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----- A Drink with a Stranger By: Sean Roberts -----
-- Chapter 18 --
Lane sat on Ellis' bed. The butterflies had not gone away. His hands were shaking and he was playing with his fingers, waiting for Ellis to come back from the shower. In a way, he did not want Ellis to come back. As long as he was sitting there in Ellis' bedroom, not doing or saying anything, nothing would get worse. That, and the possibility of Ellis taking him back was still open.
The door finally opened and Ellis walked in, wearing boxers and a t-shirt. Lane was really hoping Ellis would put on pants; he would not be able to have a conversation with him if he did not. Ellis sat down next to Lane, without putting on pants. Lane swallowed.
"Well, what is it?" Ellis said.
"That's a good question," Lane said. "I actually don't know what to say to you."
"Take your time, I'm sure you'll come up with something."
"You haven't been at school," Lane said.
"And?"
"I'm worried about you."
"Not an option."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean you're not allowed to be worried about me. You and your friends put me in this situation." Lane looked down at his fingers, and out of the corner of his eye he could see the muscles in Ellis' legs, where his shorts cut off, dusted with light hairs. Lane wanted very badly to touch Ellis' skin; to kiss Ellis' skin. He wanted to see Ellis' hard-on poking through his shorts. He wanted to feel Ellis whispering "I love you" into his ear.
"I'm sorry Ellis," Lane said. "I'm wasting your time." Lane stood up and leaned against the dresser, facing Ellis.
"It would certainly seem like it."
"Just tell me what to say."
"Not an option either."
"Ellis, how many times can I tell you I'm sorry?"
"At least once would be nice."
"I've said it so many—"
"What are you sorry for Lane?"
"For everything. For helping people cheat and lying to you about it. For not telling you about Keith and Finn as soon as I found out that they were the ones who got you kicked out. For getting drunk and for being an all-around fuck up!" Lane could feel tears coming down his cheeks. He turned away and wiped them on his sleeve.
"Too far," Ellis said. "Those first couple of things would have sufficed." Ellis stood up. "Don't cry Lane. Please. I just needed to hear that; I needed to hear what you were sorry about. It's stupid, I know." He walked up to Lane and put his arms around him. Lane leaned into him; he could smell the soap on Ellis' neck; a freshly washed boy. The relief that came with the warmth of the hug was overwhelming. They sat down on the bed again.
"I couldn't face school. Well, really, I couldn't face you and Finn."
"I don't blame you for that."
"I came out to my parents, by the way."
"How did that go?"
"It went okay. They asked if I was seeing someone. I didn't know whether to say yes or no. I said yes. They want to meet you. I figured if they started bugging me about that too much I would just tell them that we aren't, well ... I don't know what we are."
"What did you tell them about not going to school?"
"I lied and said that my arm's still hurting and that the doctor confirmed I need to rest."
"Ah, so they don't know that you've been going out running."
"No, they don't. Well, I told them it's better. I was going to come back tomorrow anyway. I have to admit, that aside from, well, you know, I actually really like it at Deer Creek. You and Finn—I guess I just like hanging out with you guys. I've always liked Keith too, you know. It was really shitty what he did. I think it made me lose my mind a bit. But Lane, you made me do the right thing in the end." Ellis leaned over and kissed Lane on the cheek. "So listen, my parents will be home any minute. So this is your only chance to escape."
"I'm not going anywhere," Lane said.
--
Lane had met Ellis' mother before, briefly, that one time he had shown up at Ellis' place drunk. Ellis' parents drank too much wine and told Lane and Ellis how they met. They were both VPs of different departments of the same bank, where they had met years before working together as interns. They accomplished what they had through hard work and each other's support. They were dressed nicely; they were polite. They were like Ellis. They did not ask too many questions, though there was not much to tell about how he and Ellis met (at least not that Lane and Ellis wanted to share). To Lane's slight disappointment, they did not offer them any wine.
Ellis wanted to go to where they had their first date. He drove them to the school. Lane retrieved his bottle from the Hunter's office and they sat in the bleachers again. Their glasses clinked and they sipped.
"We need another truce," Ellis said.
"Sure, but I thought we were doing okay."
"We are, I guess. But we have the power to get each other expelled."
"That we do."
"Gambling on school sports isn't exactly encouraged."
"Nobody knows."
"Actually, a few people know."
"That's true. But those same people know what I've been up to as well." Ellis put his hand on Lane's cheek and leaned in to kiss him. It was a long but plain kiss; a neutral kiss; almost completely devoid of passion. Ellis was not really kissing Lane; he was signing an agreement. They looked away from each other after that; they both needed another drink.
--
They did not talk for a few days; the rigidity of the kiss made them uncomfortable around each other. Lane was also going through another detox. He was sitting in the Hunter's office, working on the paper, when suddenly he paused as he thought back to being in Ellis' bedroom. It had been too easy, and it ended up like that kiss with Finn—the kind of kiss that drove them apart.
Being honest with Ellis had helped though. At least they tried after that; at least Ellis forgave him. Lane smiled to himself; at least he had that. And then the door opened and Ellis came inside the Hunter's office.
"How are you doing?" Ellis said.
"Okay. Just got a bit distracted."
"Good, then I'm not interrupting anything." Ellis grabbed Lane's collar and pulled him roughly out of the chair. He pushed Lane backwards, hard, against the wall. Ellis pushed himself against Lane and their lips touched. Lane took a deep breath. Then they kissed. Ellis was tightly holding Lane's hands; Lane was squeezing back as their tongues darted in and out; their bodies trembling against each other.
"I love you Ellis," Lane whispered. They kissed some more, Ellis' hand reaching under Lane's blazer, rubbing his back through the crisp white shirt.
"I love you too," Ellis said. A final kiss and Ellis pulled away. "I have to get to class, but are you up for dinner after soccer practice today?"
"Sure, but I'll have to drive Taylor home first."
"Bring him. Umm, there's actually someone I want you to see."
"Oh, who?"
"It's a surprise."
"Okay." Lane shrugged and got back to work.
The restaurant Ellis chose was a bit out of the way, but they made it. When they walked into the restaurant, everyone else was already there. Lane could not help but smile from ear to ear. Finn, Victoria, Ellis, Keith and Frank were all sitting at a table. There were two seats open for Taylor and Lane.
"I thought it would be nice if we all got together," Ellis said. "This time just for a burger though. They're supposed to be killer over here."
The conversation quickly turned to soccer, and Victoria slipped her phone to Lane under the table. Lane glanced at it, and burst out laughing. Apparently, Lane was proving to be a powerful distraction. Lane and Victoria were still head to head, but, at least at that moment, she had the highest GPA in the school. Lane gave her back her phone and whispered congratulations. She winked at him.
"What are you two on about?" Finn said.
"Not talking about soccer," Lane said.
"Right," Finn said. "Well, you should be so lucky. Coach practically guaranteed Ellis and I that we would get picked up by scouts, the way we've been playing. So please understand that we're never, and I repeat, never, losing a game again." Lane laughed.
"And I'm never going to ask you to." There was more laughter around the table. Taylor and Frank were talking non- stop, catching up like old friends. Lane thought back to the beginning of the semester, when he was sitting alone in his bedroom, drinking scotch and writing assignments to pay for it. Now he had the love he needed; from his friends and from Ellis. Ellis was listening politely, and with his usual focused attention, to some story that Taylor and Frank were animatedly telling him. He glanced up, briefly to look at Lane. They smiled at each other; Ellis accompanying his with a wink, and went back to listening to the boys.
The End
Thank you for all the feedback. If you would like to read other stories I've written ...
http://www.nifty.org/nifty/bisexual/highschool/riding-the-waves/
http://www.nifty.org/nifty/bisexual/highschool/missing-piece-of-a-piano/
http://www.nifty.org/nifty/bisexual/highschool/wilted-petals/
http://www.nifty.org/nifty/bisexual/highschool/silver-compass/