand?”

 

“Funnily enough, no. The subject has never come up.” He grinned at me.

 

Dane pulled his bag and jacket out from the terminal next to mine and started to turn to make his way out.

 

“So how about it then? We can finish off what we started later at mine?”

 

Dane turned back to face me and with a look of sincerity on his face he replied.

 

“Sorry mate, I can’t tonight. I’ve got football practice and the coach thinks that because we’ve all had to spend more time with our studies then training over the last few weeks that our fitness has dropped. So after practice we’ve got a ten mile run to do. I can’t get out of it. By the time we finish, your mum will be home.”

 

“So?”

 

“So? So, he asks? That would be great wouldn’t it? Your mum downstairs watching Eastenders and listening to her son yelling as I feed my dick into his arse.”

 

“You really have a way with words Dane.”

 

“What, just because some of us haven’t swallowed a dictionary?”

 

“I don’t know, maybe you could have said something like ‘made love to her son’?”

 

Dane winced.

 

“Well it would have sounded more romantic.”

 

He rolled his eyes as he saw me grinning. He obviously realised that it was now my turn to wind him up.

 

“What? I thought tying a bow around my cock and offering it to you was the height of romantic gestures. But no, that’s not good enough for you. You want to be wined and dined I suppose.”

 

“Well, it couldn’t hurt.” I chuckled.

 

“Fine, except I’d rather go to the cinema.”

 

“Suits me.” I replied thinking that he was still joking around with me.

 

“Okay, I’ll be home from training around seven, I’ll call for you at eight. We’ll make one of the nine o’clock showings in town.”

 

“Seriously?”

 

“Seriously. But no chick flick rom coms.”

 

“Fine by me. There’s a great thriller out or a couple of action films that I wouldn’t mind seeing.”

 

“It’ll be nice to go out on a date where I don’t have to pretend that I enjoyed the film.”

 

“So this is a date then?”

 

Dane smiled at me and shrugged his shoulders. “I suppose, if you want to put labels on things then, I guess it’s a date. Wear something nice. Meanwhile, I’m going to find a quite toilet and crack one off while you play with your library friend.”

 

“Well, it was the advice I gave to you earlier.”

 

He shook his head with a grin and then pulled his school bag across his waist to hide the bulge in his trousers that hadn’t gone down at all during our conversation and with that he turned on his heel and left.

 

To say I was walking on air for most of the rest of the day was an understatement. I went over to Margaret in her office unable to remove the huge grin on my face.

 

I plonked myself down on a chair and was just about to ask what the problem with the network was when she said

 

“He’s a fine looking lad, that one. Is he your boyfriend?”

 

Y’see when I said for most of the rest of the day, what I meant was that at one point I did come down with a bump. This was that point. I think the look of shock on my face must have spoke volumes.

 

I think that now would be a good time to tell you about Margaret. She’s the big sister that I never had. We met on my first week at high school and she had just started that year too, having just graduated from university.

 

I was on the run from a pack of boys intent on kicking the shit out of me, at least that’s what they were yelling. I ran into the nearest building and hid, well cowered, under a desk. Then the gang burst in looking for me.

 

With a voice so stern it made me quake she yelled at them “Year sevens are not allowed in the library at lunch time.” They must have got the point, because without protest they shrunk away from this scary lady out of the door. A few seconds later she sat down on the floor next to where I was hiding.

 

“They’re gone now.”

 

“Erm, I’m sorry. I didn’t know I couldn’t come in here.” I figured I’d get an apology in before she had a go at me too. But when I looked up to her, I didn’t see a scary lady looking angrily at me, more like an angel smiling down on me.

 

“That’s alright. Sometimes we can make exceptions to the rules. I think you’d better stay in here for a while, just to make sure they’re gone. Have you had your lunch yet?”

 

I shook my head and then meekly pulled out my packed lunch from my bag.

 

“Well, food’s not allowed in the library so how about we go into Mr. Rashid’s office and we can have lunch together?”

 

I shrugged my shoulders and she smiled at me again and that was the start of our friendship.

 

The year before my current year at school, Mr. Rashid, who was the head librarian, had retired and Margaret took his place. She wowed the school governors with a plan to modernise the library computer system that I had devised for her. The board loved it because not only was it inspired, it would be a fraction of the cost of having it done by an outside contractor as she had suggested that a handful of the students do the installation as part of their computer science projects. They promoted her on the spot. Win win and win.

 

So when I say that I am an honorary member of the library staff I am not actually joking.

 

Anyway, back to Margaret’s question. ‘Is Dane my boyfriend?’

 

“Erm, I donno. It’s complicated.” I replied kind of sheepishly.

 

I came out to Margaret a couple of years previously when I was sure I was gay. She was the first person I told, besides my best mate Pete. But as he and I were having sex since we were both 13 it was kind of a given. But we had a conversation where we both had pretty much come to the conclusions to our respective sexualities, mine being gay and his being bi.

 

But when I told Margaret it was my first real time telling anyone and it was hard. I felt the whole room close around me as I began to answer her question as to if there were any girls in school that I fancied. Her reaction was beyond amazing, better than I could have hoped for considering that I had never told a soul. She went on to tell me that her best friend that she had known since school was gay, and that I reminded her a lot of him.

 

“Don’t tell me Sam, you love him, but you don’t know what he feels about you?”

 

“Yeah, that’s more or less it. Dane and I have gotten close over the last few months. It’s great when it’s just the two of us together. But then there’s the rest of the world. He’s got a girlfriend.”

 

“Oh.”

 

“Yeah, oh is right. He says he loves her, but he’s not exactly been spending much time with her lately. Then there are all his mates, the same ones that have made my life hell for the last few years for just suspecting that I am gay. If it got out to them that he was seeing me his life would probably not be worth living. You know what meat heads sports people can be. So it’s not like it’s easy for him to admit to himself that he has feelings for me.”

 

“But you think he has feelings for you?”

 

“Yeah, I think so.” I chuckled and rolled my eyes, then went on to say. “We’re supposed to be going on our first proper date tonight.”

 

“Well, that’s something at least.” She chuckled back at my remark that, when I think about it, made me sound like a giddy school girl.

 

“Well, I hope it goes well for you. But with the other baggage that he’s got, girlfriend, mates and his image here in school, you’re right; it’s not going to be easy for him. I can’t say that I know Dane well. He’s rarely in here, unless he here to see you. Yes, I spotted that a few months ago. But he seems to be a good guy, there’s more to him than a lot of the boys he hangs around with. But if you want my honest opinion...”

 

I gestured with my hand for her to go on.

 

“I don’t think he’s going to be someone who will be happy everyone knowing that he’s seeing a guy. This leaves the question for you. Are you going to be happy sneaking about and not being able to show your feelings for him in public?”

 

“It’s not easy for any gay couple to demonstrate their love in public most of the time. As for the sneaking around? It’s all part of the fun.” I smirked.

 

Margaret smirked at my flippant remark, but went on to say. “Well be careful Sam, Your one of the good guys and I wouldn’t want your heart to get broken. Also, if you’re happy to sneak around you’re going to have to be more careful. If I worked out what you two were up to in audio room today, then it won’t take much for someone else to either.”

 

I blushed. But little did I know that some of her words would turn out to be prophetic.

 

After our heart to heart Margaret told me about the job she wanted me to do. Someone had tried to download something from the internet and managed to shut half the library computers down in the process. I got to work, knowing that there was no way that I would be done by my next class or even lunch. Margaret brought me some lunch from the canteen and told me that she had okayed it with my tutors to spend the rest of the school day in the library sorting the mess out.

 

About twenty minutes into working out what the computer problem was, my mobile vibrated and I saw that there was a video message from Dane for me. The file downloaded and soon I was watching his hand pumping hard on his dick and making sounds that told me that he had found an empty toilet to relieve himself. It became obvious to me that he had started filming shortly before his climax as it was only two minutes into the clip when he shot his load. As he wiped his cock with his shorts he turned the camera on his phone over to show his face and he said

 

“See what I have to resort to when you leave me with blue balls. Wanker.”

 

Then the clip ended. I laughed at his remark and texted back

 

 

 

A few minutes later I received this text back

 

***

 

Delousing the computers in the library took longer than I thought it would and I didn’t finish until nearly five. The school was nearly deserted as I made my way back up to my locker to pick up my stuff. As I opened the locker door something fell out on to the floor. I bent down and scooped up the wad of material and immediately realised that I was holding Dane’s shorts, still a bit soggy from where he cleaned himself up earlier. Grinning to myself I held them up to my nose and got the very familiar waft of Dane’s odour. If there was ever to be a prize for the best smell in the universe his would have my vote.

 

After a few moments coming down from my high I pushed Dane’s shorts into my bag and then I spotted a note on the floor of my locker that must have fallen down at the same time as his shorts. It read:

 

Just a reminder of the first time I gave you a pair of my shorts.

XX.

D

 

PS. I told you back then to change your locker padlock. It’s far too easy to get into!’

 

I chuckled to myself as I stuffed Dane’s note into my bag along with his shorts and clicked my inadequate lock back on my locker and left for home. As I was crossing the school yard I looked to my right as I heard a loud door bang and saw Dane’s football team bursting out of the P.E block and heading my way. Instinctively I slowed my pace as I figured that the speed I was our paths would cross.

 

No one had given me much of a hard time lately, but I knew better than to risk being in the middle of a charging pride of lions. I spotted Dane near the front of the group, but then saw a lot of his friends over take him as he slowed his pace down to a walk.

 

“O’Hanlon, pick it up. This is not a run for poofs.” His PE coach yelled at him as he passed Dane.

 

“Sir, I think I’ve pulled a muscle. Give me a minute.”

 

“One minute or you do another mile you pansy girl.”

 

As I got closer I heard a few of his mates snigger at the coach’s words to him. Pricks! I thought to myself. Coaches like that should have died out with the dinosaurs. If his remarks to Dane had been racial instead of homophobic, he’d have been sacked on the spot. Is sport the last bastion of accepted abuse?

 

However, a couple of Dane’s mates stopped alongside him to check to make sure he was okay. By now he was doubled up in pain but he waved them away as to say that he’d catch them up soon. As soon as the last of them jogged past him and out of the school main gates, I started to jog the final few meters up to Dane. But by the time I got there he was standing up straight and grinning.

 

“You tosser.” I almost yelled. “You had me worried.”

 

“We’ve probably got a minute or so before Ashbourne realises that he has a duty of care and comes back to check that I’m alright. Do you really want to spend it shouting at me?”

 

I shook my head and then he asked if I had been to my locker?

 

“Yeah, and that was a really nice present.”

 

“Nice and romantic?”

 

“Very romantic. I’m impressed.”

 

“I should think so. I put a lot of thought into what to get you for your pre-date present.”

 

I grinned at him and then said “So it’s really a date we’re going on then?”

 

“I said it was didn’t I?”

 

“Yeah, you did. But I thought that maybe you were joking around.”

 

“Well, maybe a bit. But I want to show you that I care about you. So a night out at the cinema sounds like a date to me.”

 

He put his hand on my shoulder then looked around. When he saw the cost was clear he moved his hand and ran his fingers though my hair to the side of my head, then gave me a wink.

 

As he removed his hand he started jogging on the spot.

 

“I better get moving or I’ll end up having to run more miles. I’ll see you in about three hours.”

 

“Go” I replied as I patted his taut backside through his shiny football shorts to send him on his way.

 

“Nice bum.” I called out after him as he had already got a couple of meters ahead of me.

 

His response was typical of Dane as he pulled his shorts and sport briefs down to give me a parting glimpse of his fleshy globes moving up and down as he quickened up his pace. As he rounded the corner through the gates I heard his coach shout at him. Clearly Dane was right, the guy had doubled back to make sure that Dane was okay and he had only just missed Dane’s gesture to me by seconds. Talk about cutting it fine!

 

I got home and headed straight for the shower and after I spent the next half an hour getting ready for our date. When I figured I looked as good as it was possible for me to look I went downstairs and put the dinner on for when my mother was due to return home from work.

 

Literally as the oven timer pinged my mother came through the front door looking tired and over worked. I put two plates out on the kitchen table and served up our meal as she sat down.

 

“You alright mum?”

 

“I’m fine Sam. Just a bit tired. Work’s been a bit heavy lately since the cutbacks. Everyone’s doing the job of two or three people these days and we’re all worried if the next round of redundancies will have our names on it.”

 

I audibly gulped and look seriously at her and asked if it was that bad?

 

“I can’t say for sure. One day we hear everything is fine, the next day they announce another set of cost cutting measures. On the plus side, a friend of mine has put a word in for me at his company and it sounds like they’re really interested in hiring me.”

 

“By friend, do you mean Simon?”

 

She nodded in reply.

 

Simon was my mother’s new boyfriend. Well I say new, what I mean is new to me. She only told me that she was dating this guy back in December. They actually started dating way before that, but she wanted to make sure she knew that they had a future before she introduced us. She was also worried that I might disapprove of him on the account that he was not my father. I reminded her that my father was a prick who hadn’t seen either of us for years and that it was about time that she had a man in her life.

 

Since my father left us when I was four my mother rarely dated. The only man constantly in her life, other than me of course, was my father’s brother Uncle Henry. I pointed that out to her and she smiled.

 

“Mum, Simon’s cool. I like the guy and he seems to be making you happy. As long as he continues in that, I will be happy too.”

 

“Well, I’m glad you approve. Especially as if we do end up working together we’re planning on moving in together as well.”

 

I nearly choked on a mouthful of my food as she sprung that revelation on me.

 

“Don’t worry Sam. We’re not going to do anything until you move out to university so it won’t be like he’ll be in your way or anything.”

 

“Sorry mum, it was just a bit sudden. Took me by surprise that’s all. But no, you can move him in tomorrow as far as I’m concerned. Actually, no, probably best to leave it until I move out. There’s only so much hearing you two make out that I can take.”

 

“You cheeky monkey.”

 

I picked up our empty plates and took them over to the sink and started to wash them up, and then my mum joined me to dry up.

 

“You’re looking a bit smart tonight. Hot date planned?”

 

I blushed. “Mum!”

 

“Okay, I’m sorry. Just being nosey. Is it Dane? You’ve been seeing a lot of him lately? No, you don’t have to answer that. I don’t mean to invade your privacy.”

 

We’d never actually had the coming out talk. She never asked and I never actually got round to telling her. But I knew that she knew and she knew that I knew that she was alright with it. However, I always suspected that Uncle Henry might have told her. Not in a betraying of confidence kind of way, but more out of concern that she would be okay with my sexuality. He’s the closest man I’ve got to a father figure and I knew that he’d look out for me no matter what. Besides, it saved me from having a very embarrassing conversation. Until now that is.

 

“Dane’s a nice lad Sam. Is he your boyfriend?”

 

“It’s complicated.” I replied.

 

“Well if you want to talk about it you know I’m here for you.”

 

“Thanks mum. But it’s alright really.”

 

“Okay, just remember to be careful. You know what I mean. Protection and all that.” With that she went to her handbag and pulled out a condom.

 

“Mum!” I whined with utter embarrassment.

 

“Yes, your right. This conversation is way too early. I’ll wait until Dane gets here and he can listen too.”

 

She looked into my horrified face and laughed.

 

“What?” I asked exasperated at her laughter at my expense.

 

“Oh Sam, you are too easy to wind up.”

 

“Yeah, I’ve heard that already today.” I harrumphed.

 

She took my face into her hands and kissed me on the cheek and said

 

“I know you’ll be good. I’ve been blessed with a sensible son. But if you’re not going to be that good I need to know that you’ll be careful.”

 

“Trust me mum. If we ever get to that point I’ll make sure that I’ll have that covered.”

 

“I’ll ignore that pun and just ask you to make sure that I’m not in the house. There’s only so much hearing you two make out that I can take.”

 

“Mother!”

 

“And I think that’s touché to me. But just remember this; if your sense of humour ever gets you in trouble, I’m afraid that you inherited that from me. Come on, Eastenders will be on soon. We’ll watch that until Dane arrives.”

 

“Mum, promise me you won’t say anything. It’s a really delicate situation and I don’t want Dane freaking out.”

 

“I will be the soul of discretion. I promise.”

 

I was almost reassured by her words until I noticed a twinkle in her eye as we sat down to watch a bit of evening telly.

 

Just after eight Dane rang the doorbell. As I jumped up I ordered my mother to stay put on the sofa.

 

I opened the front door to see Dane standing there with a cheesy grin on his face and holding up a pair of briefs by the waistband in his hand.

 

“What are you doing?” I asked cautiously.

 

“Well flowers are too tacky but I wanted to do another romantic gesture for you, so these are for you. Not only have they been on a ten mile run with me this evening, they were also the very first sport briefs you made me wear way back at the start of the school year. If you remember I didn’t like them at first, but now whenever I put them on I think about you. In fact nearly every time I pull on a pair of pants I find myself wondering what you will think.”

 

Dane handed his gift to me which I readily took.

 

“I’ll go put these in some water then?”

 

“You’d have preferred flowers?”

 

For a second I thought I heard a hint of worry to Dane’s tone of voice. So I held his sport briefs up to my nose and inhaled his manly scent.

 

“Humm, they smell lovely. But for the record, I prefer to pick them myself. That way they’re fresher.”

 

“God, there’s no pleasing some people.”

 

“Not true. Flowers, chocolates, underwear. I’m easily pleased.”

 

“Good, because you know I’m only doing this romantic gestures thing because I want to get into your pants.” He grinned at me.

 

“Well I’m glad we’ve cleared that up, because I wouldn’t want you to be acting with an ulterior motive.”

 

“Like you Sammy, all my motives are ulterior.”

 

He put his arms around my waist and placed them on my butt cheeks then pulled me closer until our lips met and I eagerly accepted his tongue into my mouth.

 

“Humm Humm.” My mother coughed and Dane and I parted our embrace as if we’d been hit by an electric bolt.

 

I’m not sure whose face went redder, mine or Dane’s. Personally I wanted the earth to swallow me up. I can’t speak for Dane, but I doubt that he was feeling much different.

 

“Sam, I said that I wouldn’t embarrass you on your first date. But I would be remiss in my parental duty if I was not to remind you both that even though you’re eighteen, it is a school night, so I don’t want you back here too late.”

 

“Yes mum.” I replied while pushing a mortified Dane out of the front door. Realising that I still had his briefs in my hand I quickly rushed upstairs and put them under my pillow for later. Fortunately leaving Dane outside was okay. It was a calculated risk that my mother would want to speak to him. But after she said her piece about us not getting back too late she went back into the living room.

 

“Dane, are you alright?” I asked him as soon as I rejoined him in our front garden. We started walking down the street to the bus stop.

 

After what seemed like the longest minute he spoke.

 

“Sorry Sammy, I guess I just freaked out a bit back there, that your mother saw us kissing. It’s like it’s all of a sudden become real now that someone else knows about us.”

 

“Dane, I swear that I never said anything to her. She had pretty much guessed that something might be going on with us. She asked me if you were my boyfriend but I didn’t confirm or deny it. But she’s not stupid and had pretty much worked it out for herself. We can leave this tonight if it’s too much for you. I will understand and I won’t be hurt either.”

 

Dane stopped walking and grabbed hold of my arm to stop me walking also and we faced each other.

 

“Sammy, in all honesty I am not sure what I am doing here. It would be easy to say that I was confused by what I’ve been feeling lately. But that is bollocks. I’m not confused, but I am a bit scared. I feel scared because I have found myself in a situation that wouldn’t have happened a year ago. I’m also scared because it doesn’t actually worry me that I care a lot about you and like spending my time with you, and even more scared because right now I’d rather be with you than my own girlfriend.

 

“I don’t know where all this is going, but I want to find out. The thing is that I am no way ready for anyone to know about us and your mum seeing us kiss just freaked me out a bit. But it’s okay, because what I’ve seen of your mum, I think she’s alright. But I need you to know that there’s no way I want anyone else to find out about us until I know for sure that I’m ready to risk it.”

 

That was probably the most sincere speech I had ever heard from Dane and I was happy that he had come as far as he has. Way beyond what I ever thought he would have. I told him as much. And that I would not push him into telling the world about us. Okay, so not the ideal scenario, but I was quite happy to keep quiet about us. After all it was not like I had a whole bunch of friends that I needed to affirm my relationship with. If Dane needed time, who was I to have a fit over that? Again, I told Dane that. He smiled a smile of relief.

 

“Good, well let’s get back to our date and I’ll start by telling you that you look good all dressed up smart.”

 

I wasn’t wearing anything special, but I guess I did look smart. I had on a dark wash pair of jeans, a new pair of Nike trainers and a button down shirt under a sleeveless pullover.

 

Dane, on the other hand looked even hotter than he usually did. He was wearing a pair of really tight skinny fit jeans and had on a pair of ankle high boots. Under his Armani hooded jacket he wore a tight fitting t-shirt with a large D&G logo that showed off his pecs and abs really well.

 

Actually, by the way we were dressed I thought that he should have been the gay guy and I should have been the one not quite sure. That’s the problem with metrosexuals, of which I’d say that Dane was one, they blur the lines between gay guys and just wanting to look good.

 

As we continued to walk to the bus stop we chatted about anything and everything, but the Dane asked

 

“Your mum said your first date. Did she mean first date with me, or first date overall?”

 

I winced as I replied that it was my first date overall. I expected Dane to laugh at my expense, but he didn’t.

 

“That’s cool.” He replied. “It’s the first date I’ve been on in ages and the first date I’ve been on with a guy so...”

 

“First date in ages? But what about Michelle?” I asked.

 

“We’ve been going out for a couple of years now and don’t really go out on dates anymore. We just sort of meet up.”

 

“So what do you do to make her feel special?”

 

“Erm, take her round your uncle’s and give her a good seeing to.” He laughed at his own reply.

 

“Nice, real nice. You romantic fool you.”

 

“Hey, don’t blame me that my relationship with Michelle has gone a bit stale. I’d say that it was lucky for you that it has or none of this would be happening, would it?”

 

“You’ll get no argument from me.”

 

“Huh, that’ll be a first.”

 

We continued bantering to and fro as we rode the bus into town and right up till when we were queuing for tickets. We had decided to see an action movie and like a gentleman, Dane paid for the tickets and then for the pop corn and our drinks.

 

As we entered our screen in the multiplex we saw that it was nearly deserted. This was probably because it was a mid week night and also the film had been out for a few weeks now and obviously the interest in it had waned.

 

We took our seats in the middle of the back row and Dane handed me the bucket of pop corn.

 

“You know you didn’t have to pay for all this. Next time I’ll pay.”

 

“What makes you think there’s going to be a next time? For all you know this date could turn out to be the worst night of your life and you’ll never want to see me again.”

 

“Yeah, cos I seriously think that’s going to happen.” I sarcastically replied back to him.

 

The lights went down and the screen started showing adverts before the film started. Dane put his arm around my shoulder and drew me closer to him. My nose was filled with the smell of clean clothes and clean Dane. Just his manly musk and a tiny hint of aftershave.

 

I looked up at him and he lowered his head and we started kissing. We were so consumed with our embrace that we didn’t even see the film start, nor did we see until it was too late that the door just to the side of us had opened and a couple of lads walked in.

 

Fortunately it was dark and I was sure that they couldn’t have seen us properly but that didn’t stop Dane pulling away from me. I looked over at Dane to make sure he was okay, I guess he was because as soon as the lads took their seats a few rows down from us he resumed our snog.

 

Soon our hands began wondering over each other’s bodies and it wasn’t before long that I felt his hard bulge in his jeans. He shuddered as I began to stroke it through his denim confines.

 

“I’m kind of regretting wearing these jeans tonight. Really stupid, since I’ve been busting a boner off and on since this afternoon.”

 

“I thought you took care of that in the toilets, I’ve got the video to prove it.” I chuckled back.

 

“Yeah, but since our aborted attempt at sex this afternoon, all my dick can think about is your sexy arse and it’s been near to full attention ever since. Do you know how hard it is to do a ten mile run while trying to concentrate on not getting a boner. I didn’t even take a shower in the changing rooms, in case I threw a woody in front of everyone.”

 

“You’ve been thinking about my arse all day.”

 

I couldn’t see because of the lack of light in the auditorium, but I could have sworn that Dane blushed. But then he retorted

 

“No, I said my dick’s been thinking about your butt all day. I’ve been trying to think about anything else to keep from getting unwanted boners.”

 

“Well fortunately for me, your dick rules your brain.” I replied as I started to unbutton Dane’s jeans.

 

Dane lifted his butt out of his seat slightly so that I could attempt to peel his tight jeans down. With a little help from him I managed to get his tight jeans down and he sat back in his seat in just his underwear which even though I couldn’t see it through the dark I could tell by the feel of the material was a Hom Plume 2 thong that I gave him ages ago and it was losing a battle to keep him held within its stretchy confines.

 

“Nice choice.”

 

“I thought you’d like that. It would be practical too, if I wasn’t springing wood. I mean, I don’t get why more people don’t wear these under skinny fit jeans? Boxers and trunks just bunch up and you end up far more uncomfortable than you would be by having a bit of string between your cheeks.”

 

“My work here is done.” I replied.

 

“Is it fuck. You still owe me for a day of blue balls.”

 

“Technically it was half a day, but I’m not going to argue. Not when I’ve got work to do.”

 

I pulled his pouch down and rested it on the underside of his balls and took hold of his tool which was salivating bucket loads of pre-cum as usual. I used everything in my knowledge of our messing around for the last three months that I knew he would like, culminating in me going down on his hard pole and deep throating him.

 

As I bobbed up and down in his lap, I felt his hand slip inside the waistband of my jeans and he started to caress my globes through the material of my briefs. Now it was my turn to feel the restrictive prison that is denim jeans as my cock got even harder that it was before. Without removing my mouth from Dane’s rod I flicked open the button of my jeans and with a bit of wriggling about and help from Dane I managed to get them down to my ankles.

 

Then Dane resumed stroking and caressing my arse through my briefs and eventually slipped his hand under the waistband and began running his finger up and down my crack, which sent shivers up and down my spine with every stroke he made.

 

Soon his finger made contact with my hole and to my instant disappointment he pulled his hand away. Obviously he had gone too far for him. But hey, I had a mouthful of his throbbing meat. I wasn’t exactly in a position to complain.

 

But then he replaced his hand and I felt a wetness on his fingers as the gently rubbed up and down near my entrance. Then slowly he worked a digit up there and when I showed him little resistance he inserted another and began to finger fuck me.

 

It felt so good him doing that to me that I repaid him by doubling my effort on his tool. I thought I was doing a good job, because I could feel that Dane was not far from shooting his load. But then he pulled his hand out from my pants and tried to prise me off his cock. Reluctantly I raised my head and looked at him with daggers.

 

“What?” He asked.

 

“Well I’m not exactly finished down there.” I replied.

 

“Neither am I. I just really need to have your arse right now.”

 

“What here? Have you gone mad?”

 

“Through there.” He pointed at a door at the opposite side of the theatre from where we came in. “It’s just a corridor that leads to a fire exit. No one will come in there.”

 

“You sure?”

 

“Trust me.”

 

I didn’t need to ask how he knew, I figured he’s done the same thing with Michelle at some point. I nodded my agreement and we pulled our jeans up and headed for the fire exit. As soon as the door closed behind us the din from the film evaporated enough so we could hear each other speak without raising our voices.

 

I looked around at the dimly lit corridor and then back at Dane. “It’s not exactly romantic for our first time, is it?”

 

“Yeah, but I told you the whole romance thing was a cunning plan to get into your pants.”

 

“Not very cunning really though, was it?”

 

“Erm, no.” He took a step up to me and lowered my jeans down to my ankles and then pulled my pants down and took hold of my hard dick and started rubbing his hand up and down it. “But seriously, if you’re not into this we can give it a miss and I won’t ...”

 

“Who said anything about not being into this?” I cut across him.

 

“Cool.” He let go of my dick and plunged his hand into his hooded jacket to pull out his wallet and took out a condom and a tube of KY that he fished out from the other pocket.

 

Then he peeled his jeans and thong down and his hardness sprung free. I took the foil wrapper from him and unfurled it down his pulsating pole, while at the same time he had squirted a small amount of lube on his fingers and then looked me in the eye and said.

 

“Sammy, I’ve never been into guys arses, or guys come to think of it, before. But right here and now I can’t think of anything that I want more than yours.”

 

I bent over slightly and felt the cold jelly on his fingers hit my hot hole. Then he slipped a finger in, followed by another and another. And like earlier today I soon felt his head trying to push through into me.

 

He was slow and gentle, as he gave me time to acclimatise to the intrusion. Just an inch at a time until I could feel the stubble from his balls tickling my cheeks. Dane got me to straighten up a bit and then he nuzzled my neck and reached round me and started to fondle my dick.

 

He left his dick in place for quite some time as the muscles in my arse began to loosen up and enjoy him being there. I then reached out and placed my hands up on the wall while bending down slightly again to give him better leverage.

 

Dane slowly fucked me with all the sensuality that I thought he could muster. I had only ever experienced sex with my friend Pete before and that was back when we were just boys really, and more intent on getting ourselves off no matter whom was doing the fucking.

 

But Dane was a master at this. I could tell that he wasn’t just thinking about his own pleasure, but he was getting off on the pleasure that he was giving to me.

 

He kept going and going, slowly and then faster as he pumped away in my butt. I shot a load twice during the time that he was in me. Each time I knew that he enjoyed my orgasm as much as I had as my sphincter involuntarily clamped down on his rod and I shuddered all over.

 

Seeing stars was one way of putting it. Being fucked into next week was another, as Dane went on like the energiser bunny.

 

I knew Dane had massive stamina, because I couldn’t but help hearing him while he was giving Michelle a seeing to in my bedroom at my uncle’s. Hearing them go on for hours and hours I could now understand why Michelle would never want it to end.

 

I for one knew that I didn’t. Knowing exactly when and how to set the pace and make me feel like the most special person in the world as he muttered sweet nothings into my ear.

 

But end it did. Whether it was because he was finally tired out, or that we both realised that the noise from the theatre had stopped, Dane quickened his pace to a crescendo pumping in and out of me at such a speed. Then it stopped and his orgasm spread through his whole body and into mine.

 

As he pulled out of me I instantly felt his absence. It was like he’d taken the world from me, only leaving the ghost of a memory up there as my muscles began to mourn the loss.

 

I straightened up and looked round at Dane, who was leaning up against the opposite wall looking exhausted as he pulled the condom off his knob and tied it off.

 

Of course after the post orgasm glow had started to fade I began to worry about Dane and his state of mind. He’d made great leaps in the past few months, but this was the biggest of all. Would he now freak out because of what had just happened. I looked for clues in his face but his expression was neutral.

 

“Dane, are you alright?”

 

He tossed the condom aside and looked up at me and smiled.

 

“Alright Sammy? Alright doesn’t do it justice.” He didn’t elaborate. He just pulled me over into a hug and started kissing me.

 

Well at least this was a good sign. I thought to myself as I matched each of his kisses with my own.

 

We pulled apart as we heard a series of beeps that came from his phone. He fished it out of his jacket pocket and looked at the screen.

 

“Shit, I’ve got half a dozen missed calls and messages.” He clicked another button and then said that they were all from Michelle. “Well she can go hang. Tonight’s about our date and she’s not going to get in the way of that. But looking at the time I think we should make a move back home. School night and all that.”

 

I agreed and we started pulling our clothes back on and when we were dressed we went back into the auditorium to find it deserted but for one cleaner who was looking at us strangely.

 

We left the cinema and caught the bus home almost immediately. Dane was quite during the journey and every now and then he pulled his phone out, looked at it and then put it back in his pocket.

 

“Y’know, if you want to listen to her messages I won’t mind. It’s better to know what she wants than try to guess.”

 

“You sure, cos like I said tonight is about us.”

 

“Just listen to your messages already. How bad can it be?”

 

There are two phrases that the universe hates more than anything. ‘How bad can it be’ and ‘It can’t get any worse’. Utter those sentences at your peril, because the universe will then go out of its way to prove you very wrong.

 

As Dane listened to Michelle’s message all colour drained from his face. Well, I say all colour, what I mean is that his face went from white to grey in almost an instant.

 

I debated if it was a good idea to ask him what was up. But somehow I didn’t think that would be a good idea. He sat in silence and looked at his phone so intensely that it seemed he wanted to burn a hole into it.

 

As we arrived at our bus stop I nudged him to get him to stand up and we climbed off.

 

Although we have the same bus stop our houses were both ten minutes walk in opposite directions. I wondered if Dane was going to walk back with me to mine for a late evening drink, but given the expression on his face I thought better of asking him.

 

“So, erm. I’ll see you tomorrow Dane.”

 

He looked up from his phone again and gave me a weak smile.

 

“Y’know, if somethings up you can always talk to me about it.”

 

“Sorry Sammy, this wasn’t how tonight was supposed to finish.”

 

“That’s okay. Hey, don’t worry about it. I had a good time.”

 

“So did I.” Again, he smiled weakly at me. “But that message from Michelle has put a damper on things. I’m sorry.”

 

“There’s nothing to be sorry about.” I replied with as much concern in my voice as I could muster.

 

“Well the thing is.” He took a deep breath. “I think Michelle knows about us.”

 

***

 

You remember at the start of this I mentioned three conversations, other than the one between Pete and I? Well here’s the last one and it took place a few hours before our “date”.

 

“Hi Jakey.”

 

“What’s up Mikey?”

 

“I didn’t see you to get a chance to tell you earlier but, you are never gonna guess what I saw at school today?”

 

“A bunch of bored kids wanting to be anywhere else but where they were?”

 

“And that’s why you bunked off today?”

 

“Damn right. Or as they officially call it GCSE study leave for the afternoon.”

 

“You say potato...”

 

“So, what prey tell did you see today that you’re so excited about Mike?”

 

“Well unlike you I had to do my exam study at the library today and booked an audio room. I went straight there at my time and the room was being used...”

 

“Ooh, someone gate crashing the audio room. Stop the press!”

 

“I paused to build the dramatic tension. That wasn’t why I’m calling you. But if you don’t want to know the gossip then I’ve got better things to do with my life.”

 

“Like pine over my sister?”

 

“I do not pine over Michelle.”

 

“You’ve only been following her like a lost puppy since you were ten. I sometimes think that the only reason we’re friends is because you hope that if you hang out with me enough Michelle might actually notice you.”

 

“Or that you only hang out with me because you’re hoping to get into my pants one day”

 

“You’ll break. Trust me, they all do in the end.”

 

“Well considering that we’ve known each other since kindergarten and you haven’t got anywhere with me, I think it is safe to say that it’s never going to happen. And no, before you pull that one out again, no, comparing dick sizes that night when we were fourteen doesn’t count.”

 

“You are so wrong, of course it counts. You were just as hard as me.”

 

“Only because I was thinking of Michelle in the next room.”

 

“While at the same time she was dreaming about her prat of a boyfriend Dane o’Hanlon. Trust me, even if he wasn’t in the picture you still wouldn’t stand a chance with her.”

 

“Well that’s why I’m calling you. Looks like we might just find that out.”

 

“Do you want to stop with the riddles?”

 

“Okay, to put it in terms that even you would understand. What if I tell you that o’Hanlon plays for the same team as you do?”

 

“What? I don’t play on his team. We’re two years his junior, remember?”

 

“Jake, are you being thick on purpose? I’m not talking about your football team, which by the way, is full of homos.”

 

“You’re not still sore that you only got picked for the reserves this year are you?”

 

“Will you shut up about football when I’m trying to tell you that o’Hanlon is a proper bender.”

 

“What? Shut up. If he was I think even Michelle, who let’s face it, hasn’t got much in the brain cell department would have work that out by now don’t you think?”

 

“Well, maybe not proper, proper bent. But I reckon he swings both ways then.”

 

“Okay, I’ll bite. How have you come by this, and I say it with love, frankly unbelievable news?”

 

“As I had started to tell you before you interrupted me with idiotics. I had booked an audio room this afternoon to finish up my project for my Spanish GCSE course work. When I got to the room it was locked, so I knocked and a voice told me to fuck off. I thought I recognised it, but I couldn’t place it. So I called back that I had the room booked and there weren’t any others free. A few minutes later o’Hanlon and y’know that geeky looking kid from his class that always hangs out in the library?”

 

“Yeah, Baker. He’s a good bloke, he’s helped me out a few times in there when the computer I was using had a fit. Now I get the vibe that Baker is definitely gay. ”

 

“Well, it’s good to see that your gaydar isn’t totally out of whack. Anyway, he comes of the audio room and just behind him was o’Hanlon. They were both looking sweaty, clothes all over the place and reeking of sex.”

 

“Doesn’t prove anything though. It could just have been hot in there?”

 

“Trust me, I was in there for an hour or so, it wasn’t that hot in there. And more to the point while I was downloading the file I needed, I noticed a used condom had been chucked down by the side of the desk.”

 

“Okay, so it still doesn’t actually prove anything though. The condom could have been there for days.”

 

“No, I don’t think so. Because earlier when I went to book the room I was told to come back after 12, because the rooms were being cleaned. If I spotted that condom then there is no way a cleaner would have missed it. And if that wasn’t enough, o’Hanlon gave me a look that said to me that he would quite liked to have killed me for my discovery. He probably would have if Baker hadn’t stopped him.”

 

“Well fuck me!”

 

“Told you mate, it ain’t ever gonna happen. But I tell you what. If you tell your sister what I’ve just told you, I’ll put in a good word for you with o’Hanlon. He’s got to be every gay boys wet dream.”

 

“Well he ain’t mine. The guy’s a prick.”

 

“Okay, so sue me. How should I know what goes on in that queer mind of yours? But come on, drop a few hints to Michelle about what I’ve just seen and let nature take its course.”

 

“Mike, just because there’s a small possibility that you might be right, the likelyness of Michelle believing it and dumping o’Hanlon, then her falling into your arms is as likely as I’m going to ever get to, in your words, to fuck you.”

 

“Well I had better lube my arse up then, because she will be mine.”

 

“Ha ha! Seriously?”

 

“No! But if you played your part in the demise of the couple that is Michelle and o’Hanlon. Then I will swoop in and show her that she’d be better off with me. I would be forever grateful to you. So much so that I might let you touch my dick.”

 

“Mikey, our stupid banter aside, you know that I’m not really that into you. Besides I’ve got better things to do than be bothered that my bitch of a sister is seeing a twat who may or may not be cheating on her with another bloke.”

 

“Really? You’ve got better things to do?”

 

“Actually, no. I was bored shitless before you called.”

 

“You fancy going into town this evening to hang out?”

 

“Not if you’re going to go on about my sister all night I don’t.”

 

“I promise I will keep my talk about Michelle to a minimum.”

 

“Okay, there’s an action film that I wouldn’t mind seeing. You up for it?”

 

“As long as I’m guaranteed a car chase and a lot of gun fights I’ll go for that.”

 

“Alright, I’ll call round yours in an hour.”

 

“Why an hour?”

 

“Well I figure that I will need that amount of time to comfort my dear sister when I tell her that her boyfriend is playing away from home with another guy.”

 

“Really? You’re gonna tell her?”

 

“Sure I am. Even if it’s not true and you’ve made a huge mistake, it’ll be a laugh to see her break up with that twat.”

 

“Nice one Jakey boy. I’ll see you in an hour with hopefully some good news.”

 

“Yeah, see you later. Oh, wear something loose fitting. I want to have easy access to your dick tonight.”

 

“Dream on gay boy. Dream on.”