Roll Call - 3. Chapter 3

Elliot returned to Mr. Harcourt's class, smiling politely as he took his seat. Few noticed as he placed his knees together and slid into his desk. Mr. Harcourt noticed and a grin took his face as he spoke to the class.

"This project which will be sixty percent of your grade for this six weeks. It will be a joint venture between yourself and one other. The object is to show how we differ from another or other cultures. It can be the way we go through our day, the way we look at some aspect of the culture, or anything that you can think of to compare, as long as it has to do with people and the way they view, measure, or deal with other people unlike themselves. So pair up and let me know your pairings."

The girl who sits right behind Elliot leaned over and tapped him on the shoulder. "Hi, I'm Karen Fitzgerald. You new here?"

Elliot sized her up as she spoke. She was pretty, brown curly hair bunched up in the back and held by a scrunchy. She had brown eyes, resting on a very pretty nose, sprinkled with just a few freckles. Her mouth was small but nicely held two rows of perfectly white teeth.

"Shows huh?" Elliot said, smiling.

"Not really. I mean, it looks like you could have known Jan for a while the way you went after him. I mean you're right. He's really cute and could probably be a good friend if he wasn't so hung up on being a cripple."

Elliot's smile turned to two very tight lines, "He's not a cripple!" He snapped back at her.

"Sure he is, you said so yourself." She snapped back.

"First of all, it's not nice to eavesdrop. Second of all, I didn't mean it the same way and he knows that. I said it to make a point that he wasn't trying, not that he was deficient in some way."

"Right, what are you, his conscience or his boyfriend?"

His head snapped around to her as he gave her a look of panic.

"Oh shit," she whispered. "I'm sorry. I didn't know. Does anyone else?"

"There is nothing to know. I like him, but he's not gay. He's just being nice to me, that's all. He doesn't even know about me yet."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to . . . look he won't find out from me and nobody else will either. Can we start again? I'm afraid I've put my foot in my mouth. I seem really gifted at doing that. I don't care that you're gay, if you don't mind that I constantly walk around with my foot in my mouth."

Elliot turned around and smiled at her, putting out his hand, "I'm Elliot. Thanks. I'm sure you won't have to keep my secret for long. Well, maybe how I feel for Jan, but not about being gay. They always find out. I guess I'm a little . . . you know, like you when I move or something, because they always find out."

"No problem. Look, you want to partner with me on this project?"

Elliot took a breath and looked at Jan's empty chair.

"Oh, right. Duh! Sorry. You probably want to partner up with Jan. Never mind, I can hook up with someone else. But it's nice to have a new friend."

Elliot smiled, "You have no idea. Thanks."

Mr. Harcourt looked at Elliot and motioned for him to come up to his desk. "Did you find Mr. Teagle?"

"Yes sir, he was in the men's room. He was a bit upset. Thanks for the pass."

"He didn't come back in. I wanted to make sure he was alright."

"We talked for a bit. He seemed alright when I left. I asked if he was coming back in and he said he had some things to think about first. I think he was a little bit embarrassed to come back in. He said he might sit this one out. I told him I would grab his books for him."

"I can assume then that he is your partner?"

A look of panic flashed over Elliot's face as he looked at Karen. She didn't have time to tell anyone, he thought to himself. He put both hands on his desk and leaned into him, "How did you know? I mean, he didn't even realize it until last night!"

Mr. Harcourt smiled broadly as he put a hand on Elliot's to shut him up. Through his smile he managed to get out, "Elliot, I meant for this project."

The bell rang as Elliot slumped to the floor. A look of horror coming over his face, he had just outed them both to his Global Studies teacher.

"Elliot," he said standing up and helping him to his feet. "It's ok, I have a partner too. But you really have to be more careful. I don't think anyone heard but me, but think before you speak. The world just isn't 100% safe for us yet. I'll put in my book that you and Jan are together on this project. Go on now and relax. You're ok and so is he. But if you ever need to talk, I'm here too. I'm counting on you to keep my secret as well."

Elliot smiled, "Thanks, I feel like such an idiot."

"Don't, it was an honest mistake. No harm done. Off with you now, don't be late to your next class."

"Right." Elliot said, grabbing his books as well as Jan's and headed for Jan's locker.

"What happened? What kept you? We're going to be late." Jan sat with their books ready and the door standing open for Elliot to toss the Global Studies books in.

"Sorry, I was too busy outing us both to the Global Studies teacher," he said, snatching the books from his lap and running to get to class before the bell.

Jan sat frozen in space just staring. Did he just say he outed 'us' to the Global Studies teacher? He asked himself. A panic coming over him. He pushed the lever, moving him forward towards the answers to his questions. No thoughts of the class or how late he may be strolling into it occurred to him, just getting in front of Elliot to make sure he heard right was the goal. He entered the class and rolled toward his empty space, looking frantically around for Elliot, who was up at the teacher's desk getting a seat assigned. Being in a wheel chair, Jan was usually given space in the back, or off to the side, of the room. Here he was in a void in the back corner. Elliot was given the last seat in the last row. A mere six feet forward of Jan. Elliot tried not to look at Jan. This teacher was not to be trifled with.

Mr. Granger was a sawed off trunk of a man, past his prime and bitter that he no longer had someone to kill. His Marine tattoos and signet ring could clue you in, but the haircut was unmistakable. He gave new meaning to the term red neck. Elliot recognized him as the Wikipedia example of a gay basher at once. He scared Elliot and anyone else with sense.

Jan thought long and hard as to how he could approach Elliot. He had to know more. He tried to focus as the words Mr Granger spoke washed over him like a tsunami of ghost chants that would never be heard. As he droned on, Jan's thoughts raced back to his nagging pendulum of death that seemed to bring him closer to death with every swing. Would his mother know about him, about them before he got home? The pressure of not knowing was becoming overwhelming. He had to know more and he would not be deterred.

Mr. Granger had now finished his lecture and had begun scribbling on the board. Now was his chance. Jan began a game of statue with Mr. Granger. He would turn to write on the board and Jan would inch forward until Mr. Granger would sense movement behind him and snap around trying to catch whoever it was. He would return to write on the board and Jan would gain a few more inches before Mr. Granger would once again turn around to try and ascertain who was not taking down every syllable of what he was writing on the board. Jan still kept his head tilted as he took notes in his journal. He had the knack of stealth down to a science as he moved his chair a few more inches towards Elliot. Elliot tried not to notice as he moved his feet under the desk to give Jan's approach more space. Jan kept his head down, taking copious amounts of notes as he got within note passing range of Elliot.

Now what to write, he thought. He wanted it to be safe if intercepted. He had to boil it down to one or two simple words. An idea struck. He pulled a Post-it Note from his notebook keeper. He wrote one simple word. "Us?"

He nudged Elliot with his pencil eraser. Elliot glanced up at Mr. Granger and then back at Jan. Jan turned the note to Elliot he read. He glanced again up front and Mr. Granger turned and noticed that Jan had moved, but he said nothing. Elliot glanced back at Jan and nodded yes.

Jan was in shock, he just stared at Elliot. There was no longer a pretense of taking notes. He just stared open mouthed at Elliot, his mind racing a million miles a second, asking himself a thousand questions. Who else knows, what was said, does the whole class know? Will my Mom find out? How long before mom will find out? What the fuck will I do if Mom finds out? Will Grandma still love me? Oh fuck.

Mr. Granger turned and spotted Jan Teagle staring open mouthed at Elliot. "Mr. Teagle, could you put your hormones in check long enough to get through my class, please. I realize you think Mr. Glicksman is cute and I must confess, he has a cute little wiggle when he walks, but surely you can hold off a few more minutes for your lust to be quenched."

The room filled with giggles as all eyes turned to meet Jan's. Elliot had a look of horror on his face and was certain he was going to die if he said another word. Then, the last thing he expected occurred. Jan spoke.

"Well, you noticed it too. I would think you would be just a little sympathetic. Or did you want him all for yourself? Really Mr. Granger, don't you think you're just a bit old for him? I mean we can all see that he still turns you on by the tenting, or was it me that did that to you? But then again, I don't have that . . . how did you put it, "that cute little wiggle?"

"You have just earned yourself a detention, Mr. Teagle.'

"Certainly. You won't mind if we bring this before the principle then when I protest it, will you Mr. Granger. After all, I only asked questions on a subject you brought up for clarification. Remember, you said Mr. Glicksman had a cute little wiggle when he walked that attracted you."

"I said nothing of the kind."

"I'll bet a blind questionnaire passed to the class would bring a different verdict, Mr. Granger. I'll tell you what, you can arrange the review hearing with the principle and just tell me when it is. I'll be happy to attend your detention just as soon as that is resolved." The bell rang and the room exited as quietly as it ever had. Mr. Granger knew his comments alone could get him fired, but this child had just disrespected him in front of the whole class.

"Just a minute, Mr. Teagle." He waited for everyone else to leave. Elliot stayed put. Scared to death, but not leaving him alone with this mad man.

"So, your girly boy is going to stand beside you. Well points for that. Most sissy boys would be out the door by now. But you Jan, I wouldn't take you for a poofter. Why would you challenge me like that in front of the class?"

"Why do you feel it's alright to berate us in front of the class?"

"You're insolent."

"And you're an ass, now answer the question. You think you are so superior to us just because you fought in the war and killed people. Well any child can pull a trigger, so that part doesn't make you a man. You chose to for some god forsaken ideal. Well, perhaps that part made you a man. But tell me, was it for some vague ideal, like freedom? Was it so that if two boys wanted to love each other they could? Or was it for the freedom that only you get to choose. Are you regretting it? You could have handled it differently, more privately, but you chose the battlefield and now you don't like how the battle is going. You were wrong and may have now even endangered my friend and I, whether or not it is true. You sat as judge, jury and executioner all in one. Thanks for that. Now if we're quite done, I have a cute little wiggle to follow out to get our brains bashed in by some fella you probably know quite well. If you want to kick this around more, then just have the office call my mom in and we'll see how round two goes for you. G'day Mr.Granger." He looked at Elliot, knowing he couldn't storm out and leave him there alone. He had just kicked the tiger in a sore rib and he knew it.

"Oiy! Girly boy. Get the books and commence wiggling cutely."

Elliot was shocked into movement and he wasted no time in collecting the books and making for the door, holding it open for Jan as he busted through it. He ran for the locker, sure Mr. Granger would be hot on their heels, but looking back, did not see him.

"Is he back there?" Jan asked, afraid to turn back around.

"No," Elliot whispered. "Come on, let's put these in there and hit the door."

"Door hell, let's get in my van and get the hell out of dodge. I think we pissed off the sherriff." Jan giggled, grabbing his coat and together they headed for the door. Jan tossed Elliot his keys, "Go open it up while I do the ramp."

Elliot jumped the three steps and made for the parking lot. He pushed the button and the lights flashed and the horn started going off. He pushed another button and the door opened and the platform began to deploy, but the lights and horn were still sounding as he madly pushed buttons trying to make it shut up. Finally, he found the right one to make it silence and Jan showed up, laughing, snatching the fob out of his hand, "You idiot, get on." Elliot climbed onto the platform and it raised up as Elliot stepped up and moved to the passenger seat so Jan could roll into the place between them. He slid into his seat and started it up and they left, breathing heavily a sigh of relief as they did.

"How did you ever get the courage to speak to Mr. Granger like that?"

"Well, I figured that if we were out to the whole fuckin' school anyways, what did I have to lose. Besides, I knew that even if the school isn't accepting of poofs, they wouldn't stand for a teacher saying what he did. So I knew I had him. When he kept us after the bell, I have to admit I was scared senseless, but somehow, with you there, I felt stronger. Almost invincible." He said, glancing over at Elliot. "We'll see how it plays out. We'll see if he calls my bluff. I doubt he will say anything to anyone. He knows he messed up big time. The question is what he will do about it."

"Jan, what did you mean by out to the whole school?"

"You said you outed both of us to Mr. Harcourt."

"Yeah, but Jan, nobody else heard it and Mr. Harcourt is gay. He won't tell anyone."

"So then nobody knows?"

"No, well, except Karen Fitzgerald. She sorta figured it out when she said something I didn't like and I ripped her head off for it. She asked me if I was your conscience or your boyfriend and I guess the whiplash I suffered answered her question, but she was really cool about it and promised to keep it to herself. I don't know her, but she seemed to be the type who could actually keep a secret."

"Well shit! Looks like I did the job I thought you already did. I owned up to liking your cute little wiggle in front of the entire class."

"What wiggle? I don't wiggle!"

"Oh, yes, you do wiggle and I love it. It makes me rock hard when you do it. I would love to park my . . . well, you know. You do have a wiggle and I love it."

Elliot blushed as they pulled into the driveway in front of Jan's house. "Come on," Jan said. "I want to show you something."

The boys made their way into the house. "You make some lunch for us. I'll be right back," Jan said, as he rolled down the hall to his room.

Elliot looked in the freezer. "How about one of these Chicken Bake things? How long do I put them in for?"

"Yeah, those are excellent. About two and a half minutes each. But ya have to cook them separately or they won't get done."

"Ok, the first one is in."

"Hey, don't forget to open one end or they come out slimy."

Elliot stopped the microwave and tore one end of the bag open and closing the door, started it again. He looked over the counter and saw Jan standing on the other side. His chair wasn't anywhere to be seen. Elliot's mouth dropped as he came around the corner and looked at his leg. There, on the end of his stump was a "J" shaped piece of flexible steel. It had more of a "C" shape to it, if the truth be told. It had another reversed piece on the back rather like a heel would be. Elliot walked up to him and kissed him. "I like it!" he said. "Can you walk with it?"

"Not well, it's more like a hobble"

"I'll bet it just takes some practice. Let's have some lunch and then you can walk with me a bit out by the pool." The microwave signaled time for the next to be started. They finished their lunch and Elliot cleaned up the plates.

"Come on. Let's see how this thing works." It fit onto a cup that was made from a mold of his stump. There were adjustment screws to adjust the height of the blade in quarter inch measurements. The cup had two flat metal pieces that hooked onto a harness that went over the knee and then a cinch strap went around his waist to hold the whole mess up in place. Jan put his hand on Elliot's shoulder and took a step. He winced when he put weight on it.

"Does it hurt?"

"Yeah, a bit. They said it's like building a callus up. The end of the bone has to tenderize the end of the stump until it stops feeling it. They said extra socks might help until I get used to it. It hurt so bad when I tried it the last time that I begged my mom not to make me go back. She didn't, so I never tried it again."

"I'm sorry. I didn't know it would hurt. I didn't think about how it all worked. If it hurts terribly, I don't mind the chair. I'll love you the same, standing or sitting."

"No, I've hurt a lot worse. I can take it. Besides, you were right. And I think I can do this. I think I could fly if you were standing with me." Elliot smiled and took him in his arms and kissed him deeply. "We better get back to school. We'll be late."

"Look, could we keep this between me and you, just until we see if it's going to work?"

"From who, exactly?"

"Well, from my mom mostly. I'd like to surprise her. And if it doesn't work out, I don't want her to be too disappointed."

"Sure, we can have private practices and I can rub your stump when it get's sore."

"Oh shit, just the thought of it makes my dick throb."

"Maybe it needs a little of what I can give it now," he said, wrapping his arm around his waist and his other hand rubbing up the inside of the brace and then across his rock hard steel pipe that pulsed under his grip.

Jan quivered, "Shit, I think I just came." Elliot just kissed him and rubbed his piece against Jan's. He gasped for air as he grew hard once more and they broke apart.

"Let's hobble down to your bedroom and get changed before we're too late."

"Personally, I think I am too upset to go back and we should just stay here and get naked."

"I like that idea too." Elliot said, walking them into his room before unbuttoning Jan's shirt.

They flopped over on his bed as he loosened his cinch strap and the leg slid to the floor with a melodic thump. His shirt was off and it left him wearing the wool sock over his stump and the fine cotton one between the wool and his skin and the pair of plaid boxers he had on. Elliot had managed to strip to his boxers as well, both were obviously happy to be seeing each other. Elliot took the opportunity to remove the first sock by rolling it from the top down, making sure to nudge his package as much as he could. Having removed that, he did the same to the cotton one, exposing his stump, which tingled as the sweat evaporated off of it. Elliot got close and breathed across it as he kissed his way up. He got to the bend in his leg and paused to pull his boxers off. Jan lifted his hips slightly to facilitate the procedure. He kissed the hard mound at the base of his cock and licked his balls. His hot breath making laying still impossible for Jan.

"Wait," Jan said in a strained voice. "You too, take off your boxers, then lay down beside me so I can taste you too." Elliot obliged him. Standing in front of him, he moved his hips in a very sexy, very fluid movement that by itself almost brought Jan over the edge. He watched as the elastic edge of his boxers just barely moved down, clinging to his gyrating hips. He saw how his dick tented the boxers, but was forced down, waiting to clear the edge of the material. Jan could see the nearly naked pubic mound as his hips rocked forward, still singing out his sexual dance for Jan until finally they fell free and his boyhood slammed up hard against his naked belly. He seductively slid into bed next to him with his head back in the boy's mound. He breathed in his musk and lapped at his scent. Jan buried his face in Elliot's mound, breathing in his wonderfully erotic boy flavor and wasting no time, found his stem and licked the end, causing Elliot to shudder.

Jan liked to make him shudder and repeated the process until the tables were turned and Elliot sucked down to the base of his rod. He began to bob up and down feverishly as the same was applied to his nearly exploding boyhood. It was a race to see who would load the other up faster. Neither would lose in the end as they both flooded their partner's mouth with their own unique flavors. Both drinking them down and sucking every drop they could manage from the other. They lay there spent. Elliot turned around and scooted in between Jan's legs. As he began to rub his mound against Jan's, he kissed his neck and in between kisses he asked, "Now (kiss,kiss) tell me (kiss,kiss) again about (kiss,kiss) what you would (kiss,kiss)like to put (kiss,kiss) where when I wiggle? (kiss,kiss)"

Jan instantly boned up again as his breathing became ragged. "Wait," he said, as he opened the drawer on his nightstand and brought out a tube of KY Jelly. He put some on his fingers and smeared some on Elliot's pucker. Elliot gasped at first and it turned into whimpering as he worked it into his hole.

"Slow up or I'm not gonna make it," Elliot sounded off, straining his voice to hold off blasting his load just from the administrations of Jan's gel on his pucker. Jan put some more gel on his fingers and rubbed it over his super sensitive head.

"Ok," Jan whispered.

Elliot sat up and brought his knees up beside Jan's rib cage and raised up, reaching back to find his rock hard piece of steel, both trembling in anticipation. Their breath coming in short gasps as they worked the mechanics of the first insertion out. Elliot finally lined it up with his waiting ring of fire and eased back on it, feeling the pressure until the pop and his head went inside. Elliot swallowed hard. Somehow it felt much larger than it looked. Jan came up on his elbows. Looking down between them, he could see the vise that squeezed his head so tightly. Their eyes met, Jan could see the pain of the pleasure in Elliot's eyes and it elevated Jan's pleasure as he started to pump involuntarily. Elliot swallowed again and pushed back on the eager pulsating staff of white hot steel. He could feel it working its way in, passing short strokes. Then, finding his prostate, he called out a yelp and sat up, arching backward as he began to dance forward and back, rubbing his perineum across his hard mound. Each stroke rubbing Elliot's prostate and soliciting a yelp of pleasure as they urged each other into a more rapid rocking motion. Jan began to yell out as he began to buck, slamming his pelvis hard into Elliot's ass, creating a slapping sound as the two slammed together. Elliot could feel Jan's mammoth piece enlarge and it pushed his pain to trigger his own orgasm. Clenching his ass with each blast, Jan could not hold out either and blasted wave after wave of happiness into his boy love. He subsided and pulled Elliot down on top of him, their heat between them, gasping, still embedded deep within him, Elliot shuddered one last time as Jan withdrew his wither.

The boys kissed and lay there as the spent boy lust called them to rest.

There was a knock on the door. It must be a dream, another wrap on the door. A woman clearing her throat, "Uh, hello Jan."

Their eyes snapped open. Elliot was laying on top of Jan, facing away from the door. Jan did not have that luxury. "Mom! Uh, Uh . . . Shit!"

"It's alright son. I just wanted you to know I was home and I thought maybe your girl friend might want to call her mother. It's after dark you know. Anyways, I'll be in the kitchen. Can your friend stay for dinner?"

"Uh, we'll let you know after we make a phone call mom, thanks."

"Alrighty then!" Renae said so sweetly. She was thrilled to death that he had someone in his life now. She was worried that he might not find someone because of his amputation.

"Oh shit, what do we do?" Elliot whispered in Jan's ear.

""I don't know. Call your Mom I guess and see if she can come get you. Maybe we can sneak you out the back door." They heard the telephone ring.

"Hello." Renae said brightly. "Oh yes, how are you Mr. Granger?"

"Oh shit," Jan said as they scrambled to get dressed.

"I see. Well, to be quite honest Mr. Granger, I only stepped in the door a few moments ago so we haven't had the opportunity to talk about his day yet. That could explain why he was in bed already. You know, the stress of the day."

"Apologize? Well for heaven sakes, what happened? . . . Uh huh, yes, oh really. Well yes, of course I knew. What do you think, I'm not an involved parent? No, you listen. There is really no excuse for that type of behavior. I mean, you are the adult in charge. Don't they teach you any tact at all? I mean, God damn, being a teenager is hard enough with out narrow minded idiots like you endangering them with your idle, unthinking speculation. Now hear this and hear it well. If anything happens to my son because of your indiscretion, the school board will hear from me and the superintendent will hear from my very expensive lawyer. Do I make myself clear to you Mr. Granger? . . . Then good day sir." Renae slammed down the phone and rested her forehead in her hand.

"Hi, Mom?" Elliot whispered into the telephone.

"Yes honey, where are you? Why are you whispering?"

"I'm at Jan's mom, and his mom just got home and well, to make a long story short, the picture wasn't pretty when she stuck her head in Jan's room to wake us up. Can you come get me please?"

"Of course honey, where is it?"

"Oh damn, hang on. Jan, where are we?"

"Duh! Were standing two minutes from hell!"

"No the address. Mom needs to know where to come get me!" He said in hushed whispers.

"Oh, shit sorry. 1140 West Carver Street."

"Did you get that mom? 1140 West Carver Street. I'll try and be out front."

"Alright honey. Are you alright?"

"I am right now. She thinks I'm his girlfriend. I don't think I can pull that one off for long though so hurry."

"I'll be right there sweety. You just keep . . . doing what ever you're doing to make her think . . . hahahaha." Karen couldn't keep it in any longer. It was too funny.

"Mom! It's not funny. Please get over here as fast as you can."

"Ok, I'll be right there."

"Alright, here's what we'll do. We'll walk down the hall, I'll go into the kitchen and you slip out by the pool. You can get out front by the pool gate the cleaner uses. I'll see you in school tomorrow." Jan kissed Elliot. "I love you," Jan said to him in a whisper.

"You do?" Elliot asked, holding his hands in his.

"Yeah, I do. Look, this is just until I can break it to Mom. A day or so. Honest. I just need to break it to her easily. This isn't quite how I would have planned it."

"I know. Ready? Let's go."

Jan rolled down the hall and into the kitchen where he blocked the entrance. "Hi Mom, how was your day?" he said, leaning forward to kiss his mom. She kissed him back.

"You know it was like always, full of people and boxes. Where is your friend?"

"The phone call didn't go well. Their mom is on her way."

"Did you and Elliot eat? I wouldn't want to send him home hungry."