First Impressions

First Impressions 8             First Impressions 8

I was worried again...you know that feeling? Fear's cold hand grips your heart and squeezes it tighter with each beat it makes. Your breathing becomes shorter, somehow you can't remain still. You're in a public place so you can't go pacing around either. You wanna DO something....but there's nothing you CAN do. Oh yeah, and your stomach feels like a monstertruck just ran over it. Driven by a mad, foaming horde of Mandas, yeah... that about sums it up.

I smiled to that thought, but the worries remained. Robbie hadn't shown up in time for school. 'Big fuckin' deal', Vince would say. I guess he's right somewhere, but after yesterday's talk, I'm not sure. Robbie could have talked to his parents...they could have grounded him, pulled him out of this school, maybe put him up for adoption--

Shit! Snap out of it!! Of course they didn't do that. I definitely need to stop thinking like this...Maybe they have pills to stop this kinda thinking, yeah, they have pills for everything these days! Feel tired? Take a pill. Need some sleep? Take another pill. Wanna dance all night? We got pills for that. Wanna get a hard on but can't...?

"Jace!"

I turned around, startled. I was hoping for Robbie to stand there, smiling as always, but it wasn't him. Scott and Vince were back.

"Hey Scott, hey Vince.", I sighed.

"Still here then? Mission accomplished man!", Scott cheered.

"Oh..."

"I believe this is the part where you ask me what I did...", Scott pouted.

"Heheh...ok, what did you do?"

"It went better than we thought! Vince distracted her, and Special Agent Fremont, ahem, went into enemy territory unarmed to sabotage the enemy!! I slipped baby laxative into her tea!!"

"You did WHAT!!", I exclaimed, smiling.

"Yeah! Great huh! We can't stay though, C'mon Vince, we're not done yet!!"

"Oh, great, now he tells me. What's next, Scott?", Vince asked.

"We're going to make good use of this key! Not exactly my initial plan, but..."

"Haven't you tormented Jones enough! This is already pretty cruel if you ask me...", I said.

"Mess with a friend of Teacher's Terror and you'll know about it!! No, Jones will not get off the hook with some mere physical discomfort and some missed classes. Vince and I are gonna make sure this is going to be the most rotten day of her life!"

"Me? Wha...", Vince said.

"I need you, Vince..."

"Don't even start...", Vince grinned.

"Well, let's go then! We have to do this one thing quickly before the laxative starts working..."

"Allright already..."

"Jace, We'll be back to tell you later on, 'kay?", Scott said.

"Sure...I'll be here."

Scott and Vince wandered off again and I sighed. I really miss Robbie, but Scott and Vince have been fantastic in trying to be supportive, especially Scott. I don't think I give him enough credit. Ever since that thing in the park last week I've been a bit distant towards him, afraid to give him a wrong impression. But I can see he only means the best for me, and I can't help but love him for that. Not like Robbie of course, but as a friend. He definitely deserves more...

"Allright Scott, what's next?", Vince asked.

"Vince, if ya don't wanna come, don't come. But you'd make it a lot more easier for me if you did..."

"I'm here, ok? Why me, though..."

"Well duh. Robbie's not here, besides I doubt he'd be up for it, and Jace is a wreck right now. I need you..."

"Ok, ok. Just make it snappy."

"That's one thing I can't do...", Scott grinned.

"Sigh...okay. So what are we going to do?"

"Still got that Master key handy?"

"Of course..."

"I need it for a sec."

"Sure, um....here.", Vince said.

"Thanks. Ok, we're allmost there..."

"Where are we going? You know this would be a lot easier if you just told me...", Vince said.

"I'm telling you now, right?"

"Yeah, but now I don't have much choice to back out anymore, do I?"

"Heheh, no you don't! See?"

"Yeah...bastard."

Scott grinned. "You can kick my ass later."

"Trust me, I will..."

"Check if the coast is clear for me.", Scott said as he inserted the Master key into the door. He unlocked it, went inside and came back out a few seconds later with his arms full of toilet paper rolls.

"I think I get what you're planning..", Vince grinned. "You are a bastard, Scott!"

"Why thankyou Vince!", Scott grinned. "There's a teacher toilet on every floor, and we're gonna make sure that no matter which one Jones chooses to go to - and she WILL be going - will be without toilet paper!"

"Heheh, nice...where are we gonna dump it?", Vince asked.

"The dumpster of course....I need your backpack, here..." Scott handed Vince a few rolls of toilet paper and stuffed the rest in his own backpack. "Better not take any chances being seen with this stuff."

"I get ya. Ok, let's get a move on."

Scott and Vince made the run for the dumpster, opened it and tossed the toilet paper rolls inside. They proceeded with the toilet on the second floor and third floor, which was particularly tricky because they had to sneak past the Principal's office. Scott shuddered at the sight.

"Familiar place for you, huh?", Vince grinned.

"Don't remind me!", Scott whispered. "Just stay low."

"Yeah..."

Once they had cleared the Principal's office, the path was clear again. Vince and Scott opened the door with the Master key again, collected the toilet paper and were off again in the personell elevator. On the way down, Scott said:

"Ok, I think this is the entire school supply of toilet paper!"

"How about the normal student toilets?"

"C'mon, we both know there's never any toilet paper in there, as in ever!"

"Very true..No storage cabinets and stuff?", Vince asked.

"I wouldn't know where they'd put it."

"Yeah...oh shit, can't she just call in sick and go home?", Vince asked.

"I'm way ahead of you!", Scott said with an evil grin.

"I got a feeling I don't want to know..."

"Wait, so now you're complaining you DON'T want me to tell you!!?"

"Heheh, shut up Scott, just tell me."

"Okay...we're going back to the teacher's lounge."

"Huh? Why would we want to..."

"Lemme finish for a sec. We want Jones HERE, right? So..we're gonna make sure she STAYS here, or has to walk home. Which in her case would be fairly impossible to do."

"Well, what's in the teacher's lounge then?"

"Jones is, but she'll be heading for the toilets any time now. Then we go in, dig through her personal stuff and remove her carkeys!"

"Are you outta your mind Scott? That's stealing!!"

"Um, technically it isn't. It's misplacing! Y'see, we're gonna put Jones' key in her locker..."

"And then she'll just get it out again. Point not taken..."

Scott grinned widely. "Wrong, Vinnie. We're gonna glue Jones' locker door shut!"

"Shit..."

"Yup...in fact, lots of it!!"

I kept checking the large clock in the cafeteria. Slowly, but surely, the hands progressed. I kept eyeing the door too. Robbie just wouldn't walk through the doors no matter how hard I stared at them. I'll admit it,  I was worried to death. It's not the first time I was worried like this, I can remember being on the verge of throwing up when I was at the Mall and Robbie was lost. But this time, there was something else. I was scared shitless! And it wasn't as much that I was scared of losing Robbie anymore. We had made it clear we'd never let anything or anyone come between us, and I trust him. I know he's for real, and I know he loves me as much as I love him. What scared me...is that I can't LIVE without him anymore. I've never been in love, not like this. Not even when I first had sex.
What's with me all of a sudden? What kind of spell does this Mayflower kid have over me...Even Vince and Scott noticed I haven't exactly been acting like myself, and I can only second that. Yet, the very IDEA of Robbie missing from my life terrifies me beyond belief. It's not like my life has been boring, but before I met Robbie, I felt as though I was sinking into this routine. Vince was there to hang with of course, and he's been my best friend ever. Still, we weren't doing anything with our spare time, we just sort of hung around. We had one thing in common; we hated school. We hated anything and everybody that told us what to do, how to behave or how to act. We still do. But I guess, we pushed people away because of that. I locked out my emotions that way. I've been living without any emotions except hate and sarcasm for I don't know HOW many years now. When I met Robbie, suddenly all that stuff changed! Being with Robbie is like a drug. It's like I'm walking on air when I'm with him, and when even when I'm not I still feel the effect he has on me. I look at life differently because of him. Vince will probably call me a sissy if he knew this, but I'm enjoying things I didn't give a damn for before I met him. When I was in the park I noticed how beautiful  the birds were singing in the trees. I used to hate them for waking me up at 6am!! Little things like that. I guess Robbie really IS the light in my life. His presence, his existence even, is what makes my life liveable again. The scary part is that I can't imagine life anymore without this light in it. And even the mere suggestion of Robbie being torn away from me by some uncontrollable factor was enough to make me--

"Uhhm, uh, Jason..?", a squeeky voice came from behind me.

I turned around to see who it was. Linda Shulman, a girl with glasses and a few freckles on her nose,  was standing in front of me, hugging a book in front of her chest. She had brown curly hair, and was wearing some sort of half-pants half skirt thing. I remembered her because she basically had been my lead to adressing Robbie for the first time. I probably should have properly thanked her for that, but that would be cruel...she probably has a chrush on me. She always reminded me of that Andrea Zuckerman chick from 90210 somehow...just that this was an ugly version!

"Shouldn't you be in class, Linda?", I grinned.

"Uhm, no, I've got third period and I'm here for that..."

"Aren't you a bit early then?" That was kind of a redundant question to ask though, for Miss punctual here.

"Well...I was going to do some reading...", Linda said.

I tilted my head to read the upside down title of the book she was hugging. "Collected works of William Shakespeare.", I read aloud.

"Y-yeah...do you..um, know any of his work?"

All I could remember was Leo looking through that aquarium. "Yeah, some.", I grinned." So, what do you want, Linda?"

"Well, I saw you sitting here, and uh, you looked upset..."

Oh great, now my state of mind is showing to people who don't know me as well as Vince or Scott...

"It's nothing, Linda."

Linda seemed to work up some spirit after I had dismissed her like that, cause she suddenly spoke up:

"How can you say it's nothing! You should take a look at yourself! I'm worried about you and I'm trying to help. But if you don't want me to, FINE. Just say so.", she pouted.

I smiled vaguely at her.

"Well?", she asked.

"I'm worried about someone."

"Oh...who?"

I wasn't planning on telling her about Robbie of course. The girl Gossip Group would pick it up and before long the entire school would know Robbie and me were together...

"Just someone. It's not important...Anyway, this person didn't show up where...this person was supposed to, and now I'm worried something has happened to...um...I'm worried something happened.", I sighed. I chose my words really carefully, and I hope it wasn't too conspicuous...

"Oh...Well. I'd probably call to this person's house and ask what prevented him or her from showing up."

That thought had crossed my mind too...but I was a little anxious about that. I was still avoiding any direct confrontation with Robbie's parents, and calling to his house would seem a bit of a drastic action.

I mean...", Linda jabbered on, "if you sit here all day worrying that's not going to get you anywhere and you'd never know what happened..."

She did have a point there...

"Well, calling is a bit difficult at this time...", I said.

"Oh...well a telephone call won't hurt anyone...and at least you'll know what happened.

I thought about that for a few seconds. Calling Robbie's house to ask about him cause he's not in school like he's supposed to...versus sitting here all day worrying my ass off and feeling like total shit...

At that point, Scott came smashing through the doors of the cafeteria. His face was flushed with excitement, and he was giggling like a twelve-year old. Vince followed shortly, also with an amused look on his face.

"I cannot believe you actually DID that, Scott!", Vince grinned.

Scott was practically jumping up and down here. "She is going to have it SOOOH bad...", he smiled widely.

I turned around and smiled at Scott, and he grinned back insanely. Then he noticed Linda...

"Well, if it isn't Linda..."

"Scotty Fremont, I do not want to--"

"Don't call me Scotty...you're not still pissed about that time I painted your friend's hair red in Art class are you?"

"Am I missing something here?", I smiled.

"Julie Simmons...he...well Scott had dipped a large lock of her hair into a jar of...paint!!", Linda said.

"And with a good reason too!", Scott grinned. "She complained to the Principal about me blading through the hallways..."

"You skated right into the Ladies' room!!", Linda said.

"I was thirsty! Who cares...", Scott rebuked.

"She had to cut her hair off because of you!!", Linda stammered.

"Poor her. No reason to play snitch, bitch."

Linda was totally stumped by Scott's verbal assault... She desperately looked at me. Scott noticed.

"Jace's not gonna help yu-- hey...you don't have the hots for Jason... do you...Linda!?", Scott laughed.

"I...I... ", Linda stuttered.

"Stop it Scott...", I said, but I couldn't suppress a chuckle.

"You DO don't you Linda??", Scott continued. "Oh baby you sure pick out the wrong guys. Jace here is not even remotely interested in girls--"

"SCOTT!!", I yelled.

"--like YOU...", Scott continued, "And besides from that, he's taken! Besides who could be interested in a girl who reads Shey...Shak..Shuh-whatever... Not to mention your superb choice of clothing there...do they even have a word for what you're wearing, or is that something your 125-year-old great-greatest-grandmother stitched up to...hey wait!!"

Linda wasn't waiting. She ran away with tears in her eyes.

"Scott!! That was...monsterous!"

"Probably did her a favor. Besides she was clearly drooling over you, better this way then find out the hard way."

"Well...", I said.

"You weren't...like..going to out yourself and Robbie, were you?", Scott grinned.

"NO..."

"Okay then. You'll thank me later. Besides, Miss Ulgymunch there isn't important..."

"She was being really nice to me just now. Now she'll prolly never speak to me again..."

"Like that's gonna break your heart, Jace.", Vince said.

"Well, you could have been NICE, that's all I'm saying. She's gonna hate me now."

"You've never been NICE to that bookworm.", Scott said.

"Well, NOW I AM."

"Well...well sorry...", Scott said quietly all of a sudden.

"You tell that to HER, not to me.", I said.

"But...", Scott began.

"I mean it, Scott.", I said.

Scott just cast his eyes downwards. I felt sorry that I might have hurt his feelings, but compared to Linda's he deserved as much. I'd talk to Scott later, but right now I had other things on my head. I turned to Vince:

"Right now, I need to find out where Robbie is."

"About time you took some action instead of sitting there all day!", Vince grinned. "What do you suggest?"

"I'm not sure. Linda said I should call to his house."

"Uhm...call me overly dramatic but weren't you in a shit fit yesterday about contacting his parents in the first place?", Vince asked.

"I was...that's why...I need YOU to make that call.", I said.

"Me? What the..."

"Yeah...you have the heaviest voice of all of us, can't you just pose as a teacher...?", I asked Vince.

"Well, umm..."

"It'd make me feel a lot better if you did...", I smiled.

"Can't you just do it yourself?"

"They'd never buy that. Scott's not cut out for it either..."

"Well....A'ight. But you're gonna owe me BIGTIME for this, Jennings!"

"Yeah yeah. I'll buy you a Quarter Pounder. How's that."

"You're on.", Vince smiled. "Come on, let's go."

I followed Vince over to the doors of the cafeteria, but I turned around because Scott wasn't following. I walked back to Scott, who was just standing there.

"That means you too, Hell-on-wheels.", I smiled.

"But...Jason, I'm sorry I..."

"Scotty...", I smiled, "just because you and I have an argument doesn't mean our friendship is cancelled. Now are you coming or not?"

"I..I...Yeah!!", Scott smiled, his face going back to his usual cheery mode.

"You're still going to apologize to Linda though."

"Huh? But...Wait!!", Scott screamed after me as I walked out of the cafeteria. He was right behind me.

The three of us walked over to the payphone in the main hall. Of course, students have to pay for a call home. Any of the teachers could make any call they want on the costs of the school, but ask about it and you'd get that 'code of conduct' lecture again, which in short meant it was none of your fucking business. It's all just so unfair, huh?

"Okay,", Vince said. "You're sure this is the only way, right?"

"You got a better plan? I need to know where Robbie is, even if it kills me."

"Awww...", Scott smiled. "That's just so cute..."

"Let's just get this over with then. You got the number, Jace?",Vince asked.

"Yeah." I dug my as-small-as-possible notebook out of my backpack, leafed through it and handed it to Vince. "You have some idea about what you're gonna tell Robbie's parents?"

"I'll just pretend to be a student councellor and ask if he's there. Then you at least know if he's sick or somethin'. That makes ya happy?", Vince said.

"Delerious...", I smiled."Now get on with it, wil ya?"

"Yeah, yeah...", Vince mumbled as he dialed the number.

Scott cautiously tried to comfort me. "Dude...you'll see...it's probably nothing...", he said.

"I'll believe that when I talk to Robbie again.", I said.

Vince's face frowned, checked the number and dialed again. He paused.

"You sure this is the correct number, Jace?"

"I'm sure, yeah. I always call Robbie at home with this number...", I said.

"Jace dude....this number has been disconnected."

I just had to get out of there. I couldn't believe it, I just couldn't. Vince's words echoed through my mind.

"Disconnected....Disconnected..."

I had given up on trying to find rational explanations, my heart just took over. I ran. I ran out of the main hall, banged the door open and just ran outside. My legs just wouldn't carry me anymore, and I just slumped back against the school's outter wall. I let myself slide down and pushed my head between my knees. That's when the tears started flowing.

Vince and Scott approached me. Vince remained standing, but Scott just sat down next to me and put his arm around my shoulder.

"Jace...Jason...Don't cry, man...come on...it's probably nothing...it'll be okay...", he whispered.

I just wrapped my arms around him and hugged him tight.

"I agree with Scott, man. You worry too much.", Vince added. "Come on dude, don't let it get to you. I'm sure this isn't the last you've seen of Robbie..."

"I...I just don't know anymore....I mean he's not here, his phone is out...what's going on? I mean what the FUCK is going on!!!"

"Just calm down Jace...", Scott comforted. "We'll find him. I mean we found him at the Mall remember? We'll find him this time."

Just then, the bell for second period rang.

"Come on, let's get you on your feet and cleaned up dude.", Vince said.

I sobbed some more, struggled to get on my feet as Scott and Vince walked with me to the bathroom. Once there, I spashed some cold water in my face and looked in the mirror. Vince was right. I did look like shit. My hair, even though I gelled it up, was hanging down. It looked really messy. I splashed some more water in my hair and restyled it a bit, grabbed some toilet paper and blew my nose. Vince patted me on the back.

"Feeling better now, dude?"

"No..."

"Well get your mind off of it. I'll bet you, you'll see Robbie tomorrow and everything will be okay. Just wait."

"Wait...", I replied.

"Here's an idea. How about attending some classes?", Vince said.

"Yeah", Scott chimed in. " Get your mind off of things. Just think, it's gonna do wonders for your attendance record!"

"Heh. Thanks for looking on the bright side, Scott!", I grinned.

"Sure! You know me..."

"Yeah, I do.", I smiled. "What kinda class do we have anyway.", I absently asked Vince.

"Let's see...Try...a very interesting Math class by Peterson.", he grinned.

Scott shuddered. "Dude...I freakin' hate Math. And I hate Peterson. I say ditch."

"And risk missing Robbie here? No way.", I said.

"I guess...", Scott said." Still, don't let this get to you man. Remember we're here if you wanna talk."

"Yeah, I know you are...thanks, Scott.", I said.

"Kay dude.", Vince said. "How about we go to that Math class huh?"

"Yeah...Okay. Let's go."

Vince and me wandered out of the main hall, and ascended the stairs after a little shoving in the traffic jam. All the time, I kept glancing back to the mail hall.

"Just get it out of your head for a while dude.", Vince said as we entered the Math classroom.

"Like that's possible. You know how I feel, Vince..."

"Yeah...but I also know I'd worry about this sort of thing a lot less than you. So he's two hours late. Big fuckin' deal."

"I knew you'd say that.", I grinned.

"The scalar product of A and B (A . B) can also be given by the sum of the products of corresponding components of vectors A and B. Prove that this is true from the definition of A.B:

A . B = || A || * || B || * cos X

where A, B are mutually divergent or mutually convergent vectors and x is the angle between them...."

Ooh, this is just fucking great. Remind me never to take Math as a major. What was worse, Peterson is explaining this stuff like it's the most elementary shit in the world...

I had no idea what the fuck he was talking about.

Not that my mind was with this Math assignment...they were with Robbie. Where is he? Why is his phone out? Why isn't he here? Why does this stuff always happen to me?

I looked to my left. The desk where Robbie would normally be seated was now taken by some girl. She kept glancing at me too. I wish I had it in my power to say to her and all the other girls here that I'm taken..taken by the most beautiful boy on this planet. I looked behind me to the back of the class, at Linda. She was busy working on this Math thing, but she caught my glance. I looked away, but still...one more problem I have to deal with. Funny thing, I used to be a total bastard to girls before. I'm not as cold as I used to be anymore, that much is certain...

I spent the last five minutes trying to will the clock to go forward, without much luck of course. Ironic thing that the harder you try to get time to speed up, the slower it will seem to go.When the bell finally rang, I hurried out of the classroom, with Vince behind me. He made some comments, but couldn't ease my mind. I was just glad to get out of there again, on a fifteen minute break. We proceeded downwards to the cafeteria, where Scott was already waiting. No sign of Robbie yet.

"Hey Jace,", Scott chimed, "Feeling better?"

"Not much...", I answered.

"Well, again, just relax and take it easy...", Vince said. "I'm getting some coffee."

Scott and me sat down. "I'm sorry Scott, I really am, but I'm just not that easy."

"Hey, I can understand why this is getting to you like it is...it took me a while to get over my first guy too. But I did it...besides, you don't even know where Robbie is! I'm sure he didn't dump you or anything."

"Yeah, I know...just that I would feel better if I knew what was going on with him. It's the fact that I'm left in insecureness that's really getting to me."

"Yeah, I understand that...Still, what options do you have at this point? You could run by his house, but he lives out of town, right?"

"I don't know his adress."

"You don't?? Oh...that's the first thing I would have asked. How come you don't know?", Scott asked.

"Well, I just haven't been over to his place yet. Besides he said that it'd be easier to just take down his new adress after he had...had...moved...Holy shit!!"

Scott's eyes largened. "He's moving? When? Now?? Do you know?"

"Well...I thought this last weekend!!"

"You total dipshit!! Of course his phone's gonna be disconnected then!!", Scott laughed.

"I...I thought that...", I said.

"That probably explains why he's not here too...See? You have nothing to worry about!!"

Vince came back with some coffee. "What's going on?", he asked.

"Mr. Brilliance here just remembered Robbie is supposed to be moving around this time!", Scott laughed.

Vince threw his head back in amazement. "You're kidding me.", he smiled.

I gave Vince a sheepish smile.

"Shit man...you were a total wreck about this? I TOLD you dude. You really do worry too much.", Vince said.

"I guess so...", I smiled. If this WAS the reason Robbie wasn't here, then Scott and Vince were right all along. Everything was going to be allright. I'd probably see Robbie tomorrow, and...

"Hey Jace...", Vince said, trying hard to refrain from laughing, "You're not gonna believe this one, but...guess who's HERE!!?"

I looked back, past the crowd of kids standing in front of us, to the cafeteria's doors. Of course I immediately recognised him!!

"Robbie!! Over here!!"

"Hey guys!", Robbie smiled. As if nothing had happened! Of course, to him, nothing HAD happened!

I was just so happy to see him, I would have taken him right there and then if we weren't in a crowded cafeteria!! In fact, I didn't stay there much longer! I got up, grabbed Robbie by his arms and dragged him outside, through the front door of the school. Once we were out and the coast was relatively clear, I hugged him so tight I lifted him off the ground.

"I...I'm happy to see you too!", Robbie grinned.

"Shit...where were you dude!! I was worried as hell over you! Why didn't you tell me? What happened?"

"Whoa...slow down Jace..Didn't you check your E-mail? I sent you one this morning..."

"No..no I didn't...Why? What was in it?"

"Well, today was the final day in our old house. We packed up the last of our stuff and we're geting all settled in...Mom and Dad needed my help packing some stuff, plus they decided to give me some time to check around the new neighborhood. We said our goodbyes to the old house and our neighbors there for good now...It's such a cool house we're in now, I can't wait to show you..."

"Wait...so that''s why your phone was out too?"

"Yeah...Why, did you try to call me?"

"Yeah,", Vince's voice came from behind us. "And got into a total shit fit when he found out it was disconnected!"

"Yeah, ", Scott smiled. "We tried to talk him out of it, but..."

Robbie smiled slightly. "I think it's incredibly sweet you worry so much about me..."

"Well, if you don't mind, I'd rather not! I was feeling really bad all morning."

"Well...I'm sorry Jason...But my parents didn't tell me in advance either I was going to get the day off. In fact they would have allowed for me to spend the entire day at the new place, but I just had to see you...", Robbie smiled.

"I love you...", I said as I hugged Robbie again.

"I love you too..I always will.", Robbie said.

"There...feeling better now, Jace?", Scott grinned.

"Ooh yeah, baybah!", I laughed.

"So NOW we can get outta here??", Scott asked.

"Well...", Robbie said, "shouldn't we get to Mrs. Jones' class? She's gonna kill us if we ditch her class again..."

"Don't worry about that, Robbie. Jones' classes are cancelled!", Scott gleamed.

"How do you know?", Robbie asked.

"Uhm...Well, aside from the glued shut locker door, the car keys inside it, and the amount of baby laxative I put in her tea....I'd say the fact that there's no toilet paper left in this entire school has got her pretty pissed off! I'm pretty sure she won't give class today..", Scott grinned.

"You did all THAT??!", Robbie laughed.

"Yep,", Scott said." With Vince helping. Jace owes us bigtime for this!"

"Okay, okay,", I conceded. "Let's go to the Mall! I'm buying!"

I pulled my Mom's credit card out of my pocket and showed it to the gang.

"Or actually, ", I smiled, "Mom's buying!"

Vince, Scott, Robbie and me crossed the mall's parking lot. I kept sneaking glances at the blond angel that was walking next to me....he kept catching my glances and returning them with a fabulous smile. We went on doing this the whole way to the Mall, much to the annoyance of Vince and Scott, who kept making fun of us of course! So we just kept doing it, and on purpose this time! The only time we had to stop was because we wre doubled up laughing when Scott passed the senior citizen's apartments and yelled at the top of his lungs: 'Hey Tarzan!! BITE ME!!!"

The familiar doors of the Mall came into vision. So did that red dumpster I had a most erotic encounter with Robbie behind...which reminded me once again just how sexy he was and how good he tasted! It took some real will power from my part to refrain myself from kissing him right there!!

The four of us walked towards the doors, Scott up front. Scott sort of 'commanded' the doors open by spreading his arms out to the sides right at the moment the doors opened! It was actually pretty funny!

"Aah, the smell of kapitalism...", Scott grinned.

"Yup, and I've got our 'golden ticket' right here!", I said as I patted on the pocket Mom's credit card was in.

"You didn't steal that thing from your mom, did you Jace?", Robbie asked.

"No! She gave it to me to use for a new alarm clock I still have to pick up. But anything else I use this thing for is coming right off my annual clothing allowance - which I won't need anyway, cause I still have enough clothes..."

"I didn't think the two of you ever wore clothes!", Vince smiled.

"Uhhmm...", I looked over to Robbie.

He blushed a bit. Enough for me to detect, anyhow. Anyone else wouldn't have caught it, but I did. I just love him SO much.

"Well...", Robbie smiled, "They ususally don't last very long once we're alone..."

"Will you guys STOP it! I'm getting a hard on here!", Scott smiled.

"Heheh, just walk it off, Scott!", I said.

"With my equipment, that would be LIMP it off, thanks!", Scott said.

"Yeah, dream on Fremont! You're average at best dude."

"YOU don't know that..."

"With the tight gear you're wearing? Gotta be."

"It still doesn't say anything about the actual...you know...SIZE!"

"Well I'm not buying it. You're as average as the rest of us."

"Ahemm...", Vince smiled

"Oh no, not Vichelli the luuv-masheeen...", I smiled.

"Vichelli the Great if ya like", Vince smiled.

"Are you sure you're straight, Vince? I've never seen a straight guy with that much interest in--", Scott grinned.

"Shut it Scott! I'm pretty sure I am."

"Ooh-kay...but call me when you change your mind..."

"What do you mean WHEN..."

"Come on, you know hanging around two gay guys and one bisex guy is gonna rub off on you..."

"Don't hold your breath.", I smiled. "I'm gonna slot some money. You guys just go ahead to the Mac, I'll be there in a bit."

"Sure...", Vince said

"Oh and Vince..."

"Yeah..."

"DON'T lose Robbie."

"Gotcha."

I walked over to the nearest cash dispenser. There was a line. There's always a line... Funny thing was, as soon as I got in line behind a middle aged woman, she started acting nervous... She kept glancing back, eyeing me. Not that I cared. Well...I sort of cared. Just because I'm a teen and I'm standing behind her makes her stomach knot. I wondered if telling her I'm gay would make a difference. If it would make me less threathening... Well. Not today, anyway.

Once I got the desired cash (Do you want a receipt? No. And out comes a receipt) I headed over to the Mac. Robbie, Vince and Scott were there as planned. I took their orders and before long we were all enjoying various junk foods.

"I'd rather gone to Burger King...", Scott grinned.

"It's on me, so stop bithcing.", I smiled.

"I just love it.", Robbie said. "I hardly got a chance to eat this stuff in my old town."

"Why not?"

"Conservative parents!", Robbie smiled. "They just didn't like this stuff."

"I don't blame them.", Scott smirked.

"Well, I do! And my parents just wouldn't come. Always had me eat in 'classy' retaurants when I went out shopping with them. If I have to chow down on one more hors-d'euvre I'm gonna kill whoever invented that word...", Robbie grinned.

"Heheh, what's wrong with poached salmon!", I grinned.

"Better this! We're teens, come on!", Scott smiled.

"I agree with Scott on that one! Our parents just don't understand our tastes.", Robbie said. "How about you, Vince?"

"You're asking a guy with a last name like Vichelli about his family's eating habits? Spaghetti, dude.", Vince laughed.

"COLD spaghetti at that. Yech!", I said.

"DEFINITELY better this!", Scott said.

"Yup.", I grinned as I took another bite out of my burger.

After our lunch, we were parading the Mall again. We stopped at various shops and jsut hung around some more, like usual! Scott then told us he had to do something real quick, and asked us to wait for a few minutes. Having no idea what he was going to do, we agreed... A few minutes after that, Scott came running back.

"Okay! Done!"

"What did you have to do that was so important?", I asked.

"I had to run past the hardware store... for this!", Scott said as he held up the school's master key.

"What about that? You have to hand that in again real soon unless you really wanna see my head on a stake...", Vince said.

"I know, that's why I had to get...THIS!!" Scott pulled another key out of his backpack, in bright metallic purple. But clearly, an exact copy of the master key!

"I'm not passing this up! Our ticket in and out of any pesky situation! No terror tactician should go without it...", Scott gleamed.

"You're zany, Scott!", Robbie laughed. We all agreed on that one.

I still had to pick up a new alarm clock while I was here, so I asked the guys to come with me to an electronics boutique. Going there, we passed the cut out card board of Surfer dude, still looking cute. But I shuddered at the sight. This is where I first lost track of Robbie. And I had lost track of him AGAIN this morning. I was serioulsy asking myslef what would happen if I lost track of Robbie for real once, not just by misunderstanding. I couldn't handle that. And knowing that, I decided I needed to prevent that from ever happening again. I didn't want to feel like I felt this morning again. The fear. The insecureness. Never again. And walking into that electronics boutique, the solution presented itself.

I was sniffing through the aisles for a good alarm clock. I soon found one: AM\FM receiver, and what was better, this model could send a signal to a larger stereo set and programme it so it would play any CD you choose upon hitting the set time. Now THAT'S waking up!!

I took the thing to the counter when I passed a display bin. I paused for a moment.

"Vince, come look at this."

"What is it Jace?", Vince asked. "They've got some really cheap car speakers over there to put in my truck..."

"Check this out...", I pointed. "For me and Robbie."

"Aah...that would work. But quite a price tag."

"Yeah... but he's worth it. Come on, I'm geting these."

Me and Vince walked to the counter. A lady in her mid-thrities was behind it.

"Hi, I'll have this alarm clock and one of those twin Cellphone packs, please.", I said.

"Okay,", She smiled. "Best way to stay in touch with your girlfriend these days, hmm?"

"Umm...something like that. Robbie! Come here, I wanna show you something."

Robbie and Scott came walking towards us.

"Yeah Jason?", Robbie asked.

"This one's for you...so I'll never lose track of you again.", I looked back to the woman behind the counter for a sec, then turned back to Robbie. I looked into his deep blue eyes, caressed his cheek and said: "I love you."

Then I kissed him. Right then and there.

After more than a month's wait it's finished! Hope everyone enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. AND LET ME KNOW. Your comments and compliments mean a lot to me, and it is in a way the only reward I get for this. So please, E-mail me at Ryan20bi@hotmail.com and  please drop by my website to sign my guestbook and view the new character pics!

And thanks to Joey for providing that Math formula! ( I know shit about math!!)

See ya!!

Frank Ryan