Liam's Journal © 2021
By David Lee
This is a kind of sequel to the stories involving the characters at City High. You might wish to read Guardian Angel, Mentoring, New Kid at City High, and An Author's Nightmare before starting this one. It will make more sense if you know the characters Liam refers to in his journal.
First Journal Entry:
June 9th:
Dear diary, this is Liam. Okay, that's silly. You know it's me because I'm the one writing. This is going to be an informal draft and I'll refine it before I turn any of it in. I'm not gonna mince words here, so I should clean up the language and leave out some stuff when I do. Well, I might mince a few words because I'm not into using the "f" word as much as a lot of high school kids.
I'm not thrilled to be doing this frickin' crap but it's an assignment. We're supposed to keep a journal for the AP Language Arts class I'm taking from Mr. Fiala in the fall. He says it will make us better writers and provide a foundation for things we'll be asked to do in the fall term. I hope he knows what he's taking about because I really, really, don't want to do this!
According to my new acquaintances, he's the best English teacher in the school and that's who I want to learn from, so I have to bite the bullet and do this. Since the rest of the class knew about it last year, I have some catching up to do. Fiala said it's okay to summarize the past several months.
But I'm getting ahead of myself because I haven't written about meeting any of them. See, I'm trying to get down some of the early stuff. This is going to be so jumbled when I'm done. Oh well...
Okay, here goes. I've just turned 17 and I'll be a senior at City High in the fall. I've lived most of my life on the West Coast with my parents and younger brother. Our paternal grandparents live out there and I'll miss seeing them on holidays. I hardly remember my other grandparents because they died many years ago.
My childhood is pretty unremarkable. I've lived a charmed life with little trauma but not lots of connection with my peers. I've had to change schools several times because of my dad's jobs. He's had several in the tech field and I guess the way to get ahead is to be flexible and relocate for new opportunities. Grandpa thinks he has wanderlust and should stay with the same firm for years and then retire with a good pension. Dad says it doesn't work that way in the 21st century when you can take your 401K with you. Whatever. All I know is that I've never been able to make any lasting friendships because just the time I get close to anyone, I have to leave. Everyone says they'll stay in touch, but most don't.
Our current move is actually about Mom. She was offered a great position in the psychology department at the university. I knew she was good and did a lot of research and lecturing in the field, but I didn't know what a hot commodity she was. (Hmm... That sounds Freudian.) It's kinda cool having a famous parent. Anyway, her appointment comes with a lot of perks including free tuition for her kids! That pretty much cinches where I'll be going to college next year.
I kinda wanted to stay in California for the weather and all, but I guess I'll have to adapt to changing seasons. That's not all bad. June in Iowa feels pretty good. Where I lived, we weren't close enough to the ocean to enjoy it a lot anyway. I guess I won't have to worry about forest fires this summer.
June 10th:
I've sorta got my room arranged. I like the house; it's big. I have a window that looks out on the backyard toward the golf course behind. It's cool to see so much green. Mom and Dad joined the country club, so I'll have a chance at playing quite a bit. That's my main sport. I took instruction from a pro back in California. He was very attentive, and I thought maybe had an interest in my bod, but nothing came of it. He flirted with the ladies a lot, kinda like he was covering his true desires.
My geeky bro, Colin, has his bedroom across the hall and he gets a view of the street. It's pretty quiet but there's more concrete and cars. I like my view best. Okay, this all sounds kinda stupid but I don't know what else to write about. Nothing's happening.
June 11th:
Bored silly.
June 12th:
Whoa, I have a lot more to write about for this date. Don't know how much I'll have to edit out because some of it probably won't be appropriate.
I decided to take my bike and explore around this small town some. I guess the population swells a bunch when the university students are here in the fall. Anyway, it seems like a better way to travel than driving my car because I can look around more and I need the exercise. If I sit as much as I did yesterday, I'll turn into a couch potato.
So, I found the pizza place that has lots of raves on Yelp and I figured out how to get there. It was a longer ride than I'd anticipated but worth it.
Anyway, some girl whose relatives own the place kinda took me under her wing and introduced me to her brother and other guys. She even gave me a free lunch! I wasn't sure what I was getting into. There's no such thing as a free lunch, is there?
Pizza was excellent!
The guys were friendly, and I felt right a home with them. Turns out her brother was there with his BF. Yeah, as in boyfriend for sure! They were really up-front about it and there were other gay kids around too. Can you believe that in small-town Iowa? I was blown away. I didn't say anything about my orientation because you never know if people are being genuine. I've seen guys get tricked into coming out and it's not pretty. These dudes don't seem like devious types, but better safe than sorry.
It gets better! They invited me to go swimming with them in the private pool where this kid, Sawyer lives. His mother was at work, and we all went skinny dipping. How cool is that?
So, there were six of us. Sawyer and his boyfriend, Travis. Gio, whose sister got us acquainted, and his boyfriend Benji. Then there was their friend Tony and me. They're all going to be seniors at City High in the fall too.
Everybody stripped right down and jumped into the pool. We tried playing water polo, but that ended up in a mess since most of us didn't know the rules. So, we played chicken fight instead. I loved having Tony on my shoulders and feeling his dick against my neck (a lot of this section will be edited out for sure! The teacher won't find it appropriate!). Several of us had boners when we got out to lie in the sun. The cool thing is that no one teased anyone and so we weren't self-conscious. Most of us stayed kinda semi-hard for the rest of the afternoon.
I thought there might be more, um, sex going on with having four of them gay for sure. The only one who said anything bordering on suggestive was Travis, and he shut up after Sawyer gave him a, um, I don't know exactly how to describe it. It wasn't a glare, but sorta like what you mother gives you when she wants you to stop but won't say it out loud because you have company.
Anyway, the two of them went in the house to get refreshments and were gone quite a while. They were completely soft when they came back out, so I'll bet they had a quickie! Just thinking about it makes me horny.
June 14th:
Today, I went cycling with Benji, Gio, and Tony. We saw a lot of flags around town because the Optimists have some kind of service to do that.
Travis and Sawyer weren't with us since they had some special practice for drumline. I guess they're gonna open the half-time show at football games in the fall with a fancy routine. Kinda wish I played a band instrument. Tony feels the same.
The three of them want to take in a movie next week and asked me to go along!
June 16:
I learned more about my LA teacher. He's married to another guy and they sponsor a karate club! I'll be able to enjoy another activity that I like. All of my new buds are involved. This could be a good move.
June 18th:
Tony called to see if I wanted to go to a movie with Benji, Gio, and him. He said Benji would drive because he's got the coolest ride (He hasn't seen mine yet). Tony is working on his mom to buy him a car. She's gonna come out from Chicago next week to shop for one. He said his father is still upset with him but isn't being as nasty as he was a few months ago. Whatever. Tony didn't say what the rift was about, but I have a guess.
He doesn't want to go back to live with them even if his dad does change. He's settled in here, loves City High and is happy staying with his grandparents. I can empathize about not wanting to change schools again.
June 20th:
Mr. Fiala contacted me and asked for a copy of my journal as of now. I was pleased that a lot of it could be sent, as is. I told about the swimming and the new friendships but left out the skinny dipping part with the hardons and stuff.
He responded quickly, telling me I was doing the right thing and saying I'd be welcome in the karate club if I wanted to join. He said I wouldn't have to make entries as often as I've been doing if it becomes a burden. Actually, I'm beginning to enjoy keeping a log. Someday when I'm famous, I may want to write my autobiography and I'll have a lot of good memories to draw on. Like that's gonna happen. Well, I can dream.
June 22nd:
The movie was good and so was the company. It was just the four of us because Sawyer and Travis had already seen it. Benji and Gio held hands but didn't do anything else. I sat next to Tony, and I get the feeling he was envious of them. If he's gay and would like to have a date with me, I'd be good with that.
We went for pizza after.
June 25th:
Tony came by in his new car today. Well, it's used but in very good condition. He got it from Baxter's and they gave him a good deal. I might get my convertible serviced there since they seem to have a good rep.
We drove up north to a spot near the reservoir where he said guys lie out naked in the woods. We walked around a little but didn't see anyone else. I guess there was a raid a couple of years ago and some guys got busted for drugs. I think he'd like to get nekkid out there sometime. He doesn't think the cops get upset over guys trying to get an all-over. I'm not sure if I'd feel comfortable.
June 30th:
Tony and I went to the ice rink at the Coralridge Mall in my convertible. Just the two of us. We had a lot of fun and ate at Panera. We each paid our own bill. It still felt kinda like a date. I was hoping he'd open up more about why he doesn't get along with his dad. It might be up to me to let him know which team I'm on.
July 4th:
Wow! This is a friendly town. We got invited to a big gathering at Sawyer's house. All the families of the guys I've been hanging around with were there. We had fun in the pool. Of course, with all the `rents around we didn't go bare-assed. They would have been "em-bare-assed!" I think Mr. Fiala might enjoy the pun. He said it's not his place to censor what we write. He wants us to express ourselves freely. Hmm... Maybe he gets off on hearing about naked students. (I definitely won't leave that last comment in the final draft!)
Got better acquainted with Gio's sister, Sophia. She's a bit of a tease. That's okay with me. Her boyfriend, Harrison, is a total stud!!! I could drink his bathwater. (Better leave that comment out too!) He may not be gay, but he's really protective of guys who are. Unfortunately, he graduated this spring and won't be around in the fall.
By 9:00 everyone but the six of us guys, and Sawyer's mom, had left. She said she was going over to spend time with Travis's dad and would be gone a couple of hours. We were welcome to stay and play in the water. Since Sawyer's dad was currently in prison, she felt we'd be safe even if the security cameras were left off. Sawyer said that was her way of letting him know we wouldn't need to wear suits!
Swimming naked in the dark was fun. The only illumination was from the lights in the pool, so you couldn't see details clearly when we got out to lie on the loungers. Benji and Gio shared one and Travis and Sawyer shared another. That left two others free. I headed to the one farthest away and Tony was going to use the other one, but I took him by the hand and led him to mine. He popped a boner right away and I think it embarrassed him. However, he didn't resist when I pulled him down on top of me. I got brave and kissed him on the lips. He didn't hesitate to return my kiss. Before long, we were making out. I figured we would bust a nut pretty quickly, but then the sound of the garage door going up signaled that Sawyer's mom was home. We all made a grab for our trunks and jumped into the water to cool down. Funny thing was that I ended up wearing Tony's Speedo and he got mine!
July 8th:
It's warmed up considerably and the humidity is higher than I'm used to. Locals say it's good for growing corn. Also, the corn crop increases the humidity. It's not so great for stuff like mowing grass which seem to grow as fast as the farm crops. I can't complain a lot though because Colin and I have season passes to the city pool. It's not as much fun as going to Sawyer's but we can go there about anytime we want, and my brother isn't that annoying. Actually, he's turning into a cook kid.
As you can see, I'm desperate to find interesting things to write about! Maybe it'll pick up pretty soon.
July 9th:
Some of my new buds decided to hire on to a crew to detassel corn. It's really good money and the season lasts only about a month. If you're not from a state where a lot of it is grown, you probably wonder why you do it at all. I learned that it's done to maintain the hybrid. The tassels produce the pollen which fertilized it, kinda like the sperm, and you remove the pollen you don't want' so it gets fertilized by the stuff you do want. Companies that produce seed corn are really into it. Some have machines, but lots of them hire teenagers instead. Doing it by hand is more effective.
What could be taxing about walking through fields pulling the tops off cornstalks?
July 10th:
Silly me! I'm glad I signed up for only a two-week stint! It's hot sweaty work! The heat/humidity index must be 112 F. Well, I'm exaggerating a little, but it is hot!
July 15th:
You can wear shorts and T's, but I've been wearing long-sleeved shirts some days to keep from getting scratched and having pollen make me miserable. One guy had to quit before the first week was over because of infected cuts. I also don't want to end up with a farmer tan.
It's not all bad. You can listen to your tunes or talk to your buds as long as you keep moving. The company I work for gave us all bright orange ball-caps to protect us from the sun. I use some seriously heavy sunblock on my nose. I don't want to get skin cancer like my grandpa did.
Speaking of relatives, the minimum age for doing this stuff is 13. So, Collin is doing it too since he's 15. I didn't like the idea at first, but now I'm kinda glad he's along. He works hard and doesn't whine. I have more respect for him than I did before. I think he's growing up.
July 20th:
Detasseling is over for our crew! The rewards were worth the sweat and grime. Some kids are going to buy school clothes with their money. I've never realized how privileged I am. I'm not gonna just blow it, but I could. I might buy some new golf clubs.
Another good thing coming out of the two weeks is that Collin made some new friends, including Amber Hruby who's in his class. I think he's got the hots for her. I'm taking them along when Tony and I go to the multiplex theater next week. We're seeing Mission: Impossible -- Fallout. They'll be seeing something else. I know Collin would like to see it too, but she wants to see a chick-flick. I'll bet they hold hands in the back row. I think he's whipped!
July 28th:
This is a memorable one! I invited Tony for a sleepover. He was going to host but wasn't sure how his grandparents would feel about having another boy in his bed even if we're not messing around. They appear to be okay with his orientation but he's not going to push it. My parents know about me and are completely comfortable with it.
I know we've known each other about seven weeks, but I really like this guy. I'm not ready to use the capital "L" word yet. Maybe pretty soon! We're certainly compatible! We've cum a long way in a short time!
We decided to make it a whole weekend!!!
August 2nd:
Got back my latest installment from Mr. Fiala today. Sorry about the typo, Mr. F! I meant to write "come." Is that a Freudian slip?
Our good buddies are all at band camp, so Tony and I have spent more time at the city pool by ourselves. I don't mean we're all alone! God knows there are lots of other kids, including some rug-rats, running around trying to make summer last a little longer.
Sawyer sent me a text that his mom will let us use their pool while she's at work. She'll even show us how to disable the security camera. We're looking forward to erasing our tan lines.
August 5th:
Tony and I have gotten rid of our tan lines and we're a lot closer than we were before. I'm not giving any details because I don't think it would be appropriate to let my teacher read about what we did. I'll just say that our times in Sawyer's pool are always awesome.
August 8th:
Tony and I had pizza after our bike ride halfway to Cedar Rapids and back. We were starved. Sophia's boyfriend, Harrison was there. He was wearing skinny jeans and WOW is he a stud! I hope she appreciates what he's packing. (Guess I'd better edit this out too!)
August 29th:
It's Wednesday and the first day of the fall term. It's only half a day but it will count. It seems crazy to be starting school before Labor Day. I'm told it will give us a longer Christmas break and we'll finish in May, so I guess I can live with that.
My class schedule is great! I'm in a lot of AP sections and at least some of my buds are in all of them. I wonder if there's a connection between being gay and being smart, or if most gay guys really are creative, or what. I don't think I'm an elitist. Hmm... I wonder.
Mr. Fiala's class is AWESOME! That's a straight-up opinion. I'm not saying it to get a good grade. Remember, I was honest and bitched about having to keep this journal! Now I'm sold on it. It's made me more introspective, and I know myself a lot better than I did before. I even like the "me" I've discovered. Tony and I read the unedited versions of each other's entries this week. Knowing the other's deepest thoughts has brought us even closer. Yes!!!
September 3rd:
Back to school after Labor Day. Mr. F says keeping up this log will be optional. You'd think with my first reaction to the assignment that I'd drop it like a rock. However, I'm beginning to enjoy it. Tony wants to keep doing it too. No, not that IT! Get your mind out of the gutter, LOL!
September 6th:
Today is the longest day of the week! It's Friday and after school Tony is coming to spend most of the weekend with me. He'll be sleeping over tonight and tomorrow night - maybe Sunday too!
Wow! Moving here was a good deal. I'm really settled in at City High. Dad said he likes the company and he's planning to stay here for several more years. I know Collin is happy with that. He feels at home in this high school too and doesn't want to move. It doesn't matter as much to me because I'll probably attend the University of Iowa right here in town with most of my new friends. God, I love this place!
It looks to me like I could be in for a happy future!!!
Author's notes: Thanks to Mark H, Charles G, Mendy D, Marty H, John L, Jim W (2), GCD, Roger L, Joe W (2), Gordon, Paul F, Zero M, Paul R, Lance C, John P, and Scott M who sent notes of encouragement about An Author's Nightmare. Your support is appreciated.
Thanks to David for editing. If you see some glitches, it's probably because I tend to make changes just before posting and sometimes mess it up! Don't blame him.
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If you've enjoyed this tale, I'd love to hear from you. Please write to me at dlee169@hotmail.com and put the title in the subject line in case your response ends up in the spam file.
David