This story contains some explicit scenes of erotic love between males. If you are under age, or live in an area where reading stories that include sex between males is illegal, or if you're not into this type of story, please leave. The author retains all rights. No reproductions are allowed without the author's consent. Comments are appreciated at NJMcMick@yahoo.com.
The story is set in the fictional city of Trenton, New Jersey. Yes, there is a real city by that name, but other than being a state capital on the Delaware River, it bears little resemblance to the city in this story. While a few of the places mentioned may exist in reality, all of the characters and events are fictitious.
Chapter Twenty-Five
When I got home from my meeting with Patrick there was another surprise waiting for me. The door to Lucille's apartment was open and when I passed she stepped out into the hall and smiled.
"Your friend Manuel is back. He's in 214."
I let out a yell and raced toward the stairs. I hadn't expected him so soon. With all of the craziness of the past couple of weeks I hadn't had a chance to talk to him, but I'd thought he was coming later in the month.
"Easy, honey, don't fall all over yourself. He's not going anywhere."
I slowed down but still took the stairs two at a time and hurried down the hall past my own room. I banged on the door of room 214 and in a few seconds Manny opened it. We both hesitated for just a fraction of a second and then threw our arms around each other and held on tight. God, it felt to good to have my friend home.
"I didn't think you were coming until next week."
"I wasn't, but then I ran into a guy at the bar where I was working who was heading to New England for the summer so I hitched a ride with him. No point in paying for airfare if I don't have to."
We stepped back and took a good long look at one another. He was still the same Manny, hotter than ever, with his skin a little darker due to his tan.
"Damn, Jerry, I see you've been using the weights. You look great! C'mon in, have a seat."
I followed him into the room and sat on the bed. He sat at the head of the bed facing me. We must have rattled on for an hour, going over everything he'd seen and done in Houston and everything I'd done in Trenton over the winter. We'd talked once or twice a month on the phone so we knew most of each other's news, but this was so much better, being able to look into his face and see his reactions. I'd told him about the hustling in the park, although not until it was long over, and he was the only one other than Patrick I'd told about the money had Derek had paid me. We finally began to wind down a little and just stared at each other, grinning.
"So what's with the preppy look, Jerry? You puttin' on airs?"
"No, I'm just dressed a little better than usual 'cause I had an appointment with my lawyer in Philly."
"Your lawyer? What do you need with a lawyer?"
"Actually, he's my Aunt Aggie's lawyer. She passed away last week and I had to go see him about the will."
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear about that. She was pretty much your only family, right?"
"Yeah, the only one I was close, too, although she'd been sick and mostly out of it for a long time."
"Still, it 's gotta be a bummer. I'm sorry."
"Thanks, I'm just glad the funeral is over. I can't stand stuff like that."
"So did you inherit anything? Are you rich now?"
"Yes and no," I smiled. "She left me what she had but from what I was told today I'm far from rich. So what are you going to do now that you're back?"
"Look for a job. I've decided to stick with bartending for now. The pay can be pretty good and I'm used to working at night. Besides, I'm thinking of going to county college in the fall so working nights will fit into that."
"That's great! I'm going to county college in the fall too, assuming I pass my GED exam next week."
"You'll pass, Jerry, you're a bright kid. What are you doing tonight? You want to go to Buddies to celebrate my being back?"
"I'd love to, but I have to work tonight and I've already had a long day. I was planning on taking a nap before work but there's no time for that now."
"We can go out tomorrow night if that's better for you. But if you've got some time before you have to leave for work, maybe we could fool around a little. I guarantee I'd get you all charged up."
I laughed. "Yeah, you think so? I'm not sure you can handle the new and improved Jerry. And I've learned a thing or two since you went away. But there's no time, anyway. I have to get ready for work."
"Spoilsport. Maybe tomorrow, then."
"Knowing you, you'll hook up with some hot stud at the club tonight and you'll be all fucked out by tomorrow. But I can at least start to whip your ass back into shape with a good workout."
"You got it! And who knows what after that? I seem to remember our cool downs were pretty special."
"Yeah, they were. I'll think about it. How about ten tomorrow morning for the workout?"
"Make it eleven, just in case I do hook up tonight."
I gave him a quick kiss on the lips and went down the hall to my room.
As I showered and dressed for work I thought about those workouts and cool downs. That mutual masturbation with Manny was the closest I'd come to sex at that time. Then there was that wonderful first time with Marcus, and then the real thing with Manny just before he left. And then all those anonymous tricks, and Derek, Patrick, Dave and Chipper. There was no question in my mind that I liked sex. I liked it a lot. And I'd liked it with Manny a lot. But I wanted more than sex. Maybe, as Norman had assured me, I wasn't a slut, but I'd become used to sex that didn't mean much other than fun. Actually, it did mean more than that to me, but I was still using it wrong. I was using sex as a way of saying 'I like you', when I really wanted to be able to say 'I love you' with sex. As I left for Minho I decided that I was going to go back to my original idea of waiting for Mr. Right.
By the time things wound down at Minho I was dragging. It had been a long day. I was glad I hadn't promised to meet Manny at the bar. There was no way I was going to make a late night, so it was a good thing I was just going home to crash. Not even eighteen years old and I couldn't make it past midnight. I was going to have to start pacing myself.
Manny and I put each other through a good workout Saturday morning. I thought I'd been doing a good job myself but it was much better to have someone push me harder, make me work harder. He'd joined a gym in Houston but had been working out alone also. After an hour we were both sweating and tired. He collapsed on my bed.
"So, you want to fool around now, Jerry?"
"Sorry, I don't think I want to do that anymore." I explained about my decision to hold off until the right guy came along.
"Still the romantic, I see. Nothing wrong with that. Like I told you before, I think it's sweet, even if it means I don't get any."
"Oh, I think you're getting plenty, Manny. You're a hot guy with very few inhibitions."
"You're right, I don't hold back much. So any hope for romance on the horizon? Whatever happened to that Marcus guy and his straight experiment?"
"I don't know. Last I heard it wasn't going well for him, I know some people have a harder time coming out than others and I try not to judge because we're all coming from different places, but I really think all of his problems are in his head. I've talked to his father and I don't think he'd have a problem with it."
"You mean his old man knows he's gay?"
"No, but he at least recognizes that it's a possibility. I just wish Marcus would recognize the possibility that his father might still love him if he came out."
"So you're still hung up on him then? You're going to get back together with him when he comes home?"
"Yeah, I'm still hung up on him, but I don't know if I want to get back with him if he hasn't made some progress. It's pretty much up to him. He should be home any day now so I'm waiting to hear from him."
"Well, if he blows it this time he's a real idiot. You're something special, Jerry, and if he doesn't see that he doesn't deserve you."
"I'm going to do my best to make him realize that but I'm not going to beg. I'll just have to see how it goes. But enough of my love life, or lack of one. How'd you make out last night at Buddies?"
"I hit the jackpot. First, I talked to the manager and I might have a job. A couple of their bartenders are college students and one is going home for the summer so they've got an opening. I knew the manager before I left, in fact I'd tricked with him a couple of times, so he's going to give me a tryout next week."
"That's fantastic! One day back and you've got a job already."
"Maybe a job. The rest of my night was even better. I picked up this hot preppie boy and went back to his place. We fucked most of the night."
"Now that's more the news I was expecting to hear. Don't you ever get tired of tricking, Manny? Don't you want to fall in love?"
"Sure I do, babe, but until the right guy comes along, I'll take what I can get. Sex is just fine with me."
"Yeah, I like sex too, but it's so much better if it means something."
"Sure, but you can't tell me you haven't had good sex with someone you didn't love."
"No, I'll admit I've had great sex with a few guys I didn't love, but it's even better when it's with someone special."
"Maybe, but I haven't met anyone that special yet, I guess."
We were both quiet for a minute thinking about that depressing thought. Then I brought up my apartment idea.
"You know, Manny, one of the reasons you were looking forward to going to Houston was so you could afford your own apartment. I was thinking that between the two of us we're paying Lucille a thousand bucks a month. Why couldn't we get an apartment together? I'm sure we could find something for around that."
"Maybe." He thought for a minute. "I think we'd probably get along good as roommates. We like each other a lot and don't seem to conflict on too much. But if we were gonna do that I think we'd have to make it a two-bedroom place. You're looking for romance and I'm tricking my ass off so that would lead to lots of conflict if we only had one bedroom."
"You're right. I'm so used to this one small room that I was thinking any apartment would seem huge. I wonder how much a two-bedroom apartment would cost."
"And don't forget we'd have to furnish it and pay utilities. It could take a lot of money to get started."
"I've saved most of my 'escort' money, so I have some."
"And I managed to save a little while I was in Houston, too. Why don't we see if this job at Buddies materializes and how much I make there and then think about it some more?"
"Yeah, there's no rush, I just wanted to see what you thought of the idea. I'm comfortable here but I'd love to have a place where I could fix my own meals, have a television, maybe even a computer."
"Now you're talking real money, Jerry. Better slow down a bit. One step at a time."
I spent most of my free time Sunday and Monday reading and studying. When I went to Norman's Monday afternoon, instead of playing piano before dinner I had him quiz me on history. I was a little paranoid about the upcoming exam. I knew my actual grade didn't make any difference. Either I passed or I didn't and it didn't matter how much over passing my score was, but I still wanted to ace it. I wanted to be sure I was going to pass.
Over dinner I told Norman about my meeting with Patrick on Friday.
"So he didn't give you any idea what the total worth of your inheritance was?"
"No, I asked him if it meant I was rich and he said no. That's pretty much where we left it. I have no idea how much the house in Chester is worth and that really doesn't matter much, because it's a building, not money that can be spent. And he didn't say what investments Aunt Aggie had either, or how big the car dealership is. It sounds like a lot of money to me but Patrick kind of downplayed it so maybe it's not."
"Well, you're very young and you aren't going to have any control over the inheritance for years, so maybe that's just as well. Too much information too soon could go to your head. But I would assume over time he'll tell you more. At some point it will all be yours so you'll have to know by then."
"Yeah, he said that in the meantime I should just plan my life the way I want and not worry about it."
"That sounds like a good idea to me, Jerry. Any idea what you want to be when you grow up?" He smiled as he said that last part. I decided to play along.
"I don't know. Maybe a cowboy. Or a fireman! That would be so awesome!"
Norman shook his head. "I think Patrick has the right idea, for now."
Work and studying took up most of the next couple of days. I had arranged to take Wednesday night off from work for last minute cramming. I went to the diner for an early supper and had just got back to my room when my phone rang. I looked at the display - Marcus, just what I didn't need the night before my big test. For days I'd been hoping to hear from him but his timing sucked.
"Hey, Marcus, what's up? Are you back for the summer?"
"Um, yeah, I got home Saturday."
"Saturday? And you're just calling now?" I didn't want to sound like a nag but it hurt to realize he'd been in town several days and hadn't called.
"Yeah, things have been a little crazy at home since I got back. Sorry I didn't call sooner."
"That's okay, I've been kind of busy myself." I tried to downplay my initial outburst.
"So I'd really like to talk to you, Miah. Any chance you're free tonight?"
"Unfortunately, no. I've got my GED exam tomorrow and I have to study."
"Shit! Lousy timing. How about after the test tomorrow?"
"I'm working. I took tonight off to study but I have to work the rest of the week."
"Damn, Miah, you're busy. When do you think you might be able to squeeze me into your schedule?"
"Hey, it's not just me. Apparently we're both busy. I could've seen you almost any time between last Saturday and today but you were tied up."
"I know, I didn't mean to be a bitch. It's just that I've got a lot to talk to you about."
"How about lunch on Friday?"
"Yeah, that would be good. I'm free all day. My summer job doesn't start until next Monday."
We agreed that Marcus would come by the house at noon and we'd get something to eat in the neighborhood and talk. I was dying to hear what he had to say, but not over the phone. So it would have to wait until Friday for in person.
The exam took all afternoon on Thursday. It really wasn't very hard. English and history had always been my favorite subjects and in Norman I'd had a great history tutor. The grammar part of the English test was easy, but I wasn't sure how I did on the essays. I didn't have a problem with the history test although it focused more on details like dates than Mr. Cutter had. Fortunately, Norman was pretty much into those details so between my two teachers I was sure I did all right. I was one of the first to finish, which made me feel nervous and confident at the same time. Either I'd aced it or I'd fucked up really bad. I was pretty sure it wasn't the latter, although it would be a week before the grades were available.
Friday morning I worked out with Manny and was picking out something to wear after my shower when Marcus knocked on the door. I tied the towel firmly around my waist before opening it. Marcus gave me one of his sexy smiles.
"Hey, that's the way I like to be greeted. Am I early or are you ready for something more than talking?"
"You're early." I closed the door behind him and pulled him into a short but firm kiss. "That's all you get for now"
Marcus pouted, jutting out his lower lip. "You mean you didn't miss me as much as I missed you?"
"I think that's what we have to talk about. First lunch, then talk, then we'll see." It was all I could do to keep myself from jumping on him but I didn't want the day to start that way. We had serious stuff to discuss. "Now go downstairs and wait while I get dressed."
"You mean I can't even watch?"
"No. If you do, you know a lot more than watching would happen, so just move your sweet butt out of here for now."
He pouted again but left the room. I quickly dressed and ran after him. I was dying to hear what he had to tell me about his 'experiment' but even though he seemed about to burst he wouldn't say anything until we were seated in a nearby deli and had placed our orders.
"Okay, Marcus, do I have to beat it out of you? How did it go with the girlfriend?"
He seemed lost in thought for a moment and then responded slowly and seriously.
"I suppose I'd have to say that the experiment was a resounding success."
My heart felt like it dropped down into my shoes.
"What do you mean? You're really bisexual, then? You love her?"
He looked around the room, avoiding my eyes. "Well, remember that the whole point in trying this was to find out if I was totally gay or if maybe there was a part of me that was bi and could be happy in a straight relationship. And after being in a relationship like that for several months I have my answer."
"So it worked." I sighed, feeling like I was going to break down. "Where does that leave me? And how about your feelings for me?"
He smiled and looked directly into my eyes. "Yes, it worked. I discovered that I am 100%, absolutely, totally queer. And more than that, I'm queer for you, Miah."
My mouth dropped open and he grinned at the stunned look on my face.
"You bastard! You knew what you were doing to me and you did that deliberately."
"Yep, you were so eager that I couldn't resist teasing you."
"So you're positive now? No doubts in your mind?"
"No, I'm sure. Like I said back at Christmas, I was pretty sure then, but it was something I had to try. And trying was exactly the word for it. It was like I was forcing myself all the time. I thought as I got used to dating a girl and being with her it would get easier, but as time went on it got harder. I was working on it all the time and she was just cruising along, having fun, not even taking it seriously. The sex was all right, I guess, but that was work, too. I could get my dick hard for her but sometimes I had to close my eyes and think of you to get there. Fortunately her gag reflex had a problem with my mushroom head so we never got into oral sex, which was great because I don't think I could have gone down on her. But she sure enjoyed it when my big tool hit her g-spot."
"Whoa! Stop right there. Too much information, Marcus. I don't want to hear about you having sex with her."
"I'm just teasing you again, Miah. I don't kiss and tell, or fuck and tell, either. The worst part of it all wasn't even the sex, though. At some point she realized how important it was to me that the relationship succeed, so from that time on she was in charge."
"In charge? What do you mean?"
"Well, I don't know if it was deliberate on her part, but once she realized that I would do practically anything to make it work, she started to push the envelope, to see how far she could go, how far I'd let her go. By the end of the semester she was practically leading me around on a leash. It made me realize what an ass I was making of myself, how much of myself I was giving up trying to be something I wasn't."
"It doesn't sound like a fun semester. At least it's over now. So what about us?"
"I don't know, Miah. Is there still an 'us'? Have I completely fucked things up between us? You said you weren't going to wait for me to grow up. Are you still seeing that Sloan guy you were with at the dinner? Or maybe someone else?"
"Actually, I haven't seen Derek in a while. I think he may be out of town on business. I haven't been celibate but I'm not seeing anyone right now. I wasn't exactly waiting for you but things have been a little busy lately and I knew you were coming back soon so I thought I'd just hang on and see how things were."
"Well, if you don't mind having an ass for a boyfriend, how about we try again and this time give it a real chance?"
"I think I'd like that a lot. If I recall, our original plan last fall, back when we were thinking there might be something special between us and you actually sounded like the more mature one, was that we use our time together this summer to get to know one another and see if there was really something to build on. I think we each took quite a detour over the winter but at least we're here now, sort of where we thought we'd be, so why don't we pick it up from here and move on?"
"That'd be so great. I've been so afraid that I'd blown it with you. We hadn't even really gotten started and I went nuts."
"Yeah, you did go a little crazy, but it was a time we were going to be apart anyway, so we'd be starting over again now in any case. But that reminds me, what about your reason for the 'experiment' in the first place? Your parents and their expectations."
He slapped himself on the forehead and laughed. "I knew there was something else. I came out to my family when I got home last weekend."
"You're kidding! How did it go? Is that why you said things had been crazy since you got home?"
"That was part of it. Actually, my parents took the news quite well, my father better than my mother, which shocked me. My sisters aren't too happy about it and neither was my brother until I assured him that it didn't mean that he had to be gay, too. Now he's cool with it."
"I'm glad. I'm not going to say, 'I told you so', but ... "
"Yeah, you were right but I just couldn't believe Dad would be so accepting, even with his liberal political positions. He didn't used to be so tolerant."
"I know, we talked about it."
"What?! You talked to my dad about me?"
"Not about you. Actually he was asking me about me one day and then he talked about himself a little." I explained about the morning we'd talked at the shelter.
"If you knew, you should have told me."
"That was after the last time we talked. I'd tried to get you to give him a chance before but there was no getting through to you. You had your own ideas stuck in your head."
"Well, we got past it anyway. I'm glad Dad likes you. It'll make it easier when I introduce you as my boyfriend."
"I think we'd better hold off on that a bit. You just came out to them. Let's take this one step at a time."
"Who's backing off now, Miah?"
"I'm not backing off. I just think you should give them a chance to get used to you being gay before you spring a boyfriend on them."
"Yeah, maybe you're right. They'd be all over you and that's where I want to be. I want you to myself for a while."
"Same here. We've got to spend some time together. Maybe we can actually go out on a date or two."
"That would be something new for us. And I want to spend a little time getting reacquainted physically, too. I've had enough pussy to last me a lifetime."
"Yuck! I told you I didn't want to go there. No more of that perverted straight talk, okay?"
"Whatever you say, Miah. You're the one who seems to know what he's talking about."
To be continued.