18 Weeks of Twoey - 65. Week Ten Tuesday, November 4, 2014: Date with Deena

We know what happens to people who stay in the middle of the road. They get run over.

- Ambrose Bierce

***

“Swimming practice started yesterday and I'm seriously pumped to make varsity.”

Gary is a really good swimmer and as a freshman he was regularly the fastest in almost every type of stroke. He'll be on varsity after the second practice, just watch.

“So, does that mean you're gonna shave your head?”

He laughed. “I don't think so, but I might get my hair cut back a little.”

“You're gonna look so preppy! Buy some sweaters and button down shirts!”

“Yeah ...sure!” He chuckled.

“I'll come to all your meets!”

“Jeez David, thanks!”

“Well not for you, dummy! The girls are really cute in their swim suits. Plus it'll give me another excuse to get out of my house. Unless Pastor Johnson decides swimming is the Devil's sport. Then, of course, I'll have to follow his instructions.” That earned me a well-deserved punch in the arm.

No ‘naked’ call this morning. Maybe he slept in.

On the walk to school, we were questioning Nels on his decision to celebrate the anniversary.

“I’m actually going to do the dinner at the Drew House. Guess what! I'm going to give Lauri a promise-ring there.”

That sort of stunned us. We didn't think they were that serious!

I was a little surprised not to see Chuck by my locker when I got to school. Maybe his crush is wearing off. I hope so!

OK. This is past ridiculous now! Kathy in the back still with a sad face. Terri next to me still with a sad face! At least Chuck had a smile for me when I walked into math. The class was a little more fun today because we were doing probability experiments and had to team up. So I teamed up with Chuck.

Now before you give me shit for doing that, I really wanted Elcher to see I was cool with Chuck. Plus I don't think I wanted to team up with Terri and her long face. I've got too much crap in my life already. I don't need to add any more.

I think there was a disturbance in the force at lunch today. Matty usually sits on my left and Erik to the left of him. Today, they were reversed! I was a little pissed. I don’t particularly like Erik sitting next to me because I don’t particularly like Erik. But then I saw Chuck had moved one over to be opposite Matty. Chuck and Matty were having a nice conversation across from each other. Well, actually that is pretty nice, because sometimes Chuck get's left out of the table's back-and-forth. I mean, he has no history with the guys and doesn't get a lot of the continuing jokes or oblique references. Erik was happy because he didn't have to share any one-on-one conversations we had with Matty.

I told Erik I'd probably be attending a few wrestling matches this season. He doesn’t have to know I’ll be there to support Matty and definitely not him. Definitely not him! But I asked if he thought he was gonna make varsity. He was pretty sure he would, and probably Matty too. They won't really know until they have a few practices under their belt. Winter sports practices all started yesterday.

“You still have time to try out.”

“No, I'll satisfy my wrestling thirst from watching you guys.”

I figure if I attend every sporting event of the winter season, I won't have to be home at all. From School to Twoey's to my evening run to quick shower to sporting event. That's a pretty full schedule, and I can do my homework at Twoey's. I'll hardly ever have to confront the woman who lives in my house!

While I was having that conversation, Nels was describing the promise ring. I personally think it's a big mistake. They're only sophomores. There's bound to be a breakup before too long. I got up a few minutes early, as I usually do, to go to my locker and I noticed Chuck saw me and got up to follow. He caught up and as we arrived, slid to the floor while I dumped most of my textbooks and notebooks into my locker because all I have is social in the afternoon.

“What's Matty like?” That got my attention.

“What do you mean?”

“What kind of guy is he? Is he nice?”

“Matty's fun! Yeah ...he's a good guy. I can't see him doing anything bad. Why?”

“Well he seems to be trying really hard to be my friend, and I'm sorta careful who I make friends with. I've been ...ah ...hurt by some people I thought were my friends, but who turned out to be not ...not very nice to me.”

I sat down next to him. “Chuck, I think Matty's not like that. But he'll try to get you on the wrestling team, although I don't know if they have a 20 pound weight class.” That got a smile on his face.

“Oh, right ...I should tell you he's sort of a tactile kid. He needs to touch you a lot when he talks. I think it's just a family thing because he has a younger brother who does the same thing. If you don't like friends touching you, tell him right up front. And then after that, tell him every time he does it. He'll eventually stop.”

“He has a younger brother?”

“Yep! Mark. 13 years old, same as my younger brother Tommy. In fact they're friends.”

“Oh ...OK, thanks David”

“So Chuck, you gonna dump me as your idol for Matty? You could do worse.”

He looked at me with those big green eyes. “Never.”

I helped him up as the bell rang and headed for Fifth period social, where I handed in the paper due today.

During sixth period as Biggy and I were getting settled in the weight room, Jack walked in. We both smiled and then Jack did too. It was Biggy who spoke first.

“Hey Jack! We're glad to see you here.”

We spent some time going over certain of the equipment with Jack and suggested some introductory workouts. The rest of the time was spent on our usual routines, but we kept an eye on Jack, just for his safety. As we were leaving Jack spoke.

“I can't thank you guys enough for screwing my head on straight.”

He looked right into my eyes.

“And David, Jimmy thanks you too.”

OMG I think my head swelled to double its size.

In PhysEd before we chose up volleyball teams, I went over to Matty.

“Chuck's a pretty neat kid, isn't he?”

“Yeah, seems to be gutsy in his views, but a little too quiet. Don't worry, I'll break him out of that!” I chuckled, and then he ran his hand down my forearm.

After school I was at my locker, bent over, when I saw two female legs next to my backpack. I looked up and it was Deena! That was a surprise. So I stood up.

“Hey Deena!” I gave her a little kiss on the cheek. (I'm still trying to win her over.) She smiled.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Sure, shoot!”

“What's wrong with me?”

I stood back and looked her up and down, then got closer and put my hands on her shoulders looking right into her grey eyes. Then I let her go.

“Not a damn thing I can find!”

That got a giggle out of her.

Let me describe Deena Hart. She's 15 like me, has short brown hair, sort of wavy, light grey eyes, round face, about my height. She's not real thin, but not heavy either and good sized boobs. She's not a model, but certainly not eye cabbage ...nothing to be ashamed of. Deena never wears makeup that I can tell. Her only fault, if you want to call it one, is she's outspoken and sometimes quick to make judgments. I was on the bad end of one of those when we first met and she decided she didn't like me. But I think she's warming up to me.

“What's wrong Deena?”

“Why do boys avoid me? I never get asked out for anything. Am I ugly?”

“Hell no! I sorta like you, be my girlfriend!”

I don't know why I blurted it out, I didn't think she'd accept, but I could go with her. At least you'd always know where you stood, or if you fucked up. She's brutally honest.

“OMG David, we'd kill each other before one week went by. I'm too headstrong and you're too powerful. We'd never get along as a couple.”

“Powerful?”

“Absolutely! You carry yourself with complete confidence and always offer support to those you think need it and never ever back down.”

Wow! If everybody thinks of me like that, I should get the Academy Award! They haven't seen the gallons of tears I shed or the mountains of insecurities crushing me.

I blushed a little.

“Um ...I think you're a little misled there, but we were talking about you. The only thing I can see is you might scare away some guys with your outspoken nature. Now that's not a negative! I actually think it's a big plus for you. But to tell you the truth, I was a little nervous around you at first, until I got to see your personality a little better. And it probably wouldn't have happened if I didn't meet you as a friend of Lanni.”

“You were scared of me?”

“You're pretty intimidating Deena. But I like you for it. And you call it like you see it and are always honest. To me those are good traits. To another person, they might be a downer.”

“Should I try to change?”

“Not for me. Maybe you just need to find a guy who fits with your personality instead of faking to be someone you're not. Faking to be someone you're not can lead to lots of emotional turmoil. Trust me on that one!”

She was beaming now. So I thought …what the hell!

“Um ...Deena, would you go to the Thanksgiving Dance with me?”

She just stared at me. I could tell her mind was calculating. But a lot of time was passing ...a lot of time. So I dropped my head, threw the pack over my shoulder and turned to leave school.

“YES!”

I froze, my back still to her. Then I felt her hands on my arm and I turned to face her.

“Yes David, Yes Yes Yes.”

“Just as friends, right?”

She smiled. “Yes.”

“Cuz I don't want us to kill each other.”

Then I gave her a soft kiss on those natural lips.

“Let me get this straight. You took Lanni to the Halloween dance and now you're taking her best friend to the Thanksgiving dance?” Twoey was giving me shit but he couldn't keep the smile off his face.

“Hey, she's a nice girl. Once you get past the fear she'll disembowel you if you say the wrong thing.”

I could give as well as take. I continued.

“Anyway, I've got a plan.”

“This ought to be good.”

“Well, we both pretty much agreed we can't be a couple. As Deena said, we'd kill each other within a week. She seems to believe I'm sorta willful.”

“Ya think?”

“Anyway, I’m betting I know a guy who would be perfect for Deena.”

“Who?”

“I don't think I want to tell you yet.”

“I can make you seriously regret that decision, you know.”

“Sam.”

“Really?”

“I think so. I've known Sam for years and sorta know how his brain works. I have no fucking idea where he gets his input, but once he has the data, I see how he processes it. As I'm getting to know Deena a little better, I see a sort of complementary thinking structure. I think they would fit together like puzzle pieces. But I don't want to be a matchmaker ...shit, I had enough done to me. And if either one got even a whiff of what I'm trying to do, I'd lose two friends. So I have to be real careful and somehow let them discover each other. It'll take some cunning to make it seem like a random event.”

“OK you’ve got my attention now. I didn't ever know there was this side of you, Angel. Don't worry about me, I won't spill even a hint. But you have to keep me up to date on the progress. This'll give me something to look forward to every day.”

“Well don't expect stuff to happen every day. The first thing is to make sure Sam is going to the Thanksgiving Dance. You might be helpful there.”

“How?”

“Well you can't go, right?”

“Right. I don't think I’ll be back to school by then.”

“And I can't take Lanni, right? I mean you asked me to, like for the Halloween dance, but jeez I guess I had already asked another girl...”

“So I don't want Lanni to miss it and I ask Sam to take her, as a favor to me.” Twoey just filled that in beautifully.

Then he smiled.

Then I smiled.

“OK I'm going to break my self-imposed rule just this once and reward us with an extra kiss.”

I leaned over, we were both sitting on his bed, and softly met his lips. And we held our kiss ...and held it. After we broke, I got lost in those green eye again and went in for another kiss, but Twoey gently pushed me away.

“You have no idea how hard it was for me to do that, Angel. But if we kissed again, we’d have gone to a place you're not nearly ready for. I can't afford to lose you again. I love you too much.”

So we finished the last math unit before probability, which means Twoey is almost all caught up in math. And for my lesson, Ginny taught me about pie dough and how you can't hardly touch it and have to keep it chilled all the time.

We sautéed onions and carrots and chicken pieces and potato cubes, added chicken stock and flour and cooked everything for a while, then put it as a filling into three small pie shells we had tucked pie dough into. I put the top dough piece on and crimped the edges, made a few air holes and slid them into the oven for about an hour.

Of course Twoey was ball-busting by giving ‘advice’ every step of the way. After the hour, out came golden chicken pot pies, one for each of us. I think I need to do this a few more times before it goes in my notebook. There’s lots of stuff going on. The trickiest part is the pie dough.

But I liked it and, most importantly, Twoey liked it. We cleaned up and went back to his room where I change into running gear as he perved me again. Before I got that amazing goodnight kiss, I rested my forehead against his and thanked him for stopping me from going too far earlier. I get so lost in those green eyes. Then I enjoyed our gentle kiss and I was out of there running my 6K before going home.

As I trotted toward my house, I spotted that white van again, coming the opposite way down my street. It passed me as I reached my driveway. I tried, but couldn’t make out who was driving. This is beginning to bug me now.

After my shower I checked the computer, enjoyed the startup surprise, found only pictures of me, and finished my own homework. It was time to slip in between the sheets and call Twoey.

“Oh, I forgot to ask you why I didn't get my naked David call this morning.” Twoey laughed.

“Well you sure were easy enough to train! Actually Mom brought me to the doctor’s office. It was time for him to check my neck wound. He said in a few days I'll be able to take the bandage off both front and back and then let the scar air-heal for a few weeks.”

“OOO ...sexy scar, like a swordfighter!”

We talked for another hour. It's so amazing, with Twoey I could talk all day and never get tired of him. Even if we have nothing to say, just the silence comforts me. Finally we said our goodnights. I didn't even put the phone down, just disconnected when it chirped. Chuck.

“Why aren't you asleep!!” But I chuckled it out of me, so he knew I was kidding.

“So who was the girl you were hitting on by your locker?”

“You were there?”

“I was on my way out and was gonna stop and say goodbye when I saw you fondling her.”

“I wasn't fondling her. Why didn't you come over?”

“Are you shitting me? She looked SCARY!”

“Nah ...she's nice. Her name is Deena Hart and I'm gonna take her to the Thanksgiving Dance.”

“Well nobody's going to fuck with you there, she'd kill them!”

“Goodnight Chuck”

“Goodnight David”

Chuck

Lots happened today. First at the locker this morning that Jack kid came by and I tensed up for more shit, but he just looked at me and said, “Hi, Chuck.” Then he moved down the hall ...Hmmm.

At lunch that Matty wrestler dude switched seats and motioned for me to sit across from him. He talked to me all period! He seems like a neat kid and was interested in what my interests were and other stuff like that. He's sorta cute, not too tall and has a good wrestler's build, at least I think so from the outline under his shirt. Maybe I can get him to let me take a few pictures ...shirtless.

But then I remembered the friends from middle school who dropped me like a stone when they figured out I was gay. They didn't spread rumors or do bad shit, but when you have a close friend you do everything with, and in one day he un-friends you, it's sorta hard to take. So I asked David a little bit about Matty. He seemed to think he was a good guy. I guess David's brother and Matty's brother are friends. So there’s that.

Then when I was leaving school, I went by David's locker to say ‘bye’ but saw him holding the arms of this real tough broad. Then after they talked a little bit he got sorta sad and grabbed his backpack turning to leave, but the girl runs up to him and grabs his arm and pretty soon their KISSING!

Later when I called him he said he was taking her to the dance. I'll bet that was the very moment he asked her and then got sad when he thought she didn't want to go with him ...but she got out of that mood fast enough, and so did he. I'd give anything to be like him.

Well, I mean ...like a gay him would be.