Turbulence - 10. Chapter 10

Daniel shadowed Denver around the house. It was the first place Denver had taken him to what approached or exceeded the Hawk home in style or wealth. The two-story Colonial was three blocks closer to the river than Denver's place and only one block off Alexander Drive and the riverfront properties. At Denver's suggestion they had walked the length of the park bordering the small coulee which dipped down to the river. Daniel noticed the odd jogger and a few packs of well-dressed children scrambling up and down the steep slopes. He could easily imagine a small Denver building forts in the deeper tangles on a hot summer day. The imposing white house backed onto this park and Denver led him through the back gate and into a shady yard sprinkled with friendly faces.

Denver threaded his way through to the kitchen where a keg of draft stood hemmed in by a crowd. Clearly if the keg had a mind to bolt for the door, a collection of watchful guards would efficiently wrestle it back into place. Daniel discovered Greg and Chow among the attentive crowd. He let Chow siphon off a glass for him while he smiled tentatively at Greg.

“I'm a tool with a short handle,” Greg suddenly muttered and as Daniel stood puzzling out the remark, Greg grabbed his hand and squeezed it once. “I worship my senior as a god.”

Chow thrust the glass of draft at Daniel and nudged Greg playfully. “Dustin Wells makes him say that.” Daniel cocked his head quizically and Chow elaborated and pointed, "His senior." Daniel understood and glanced to where a weedy senior stood absorbed in a conversation with a younger girl.

“So do you have to do anything?” asked Daniel.

“Not really,” Chow replied.

Daniel located Denver across the room. The distance made him nervous; he expected to find a smaller gathering. Denver had promised to introduce him to an older crowd he could rely on when school started.

"So what's happening?” Daniel added to keep the conversation moving.

“Did you go to that camp again?” asked Greg. Daniel nodded before taking a sip. “Arlo and Chris said you didn't tell them much about it.” Daniel wondered briefly what Arlo and Chris had actually told Greg. “You're still pretty tight with Arlo I hear.” Daniel decided it was safer to say nothing and sip his beer. He was still awkward around Greg. “Do you figure we'll get into the same classes next year?”

“I don't know. It's a really big school.”

They shifted ground to sports. Greg seemed confident there would be no trouble making teams in ninth grade. Looking at the taller and better built boy, Daniel understood why. Greg was as big as a tenth or eleventh grader. Daniel was less sure about his own chances. Their conversation was interrupted by Denver.

“I'm a tool with a short handle. I worship my senior as a god.” Greg chanted to Denver. Denver let Greg shake his hand.

“I'm sure you are. Sorry guys, but I need to pull Daniel away for awhile.”

Daniel was glad to go. Seeing Greg was a reminder of grade eight with its desire for Mandy and her continued love for Greg. Did Greg even care that she still wore the silver bracelet he had given her at Christmas? Daniel knew he should have given it to her himself. Greg never even paid him back.

“Maybe you should come up with something for me to say.” Denver grunted and asked Daniel what that might be. As they threaded their way into the dining room Daniel tried a phrase. “I have a big tool and I'm not a virgin.” He was still quite proud of that fact and was disappointed Amber showed no interest in doing anything more than make out since.

“I have a cute butt.”

“What?”

“You can say that instead.”

“Oh man,” Daniel's heart sank. “Are you serious?” They were heading toward a group gathered around an older high school student.

“I am nine centimeters and I have a cute butt.”

“Fifteen.”

“That's stretching it.”

“I can do that.” Daniel was not sure if Denver was serious until they joined the group and Denver jogged his elbow. Daniel coughed a little beer before announcing “Hi, I'm fifteen centimeters and I have a cute butt.” Denver made no comment on the modification.

His announcement was met with little response. An older guy sitting in a chair looked him over.

“For a c-note your ass should be gold.” He was the first person to comment on the price Denver had paid. Daniel blushed, but the remark had been a friendly one.

“So where is your freshie Colin?”

The senior pointed toward the living room. Daniel caught sight of girl attended by two friends and a crowd of admirers. Daniel was impressed.

“Nice” Denver commented. “And well over two hundred.” This made Daniel feel a bit better about the money Denver had spent.

“Nothing but the best for us Denver.”

Daniel noticed Denver was coming across differently. When he spoke with Colin it was like they were in a snobby clique together. Denver and Colin were flashing their money around. It was a side of Denver he did not see when he was with Amber, Amanda and Mark.

“What's your name kid?”

“Daniel.”

Colin called out to the girl. “Breck!” She looked at him with a practiced flip of her hair. "This is Daniel.” He pointed at Daniel and she studied him for a moment with a cool look.

Ice Queen, Daniel decided. She gave him a smile that had more warmth. I must have made the grade, he concluded. She waved him over and he gave her a friendly nod back.

Denver delayed him with a few introductions. They were names Daniel thought he would have some difficulty remembering. He knew he was supposed to connect with them. When he could break away he detoured back to the keg for a refill.

Breck made room for him on the couch by asking one of the other ninth graders to shift onto the arm rest. That felt a little wrong to Daniel so he ended up on the floor beside a pair of older boys. “Vince, Seth, Tiffany, Samantha, this is Daniel. What school did you go to?” Daniel noticed she had not introduced everyone.

“7th Avenue.” He turned a little and smiled at a thin girl with long hair. She smiled back at him. Daniel was going to introduce himself to the girl and a chubby boy standing beside her, but his attention was drawn back toward Breck.

“Daniel is high cost, aren't you?”

“What?”

“Daniel,” her tone was self important, “you are a member of the exclusive C-Club.” Her eyes quickly shifted around the small circle that seemed to be her world at the party.

“How's that?” Daniel was fascinated by her beauty -- she could have been a fashion model. Except for Amber Klein, the girls he knew did not seem to wear makeup. Breck and her companions wore heavy lipstick. He felt a little intimidated by her.

“You are worth a hundred dollars.” Said that way, Daniel felt a little pathetic.

"Breck was over two hundred," contributed the girl named Tiffany. Daniel guessed he was supposed to be impressed. All he could think about was the games he could buy for two hundred dollars. He was also saving for his own car now and two hundred dollars added to his savings account would give him about. . . two hundred and thirty-nine dollars toward a cherry red Mustang. He could not see spending that kind of money on a girl.

"Samantha said she saw you at the freshie party." Daniel turned to the guy on his left; he looked too old to be in grade nine. The damn party was going to follow him around everywhere he went. "You shoulda seen it last year, it was pretty bad."

"It was pretty gross this year."

"Colin wouldn't take me." Breck sounded put out by it. "He said it was too rough."

"It was rough."

It was a subject Daniel would like to drop before someone remembered too many details. He started to relax when the conversation shifted to other topics. He listened to the five of them talk about people he did not know from the school they had all gone to. He gathered that all three girls lived across the river from him. They all seemed like nice people.

Daniel drained his beer and decided he was ready for another. He asked the others if they were interested and took a few orders before he headed back to the kitchen. Greg and Chow were still guarding the keg and he stopped to share a few more words with them. After he filled four glasses, he realized he could not handle them all. He tried to juggle them unsuccessfully until a soft voice whispered, “Here, let me help you.”

Daniel turned around and found the thin girl beside him. “Thanks.” He passed her two of the glasses. “Hey, did you want a glass too?”

“Thanks.” she blushed and looked down. Daniel poured off another glass and pinched two by the rims so that he could manage three.

“I’m Daniel,” he introduced himself unnecessarily.

“I’m Raina.”

When they returned to the circle Daniel distributed the drinks. He noticed the heavy-set boy did not have a beer so he offered him the one he had fetched for himself. The boy smiled briefly at him and accepted the drink. Left without a drink, Daniel headed back to the kitchen. When he returned he brought an extra. The boy had taken his place so he sat down near the girl named Raina.

“That’s Aiden,” Raina offered. Daniel thought the boy was as captivated by Breck as he was. Raina sat on her legs with the plastic glass of beer propped on one knee. "I remember you."

"From the warehouse party?"

"No, I was there, but I didn't see you. There were a lot of people there, pretty crazy. I'm glad you didn't see me. Marsh had me in this awful costume." She blushed and hid her embarrassment behind a quick sip of beer. Daniel imagined she probably looked pretty good. He did not remember her though. "I was at that party where all you guys dressed up."

"God, that was embarrassing. We all looked pretty bad." He had found it a bit funny at the time, but sitting in Colin’s posh living room he realized the whole affair had been unequivocally gay.

"No you were cute with the skirt and wig. I envied your outfit. It looked nice on you." She smiled at the thought.

"One of Denver's girlfriends helped make me up." He was sorry she remembered him that way.

"We danced together for a while."

"I feel stupid, I don't remember you." Daniel sat cross-legged holding both beers in his hands; he tried to down the first one quickly just to get rid of it.

There was a sudden burst of laughter from the three girls and Raina glanced at them. "I'm not much to remember." She covered her confession with another sip of her beer.

Daniel could not think of anything to say. It left an awkward silence he knew he should fill. He wondered why talking with girls was so hard. Aiden did not seem to have a problem. Daniel listened as the other boy tried to join Breck's conversation. They were talking about the seniors; or rather they were listening to Breck talk about her senior. Breck was impressed by Colin's wealth. Marissa or Tiffany would interject with a word or two about features of the house.

Daniel was considering the best way to repair his conversation with Raina when Colin gave a shout from the dining room. "Freshies haul ass in here, we need you guys." Daniel helped Raina to her feet and followed everyone to where Colin, Denver and three other twelfth graders sat amidst cards and poker chips. "We're going to play strip poker." Colin glanced at the other seniors. "Settle up before we begin boys." There was a momentary redistribution of money during which Daniel gained the impression Denver had been the big loser. "Freshies, go stand with your seniors." Daniel moved behind Denver and bit his lip. Aiden, Breck, Tiffany and Seth were also in the game. The other ninth graders did their best to blend into the safety of the crowd.

"Are you any good at poker?" Daniel asked Denver anxiously.

Denver shrugged. "Not really."

"Great," Daniel whispered with a sigh.

Daniel watched the seniors play. The first hand Denver folded with a seven and a two. Colin raised one and three of the others folded. They were just getting warmed up to the idea and the bidding was cautious. Seth's senior raised it to two after the flop and Colin casually pushed it up to four. The other senior called and Colin won with two jacks.

"So what happens now?" Seth's senior voiced Daniel's silent question.

"Your freshie drops four items."

"Anything?"

One of the older kids called out. "No way! They'll be dropping dimes and pennies all night. It's got to be clothing." There seemed to be general agreement around the room. The five freshies exchanged glances.

"Okay, clothing it is." Seth thought for a moment and then took his shoes and socks off. Daniel cursed himself. He had removed his shoes at the door when he came in.

“I have an idea. . .” Daniel hoped Denver’s idea would save him some embarrassment. “The clothes have to go in the pot as we bid.”

“There isn’t enough room on the table.”

They considered Denver’s suggestion for awhile. Daniel could see the seniors were warming up to the idea.

“So if you win a hand the kids get their clothes back?”

“Right, but it might not be their own… could be interesting.”

“Make room at the table.”

Cards were shifted around for the next hand. Daniel sighed and resigned himself to the game. He had played strip poker with his friends many times. It could get exciting in a pervy sort of way. This was a little different.

Daniel lost his shirt and socks in the next round. In the third round he lost his pants. It did not seem to take long. Denver was lucky in the next round and Daniel got his pants and someone's shirt back. The five card players were evenly matched and the ninth graders were kept busy adding and removing clothing.

Aiden's senior pushed it to the next level when he raised the bid to five. The players stopped for a minute and dropped their cards. "He’s only got four things on and we were not going to play underwear," Seth's senior pointed out.

"We'll go underwear, but it should count for three."

"No way, it counts for one."

"That still leaves you short man."

"Okay, Aiden does a trick."

"Like what?"

"Aiden kisses Breck."

"If he wins maybe, but what if he loses?"

"Aiden kisses the loosing hands."

There was general agreement.

"Let's not use the underwear, let's go right to the tricks." Denver's suggestion was immediately jumped on by the five freshies and met with boos from the assembled crowd. Daniel was down to his boxers and did not want to go any farther.

They played the hand out and Aiden was forced to kiss the other freshies. It was a familiar challenge from the other parties and the boys and girls did it as quickly as they could. Denver won the next hand so Daniel recovered his clothes. He accepted another beer from Raina who had moved over to his side of the table. Greg and Chow seemed to be getting a kick out of his discomfort.

The seniors became more aggressive after that. Tiffany gave Daniel an awkward lap dance and for the next four hands Daniel lost his clothes and started doing tricks.

"I raise you two and Daniel lets Breck see the family jewels."

When it was down to two players the seniors turned to challenging the tricks. The two victims exchanged a short glance. Daniel felt like everyone was staring at his crotch.

"I call."

Denver never even looked at Daniel. He lost the hand and Daniel did the first two tricks on his list. Kissing all the ninth graders in the room and kissing Denver. When he was done he turned to Breck. His face was burning and his cock was starting to grow. He was not sure which would have been worse; letting her see his boner or having his cock shrivel up in fear. Breck did not seem to be embarrassed at all. As the crowed leered with anticipation she gingerly pulled the front of his boxers out and took a long peek at him. When she was done she met his eyes and mimicked a look of awe that generated hoots around the room. It was Daniel's worst moment and after that the game quickly collapsed.

Pot of Gold
Saturday, 11:30 PM

Daniel escaped from the crowd and searched out a bathroom. His bladder was full of beer and it was almost painful to let it go. He didn't even bother to dress -- he just grabbed his clothes and carried them with him. The bathroom was a momentary refuge from the seniors. A limestone counter ran across one wall and Daniel looked at himself in the big mirror. His cock was still outlined against the soft fabric of the boxers. He looked at his stomach and chest. Well, at least he was not fat like Aiden. He moved to the toilet and watched the heavy play of urine around the bowl. Not much hair there. Breck would not have been impressed. He jerked his pants on and pulled the t-shirt over his head.

When he opened the door Breck pushed him back into the bathroom. Tiffany and Marissa followed her in. He fell back uncertainly. He tingled as they giggled together. "We're going to give you a rainbow." Breck did not even ask him. He was tongue tied as she let her fingers flutter over his chest. As her friends stared she opened his pants and hooked her fingers into the band of his boxers and pulled everything down to his knees. Daniel wanted to kiss Breck but she ignored his advance and grasped his penis. She began to squeeze and pull on it. Daniel was captivated. He leaned back against the sink. Marissa watched the action and began smearing more bright purple lipstick on her lips. Daniel was not sure what the girls were planning but he could not believe his luck. Three hot girls wanted him in a Penthouse-worthy story of three-on-one action.

Arlo will never believe this!

Breck expertly worked his cock occasionally rubbing his sack. Daniel was raging hard when Marissa jostled Breck aside. She swallowed him and pressed her lips against his tight flesh. At the first touch he pressed back against the cream limestone and arched his back. She had taken him deep into her mouth and the warm breath from her nose washed across his belly. Tiffany took her place and left a pink ring above the purple marks of Marissa’s lips. Daniel found he was trembling as her tongue caressed the tender skin below his glan. Marissa had stayed on her knees next to Daniel and they shared a giggle that almost made Tiffany release her grip on Daniel’s extended flesh. He jumped a little as her teeth gently sank into him while she worked to regain control of his penis. The girls exchanged conspiratorial glances as she covered him with lipstick.

Daniel was breathing heavily when Breck dropped to her knees for her turn. She gave him a cool glance before flipping her hair out of the way. When her lips touched him his belly convulsed visibly and his scrotum shrank. He was ready to burst and Breck seemed to know it. She held his penis in a grip directly below the flair of his gland and he could see the coating of lipstick she applied as she swallowed him far enough to coat the remaining two centimeters of shaft. He began thrusting instinctively into her mouth caught in the animal urge for orgasm. She placed a hand on his belly and held him still. The warm contact against his flesh sent him over the edge and he began ejaculating. Breck pulled off immediately and the girls stood back and admired their handiwork. Three streams of fluid jetted out in quick succession onto the bathroom tile. The final stream landed on Daniel’s thigh where it glistened against the fine downy hairs.

As Daniel recovered Breck took a glass of beer from Tiffany, swished it around quickly and then spit the taste of the fourteen-year old out of her mouth. None of the girls had spoken to him since they pushed him back into the bathroom. Daniel was at a loss for words, he felt he should say something. The drunken girls simply fell together and laughed. They were sharing an inside joke which helped to ease the tension and diminish the embarrassment of the moment. Finally they turned toward the door and ignored the freshie as he continued to lean bare-assed against the vanity. Breck took one final victorious glance downward and noticed the spill on his thigh; she scooped it up with her little finger, then reached over and smeared the semen along his jaw. She ran her tongue tantalizingly across her lips, offering a satisfied smile before wiping her hand on her linen silk capri pants and following the other girls out the door.

Daniel came out of his trance and closed the door before turning to pull his pants up. His boxers caught the last telltale drops of his semen and he checked his face before leaning on the vanity to consider what had just occurred. He found it unbelievable. In the late night over cards he and his friends might have talked about rainbow parties but none of the girls Daniel knew would have done it. A braggart like Simon Marks might claim to have had one, but none of Daniel’s friends would believe him. Daniel examined his face. Maybe he was good looking. He had never thought he was hot. Greg, with his height and muscles was a stud girls would go for. Daniel did not like his baby face or his thin arms. Breck did not comment on his sparse hair. Still, maybe he was wrong. You stud you. He winked at his reflection and smiled. Stupid crooked little smile -- it did not look sexy, it just looked lame. He stared at his eyes and suddenly realized how odd his eyebrows looked. They did not match his hair. He sighed with frustration. “Thanks girls that was sweet.” Even with the good acoustics in the bathroom his voice was high pitched. Jesus Christ, Daniel thought to himself. He tried it lower: “Do me Breck." That sounded worse. Someone pounded on the door and he stopped frowning at himself. He took a sip from his forgotten beer and gave himself one last look including his damp groin in the sweep. Lighten up boy, he told himself, three hot chicks just sucked you off at a kegger. Not bad for a little freshman. Arlo was going to be so green when he told him.

Daniel was floating on cloud nine when he cruised the house checking out the action. Denver corralled him as he was passing through a back room and he obediently held on to talk with some of Denver’s friends for a bit. The sex made him feel mature and connected with the high school scene. The older boys and girls were funny and as his head buzzed with beer he felt affection for the older teenagers who had invited him into their circle. The stress of being a freshman seemed to have slipped away with his orgasm. This is going to be my year! He drained his beer and thought he should head back for another. It was so much better being on the inside of a party. No more hanging on the fringes while Arlo’s sister and her friends had all the fun.

He spilled a little beer as he poured it off into his glass. Greg and Chow were back guarding the keg, but they had deposited themselves amongst the strewed remains of plastic cups. Daniel stopped to listen to them wrangle through a rambling conversation about girls from their school. It occurred to Daniel that he had passed them by in some way. Girl magnet that Greg was, Daniel figured his own cock might have more notches on it now than Greg's.

Not a virgin Greggie-boy. . . I'm way up on you for blow jobs I bet.

It flashed through his mind that Mandy might have done stuff with Greg, but he quickly pushed that thought away. When he focused back on his friend’s words he realized Greg was actually talking about French kissing with Mandy. Daniel listened for a moment, then added “Yeah. . . well she really liked you Greg.” What Daniel meant was that he didn't think Greg should talk about her like that. Unfortunately, it just did not come out that way.

“Yeah, she loved my body that’s for sure. Couldn’t get enough of my manhood if you know what I mean. Christ even the fags want my manhood now.” Chow laughed, but Greg glanced at Daniel uncertainly.

“You really hurt her man.” Daniel pointed a finger at Greg and a little beer sloshed out of his glass. He did not like the fag comment either.

“Get over it Murrell, I squeezed that rag dry.” Greg sneered and nudged Chow.

Daniel shook his head. How could Greg be so callous? Mandy deserved more respect. She was Daniel's friend and Greg needed to understand how wrong he was. Daniel waved his glass around as he tried to find the right words. “No man, you got it all wrong. . . she’s fine! How can you talk that kind of shit about her. She still cares about you man.” He was almost whispering it as he tried to get Greg to understand. It was like every time Daniel saw Mandy she had that damn silver bracelet on and when she thought he was not looking she would finger it. If she saw him watching she would smile at him like it still made her happy. It broke Daniel's heart sometimes. That bracelet should have been his gift to her. He looked at Greg with a pained expression: “'Love is the way man', that’s what you said.”

“Fuck, those were your words Murrell.” Greg laughed. “Move on dude. Get a girlfriend or something. She’ll be fine. Some sophomore or junior was probably going to take her away from me anyway. . . so lighten up, boy.”

Greg's contemptuousness stabbed at him -- but he knew the words rang true. Mandy would find an older boyfriend. Daniel inched toward his friend, trying to formulate something meaningful to say. Denver caught his arm and gently pulled the beer away from him.

“Come on Daniel, let’s take a break.” Daniel glanced between Greg and Denver a moment trying to focus on what he had been about to say. He gave up finally and let Denver lead him out of the kitchen. He threw an arm up over Denver’s shoulders suddenly happy to be with his senior. Denver smiled down at him: “Just how many beers have you had tonight, kid?”

“Dunno.”

“That’s what I figured.” Denver steered his freshie toward a quieter room at the back of the house. They ended up in yet another circle of people Denver expected him to remember. Denver sat on a broad couch next to a twelfth grade girl who turned out to be Raina's older sister. She was Samantha's senior. Samantha's brother was Raina's senior. The two seniors were in a relationship and made it clear they were looking out for their sisters. Daniel stood listening for a minute and then collapsed on the floor against the couch next to Denver. Connections, brothers and sisters looking out for each other--Simon Marks was not that unique. Arlo's sister should have hooked him up with a friend. Daniel was lucky Denver had picked him. Daniel pressed his shoulder against his senior's leg for a moment.

Daniel really wanted a chance to tell Denver about the girls in the bathroom. His cock got thick again just thinking about it. Life rocked and partying with Denver was sick. He had never thought the chicks would go for him like that. He always got along with the girls, he was usually invited to their parties, but it had never been like this.

Daniel noticed Raina by the wall watching him. She smiled back at him. Vince and Seth wandered in from the hallway with Aiden trailing behind them. Daniel watched as Aiden was sidetracked by Raina. He wondered if they were friends. He had a hard time seeing the heavy set boy making out with a slender beauty like Raina. He watched the pair whisper together. The beer did not sit well with him since he had confronted Greg. Greg's comment echoed his fears about Mandy. They had been friends for so many years; he could not imagine losing her. But would she ever take him seriously? The knot and nausea eased a little. Why wouldn't she? He had just learned that girls did find him attractive. Older girls like Amber introduced him to sex and he had just been blown away by Breck and her friends. Maybe Mandy felt that way about him too. The summer had taught him a lot about himself.

Vince and Seth disturbed his thoughts as they sat down next to him.

"How's it going? You're...?"

"Daniel Murrell"

"Right, Murrell. Good party isn't it."

"Sure. Colin runs a nice kegger."

"First party on this side of the river?"

"No, Denver's place, you know."

"So you live like where?" Seth rethought his question, "I mean what school did you go to?" It seemed to be the standard opening line for ninth graders. Maybe the girls could start on their clothing or something, but the guys were at a loss. "You're kind of downtown aren't you?" The way the boy said this sounded a little like the private school knobs in his apartment building.

"I was at 7th Ave. I'm just across the river."

Daniel knew his building sat amidst a jumble of low rent buildings pressed into the river by the business district. He had always been conscious of this and parading his money around school led to hard feelings. He wondered where they lived. He really did not know much about this area, but did not think it was very exclusive.

"Did you go to the same school?" Daniel added.

Seth and Vince nodded. It really did not matter now. They were all freshmen at Riverview. Daniel's mom had warned him he was jumping into the deep end. It was like stepping off a cliff; there was a swift drop into cold black water without any idea of how deep you would sink and only the conviction that you would eventually surface.

"So did you both know Breck?"

Vince shook his head. "No. I think she said she lived near West Gate Mall. Marissa went to Emma Wallace."

Daniel was a downtown boy -- he lacked knowledge about the geography of the west side. Occasionally his mom took him out to the West Gate Mall and the box stores. He even went to a movie out there with Arlo, but it seemed like a long way to travel for school. At least the mention of West Gate hinted at slightly more familiar territory.

"I know that school."

He probed the boys about sports and learned they were just spectators. They shifted to the neutral ground of professional sport and the university football team's chances in the fall. Without Breck's shadow on the conversation he found he was able to connect with them.

"Hey, check this out." Daniel looked down the hallway where Vince and Seth both had turned to stare.

"What is it?" Daniel could not figure out what caught Seth's interest. Then he got it. The three girls were coming out of the bathroom again in a giggling clump. Seconds later Aiden came out and headed toward them. Daniel felt cold.

"I figured they wouldn't go down on him."

"Yeah, those bitches are acting like skanks tonight. You owe me dude. ."

"No way man!"

Aiden strutted like a rooster. Daniel tried to ignore their conversation but he could not help watching the boy as he approached.

"I don't mind telling you that was my first blow job," Seth confessed.

"They could do me again too," added Vince.

Daniel did not acknowledge Aiden when he sat down beside them. He glanced once at the smug expression on the boy's face. He needed some fresh air. Daniel mumbled something to the three boys, walked unsteadily toward the sliding door and then out into the darkness of the back yard. He was conscious of voices around him so he steered toward a quiet section of the fence. Suddenly he leaned against it and heaved. It took four painful spasms for him to empty his stomach. Finally he spat out the last of the bile in his mouth. He tried to shake the buzz out of his head. The sweat was cool on his forehead.

How could he have been so stupid? He had been fooling himself for weeks. He was no babe magnet. He was just the guy all the girls liked as a friend. The three girls did not care about him. How many boys did the girls invite to their little party. . . four? Probably even more.

Daniel twisted away from the mess on the flowers and stumbled back onto the lawn. He bumped into a heavy piece of lawn furniture and winced. It looked like a good place to rest so he sank into the chair. Here he thought he was so hot, such a stud at fourteen. He thought about Amber--she probably just did that as a favor for Denver. Daniel could imagine Denver planning it. Do the kid, give him a thrill. Daniel threw a hand over his eyes. Was that what Breck had been doing? It was all freshie pranks. He was a good sport--he played strip poker for the seniors and Colin rewarded him with a blow job. The rationalizations stripped the joy from his life.

He needed to be honest with himself. I'm pathetic. All the times he had been out with Mandy and Greg double dating with Mandy’s girl friends. None of them lasted. It was like the girls never took him seriously. He was just Mandy’s friend to them, just a friend. Daniel opened his eyes and looked back at the glowing windows of the house. Might as well forget about Mandy. Greg was right, she was going to find a junior soon and he would have to watch as she fell in love again. Maybe she'll finally take off that damn bracelet. But where would that leave him? They might be friends for awhile, and then they would drift apart. Daniel needed something to drink. He needed to wash the bitterness out of his mouth. He fished a breath mint from his pocket.

Daniel stumbled back into the house and found his way to the kitchen. He took long pulls at his next glass. He tried to shake off his depression. He needed to surface. He noticed Riana near the kitchen door. She smiled at him and it came to him that Riana seemed to like him. He approached her and on an impulse gave her an awkward kiss on the lips. She surprised him a little by kissing him back. Daniel looked around the room and took in the crowd. He whispered in Riana’s ear and they slipped out the back door and into the night.

Hazing Blogs

Received July 29th

It concerns me that people have so much time on their hands. You and many other groups are what is partly wrong with this country today. We have lost any form of identity or rights of passage. The fact is you’re the ones I feel sorry for.

Leave these damn people alone if they want to haze their new school mates then it will be done and there is nothing that you can do. It is people like you that have made it impossible to have any fun in recent history. Don't get involved in something that isn't any of your business. If people want to become members of a team or be part of the school... they know that there is some sort of process that they must go through. If there is a law passed against it the activities will continue just as they do now. Just because marijuana is illegal doesn’t mean no one uses it. In closing leave these people alone because I think you are all just a bunch of people that were the ones who were never picked to play with all of the other kids in school, and the one who always got cut from the team. This is probably your way of trying to get back at the ones who made you an outcast and a “loser” in high school. So leave them alone.

Received July 29th

There are many individuals who don't mind participating in hazing rituals. One way to avoid any problems is to have individuals sign a “pre-hazing” agreement whereby the individual is consciously aware of what is expected and fully agrees to participate and assumes all responsibility.

I do agree some hazing may be dangerous. Just as some driving is. Did automobiles become outlawed? NO. So don't presume you speak for everyone and are doing a great service. Some people think you should stick your noses up your butts. I participated in being hazed in grade nine and it was my decision. So butt out.

Alleys
Saturday, July 31st

Daniel realized there was a car following him. Denver had warned him that after six he might have to worry about bored seniors cruising for freshies. The sidewalks were busy and the shops were still open so he thought it would be no big deal to walk over to the Brass Lantern by himself. He wasn't certain but he thought there were three people in the car. He knew he should not panic or tip them off that he was aware of them; he didn't even dare a glance in that direction again. He tried to walk casually while considering his options. His cell phone rested in the cargo pocket of his shorts and if necessary, he could step into a store and phone his mom or Denver. He did not think he would have to go to that extreme and besides, deep down he stubbornly refused to relinquish his freedom to walk the streets. He passed by a bookstore and paused to look in the window. The car pulled up behind him -- it was an old boat -- a brown and yellow Grand Prix and he could make out the three figures inside. It was hard to see details in the window’s reflection and Daniel was unable to recognize them.

Flashes of sunlight sparkled off the passing cars momentarily blinding Daniel. A bead of sweat slid down his spine finding its way onto the small of his back where it finally soaked into his waistband. Daniel licked his lips and blinked behind his shades. If they approached him they might just hassle him a bit right there on the street, or they might drag him back to the car before any passerby could react. It was not hard to remember the sharp crack of the paddle hitting Simon or the hot stripe of Troy's belt as it painted his back in the Bell's furnace room.

Arlo bent over the hood of a car in that deserted hideaway down by the river. . . Stay in the car assholes, stay in the car. . .

Daniel knew he should keep moving. Denver and the safety of the Brass Lantern were not that far away. Daniel scrutinized the situation on the sidewalk like a wide receiver about to run his route -- the layout did not look promising. They could pull in real close at that bus stop up there. Keeping his eyes turned away from the street, he quickly scanned the reflection off the long stretch of dark plate glass extending down to the intersection. An old man who might have been Eddie's brother sat in a heap surrounded by bags mumbling softly to himself, his head swaying to the rhythm of the summer heat. The heat is on. Daniel considered going back the opposite direction, then quickly nixed the idea, figuring that if he turned back, this would tip them off that he was onto them.

The apartment's too far away. . . so that's not an option.

The distorted image of the car lurking in the shadows of the late afternoon drew his attention back to the window. If he slipped into the bookstore he could exit into the alley behind the store. He considered the idea for a moment. He gauged the distance between the old car and where he stood. The Pontiac sat there double parked. If the occupants left the car, he might have more time to make a break. The downtown neighborhood unfolded before his eyes like a shot from Google Earth. From the alley it was two blocks to the Brass Lantern. Daniel was a good short-distance sprinter, but two blocks would test the limits of his ability. If they figured out what his plan was they would be able to turn at the next corner and cut him off. Daniel frowned irritably. He was sure these teenagers had no idea who he was or where he was going. He clenched a fist and pressed it against his thigh; he was really beginning to spook himself.

Daniel's uncertainty evaporated when he caught the reflection of the passenger door opening. His heart began to pound -- he knew the chase was on! Daniel jumped for the entrance of the bookshop. The door was open to the summer breeze and he slipped past an elderly woman at the counter without a backward glance. Trying to remain calm, he wandered towards the back of the store, pretending to browse through several stacks of graphic novels. Halfway in he paused and let his fingers trail across a row of used comic books; Daniel lifted one randomly and pretended to study the cover as his eyes slid covertly toward the light. Two hulking high school boys now blocked the entrance. One of the teens pawed at the latest copy of Field & Stream while the other stood close by, arms folded, a slight sneer distorting his face. Their eyes met briefly and then Daniel turned to consider the blood spattered image on the cover of the comic he was holding. He gently put it back on the rack before casually continuing toward the back of the store. The two boys were momentarily distracted by a honk from the street. He felt a little conspicuous when he crouched low beside another customer and duck-walked into the back room. He threaded his way between the tight shelves and piled boxes, then burst through the back door and broke off into a sprint up the shaded alley.

What if I'm wrong? What if they aren’t following me?

Daniel pulled to an abrupt stop. He felt stupid panicking like this. But he quickly became conscious of the solitude of the alley -- this was not the ideal setting for a confrontation. Daniel tested a door on the opposite side of the alley. To his infinite relief the door was unlocked and he was able to slip into another back room. The heavy door reluctantly pulled closed behind him. He faded into the shadows of the storeroom and scoped the alley through a dusty window. His heart was pounding in his throat and he could not swallow. This was criminal trespassing and Daniel felt very edgy. He considered returning to the alley, but all bets were off when the Grand Prix cruised by a moment later. They were after him all right -- he had vacated the alley just in time. Better to face an irate shop clerk than a carload of seniors looking for a good time at the expense of a freshie. Daniel proceded through the backroom and found himself in a ladies clothing boutique.

He had no idea what the jerks in the Grand Prix were going to do, but he decided to chance the street and make a dash for the restaurant. Ignoring the sharp remark from the woman at the sales counter, Daniel pushed through the door and turned his feet in the direction of the Brass Lantern. As luck would have it, there was a break in traffic. Daniel bolted across the street, then accelerated into an easy jog up the sidewalk, weaving between the other pedestrians, glancing over his shoulder from time to time. The car had turned the corner and was closing the distance behind him. The seniors had guessed his movements, but this time he had an advantage because they were on the opposite side of the street. Traffic might slow them down so he picked up his pace. He wanted to get across the next intersection before they could cut him off.

Fucking bastards. . . what do they get out of this?

Daniel could never understand bullies. Where was the fun in scaring the shit out of kids younger than you? Why would he want to fuck over some younger kid like these seniors wanted to do to him? It just seemed evil to Daniel; he felt an unfamiliar ache in the pit of his stomach.

The car slowed and held back to keep pace with him as he moved down the sidewalk. The intersection was approaching and Daniel calculated the odds. They were not good. The traffic light was going to turn against him -- he could feel it -- he would be left a sitting duck on the corner. Daniel glared at the red crosswalk signal as he danced on his toes. He glanced over at the Pontiac and tried to read the driver's expression. The teenager sat watching Daniel with a blank stare and an arm draped out the window. It came to Daniel that the car would cut him off when the signal changed. There was a break in traffic so he took a chance and bolted against the signal. He glanced over his shoulder and gasped -- the Grand Prix had pulled up even with him.

Christ --t hey just ran the fucking red light!

Daniel broke into a sprint, his only instinct was to getaway from the approaching car any way he could. He heard a car door open as he plowed through the door of the first shop he came to. It was a game store he frequented. The Brass Lantern was now only half a block down, but he did not want the predators following him to know where he was going. If they were looking for him specifically and they figured out his hangouts he reasoned that they would eventually nail him. Daniel did not even break stride but ran right into the stock room and burst through the back door. The alarm sounded, setting things off in a frenzy. He hoped the diversion would catch his assailants by surprise and force them to regroup before resuming the chase. He tried a few doors along the alley in a growing panic and his heart skipped a beat when one eventually opened for him. He glanced back and then lunged through the door when he caught the profile of a huge guy only a half dozen paces back.

“Hold up kid!”

Daniel shot a bolt home and headed for the front door. He tried not to upset a sale rack of fall jackets as he shifted his way towards the front, all the while nervously glancing back over his shoulder.

“Hey Daniel! What are you doing back there?” It was old Mr. Teller, a regular at Karl's restaurant.

“Hey Mr. Teller! Sorry, I gotta run!”

“Who's that pounding on my back door?”

“Nobody! Just ignore him!” Daniel sized up the street, noticed that the Grand Prix was nowhere in sight, then made a dash for the front door of the Brass Lantern two businesses down.

-------------------------

Denver closed the till and looked over at the freshie trembling in the doorway. Daniel heaved a sigh of relief then moved slowly up to Denver, who instinctively wrapped his arms around him. He could feel the little guy’s heart pounding as Daniel's head burrowed into his chest.

“I told you not to walk over here by yourself,” he scolded gently. Denver turned to where Karl stood leaning over the shoulder of a young girl on one of the computers. “Karl, I need to take a break, okay?”

Denver took Daniel back into the kitchen and they sat down on the frayed couch Karl had added for Eddie’s benefit. Denver put an arm around Daniel’s shoulders to calm him while he listened to the story. This was to be expected, Denver sighed quietly.

“My mom decided to work late so she can take the whole day off tomorrow. You know we're heading up to the mountains so I just thought I should say goodbye now, since you’ll be gone before we get back next week.”

Denver looked down at Daniel. He was touched that his protege would miss him. Denver’s flight to Shanghai was set for the following Friday and Daniel had mentioned this weeklong trip with his mother. Denver was looking forward to China because it meant his father would finally be able to come home.

“I was going to stop by after work you know. I wouldn't let you go without saying goodbye. . .” Denver attempted to ease the boy's tension; he ruffled Daniel’s hair. Daniel was damp from his run. “Besides, I have a homework assignment for you to do.” Denver's smile turned slightly mischievous.

Daniel pulled away and looked at him with disbelief. “But this is summer vacation Denver. We're not supposed to do homework. We've still got three weeks before school.”

“Well I know you figure this whole mentorship thing is just an opportunity to screw over ninth graders, but there is some value to it. The Outsiders is a good book, you'll like it. The other one, well my dad gave it to me when I was about your age and I think you might get something out of it. Take a look at it.” Denver went over and picked up two books and handed them to Daniel. The Outsiders and Johnny Tremain.

Daniel counted pages with a quick flip of the thumb. “Jeez Denver; I can read these when the teacher assigns them. Don’t worry about that, I'm a good student.” He made an effort to pass them back to his senior. Daniel had learned over the years that the teachers practically read the books to you and explained them about three times. Half the time the students watched a movie too. The teachers had a way of ripping the heart out of a good story. Daniel was sure he would have no trouble with the books once school started.

“These are not on the list to study in grade nine, Daniel. But they are very similar to the books you will have to study and I want you to have something to compare them to.” Daniel crinkled his lips in disbelief. “You have two weeks till I get back. I want both books read by then. . . and be ready for a test.” He poked Daniel in the stomach. “Don’t just watch the movies or download shit from the internet either. If your mom tells me you didn’t read the books then I'll make it so you won’t be able to sit down for a week.”

Daniel glanced at the books a second time. It would be a long drive and he did not have any new games for his DS. Daniel grinned at Denver suddenly and jumped across his lap like a six year old, then twisted around with a big grin on his face. “You want to read the first chapter to me and get me started?” The puppy wanted to play.

Denver considered Daniel's inviting lips. It was very tempting and for a moment Denver almost forgot he was at the Brass Lantern working his shift. Daniel almost successfully transformed him back to the time at his house where the rough housing between them bordered on foreplay. Denver regained his senses, dumped the boy onto the floor and leaned down, taking the boy's chin between his fingers and thumb.

“Read the books Daniel.” Denver headed back out front to work, then turned around at the doorway. “You better stay here till I can walk you home. . . Do you want to help me out so I can get done earlier?”

This was exactly what Daniel wanted so he put an apron on and attacked the heap of dishes piled in the sink. Denver watched him for a moment. He thought about the boy’s fright and how quickly he had recovered.

God I hope he can always bounce back like that, he thought to himself.

Daniel phoned his mom at work to let her know he would come home after closing with Denver. When Denver locked the doors at 10:00, Daniel settled on a couch with Johnny Tremain. He examined the back cover of the paperback and smiled when the marketing phrase 'Now available on Disney home video. . ' caught his eye. He flipped to the first page and absent-mindedly began reading the story aloud.

“On Rocky Islands gulls woke. Time to be about their business. . .”

Daniel glanced up and watched Eddie and Denver sitting heads close together over their guitars. Eddie was teaching Denver how to play one of his original pieces. Denver wasn't very good, but seemed determined to make this his summer project. He was a quick learner and with Eddie assisting him within the comfortable confines of the Brass Lantern, found it easy to enjoy the lesson.

The Little Island
Wednesday, August 11th

Daniel was determined not to live in fear of the streets. Nevertheless, he walked cautiously down the street checking his back from time to time. The squeal of automobile brakes that two months ago would've passed by unnoticed, now set his heart racing. Sometimes a brown and yellow car would drift by and freeze him in his tracks. Luckily, yellow was not a popular color. On this particular day, he was coming home empty-handed. After some consideration, he decided to trade in two games for store credit. Nothing had appealed to him in the videogame store and he found out he would have to wait until almost Christmas before the game he really wanted would be released. In the meantime he needed to play something that didn’t involve dragging people off the street randomly for a beating. Life had begun to imitate art far too much lately.

“Hey gayboy, how’s it hanging?” Simon pulled to a stop and stradled his bicycle beside Daniel.

Daniel sighed. He had been enjoying his afternoon free from thoughts of freshie year. He stopped abruptly and turned to Simon with a pained expression.

“Please stop calling me that.” He couldn’t keep his voice light.

“Drag queen?” Simon tried playfully. Daniel turned away and looked across the street. Simon got the message and shifted gears. “Sorry, it’s just a habit. What are you up to?”

Daniel responded favorably to his friend's reconciliatory tone. “I don't know Simon. . . Are you hungry, wanna get a soda or something?” Simon glanced over at The Little Island across the street. Daniel was vaguely aware that the Marks didn’t have much money. Simon’s bike was pretty basic and he never tossed money around at school. “Hey, it's my treat this time."

What Simon lacked in finances, he more than made up for in stubborn pride. He flushed defensively and almost snapped back that he wasn’t interested in going on a date with Daniel. The words made it to his lips before he buried them. Simon was tired of hanging out with the kids in his neighborhood envying the kids across the bridge or in the high rises like Daniel. At least Daniel was trying to be decent.

Simon swallowed his pride, “Sure, why not?”

They crossed to the brightly colored hangout. Daniel waited while Simon carefully locked his bike. He paused to check out the people inside before he led Simon to a back booth. When they had settled in, Simon noticed Daniel had placed himself with his back against the wall.

“You’re pretty careful,” Simon commented.

Daniel looked at him frankly. “That's easy for you to say when getting your bike dumped in the water is the worst thing that's happened to you--”

“Listen boy toy, you don’t have to teach me about being hassled.” As soon as Simon snapped it out he realized he had broken the implied truce between them. It was just a little hard to sympathize with Daniel's two months of harrassment after having to deal with bullies his entire life. He was ready to leave if Daniel snapped back at him. Daniel looked at him over the menu.

“You’re right Simon, that wasn’t fair. . . sorry.”

The boys buried themselves in the menus and let the silence drag on until the waitress came by.

“Ice tea,” Simon commented and got an evil look for his paltry order.

Daniel ordered the same and tossed in a large order of fries. She gave him another dark look before moving off. The boys exchanged a glance.

“It’s not exactly Red Lobster here. . . What did she expect?”

Simon searched for a common topic of conversation and settled on Daniel’s earlier question. “I’ve been stopped a few times. I don’t think they know I'm in grade nine. My brother won’t let his friends bug me, so I guess that's worth something anyway.” Simon didn’t like to talk about what happened to him. He looked over at Daniel and once again envied him. Daniel was not tall, but he had great looks, athletic body, and he didn’t know what it was like to be small. The seniors treated Simon like a little boy and he hated them for it. “The joke is they think it’s funny to make me kiss the girls; like I’m too little to want to do that.” He surprised himself when he let his feelings slip out.

“I wish they would treat me like that,” Daniel answered in a low voice. He seemed to study the cracked table top. “I hate what they make me do. I’m not gay Simon, I swear I'm not. I don’t get a boner looking at guys.” Daniel could find excuses for every incident. The party didn't count because he had been forced into it. If Denver wanted to do something with him, well that was just part of being a freshie, doing what your senior tells you to do. Arlo had been a huge mistake. And his feelings watching Evan in the tent and the boys he saw on the street, that was all just normal curiosity, Daniel convinced himself. He was not attracted to Simon, that must prove something.

Simon was glad when the drinks and fries came. It was a welcome distraction. They ate in silence until Simon noticed Daniel staring at the door. He swiveled around quickly to see what attracted his friend's attention. Three babes in halter tops and shorts had entered. He followed their progress over to a table near the ninth graders where they sat down. A red head leaned forward to giggle something to her friend across the table. The boys were treated to the sudden swell of her breasts and the revelation of her nipples through the thin fabric. Simon watched for a moment and slid sideways in the booth so he could continue to stare without notice.

“Holy Toledo!” he commented glancing at Daniel as he propped a leg on the bench to hide his hard on. Daniel kept slipping glances of his own at the three young women.

The three nineteen year olds chattered happily while ignoring the attentive young teens, who were beneath the women’s notice as they sat nibbling fries, hoping their erections would fade before they finished.

“I should come here more often,” Daniel commented absently.

Simon snorted some ice tea through his nose and that made both of them laugh.

Close encounters
Saturday August 14th

Daniel sat close beside Mandy while she looked at the pictures of his trip. His shoulder occasionally touched hers. Was she actually leaning toward him a little? He enjoyed the view of her face and tingled at the smell of her hair. He was hardly attending to the pictures on the monitor. He answered her questions and resisted the impulse to kiss the curve of her neck just a mere twenty-five centimeters from his hungry lips. He was conscious of his hard-on and bewildered by her interest in the boring shots of him standing in front of tourist signs. The only good shots were rafting down the river. He thought of the picture Denver had sent him of Mandy by the pool. It had been his bookmark throughout the trip and it was still slipped neatly into The Outsiders next to his bed. His face burned when she picked the book up to look at it. When she asked for a soft drink it had been a challenge to slide away from her without revealing his passion. She’d glanced at him then focused on the monitor so she probably hadn’t noticed. He was already on the second book of his assignment and he liked it better than the first. He turned the chair around casually when he came back and gave his erection a shield. He leaned on the back of the chair and dropped his chin onto his arms.

Shit, now I'm hiding behind a chair. What's she going to think now?

His mom had insisted he read during every moment of downtime during their trip to the mountains. As a reward, she agreed to try the river rafting with him. He rarely saw her cut loose like she did on the river. He was also secretly pleased that the buff captain of the raft had paid attention to her. His friends called her hot and Denver was right, she could do better than the accountants she brought home from time to time. He finished reading Johnny Tremain the last night at the cabin. Daniel thought of Rab. For some reason the character reminded him of Denver. Rab taught Johnny how to be a man. What was the line? “So that a man can stand up.” Rab had shown that sometimes you paid for doing the right thing too. . . just like Denver.

Daniel so wanted to put the moves on her. He never really had a girl friend so he wasn’t sure which moves worked. He was sure that some grade ten was going to grab her and kick sand in his face at the beach. Girls like Mandy just didn’t walk alone. The problem was Daniel needed Mandy's friendship more than anything. She was one of the few things going well for him at the moment. He had his mom, but everything else had become uncertain and new. The thought of testing his chances with Mandy frightened him. If he stepped over the line, he might loose Mandy completely. She was the last sure friendship he had from eighth grade. She smiled at him and put a soft hand on his arm. He glanced at her face. He thought he would burst.

Mandy so wanted him to make a move on her. As far as she knew, he never had a girl friend. Maybe that was her fault. Even before the breakup, she leaned on Daniel to play bodyguard between her and Greg. Her possessiveness caused her to discourage her friends from getting too close to him. Amber Klein had called her a bitch for holding onto two guys. She was sure some grade ten like Amber or Amanda would surely grab him. They made her feel like an inexperienced child. Guys like Daniel just didn’t walk alone much. But she didn’t want to loose his friendship. She wasn’t sure how he would respond to her. She kicked herself for pushing him at Arlo. Something had happened between Daniel and Arlo which she did not understand and did not like. Daniel sent her so many mixed signals these days. He kept her picture in his book and she thought he had an erection just then, but he wasn’t responding to her moves. When she sat close, he moved away. She tried to be patient. If she came on too strong she might lose him to Denver and Mark's world and then she would be Grace to his Will. He was the only friendship from junior high she needed to keep. She put her hand on his strong arm and smiled. His eyes lit up and his mouth curved into a little smile. She thought she would burst.

Night Moves
Tuesday August 17th

Little fish swim in schools these days, keeping all eyes out for sharks. Daniel walked a few steps behind the boys, half listening to their chatter about the movie while avoiding their playful pushing and shoving. They made a decision to head over to the Dairy Queen before finding their way home.

Daniel's date with Mandy the night before weighed heavily on his mind. One indication of how well it had gone was that she sat in the front seat next to her mother on the way to the movie, but joined Daniel in the back for the ride home. Mandy’s mom made a point to tease him about the beer at Denver’s house. Even though he knew she was teasing, it reduced him to inarticulate silence for awhile. But Mandy made up for it by holding his hand in the darkness of the theatre and later in the back seat. They bumped into friends at the theatre and Helen and Alice attached themselves to Mandy like grim death. He felt them judging his every move throughout the film and his determination to kiss her and maybe say something romantic evaporated in a hail of close-knit female bonding. The girls reduced him to brooding silence. When Mandy held his hand behind the popcorn tub his heart lifted. He pressed her hand and sacrificed the popcorn rather than let her go.

He smiled at the memory and then frowned -- there was a battered Cavalier spiraling in toward the boys; Daniel wasn’t sure what to do. “Hey guys, wait up a minute. . . I think we got trouble!”

Simon and Arlo turned around instantly while Gordon and Marsh kept walking, oblivious to the intrusion. Daniel nodded towards the white car swinging closer.

Simon turned towards the other two and shouted, “GET BACK HERE GUYS. . . INCOMING!”

Gordon and Marsh swung around and the freshies tightened the circle as the Cavalier pulled to a stop. There were two guys in the car and Daniel glanced quickly around the busy parking lot to see if the pair had brought reinforcements. The ninth graders huddled together while a big senior unfolded himself from the driver's seat of the old car. He walked over to the four boys alone. Daniel felt a cold shiver when he realized the twelfth grader was looking at him.

The senior stopped short of the group and pointed at Daniel. “Get over here kid.”

Daniel paused for a moment, glanced at the others and then started forward. Simon surprised him by stepping in front of him and holding him back.

“What do you want with him? You start anything and you’re gonna have to work for it. . . Right guys?” Simon didn’t get a response from the other three. The senior didn’t look impressed and stepped forward to shove Simon away and grab a handful of Daniel’s T-shirt.

He looked down to where Simon lay sprawled on the pavement and commented contemptuously, “Back off you little turd, this is between him and me. Go over and stand with your bum-buddies and jerk off till I’m done with your friend.” He turned away and dragged Daniel along with him back to the side of the car.

Simon brushed himself off and walked back to the others. Arlo and Marsh were fumbling with their zippers while glancing around the parking lot. “You fuckin' morons, put your dicks away for god's sake. . . Jesus what losers!” Simon turned back to watch Daniel and the senior. He expected them to force Daniel into the car, but the guy just held him up against the side and said something Simon couldn’t hear.

“That was a neat slip you gave us the other day. You must really know that neighborhood well. All I saw was your skinny ass and the bottoms of your shoes.”

Daniel suddenly recognized him as the senior in the alley. The guy was holding his shirt like he was hassling him, but his voice was friendly. “I guess I was lucky," Daniel admitted nervously. "The door was unlocked or you would've had me for sure.”

“You got that straight. I’m varsity wide receiver. You wouldn’t have made two meters without the slip you gave me. . ." Duncan's voice became softer. "You did a good job, kid. But you don't need to run from me. If you see me around you don’t have to worry. I don’t have time for all this shit.” He let go of Daniel with a smile and a little backward tap that sent the freshie slumping against the car. He put a finger on Daniel’s chest. “What’s your game?”

“Whichever team I can make. . . I guess. The competition's going to be tight.”

“That’s a good answer kid. I like your attitude.” He glanced around before continuing. “If you make the freshman football team I’ll watch your back. I’m an assistant coach this year. You have good hands?” Daniel shrugged, he wasn’t sure. Duncan's voice got serious. “We noticed you freshies coming out of the theatre. The guys I was hanging with the other day play this game a lot more seriously and they have a grudge against Denver. I was sitting with them and they saw you tonight too and sure as shit they're circling around right now to jump you dudes when you get out on the street.”

That turned Daniel’s stomach to ice and he looked over at the small huddle of boys; Simon in front with his fists on his hips. Funny how things turn out, thought Daniel.

“My advice to you kid. . . is you and your friends better take off right now. . . and lay low.” He shoved Daniel back towards his group.

Daniel stopped and turned around. “Thank your sir.” He said it like the words meant something to him. It made Duncan feel good. “I’m Daniel, what’s your name?”

“I know who you are, Murrell. Hawk and I hang together every now and then. I'm Meszaros . . . Duncan Meszaros.” Duncan glanced at Simon still standing his ground like a little Bantam Rooster. “Tell the skinny blond kid he has guts. Too small for football though.” Duncan turned away and got back into his Cavalier.

Daniel watched as Duncan burned rubber accelerating across the parking lot, then he turned back to his friends. He put his arm around Simon’s shoulders to show he appreciated the support his friend had shown. “We have a problem guys.” Daniel explained the situation and everyone started looking grim. “Do we stay in the open or get under cover?”

Gordon and Marsh had been assigned to indifferent seniors and thus had no meaningful experiences since picture taking. They were both in favor of staying on the streets and keeping to the plan of stopping for ice cream at the Dairy Queen. Arlo on the other hand, looked like he was going to piss his pants and voted for hiding until someone’s parents could pick them up. The mall wasn’t safe anymore so that meant they all had quite a journey ahead to reach a safe haven.

“Let’s just go to some block parent’s house and ask for help,” Arlo suggested.

This was a little too pussy for the other fourteen-year-olds so Arlo's idea was rejected. Simon turned to Daniel and asked him what he thought.

“I think these guys are whack-jobs with a car and the longer we stand in this parking lot the better the chances are they will run us down. We got to take away that advantage. These guys will drag you right off the street. I’m not even sure we'd be safe in a restaurant.”

Simon thought Daniel knew what he was talking about. “Let’s jump the fence into that yard over there.” Simon pointed toward the closest row of houses.

They ran across the parking lot and piled over the fence into the growing shadows of the adjacent backyard. The argument continued until Simon lightly jabbed Daniel’s arm and pointed silently back at the parking lot. The now familiar Grand Prix had returned and four seniors were standing around pulling on bottles of beer, talking with the fellows in the Cavalier. They looked like they were arguing about what to do next. Daniel turned to Simon and commented “Well Two-Bit, what’s the plan?” Daniel had decided he was Pony-Boy, Denver was Darry and Mark was Soda-Pop. He had decided Arlo was Johnny, but he did not think Arlo would like that. As an afterthought he decided the name Two-Bit suited Simon. Daniel did not feel like a greaser (face it he had too much money) but the assholes standing beside the brown and yellow Pontiac sure came across like wannabe Socs in a cheap car.

“What?” Simon looked confused by the nickname. “I say we stick to the side streets and hit back yards when they see us and if they close in on us we start screaming like little girls.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

They set off down the street. Arlo stayed close to them and the other two trailed behind. After about a block Gordon and Marsh started thinking that their friends were overreacting. Simon had told them a few things, but Arlo and Daniel didn’t elaborate much on their stories. Gordon and Marsh started fooling around and howling.

“Shut up you guys!” Arlo swung on them angrily.

The two stopped and stared at him. “Jeez Arlo, you look like you’re going to shit yourself! Lighten up already. And why do we have to take the long way around? It’s going to take all fucking night to get home at this rate.”

Arlo was going to throw something back at them when someone grabbed his collar and when he swung around he saw Simon and Daniel running for a back yard. He didn’t even bother to look for what had set them off; he just lit out after them. He caught up with them when they were jumping the fence into the next back yard.

The three boys ran in a broken pattern through five or six yards as silently as they could. Simon set the direction and the other two kept up. Nobody worried about the daisies they trampled as they went. Simon finally brought them back onto the sidewalk two streets over and slowed to a jog before they all stopped to catch their breath. The other two boys did not keep up. After a minute they continued in the direction of a bus stop that would take them home.

The close call prompted Daniel to suggest that they should phone for help. “Simon, can't we phone your brother?”

“I hate to break it to you Daniel, but he’s being an asshole right now. He might pick me up, but he’d leave the two of you here in the street.”

Daniel guessed having a big brother wasn’t everything after all. “Arlo. . . what about your mom and dad?”

“Do we even know where we are?” They looked around and realized they had journeyed into unfamiliar territory.

"Lets figure out where we are and then we’ll call.” They headed back in the direction of traffic. After a block, a figure stumbled out of a driveway ahead of them. The three ducked into a row of bushes to see what would happen.

“It's Marsh!” Arlo whispered to the others. They nodded and were about to get up when Marsh started stumbling down the middle of the street. Moments later a senior tumbled out of a back yard and pushed him down on the road. Daniel started to get up and help rescue his friend but was immediately jerked back down by Simon.

Simon whispered in Daniel’s ear, “It's too late. . .”

The three boys froze in the bushes while the rumbling Pontiac cruised slowly past. It stopped and the passenger climbed out to join the other senior. They dragged Marsh to the back of the car and the trunk popped open. The three boys held their breath as someone tried to get out of the trunk. They heard the contact as one of the seniors punched the body back down. Marsh crawled into the trunk beside Gordon.

“Fucking bastards,” Simon muttered quietly.

Arlo whimpered once and then kept silent. Daniel punched the ground.

“Next time I bet they'll know better and keep up with us,” said Arlo, his voice trembling.

“Next time they'll be way the fuck in front of us,” Daniel corrected him. Arlo and Simon nodded.

“Do you think they'll be alright?” Simon asked hopefully.

“No!” Arlo and Daniel responded simultaneously. Daniel continued, “There wasn't anything we could do anyway.”

They waited for the Grand Prix to pull away and watched it drag on down the street. When it turned the corner they resumed their cautious trek towards safety. Ten blocks later they shuffled into a Pizza Hut and Arlo called his parents. Simon and Daniel compared wallets and then slid into a booth to wait for Arlo. When he returned with Daniel’s phone they decided to order some food and ice tea.

Simon offered a toast over the pizza, “To fallen comrades."

“To fucked over comrades,” Daniel offered. The restaurant felt safe. Danger had fueled their appetites and they demolished the food and refills. When Arlo’s dad showed up they were ready to go. He asked the boys where Marsh and Gordon had gone.

“They caught a ride with some other guys,” Arlo replied.

Dialogue before the dawn
Thursday, August 19th

Boner-69 says
Marsh and Gordon didn't have much to say about their little road trip.

Curious George says
i'm not interested

Boner-69 says
wonder if they got raped lol

Curious George says
it's not funny arlo

Curious George says
hey you finally figured it out!

TWOBIT-14 says
lol i read books too ponyboy

Curious George says
how did you guess?

TWOBIT-14 says
well you would choose to be the hero wouldnt you?

Boner-69 says
what are you guys talking about?

Boner-69 says
your senior should take you to the parties i go to it would be excellent to party together

Curious George says
i dont want to be there. the seniors are shits. its all a big joke to them, even denver sometimes

Curious George says
whats with that anyway? you like hanging with that bastard now?

Boner-69 says
Quinton is a fuck-head i dont party with him i hang with this other guy in grade eleven. hes cool. keeps the AHoles off my back. its been interesting if you know what i mean.

Curious George says
sounds good. we can compare party stories some time. shit, school starts soon and i wont be able to avoid the seniors

Boner-69 says
summer went too quickly

Curious George says
hey mandy

ugly duckling says
I can go to your house after lunch. Are we going swimming?

Boner-69 says
sounds good

Daniel sighed in frustration. Every time he tried to do something with Mandy someone got in the way. He really didn't want to hang out with Arlo either. Daniel could not look at Arlo without thinking of that afternoon. Daniel was mildly curious to know who Arlo was partying with. It had not really occurred to him what clandestine activities his friend might be engaged in this summer. The two had not really hung out much at all. Daniel focused back on the display.

TWOBIT-14 says
i wouldn't hang out there if i was you

Boner-69
lots of people, dont worry

Curious George says
what?

TWOBIT-14 says
swimming at the pool, you'll get jumped for sure

Curious George says
lets just watch a movie

Boner-69 says
ok how's the cheerleader Simon still have the hots for you?

Curious George says
lay off Arlo

Boner-69 says
not getting enough from your slut senior these days?

TWOBIT-14 says
wouldn't you like to know

Curious George says
hey you two save it for the enemy

ugly duckling says
Give me a phone call Daniel gtg.

Simon and Arlo continued insulting each other. Daniel read the screen as he fumbled for his cell. Mandy's line rang busy. She had just told him to phone her. In frustration he minimized Simon and Arlo and then turned his attention to answering an e-mail from Mustapha. The summer was done and he still didn't have the guts to tell her how he felt about her