Days Like This - 31. Friday (Night)

Simon stepped out of the back door of Aunt Kate’s car. Niki was sat in the back seat, next to where he’d been sitting, and his mum was sitting in the front passenger seat, with Aunt Kate behind the steering wheel. Aunt Kate was still dressed in her work clothes, but his mum and Niki had changed before leaving home. Niki was wearing black jeans and green shirt, while his mum was wearing her smooth, blue and figure-hugging party dress.

“Thanks Aunt Kate,” Simon called into the car, as Aunt Kate smiled back at him.

“Have fun and don’t do anything I won’t!” Aunt Kate called to him.

“Don’t say that! If he did that it could spoil his whole night,” Niki replied.

“Hey, I’ll try anything once, or twice just to make sure,” Aunt Kate said.

“Don’t remind me,” his mum added.

“Have a great time,” Niki smiled at him.

“Thanks, I will. You lot have a good time, too.”

“I’ll make sure of that,” Aunt Kate said.

“What have I agreed to?” Niki asked, more to the world in general than anyone specifically.

“Bye,” he called as the car pulled away the curb and rushed down the road.

He turned his attention to Jeff’s house, which now stood in front of him. It looked just the same as when he last visited it nearly a week ago, and yet so much had changed since then. He’d never really thought life could move so quickly. But his certainly had.

He walked up the path and rang the doorbell. Again, the sound of metal bells being struck sounded somewhere deep inside the house. For a long moment there was only silence, and he suddenly felt nervous. Was anyone home? Was he too late and Jeff had already left? Then he heard a door open somewhere inside, and footsteps approaching the door.

When the door opened Simon felt a moment of surprise. The man who stood in the doorway was an older version of Jeff. He was just as tall as Jeff, with long arms and legs, though his body was more muscular and solid. His black hair was much shorter than Jeff’s. It was cut close at the sides, while on top it was longer and brushed back over his head. But it was the man’s face. Though older, and with tiny wrinkles seeping out from the corners of his eyes and lips, it was Jeff’s face staring back at him. This was obviously Jeff’s father.

“Evening, Mr Tomlinson,” Simon said.

“Call me Mike. You must be Simon,” Jeff’s father replied. Even his voice sounded like an older version of Jeff’s.

“Yes.”

“I’ve heard a lot about you.”

Simon felt a prickle of embarrassment crawl up the back of his neck.

“Jeff’s up in his bedroom. Just go up.”

Jeff’s father stepped back from the door as he spoke, welcoming Simon into the house.

“Err, where is his bedroom?” Simon found himself awkwardly asking.

“Oh right, you don’t know,” he said, a sudden moment of awkwardness in his voice, too. “The top of the stairs, on the right is a bright red door. That's his bedroom. You can’t miss it.”

“Thanks,” Simon replied.

At the top of the stairs he found a small and narrow corridor, where everything was painted a soft cream; the walls, the ceiling, the skirting boards, and even the doors were all painted cream; everything except one bright red door. That had to be Jeff’s room. He quickly walked up to it and then paused. Should he knock or just walk in? Always knock, always knock, always be polite.

He tapped lightly on the door.

From inside the room Jeff’s voice called out, “Come in!”

Simon opened and stepped into the room, where he was greeted by a sight that made embarrassment rush up the back of his neck. Jeff was lounging on his bed in just his underpants; a pair of black, very tight and contour-hugging boxer-briefs. Simon could clearly see Jeff’s smooth and flat stomach, though his eyes were pulled down to the grey waistband of the black boxer-briefs, and the very prominent bulge in the black material of the underwear. It was so contour hugging that he could see the shape of Jeff’s cock and… His eyes shot back to Jeff’s face. He was smiling broadly at him.

“You’re naked!” Simon exclaimed, as the bedroom door closed behind himself.

“No I’m not,” Jeff replied, as he sat up on his bed. “I’ve still got my pants on.”

“But that’s all.”

“God, don’t such a far right nut job. I waited for you before I got dressed. I’ve got both our outfits sorted out,” Jeff said, swinging his legs over to the far side of his bed and standing up.

With his back to Simon, his solid buttocks sucking in his underwear between them, and emphasised their inviting curves, Simon glanced away in embarrassment. He shouldn’t be looking at his friend like that. He glanced around Jeff’s bedroom.

The room was demonstratively bigger than his own, which would probably fit inside it two or three times over. Pushed against one wall was the double bed that Jeff had been lounging on, covered with a grey duvet. The wall behind had film posters covering it, mainly science fiction and crime films, but only a few block buster films that Simon could recognise. On the opposite wall was a large window with a deep window sill, and two tables in front of it. One was obviously Jeff’s computer table, as there was a computer with two different monitors, and also what looked like two basic computers, possibly Raspberry Pis, along with other computer parts, like printed circuit boards and such. Next to it was a table that Simon guessed Jeff used to write on, as there were pads of paper, pots of pens, and books stacked up upon each other. In the middle of it was a freestanding mirror in a white wooden frame, resting against its stand which had been folded out from behind it. It looked as if it had been hurriedly placed there. It certainly didn’t look like this was its natural home.

The wall opposite the doorway was filled by Jeff’s wardrobe and bookshelves. The wardrobe was big, with double doors and a vertical column of deep drawers running from top to bottom on one side. Next to the wardrobe wooden shelves had been fixed to the wall with a series of brackets. They ran from floor to ceiling and were filled with a mixture of things; mostly books, but there were CDs and DVDs on them too, plus the odd action figure, a metal tin, and even an old alarm clock.

Simon thought he could be very comfortable in this bedroom, and that Jeff certainly must be.

“I picked out these for you, and these for me for tonight,” Jeff said, holding up two coat hangers, one in each hand, with clothes hanging off them. The one in his right hand he’d indicated were for himself, and the one in his left hand he indicated for Simon.

Jeff’s clothes were a pale grey, ribbed top with long sleeves and a round, collarless neck, and a pair of jeans that seemed to be made from a patchwork of different materials, bright cottons and smooth velvets. They could have looked weird and hippie-like, but the way the different materials had been selected and stitched together gave them a coordinated and attractive pattern.

The outfit he’d chosen for Simon was a silver metallic shirt and a pair of very black jeans, not a very dark grey, but a uniform and smooth black. The shirt was a silver metallic material. It almost looked to be made of real metal the way the light reflected off it. It had a row of silver metal buttons up the front, a small, neat collar at the neck, and short sleeves. Simon was surprised and impressed by the shirt. It was not what he’d thought Jeff would wear and yet it was such an amazing thing. It almost gleamed as the silver metallic material caught the light.

“Those clothes are great,” Simon said.

“Get stripped off and you can put them on,” Jeff replied.

“What? Here?”

He suddenly felt modest.

“Only down to your underwear. And its only me. You can’t put these clothes on over what you’re got on.”

“Okay, okay,” he said, giving in easily.

It was just Jeff and himself, and Jeff was already stripped down to his underwear and… Simon felt excitement beginning to tap away at the back of his mind, and to tingle away at the top of his cock.

He turned his body slightly away from Jeff, so now he was stood in profile. He didn’t know why he did that, but it felt right. He took his jacket off, dropping it down on the end of the bed. Quickly he took off his trainers and socks, before realising he hadn't actually needed to remove the socks. He then pulled his t-shirt over his head and quickly turned it right-side out before dropping it on Jeff’s bed. Finally he unbuttoned the fly of his jeans and pushed them down his legs and stepped out of them. He was wearing his best pair of electric blue briefs, but as he dropped his jeans onto Jeff’s bed, he suddenly felt rather naked. It was only Jeff, but still…

“Nice bum,” Jeff said, staring straight at him.

“Hey, you’re not supposed to look at my bum!”

The words jumped out of his mouth in surprise. Jeff was looking at his bum!

“Why shouldn’t I?”

“Because we’re friends.”

“But I look at your bum all the time. It’s a really nice bum and I can’t stop myself.”

“We’re just friends.”

Simon stared at him, his mind was racing with what Jeff was saying. Do friends really talk like that to each other?

“Yes, and I want to be your boyfriend. I’d like you to be my boyfriend, I mean.”

Jeff smiled that broad smile of his at Simon. That smile that seemed to light up his entire face.

“You… You do?”

“Yes, since almost the day we met,” Jeff said, with an awkward smile. “I have been putting my best moves on you all week and it’s been getting me nowhere.”

“Your moves?”

“Yes. I took hold of your hand in the cinema last week. I kissed you goodbye last night. I’ve been ringing you up all week, too. We held hands in the back of Niki’s car. I thought I was being really unsubtle.”

“But you kissed Freddie goodbye, too.”

“I know. I wasn’t really thinking. I just did it.

“Oh...”

Simon felt awkward and nervous standing there. He was only wearing his underpants, and with everything Jeff was saying… he wanted to cover his groin with his hands.

“Freddie was right, I should have just asked you out. He told me to just ask you out tonight,” Jeff said, standing up from the bed.

“He didn’t say anything to me.”

Freddie hadn’t even dropped a hint that Jeff liked him.

“He can really keep a secret.”

“Yes, he can.”

“And Vee said I can be too laid back for my own good.”

“I like you being laid back,” Simon replied. He meant it, too.

“Do you like me enough to go out with me?”

“Yes,” Simon quietly said, nerves catching hold at the back of his throat.

“Will you go out with me?”

“Yes,” his voice was even more quiet now, almost as though he thought that, if he spoke any louder, he would break the spell hanging over them.

“Can I kiss you?”

“Yes please,” he replied, excitement pushing up the volume of his voice. This was real, not some impossible wish.

Jeff took the few steps until he was in front of Simon. Simon could feel Jeff’s body in front of him, the presence of it, just mere millimetres away from his. Then he leaned in and kissed him, Jeff’s arms wrapping around his body, drawing their naked chests together, and pressing their groins together. And Simon wrapped his arms around Jeff’s lean and muscular back, Jeff’s smooth skin under his fingers. Jeff’s kiss was full-on and passionate. His tongue filled Simon's mouth. His lips pressed down onto Simon's and caressed over them. And Simon loved it.

This kiss was real and his whole body was buzzing with sexual excitement. With each movement of Jeff’s tongue his cock twitched, pushing it into an erection inside his underwear. But he didn’t feel embarrassed about being so excited, because he could feel Jeff’s own erect cock pressing into his groin. Jeff was obviously excited, too.

Jeff ended their kiss, gently pulling his lips away from Simon’s, but still keeping his arms wrapped around his body. And Simon simply clung onto him. He’d told himself that they were just friends, that this wasn’t possible. And he had been so wrong.

Jeff rubbed his hard cock against Simon’s, only two layers of thin material separating them, and Simon let out a gasp of excitement. His whole body was buzzing in this moment.

“I so want to have sex with you,” Jeff quietly said, his voice almost whispering in Simon’s ear.

He could feel Jeff’s breath brush over his ear and check.

“So do I,” he almost gasped in return.

“But we can’t.”

Jeff’s voice held a deep tone of regret.

“Why?”

“Because Freddie and Vee will be here soon, and I’d die if they walked in on us.”

“God, yes!”

“We should get ready.”

“Yes,” Simon agreed.

Reluctantly they broke their embrace, both of them taking a step back from each other, though Simon tried not to look at the very bulging outline in the front of Jeff’s briefs. But he also didn’t want that embrace to end. He’d felt warm and excited and very safe wrapped up in Jeff’s arms, and stepping away from him left him feeling suddenly empty. He was being silly, he knew, but in that moment he wanted that embrace back again.

“Let’s get dressed,” Jeff said.

“Yes,” Simon agreed.

He turned towards the bed where the clothes Jeff had chosen lay, picked up the silver metallic shirt and quickly slipped it over his shoulders. To his surprise, the material didn’t feel sharp and metallic but felt very smooth as it slid over his skin. He did up the buttons, but stopped two buttons from the top. The shirt certainly made him feel good. Even a bit sexy.

As he picked up the black jeans, he saw Jeff was already dressed in his grey ribbed top and highly patterned patchwork jeans. Simon thought he looked good. The grey ribbed top clung closely to his body, emphasising the muscles across his lean chest and showing off the shape of his torso. The patchwork jeans fitted his legs in a carefully tailored way, not snugly tight, but they fit well and showed off his long muscular legs. They were quite different to the clothes that he Jeff usually wore for college, and yet they suited him so well. He looked attractive and very sexy in them.

Simon turned to putting on the black jeans. His legs easily slid down the legs of them, and he was able to do up the fly buttons comfortably. They fitted snugly around his waist, and he could feel them clinging tightly to his buttocks. He had the same waist size as Jeff? The only problem was the legs were far too long. Even with the jeans pulled up to his waist the end of the legs stretched so far past his feet that he was actually standing on them.

“That shirt looks really good on you,” Jeff said.

“Thanks, it feels amazing.”

“And those jeans look really good on you, too.”

“They’re just really too long,” he replied, raising one of his feet, which was completely covered in the leg of the jeans, as if to demonstrate.

“I can easily fix that. Put your foot up on the bed.”

Simon did that and Jeff sat down next to him. In a matter of moments he had rolled up the leg of the jeans until it sat around his ankle in a neat turn-up.

“Next foot,” Jeff said.

Simon changed his feet over, his left foot now resting on the bed, and Jeff quickly rolled up that leg until it had an equally neat and matching turn-up.

Simon placed both his feet on the floor and looked down at his legs. The jeans hugged his legs snugly, and the turn-ups sat neatly against his ankles. They make his legs look good, and he felt good wearing them.

“They look great,” Simon exclaimed.

“You look great,” Jeff said.

He looked up at Jeff who was smiling that lovely and broad smile back at him.

“You look amazing,” he told Jeff.

“Thanks,” Jeff replied, a slight pink tinge rising on his cheeks.

“These clothes are great. Thanks for lending them to me.”

“It’s nothing. I’m glad they make you look so good.”

“I feel so good in them.”

“Great. Now come and sit down here, and I’ll put some gel in your hair.”

“You won’t overdo it?”

“Of course I won’t. I’ll just make you look even better.”

Simon sat down on the chair at Jeff’s writing table.

“You’re okay doing this? You know how to do this?” he asked, nervously. When did Jeff ever say he knew how to do hair?

“My sister Sian is a make-up artist. She’s a proper one. She doesn’t work in some Cut ‘n’ Dye hairdressers. She works on TV productions, making up actors and such. She taught me to do this. Don’t worry.”

“Okay,” Simon said, relaxing back against the chair.

Jeff squirted some hair gel into the palm of his left hand, then rubbed both hands together, before drawing his hands through Simon’s hair. It felt relaxingly good as Jeff’s fingers gently brushed through his hair, gently massaging over his scalp.

“You had a boyfriend before?” Jeff asked, as he styled the gel through Simon's hair.

“Yeah, the shit Max.”

“You don’t have to say, but why did you two break up?”

“He wanted us to go all the way. You know... he wanted to fuck me. Thing was I didn’t feel ready but he didn’t want to hear that. He just dumped me, he didn’t even talk to me about it. He just cut me dead. He didn’t reply to any of my texts and he blocked me on Facebook and Twitter and everything.”

“Shit, that was harsh. Only because you didn’t want to be fucked.”

“But I like the idea of being fucked. The idea really turns me on. I’ve seen those guys getting fucked in porn videos online, and they always look like they’re really enjoying themselves. I just didn’t want my first time to be on the backseat of a Volkswagen Golf.”

“No you don’t. You want it to be in nice, big double bed, with tasteful grey sheets. Like mine.”

Embarrassment prickled at the back of Simon's neck again.

“What about your boyfriend? What happened with him?” Simon asked, trying to change the subject.

“Karl, the twat.”

“If it’s too bad…” Simon said, finding himself almost mumbling.

“No, Karl was a twat. It's a statement of fact. I went to college to be with him. I followed him around everywhere. Then I went and told him I loved him and he dropped me so fast. He panicked and ran away from me just because I said I loved him. I felt like shit. I went from loving him to hating him so quickly. It was horrible.”

“I’m sorry,” Simon quietly said.

“Don’t worry. I don’t see him now, ever, and that’s good. Now look at your hair.”

Simon turned around and looked at himself in the wooden framed mirror on Jeff’s writing desk. The image in the mirror surprised and then delighted him. Jeff had tamed and styled his unruly mop of hair. His curls were now dark and open. The gel had given his brown hair a rich and dark tone. It had also relaxed his hair, which now rested against his head in large, open curls. Several curls hung over his forehead, hiding its great white expanse. Jeff had also swept back the sides, so the hair clung to the side of his head and swept back behind his ears. The curls on the top of his head were flattened down, resting in open and loose curls. His new hairstyle opened up his face, so that it was no longer dominated by two thick curtains of curls on either side of it.

“I like it, it's… it's really good. Thank you,” Simon said.

“You look so great like that,” Jeff replied.

Simon turned back to Jeff and saw that he was smiling his trademark smile. He loved Jeff’s smile. it was warm and welcoming, and lit up his whole face. Simon always felt so reassured when he saw Jeff smiling at him. It was a good feeling. One that he liked.

“I was thinking, why don’t you stay over here tonight? You’d have to come back here to collect your clothes sometime, and it’s easy to get back than your house from town when we’ll be leaving Hades.”

“With you?”

“Yes, sleep with me. My bed’s big enough.”

“Won’t your dad mind?”

“Karl used to stay over in my room all the time and dad didn’t mind. I’ve been talking about you a lot to him. He's noticed I like you a lot. He told me to ask you out, too.”

“He did?”

“Yes. He’ll have no problems with you staying over. His bedroom is at the front of the house, and he wears earplugs at night.”

“Right,” Simon said. It all sounded already organised. But, strangely, that felt comfortable, too. This was Jeff showing him he cared.

“And I’ve got some condoms and lube. But only if you want to use them. We don’t have to anything heavy if you don’t want.”

“Let’s see when we get back here,” Simon said.

The idea of getting into bed with Jeff, both of them naked, was the most exciting thing he could imagine. Going all the way with Jeff, letting him enter him, Jeff actually being inside of him, he wanted that. He smiled back at Jeff.

Jeff lent forward and kissed him again. It wasn’t as passionate as their earlier one, but it was long, and warm, and welcoming. Jeff’s lips felt so soft and gentle as they kissed his own. This kiss was so exciting, and Simon felt an excitement run through his body, making his cock swell and twitch with that excitement.

In that moment Simon just wanted to jump into bed with Jeff and have sex right away. But they couldn’t. Freddie and Vee would arrive soon, and they had a whole evening planned ahead of them. He’d been looking forward to tonight's trip to Hades. But he’d only ever dreamed he could be Jeff’s boyfriend. Why did everything come at once?

When Jeff broke the kiss Simon stood up, saying, “I need to tell my mum I’m going to stay the night with you. She might go crazy if I just didn’t come home tonight.”

“Yes, good idea.”

Simon pulled his phone out of his own jeans pocket, which were lying on Jeff’s bed. He opened up the home screen and dialled his mum’s phone. He held his phone to his ear, but the call just went straight to voicemail. His mum was on another call.

Hanging up, he said, “She’s on another call. I’ll call Niki.”

He quickly called up Niki’s number and dialled that. Niki answered after three rings.

“Hi, are you okay there?” Niki asked.

“Yes, I’m all fine here,” Simon replied, as Jeff grinned broadly at him.

“What can I do for you?”

“I just rang mum, but she’s on another call.”

“She’s ringing Val and Janet, two other nurses from work. Kate wants a big night out to celebrate. Wait a moment.” Niki’s voice became muffled, as if she was holding her phone away from her head. “I said, no male strippers… Well pick somewhere else.” Niki’s voice then came back onto the phone. “God, I’m going to regret this. I don’t know what I’ve let myself in for. Kate is buzzing with all this. Anyway, what can I do for you?”

“Jeff has asked me to stay over at his tonight. It's easier to get back to Jeff’s from Hades,” he said, adding the second part of his sentence as a sort of explanation.

“Jeff? This is the tall, handsome boy who kissed you goodnight last night?”

“Yes, that’s him.”

“He’s very nice and you deserve a nice boy.”

“Thanks.”

Simon felt embarrassment prickling at the back of his neck. Niki seemed to already know what was happening.

“So tonight will be your first date.”

“Sort of, yes.”

“Good. You two enjoy yourselves and do want you to tonight.”

“Thanks.”

“But you need to bring Jeff home tomorrow for lunch, so he can meet your mum.”

“Do I?”

He felt a moment of panic. What would his mum say? What would she do when faced with Jeff? God, he didn’t want her going off the deep end or anything. He couldn’t help but remember what he’d overheard the other night.

“Yes. Your mum needs to meet Jeff and see that he’s a nice boy. Don’t worry about her. She’s in a really good mood. All this stress has been lifted off her, and I’ll be there and I can keep her in check. Your mum needs to meet Jeff and see he’s good for you. You two were so sweet together last night. She needs to see that. Trust me.”

“Okay, we’ll be there tomorrow. Twelve o’clock?”

“Make it one o’clock. I don’t think we’ll be getting up early tomorrow morning. Now have a good time tonight.”

“We will. And you, too.”

“My night is going to be interesting. I’ll tell you all about it tomorrow.”

“Great. Bye.”

“Goodbye and have fun.”

Simon hung up the call and pushed his phone into the pocket of the jeans he was wearing.

“That sounded like it went easy,” Jeff said.

“It was Niki. Of course it was.”

“She’s so cool.”

“She is. But she did say you need to come to lunch tomorrow, so you can meet my mum.”

“Meeting your mum, that really sounds serious.”

“Don’t joke about it. This could be awkward.”

“Because of what you overheard the other night?”

“Yes.”

“Does Niki know you heard what your mum said?”

“God no, but she heard what my mum said. My mum said it to her.”

“Then this is her way of helping.”

“She did say we looked sweet together last night.”

“We look good together.”

Jeff reached over and took hold of Simon's hand. Jeff’s hand felt smooth and warm against his own, with his strong fingers gripping his hand firmly and reassuringly, but not overly as to crush his fingers. It was a good feeling.

“Having lunch with your mum and Niki does mean something else will happen,” Jeff said, still smiling at him.

“What?”

“My dad will want you three to have dinner with us, and soon.”

“God, are we moving too quickly?”

“No, it’s just other people. We go at the pace we want. Okay?”

“Yes,” Simon replied.

The sound of metal bells being struck somewhere downstairs rang out for a moment. It was the doorbell, but it sounded different up there.

“I bet that’s Freddie and Vee,” Jeff said, but he didn’t let go of Simon’s hand.

It only took a few moments but Simon heard every sound of it. Jeff’s dad opened the front door, there was the muffled voices of Freddie and Vee, and then there was the sound of feet running up the stairs. Finally Jeff’s bedroom door sprang open and Freddie and Vee almost burst into the room, their bodies animated with obvious excitement.

Simon was surprised and then delighted by how different and amazing both Freddie and Vee were looking. Freddie’s hair was smoothed down with gel, emphasising his blonde streaks, making them literally streak back through his dark hair. His clothes were very different too, not his usual tailored, stylish type. Instead, he was wearing a pair of pale and very faded jeans, with a large rip across the left knee and right thigh. He had on a white t-shirt with a blue flash of lightening across the front of it, worn under a battered, old, black leather jacket. The creases in it, especially at the elbows, were so deep that they ran white against the black leather.

Vee was looking just as different and stunning, but in another direction. She was dressed all in black, but this only enhanced her beauty. She was wearing a shear, almost completely see-through, blouse, edged in a shiny black material. Under it she had on a black sports bra that stretched down to her mid-torso. Also, she was wearing a black mini-shirt, over black leggings, that ended in black trainers, with a thin white strip of skin visible between the end of the leggings and the top of the trainers. Her purple hair actually shone; it took him a moment to realise that she had sprayed glitter into it. In those clothes Vee’s body shone out as both sexual and beautiful. It wasn’t just that he could see her figure, it was that she oozed confidence and sexuality. She dominated Freddie standing there next to him.

“I win! You owe me a fiver!” Vee exclaimed.

“What?” Jeff replied.

“Freddie bet me a fiver that you two would be having sex when we arrived,” she said. “But I had more faith in you.”

“You knew about us?” Simon asked.

Vee had known about him and Jeff, but how?

“It was obvious. Both of you would look at the other one when you thought he wasn’t looking with such… well, almost love. It was so sweet. You two together are so sweet,” Vee said.

“And Jeff told me how much he liked you,” Freddie said.

“But why didn’t either of you say anything?” Simon asked them.

“Because it wasn’t our place to. You two had to work it out,” Freddie said.

“Oh,” Simon said.

He was still surprised that both Freddie and Vee knew how he’d felt, or at least seen it.

“If I’d gone ahead and match made you two, you’d have been boyfriends over a week ago. But you won’t have had this story about how you got together,” Freddie said, beaming a smile back at them.

“Yeah, and if Uncle Freddie match makes it always goes wrong. I told Freddie to back off and leave you two alone,” Vee said.

“Matchmaking is not of my natural abilities,” Freddie said.

“Three straight girls and one psycho ex-girlfriend. That's the success of your matchmaking with me,” Vee said, staring at Freddie.

“We all have our off days,” Freddie replied.

“And these beautiful boys got together all by themselves, the way they should have,” Vee said.

Jeff squeezed his hand for a moment, a reassuring and affectionate squeeze, and Simon squeezed Jeff’s hand back in reply.

“You two look amazing,” Simon said to Vee and Freddie. He wanted to say it the moment he saw them but had been suddenly sidetracked by Vee’s announcement.

“We do, don’t we?” Freddie replied, almost puffing up with pride.

“But you're not wearing those stylish clothes you usually wear to college,” Simon replied.

“These are my pulling clothes. I’ve got to give the right impression,” Freddie said.

“Yeah, slutty,” Vee added.

Freddie pursed his lips for a moment before saying, “It’s a look and it works. Anyway, at college I choose a different look. I’m not going to meet the man of my dreams there. Not like you two, So I dress for myself.”

“But, Vee, you look really amazing,” Simon said.

“Thanks. These are my party clothes and I always feel good in them.”

“You should dress like that all the time. You look amazing,” he said.

“God, no,” Vee replied. “Having all those dumb, straight boys drooling all over me. Ugh. I’m dressing for me because tonight we’re going out to party. The only people I want drooling over me tonight are gorgeous women and emo boys.”

“Then we’ll have to find you one of each,” Jeff said.

“We’ll see,” Vee replied.

“Anyway, you two look fabulous as well,” Freddie said.

“These are Jeff’s clothes,” Simon said. “They’re great.”

“I remember getting Jeff to buy that shirt,” Freddie said. “Though it does look much better on you.”

“It does, doesn’t it?” Jeff said. “You should keep it.”

“Thanks,” Simon said, as embarrassment crept up the back of his neck. He couldn’t keep this shirt. He’d have to make sure that he gave it back to Jeff.

“We need to get going now,” Freddie said. “I don’t want to turn up as the Drag Act has started.”

“Don’t worry, we won’t be late,” Jeff said.

“He’s worried that all the talent will be taken before we arrive,” Vee said.

“There is that, as well,” Freddie admitted.

“Great. I’m going to spend the night watching you chase after half the men there!” Vee said, rolling her eyes in mock boredom.

“You can spend the night was us,” Jeff told her.

“Watching you two kissing face and not keeping your hands off each other all night? The sacrifices I make for you boys. There better be some nice women there tonight,” Vee replied.

“It’s Hades,” Jeff said.

“And we’re going to be late getting there,” Freddie added.

“The worst part of the evening is now ahead of us,” Vee said.

“What’s that?” Simon asked.

“Getting the bus into town looking this fabulous,” Vee told them. “We’ll get stared at all the way into town.

“We’ll give some grannies a thrill,” Freddie replied.

“Getting the bus?” Jeff said. “We’re getting a taxi there and back.”

“We are?”

Vee looked at him with a puzzled expression.

“I can’t afford a taxi there and back,” Freddie. “That will be most of my drinking money for the night gone.”

“My dad has given me his company’s taxi account number. All we have to do is call the number and we can get a taxi. Dad said he’d pay for it,” Jeff told them.

“I love your dad!” Freddie exclaimed, clapping his hands together with delight.

“Come on then Fashion Boy, we’ve a taxi to order. And to thank Jeff’s dad,” Vee said, as she turned towards the bedroom door, almost pulling Freddie with her.

“Are you ready for a ride of a lifetime, or at least an evening out with us all?” Jeff asked Simon.

“I can’t wait,” Simon replied.

“Come on then,” Jeff said, still holding Simon's hand and leading him out of the bedroom.

Simon was so excited. Excited about what was ahead of him.

The End