Second Chance (a new love story by David Lee)
Warning:
This story contains scenes of love and sexual interaction between males of consenting age. If the reading or possessing this material is illegal in your country, state, province, county, municipality, etc., please leave this site immediately and do not proceed further. If you are under the legal age to read this, please do not do so.
The author retains the copyright, and any other rights, to this original story. You may not publish it or any part of it without explicit authorization from me.
Disclaimer:
This story is completely fictional. Many of the places mentioned, and none of the characters exist in real life. Some may possess physical or personality characteristics of people I know or have known. But if you see yourself in this story, your imagination is better than mine!
"Second Chance" is a romantic story centering on the lives of high school kids and adult lovers, but not normally in a cross-generational sense. References to sex with under-age kids may be made for the sake of the story line. However, I feel that child molestation is a crime and should not be glorified or tolerated.
This is not my first attempt at writing fiction. My other stories on Nifty include: "Zeke" (August 29, 2005), "Always and Forever" (March 25, 2004), "Jacob and Jacques" (May 30, 2004), and "Tales from Bentonville" (November 16, 2008) under High School. Some characters from previous stories may have cameo roles in this one. However, you need not read them first.
I am now posted on Nifty under the category of "Prolific Net Authors" which will make it easier for you to access earlier stories. Some of these stories are also posted at: www.storylover.us along with those of other writers that may interest you.
My only reward for contributing to Nifty is your emails. Please write if you like the story. Please include the name of the story in the title of your email because my email service sometimes puts them in the "spam" file.
Finally, thanks and hugs to Tom and David who edit for me so that there are fewer mistakes! They not only proof-read, but make other valuable suggestions.
I have gotten in the habit of recognizing readers who email since the last posting (in the "author's notes" at the end of each chapter). I will try to continue this. Please let me know if you would rather have a nickname posted or do not want any mention at all.
David (dlee169@hotmail.com)
Second Chance, Chapter 1
Eric Larson was not a happy camper. Actually, he wasn't camping yet, but his father was going to be dragging him out on a six day, five night trek into the wilderness. YUCK! Even worse was the fact that they would be going with another father and son team whom Eric had never met and didn't care to meet. However, Eric's protests had fallen on deaf ears.
He had sometimes assumed that his mother's criticism of his father had been motivated by an attempt to estrange the two Larson males after the messy divorce, but now he was beginning to wonder if she had really been trying to keep him away from an aggressive, controlling man who seemed to be intent on making his life miserable. Yet, his dad hadn't seemed like that in the past. Of course they'd not spent enough time in each other's company in several years for Eric to know his father.
For at least half of his two-week stay with his dad this year, Eric would have no access to a cell phone, a computer, a video game, or anything else that was an integral part of his world. How was he supposed to survive? God, there wouldn't even be refrigeration or plumbing facilities much less air conditioning. Primitive camping was not something that Eric found appealing in any sense of the word. He knew that there would be mosquitoes and other bugs. He'd have to sleep on the ground in a tent. He might even be attacked by bears or wolves.
But Scott Larson had insisted that this trip WAS going to happen. He was not about to lose the $100 deposit per person that he'd sent to guarantee their reservations. He was also eager to see his old college roommate, Ben, with whom he had reconnected by email after a 15 year hiatus.
Ben Brady's son, Josh, was a couple of months younger than Eric and was also heading into his junior year of school in the fall. Ben and Scott had agreed that it was high time that their offspring met. They hoped that the boys would hit it off like they had and become good friends too. If so, the widower and the divorcee might plan future trips together.
In recent years, Josh and his dad had become closer than most teenagers and their fathers. They had gone through a difficult period of emotional isolation while grieving the premature death of Josh's mother. But after nearly two years, and a number of counseling sessions, they had not only made their peace, but actually bonded almost like brothers. Josh knew that he could say almost anything in front of his dad without feeling self-conscious.
Living in the Twin Cities area, Ben and his son had gone on numerous camping and canoeing adventures in nearby lakes. Usually, their outings spanned an afternoon or a couple of days at most, but their dream had always been to make an extended journey into the Boundary Waters in the northern part of Minnesota. Now that wish was going to become a reality. A four-hour drive to Ely was all that stood in the way of meeting up with the other guys at the outfitters lodge. Then they could leave the stress of civilization behind and become one with nature for a week.
The drive for the pair coming from eastern Iowa could take more than twice as long. Even if Eric and his dad took only a short lunch break, it was still likely to take around nine hours. That meant if they allowed a little extra time in case of a flat tire or other problem, they would have to leave around 7:30 in the morning in order to arrive in time for the 4:00 p.m. orientation with the outfitter.
Eric was even less pleased at the prospect of arising before 7:00. Hell, this was supposed to be vacation, not boot camp! No teen in the civilized world got up before 8:00 or 9:00 in the summer.
The father and his disgruntled son had packed everything the night before. Scott had taken Eric to the local Wal-Mart to buy rubber sandals for the trip. They'd also picked up a second bottle of Deep Woods Off containing a heavy concentration of Deet to ward off insects. Scott checked off each of these on his master list.
Eric was not happy to be limited to such a small number of clothes. He had two pairs of nylon shorts with support liners, three pairs of microfiber boxer briefs, a running suit with long sleeves, two pairs of socks, warm-up pants, and a hooded nylon jacket. The latter two items had been sprayed with Camp Dry to increase their water repelling capabilities. The only other pieces of clothing consisted of a baseball cap and a pair of hiking shoes. Eric wasn't sure that anyone could exist more than three days with that amount of apparel. At least his dad let him pack a separate bag with a couple of outfits for the trip home.
It was a grouchy Eric who grudgingly greeted the day on Saturday morning. His father's cheerfulness made his mood even darker. ("Morning Becomes Electra", but not Eric!)
A warm shower eased some of his discontent, but not all, since he didn't have time to take care of one particular need. Just as he was taking his swelling appendage in his hand, he heard his father calling him to hurry.
Eric wondered when, and if, he'd be able to relieve himself in the next week! The thought dampened his spirits again.
Even the hearty breakfast that his father had prepared didn't serve to lighten his mood. However, he did manage to put his share away and it did taste surprisingly good.
The only thing that nearly put a smile on his brooding young face was that his dad handed him the car keys to drive the first leg of the journey. Dad's late model Sebring convertible was going to be fun to drive. Eric would stop at the first rest area to put the top down when the temperature rose enough to do that. Suddenly, he wasn't as sleepy as he had been.
With the cruise control set at about three miles over the speed limit and the TomTom GPS to guide them, Eric and Scott were making better time than they had expected. After a couple of hours, Scott suggested that they should stop for a potty break and a snack. Eric was happy to stretch his legs. He was also willing to ride for a while instead of drive. Storm clouds were moving in and it looked like the top would have to be put up again. Eric could catch up on his sleep while his father was behind the wheel.
The light drizzle that fell for the next couple of hours didn't prevent the guys from being ahead of schedule, so they had time for a leisurely lunch at a restaurant famous for its barbeque. The sandwiches that they ordered were piled high with meat and there was a wide variety of sauces to add to the taste. The effect of being sated with good food caused Eric to relax to the point of carrying on a pleasant conversation. He opened up about things that he liked and disliked about living in the Chicago suburbs. He talked about swimming and diving, but said little else about school. At least Scott got caught up on his son's life a little.
Around 3:30 Scott and Eric rolled into the drive of North Country Expeditions with Eric again at the wheel. The owner, Dan, greeted them and showed them where to park. Then he pointed out the bunkhouse where they would stay for the night. Before he could talk further he was summoned back to his office by an employee who was new at the job.
Eric could not believe the accommodations. The small, musty room was almost completely filled by two sets of bunk beds. The teen tested one out to find that it consisted of a plywood foundation covered by a thin vinyl-covered pad that resembled a wrestling mat. On top of that was a sleeping bag, but no pillow. This seemed more like a prison camp than a bunkhouse. Eric flipped open his cell phone to call his mother to figure out a way to rescue him. There must be an airport somewhere in this God-forsaken spot.
After telling her about the horrible conditions he was faced with, he handed the phone to his father.
"She wants a word with you," Eric said smugly.
"Hello. No, it's not that bad! Hell, he's a guy after all; he needs to suck it up and become a man. No, I won't. (Scott began to make fake static noises.) Uh, sputter, sputter, you're br-squawk-king up..."
Then he shut the phone off and put it in his pocket.
"Give me back my phone! You can't do that!" Eric nearly screamed.
"I can, and I will. I'm your father and you will not speak to me in that tone." Scott replied calmly. "Now, let's start unloading our gear from the car."
Eric was pissed. He was seething inside, but held his tongue. He wasn't, by nature, a belligerent kid and he knew that his father would win this particular battle anyway. However, Eric was intent on not having any fun for the rest of the trip. His dad could take away his phone and force him to go, but he couldn't force him to enjoy it! He'd show his father!
They were on their way back from the car when a Chrysler Pacifica pulled up with a teen behind the wheel. The Brady's had arrived.
Ben got out of the passenger seat quickly and ran to greet his old roommate. The two hugged and pounded each other's backs before standing back to get a better look.
"God, Ben, you haven't changed a bit!"
"You haven't either, Scott. You've kept your college weight and all of your hair. You look terrific!"
The two men were so engrossed in their conversation that they had pretty much forgotten about their sons for the moment. Eric and Josh were sizing each other up during that time as Josh emerged from the car.
The teens had similar physical characteristics. They were both lean and trim, but Eric was about an inch taller, and Josh weighed a couple of pounds more. Neither guy carried an ounce of extra fat.
Both boys had "dirty" blond hair which was long enough to curl up around the baseball type caps they were wearing. Neither had enough beard to shave on a regular basis. Even their hazel colored eyes were alike. They could be mistaken for brothers by anyone who didn't know otherwise.
The awkward silence between the boys didn't last long. Josh Brady was the type of person who never meets a stranger, so he strode up to Eric offering a firm handshake and looking him in the eye.
"I'm Josh. You must be Eric. I'm really glad to meet you. My dad was so excited about seeing your dad again that I thought I was going to have to give him a Valium! This is going to be an awesome adventure!"
Eric had made up his mind that he wasn't going to like anything or anyone connected to this "adventure", but he soon found that he could not dislike this amiable guy who was facing him. There was something about his good nature that was contagious. He was like Winnie the Pooh's friend Tigger except he didn't bounce.
In no time the two were involved in an easy conversation getting to know each other. Eric was impressed with Josh's laid-back manner, self confidence, and ability to talk about any subject intelligently. Josh was impressed with Eric's extensive vocabulary and knowledge. It was evident that he was well educated. Neither guy was lacking in smarts.
By the time the adults realized that they were neglecting their offspring, there were no introductions to be made. The boys were doing fine on their own. Their fathers beamed with pleasure that the two seemed to be hitting it off so well.
Personal conversations were soon interrupted by Dan and his aides as the orientation began. The campers watched a video about packing out any litter that would not decompose naturally or could not be burned safely. Then they were told what food supplies would be in the packs and when each should be used in order to preserve freshness. Finally, they set the time to eat breakfast at 7:00 so that they could catch an early tow to the second lake ahead of a group of boy scouts who were also going out.
After all the details were settled, the guys got into Scott's convertible (the boys crammed in the small back seat) and headed into town for dinner. Everyone was ready for a good meal with a large salad because they knew that greens wouldn't be on the menu until the returned to civilization again.
When they came back from town, they got their personal packs readied and took their showers. Everyone agreed that it was sensible to make an early night of it.
A private, leisurely shower was particularly welcome to Eric. He let the hot water cascade over his body easing away some of the stress of the day. With a soapy hand, he finished the task that had been interrupted in his morning shower. He felt clean and a lot less frustrated as he made his way back to their Spartan accommodations.
The boys chose to sleep in the top bunks leaving the lower ones for the "old guys". Their comments about age earned them playful swats on their behinds from their fathers. Eric marveled that his dad would show that kind of affection.
Eric was not used to waking up at 6:30 when he wasn't in training and he didn't like it at all. He was still pissed at his dad. However, Josh was up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. His exuberance again seemed to have its effect on Eric. How could anyone stay grumpy in the presence of sunlight?
It took practically no time to get ready. They dressed quickly and headed to the bathroom to empty their bladders, brush their teeth, and apply deodorant. (Neither boy wanted the other to think that he smelled bad.) They didn't need to shave, and there wasn't much point in styling their hair because they'd be wearing caps all day anyway.
The teens were already putting a dent in their share of the continental breakfast when their fathers showed up. Scott teased Eric just a little about being up and around so early. Eric took it better than expected, even bantering back about the "old guys" being slow.
A big van pulled up hauling a trailer which had two, two-man canoes securely tied on racks. The guys stowed their gear in the back of the van. There was a food pack, a cooking utensil pack, a tent pack, and two personal packs (each shared by father and son). Everything added up to be a fairly big load. It looked as if they were ready for almost anything.
The drive to the lake took about 20 minutes. Once there, the canoes were transferred to racks on top of a small, flat-bottomed motorboat. The packs were spaced equally to balance the weight. The passengers sat on narrow metal seats facing the back.
The boys were glad that their fathers had recommended keeping on their warm-up pants and jackets because the breeze from speeding across the water was chilly. They hunkered down, sitting closely together for warmth. Eric wasn't used to having this kind of close, physical contact with another young male, but didn't mind it. Since Josh didn't pull away, he felt no reason to either. Being close together, they could talk without their fathers overhearing them.
It took about as much time to get across the lake as it had taken to get to it. The tow was worth the money because it cut off many hours of paddling in the same water where motorized craft were allowed. Once they got across their first portage, they would only be competing with other canoes or kayaks – and not many of those.
On the way, Eric admitted to Josh that he had not done much canoeing and that he didn't want to look like a wuss. Josh gave him a few pointers about paddling proficiently in order not to wear out too quickly. He made a double entendre about making every stroke count so that your arms wouldn't be too tired to do other stroking when the need arose. Eric grinned knowingly, enjoying the fact that his new acquaintance was probably as horny as he was and not afraid to joke about such things.
The first portage was extremely short; possibly a city block in length. The men hoisted the canoes on their shoulders leaving the boys to carry the packs. Fortunately, the canoes were made of Kevlar so they weighed about 40 pounds instead of 60 like aluminum ones. The men had no problem, but they left it to the boys to take care of the rest.
The boys soon discovered that the packs were heavy. The one that held the tents was probably more than 60 pounds and the personal packs were not light either. Eric was beginning to see the wisdom of taking fewer things than he had originally planned. They ended up making two trips.
It seemed like each portage was longer than the previous one. The final one for the day was about 9/10th of a mile. This time, the men shouldered a light pack each as well as the canoes. The boys each had a heavy pack on their back and a light one in front. It took strength and endurance, but they thought it beat having to make a second trip. When they finally stumbled to the opposite shore, they were questioning whether carrying a "lazy man's load" had been worth it.
Eric was getting the hang of paddling efficiently. He grinned every time he thought about saving his arms for stroking later. Of course, he'd have a difficult time getting any relief with his dad in the same tent. Maybe he could go off "exploring" on his own. He briefly wondered if Josh would do that too.
It was slightly after their usual lunch time when the party found an empty campsite that looked suitable. The boys opted to eat lunch before setting up the tents. They were both starved!
Several lunchmeat sandwiches and a few cookies later, they were beginning to feel human again. But eating first might have been a mistake. Clouds gathered as they were finishing lunch and soon began to unload great big drops of rain.
Everyone hastened to get the tents up and the rain-flies over them. Then they stowed half of the packs inside each. Josh and Eric opted to crawl into the same tent so that they could hang out together. Their fathers were happy to wait out the storm in each other's company in the other tent because it gave them additional time to get caught up on what had gone on since they had last been together.
The boys' conversation initially revolved around school. They discussed which subjects and extracurricular activities that they liked best. Both loved literature, writing, and the arts as well as math and science. Josh was really into art while Eric favored writing more, but they both seemed to be well rounded.
After Josh mentioned being on the swim team, Eric's eyes lit up. He loved talking to people who loved the same pursuits. When Eric said that he was going to concentrate more on diving techniques next year, Josh smiled. He too, felt that his skills lay more in that direction but he needed to swim well if he remained a part of the team. His school had removed the high boards for reasons of liability. If a student were injured diving from one of them, the school district could be in deep doo-doo.
After comparing tastes in music, TV, and video games, Eric steered the conversation to sports other than swimming.
"So who do you pick for being in the World Series this year?" Eric inquired.
"I don't have a pick. I think that baseball is the most boring game in the world. I don't keep up with professional sports at all. I only follow the ones in my high school and sometimes the Golden Gophers. You can't live in Minnesota without being a Gophers supporter."
"Wow, are you always that honest?" Eric asked. "I feel the same way about those sports as you do, only I keep up with some of them because, well in my high school you have to if you're in theater and music – even swimming. Lots of people think those activities are gay."
"Whoa! You'd be in trouble at my school if you used the term "gay" like that. I'd be in trouble at home too. Dad said you shouldn't use it as a term of derision because you never know who you might be hurting. He almost acted as if I'd insulted him, personally."
"He's right. I'm sorry. It's just that everyone around me says it. I didn't mean it to be demeaning." Eric insisted.
"I'll bet you have a lot more friends at school than I do," Eric said trying to change the subject. "I feel like a loner most of the time."
"Actually I have a lot of acquaintances, but don't have anyone close anymore. There used to be a guy that I hung out with all the time, but he got a girlfriend and she's jealous if he doesn't spend all his time with her. She tried to fix me up with her best friend, but that went in the crapper in a hurry. Then her friend started rumors about me because I wasn't interested in making out all the time."
Josh's last statement turned their conversation toward the thing that's almost always on the minds of young males – sex. Eric was again surprised at Josh's candidness. Josh admitted that he "hadn't done it" with a girl yet and that he hadn't dated much especially after his bad experience. He complained that girls wanted to go steady and tie a guy down the minute he was nice to them. He had plenty of things to do at the present that didn't include girls.
Eric, in turn, found himself being just as truthful. Had he been in the locker room at school, he might have made a few comments to make other guys think he wasn't a virgin, but here in a fabric shelter on an island in the middle of a big lake during a rain shower he didn't try to be anyone that he wasn't. It felt remarkably good to be able to share like that with another guy. Who could have predicted this? Certainly not Eric!
"Um, so you're saying that you've only had sex with Mrs. Hand and her five daughters?" Josh quipped.
"Pretty much," Eric responded remembering the time that his friend, Caleb, had felt him up and made his dick spasm when he was first learning that it was made for more than peeing.
Josh was thinking that "pretty much" meant either Eric had had help from someone else or had experimented with alternative ways of getting off. It might be fun to compare notes later when (or if) they got comfortable enough with each other to discuss it.
"Would you like to sleep with me tonight? Oops, that sounds Freudian," Josh laughed.
"Yeah, it would be cool to share a tent. I feel like I've known you all my life."
"Same here." Josh said.
"I bet our dads would like the chance to hang out together too." Eric suggested. "Hey it's stopped raining. Should we build a fire so they'll feed us sometime tonight?"