A Good Year at Linwood High, Chapter 3
Griffin awoke feeling refreshed and hopeful. The sting of being pitched by his mother had dissipated a great deal overnight, especially after talking on the phone with his father. That, and being pampered by his buds, had improved his outlook greatly. The sun was shining brightly through the large window where the drapes had been opened. It was a new day!
He yawned and stretched, enjoying the sight of the "tent" created by the bedsheet and his morning wood which had slipped through the fly of his boxers. Last night, he'd been so exhausted that he'd not experienced any sexual feelings despite being sandwiched between two friends whom he thought were hot. This morning, he was horny. it was a good sign that things were getting better already!
His bedmates were nowhere to be seen, but just as he was wondering what had happened to them, they came into the bedroom with damp hair and towels wrapped around their waists.
"Mornin' sleepyhead," Ashton greeted him. "How're you feelin' today?"
"Great! There must be something magic in this room for sure. I thought it was the stars, but I think it was the company."
"You look happy to see us, or did you take a flashlight to bed with you?" Rhett grinned.
"I'm just feeling more normal, I guess."
"That's cool," Ashton said. "We didn't use up all the hot water showering, you can have one if you want one before breakfast. Actually, there's an on-demand water heater so it never runs out."
"Um, yeah, but I didn't see a shower in that antique bathroom."
"Oh, I didn't give you the full tour. The door next to it, on the right, opens to a more modern one. Old Miss Andela Havel had it put in a small room where we think the nursery used to be. That was an accommodation for guests when she was operating the place as a bed and breakfast."
While their conversation was going on, Ashton and Rhett dropped their towels and slipped into their briefs. Griffin was treated to the sight of their bubble butts and a fleeting glimpse of their dicks. It made his tent-pole expand. Yeah, he was feeling more like his old self!
Griffin accompanied Rhett and Ashton after breakfast when they went to mow a couple of lawns that Rhett had contracted to do. He helped wherever he could by uprooting a few dandelions and other weeds. Rhett offered to pay him for his time but Griffin didn't feel right about accepting anything. These guys had, no doubt, given up an opportunity to make love last night in deference to him. He also knew that Rhett was saving for a car. The big incentive was that his father had promised to match dollar-for-dollar whatever he could accumulate.
The second lawn was virtually weed-free and there was less for Griffin to do, so he spent quite a bit of time texting with his father. Terry Orman had a motive for keeping in constant touch with his son; one which ran deeper than working out details of living together as a family. He'd sensed the misery in the boy's voice and was determined to buoy his spirit to prevent him from thinking about ending his life. He hoped Griffin was resilient enough not to go down that road, but he wasn't taking any chances. He'd seen the stats on suicide rates among gay teenagers and they were grim. He would move heaven and earth, as well as his residence, to make sure his son thrived.
There was also some good news to share. Joaquin, Terry's husband, was fine with the idea of moving to Iowa. He had taken his training at the Capri School of Cosmetology in Cedar Rapids and had maintained contacts with hairdressers in a couple of salons in the area who assured him that he would have a job.
The housing market was good in Arizona, so they were likely to sell their present home in a relatively short time. Of course, all the details would probably take a month or more to be worked out.
For Terry, moving wouldn't create a job problem because he could do most of it anywhere in the world from his laptop. The major hurdle for the couple would be finding a place to live near enough to Linwood High so his son wouldn't have to be uprooted.
Griffin was thrilled with the prospect of finishing school where he was! His dad was really coming through for him.
Luis woke up a bit disoriented for a moment, wondering where he was. Then, it all came back to him and he thought about his good fortune. He was in Raymo's spacious room, sharing his queen-sized bed.
The past couple of weeks had been a whirlwind for him. He'd packed up his meagre belongings, said goodbye to the distant relatives he'd called "aunt" and "uncle," and move away with the guy he'd known only a few months. In the beginning, he'd wondered if he'd been too hasty in making this major decision, but now he felt in his heart that it had been the right one.
He'd been concerned about how his benefactors back in Postville would get along without the income from his room rental, so it relieved him to find out that "Aunt" Dolores had rented the room to the two young men who had replaced Raymo and him at the poultry plant. He was pretty sure she was charging them more because she'd been very kind to Raymo and him in that regard.
Getting enrolled at Linwood High had been a smooth operation. Ms. Holmes, Raymo's counselor had worked out a schedule with a good slate of classes, including some AP sections and they all ended early enough in the day to give him time to work.
He had a new job at the HyVee grocery store which paid a lot more than the part-time one he'd had during the past school term in the small town where he'd lived. And since he didn't have to pay rent, he could save some money as well as send a bit more to his parents. Their status hadn't improved, as far as getting back into the country, and he feared it would take a miracle to change that. One ray of hope was that Raymo's mother had connections and was consulting a lawyer who specialized in immigration law who promised to look into it.
Another optimistic note was that the ICE agent, Jim Swanson, who had dealt with Raymo when the authorities thought he was an illegal immigrant, promised to look into their case too. He still felt guilty for the way his partner, Dan Norton, had treated Raymo. That, and the fact that his son, Shawn, was one of Raymo's buds in wrestling, made him take an interest in helping Luis.
"Hey Stud, we'd better get a move on if we're gonna get to school on time," Raymo advised, drawing Luis out of his rumination.
"Yup, I will. But, it's so comfortable lying here with you. I still can't believe this is happening."
"I told you I'd make our dreams come true."
"But, it's even better than you said it would be!"
Raymo and Luis WERE enjoying their fall semester despite all the hours they spent at their jobs. Stocking shelves and occasionally running a cash register kept them moving, but the atmosphere was a far cry from a slippery floor and the aroma of chicken guts. Luis couldn't believe how much his life had changed after bonding with his guy. His motives for helping Raymo in the early part of the summer were completely altruistic. He'd been brought up to be hospitable to strangers without the promise of any earthly reward. His kind spirit had gained him not only a lover, but a new way of life. There was definitely hope for his future.
Luis was laser-focused on his studies too. His full potential hadn't been tapped in the small school he'd attended during his earlier years. With the incentives offered in his AP classes for earning college credit while still in high school, he was achieving beyond what he'd ever thought possible.
Raymo had become Luis's greatest advocate as well as his lover. Life was so good that work at the poultry-processing plant was becoming a faded memory. He could even eat chicken occasionally without feeling his gullet constrict, but it still wasn't his favorite meat.
Both young men were fortunate that Raymo's mother, Sabrina, supported them emotionally as well as providing a roof over their heads and food on the table. As Raymo had predicted, she had become fond of the young Latino her son had fallen for. In some ways, Luis reminded her of her brother. She found herself hoping that their relationship would stand the test of time.
Raymo's brother, Gavin, didn't share his orientation but was totally open to having Luis as his future brother-in-law. Besides, it was fun to have another Spanish-speaking person in the house who could help Gavin hone his bi-lingual abilities. He was bound to get an A in Mr. Miranda's class.
Probably a number of their peers had noticed that Raymo and Luis were awfully close. Some of the kids mistakenly assumed that Luis was an exchange student, and Raymo didn't say anything to correct the notion. They could think what they liked. Eventually, they'd know the truth.
Raymo hadn't dated a lot in previous years. He'd escorted a few different girls to events where a date was almost expected, but he'd rarely gone with the same one twice with the exception of a girl who was more like a buddy than a romantic interest.
Probably a few kids wondered why a guy as hot as he was wasn't getting laid all the time. He could have had about any girl he wanted. However, since Raymo was a star athlete and had never exhibited any mannerisms which might label him as gay, he'd never gotten any flak from anyone.
At 17, his muscles and demeaner made him look daunting enough that few other guys would want to take him on in a fair fight even if they had been prejudiced and suspected his orientation.
With homecoming on the horizon, Raymo thought it might be a good time to come out publicly. The two of them discussed it one Friday night after getting home from work. Luis was concerned about how the wrestling team would take the news but said he would be proud to come out with him if that was his decision.
"I suppose I could stay in the closet till after I graduate, but I think by coming out I could help some of the younger kids. I'd like them to know that a guy can be attracted to a stud like you and still be a tough competitor on the mat," Raymo smiled. "Besides, there's a lot of pressure to date in our senior year, and I don't want to have to make up excuses all the time."
"You said Chloe Clark would go out with you and not expect to, um, put out."
"Yeah, she's a good friend, and I could use her for cover like I have in the past, but that's not fair. I'm pretty sure no one would ask her out if they thought I was seriously interested. Who would dare cross a stud like me?"
"Ooh, you're full of yourself today. Someone needs to take you down a peg or two."
"You wanna wrestle me?"
"Yeah! Let's take a shower and wrestle in bed," Luis suggested.
The kickoff meeting of the Gay/Straight alliance for the fall term was scheduled on a Wednesday night that Raymo and Luis had off from work. They decided it might be worthwhile to attend. Raymo already had a pretty good idea of how they'd be treated if they came out, but Luis didn't. This could be a way for him to get a feel for it.
Besides, it was to be a dance party and three popular teachers were offering to give salsa lessons which was bound to draw a fairly big crowd of both gay and straight kids. Ms. Brown, one of the art teachers, and Ms. Batchelder who taught LA were quite proficient at it. But the person whom the kids thought would be the expert was Javier Miranda, the new Spanish teacher. He was young, Latino, and quite handsome, sporting the latest hair style and a short beard. He also filled out his jeans in all the right places.
Attendance at the event wouldn't automatically brand anyone as gay because of the expected turnout of all sorts of teens.
Raymo's mother had taught the beginning steps to her sons, so neither of them would be completely out of their element on the dance floor. The three of them gave Luis a few lessons to bring him up to speed. Salsa hadn't caught on where he'd lived.
At Havel House, Ashton, Rhett, and Griffin were planning to get in some practice for salsa dancing on the weekend before the club's event. Carson found one video on the `net with basic instructions and another with fancier moves. He asked if Brianna and he could join them since they wanted to go to the meeting to support their brothers. Brianna, in turn, wanted Megan and Dave to come. Everyone was pleased with the suggestion, and they decided to use the third-floor ballroom for its intended purpose.
"Wow!" Griffin exclaimed, as the three boys climbed the stairs to set up. "How come you didn't bring me up here before?"
"Um, you were pretty distressed the first night, and then I really didn't think about it after that," Ashton said.
"I think he also didn't want to overwhelm you with the size and the history of the house," Rhett added.
"He's right. We'll give you the full tour when we're done. The widow's watch is really cool. We can go up there now and survey the neighborhood to see if the hetero couples are back from their pizza date."
The seven teens spent a couple of hours trying to copy the moves they saw on the videos. By the time their rehearsal was over, they had all caught onto the basics and Carson and Brianna were doing some of the fancy stuff. They were excited about being ready for the following Wednesday night's meeting.
Knowing her own boys were bottomless pits, Kathryn sent Carson a text to invite them all down for a little snack before they went home.
An even bigger crowd turned out for the dance party than the sponsors had anticipated. They called Zoey's to double their original pizza order so there'd be enough to satisfy everyone. Dr. Manson said he could cover the additional cost out of some funds he'd set aside.
Despite the numbers, there was still plenty of room in the small gym to accommodate everyone easily without having to move the equipment to the larger venue. In the beginning, students sat on the bleachers which had been pulled out on the north end.
After a short introduction to remind students of the purpose of the club, Ms. Batchelder showed a video of the basic salsa steps. Carson and Ashton high-fived each other when they saw that it was the same one from YouTube they'd watched when practicing.
"Dr. Manson and I will be partners on this end and Ms. Brown and Mr. Miranda will be on the other so you can get a better view. We'll all do the basic steps and then we'll ask you to come down on the floor to walk you through them. We'll be moving around the room to be of assistance. After a bit, we'll turn on the music and let you have at it!
"Remember, this isn't Dancing with the Stars! You won't be judged. Just relax and have fun."
Many of the students were surprised that their teachers were so cool. Even the principal had fluid moves. Of course, they thought the Latino Spanish teacher looked the most professional. He reminded Griffin of Maor Luz who appeared in one of the videos they'd watched at Ashton's house. The man was smooth and sexy! Griffin could picture him shirtless and in shorts dancing on the beach. It was nearly enough to make his underwear sticky.
"Grab a partner and we'll talk everyone though the moves without music for a few minutes," Mr. Miranda announced. "It's a male/female couple demonstrating, but don't be concerned if your partner is male or female, this is a gay/straight event, after all."
There were a few titters in reaction, but several same-sex couples did take the floor together. Raymo and Luis had decided not to wait for homecoming to let their peers guess about their orientation. This was a perfectly natural time to begin to come out.
Two pairs of girls, whose orientation people had wondered about, appeared to be doing the same.
Griffin nearly wet his pants when Levi approached him to see if they could dance together. He'd been trying not to openly drool over the new kid ever since Ashton had drawn his attention to what he was doing.
"Um, are you like me?" Griffin whispered, as they prepared to dance.
"I hope so," Levi responded. "If not, I'm gonna be disappointed!"
For the next half hour, the two teens didn't talk about anything but the moves they were trying to perfect. However, the smiles never left their faces!
Before the pizza arrived, the students were treated to a short exhibition with Ms. Brown and Mr. Miranda doing a version which was fancier than the basic one. They were fantastic and received lots of applause.
Author's notes: Thanks to all who responded to the story this week. The list includes: Jim M, James Jim M, Walter S, Gordon, Bruce, Bill T, Ott H, Steven G, Mark M, Paul R, Tony C, Max P, Mendy D, Chandra B, Charles G, George D, Tim T, JJ R, Skip M, Johnny R, and Zero M. A bunch more wished me well in the recovery from the derecho which swept through here last Monday leaving us without power until around noon today. I didn't keep track of all the names, but I do thank you for your concern!
Thanks to David (Boxerdude) for editing this chapter.
Thanks to Nifty for providing this free venue.
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If you enjoyed this tale, I'd love to hear from you. Please write to me at: dlee169@hotmail.com . Please put the title of the story in the subject line in case your email ends up in my junk box!
Here are the videos the kids watched at Havel House. The third one is a short travelogue featuring the hot Latino dude who is in the second video. If you clock on the beach one that shows up toward the end of the Miami Beach vid (second one) you'll get to see another with his female dance partner.
The last one ought to get your blood pumping...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbbO1jY1Lls
Puerto Rico from My Point of View by Maor Luz