The following program contains material suited for a mature audience. If you are not over 18 you should be leaving now. Of course I can't control you and neither can anyone else really. This story is entirely false except for the true parts. This is the fourteenth segment of this story and I highly recommend reading the first thirteen that can be found in the Nifty Archive. And now for our feature presentation. Viewer Discretion is advised...
My web site is located at http://www.geocities.com/chipdyp/index.html
Judgment Error- Chapter 14 by: Chip Dyp (chipdyp@hotmail.com)
"Are we always going to be late for school?" I asked Will. I was now breaking every speed limit that the city had so we could get to school on time. All because he wanted to finish his e-mail to Laura before we left for school. He was so in love with her. It was really cute.
"I'm sorry, it's just that she wrote me a long letter, and I wanted to send her a note back." Will blushed and looked down in his lap.
I sighed and smiled at Will. "It's all right. I was just teasing you. So what did she have to say?"
"She invited me to come and stay with her for a long weekend."
"You going to take her up on her offer?"
"Nah, I can't afford to fly out to Halifax for the weekend. Besides, I think my parents might be a little suspicious."
"That's too bad man." I flicked on the turn signal and dove across two lanes of traffic to get into the turning lane.
"Dude, learn to fucking drive." Will exclaimed, grabbing the door handle. He looked back over his shoulder. "Well, you're improving. You only cut off 3 people that time."
"Well, if they'd learn to drive. Five metres is more than enough space for me to squeeze into a lane."
"We're not in Toronto anymore, Toto."
"Dude, would you quit making those fucking stupid Wizard of Oz references."
"Well, you're supposed to be a friend of Judy's."
"Hey, I'm gay. That doesn't mean I like Judy Garland, Liza Manelli, Barbra, or show tunes."
Will laughed as the car came to a sudden stop. "Well, if you want to get enmeshed in gay culture..."
I smacked Will's chest, "Give it a break."
Will laughed and grabbed his bag out of the back seat. "So, did you finish those questions about Julius Caesar?"
"Yeah, I ain't risking raising Mrs. Ridel's hackles again." I locked the doors and started walking to the school.
"Why? It was kinda funny."
"Yeah, for you maybe. Having my interpretation of that Sonnet torn to shreds was kinda embarrassing."
"Hey, you still got full marks. Better than I did."
"I guess. So what are you doing tonight?" Will asked. We walked in the front door and dodged a gaggle of freshmen.
"David and I are going to be doing some work on that group history project.
How are you and Rob doing?"
"Um, we finished most of the research. We're going to Regina to visit the Provincial archives on Friday. They've got a couple of documents that we'd like to check out."
"You guys are putting a lot of work into this project," I observed, stopping at my locker.
"We have to. We both want to get a really good mark, so we can weight it heavier than the final. How are you and David doing?"
"Um, well. We haven't really started."
"Haven't started? Are you guys suicidal?"
"Well, ummm," I scratched my ear and looked in the locker. "We just haven't gotten around to it."
"Yeah, but he's been over a couple of times."
"Yeah, he has but we've been, um, procrastinating."
Will looked at me in shock and leaned close. He whispered "Are you guys going out?"
"No!" I slammed my locker shut. "We've just been procrastinating. Neither of us really wants to work on the project."
"Oh, but you wouldn't mind having a relationship."
"Don't go there, Will. I don't think he knows I'm gay."
Will cocked his head and made a face. "Come on. He's gotta know you're gay."
"How would he know? He hangs around with the three of us, and none of us bring up the topic."
"I guess you could be right. But come on. He could hear rumours in the hallways or in class."
"I suppose." The warning bell sounded, interrupting my thoughts. "I guess we should get going."
"Yeah, come on."
The day went by slowly. I hated Tuesdays. And Mondays. And Thursdays. Fridays were good though.
When lunch finally came around, Will, Rob, and I met David. The four of us usually ate lunch together. It was nice having the guys as friends. As we stood in line, waiting for our turn at the counter, I looked at David. I wondered if he knew I was gay. I ordered my food and grabbed a drink out of the cooler. I thought about asking him, but decided it could wait until after we finished our project. I didn't want to cause a rift when we had to work together.
"So how was Physics?" Rob took a bite of his meal.
David swallowed quickly. "It wasn't too bad. It's not going to be as bad you think it's gonna be. How was Bio?"
"It was okay," Rob answered.
Will pulled out his binder and algebra text. "Didn't finish your homework again?" I asked.
"I forgot," Will replied, "Are you done?"
"Yeah, and no you can't borrow my homework."
"Busy chatting with Laura last night?" David asked.
Will just blushed and ignored David. "Any cybersex?" Rob asked.
"C'mon guys, leave him alone." Will looked up and smiled when I defended him.
"So was she good?" Rob asked, trying to get a rise out of Will.
"I didn't have cybersex. I really love Laura," Will said. He took another bite of his burger.
"Awwwww," the three of us replied sarcastically.
"Give it a break, you guys. I bet you guys were all jerking off last night."
"I wasn't," I replied, taking a sip of my diet Dr Pepper.
"90% of men masturbate, the other 10% lie," David offered, winking at me.
"I'm serious. Haven't done it in a long time."
"I don't believe you," David replied.
"I believe him," Rob said quietly. He looked at me intently and then started his salad.
"I'd have to go with David on this one," Will said.
There was an uncomfortable silence at the table. No one wanted to push this conversation any further. "So, when are you guys leaving for Regina?" I asked, dragging the conversation in a new direction.
"Fairly early. We want to be there by 10 at the latest," Will said. He looked back down at his textbook and continued working on his homework.
"Yeah, we want to have as much time as possible to finish up our research. I hear you guys have barely started."
David blushed and looked at me. "Yeah, we've been putting off doing the research. We don't really know what our research topic is going to be."
"You don't know what your topic is going to be? Man, you guys are in trouble."
"Why? I'm sure we can put a paper together in 23 days," I said, finishing my drink.
"Yeah, but you're still gonna have to do a lot of work."
"We know. I'm sure that Ian and I can finish the project in time."
"Good luck. You're gonna need it."
We sat at the table, discussing our classes and our plans for the Thanksgiving weekend. When Will finished his Algebra, he closed his books and looked across the table. He gave me a wink and turned to David. "So, have you seen anyone at the school that you'd like to go out with?"
David blushed and smiled. "There are a few people I wouldn't mind dating."
"Ahhh, got your eye on someone? Who is she?" Rob asked, leaning across the table towards David.
"Like I'm gonna tell you guys who I like! Mr. Mouth, over here" David paused and pointed at Will, "Wouldn't let me hear the end of it. And you'd," David paused and pointed at Rod, "Tell your girlfriend ensuring that the whole city knows within an hour."
"C'mon, I promise I wouldn't tell her."
"Yeah, right. She could make you confess to the Kennedy assassination."
Will made the sound of a whip cracking and laughed at Rob. "Someone's whipped."
"I don't think so," Rob replied.
"We do," Will said. He was enjoying getting under Rob's skin.
"Hey, how come no one ever asks Ian who he likes?" David asked, looking across the table at me.
Will and Rob looked at each other, and didn't say a word. They had asked me who I liked, and they knew that I wasn't really looking for a man.
"Well?" David prodded me again.
"Well what?" I asked.
"Who do you like, Ian?"
"No one in particular."
"Awww, that's no answer. There's gotta be some girl going to our school that you'd like to date."
I was just about to tell David that there really wasn't any girl going to any school that I'd like to date when the bell rang. "Saved by the bell," I said with a smile. I grabbed my tray and dropped it off at the tray return and headed towards our history class.
"Hey, wait up, Ian," David yelled as he dropped off his tray.
Will dumped his tray and ran to catch up with me. "Maybe you're right. Maybe he doesn't know."
"I told you so."
"Are you gonna tell him?"
"Yeah, I'm going to wait until after we finish the project."
"Probably a good idea. I'll tell Rob to keep it quiet."
"Thanks."
"Hey! You didn't answer my question," David whined as he caught up with Will and I.
"What was the question again?" I joked.
"Who do you like at school?"
"I plead the fifth," I replied taking my seat.
"You're Canadian, Mr. Reynolds. You can't plead the fifth. But, if you and your friends will take you seats, you can start filling out the information section on your report cards."
"Yes, Mr. Gaines."
I sat down at my desk and avoided looking at David. It didn't take me long to fill out the information section of the report card. I handed my report card to the front of the class and dug out my history books. Mr. Gaines started his lecture about the Northwest Rebellion, and the impact that it had on early Canadian society. It was a fairly boring subject.
Mr. Gaines assigned some questions on the Rebellion and gave us some time to work on them in class. I sat at my desk, working on my questions. I peeked over at David and saw that he was working on his own questions. He looked up at me and smiled. I smiled back and continued working.
By the end of class I had finished my questions, and had started reading about Louis Riel. He was an interesting Canadian figure. When the bell rang, I grabbed my books and headed for the door. "Hey, Ian. Wait up."
I slowed down and let David catch up with me. "You finish your questions?"
"Yeah, I just finished. Look, if you don't want to tell me who you like, that's all right."
"Good, 'cause I ain't gonna tell you."
"Prick."
I laughed and slowed down a little more, letting Rob and Will catch up. "So, did you guys finish the assignment?"
"Yeah, it wasn't that hard," Rob said, scratching his ear. He smiled at a couple girls and laughed when they started giggling.
"Football stud, you already have a girlfriend," Will said.
"I just smiled at her."
"Uh huh. And they melted," David replied.
"It's not my fault chicks go for football players."
The three of us laughed at Rob and walked into the algebra class. "You're catching a ride home with Rob, right?" I asked Will.
"Yeah. Rob and I want to work on our project."
The four of us took our seats as the warning bell rang. I pulled out my textbook and binder, and started copying down the notes that Mrs. Weber had written on the board. I hated algebra. I was better at graphical math, like Trigonometry and Geometry.
After Algebra class ended, I said good-bye to Rob and Will and waited while David picked up his physics book from his locker. When he'd grabbed it, David and I walked out to my car and started talking about the project. He had borrowed several books from the public library, but had left them at home.
"I'll just drop off my physics text book, and grab the library books."
"'Kay. Did you want to stay for supper? We could do some more work afterwards."
"Yeah, that's probably a good idea. I get the feeling that we're way behind everyone else in the class." David pushed the door shut, and walked up to the front door of the house.
Damn, David has a really nice ass. I giggled to myself and looked away as David looked back towards the car. I pushed the eject button on the CD player and pushed a dance CD in. 'Blue', by Eiffel 65 began playing from the 6 car speakers.
David walked out the door, and jogged over to the car. "Man, I don't know how you can handle listening to that dance crap."
"Hey, hey, hey. No insulting the music."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know what?"
"What?"
"It sounds like he is saying 'I'm in need of a guy.' in that one spot."
"Maybe he is," I joked. "So, what angle are we taking on Louis Riel?"
"I don't know. I kinda think that he was a little insane, but there's a fine line between genius and insanity."
"I'm leaning more towards insane. If someone tried to do what he did today, they'd be tried for treason, just like he was."
"Yeah, but a hundred years later, people might look back and give that guy a pardon, just like Riel."
"I guess. There's still a lot of debate about whether he was a patriot or a traitor to this day."
"Yeah, but how much of it is race motivated?"
"Good question." I pulled into the driveway and shut off the car. "Well, we'll have a better idea after we've started our research."
"Yeah, I guess." David slid out of the passenger seat and shut the door behind him. He seemed kinda perturbed about something, but I paid it no mind.
"Mom! I'm home!" I yelled as I entered the house. There was no response to my announcement. I walked through the kitchen and into the backyard where my mom was swimming laps. "I'm home." I said again when she finally stopped swimming and started treading water.
"I can see that, Ian. Hello David."
"Hello Mrs. Reynolds."
"Are you boys going to start your History project today?"
"Yes, mom."
"Good. Mrs. Ridel told me that Rob and Will had already finished most of their research already. How much have you two done?"
"A little," I replied.
"Well, you boys better get to work then. You don't want to get a bad mark.
It could hurt your chance of getting into a good university."
"Yes, mom."
"Yes, Mrs. Reynolds."
"Good, I'll call you boys when supper is ready. You're going to be staying for supper, aren't you David?"
"If it's all right with you," David replied graciously.
"It's no problem at all. But I want to get in a few more laps. It's a shame that we can't use the pool all winter."
David and I turned and walked back inside the house. "Want a snack?" I asked as I walked over to the fridge.
"Um, sure."
"Oreos and pop good?"
"Sounds good to me."
I grabbed a new bag of Oreos, and a couple Cokes and walked over to the basement door. "Did you want to study in my room, or at the dining room table?"
"We might get more done at the table. Would your mom mind?"
"Nah, she won't care. Just as long as we're working."
David led the way over to the table and dropped his bag on the floor beside a chair. I walked around to the other side of the table and grabbed a few pieces of loose-leaf out of my binder. "So, what is the thesis of our paper going to be?"
"I don't know. How about: Was Riel Insane?"
"Why don't we see if there was any mention of insanity? Maybe he was just patriotic."
"True. Okay how about we do a little research and decide on a thesis before supper."
"Sounds good."
David and I spent the next two and half hours reading through books, and taking notes. I scratched my ear with my pen and smiled across the table at David. "So, what do you think?"
"There's some evidence that he may have been mentally unstable."
"Yeah, there is. How much of it is racially motivated though?"
"Maybe that could be our topic. There is some evidence that points to that conclusion."
"Really? I didn't have anything in my book."
"I found some stuff in this biography on him." David handed me a book that he had book marked.
"Oh, cool. I'm gonna have to read this."
"I'll leave it here for you to read."
"Cool."
"Supper time boys," My mom called from the kitchen.
"We'll be right there, mom," I called back.
"What's for supper?" David asked. He stretched his long arms, exposing his taut belly.
"Good question. I don't have a clue."
We walked into the kitchen and grabbed seats at the table. My mom had cooked some Lasagna and threw together a Caesar salad. The food looked and smelled so good. "I hope you boys are hungry, I cooked a lot of food."
"It looks really good, Mrs. Reynolds."
The four of use sat down and dug into the food. It was great. Both David and I had seconds. After we finished supper, David and I grabbed our books and went down to my bedroom. I fought the urge to boot up my computer, and instead sat down on the floor and leaned against the bed.
"Okay, so our research paper is on whether racism has coloured our interpretation of Louis Riel," I asked.
"Sounds good to me," David replied. We set about doing our research, and didn't stop until my mom interrupted us.
"Did you boys want some brownies?"
"Sure," I replied. I looked up at my mom, and then over at David. "Did you want some brownies?"
David nodded, and smiled at my mom. "Thanks, Mrs. Reynolds."
My mom put a plate of brownies down between us, and walked out of the bedroom, pulling the door shut behind her. I grabbed a brownie off the plate and pulled my legs to my chest.
"So, how's your research going?"
"Not too bad. I've got a lot of good quotes, and some information. How are you doing?"
"I'm doing all right. I've got a lot of contradictory evidence. If we work on putting it together, we should be able to do a fairly good job on the paper."
"Cool."
I finished my first brownie, and grabbed another from the plate. I looked over at David. "Did you want something to drink? Some milk or something?"
"Um, milk would be good."
"'Kay, I'll be right back."
I put the brownie down on the edge of the plate and stood up. I walked up to the kitchen and grabbed a couple of big glasses of milk. When I got back down to the room, I found David sitting on the end of the bed. I handed him a glass of milk and sat down beside him. David handed me my brownie and smiled at me.
"Can I ask you a question?" David asked.
"You already have," I joked.
"Smart ass. I was being serious."
"Sure, ask away. Quench your curiosity."
"All right."
David stood up and began pacing in the room. "Look, um--. All right. I was in class the other day, and um-- well--"
"Yes?" I had an idea where David was going. I just didn't know which rumour he had heard. Did he hear that I was gay or did he hear that Stefan had raped me?
"I heard these two girls talking. About you. They were talking about you."
"What were they saying?" I asked calmly.
"There's really no easy way to say this. I mean it's probably a rumour, and--"
"Just tell me what they were saying," I interrupted.
"They said you were gay." David stopped his pacing and looked right at me.
"Are you gay?"
"Yes."
"Really?"
"Yes. Why?"
David walked over to the bed and sat down beside me. "Look, you have to promise you won't tell anyone..."
"Are you gay?" I interrupted. I looked at David. He was looking in his lap. I placed my hand on top of his and asked again. "Are you gay?"
David nodded. "I think I am." David looked up at me, his eyes filled with tears. "No, that's not right, I know I am."
I wrapped my arm around David's shoulder and pulled him close. "It's all right. I won't tell anyone."
David leaned away from me and looked at me. He shook his head. "Thanks. God, I'm such a wuss. I can't believe I'm crying."
"It's all right. So I guess you're not out of the closet."
"No, no one knows. How come everyone knows about you?"
"I outed myself at a party. There's a little more to the story, but I don't really want to talk about it right now."
"That's cool." David cocked his head and looked at me. "Rob and Will know about you, don't they. That's why they never ask who you have the hots for."
"Actually, they don't bring it up because you were around and they didn't know if you knew. They usually ask when you aren't around."
"Oh, so do you have a boyfriend?"
"No, how about you?"
"No, but there's a guy at school who I really like."
"Who?" I asked. I smiled at David and waited for him to answer.
"You. I really like you. Would you go out with me?"
Continued.