Chapter 2

I watch closely as the stream pulls all my troubles away.

They can't seem to leave fast enough, no matter how much I need them too.

I've seen this before, each time a different color.

Some clear, some yellow, but always leaving.

Never do the troubles try to swim up river,

No they know to let the river take them around the world first.

-

After I've watched the spectacular event

I think to myself how much better I feel.

I take a deep breath and look at the world in a different view.

You would too, and you probably do,

After you zip up your fly and hear the whoosh!

The woosh of your troubles being washed away!

 

Wow... I have no idea where that came from. I just woke up and wrote it. And then, of course, went to wash my troubles away. I'll have to post that on Fiction Press and see what people say.

 

Friday went by without any trouble! It was amazing! I didn't have to take Tylenol or anything! It's Saturday and I'm totally excited! Nicole and I are going shopping! She wants a My Chemical Romance tee-shirt, and I need some thongs! I want them to fit snugly, yet still have room to move. I'm thinking something sexy, yet sturdy. Everyone's going to see them, so they have to be attractive! You know, a guy can never have to many pairs of flip-flops!

 

I jumped out of bed and streaked down the hall to the bathroom. Everyone knows that I control the bathroom from the moment I wake up until I look perfect. My mom says I'm worse than a girl. (This makes me wonder if she wonders about my sexuality). When I reached the bathroom I quickly turned on the shower and blared the water proof radio. I could tell by the way the steam raised, that it was going to be a great day!

 

I stepped into the shower and, as usual, was presented with a life changing decision: which hair product to use, Paul Mitchel or Mane and Tail. I think for a moment while the hot water runs down my chest... Mane and Tail, I want to have soft manageable hair. So I lather up, rinse, and repeat. Then another life changing decision appears: which body wash to use: Axe Re-Load or C. O. Bigelow Exilir Red. Once again I take time to consider the consequences and decide on Bigelow. Today I'm getting thongs, why not go all out for the guys in search? The only reason I could come up with is there isn't any but I didn't like that thought.

 

When I was finally showered and dressed in my favorite dark jeans and a Vintage tee I descended the stairs to my parents level... dun dun duuunnnnn! It's not really that bad, I'm just uncomfortable around them. I can't exactly say why, but in the last few months we've drifted apart. We've gone from full out conversations and arguments over stupid stuff to simple questions and monosyllable answers (mostly on my part) and I can't seem to find anything to talk to them about. I'm even starting to miss the arguments... and that's sad.

 

"Hey hunny, want some pancakes?" My mom smiled at me when I entered the kitchen.

 

"Nah, I'll just get some cereal..." I replied, instantly regretting it because she lowered her gaze to the floor. I didn't mean to hurt her, it's just cereal right?

 

"Son, I think you should eat some pancakes... your mother's offering to make you some." My father looked up from his sports article. I am old enough to decide what I want to eat for breakfast, I mean come on!

"No thank you, I will eat cereal. I appreciate the offer though." I said, ending with a sharp smile. To tell you the truth I probably wouldn't have minded the pancakes, but it's not about the pancakes... it's about so much more.

 

"Fine! If you don't want pancakes then eat your damn cereal, I don't care!" My mother finally broke. Not that it made me proud... but I made my point.

 

"No, he's eating the pancakes, or he's not eating at all! Now sit your a*s down here and your mother is going to make you some breakfast." His tone just didn't appeal to me. But I didn't want to get in any more trouble. So I sat down and looked at the grains in the wood while my mother made the flippin' pancakes. My dad returned to his paper like nothing had happened. That's how it goes... out of sight, out of mind. I couldn't take it anymore. I'm sick of being allowed to be out of sight! I wanted them to see me and know who I really am.

 

"You know what?" I started in a calm voice, "I don't think I'm very hungry right now... I think I'm actually pretty full. If anyone should be eating pancakes it's you two." Dad looked to me like I was crazy, and my mom turned from the stove with an expression that said 'Oh here we go again!'. I continued with the analogy: "I think you two need to sit down and eat the pancakes and not the cereal. Because I've been eating them for long enough. I'm full." Now I had their attention. I didn't have any clue what I was going to say next... I mean what should I do? 'I'm gay' just didn't seem to fit. So I thought for a moment while my parents exchanged confused glances.

 

"What if I was to tell you that you ended up with a side of fruit on your plate?"

 

"Hun, what are you talking about?" My mom asked very cautiously, almost scared. I shook my head and continued.

 

"What would you do with a piece of fruit, next to your pancakes, that you hadn't ordered? Would you throw it out, ignore it, or eat it?"

 

"What the hell are you trying to say to us? Especially with fruit?" My dad was quickly losing his patience. But I think my mom understood because she'd lost all the color in her face and was letting the devil pancakes burn. "Just come out and say what you're trying to say! I don't have time for this crap."

 

"Fine, I'll come out and say it. I'm gay! You have piece of fruit for a son! That's what I'm saying! And to tell you the truth I don't care if you eat it or ignore it, just don't throw me back..." I looked down at the table and got ready for an explosion. Why did I just do that? I'm sooooooo stupid!

 

But no explosion came, my mom, having forgot the black flapjacks, walked over and hugged me tight. My dad patted my hand from acrost the table.

 

"Son, we're not going to send you back... we love you not matter what. I don't care if you're a piece of fruit or a rock, I'll love you forever."

 

"And I've always had a theory you were gay. I mean how my fifteen year old boys spend forty-five minutes showering and doing his hair? How many have a bath product for every day of the week, for that matter?" My mom had stopped hugging me stood up to look me in the eyes when she said this, she had tears in her eyes. "We were just confused about how to come to you about it... we assumed you would tell us when you were ready."

 

"Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!" The fire alarm was going off, damn those pancakes! They wouldn't let us have a moment of peace.

--

"So they didn't flip like you thought they would?" Nicole asked as we walked down High Street, on the way to the mall.

 

"Nah, they were totally cool with it. I actually feel like I'm dreaming. I'm not dreaming am I?" I asked her as we turned down Delaware Avenue.

 

"No, I think this is all real. At least I hope so, I'm so proud of you! I can't believe you did that, I mean two days ago you thought they might throw you out. I told you that they wouldn't." She thought for a moment, "Maybe you should just give up on trying to think for yourself, obviously I'm always right!"

 

"Do you really wanna think for the both of us?" I asked in a serious tone, trying to make her think I was considering it. "No, that wouldn't work for me. I'd never think my favorite thoughts! You know, the ones you don't know about?"

 

She raised her eyebrows, "No, you wouldn't. I'd make sure you keep them far away from your brain. All you'd think about is how to pass gym. Like what type of pass to make in basketball, or how to kick the ball and not a shin in soccer. Never again would a naked boy pass through your brain..." As she said this an older man with a nice suit and a briefcase passed us, giving me a curious look.

 

"No, I think I'd have plenty of naked boys passing through my brain if all I can think about is gym. 'Cuz I got hotties in my gym class!" I yelled the last part loudly, just to make the man look away. I have no idea what had got into me today, but I felt like I ruled the world! I was tempted to start singing a song about myself in the middle of the street while the world sang the chorus... but I knew that'd never happen!

 

We made it to the mall and went directly to Dk 57. Nicole went to find a shirt while I checked out the flops... I was carefully examining each pair. Like I said before, sexy, yet sturdy was the criteria. I finally picked a dark blue pair with a white strap across the top. They were lite, yet thick on the bottom. And the top was form fitting so I'd have comfort every time I wore them. When I turned to go find Nicole I was frozen by what I saw in the back of the store. It was Gerrard... but he wasn't alone. He was with another guy, he had piercings in both ears and the same pair of flip-flops on that I was about to buy. His shirt was a lime green and he had kaki shorts. His hair was in short spikes... and from my point of view he had a great a*s!

 

Oh. My. God... they were holding hands, with their backs to me. This was unbelieveable, monumental, even sickening! How the hell can he be gay and still give such s**t about my "possibly" being gay? It makes no sense... wait, yes it does. Thats why he harasses me! He's afraid of being suspected of being gay himself! Holy s**t, I could totally ruin his life!

 

Quickly I grabbed my phone and snapped a silent picture of the two of them as they turned the corner. I'm so lucky, I caught his profile! There's no way he's harassing me anymore! I'm totally printing that photo when I get home! Oh, I have to tell Nicole. I quickly weaved through the clothes displays and shelves and found her talking to the totally hot guy at the register. He smiled at me as I approached, and showed his bright white teeth. I smiled back politely and grabbed Nicole's arm. "Can I talk to you real quick? You'll never believe..."

 

"Yah, hold on though. This is Christain. I wanted to introduce you two. I think you'll like each other..." She looked at me with sly smile and winked. She just found me a guy! "Now what did you need to talk about?"

 

"Oh, It's nothing, I'll tell you later." I had totally forgotten about Gerrard, and wanted to keep it that way for now. "Hi, I'm James Daniel Mikelson." I said, wanting to punch myself for saying my full name, ugh!

 

Christain laughed, "'Ello, Im Christain Xavier Brandell..." He said with a warming smile. He made me want to melt... Maybe I should explain why. His eyes were a startling color of blue, almost like icy. And his hair was a dark brown, which curved to the right just over his eyebrows. His face was perfect, almost like it was sculpted just for him. small nose, small ears, and perfectly white teeth. As for the rest of him, mmmmhmmmm! He was a bit taller than me, and pretty skinny, but he also had muscle. You could see them in his arms, oh how I'd love to have those arms hold me! He must have noticed me checking him out, or maybe he just noticed the drool on my lip, because he said "You're pretty cute yourself."

 

That's all I needed to send me into space. Suddenly I felt like I was flying! For the first time in my life, I had a boy hitting on me. But I couldn't let him know that! I had to play it cool...

 

"Nice day out today, huh?" OK, this is where I wish I would have taken Nicole up on her offer to do the thinking for me.

 

"Yeah, it's like the sun just beams down on everyone." He said with that perfect smile that made me feel like it's OK to be an idiot. With this new vote of idiotic confidence I continued with my stream of non-sense.

 

"I know, when I woke up this morning I wrote a poem, went pee, and then thought to myself 'This is going to be a great day!' and it is..." By this time my brain had totally shut down and went out for lunch.

 

"That's good, do you want me to check you out?" Christain asked me, still smiling. I was confused by the question, because I thought he already had, that's why he called me cute. My confusion must have shown because he casually added "The flops, do you want me to ring you up?"

 

Oh how stupid I felt right then! But the stupidity was soon replaced by fear, is he asking to ring me up because he thinks I'm dumb? Or in mature? Did I blow it? I did, I had one chance with this guy and I blew it! What a failure I was...

 

"That comes up to twelve dollars straight (I could have sworn the flip-flops were eighteen ninety-nine... but hey!)." I handed him the money and he wrote something down on the back of my receipt. "Here, call this number after four o'clock if you have any questions about your visit today!" He handed me my receipt and smiled the biggest, most beautiful smile yet. I almost couldn't move but Nicole pulled on my arm.

 

"Come on James... we've got to go. I'm hungry!" She sounded as happy as can be! I started to walk away and then turned back to look one more time. And as I looked back I caught the Gerrards glance and smiled. He was now alone, but it didn't matter. I knew that he knew that I knew. I got him good. I was right! Today was a great day! I wrote a poem, came out to my parents, found ammo to kill my enemy, and got a boys number (a gay boy at that!).

Reviews

[ssgliberty]

thats really good i wish i had a day that good.

[Eidolon Michael]

I wish I could have a great day like this! This chapter was just as good as the first one, if not better. The story is so realistic that I can almost see myself in those situations(especially the whole revenge thing. People accuse me of being gay all the time...if only I could get something to shut them up...oh well, I'm technically only half lying, so...). All in all, this is a very good story thus far. Good work!

[Amanda]

I LOVED THE PART WHERE HE GETS REVENGE ON GERRARD! but this chapter is pretty good, the poem at the beginning made me laugh!