Leopard Spots - 11. Chapter 11

Jim heard the voices, but he couldn’t quite make out what they were saying. The sounds were intermingled with pleasant, and rather erotic, memories involving his boyfriend, but the tones didn’t match the memories. It was only when the voices stopped that Jim finally woke up.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you up just yet.” Tony rolled out of the bed and stretched.

“That was your alarm?” Jim asked as he blinked the sleep out of his eyes. He smiled while admiring the view of his naked boyfriend’s back and butt.

“Yeah. I find the radio works best for me.” Tony grinned over his shoulder. “Pride FM, of course.”

“What time is it?” Jim didn’t bother trying to check the alarm clock. He had better things to look at.

“Six-thirty. Normally, I’d lie in bed for a bit longer–”

Jim patted the bed next to him. “Sounds like a good idea to me.”

Tony chuckled. “Very tempting, but I’ve got to get to work on time, and we need to drop into your place on the way so you can get changed.”

“Do you have to be so practical?” Jim sighed and then grinned. “But last night was good.”

Tony leant over the bed to give Jim a kiss. “Yes, it was.”

Jim took advantage of Tony’s precarious position to pull him back onto the bed.

“Hey!”

“How much time have we got if we skip breakfast?” Jim asked between quick kisses “I’ll take you out for lunch, instead.”

“Not long enough. Sorry.” Tony lay on top of Jim for a moment before running a hand lightly down the side of Jim’s chest. “Of course, skipping breakfast would allow us time for a long shower...”

Jim grinned. “Then what are we waiting for?” He flicked back the bed cover and stood up. He was about to head to the bathroom when he noticed that Tony wasn’t moving. “What’s wrong?”

Tony smiled. “Nothing. I’m just comparing you in private to you in public. I like both, but you’re much more playful in private.”

Jim felt himself going red. “That’s just because...”

“Because you’re still not comfortable in your own skin in public. You can be affectionate...” Tony grinned. “...indeed, very affectionate, but only in private or small groups. The more people around, the more you keep your feelings in check.”

“Tony, I don’t mean to–”

Tony held up a hand to interrupt. “That was an observation, not a complaint. I understand where you’re coming from, and it’s fine with me. Open up at your own pace, Jim. It all takes time.”

Jim knew he was blushing, but that didn’t stop the grin. “Speaking of which, we’re wasting shower time...”

The two were laughing as they headed off together.

* * *

Dave sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the small bottle of sleeping pills in his hand. Despite going to bed drugged, he’d had another nightmare. He couldn’t remember what it was about, but he could still feel the terror.

He placed the bottle on his side table and started to get ready for the day. He had wanted to sleep in, to rest and recover, but his mind clearly had other ideas. While he had been sleeping better since he had started on the pills, he didn’t feel as rested as he used to be. The nightmare, even if he couldn’t remember it, hadn’t helped.

Dave knew it was stupid to exceed the prescribed dosage, but he was scared. He wanted his old life back, the one without nightmares and restless sleeps. He had felt better for the first couple of days of taking the pills, but whatever benefit they were giving him appeared to be wearing off. Conscious that what he was doing was dangerous, he made a decision. That night, he’d increase the number of pills he took to see if it made any difference.

Moving quietly, as everyone else appeared to be still asleep, Dave slipped out of the house. It looked like it was going to be another hot day; the morning air was already much warmer than usual for that time of the year, and he thought an hour or two run in the fresh air might be beneficial.

* * *

Neil lay in bed, not wanting to get up. That was typical for him, especially on school days, but that day in particular he was afraid. He couldn’t shake the feeling he was being set up for some massive April Fool’s prank.

Forcing himself out of bed, Neil stood for a moment staring into space. Todd had given him a lot of good advice the night before, and the one he decided to concentrate on was the one about goals. He had a goal in his mind, and he needed to work towards that goal. Jim would become his boyfriend; it was only a matter of time. Jim wouldn’t want him to hide away, so Neil had no choice.

Mechanically, Neil prepared for school while his mind was focused on other things. The oscillation from anticipated euphoria of eventually being with Jim to the dread of anticipated pain from the upcoming day resulted in Neil being more ready to react than think when he entered the kitchen for breakfast.

“Hello, dear. You’re running a little late, so I’ve put your breakfast together for you.” Mrs Rosewood’s smile faded as Neil took his time to respond.

“Oh...thanks, Mum.” Neil sat down at the table and stared at the bowl of cereal in front of him.

“Are you okay, Neil? You’re looking a little washed out.” Neil’s mother reached out and put a hand on his forehead, only to have it immediately batted away.

“I’m not sick!” Neil grunted as soon as he said it. That would’ve been the perfect excuse to avoid school for the day.

“If you say so...”

Neil glanced up to see his mother frowning at him. “What?”

She smiled. “Only four more days of school before the term break. I know you’re going to be working over the holidays, but a change might do you good. After giving it some thought, I realised you need to be doing something other than schoolwork for a bit to recharge the mental batteries. I’m pleased you’ve organised yourself a job. It could be just what you need.”

Neil shrugged his shoulders and started eating. His mind was already preparing for the possible problems of the day. The first one involved the usual issue of getting to school safely.

“What have you got on today?” Neil’s mother asked.

“The usual. There’s a physics test to review what we’ve been doing, but that shouldn’t be a hassle. It’s only internal, and I don’t think it’ll have much impact on my final grades.”

“You want to keep up your marks even if it’s only a minor test. One or two points at the end of the year can make a difference to whether you get into the university course of your choice. The practise is good for your final exams, too, so don’t take it lightly.”

Neil rolled his eyes, though he was careful to make sure she didn’t see him do it. “Yes, Mum.” He heard her chuckle, but she stayed quiet for the rest of his breakfast.

Ten minutes later, Neil was ambling towards the school. He still hadn’t made up his mind as to what was going on. With the encouragement from Todd and Ty, he had decided he would give Clarissa the benefit of the doubt for the moment, while keeping a wary eye out for danger.

Neil varied his route each day. He hadn’t been accosted outside the school grounds for over two years, but he put that down to the tactic of not being predictable as well as keeping a careful lookout for his oppressors.

Neil paused by a large tree that overhung the footpath. He was still some distance from the school, but he wanted to check if Ty had updated his Facebook page. Neil was still hoping that Ty would let slip some important details about Jim, but he no longer saw that as a priority. In less than a week’s time, he would have another chance to speak to Jim directly, and that was where Neil was placing his major hopes.

After finding nothing new on Ty’s Facebook page, Neil glanced around before making the final decision on which route to school he’d take. Frowning uncertainly, he decided to take a risk and take the most direct path, something he usually avoided. If Todd and Ty were right and he could trust Clarissa, it would be safe. If it wasn’t, he’d prefer to know sooner rather than later.

Fixing his expression into one of steely determination, Neil strode forward. This would either be one of his best days at school or one of the worst.

“Neil, wait up!”

Tensing, though the feminine pitch had already told him it wasn’t one of the three bullies, Neil glanced over his shoulder. Seeing Clarissa coming around the corner from the side street he’d just passed, Neil slowed down. Ty had suggested he speak to Clarissa privately, if possible, and this seemed like a good opportunity.

Once she had joined him, Clarissa tried to slip an arm through his, but Neil pulled away. Neil tried to read her expression when he did so, but his best guess was that she was disappointed. He didn’t detect either surprise or distaste.

“I was just trying to be friendly,” Clarissa said as she strolled next to Neil, leaving a small gap between them.

“I know, and maybe in the future I’ll let you do that, but I can’t help being suspicious.” Neil turned his head so he could watch her face while they walked. “Today’s the first of April. April Fool’s Day. Isn’t it a remarkable coincidence that it’s only yesterday that you got Liam to back off? Thanks for that – I do appreciate it – but I can’t help wondering if I’m being set up for one last major April Fool’s prank before we all finish school.”

Clarissa winced. “I can see why you might think that, but I have to assure you that if you are, it’s got nothing to do with me.” Her eyes narrowed. “And if Doug, Rod, or Jerk Face try anything, let me know. If they do, Jerk Face is going to be made into the biggest April Fool this school has ever seen.”

“You’ve got something on Liam.” Neil made it a statement, but his raised eyebrows indicated he wasn’t sure.

Clarissa chuckled. Her laugh had an edge that raised Neil’s defences, though he hoped the sinister overtones weren’t aimed at him. “I certainly do.” She smiled at Neil. “Don’t you worry about him. It’s the other two you’ll have to watch out for. If Jerk Face can’t keep them in line, you might still be pranked.”

Despite his deepest cynicism, Neil felt she was telling him the truth. She hadn’t tried to tell him that everything was going to be fine but had highlighted the risks. She might still be lying, and the prank would come from Liam when Neil least expected it, but he felt she was being honest with him. It gave him the courage to ask the main question, which neither Todd nor Ty had been able to guess at an answer.

“What was Liam agreeing with you about yesterday, after school? When I left, he said that you were right....”

Neil watched carefully and caught Clarissa’s flinch, though she tried to hide it.

“I can tell you now if you insist, but I’d prefer to wait. Please...trust me? I’ll tell you when you’re ready.”

Neil pulled a face. Her response hadn’t helped but instead had left him exactly where he was before. If he could trust her, he should back off and let her tell him when she thought it was the right time. If he couldn’t, her answer might be a lie, and he wouldn’t know.

“You’re asking me to trust you, but I don’t know if I can. I’ve been burnt before, Clarissa, more than once or twice.”

She reached out and put a hand on his arm. “I know.” Her tone was soft. “And that’s why I’d prefer to wait. I want you to trust me enough that you won’t read things into what I’ll tell you that aren’t really there.”

Neil stared at her hand and then at her face. She seemed sincere, but he wasn’t ready to believe it. “Friday, after school. Can you tell me then?”

Clarissa grimaced. “If you insist, later would be better. How about the middle of the holidays?”

Neil shook his head. “Friday. If nothing’s happens to me for the rest of this week, I might start believing you. Friday’s the earliest possible date when I might trust you, and I’m not promising I will by then.”

She sighed and nodded her head. “Okay, if that’s what you want. Friday, it is.”

Neil started to smile, but the attempt faded as he realised he still didn’t know what she was going to say. All she’d done was to delay telling him until the end of the week. It might still be an elaborate hoax they were playing on him.

* * *

“Okay, Charlie, you can put your shirt back on now.” Jackie turned away and headed to the sink to wash the massage oil off her hands.

“Thanks, Jackie. The shoulder feels a lot better.” Charlie slid off the padded table and reached over to pick up the polo shirt he’d slipped off at the start of his physiotherapy session.

Jackie smiled over her shoulder. “You don’t need to put the sling back on.” She chuckled at Charlie’s surprise.

“But, you said it wouldn’t be until tomorrow!”

She shrugged while rubbing her hands with the soap. “You’ve got a good range of movement in your arm without any discomfort. You’re sensible enough that you’re not going to strain the ligament again by doing something stupid.” She paused and glanced back at him again. “But you’re still restricted as to the exercises you can do. That shoulder is by no means healed. It’s healing, but until I give you the okay, you’re not healed. You can still damage it and delay your return to the team.”

Charlie gave her a tentative smile. “Yeah, I know. I’ll be careful. Thanks again, Jackie. I really appreciate the help.”

“It’s my job, Charlie.” She smiled back as she dried her hands. “But you’re easy to work with. Unlike some of the guys, you listen and try to do what you’re told. I hope that girl you were with on Saturday knows how lucky she is.”

“Er...” Charlie’s face went red, and he wouldn’t meet Jackie’s eyes.

Jackie laughed. “Charlie, don’t change who you are. Now get out of here; I’ve got more work to do.”

Charlie slipped out of the physiotherapy office and headed to the change room and then onto the gym. He was still restricted in the upper-body work he was able to do, but cardio work was a good fallback for the day. It was just over two hours before he’d have to head to the train station and on to the city for his afternoon university lectures.

He was greeted as soon as he walked through the door. “G’day, Charlie! Hey, no sling!”

“G’day, Jim. Yeah, it came off a day early. I’m still not allowed to do anything that puts a strain on the shoulder, but it’s getting better.”

Julie glanced over from the treadmill she was using. “And it had better keep getting better, or I’ll have you running laps after training every night from now to the end of the season. Don’t push it, Charlie. Let it heal properly.”

Charlie grinned at the assistant coach. “Jackie’s already given me that talk. I’ve got a list of what I can and can’t do.”

“Listen to her,” Greg Chambers said. He was seated at the inclined leg-press machine, apparently between sets. “She got me ready to play a week ahead of expectations last year when I did my hamstring.”

Jim started putting weights onto a bar. “Any possibility you’ll be allowed to play on Saturday?”

Charlie sighed. “Not a chance. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for the week after, but Jackie told me not to bet on it. Unless I re-injure it, though, I should be fine for the week after that.”

Jim paused and frowned into the distance as he processed the information. “That’ll be the game against Coburg, I think.”

“That’s right.” Charlie glanced at the bar and then at Jim. “Do you need a spotter?”

Jim waved a hand. “No, it’s fine. Greg will help me if I need one, though I’m not pushing myself too hard today. I’m more filling in time while Tony’s working and Ty’s out training with Will. You probably shouldn’t spot, anyway. I wouldn’t want you to risk your shoulder.”

Charlie shrugged. “Jackie didn’t say anything about not spotting, but you’re probably right.” He grinned. “Ty and Tony? You’re dating both of them now?”

Jim grabbed the hand towel he used to wipe down the benches after use and threw it at Charlie. “Tony and I are going out for lunch later. The brat asked us to drop him back home when he’s finished with Will.”

Charlie chuckled as he picked up Jim’s hand towel and tossed it back to him. “Probably smart. I wouldn’t want to make Karen mad by trying to steal her boyfriend.”

Jim chuckled back. “I wouldn’t, either. She’s good for him. Just the sort of person he needs by his side.” He finished adding the weights to the bar. “What are you doing today?”

“Some cardio work and then off to uni. Back home after six for dinner and then study.” Charlie shrugged. “The usual.” Charlie headed to the treadmill next to Julie.

“Better you than me. I hated studying when I was at school and couldn’t wait to leave and start working.” Jim frowned. “Shit!”

“What’s wrong?” Charlie took a couple of steps back towards his teammate before a hand up from Jim indicated he didn’t need help.

“Sorry, Charlie. I just realised something, that’s all. Next week I’m supposed to be convincing someone to stay in school rather than drop out, but I left school as soon as I finished Year 12. I’m going to have to watch what I say to him.”

Charlie didn’t understanding what Jim was talking about, but he sensed it was none of his business. “Okay. Time for me to get to work.”

“Me, too. Sorry.”

Charlie worked out for the next forty minutes. Julie left after fifteen, telling Charlie she had some more planning work to do and repeating her warning about letting the shoulder heal properly.

After completing his workout and doing some stretches, Jim waved to Charlie. “See you later! Don’t study too hard; leave some time for fun, too.”

Charlie chuckled. “I will.”

It was as Jim left the room that Charlie remembered his promise to Jarrod; that he should make an effort to stay in the shower area when Jim was there. He frowned as he slowed the treadmill down to a brisk walk while he considered the consequences of acting on that promise. Charlie felt himself tensing up, but it was something he would have to do sooner or later, and it might be easier if there weren’t any other people around.

Charlie took a deep breath and slowed the treadmill further. A short cool-down period wasn’t ideal, but if Charlie was going to try to do what Jarrod had asked, he didn’t have a lot of time. He glanced across and saw that Greg was still working hard. Charlie didn’t expect him to finish any time soon.

When he slipped into the change room, Charlie could hear a shower going, but there was no one else around and no sound of conversation. He almost chickened out, but he told himself again that it was something he needed to do. Waiting wasn’t going to make it easier.

Charlie needed to learn to trust Jim in his heart. He already trusted him in his head, but his emotions weren’t under his complete control. Avoiding Jim in the showers hadn’t been working. That had just been making Charlie’s issues more obvious.

Rather than think about it anymore, Charlie quickly stripped, throwing his clothes on the bench rather than taking the time to put them neatly next to his bag as he would normally do. After one deep breath, he grabbed his towel and forced himself towards the showers.

He hesitated in the entrance, his towel held in front. Jim was using one of the showers on the left-hand wall. While Charlie stood there, Jim looked over his shoulder and noticed him.

“Charlie! I thought you’d be working out for longer.” Jim turned back and put his head under the water for a moment to wash the shampoo out of his hair.

Charlie took advantage of the lack of eye contact to hang his towel on one of the pegs by the entrance and headed in. He made up an excuse for Jim. “I’ve got some homework I need to pick up from home before I go into the city, so I finished early.” Charlie made himself walk past the shower heads on the right hand side and headed for one in the middle of the far wall.

“Okay. I was just about to finish up.”

“Don’t stop for me,” Charlie said, forcing the words out quickly. He appreciated Jim’s unspoken offer to cut short his shower, but Charlie knew he needed to get over his phobia. “Where are you and Tony going for lunch?” he asked, while keeping his eyes on the shower controls as he set the water temperature to the right level.

“There’s a place in Lilydale that caters for people having dietary issues like Tony. We’re going to try it out to see if it’s any good.”

“Sounds great. I can’t imagine what it’s like to have to worry about everything you eat.” Charlie was happy that the conversation was staying on a subject that felt safe. He could almost ignore the fact that he was naked with a gay guy.

“Neither can I. Did Ty ever tell you about the time I cooked for Tony and I made a mistake?”

Charlie tensed up before making himself glance over his shoulder at Jim. He both needed to and didn’t want to know if Jim was watching him. “No. What happened?” Charlie relaxed marginally when he saw that Jim was keeping his face turned away.

“Vomiting, nausea, and extreme flatulence.” Jim chuckled. “I certainly learnt my lesson with that one. Tony was a good sport about it, though, and didn’t blame me.”

“But you blamed yourself.” Charlie wasn’t watching Jim any more, but he knew his teammate well enough to be sure he was right.

“Yeah, I did. I won’t make that mistake again. I almost swore off cooking for him, but he told me that it had been an innocent mistake and otherwise I’d done everything right.”

Charlie thought about what Jim was saying and saw a rough parallel with his own situation. “But you needed to make that mistake to learn from it.”

“I suppose so. I wish I hadn’t, though.” Jim chuckled. “I’m going to be checking ingredient lists for everything I cook for Tony from now on. I’ve definitely learnt that lesson.”

“Sometimes we need to make mistakes. I’m sorry, Jim.” Charlie found himself saying those last few words without conscious thought.

“What for?”

Charlie swallowed once and then looked around. He wasn’t surprised to see Jim staring at him, but he couldn’t stop himself from turning away. “For that.”

“There’s nothing to be sorry about, Charlie.” Jim’s tone was gentle.

Charlie slammed off the shower and took three rushed steps towards his towel before stopping. He ignored Jim’s voice as he fought a war within himself. Jim was his teammate. He’d showered with Jim many times over the last few months. There was no reason he couldn’t do it again.

He didn’t know how long he stood there or if he said anything while he fought with his emotions, but when he felt something touch his right shoulder, he flinched. It was only as his towel started to fall to the ground that he realised that Jim must’ve draped it there. Charlie snatched the towel before it hit the tiled floor and then glanced around. Jim was drying himself nearby, but with his back to Charlie.

“Thanks, Jim.” Charlie started out of the shower area. He would dry himself once he was alone in the change room.

“It’s okay, Charlie. I’ve been through something similar.”

Charlie froze and glanced back. He expected to see Jim looking at him, but Jim’s gaze was firmly averted.

“When I was fifteen and had a crush on one of the other guys at school, I couldn’t shower with him. I didn’t want to take the risk of my feelings becoming obvious. It took me weeks before I could use the showers at school without being petrified.”

“Jim, I...that’s not...I’m not...”

Jim’s head started to turn, but he stopped even though there was no way he could’ve seen Charlie’s flinch at the slight movement.

“I’m not saying you are. I’m just saying I understand the fear of showering with someone.”

Charlie stared at Jim’s naked back for a moment and then took a step forward. Hesitantly, he placed a hand on Jim’s shoulder. “Thanks, mate.”

Charlie rushed out. He knew, without asking, that Jim wouldn’t leave the shower area until Charlie indicated he was dressed.

* * *

Tony smiled across the table. He and Jim were trying out the Foods With Benefits café in the main street of Lilydale. Tony had been extremely pleased with the range of gluten-free options available and had settled on the lamb salad. Jim had chosen a mild curry. “What are you thinking about?”

Jim jerked as if he’d been prodded. “Sorry, I was a bit distracted. What did you say?”

“I asked what you were thinking about. You had an interesting look on your face, like you’d found something and wasn’t sure what it was.”

Jim chuckled. “Yeah, that’s probably accurate. Your comment this morning about me being different in public versus private relates to something that happened at the club this morning.”

Tony raised an eyebrow.

“I’m still getting used to being ‛out’,” Jim mimed quote marks with his fingers, “and I keep falling back into my old habits. I don’t want to be distant when we’re out in public, but it’s difficult for me to overcome the conditioning I’ve given myself over the years.”

“I understand.” Tony considered and rejected the idea of reaching across the table to Jim. That would appear like he was trying to push his boyfriend. “I told you this morning: it was an observation, not a complaint. You are who you are, and that’s the person I want to be with. I’m not going to ask you to change to make me happy; you’re doing that already.”

“You don’t want me to change?”

Tony smiled as he shook his head. “I’m saying you don’t have to change. If you want to change, that’s fine with me, but you don’t have to do it. What do you want?”

“To change.” Jim grinned. “I want to be able to show you how much you mean to me whenever I want and not have to look around to see who’s watching first.” The grin broadened. “And get your mind out of the gutter. I didn’t mean it like that.”

Tony chuckled. “This is a two-way street. I’m learning more about you, and you’re learning more about me. For the record, I’m blaming Alex. I’m sure your statement was completely innocent, and it’s only his evil influence on me that had me visualising things that you clearly didn’t intend. It’s either him or Ty, since the brat is the one who always insists we close the bedroom door at your place.”

The two laughed. Tony smiled fondly at his boyfriend. “You mentioned two things.”

Jim’s expression morphed into one of puzzlement. “Yeah. Did I ever tell you that some of the guys at the club won’t use the showers while I’m there?”

“You had, though you haven’t told me who those guys were.” Tony didn’t mention that Ollie had passed on the information behind Jim’s back. Ollie wasn’t happy with Dave or Charlie, though he had told Tony that he was letting Roger and Ty deal with it, at least for now.

“One of the guys was Charlie. He’d been avoiding me since I came out to the team.”

“Only in the shower, right? He’s seemed fine every time we’ve seen him. He even came over to introduce Stacey to us after the game on Saturday.”

“Yeah, just with the showering. Today, though, he came in when it was just me. He was tense. Really tense, but his expression was the same one he gets during training when he’s forcing himself to finish a tough challenge.”

“Do you think he knew you were there by yourself?”

“Absolutely. He must’ve finished up in the gym within a minute or two after I left. He had to know I was going to be in the change room or shower, and it was unlikely there would be anyone else there.”

Tony smiled. “It sounds like he’s over whatever it was that kept him away.”

Jim shook his head. “Not completely. He panicked after maybe a minute, and started to leave. That’s when he got that look on his face again. He just stood there, stark naked, muttering something about fighting and teammates. I spoke to him, but he didn’t react. He didn’t seem to know what was going on around him. He was heading to his towel before he stopped, so I went over to collect it. He didn’t see it when I tried to give it to him. He only came out of whatever it was when I put the towel over his shoulder.”

“What do you think was going on?” Tony was puzzled. Charlie’s actions didn’t seem normal.

“I’m not absolutely sure, but I think Charlie knew he had a problem and was trying to fix it. He seemed to think it would be easier if it were just him and me. Normally, I would’ve thought it would be easier in a larger group, but maybe he was concerned about others seeing his reactions.”

Tony frowned. “Charlie did take a shower with me and some of the other guys a few weeks ago. That was before your birthday. I tried to make sure I didn’t look at any of them, but the couple of times I saw Charlie, he was turned away from me.”

“He stayed turned away from me for most of the time, too, but then I did the same. I didn’t want him to feel uncomfortable.” Jim chuckled. “Actually, he was making me uncomfortable.”

“Oh?”

“Since I’ve come out, I’ve never really felt any sexual tension with the other guys. Being in the shower alone with Charlie, I did.” Jim’s eyes widened as he realised what he’d just told his boyfriend. “Not that I had any intention.... It was just that Charlie clearly...”

Tony laughed. “It’s okay, Jim. If it were just two teammates, it would’ve been a non-event. It was only because Charlie expected it to have sexual overtones that those overtones existed. Right?”

Jim nodded. “Exactly right. And despite that expectation, he tried to treat it as just another shower with a mate.” He smiled. “He’s one gutsy guy. At the end, despite what he must’ve been feeling, he put a hand on my shoulder and thanked me, even though we were both starkers. I’m glad he’s on my team.”

Tony tried to keep the smirk off his face, but from Jim’s reaction he knew he didn’t succeed.

“Get your mind out of the gutter! I meant my football team, not...” Jim rolled his eyes. “I give up. All I ask is that you keep the gutter for when we’re alone.”

Tony smiled “Sounds fine to me.”

Jim stared down at the table top. “Speaking of which, Alex said that Ethan’s staying the night at your place on Thursday. They’re a bad influence on you, so I want you to keep away from them. How about you stay that night at my place and let them have the flat to themselves?” He looked up hopefully.

Tony grinned. “That sounds even better! And, if it’s all right with you, maybe I can stay on Friday night, too, after we get back from dinner with Deon and Pamela?”

Jim smirked. “I don’t know. Two nights in a row...” He reached across the table and put his hand on top of Tony’s. “Sounds like a good plan to me.”

Jim snatched back his hand as the waitress arrived with their meals. Tony didn’t care. He had been touched that Jim had made that small public display of affection.

* * *

“Glenda, have you got a few minutes?”

The Leopards’ front-office manager looked up from her desk and smiled at one of her favourite people. “For you, Jim, anytime. How can I help you?”

“It’s about the house rentals. It hasn’t been an issue before now, but what’s the deal if someone else moves in? I know the club organised everything, but I’m not sure of the exact conditions.”

Glenda waved a hand to indicate Jim should sit down. “It’s actually a pretty standard rental agreement. The owners are renting the houses out to the club at discounted rates, and the club then sublets them to the players. That way the club can move players in and out with a minimal amount of paper work. As long as the rent is paid and the house is kept in good condition, everyone is happy. Ultimately, you can have as many people sleep there. Legally, you and the other players are responsible, but there are no restrictions if you want other people to stay for a while.” She smiled. “Since we generally only re-jig the rentals near the end of each year after we’ve recruited new players, if you want Tony to move in with you, you’ve got until December before anyone will look into it. Even after then, if you’re mentoring another rookie, no one will say anything.”

“And if it’s not Tony?”

Glenda’s smile slipped for a moment before she guessed at another possibility. “A friend or family member from Adelaide?” She shrugged. “It really doesn’t matter who it is. Just remember, you’ll be liable for anything they do. If they wreck the place, you’ll be the one held responsible.”

Jim grimaced and looked away. He turned back to her and sighed. “No. This is for a young guy who’s potentially about to become homeless. Mr. O’Grady’s asked me to check if there’s anyone in the club who can put up a student until the end of the year so he can complete his VCE. Staying with me in the house is the fallback position if we can’t find another option.”

Glenda frowned as she considered the ramifications. “I think I’d need to speak to Anne before we made any commitments. If you want this kid to stay with you, then you can do that, as I said, but it’s not ideal. You’ll be responsible for him, and he’ll need support until he finishes his exams in November.”

“I know, but I don’t know what else to do. I’m hoping you could help me.”

“What do you know about him?”

Jim pulled a face. “Not much, actually. He’s starting work next week at O’Grady’s Sports, and he’s planning on dropping out of school when he turns eighteen. I’m not sure if he’s going to get kicked out then or if he’s going to leave home because life’s untenable there, but either way, he’ll probably be homeless at the end of May. We, that’s Mr. O’Grady and I, think it’ll be better for him to finish school, but he’s pointed out that he can’t do that if he doesn’t have a place to stay.”

“It’s a big risk, taking in someone you don’t really know.” Glenda shook her head. “I’m not even sure I can ask if there’s someone else who can take him without getting approval. Doing so may leave the club liable if it appears that we’re indicating he’s trustworthy and it turns out he’s not. Anne, and possible Eric, would need to give the okay.”

Jim grimaced. Anne Flintlock, the club’s financial controller, doubled as the lead on any legal issues, though the club had access to lawyers who donated their time to the club when needed. As the club president, Eric Blackman also had a say in any major decisions that could affect the club.

Jim brightened as he remembered an important piece of information. “Anne’s already met the guy. She and her husband were there when Neil told us what he had planned. She doesn’t know Neil’s going to start work at O’Grady Sports, but she’s got almost as much information as I have. Maybe she’s got some ideas on what to do.”

Glenda smiled. “Anne’s in her office. If you wait a sec, I’ll check to see if she’s free. If she is, you can head up to see her now.”

Jim grinned. “Thanks, Glenda. I can stick around for another hour if she’s not available immediately.”

“I’ll check now.”

Minutes later, Jim was seated in Anne’s office, explaining Mr. O’Grady’s request to find somewhere for Neil to live while he finished school.

“I’d like to help, but I don’t see how the club can afford to get involved, Jim.” Anne screwed up her face. “Glenda was right; if the club approached members or sponsors to take Neil in and something went wrong, the club could be held liable. We can’t afford it, especially not now while we’re still getting back on our financial feet.”

Jim grimaced. “As soon as Glenda mentioned that, I knew she was right. Can it be done unofficially? Just one person talking to another who happens to be a club member?”

“Sure, and I’ll get onto that tonight when I get home. But we don’t really know him, and not many people would take in a stranger that they know nothing about. Neil being gay is an added complication.” Anne held up a hand. “I know, I know. It shouldn’t be, but for some people it will be.”

Jim’s shoulders slumped. “So there’s not much hope, then.”

“Actually, I think we’ll find him a place to stay, but there aren’t going to be a lot of choices.”

Jim looked up. “You do?”

Anne smiled. “If there’s no other choice, you’ll take him, won’t you?” She chuckled. “You don’t have to answer that; I can see the answer in your eyes. To be honest, I’d consider taking him in myself, but there’s no easy way for him to get from our place to his school on a reliable basis. I could take him some days on my way here, but not every day.

“But even I wouldn’t do it without knowing him better first. For a few days, yes, but not for the rest of the year.” Anne sighed. “You hear stories about kids like Neil, but it’s different to actually know someone...”

“But we’ve got a fallback plan.” Jim made himself look at the positives, not the negatives. “If we can’t find him anywhere else, he can sleep at my place.”

“Your housemates are okay with that?”

Jim shrugged. “I haven’t asked them, but I don’t see why not. What reason would they have to say no?”

* * *

Neil dropped his school bag onto his bedroom floor and threw himself onto his bed. The day had gone well despite his concerns. Of course, it was possible that the April Fool’s joke had been to make him spend the entire day on tenterhooks, waiting for something to go wrong, but that would be an unusually sophisticated prank for Doug and his friends. Neil could believe it of Clarissa, but he wasn’t sure if she had the motivation to be that devious.

After a couple of minutes of unproductive reflection, Neil clambered off the bed and fired up his clunky old laptop. Even if he wasn’t going to be at school for too much longer, he needed to keep on top of his homework or his parents might become suspicious. At least he didn’t have too much to do. With the school term finishing, there was little in the way of short-term homework. Instead, two of his teachers had assigned projects that needed to be handed in early in the new term. Neil wanted to get them out of the way as quickly as possible so he could spend most of the term break getting to know Jim.

Neil paused at that thought, and he realised it wasn’t just Jim anymore. Todd was someone else he wanted to know better, even if it was to be a purely platonic friendship. With that thought uppermost in his mind and while waiting for his laptop to boot up, Neil sent Todd a text message thanking him for his advice and telling him that the day had gone well.

It was over an hour later, while he was conducting online research for his chemistry project, when he heard a beeping noise. It took Neil several seconds before he realised what had made the noise. Pulling out his phone, he saw a congratulations message from Todd along with an apology for the late response. Todd said he had been working with a customer and hadn’t been able to check his phone until he had finished for the day. Todd also asked when it would be okay to ring Neil to have a chat.

Neil re-read the message several times before replying. He had an initial concern as to why Todd wanted to talk to him, but then he convinced himself that Todd was just being friendly. Neil told himself that he couldn’t afford to be paranoid with everyone. Unlike the other students at school, there was no reason Todd would have an ulterior motive for talking with him.

Feeling nervously excited at the prospect of speaking to Todd again, Neil sent a text, asking Todd to call any time between eight and ten. That would allow Neil to finish dinner with his parents and then escape to his room on the pretext of doing homework.

* * *

Todd was smiling when he put his phone away.

“From the grin, I’m guessing Lorraine’s sent you a text,” Oliver said while preparing dinner. It was his turn, and he was making one of his mother’s pasta sauces.

Todd laughed. “Actually, no. It was from Neil. He’d sent a message earlier saying he’d had a good day. I’d asked him when I could call him to talk about it, and that was him replying.”

Oliver scraped the freshly chopped chillies into the bowl with the other prepared ingredients. “So you’ve got yourself a girlfriend and a boyfriend. I hope you’ve got a lot of stamina.” He grinned to indicate he was joking.

Todd frowned, causing the smile to slip from Oliver’s face. “Ollie, don’t joke about it. I don’t mind, but I don’t want Neil to get any hint that I’m potentially more than a friend. From what he told me, being rejected – and I would reject him if he tried to hit on me – just might break him. He needs friends, just friends. If you know someone who would make him a good boyfriend, then that would be great, but I’m not sure Neil’s ready for that. If everything didn’t turn out perfectly, he could get badly hurt.” Todd smiled. “And that’s the only reason I’m not suggesting you as a boyfriend for him. He wouldn’t cope with your love’em and leave’em approach.”

Oliver held up his hands. “Message received and understood. And for the record, I’m still with Helena and not interested. Plus I like girls too much. I’ve got no interest in trying the other side of the fence.”

Todd smirked. “Are you sure? You never know until you try...”

Oliver frowned as he placed a red capsicum on the chopping board. He brandished the large knife in his hand. “I thought we weren’t joking about this, and are you speaking from experience when you talk about trying the other side?”

Todd laughed. “Okay, truce.”

“You really care about him, don’t you?” Oliver asked while slicing the capsicum.

“Yeah, I do.” Todd shrugged. “And before you ask, I don’t really know why. He’s just touched something inside me, and I feel I have to do something to help him. He’s like a younger brother who’s gotten himself into some trouble.”

“Any chance you could invite him around for dinner one night?” Oliver grinned. “I’ll cook, and I promise not to poison him.”

“Poison who?” Paul asked as he entered the kitchen. “And when’s dinner?”

Oliver rolled his eyes. “Dinner’s ready when I say it’s ready. It’ll be at least another half hour.”

“Ollie was just suggesting I invite Neil, that kid Lorraine and I met at the club on Saturday, around for dinner one night.” Todd turned back to Oliver. “The problem will be his parents. He’ll need an excuse to be out late.”

Oliver frowned while scraping the sliced capsicum into the bowl. “He’s seventeen, isn’t he? Why does he need an excuse to be out? He should be going out lots already.”

“He doesn’t have any friends, Ollie.” Todd’s rebuke was gentle. “He’s never had a reason to be out at night before, and if he started going out, his parents would ask questions. If he told them who I am, they’d want to know how he met me, and that would lead to questions as to what he was doing in Lilydale in the first place. All it would take would be to accidentally slip up and mention Jim, and his parents may end up working out he’s gay.”

“Surely he goes out to see movies or something.” Paul shrugged his shoulders. “Maybe he can say that’s what he’s doing but comes here instead. If he picks a movie that one of us has seen, we can give him some feedback in case he’s asked what it was like.”

“Good idea.” Oliver emptied the bag of tomatoes onto the board and started chopping them up. “Just don’t make it a movie that Helena and I have been to see. I can’t remember anything about them.”

Todd gave Oliver a wry grin. “Why do you go see them, then?”

“It’s somewhere different.” Oliver shrugged. “My bedroom, while awesome, isn’t the only place in the world. I like to take her out to different places from time to time.”

Paul pulled a face. “Don’t tell me you’ve had sex in the cinema. I don’t want to know!”

Oliver grinned. “Okay, I won’t tell you. Just avoid the back row, right hand side, next time you go see a movie.”

“That’s too much information, Ollie.” Paul shuddered. “Back to Neil, maybe he’ll have some ideas as to how to get out of the house for a night.” He chuckled. “If he wants advice on how to sneak out without getting caught, I might be able to offer him some tips.”

Oliver shook his head. “Sneaking out’s the easy bit. Sneaking back in is the tricky part.”

Paul nodded. “True, but if you wait until the parents are asleep, it’s easier. It means you get to stay out longer, too.”

Todd rolled his eyes. “Am I the only one around here who keeps curfews?”

Paul winced and Todd immediately apologised. “Sorry, Paul. That wasn’t meant to be a dig at you.”

Todd knew that Paul had to break team curfew sometimes. He was holding down a second job, something only a handful of people knew, because his ex-girlfriend had left him a debt of almost $15,000. Paul had made the mistake of agreeing to guarantee a car loan, and when she defaulted on it, he was left with the bill. They broke up shortly afterwards, and Paul had been struggling financially ever since.

“Back to Neil. You’ve already arranged to meet him on Sunday afternoon, right?” Oliver glanced at Todd, silently asking him to confirm.

“That’s right.” Todd grinned. “Ty’s invited himself along, too.”

“Helena and I intend to be busy at that time, or we’d join you.” Oliver grinned. “But if Paul goes with you, that’ll leave us the run of the house, which would be nice.”

Paul rolled his eyes while Todd groaned.

“Anyway, if he’s free on Sundays, why doesn’t he come here for lunch? If the purpose is to have him meet more people, it doesn’t have to be dinner.” Oliver moved over to the stove and turned on the gas. “Not this Sunday, though. I’ve already made other plans.”

“We know, Ollie; we know.” Todd glanced at Paul and received a smile and shrug in response. “Okay, I’ll discuss it with Neil tonight. If he can’t get away for a dinner, we’ll make it lunch on a weekend instead.”

“Just give me enough notice so I can let Helena know.” Oliver pointed the large kitchen knife at his two housemates. “Now get out and let me get back to cooking.”

Todd smiled. “Sure, Ollie, and thanks.”

With a nod to Paul, Todd returned to his bedroom. He wanted to talk to Lorraine before dinner and get her thoughts on what to say to Neil. But he was happy. Things seemed to be working out.