Drummer Boys By Kevin Carson
Hi, I'm Kevin and this story is about my relationship with my more-than-a-friend and, well, much, much more-than-a-jack-off buddy. Yes, it includes gay teen sex stuff. Lots of it! It's based on true experiences but some of the names and places have been changed for privacy. Hey, if this is illegal where you're at or if you're too young to be reading this, then you better not. Getting in trouble isn't cool... believe me, I know... based on true experiences!
All rights reserved. No reproductions permitted without prior permission from me, Kevin. I'm the only one. ©2010.
This is the conclusion of Drummer Boys. I would like to express my sincere thanks and heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has written to me about this story. I really appreciate your comments, feedback and questions. My email is: kc.drummerboy@yahoo.com.
So... what's next? I think maybe after this final chapter of Drummer Boys I'll post an update on where everyone is now, like what they're doing and stuff. Oh... and I'm also going on some adventures this summer... Wherever I go, maybe I'll stay.
Until soon, -kevin.
Part 49.
Wow. That was quite a night, huh? I mean in terms of our emotions and relationships, not sex. But you never know when things are gonna change. You have hopes, you have dreams... you make plans, and then WHAMMO!!! You do one little thing and it can turn into something major.
So Nora and I flirted with each other a little bit, Mark noticed and he said he wasn't jealous... but it sure affected his mood. Something was going on in that brain of his, and at first it seemed everything was all good, but underneath it wasn't. And it was entirely my fault. We got through it, though. Let's just say it was another little bump in the road, only it was not so little.
And in my worried, almost dream-like state, I had quite a vision of the future, wouldn't you say? A little bit different than what I had been seeing. Even if it means Mark is going to be the only one in my life ahead – as bittersweet as that may be – I know it'll all be OK in the end. It has to be. It has to all work out. I know it will.
The future... well, it definitely involves love, in lots of ways. I love Mark! That's for sure. I love other people, too, but I'm not "in love" with them, so that makes all the difference in the world. Dad even told me that, about loving someone and being "in love," and how it's different. Remember? That's just how it's gonna have to be. I love a lot of people. But I'm "in love" with only one.
And speaking of my boyfriend... I don't have to tell you what an amazing guy he is! I'm soooo lucky. He gets us over those little bumps in the road, many of which I cause. And I swear to God he knew what was going on in my head. I think we sorta have ESP sometimes.
He had to have known how I was feeling... what I was thinking... what I was seeing: the new and different vision of what lies ahead.
I lay beside him in my bed, watching the look on his face change from concern and almost-sadness, to a blank stare, then gradually to a serious smile. He wasn't all giggly, but he looked content. Seeing his expression change was the last thing I remembered that night. Because, for once, I was the one who drifted off to sleep first.
The morning came quickly. It's always a good thing being tangled up with Mark when I wake up. Even though he was still asleep, I had to spoon him. I tried to be careful not to disturb him, yet I could see him smile through his grogginess. He definitely knew what I was doing! And I could tell that the tension we felt from the night before was pretty much all gone. Sometimes a good night's sleep does wonders.
I knew if I kept cuddling him any longer I wouldn't be able to resist the urge to mess around. I'd have to start sucking his cock or at least kiss him all over, so I climbed out of bed in a hurry.
Keith's door was closed, which meant he was still sleeping, so I was sure to be quiet going to the bathroom. Then I ran down to the kitchen to have a bowl of cereal because I was starving! I wasn't surprised that Dad was already awake.
When I got downstairs it occurred to me that sometimes Mark is more like my father's son than me. They're really very similar: Driven. Determined. Intense. And I also quickly realized that just because I was in a good mood didn't mean everybody else was. Dad was in rare form. I didn't quite know what I was in for.
I didn't even get a "good morning, son!" or "did you sleep good?" or "did you have fun last night?" Nothing like that, none of the usual. Dad just started right in on me, with his symbolic knife and fork in hand, like I was a bloody steak he was ready to eat.
"So, Kev... have you thought any further about being on the Conflict Resolution Team? Did you make a decision?"
"I don't know what I'm gonna do yet, Dad," I answered. "I'm still sorta sleepy, OK?" That was a lame attempt to avoid the inquisition and lecture.
"Well you've got to make up your mind and let Deb know on Monday, remember?"
"Yeah, Dad, but I wanted to talk to you about it some more."
"Right. So, we're talking about it now."
"How about later?"
"Kevin, this is just as good a time as any..."
"Please Dad, not now..."
"No, NOW!"
Dad getting in my face was not what I expected first thing in the morning, and I didn't want to have an attitude, but what I really felt like saying to him was, "Get the fuck off my back, OK?" But I knew better than to tangle with my father. I guess it's more of a respect issue than anything else.
"Alright then," I sighed. "What should I do? I sorta want to do it, but what if I'm too busy with other stuff? There's band, rock orchestra... and God knows what else. I gotta have my grades on lock, Dad, or I'll be fu-f-f---fried."
"Watch the language!!"
"Sorrrrry!!"
"Alright. Now, I don't think your grades will suffer... at least they better not! And besides, I think being busy is good. It makes you really budget your time." I know Dad will make me stay on my game.
"OK, well I'm still thinking about it, Dad. But I do have one thing to say: I don't trust Mr. Hartman. He's... just a... FUCKER!!!"
"God damn it, Kevin!! Come on. We've been through this before... you using that word. Especially when you're talking about Mr. Hartman. You've got to stop! I didn't raise you to have such a foul mouth."
"Oh, I get it. You can say "God damn it" but I can't say "fuck." That's not fair, Dad."
My father completely ignored my objection. He didn't even flinch... he kept right on blasting me. "I don't care how much he bungled your situation last fall, and I don't care how many other things he's messed up at the high school. There are other ways to express how you feel about him. But I won't have you stooping to that level, using that kind of talk."
"Wow... OK..." I couldn't believe my Dad went off on me like that. "I'm sorry. I'll watch it, I promise." I made sure I said that with sincerity and no attitude in my tone of voice. "But I'm also worried about Ms. Kirsch. I bet Hartman will stab her in the back someday, Dad. Wait and see."
"Deb's pretty smart, son. She knows what she's doing. She can take care of herself."
Soon enough, Mark came quietly down the back steps, only wearing his boxers and a t-shirt. Is there anything sexier than that?? It definitely put an end to mine and Dad's conversation.
"G'morning, Mr. C! Hey Kev!" My guy was not the least bit shy tugging at his balls in front of Dad and me, right there in the kitchen. Dad looked away. I licked my lips.
"Hmm... Look who's finally awake!" I teased.
"Man, I'm thirsty," Mark said, looking like a lost puppy.
"Do you want a glass of Tang, the instant breakfast drink they took to the moon?!" I offered. Dad and Mark both started to laugh at me.
"Are you in a commercial, Kev?" Mark teased.
"Help yourself, Mark. There's plenty of milk... coffee... tea... Tang... whatever you want..." Dad smiled. Maybe I finally said something to put him in a better mood.
"Thanks, Mr. C. Water's fine." Mark said, before turning his attention to me. "Wow, Kev. You were out like a light in no time last night."
"Was I??"
"I think you were dreaming because you were talking in your sleep."
"I was talking in my sleep??? Gosh, I don't remember that. What did I say?"
"I dunno, I couldn't understand you at all, but you were saying something!"
Dad looked over at us and grinned. I was glad he calmed down after his little tirade, but I was a sort-of embarrassed.
"Wow, I sure hope I wasn't shouting out someone's name!" I joked. Other than Mark, the last person on my mind before I fell asleep was Nora. Well... her, and maybe Chris the pizzaboy. (Hmmmm...)
"No worries, Kev. You're clean!" (Am I???)
Whatever I said in my sleep didn't seem to phase Mark one bit. Maybe it was nothing, but Dad sure got a kick out of it. I rolled my eyes, as if to say "Oh God!" As I put my bowl and spoon in the dishwasher, my father had something else to say. The mood was definitely lighter.
"Oh, and Kev... we need to talk more about the scholarship idea. I'll call Grandpa today and see what we can come up with."
"That's cool, Dad! Thanks! We'll do whatever it takes, won't we Mark?"
"You bet, Kev."
Mark had to work at King Kullen, and I had to mow at Mrs. Curry's, so we eventually got our butts moving after breakfast and went about our day. Even though we both had our own things to do, it was difficult separating from him, as usual. In reality we weren't apart all that long, but every hour without Mark seems like an eternity.
After my lawn job I went home to shower and change. Haha no skinny jeans for me that night!! Dad had exciting news: He had talked to Grandpa, and he also made the call to Townsend's parents, briefly explaining the scholarship idea to them. They agreed to meet with us the very next day, Sunday, at our house. Excellent!
Keith gave my lazy ass a ride over to the Graham's, and I busted out the good news to Mark.
"Sweetie, your family doesn't waste any time, do they?" he asked.
"They sure don't. The smoke barely clears when my Dad and grandfather go into action!"
Mark was already cleaned up and ready to rock and roll. We decided to go to the movies... alone! Yay!!!! Date Night!!! No friends tagging along this time.
"What movie are we gonna see Kev? You decide."
"Well, we could see "Talladega Nights" but I don't like Will Farrell," I giggled. "Or, that new movie "Zoom" is out, and Kevin Zegers is in it. He's kinda cute!"
"He is. He is..." Mark was so serious, at first. "But you're the only "Kevin" I wanna look at!!" he laughed. Then he kissed me.
OK, well, that kiss got me fully hard, which wasn't totally unexpected! "Alrighty then... how 'bout if we see "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest"?"
"Mmmm! Orlando Bloom!!" Mark smiled, raising his eyebrows.
"Keira Knightley!!!" I grinned, raising mine too. "And any movie with Johnny Depp rocks!!!! Is it OK if we see it again, even though we've already seen it twice?"
"Third time's a charm, sweetie!"
"Yeah. Either that, or three strikes and I'm out..."
"Nah. Never," Mark smiled. "Never. Three's the magic number!"
So, our date night was excellent. You can't go wrong on a perfect summer evening with your perfect boyfriend seeing a "Pirates" movie. Mark teased me that my Dad sorta looks like Johnny Depp – not as Jack Sparrow, but as Johnny Depp, in real life. But I corrected him.
"Falsity, Graham... it's the other way around... my Dad doesn't look like Johnny Depp... Johnny Depp looks like my Dad!"
We tried to stay under the radar and not be seen by too many people we knew, but that's a difficult thing to do, especially where we live. When we did see someone, we made occasional made small talk... but, I dunno, we might have seemed a bit stand-offish. We didn't run into any of our inner circle of friends, though, like the Kramers or Amy or Nora. Who knows what those guys were doing that night?
We got out of the movie a little after midnight and were gonna stop at Wendy's to get food, but at the last second decided not to. Haha, I admit, I was hungry... for Mark!!!
When we got to the Graham's, Mark immediately put on some music. "Open Your Eyes" by Snow Patrol to be exact! We were a little cautious about fooling around since we knew his parents would be home any minute. Sure enough, they walked in right after we got there. Mrs. Graham commented on how much fun they had with Dad and Ms. Kirsch Friday evening.
"Your father has such a great sense of humor, Kevin! I'm surprised you're not more like him."
What the fuck was THAT supposed to mean??? "Umm... yeah, Mrs. Graham. I'll try harder to act more like my 40-something year-old funny-but-intense-as-hell lawyer dad." OK, I only thought that, I didn't actually say it out loud. She sees the humorous side of Dad's personality... I see the "intense-as-hell" part.
Mark stuffed a handful of pretzels in his mouth and looked away from me so he wouldn't laugh. He knew that a comment like that from his mom would piss me off! Damn him, I think he gets off seeing me get all rattled when his mom talks shit to me. On the other hand, you'd think I'd be used to her by now.
Before they went on to bed, Mrs. Graham said she'd be happy to fix a snack for us.
"Thanks, but we're OK, mom... we're just gonna chill down the basement for a while, but we'll probably go out later to get food... so don't worry if you hear the garage door open in the middle of the night!"
I love making out with Mark. And that's exactly what we did as soon as we got downstairs. It was pretty passionate, but didn't lead to hot sex right away. Believe me, that would happen later! I started seriously kissing him all over... on his mouth (tasted great!), his neck (oh my god!), his chest and nipples (oh so sweet!) and finally all over his tummy (more than delicious!!). Mark was kissing me too, and touching me everywhere on my body. Soon his big hands made their way past the elastic waistband of my boxer briefs. God, how I wanted him to rip my jeans off of me, but just as he started to pull down the zipper he started to laugh.
I sat up, in disbelief. "What the fuck??? What's so damn funny?"
"Sorry, sweetie, I gotta eat something."
"Uhh... yeah... how 'bout this??!!" I pointed to my now-soft cock.
"Wow, I wish IHOP was open 24 hours, but they're not. And Denny's is too far. Let's just go back to Wendy's."
I'd do anything for Mark, so of course I agreed. "OK, but this is gonna cost you, babe." So we sat up, pulled up, zipped up, and buttoned up, and were off to Wendy's drive-thru for burgers, fries and sodas. When we got back to the Graham's basement, we finished what we started! Well... we ate first... then we were right back at it! We got almost-naked again, and a little crazy, and wow did we make a mess, too!
I was determined to give my guy the best blow job ever! I wasted no time at all going down on him, grabbing onto his joy stick and swallowing it whole. It must have tickled a bit when my teeth grazed over the head of his cock because he squeezed his ass cheeks together and let out a little yelp and smiled. I looked up and continued to bob up and down and lick all around, jacking him at the same time and kissing his balls, all while plunging my middle finger deep in his ass. He LOVES that!!! (Haha, so do I!!!)
I tried to prolong the moment of truth... but the truth is, hot Mark just couldn't hold back and began to spurt his hot cream all over my lips and chin and on my tongue and in my mouth... and well, I licked up every god-damn drop!! "Come on, baby. Cum!!! I want you to cum. Gimme the money shot!!"
Mark sucked me off too, but I didn't cum in his mouth. He knelt between my spread-apart legs and pushed them up towards my chest, kissing and licking my balls, while he played with other with other sensitive areas "down there." He jacked me fast, then slow, then fast... then slow. It's soooo damn sexy hot!!
I was nice and gave him fair warning when I was about to shoot. I tried to hold back, but I couldn't. And I tried to be quiet, but I wasn't. I tried not to make a mess, but I did.
Sunday morning we woke up together, laughing, I guess because of our morning breath. Neither of us had onions on our middle-of-the-night burgers, but we never managed to brush our teeth after we ate. Still naked, we sorta cuddled for a while, until we thought we heard voices upstairs.
"We better get some clothes on, in case your mom comes down here."
"Sweetie, that was hysterical when she almost caught you bare-ass naked that one time."
"Oh yeah, that was really funny, Mark. Ha ha ha ha." I "laughed" sarcastically.
Mark playfully told me to lighten up, so I got sorta frisky and pushed him back on the couch and got on top of him, giving him non-stop smooches. I love doing that to him as much as he loves when I do it!
We both needed showers, so I waited for him while he got ready. I planned on getting cleaned up once I got home.
"Townsend's parents are gonna be at your house at one o'clock, right?"
"Yeah. I hope it all goes well. I'm not really worried, though."
Mark didn't take long, so we quickly had time for a sandwich before we left. Grandpa was already over at the house when Mark and I got there, and he suggested that I present the scholarship idea, exactly as I told him a few days ago. And I wanted Mark for back-up, even though I was sorta used to talking to Mr. and Mrs. Miller about things. They can be a little intimidating, you know.
I ran upstairs for a quick sprucing up, and just as I put my jeans on I heard the doorbell ring. Dad greeted the Millers and we all sat in the living room. He wasted no time turning things over to me, so I took a deep breath, and explained the whole idea in detail. I admit it was pretty easy, since Dad set me up the day before.
"Kevin, we think this is a wonderful way to recognize Townsend and do something in his memory, for someone to benefit doing something he loved... performing." Mr. Miller commented. "When your father called me the other day, we had no clue anyone would want to do something like this."
"We're thrilled, even though we miss our son terribly." Mrs. Miller said, rather stoically.
I noticed Dad smiling with pride, but he said nothing. He was letting me handle it. "Well, Townie was such a leader in band and show choir, and all the plays and musicals... everyone looked up to him. And we still are." My voice quivered.
"Plus, he was a leader socially, academically, and in sports, too," Mark chimed in. "He really had a lot of friends. We all loved him."
Mrs. Miller mentioned that Mark and Townsend had been friends since they we kids, playing on the same baseball team... the Little Mets.
"So, Kevin... we want to be the first to contribute to the scholarship fund," Mr. Miller opened his checkbook. "Here's ten-thousand dollars."
I gulped. "W-w-w-ow!!! Mark and I together are putting in five-hundred of our own money that we saved... but ten-thousand???? Jeez!!!"
"That's amazing!" Mark thanked them. And Grandpa added another $250, on my behalf, which is what he would have paid me for painting their kitchen. Plus, with what Dad, my grandparents and the Grahams contributed, it came to more than $12,000!
"Thank you so much!!!" I shouted. "So, what's the next step, Grandpa?"
"Well, since Mr. and Mrs. Miller approve of everything, I'll draw up the papers and meet with Mr. Davis, the principal, and Superintendent Boland. We'll get the ball rolling!"
I was really very proud how my grandfather masterminded this whole scholarship thing, which ended up being like a fundraising project. With the annual award being set at $2,000, the first six years were guaranteed, at least. And with renewable contributions and investments, it will go on and on and on, beyond that.
It was my idea that the first recipient should be a graduating senior from Townsend's class, and that anyone who wanted to pursue an education in some aspect of music or performing arts could apply. The selection committee would include Mr. Walters, Townsend's parents, and two students picked by Mr. Davis, the principal. I secretly told Grandpa I wanted him to make sure that old fucker Mr. Hartman had nothing to do with it. (Only I didn't actually call him an "old fucker.")
Grandpa also said that Mark and I would be disqualified from being the students on the selection committee since we contributed money. He said he didn't want there to be any appearance of a conflict of interest, and that was all OK with us. The scholarship would be presented at the spring awards ceremony, which was still a long way off, considering the school year really hadn't even begun!
We all sat around reminiscing about Townsend and how much fun he was. I could only keep smiling, thinking about him, and especially how much fun we had at Civil War camp. Privately, though, I was still a little pissed at his parents for leaving him alone so much. But the good part was that Townsend made a lot of friends and left his mark on all of us. God bless him.
Mark stayed awhile longer after Grandpa and the Millers left. Dad had plans with Ms. Kirsch that evening, so we were on our own for dinner.
"Hey Kev, since we really didn't have breakfast today, let's go to IHOP now. I could really go for some French toast!"
"Oh wow, that's a deal!!"
It was funny. We were eating breakfast food for dinner, but had eaten cheeseburgers in the middle of the night before. Our lives were all upside down anyway, so who cared? I couldn't help but stare at my guy when he put every syrup-slathered bite of French toast in his mouth. I wanted to lick his face. He knew it, too, because he kept grinning at me, moving those beautiful lips in sensuous ways. God!! Boner Alert!!!
Heading home, I kept thinking to myself how I didn't want Sunday night to end. I know that's weird, because, at the same time, I couldn't wait for it to be Monday, then Tuesday, then everyday so I could be with Mark. Saying goodnight was hard. I fell asleep listening to my iPod. The last song I remembered was "Catch My Disease" by Ben Lee.
Soon enough, it was Monday morning and I was up, out of bed and showered before Mark honked the horn to pick me up for band practice. Things went well that day. Mr. Walters seemed to be in a really good mood, the freshmen were all on task and I was happy as a clam being two feet away from Mark all day.
He was his usual charming, engaging self at lunch when the entire drumline sat in the shade under that big tree by the practice field. He had a way of making us all laugh, and I noticed a couple of new kids sorta staring at him – just like I did – only a year ago. That made me a little bit jealous. His messy dirty-blond hair, the sweaty t-shirt... it all came back to me why I fell in love with him that day, in the very same spot.
At three o'clock practice was over, and everyone huddled around Mr. Walters for announcements. Tuesday the drum section was gonna have an additional practice from 4 until 6. Then the good news was that we didn't have to be there until three o'clock Wednesday afternoon, but the bad news was that the entire band would have to stay until nine o'clock that night. Ugghhh! Oh well.
Afterward, as I was putting some of the percussion equipment away, I noticed that Mr. Sanger approached Mark. I knew what that was all about and could feel myself starting to get a little upset, but I tried hard to fight that feeling. My heart was pounding so fast, and I knew I had to divert my energy toward something positive, if possible. I got Mark's attention and told him I needed to speak to Ms. Kirsch for a few minutes, and to please wait for me.
"That's cool, sweetie. Take your time. Mr. Sanger wants to talk to me some more about Cal-State anyway. We'll meet up when you're done, OK?"
"Um... yeah... OK..." I said nervously. "See ya at the Jeep."
Just then a certain little voice whispered to me again... "Rim-shot! You gotta trust Mark! He loves you, remember?!! Oh... and, by-the-way... that other little thing you did, in my honor... the scholarship thingy... it's waaaay cool!! I like it!!"
I couldn't believe it. In the blink of an eye, it was "Total Meltdown Control" one more time, courtesy of Townsend! My dead friend helped rescue me from emotional disaster again! I love that dude.
God. If Mark just would have been able to kiss me right there in the band room, that would have made me feel even better still. As far as my emotions go, I know I bring this shit on myself. It's all self-imposed.
"Wait!!" Mark said excitedly. "I forgot to ask... what DID you decide to tell Ms. Kirsch??? Are you gonna do it?"
"I dunno. I don't think so. I'm pretty sure I'm gonna tell her "no"."
"Hmmm. Well, OK, Kev. Whatever you decide. I'll stand by you either way."
Shit. How much more convincing do I need that Mark REALLY DOES loves me??? Townsend's 100% right. I gotta trust him.
So, while my guy went on his way to see Mr. Sanger about that damn university way the fuck out in Los Angeles, I went to see Ms. Kirsch. All the while I was thinking about how I was going to do the dirty job of telling her I didn't want to be on the Conflict Resolution Team. I knew I'd look like an asshole, even if it was unintentional. But as I approached her office, she was finishing a phone call and motioned for me to come in. When I walked through her door, I don't know what came over me. Suddenly, something changed in my head.
"Kevin! I hope you have some good news for me??" She asked, with a slightly doubtful tone.
"OK, actually, Ms. Kirsch, a moment ago I was gonna walk in here and tell you I decided NOT to be on the Conflict Resolution Team..."
"I was afraid that's what you were going to say..." she frowned.
"Well the whole idea of it really surprised me when you hit me with it the other day. But I changed my mind, just now. I'm going to do it, just for you. That's the only reason. I'll do it for you."
Ms. Kirsch sorta froze and the frown was now a look of being pleasantly surprised. "I don't get it Kevin... why??"
"I dunno, Ms. Kirsch. You're a good person. Dad says so... and I know it too, and so does my brother! It's true! So I realized it's the least I can do, since you do so much for all of us... here at school... and out of school too!" I stopped short of saying Dad's crazy about her. I didn't wanna go there. Dad can speak for himself!
"Well, Kevin... thanks!! I have a feeling you made this decision on your own, and that your Dad didn't talk you into it."
"No, he didn't, not specifically. We did discuss it, though," I said, sorta staring at her very seriously. "I don't always see his point right away, but I respect him. And I love my Dad, Ms. Kirsch. I love him a lot."
"I know you do, Kevin," she whispered as she warmly shook my hand. "I know you do."
"Haha, he gets on my case sometimes, but he means well," I continued. "Oh, and you know what else I was thinking?? You should have Emily DeMarco on the team, too. I bet THAT's a shocker coming from me!"
I was half-joking and half-serious. It was a little sugary-sweet for me to suggest that, but if Emily were on the team, it would force me to be cooperative with a former enemy-turned-wannabe-friend. We'll both be kissing each other's asses to prove the system works.
"Actually, Kevin, I think that's a great idea! I met with Emily recently, and she told me that you and she have seemed to put your differences aside..."
"She told you that??" I wondered. "I mean, I did see her the other day and we talked, and she IS different. But, here's the thing: I know she's changed... A LOT!!!... and I agreed to sorta be friends with her, and see where it leads, but..."
I dunno, maybe Mr. Hartman knew that, too... that Emily and I have sorta made up. Either way, I agreed to be on the Conflict Resolution Team, and that was that!!! Hopefully, there won't be many conflicts to resolve, especially if Emily really has turned nice and doesn't find some other poor sucker to be mean to.
"Well, Kevin... thanks for changing your mind and deciding to help out. I really appreciate it."
I was silent for a moment. But then I spoke up. "Um, Ms. Kirsch... I gotta tell you something else. I hope I'm not out of line. But watch your back. I don't like Mr. Hartman. He's mean, and I'm afraid he's gonna try to make you look bad."
"It's OK, Kevin. I'm fine. But thanks for worrying about me!" she smiled.
"No, no... you gotta watch out... you're too trusting."
"Too trusting? Well, yes, but then women usually are..." and she gave me a hug.
When we walked toward the outer office, I was surprised to see my grandfather with Mr. Davis, the principal, and Mr. Boland, the superintendent.
"Hey son, all done with band practice for today?"
"Hey Grandpa!! What's going on??"
"We're just wrapping up the details for the Townsend Miller Memorial Scholarship! Everything's finalized!"
"Wow!! Thanks again, Grandpa!"
"Don't thank me, son. It was all your idea from the start."
I noticed Mr. Davis and Mr. Boland smiling. All of that made me blush.
Then Ms. Kirsch butted in. "And, gentlemen, you're also looking at the newest student member of next year's Conflict Resolution Team!" She had her hands on my shoulders.
"Excellent!!" Mr. Davis exclaimed. "You're the man, Kevin! I think I'll mention this at the assembly on the first-day-of-school! I'll introduce you to the student body and faculty and have you stand up!"
"NO!!! GOD, NO!!!" I shouted. "I-I-I mean I'm a behind-the-scenes guy, really! PLEASE don't make me stand up. Th-th-this is really no big deal."
Everyone looked a bit surprised when I sorta hyper-reacted, but Grandpa quickly took to my defense. "That's true. Kevin's a little shy, but he does like to stir things up from the sidelines once in a while!" he chuckled.
"OK, well I better be going!" I said hurriedly. "Thanks everyone!" I walked out of the office as fast as I could, although I was secretly thrilled a couple of good things came together, for once.
Mark was waiting for me in the parking lot. I was so glad to see him, even though we'd only been apart for about fifteen minutes. "How'd it go, sweetie? Did you let her down gently??"
"I, umm, changed my mind at the last minute and decided to be on the team. That made Ms. Kirsch happy. Then I saw my grandfather with Mr. Davis and that superintendent dude because they were talking about the Townsend Scholarship..." I was out of breath.
"And...???"
"And Mr. Davis wants to introduce me at the assembly on the first day of school!"
"Haha, I bet you lost it!!!"
"God damn straight I lost it!!" I laughed. "If he makes me stand up in front of everyone I swear I'll run and hide!"
"Of course!" Mark teased. "Can I hide with you?"
Even in spite of my near-freakouts earlier in the afternoon, I was in a really great mood. So was Mark, I could tell.
"And how'd it go with Mr. Sanger? Is he really pushing you to go to college in L.A.?"
"Kev... don't start, please. It's all OK. We're good. I keep telling you there's nothing to worry about. But, yes, he is in love with the place. And it does sound pretty exciting. Imagine you and me in Hollywood!"
"Yeah, right. Like that's ever gonna happen." I cracked a smile. I decided to change the subject. "Pop quiz!" I exclaimed. "You know what tomorrow is??
"Of course I know what tomorrow is sweetie! It's Tuesday!" Mark teased me, killing me with his giggle.
"I'm serious." I shot back. That was Mark being typical Mark! He knew damn well the next day was our anniversary!
"Well, sweetie... since tomorrow's Tuesday and all... I thought we'd do something special... for no real reason," he laughed. "Since we're getting out of practice later than usual, I was thinking we could go home and change... then load our bikes on the rack and go up to Oyster Bay for a long ride on the shore path. It's really cool after dark with the lights and all."
"Yesss!!! That'll be awesome!! And we can have dinner on the beach!!"
"Haha! Maybe "something else" on the beach too??!!"
It just so happens that one of Mark's favorite restaurants, the Sailors' Club, is in Oyster Bay, and they've got the best-ever steak sandwiches. You'd think their specialty would be seafood, hahaha, but it's not. Anyway, they slice the steak really thin... then they put it on a hard crusty French baguette, dripping with melted butter and oozing with cheese!! Mmmm! Hardness and dripping and oozing... that conjures up quite a visual! I had a feeling Tuesday night was gonna be a long one, especially since we didn't need to be at band practice until three o'clock Wednesday afternoon! Late night, Date night! Again!!
I couldn't wait! Mark and I talked a little while longer and decided that we wouldn't give each other gifts. That would be silly. Being alone together on "our day" was enough, even though we're together a lot anyway. When I got home, I dug through the box in my closet... the one where I keep all my "private stuff" and found one of the postcards we bought that day last December when we went up in the Empire State Building. I signed it and put it in my bookbag...
Mark, Happy 1st Anniversary! I'll love you forever and then even more.
Huggerz and kisserz,
Love,
-kevin.
Monday night I was soooo keyed up. After dinner I went up to my room and hung out by myself, playing some computer games, listening to music and occasionally feeling my cock and balls inside my undies. Haha I did more of that, too, when I finally went to bed. I had these fantasies that it was Mark feeling me up and that I was feeling him too. The only thing missing was a kiss goodnight. And I didn't jerk off either. Oh, I was horny enough... I just didn't want to jerk it.
Tuesday was a long day. Hot, too. We sweated our balls off during band. There was a lot to learn, and as a group we didn't seem to have it together as much. Maybe everyone was tired from Monday. Either way, Mr. Walters was in a mood, but Mr. Sanger was cool. I liked him, but in the back of my mind I felt there was like, some sort of twisted plot to steal Mark away from me. Not for his own interest, of course, but by feeding him ideas about that damn Cal-State place in L.A. But I let it go...
We had a break from 3 until 4, and believe it or not, I sorta dozed off under that big shade tree. Even though it was a hot afternoon, there was a light breeze that felt good on my sweaty face. Mark was there too, talking to some of the other percussionists, and that was somehow very comforting to me. It was hearing the murmur of their voices – especially Mark's – that made me fall asleep.
Things went a lot better during the drum-section-only practice. It was only Mr. Sanger with us. At 6 p.m sharp he let us go!
"Hey hey, sweetie!!! We're off!!!"
"Let's go, Babe!!! Let's do it!!!"
We went to Mark's house first, and I talked to Lisa and Mr. and Mrs. Graham during the five minutes it took my guy to shower and change. Mrs. Graham was a little bit nosey, asking all kinds of questions about what we were doing and why. And you know, I really wanted to tell her the truth, but I figured it wasn't my place to out Mark to her. She probably knew anyway. Mr. Graham, well, he's clueless. But I'm sure Lisa knows what the deal is.
"You boys have fun!"
"Don't worry! We will! I can't believe Mark and I met and became best friends exactly a year ago!"
"Take care of my brother, Kev," Lisa whispered.
"No worries Lisa! We'll take care of each other!" We both laughed.
Next we hopped over to my house for me to get cleaned up. I was horny, but I knew I shouldn't mess around with myself in the shower. Haha, but it was tempting!!
Keith and Dad asked where we were going as well. "Little Dude! I love that bike path up by the Sound! I wish Lisa and I were going too!'
"Really, Keith? Really??"
"Oh... oh... yeah..." My brother turned beet red. "Maybe another time..." It dawned on him why the night was special to Mark and me.
"I know the path is well-lit boys, but please watch where you're going and don't do anything silly," Dad warned.
"Come on, Dad. Mark and I know how to ride bikes. Why's everyone saying all this stuff to us about being careful? We're not gonna fall off a bridge or anything. I swear you're all helicopters! We're not 8 years old anymore. We're just in..." (I was gonna say "we're just in... love!")
"I know, it's an important day for you and Mark." Dad was proud, I could tell. He hugged Mark and me. "I love you guys. I know you're fine."
"It's cool Mr. C. We're good."
"No problem, Dad."
We loaded my bike on the rack, said goodbye to my father and Keith, and hit the road.
"Let's stop at Walgreen's first. I wanna get some sodas."
As soon as we walked in I saw my man, Arlo. He looked up at Mark and me and grinned.
"Now don't you two start causing any troubles, you hear?!"
"Hey, Arlo! You know I don't make trouble for anyone!" I laughed.
"I know, kiddo. I'm just teasing you. So, where are you off to now?"
"Oh we're just going up to Oyster Bay and Centre Island for a bike ride and dinner!" I was beaming with pride. Then I leaned toward Arlo and whispered that it was our anniversary. "It's been a whole year, Arlo. A whole year. I love him!"
"And you done well, kiddo. You done well!"
Just then Nora walked toward us, and Mark approached the counter with his arms full of Mountain Dew and Diet Cokes.
"So the word is you guys are heading up to the harbor tonight, huh?"
"Yeah, Nora."
I thought at first it might seem a little awkward seeing Nora, but it was cool. She didn't know about the friction between Mark and me as a result of our flirting a few nights earlier. It was over. And Mark didn't seem weirded out at all either. So it was good. I guess that's even more proof that I'm the one who makes a big deal out of stuff more than anyone else. So much drama!!
"Wow, I wish I was going with you!"
"Ahh... no you don't!" I laughed. "My brother said the same thing!"
Nora gave Mark and me each a kiss on the cheek. "You're right. I'm joking."
"Uhh..." I started to say something...
"Shh..." she interrupted. "I'll see you guys. I gotta get back to work. Have fun!" Mark paid for the sodas and we left.
"See ya, Arlo! Bye Nora!!" I swear to God she's something else.
Wouldn't you know, as soon as we pulled out onto Forest Avenue, who did we see? Matt and Scott! We honked, waved, shouted and laughed as we passed them in the opposite direction. Haha, if the Kramers knew where Mark and I were going, they'd probably wanna come too, like Keith and Nora! But in the end, I think everyone knew Mark and I were supposed to be together alone.
It only took us about ten minutes to get up to Oyster Bay. We parked near the Sailors' Club, which is close to Teddy Roosevelt Park, and got the bikes off the back of the Jeep and hit the trail. It was just starting to get dark and the path was already lighted. Mark and I rode side by side, through Bayville, and along the shore.
The almost-night sky was sooo blue, and the stars were already out. The breeze coming across the water felt great. You know, it's beautiful out there on Long Island Sound. We must have seen about a hundred sailboats. I want one.
We circled around Centre Island, then headed on back into Oyster Bay to the restaurant. It was about a fifteen-mile ride totally, but we weren't tired at all. We both enjoyed the breeze and the quiet stillness of the lighted path. There was a little action going on at the Sailors' Club though. We heard lots of laughter, and that 80's song "What I Like About You" by The Romantics.
"A bit crowded for a Tuesday night, isn't it?"
"Yeah, I guess it is!!"
"I'm starved! Let's eat."
We went inside to order, and it only took a few minutes to get our food to go, picnic style. I wouldn't have wanted to eat at the restaurant with the crowd and all. So, as planned, we went on down to the beach. It was quite a sight, because all the lights around the harbor were aglow, and the moonlight shimmered on the water.
Mark started to dig into his steak sandwich, dirty chips and coke. I sat there for a few minutes, staring at him. He's my boyfriend!
"Here," I said, handing him the postcard. "It's for you."
"Kev – what's this???"
"Well, remember that day, the week before Christmas when we went into New York... our little side trip on the way up to the cabin..."
"Yeah! That day. The Empire State Building. You and me. We bought those postcards in the gift shop..."
"Well, I've been waiting for the right time to give mine to you."
"Thank you, sweetie. I'll never forget that. I wanted that day to happen for so long. I know we both did. I planned the whole thing. You don't know how bad I wanted to tell you how I felt about you."
"Yeah," I shook my head. "Me too. You know, the whole year has been pretty incredible, hasn't it, Mark? I can't believe everything that's happened." I started to reflect on our amazing first-year journey.
"And we're still not done, sweetie! We've got a lot more ahead of us, you and me. But you're right, it HAS been an amazing year!" He took another bite of his sandwich. "You know, someday you should write it all down, everything that we've done, what we've been through... how we feel. It'd be like a book. That'd be cool, wouldn't it?!"
"Wow, Mark, that's an epic idea!" I paused, thinking about what he suggested. "I never thought about writing anything about us. "But, it's gotta have a perfect ending."
Mark looked at me smiling. "Well, it will, Kev... it'll be your story."
"No, Mark, it's OUR story, and I don't want to mess anything up."
"You won't mess anything up, sweetie. You can't. But, come on now, it's crystal ball time... So, for the perfect ending... what do you see?"
"Gosh, Mark... I don't know what I see. I mean, I do know... like the dreams I have, the vision of the future. I know I see us in each other's lives for a long, long time... like... definitely always..."
"Me too, Kev... me too. You and me. Always and forever."
"And you're absolutely right, Mark. There's SOOOO much more we have to do. And I want to do it all... all the stuff we've ever talked about... the little stuff... the big stuff. And all the things we haven't really even talked about yet. Like, next Sunday, at Six Flags... well, I'm gonna ride the roller coasters with you, yes I am!"
"Sweetie, it's OK... you don't have to. I know you don't like roller coasters..."
"No, Mark. I want to ride them. With YOU. The tall ones, the fast ones, the upside-down ones... all of them. I want to ride every fucking roller coaster in America. With YOU!"
"OK, sweetie! We will!!"
"And I want to go on an adventure! I wanna go on more bike trips... major bike trips, like across Europe, camping out... for the whole summer! We could do it... just us!"
"Whoa, sweetie! I wanna do that too! I wanna do that too!!"
"And I wanna be on one of those sailboats out on Long Island Sound... with YOU! I wanna be out there in the middle of the night, when it's raining and blue... in a thunderstorm! Just us... you and me!"
"Oh God, Kev! Pouring rain!! Thunder and lightning!!! My God, I wanna live dangerously with you..."
"And I wanna live dangerously with you, too, Mark... I want it all! Everything!" My heart was pounding so hard.
"We'll do it, Kev. All of it. Everything. I promise."
"And, oh my God, Mark... and the sex! The wild sex!! We'll have wild, wild sex all the time!!!"
"We'll never stop, sweetie. I promise you. We'll never stop..."
"I love you so God-damn fucking much."
"Me too, sweetie. I love you, too! Don't EVER forget that. Never. No matter what. And promise ME something, Kev. Stop worrying about the California thing, please... if I DO decide to go to school there, we'll deal with it, alright? We'll figure it out. We could go out to L.A. together... we'd have the best of both worlds. We'll always have New York. It's home. But we could have L.A. too. We could do that, you and me.
"You and me."
"Yeah, sweetie. You and me... just us... you and me...
Mark and I sat there, on the rocky beach in Teddy Roosevelt Park for the longest time. Talking more about the past, dreaming about the future and making plans. We laughed a lot, and I admit we got choked up a few times, too. Our hearts were beating crazy and our dicks were hard as granite. And, OK, we didn't have sex on the beach. Haha, not that night anyway. And not on that particular beach. We just didn't want to get caught. But we did make out. That was unavoidable. I decided I'd never go back to that little beach without my man.
In between the dreams and kisses, Mark finished his steak sandwich and I picked at mine. I ate the meat and cheese but gave the baguette to the ducks...
So I guess it's appropriate that I'll end this here, exactly a year to the day after Mark and I first met. It's the day that I began a whole new life, with him in it.
In the days and weeks ahead, I thought about everything we said to each other that night: the plans and the promises, what we wanted and what we hoped for. And I knew in my head, and in my heart, that Mark was right. A lot can happen between now and then, the present and the future. And I admit, it took me a while, but I eventually realized that if he DOES decide to go school in California, then we will figure it out. Because that's what we do best. We figure it out... no matter what, no matter how long it takes...
Thank you all for letting me tell my tale. It means a lot to me. More than anyone will ever know. Because all I ever wanted to do was play the drums.
The End...