Shane

Chapter 15

"You're hair looks awesome." Seth said looking over at him from behind the wheel after they pulled out onto the road.

Shane ran his hand over his hair. "Tad cut it last night. Said I had to have it cut before I tried on glasses." Shane scrunched up his face in disgust.

"Shane you such a twit. There ain't nothing wrong with glasses."

"I'll look like a nerd."

"Oh so all people who wear glasses are nerds?"

Shane grinned. "Well Yah!"

Seth reached into the back seat then dropped his back pack into Shane's lap.

"What's this for?"

"Just look in it."

"I ain't gonna go through your stuff." He started to lift the pack to put it in the back seat but Seth reached out his hand pressing it against Shane's wrist the pack lowered back into his lap.

"Mostly it's just stuff we bought at Walmart. Just look." He said it firmly and Shane slowly unzipped the pack.

"See a black case in there?"

Shane rummaged around. "Yeah."

"Pull it out and look in it." Seth kept his eyes on the road grinning slightly.

Shane pulled out the black case and popped it open. His brow creased in confusion then he smiled over at Seth who was grinning wider. "Okay so they are not all geeks."

"I'm actually very hurt Shane. Don't talk to me right now." He pretended to cry a bit while Shane shook his head and put the case back in the pack.

"Aren't we going the wrong way?" He asked after returning the pack to the back seat.

"Well I thought we could visit Matt for a while. He wants us to come over. His mom's out today."

Shane's face lit up. Their threesomes as of late had revolved around him. They'd said it was cause he was without his mate and had to baby him and he totally loved it.

"Do you not want to go?" Seth was looking over at him now and could see very clearly that Shane wanted to go.

Shane smacked him on the arm.

"Well I know how you hate going into that town."

"Well he's on the outskirts. I'll survive."

When they knocked on Matt's door Matt answered it stark naked. Already hard apparently from anticipation.

"Looks like you got started without us." Seth said shaking his dick like he'd shake his hand. Matt grinned. "Well get in here before the whole damn town sees me." he stepped back pulling out of Seth's grasp.

He closed the door behind them then grasped onto Shane's hand and led him up the stairs while Seth pushed from behind. Matt pushed Shane down on the bed. "You just lie back. Seth and I will take care of everything."

Seth undid his shirt while Matt took off his pants. Once he was lying naked Matt propped his head up on a stack of pillows. "We thought we'd do a real live porn for you first.

Shane clasped his hands over his stomach while Matt and Seth kissed. Matt undressed Seth while they kissed then lowered Seth to his knees by pushing on his shoulders. Shane watched Seth take Matt's cock into his mouth and work his head back and forth while Matt's eyes rolled back in his head.

After several minutes Seth stood up and laid back on the bed by Shane his dick standing on end. Matt got on his knees and straddled it. Seth brought his knees up behind Matt and Matt grabbed Shane's hand and pulled him up. He straddled Seth too and while kissing Matt, Seth latched onto his thighs and pulled him down over his face his tongue licking teasingly along his crack and hole.

Matt massaged Shane's dick and balls while Shane massaged his. Seth's fingers went up inside him and they all seemed to moan simultaneously creating a constant rhythm in the room.

They spent two hours in the room all of them climaxing at least twice. Their bodies sweaty and still breathing hard they all laid down side by side on the bed. "Why you gotta work today Matt?" Seth asked in his most pathetic whiny voice.

"Cause I want money." Matt said chuckling.

"And you gotta work til midnight?"

"Yup."

"So I won't see you til tomorrow?"

"No, sorry."

"You guys want to come to Don's place tomorrow? We are having an end of the summer barbeque."

They both jumped at the invite. "I love it out there man." Matt said shaking his head. "Right on the ocean. Beautiful house."

"So you are using me for where I live?"

Matt sat up and leaned over Seth reaching out he tickled Shane from his stomach up to his armpits. "I'm using you for sex idiot."

Shane laughed while he feebly pushed at Matt's hands. They took showers then Shane and Seth struck out back for Cliff side.

They walked into Pearl Vision and Seth made the deciding vote on the glasses. Shane still hated the idea he had to wear them but liked the pair Seth picked out and thought since he had to wear them he was at least glad they had some decent looking ones.

After getting a pair of glasses they went to Dairy Queen and both got a large banana split for lunch. They sat at one of the tables and Shane watched the people come and go paying particular attention to the younger ones wondering if he'd see any of them in school come Monday. He knew he would see several as several said hello or waved to Seth and Seth would tell Shane who they were and whether he liked them or not.

When they were back in the car a truck pulled up behind Seth's car blocking their exit. Shane filled with tendrils of fear and looked over at Seth who smiled at him. "It's okay, it's just my friend Tim Sullivan."

Seth started the car and rolled down his window, Tim was now in front of the window and leaned in on his elbows. He looked over at Shane his eyes widening. "Woah Seth, you have been holding out on us."

Seth grinned. "Tim this is Shane, Shane, Tim." Tim reached over Seth and shook Shane's hand.

"So you are finally gonna go to a cool school huh?"

Shane smiled shyly and nodded.

"You certainly are cute."

That's the pot calling the kettle black Shane thought as this guy was nearly as cute as Seth. He was as light as Seth was dark, with blonde hair and blue eyes. His muscles rippled on his arms like waves in direct sunlight.

"I'm having a party tonight. Last minute thing but so far I got quite a few people to come. It's either an end of summer party or a 'fuck school's starting' party.'" he grinned. "However you want to look at it. You wanna come?" He looked at both Shane and Seth as he spoke and Shane was very pleased he was being invited to.

"Well we might show up."

"You better." Tim punched him on the arm then smiled at Shane. "Tell him you guys gotta come. It was nice meeting you." he stood up and went back to his truck which was as shiny as the old rust bucket was rusty. Seth pushed at his head and he focused back on his grinning face.

"Don't look at him you are taken."

Shane chuckled. "I was looking at his truck."

Seth stretched out his back then leaned back into the seat. "You want to go to that party?"

"I don't know," he'd only been to one party and that was the worst night of his life.

"I know what you're thinking about." Seth said quietly. "And I don't blame you for not wanting to go. I still think you should though. So you can meet everyone and just basically have a good time."

Rubbing the back of his neck Shane looked out the window for a minute then turned back to Seth looking worried but willing. "You won't desert me will you? You'll stay with me all night?"

Seth smiled looking very pleased. "Of course I will. You and me would be joined at the hip. I can't let you loose anyways. The girls and queers will be all over you."

Shane blushed and shook his head. "Well I guess I'll go then."

Seth pulled his cell phone out of the compartment between the seats. "Call Don and tell him you won't be home. You can spend the night at my place cause I'm gonna drink and don't want to drive all the way back to your house."

Shane nodded and took the phone. He looked at it curiously for a minute then handed it back to Seth. "You dial it, I don't know how to use that thing."

Seth nodded humorously and took the phone he dialed the number and Tad answered.

"It's Seth. What's up with you not teaching your boy how to use a cell phone." Shane laughed beside him while Seth went on. "Spose we were out hiking and I fell in a big hole. Was knocked unconscious and Shane had no idea where we were and couldn't go for help. He would have this phone right in his hand and not be able to call anyone."

Once Tad stopped laughing Seth handed Shane the phone saying 'here's Shane.'

"Did you get your glasses."

"Yes I got my glasses." Shane said mimicking him which got Tad chuckling again. "Can I stay at Seth's tonight. There's some party and he wants to go." Shane looked at Seth curiously who smacked his hand over his forehead and was shaking his head.

"Yeah it's fine with me Shane. Just make sure you don't get in a car if the driver's been drinking whether it's Seth or not. Call us if you get stuck and we'll come and get you."

A warm feeling flooded through Shane at his offer. "I will, oh yeah and I invited Seth and Matt to the barbeque okay?"

"Sure, just make sure you guys are here by one or you are gonna miss the food."

"Okay, see you tomorrow." Shane handed Seth back the phone who shut it off and put it back in the compartment.

"Well what did he say?"

"He said yes, but no drinking and driving."

Seth pursed his lips and nodded like he could work around that. "We can spend the night at the party. Cause I wanna drink. Tim's parents are loaded they've got like fifteen bedrooms."

"Okay that's fine with me. I want to drink too."

"I can't believe you told him you were going to a party. When you did that I thought sure they'd make you come home."

Shane shook his head. "They wouldn't do that. They're real great. In fact when we went up to Maine they let me and Sam drink right there with them."

Seth's mouth dropped open in shock. "Wow, I wish I had two gay dads."

Shane narrowed his eyes. "You jealous of me."

Seth back tracked stumbling over his words and Shane smacked him and started laughing. "I ain't mad. That makes me real happy actually."

They hung out in Seth's bed most of the afternoon when they got up they took another shower and made a big supper of chicken and potatoes. "You nervous?" Seth asked after they'd sat at the table for a few minutes and Shane just seemed to be getting quieter and quieter.

Shane swallowed hard and nodded.

"We don't have to go if you don't want. We can just stay here."

Shane smiled and shook his head. "I'll be okay, just make sure you do stay with me."

"Sure thing. My Dad's got a leash from this dog we had for about two weeks. You could keep track of me that way. Or you could dangle a treat in front of my face."

Shane snorted out a laugh. "I ain't exposing myself to no one tonight." He put his fork back in his plate his throat constricting as he looked over at Seth nervously. "I gotta say something else."

Seth put his own fork down and nodded.

"If I get there and have a fit or something can you just get me the hell out of there preferably before too many people see it?"

"Sure," Seth knew going to a party must be very scary for Shane even knew that showing up there could stir some very bad memories. He was going to do whatever it took to make him feel safe and comfortable.

They arrived at the party at eight o'clock the house was a mansion and Shane stared up at it in amazement. It was three stories and brick with wide white pillars lining the front. Every window in the house was lit up and he could see people moving in all the first floor windows.

Seth walked around the car and took his hand. "Come on. It will be fine."

Shane squeezed his hand and to his surprise and relief Seth clung to his tightly all the way up the stone stairs and into the house and even then when they were among other people he did not let go.

Several people as they walked through the crowd called out to Seth some even hugging him. As many people if not more looked at Shane seemingly studying him from head to toe. As soon as he spotted someone looking at him he turned away his fear only under control cause of his hand in Seth's.

They walked through a huge living room with groups of three or four people standing and talking, some people were sitting on the furniture while others were making out on it. They entered a hallway where making out seemed to be the most prevalent activity then into another room with a round table in it surrounded by six other guys.

Tim who Shane immediately recognized stood up. "You came." He said clapping his hands together once.

"Guys this is that Stud Seth has been hiding." he said grinning over at Shane. He introduced him around the table and Shane smiled and nodded at each one as they smiled and nodded at him all looking very nice and nice looking.

"We were just playing spin the bottle."

Several of the six guys started laughing and Tim smacked one of them in the back of the head.

"What's spin the bottle?" Shane asked not getting what was so funny.

A guy with short light brown hair that had been introduced as Kyle smiled up at him. "You spin a beer bottle and whoever it lands on you have to kiss. We weren't really playing that. Tim just said that cause he's hoping to kiss you."

Seth pulled Shane closer by the hand he was still holding. "You can't kiss him Tim. He's taken."

"Well you have." Tim argued making Shane feel like a piece of meat though a happy one at that, since someone wanting to kiss him felt very much like a compliment.

"I'm special you know that." Seth said with a laugh as he walked over to the table and sat down pushing the chair beside him out for Shane. "What are you really playing?"

"We are pretending to play poker but all we've been doing is sitting here talking."

"You guys want beers?" Tim who was still standing asked.

"Yes please." Seth called over his shoulder and Tim took off to get them. "What are you talking about?"

"Shane really." A guy who was equally as cute as Kyle said grinning at Shane. "Tim was saying how totally hot you were. And I must say for once in his life he wasn't lying."

Shane could feel his face turning beet red and Pete patted him on the knee. "Don't worry we'll behave ourselves. Seth told us you are in a serious relationship and whoever that lucky dog is we'll respect that."

"So you went to Prescott huh?" Jimmy another kid with brownish red hair and the biggest green eyes Shane had ever seen asked.

Shane nodded but before he got a chance to speak the other kid spoke again. "Did you like it?"

"Hell no."

The others all laughed. "Well you should fit right in at Cliff Side then. Anyone who loves Prescott would never fit in there. Bunch of damn hicks over there. Think they are so great cause they kick everyone's ass in basketball and football. Well if they had swimming or soccer or even baseball we'd kick their asses."

Tim returned with two frothy bottles of beer and retook his seat. "If you won't play spin the bottle why don't we play truth, like truth or dare only truth. You know initiate the new guy." he smiled at Shane again and Kyle shook his head. Shane was pretty certain Kyle and Tim were a couple.

"You wanna play that?" Seth asked squeezing his hand over Shane's thigh. "They are gonna ask you all sex questions."

Shane shrugged then hesitantly nodded he was happy about his sexual exploits and didn't mind anyone knowing about them. He just would exclude the sex with Buzz or Medusa from his truths. He figured that wasn't sex anyways.

"Okay" Tim smacked the flat of his hand down on the table looking very enthused. "It's my party and I go first." He looked over at Shane and ran his finger across his lips while he thought. "Have you ever had sex with a girl. If yes tell us about it."

Shane quickly shook his head while Seth squeezed his thigh. "Okay now you ask someone something." Seth said quickly to avoid the silence and get Shane's mind past the question.

Shane took a long haul off his beer. "Can I ask a group question?"

They all looked at each other considered it then nodded.

"Who here has had sex with who else here?"

Kyle grinned and rubbed his hand together. "Ohh juicy question. You are a natural at this game." He looked around the table where no one was offering up any information. "I'll iterate. I have had sex with Tim on numerous occasions." He grinned over at Tim who looked excited just to hear it spoke out loud. "And Jimmy." he pointed across the table to Jimmy, "Jimmy has had sex with Kenny they are a couple have been for a while."

Shane smiled at Jimmy and Kenny, Kenny was small and somewhat frail looking reminding Shane a lot of how he'd looked not so long ago. Jimmy was just the opposite looking like a pro foot ball player with muscles easily made out through his shirt.

"Pete and Nathan have sex all the time but they aren't a couple they just satisfy each other while they are single." Kyle elbowed Tim hard in the chest causing him to let out a small cry and lean forward rubbing his chest. "Tim here is the slut. He's fucked everyone. Hopefully before we started going out." He turned his head to the side and gave Tim who was still rubbing his chest a withering look. Tim chuckled and nodded. "Of course. I've refined my ways."

"Yeah that's obvious by the way you wanted to play spin the bottle the second Shane got here."

Shane looked at them wearily hoping they would not get in a huge fight. Seth elbowed him and shook his head. "They do this all the time. Like a couple of old biddies."

"Okay my turn to ask a question." Kyle said sitting back in his chair and taking a swig of his beer. "Tell us about the first time you had sex Shane. Like when and where it was."

"It was last January. It was at my house. On my father's bed."

"With Sam?"

"No with someone from my old school. Sam and I didn't start going out til like the end of February or early March."

"Ew," Kyle made scrunched up his nose. "You had sex with someone from Prescott."

"Hey," Seth said plopping his beer down on the table. "My boyfriend happens to go to Prescott and I happen to have sex with him all the time."

"Yeah well Matt's a special case." Nathan started laughing looking like he'd already had his fill on beers.

"You make it sound like he's retarded."

Kyle lowered his head closer to the table as if to hide his face from Seth behind his beer bottle and sort of laughed over at Nathan.

"You guys been drinking long?" Seth asked amused seeing their exchange.

Kyle lifted his head back up obviously pretending to look totally sober. "Got here like two minutes before you man."

Tim laughed and shook his head. "2 minutes in light years." he looked over at Seth and Shane. "They followed me home from rounding people up for the party. Been drinking since two o'clock. Neighbors thought it was real nice when they went skinny dipping in the pool."

"Oh pish posh." Kyle slurred. "No one saw us."

Seth nearly spit out his beer from laughing so hard at pish posh. "You see?" He said once he'd gotten it swallowed. "They are just like an old couple."

Shane grinned and shook his head realizing he was having a real good time. He took another long drink of beer and looked around on who to ask his next question to. "Nathan where was the weirdest place you and Pete have had sex?"

Nathan grinned and leaned into Pete while Pete turned a little red. Pete put his mouth to Nathan's ear as he looked to be deep in thought and Nathan immediately started laughing from whatever Pete had whispered. Nathan turned and whispered something back and Pete nodded. "Oh yeah I guess that's wierder."

Nathan turned his head back to Shane. "We have to say the principal's office."

Shane's mouth dropped open and he immediately started to laugh. "How in hell did you get away with that?"

"He was away. It was after school. We were feeling Randy." He shrugged and started laughing himself. "God Kyle your old lady words are rubbing off on me."

Kyle put his hand over his mouth and chuckled his dark brown eyes looking as glassy as mirrors. "You younguns and your new fangled language." he clucked his tongue and shook his head while everyone laughed at him.

"Okay," Nathan smacked his hands together and straightened back out in his chair. "The inevitable question Shane. Are you a top or a bottom?"

Shane wrinkled his face in confusion. "What's that mean."

Nathan's mouth hung open while Kyle snorted out a laugh and Tim smacked him on the back like he was choking or something. Seth leaned forward from his reclining and put the front two legs of his chair back on the floor. "It's what position you like. Whether you are a giver or a receiver."

Shane still looked confused and Seth smiled then looked over at Nathan. "He's a bottom, all around wide receiver."

"You saying he's got a big ass?" Kyle dropped his head below the table like he was checking for himself.

"No shit head." Seth said shaking his head. "I say wide receiver cause he received me."

Shane turned beet red while every other mouth at the table hung open. "You mean you two?" Kyle pointed at the two of them nearly drooling his mouth was hanging so limply.

Seth nodded and Shane sensed he was real proud of this which only made Shane feel real good.

"My god. Jesus Christ." Nathan and Tim were sputtering at the same time the only two apparently who could find their voice.

Shane took another long drink of beer while he watched them his curiosity growing. He set his beer back down. "What is the big deal?"

Kyle pointed evilly over at Seth. "He always said he'd never have sex with anyone but Matt. All of us gave up trying and you come along and BANG!" He smacked his hands together loudly. "He drops his pants and goes at it in an instant."

Seth laughed and explained to them a little bit about how the relationship worked. They all looked one hundred percent jealous and Shane loved every minute of it. "Which reminds me." Seth slid his empty beer bottle over to Tim. "We'd like to reserve a room for tonight."

Tim nodded and looked at Kyle. "Go set up the video camera in my brother's old room."

Kyle drunk as he was started to get up and do just that but Tim grabbed his shirt collar and pulled him back down. "I'm just kidding god you are shit faced."

Kyle laughed and stumbled back into his chair.

"While your up." Tim said grinning. "Get us all more beers."

Kyle stood back up grabbed a few empties and stumbled out of the room. Tim checked his watch. "I'll give him five minutes then go looking for him cause I'm betting he ain't gonna find his way back here." He looked up from his watch at Shane and smiled. "He's not really a drunk. He actually drinks very little which is why when he does get drunk it affects him so strongly." he motioned over to Nathan who was in a daze. "Much like him."

Nathan immediately started laughing and spun his mostly empty beer bottle on the table. "I didn't do nuthin.'"

Tim mimicked his drunk slur and Nathan laughed harder nearly falling out of his chair which Pete reached out and stopped him from doing just in time. Another boy walked into the room laughing his ass off and spilling his beer all over the carpet while leaned over and laughed. "Tim," He said like three times before he composed himself enough to say why he wanted Tim. "Your boyfriend is out peeing in the water fountain." He laughed some more and swaggered out of the room.

Tim put his hand over his face and stood up. "I'm cutting that boy off." He muttered as he left the room.

Shane looked at Seth and they both started laughing right along with everyone else at the table. Tim came back dragging Kyle by the elbow. "Well there was someone else peein' in it Tim."

Tim shook his head looking very amused as he plopped Kyle down in his chair and yanked the beer out of his hand. "It's a statue of a person peeing Kyle. It's not a real person."

Shane started laughing so hard he put his head down on the table. He'd seen the fountain on the way in. In the center was some greek looking statue of a guy taking a piss in the fountain. He could not imagine being so drunk someone would think it was actually a real person.

When he lifted his head back up Kyle looked to be in a bit of a daze and Tim walked back in the room his arms full of beers that he gave to everyone but Kyle. They were in the midst of another conversation when Kyle got laughing so hard he did fall right out of his chair hollering out something about remembering the statue.

Once his laughter lowered enough so they could hear themselves talk they started talking again. "So do you ever do much role playing when you have sex Shane?" Pete asked.

"We played Deliverance once."

"With Sam?" Seth asked in awe.

Shane nodded.

"Who raped who?" Tim asked leaning over the table this seeming amusing him as much as it enticed him.

"Well I'm a bottom what do you think?" Shane grinned.

Tim smiled. "You catch on quick." He nodded approvingly and smiled over at Seth. "That's funny as hell. You mind if I steal you guy's idea?"

Shane laughed and shook his head.

Nathan looked over at Tim. "He's awful quiet down there."

Tim looking like he forgot all about Kyle looked down beside him. Then leaned over in his chair. He came up laughing. "He's out cold. I'm gonna go get him a pillow."

Shane leaned past Seth and looked down at Kyle who was sleeping sound as a baby despite all the noise in the house. He sat back up and cracked open another beer. He could not believe the fun he was having or how comfortable he felt around all these people. He barely thought of his loser status at all thinking even more surely that this school would be a hundred times better then Prescott Cove High.

Tim returned with a pillow and Shane watched as he tenderly lifted Kyle's head up onto it kneeling down beside him he stroked his hair then kissed his temple. It made Shane feel warm all over seeing that Tim though vocally abrasive really was a very caring person.

"Make sure he stays on his side." Kenny spoke up who had said very little all night. "If he hurls on his back he could choke on it.

Tim stood up and smirked at him. "Well thank you Dr. Salisbury."

Kenny chuckled and shook his head. "Just so's you know."

"Kenny's the geek of our club." Seth said chuckling. "He's like five times smarter then the rest of us. That's why he's always so quiet. Always doing algorithms or something in his head."

Jimmy laughed and massaged one of Kenny's shoulders. "He's not that bad. Just cause he's quiet don't make him a nerd."

Kenny smiled and leaned into Jimmy then made a face at Seth as he pressed the back of his head into Jimmy's chest.

"What's 98765 divided by 876 Kenny?" Seth asked grinning at him.

"112.75" Kenny laughed at himself while he covered his mouth and Jimmy shook his head.

"Why you answer him you know he's only gonna pick on you."

Kenny shrugged. "I guess it's the nerd in me."

Jimmy chuckled and wrapped his arm around Kenny. "You just let him be Seth or I'll throw you in the fountain where Kyle and that other guy were pissing."

Seth threw back his head and laughed mostly about the stone guy Kyle had thought was human. Shane downed his 2nd beer and looked over at Tim. "I gotta pee where's the bathroom."

Seth stood up. "I gotta go too I'll show you." Shane stood and followed him out of the room, down the hall which now was filled with even more people then before. He saw a blonde familiar back of someone's head making out with a girl whose leg was wrapped up around him on the couch.

Shane stepped away from Seth who turned and followed him over to the couch. "Brian?" Shane said leaning close so Brian could hear him over the music. Brian pulled back from the girl his face flush and his lips wet. "Shane!" he jumped up and gave him a big hug. "I didn't know you were here." He said patting him on the back as he pulled away.

"Yeah well I've been in the other room." he glanced down at the girl who was smiling up at him.

Brian looked from him to the girl. "This is my girlfriend Jessica. Jessica this is my friend Shane."

Shane shook her hand and from the look he was getting from her knew she knew more about him then he wanted anyone to know. He couldn't hold it against Brian though. He'd told Seth things that he was sure Brian wouldn't want him to know either. In fact it made him feel a lot better in his guilt about having said anything at all.

"How are you Brian?" Seth asked smiling warmly at him.

"I'm good thanks Seth, how are you?"

"Great. I'm real glad you are coming back this year." He squeezed Brian's shoulder his heart going out to the boy he'd never knew too well but always considered to be nice.

"Well I'm real glad too."

"Your gram know you are out getting drunk?"

"Oh yeah," Brian smiled sarcastically. "I told her I was gonna get wasted and make me some babies." He smacked his hands together and licked his lips. "She said sure son, just be home by noon so we can go out to the barbeque at Don and Tad's."

"Awesome." Seth said excitedly rubbing his hands together. "We are going to that barbeque too."

"Oh good. Well it will be a blast. I just hope I'm not too hung over to eat."

"Well then don't drink too much cause Tad's probably already cooking stuff for it."

Brian ran his hand down along his face looking exasperated. "Well I'll try."

Seth led Shane up the stairs and into the bathroom that was off the room he said they'd be staying in. "This guy is loaded." Shane said looking around back out in the room while Seth went to the bathroom.

"Sure is. His dad owns all five of the Sullivan Ford dealerships. They go away all the time and Tim throws these awesome parties. His dad don't even care. They've got enough maids to clean up after everyone." Seth laughed. "The maids all hate him though."

Shane walked into the bathroom just as Seth was flushing the toilet. "I'll bet." he stepped up to the toilet as Seth washed his hands. "Does just him and his dad live here?"

"No his mom lives with them. I never met her, haven't ever met him either. Don't think either of them pay much attention to Tim though. They don't yell at him or be mean to him but they don't pay him much attention either. I think he was mostly raised by the staff and they just kept him out of trouble when he was younger. It's real sad actually. He's lucky to have all this money and do whatever he wants when he wants but to have parents that just don't give a shit about you must be kinda tough."

Shane nodded and zipped up his fly.

"But I guess you'd already know about that."

"Not anymore." Shane said happily as he walked up to the sink. "Tad actually told me to call him if I got stuck here. You know if everyone was drinking and I needed a ride home."

Seth smiled at him in the mirror and rubbed his back. "Feels good don't it."

"What you rubbing my back?"

Seth chuckled and shook his head. "No loser having people that care about you."

Shane grinned and nodded. "It feels real good."

"You tipsy?"

"What's that mean?"

"Buzzed?"

Shane's head snapped up, thinking of another Buzz. Then catching onto what Seth meant he said, "Oh yeah a little. I guess I'm like Kyle I don't drink much so when I do it floors me." He ran his hand through his hair and turned to Seth whose arm was still on his back. "Kenny and Jimmy make an interesting looking couple. I'd think poor little Kenny would get crushed when they had sex."

Seth doubled over laughing clutching at his stomach and stomping his feet on the floor. Once he'd regained his composure he stood back up and shook his head while still chuckling a bit. "They are a real strong couple though. They've been together like forever. Kenny was always getting picked on cause he's so small and well he is a little geeky."

"He doesn't look geeky I think he's real cute."

"Well he's a real brain. Jimmy fell in love with him the first day he saw him at school. Kenny came from out west somewhere. His dad is real rich too but he's an ass. He kicked Kenny out when he found out he was gay. Kenny lived on the streets for like six weeks before Jimmy's dad took him in. They were kinda a couple before that but now that they live together they are just like husband and wife. Jimmy's dad is gone a lot too so they pretty much have the place to themselves. His mom died like four years ago. Cancer."

"Geez doesn't anyone you know have a good life?"

"Oh we all got pretty good lives Shane. No one has a picture perfect life these days. Jimmy and Kenny are both real happy now. Tim has found true love with Kyle and could really give two shits about his parents anymore."

Shane nodded. "That was so sweet when he went and got Kyle that pillow."

Seth nodded too. "He is real sweet. With Kyle. Watches out for him as much as Jimmy watches out for Kenny. The best way for anyone to get killed at Cliff side is to mess with Kenny or Kyle. And now you." Seth said giving Shane a big hug.

Shane returned the hug. "So you are gonna be my body guard?"

"Shit yeah, Sam's paying me two hundred bucks a month." Seth laughed and took Shane's hand they walked back downstairs and back into the room where Kyle was still passed out on the floor and Nathan looked like he was with his head down on the table.

Tim looked up at them and verified it. He pointed over at Nathan. "We lost another one." He slid Shane and Seth over another beer. "You guys were gone a long time did you fool around?"

"No," Seth shook his head then took a long swig of beer. "You writing a book?"

"Well I ain't gonna get any tonight." He glanced down at Kyle who was now snoring and shook his head. "You spose it would be any fun to screw someone whose passed out?"

Seth shrugged. "Try it. I'm sure he wouldn't mind."

Reaching down Tim rubbed Kyle's back. "I'd feel way too guilty doing that to him. He's too damn cute when he's asleep." he wiped a trail of drool off Kyle's cheek then wiped it on his pants. "Just like a baby." He said laughing.

Shane smiled warmly seeing Tim with Kyle only making him miss Sam three times as bad. He made plans in his head to call him the very next day as soon as the barbeque was over.

Hours passed and beers disappeared. Kyle roused to back to life a little after midnight and crawled back up in his chair with the pattern of the rug edged deeply into the side of the face.

Tim smiled over at him and rubbed his back. "It's about time you woke up."

Kyle grinned wearily. "What time is it?"

"Like 12:15, we are waiting for everyone to leave so we can go skinny dipping."

Shane who was totally shit faced started laughing again which he did every time Tim had said skinny dipping in the last two hours. Tim grinned over at him. "Hey Kyle wanna see a trick."

Kyle yawned and nodded.

"I can make Shane laugh just like that." He snapped his fingers well tried but in his inebriated state it didn't make much of a sound. He looked back over at Shane. "Skinny dipping." And sure enough Shane busted out laughing again.

Kenny who was just as drunk as Shane laughed so hard he threw his hand over his mouth and tore out of the room. Jimmy shook his head then got up and followed him out.

"Kenny's gonna puke." Tim sang out.

"hey he did real good tonight." Pete spoke up. "He's had like ten beers and for someone that little I'd say he more then held his own."

Jumping a little as arms wrapped around him Shane turned his head and saw Brian's right there on his shoulder. "I'm leaving." he slurred. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Shane put his hand on Brian's. "You ain't driving are you?"

"No dad." He laughed and kissed Shane's cheek. "My girlfriend is she stopped drinking like three hours ago. I'm staying at her place tonight."

Shane grinned liking Brian even more when he was drunk. "See you tomorrow then." Brian nodded and staggered a bit. He waved to the rest of the table and they all said good bye to him.

"How do you know Brian?" Tim asked.

"He lived with me for a couple months. His dad and my mom were shacking up."

Seth started to laugh and Shane looked at him bleary eyed. "What's funny?"

"Your mom and his dad?"

Shane furrowed his brow and thought the sentence over after a moment he got to laughing. "Oh, yeah, my dad and him mom." he said holding up a finger.

Tim, Pete and Kyle all laughed. Kyle put his elbows up on the table and put his head between his hands. He looked over at Tim. "Can I have more beer?"

"You jealous?" Tim asked grinning from Kyle to Shane. Kyle nodded and grinned. "And if we are gonna go skinny dipping..." he paused so Shane could laugh. "Then I need to braven up again."

Tim laughed at him pecked him on the lips then got up to go get him more beer. He brought another one for Pete, Seth and Shane as well as himself and Kyle.

Jimmy came back pulling a watery eyed Kenny behind him.

"D'you pukey Kenny?" Tim said laughing, Jimmy turned and shot him a severing look. "Don't pick on him man I mean it."

Tim held up his hand. "Would you calm down. Jesus you are so protective. Kenny's a big boy he can joke right along with the rest of us."

Shane looked over at Kenny who grinned back at Tim looking like the throwing up hadn't sobered him at all. "I pukey'd all over your floor."

Tim made a disgusted face and Kenny started laughing while Jimmy sat down and pulled Kenny onto his lap. He put his arm up around Jimmy's neck and kept his eyes on Tim. "Went right into the carpet. It will smell for days."

"Jesus Christ." Tim said shaking his head looking totally perturbed.

Jimmy got laughing. "He's kidding fuck head. Be a big boy Tim."

A wash of relief flooded over Tim's face and Shane busted out laughing all over again. Jimmy laughed back at him. "You sure are the happiest drunk I have ever seen." His eyes twinkled looking totally amused by it.

Shane only shrugged while he continued to chuckle as he sure did feel damn happy. Kenny snuggled into Jimmy's arms and Shane thought they looked more like father and son with the difference in their sizes. Kenny started talking quietly to Jimmy while running his hand up his shirt. Jimmy made a face and shook his head. "Man Kenny you got puke breath."

Kenny laughed and flopped over so he was hanging from Jimmy's lap his head dangling towards the floor his shirt riding down over his stomach and chest.

"What are you doing?" Jimmy said trying to pull his shirt back up. Shane's heart was already racing though he'd already seen what apparently Jimmy wanted to hide. Kenny's chest and stomach were covered in scars some looking like burns and some looking like he may have been cut.

Pete dropped his hand from under his chin onto the table. "What the fuck happened to him?"

Jimmy pulled Kenny back up who was oblivious to the sudden tension in the room and was still laughing like a little kid. Jimmy pulled him close to his chest and wrapped his mighty arms around him. "His dad did it to him." tears filled Jimmy's eyes as he seemed to cling to Kenny for dear life.

Shane gasped and Seth rubbed his back shocked himself as he'd never known this about Kenny.

"Which is why I get so pissed when you guys pick on him." Jimmy's voice was getting angry and Pete put his hand up on his shoulder. "He's been teased and abused enough." Jimmy shook his head and looked into Pete's eyes. "Don't you see now." His voice turned to pleading and tears streaked down his face.

Shane put his hand over his mouth and got up and left the room. He wasn't sure if he was gonna puke or not he just knew he had to get out of there. Tim who had been stonily silent since Jimmy's revelation looked at Seth. "Is he okay?"

"I'm not sure, I better go check."

"What's the matter." Jimmy said angrily. "Can't hack a little reality."

Seth turned on him not blaming Jimmy for being upset but needing to set him straight that Shane was not the person to be mad at. "I think maybe it just hits a little to close for him Jimmy. Kenny was not the only one in here tonight that's been abused." He turned and went after Shane.

Pete, Tim and Kyle all exchanged looks of shock while Jimmy squeezed Kenny closer against his chest. "I didn't know," He said shaking his head. "Geez I didn't mean to be an ass."

Pete squeezed his shoulder with one hand and patted Kenny's head with the other. "It's okay Jimmy I'm sure Seth understands that."

Kenny who was getting pretty squashed in Jimmy's strong hold wriggled around til Jimmy loosened his arms. "What's wrong?" He asked after looking up and seeing Jimmy was crying.

"Your secrets out baby."

Kenny looked fearfully around the table then buried his face in Jimmy's chest. "I wanna go to bed now."

Jimmy stood up picking Kenny up effortlessly with him. "We'll see you guys in the morning."

Tim dropped his forehead down on the table creating a loud thud. "Boy what a shock,"

Pete chewed on his nails and shook his head. "Totally. God, I had no idea. And Shane god he just seems so happy."

"Well being beat don't mean you can't be happy." Kyle spoke up. "Especially if he's not living with whoever abused him anymore. You know now that I think about it I heard that Brian was living with some kid that was treated so bad he nearly died." He slid his arm across the table and made a fist. "I wonder if that was Shane."

"Well it must be." Pete took a long deep breath. "Wow. Poor Shane. Poor Kenny."

Seth walked into the room where he and Shane were gonna sleep and found Shane lying on the bed. "I'm sorry Shane I had no idea." He sat down on the edge of the bed and rubbed Shane's stomach.

Shane turned and faced him. "I know that Seth. Why you gotta always apologize to me."

Seth shrugged. "Well I guess cause I dragged you along here. You wouldn't have seen any of that if I hadn't."

"I wanted to come. And I'm fine really. I just feel bad for Kenny."

"Kenny's okay though Shane. Just like you are."

Shane shook his head. "I'm not okay Seth. I'm better at pretending I am now but I'm really not. I still feel real bad sometimes. I don't think it's ever gonna go away."

Laying down beside him Seth put his hand on Shane's cheek. "No it will never go away all together. But you are gonna keep getting better and feeling better and soon it won't matter so much to you what they did to you."

Shane nodded rolling onto his side he put his arm over Seth. "I'm sorry I ran out like that. They must think I'm a real ass now."

Seth shook his head. "I told them you were abused Shane. I'm sorry it just came out."

Shane closed his eyes which squeezed out some tears that had welled in his eyes. "You didn't give 'em any details did you?"

"No, I just said you were abused that's it."

Seth woke up about ten the next morning. Shane was still sound asleep and didn't look like he'd be waking up anytime too soon. He got up and took a shower then walked down to the kitchen. He'd been in the house so many times he felt almost like it was his second home.

Jimmy and Tim were both standing in the kitchen dumping out bowls of cereal. "Hey man," Tim said looking incredibly hung over. "How's Shane?"

Seth shrugged and pulled another bowl out of the cupboard. "He's pissed at me cause I told."

"I'm sorry Seth." Jimmy shook his head miserably. "I was drunk and I didn't want anyone finding out about Kenny either. I didn't mean to get pissed."

"It's okay Jimmy." Seth took the box of Wheaties from him. "I understand why you were upset. I still shouldn't have said what I said."

The three walked over to the table with their cereal and juice and sat down. "I actually think this might be a good thing that it's all out." Jimmy said after crunching on some cereal. "Kenny won't talk to noone but me about it. I don't know what to say to him. I don't know what it's like. Maybe he and Shane could talk to each other. Since they both been through it I imagine it would be easier for them to talk to each other then the rest of us."

"Shane is as tight lipped about it as Kenny." Seth shrugged but looked hopeful. "But maybe like you say they'll talk to each other. I know he's got this friend he talks to on the phone that was treated like shit growing up. He talks to him all the time."

"Did Pete and Nathan stay the night?" he asked after a glance around the table.

"No, they went to Pete's he's right next door anyways. Don't have to worry about driving."

"Right next door after you walk a hundred acres." Seth grinned and shook his head.

A maid came in through the hallway shaking her head. "Tim I'd think you could control your friends a little more."

"Sorry Mona." Tim said with a grin over at Seth.

"I don't get paid enough for this."

He took a long swig of juice. "Tell dad I said to give you a raise"

"You tell him."

Tim rolled his eyes and shook his head. He didn't talk to his father and Mona knew it. She just always told him to ask him things for her to try and get them to talk. His father hadn't spoken to him since he'd come out to his parents but he didn't get kicked out like Kenny so he felt glad about that. Though knowing what he knew now about Kenny he was glad Kenny had gotten kicked out.

Shane came down the stairs two hours later where Tim, Jimmy and Seth were watching a soccer game on TV. He stopped at the bottom of the stairs and looked over at Seth. "We better get to my house or we are gonna be late for the Barbeque."

Seth nodded and stood up glad he was still apparently invited to the barbeque. "See you guys tomorrow." Tim and Jimmy both groaned having less then 24 hours of freedom left before school. "It was nice meeting you Shane." Tim said getting up and shaking his hand. Jimmy followed suit.

"You'll have fun this year Shane. Our school is way better then Prescott." he pretended to spit at the name and despite Shane's extreme embarrassment at what they knew he smiled. "We'll save you a spot at lunch."

"Thanks." Shane nodded and smiled at them both glad that his secret didn't seem to change the way they felt about him as last night he felt he was gonna be good friends with all the boys he'd sat around the table with. He started to walk to the door then turned back to Jimmy. "Is Kenny okay?"

Jimmy smiled warmly at him. "He's still asleep. But I think he'll be okay. Thanks for asking."

Shane smiled and nodded back then turned back and followed Seth out to the car.

They rode in silence for a couple minutes before Shane turned and looked at Seth. "I'm sorry I yelled at you last night Seth."

"It's okay Shane. I'm sorry I told. I guess I ain't too good at keeping secrets."

"Well if you reveal another I will kill you how's that?"

Seth looked over and smiled at Shane's grin. "I'll do better I promise."

They pulled into Matt's driveway and Matt came running out. Shane got out of the car to give him the front seat but Matt pushed him back in. "You can sit in front dude." He got in the back before Shane could argue and leaned over to the front and gave Seth a long deep kiss.

Shane sat back down in the passenger seat while Matt wrapped his arms around the seat and Seth's waist. "This way I get to play seat belt. Did you guys have fun at your party?"

"Oh yeah," Shane piped up before Seth could even open his mouth. "Those guys are all real nice."

"Did you get drunk?"

"Absolutely." Seth and Shane both said together then laughed.

When they pulled up to Tad and Don's Brian's grandparents car was already in the driveway. "Oh man we are late."

"No we aren't Shane. They're just early, it's only 12:30."

They got out and walked out back where the BBQ was already fired up and Brian was playing with Shep who bolted for Shane the minute he saw him. He jumped up on him and licked his face nearly knocking Shane over flat on his ass. The three walked over to Brian.

"Did you get caught?" Shane asked grinning at him.

"Nah, but I got one hell of a headache." He rubbed his head and looked back at his gram and gramps who were talking with Don who was waving over to them. Shane waved at him followed by Matt and Seth. Brian handed Shane Shep's ball and Shane threw it long sending Shep bounding after it.

Tad walked out from the house and over to Shane where he gave him a hug. "Did you have fun?"

Shane nodded as he put an arm out around Tad's back. They walked back toward the house Matt and Seth followed smiling warmly at each other seeing in front of them a good sign of how very much Tad liked Shane and how much Shane liked Tad in return.

After stuffing themselves like pigs on sirloin steaks, salads and baked potatoes the boys did up the dishes while the adults went back and sat in the chairs over looking the cliff.

Shane put the last dish away. "Come on let's go up to my room I wanna show you guys something." He shivered with excitement realizing he'd so easily called it his room and that's exactly what it was. All his.

They all ran up the stairs and into his room where he showed them all the pictures on the walls from the trip plus the ones he'd put in the photo album. They all sat around in sort of a circle on the floor while each took a turn looking through the album.

Matt finished his turn and handed it over to Seth. "Let me see your glasses."

Shane made a face and shook his head.

"I didn't know you got glasses?" Brian said looking at him quizzically.

Seth who was directly across the circle reached over and smacked Shane on the arm not looking up from the photo album as he did it. "Just put 'em on loser. You are hurting my feelings again."

Shane making an exasperated sound reached up onto his bed and pulled his back pack down which he'd brought back up with them. He unzipped it reached through his notebooks and pulled out the glasses case.

"Here they are." He held the thin black oblong glasses.

"Put 'em on." Seth shook his head and laughed.

Shane sighed and slipped them on. Matt and Brian both started clapping and he turned red taking them back off.

"They look good." Matt nudged Shane's thigh with his foot. "Makes you look older more mature."

Seth looked over at Shane.

"What?" Shane asked looking back at him.

"I'm waiting for you to say and geeky."

"They're not geeky at all Shane." Brian shook his head adamantly. "Matt's right you look real good in them."

Shrugging Shane threw them back in his pack. Seth looked back up from the book nearing the end. "Don't you got any pictures of playing deliverance."

"You know I don't think you are supposed to reveal secrets revealed in truth or dare." It was much too late for admonishing though Matt was already on his back on the floor laughing his ass off while he clutched his stomach. Brian was looking confused. "I don't get it."

Shane sighed and gave Seth a dirty look. "It's just some movie. Where these guys go out into the wilderness and one of them gets raped by mountain men. When we were on this trip me and Sam played out that scene."

Brian put his hand on his mouth and started chuckling within seconds he was laughing as hard as Matt. Shane shook his head. "You are an ass Seth."

Seth shrugged knowing he was kidding. "You love me and you know it."

"Yeah well quoting a genius named Sam I like ass holes."

Matt pointed through his laugh. "He does say that all the time."

After everyone left at nearly eight o'clock Shane took the phone up to his room and called Sam.

"Hello?" it was his mother.

"Is Sam there?"

"Well sure hon, how are you?"

"I'm good thanks, you?"

"Very good. Hold on just a sec, I'll get him." Shane jumped as she started screaming out his name and fumbled to keep a hold of the phone. Max had said it would take a few weeks for his Paxil to kick in and quite frankly he couldn't wait he was tired of jumping at every little sound and worrying long into the night.

Sam's voice came on the line and he filled with warmth as he always did at just the sound of his voice.

"Hey I heard you went out partying last night."

"Jesus they just left how did you know?"

"I called for you last night. I expected you to wait by the phone then you weren't there and I cried myself to sleep."

Shane laughed. "Well I spent a lot of the night wishing you were there does that help."

Long sigh. "Well I guess. Hey turn on your computer. I sent you an email."

Shane got up from the bed and walked over to his desk. He fired the computer up and opened his email. "I got like five from you."

Sam chuckled. "Well I weren't out partying. It's the one that say's for you on it."

Shane nodded and double clicked the words 'for you'. His eyes widened and his breath caught in his throat as a picture of Sam came up on the screen totally naked with a full erection. He started chuckling which got Sam laughing on the other end. "I thought you may need that on lonely nights."

Shane ran his hand along the picture on the computer screen and sighed. "So I guess you got your digital camera?"

"Yeah I was real tricky." He chuckled a bit then continued. "I signed up for digital photography. They give you a free one. I really could care less about the class but I wanted the camera. You gotta get one cause I want a picture of you just like the one I sent you."

"Well Don's got one. But what if I don't delete it off it right and he sees it?"

"He'd probably laugh."

Shane chuckled. "That's not really the point."

"Well do it tomorrow afternoon then call me and I'll walk you through deleting it. Then we can go in and check to make sure it's gone."

"Have you met anyone you are going to be going to school with yet?"

"No one good. My neighbor I guess. She's nice but a little slutty. She came right out and asked me if I wanted to do her."

"What did you say?"

"I said I was queer. I thought it would get rid of her but she still shows up at least once a day in some slutty outfit. I think that's all she has for clothes."

"You gonna tell everyone your are queer?"

"Yeah, it's easiest just to get it over with. I thought I'd wrastle the P.A. system out of the principals hands and announce it over morning announcements."

Shane laughed and leaned back in his chair not taking his eyes off the picture. "You are so brave."

"Hey I survived at Prescott Cove I can survive anywhere. It's only a year. Then I'll come running back to your open arms and live happily ever after."

Smiling warmly Shane rubbed his chest almost able to feel Sam pressed up against it. "Let's have phone sex."

"Okay, you naked?"

"No give me a minute. He clicked off the computer and ripped off his clothes shutting out the light he crawled into bed. "Ready."

Date: Wed, 27 Jul 2005 07:33:51 -0400 From: Vance Lister vlista20@hotmail.com Subject: Shane

Chapter 16

The alarm jarred him awake at 6am and he reached out from the blankets and smacked it with the butt of his hand. His stomach was all sticky as he'd fallen asleep pretty much the same second he got off the phone with sam only six hours earlier.

He threw back the covers and put his feet down on the floor. Shep stirred on the other side of the of the bed then got up and licked his face. "I gotta go back to school today boy. Remember the routine just in case." He knew he was way too far from school to run all the way home but figured just in case he'd better let Shep know.

Don stuck his head in and smiled. "Just makin' sure you were up."

Shane nodded and rubbed his eyes. "I am."

Don walked in and sat down by him and Shep. "You nervous?"

"Uh huh," Shane said grinning as he'd been asked that question like fifty times over the past week. "But I met a lot of people at that party. I'm glad I went. Least now I'll know more then just Seth."

"Did you like them all?" Don asked not really having had the chance to talk to him the day before with their guests and him talking to Sam all night on the phone.

"Yeah, they all seem real nice. I pretty much stayed in the same room with six other guys and we talked and laughed all night. Seth says it's the gay club." He chuckled and wrapped his blanket tighter around him as it was a pretty chilly morning. "Most of them are coupled off. They all seem to really love each other." Shane sighed and looked over at Don. "There's one kid that reminds me so much of myself. He's small and frail looking, his boyfriend is like twice the size of him. Kinda like me and Derek were. And we all found out last night that he was beaten by his dad. He had scars all over his stomach. I guess I should be real thankful that I'm not covered in scars like that. I just feel so sorry for the kid."

Don rubbed Shane's back through the blankets. "He's not still living with his dad is he?"

"No his dad kicked him out he was homeless for a while then he moved in with his boyfriend."

"Wow." Don couldn't get over the similarities. "How does he seem?"

"Quiet but nice. He sure loves his boyfriend and his boyfriend really loves him. Sticks up for him all the time. Sure not like Derek."

"You think about him much?"

Shane shook his head. "As little as possible."

Don turned and looked at the clock. "Well you best get showering. I've got to leave." he leaned over and kissed Shane's temple. Shane grinned and rubbed his hand down across his temple. He loved that Don did that but it still made him feel funny when it happened. Don squeezed his knee and chuckled. "Tonight we'll have your favorite dinner. Just to celebrate your return to school."

Shane threw off his blankets and stood up looking very forward to having scallops for supper. He hugged Don goodbye and took of to the bathroom Shep hot on his heels.

He dressed in a pair of jeans and dark green pullover shirt put on his sneakers and socks then checked himself in the mirror. "You sure do look different." He adjusted his shirt and ran his hand through his hair then let out a long sigh. "Just don't act like an idiot and you may be okay."

He took off down the stairs hopefully catching Shep off guard but as always Shep darted ahead about half way down and he wondered again why he bothered racing him at all. He opened the door and let him out then walked into the kitchen. "Pancakes and bacon this morning." Tad said putting three slices into a plate beside a tall stack of pancakes. "Need fuel for a full day of learning."

Shane chuckled and sat up at the island. "Okay Mr. Rogers." He scarfed down his pancakes and drank down his juice. He and Tad went out to the car and Shane kissed Shep goodbye then gave him a big hug before getting into the car.

"So you got it down where the shop is in association to school right?"

Shane held up a thumb then dropped his hand back to his bag. "Check!"

"And if you don't come right to the shop after school you have my number so you can call and let me know right?"

He held up his thumb again. "Check!"

"And you are gonna stay at school all day, if you have a major problem you are gonna go to the principal and not just leave right?"

Another thumb in the air. "Check!"

"Nervous?"

Shane laughed. "Check!"

Tad grinned over at him. "Tired of hearing that question?"

"Check!"

"Got your condoms?"

Shane snapped his head over to Tad and grinned. "Un check!"

Tad laughed. "Good!"

Shane started trembling the moment they pulled into the school parking lot and he saw tons of other kids making their way into school. Most talking in groups of twos, threes and fours while some straggled in alone. He scanned the parking lot for Seth but didn't see his car.

Tad squeezed his shoulder. "You'll do fine Shane. Once you get in there and get a few classes under your belt you'll stop being so nervous."

"Yeah okay, give me a hug."

Tad leaned over and squeezed him tightly Shane took a deep breath in his arms then pulled back. "Okay, I'll see you at around three." he got out of the car and Tad watched him til he got in the school feeling very much like Shane's real dad watching his son go off to school for the first time.

Inside the doorway Shane stepped out of the stream of traffic and pulled his schedule out of his back pocket. Seeing he had locker number 413 he started walking again looking at the lockers as he went by all the ones around him started with ones. He looked among the other people wanting to ask where the 4's would be but didn't dare.

He jumped considerably when a hand clapped down on his shoulder. He turned quickly and smiled with relief seeing it was only Kyle.

"You lost new boy?" Kyle said grinning at him.

"Very much."

Kyle smirked at him. "Damn new kids. What you looking for?" He leaned over towards Shane and looked at his schedule then took it right out of his hands. "Hey we got English together."

"Awesome. But I gotta find my locker."

Kyle looked up to the top of the schedule. "Well you are not even close."

"Well I told you I was lost."

Kyle chuckled put his arm over Shane's shoulders and guided him down the hall up some stairs through two other halls and into another one that was much quieter with some classrooms doors lining one side and lockers lining the other. Kyle walked down the row of lockers saying then repeating the number 413 aloud. He stepped forward about halfway down. "Here it is. They put it here cause your home room is right there." He turned and pointed to the nearest door across the hall. "That way you don't have to run to your locker then run to home room." He looked back at Shane and grinned. "You can just sorta hop."

"If we got the same English you must be a junior."

"Oh yeah, me Nathan and Kenny are all juniors."

"But don't you have the same home room?"

Kyle made a show of laughing and shook his head. "Oh you small town boys. There's way too many kids in the junior class to all share one home room. There's like six. Mine is in that hallway we just came through. I'll come get you before your first class so's I can show you where it is."

Shane nodded appreciatively. "That would be great." Kyle patted him on the arm. "See you in half an hour."

Shane turned back to his locker then rummaged through his bag for the lock Don had gotten him the week before. Something he could not believe he had forgotten on his own school shopping trip. It was a combination lock and Shane had the code well memorized so he wouldn't have to write it down anywhere and keep it on him. He opened the locker and slipped the lock through the handle then closed it back up. There was nothing in there to get and no books yet to put in it.

He turned around and walked into his home room which according to his schedule his home room teacher would be Mr. Craft. He was very happy that five out of his eight teachers were men. The room was already half full of other kids and he found a seat over by the window feeling all eyes were on him.

Other kids filtered in and sat by their buddies some looking like they hadn't seen each other all summer and Shane wondered how good a friends they could be. He looked around the room itself and noticed several differences between it and the classrooms back at Prescott High. First off it was a lot brighter. The desks and chairs didn't look like they'd been bought at a rummage sale in the fifties and the floor was wood as highly polished as the gymnasium at his old school.

It was almost like going from black and white to color, like in the wizard of Oz. Like Kansas the old school was dull old and dismal. But this school like Oz was just real bright and pretty the feeling put Shane more at ease despite the fact this place would probably hold plenty of wicked witches the setting itself could almost make up for it.

The teacher a tall dark complected man dressed nicely in tan pants and a red dress shirt walked into the room and put his brief case up on his desk. He wrote his name out on the board just like Shane had seen teachers do in most movies that featured classroom scenes.

Shane watched him closely as he turned back to his desk and opened the brief case he pulled out several file folders and set them just so on his desk. If a personality could be told by looks Shane figured this guy must be nice. He was clean shaven and had no hard facial features. They were all soft and seemed to put forth an air of peace.

The bell rang, Shane looked around the room and every seat was full. His eyes fell on a girl with long blonde hair wearing a cute skirt suit thingy that was pale blue. She was pointing over at him while whispering to another girl and despite her cute outfit Shane filled with anger that he was already being talked about. When she and the girl she was whispering with started chuckling he turned back to the teacher who was now in front of the desk with a sheet of paper in his hand.

"Class. Welcome to a new year." he smiled that was good. "Two years left and you guys will be out of here so keep that in mind as you are piled high with homework. First I'll do roll call please raise your hand when I say your name."

He read down through the names looking up only long enough to register each name to a face. "Shane Campbell." He looked up longer this time as a young man over by the window tentatively raised his hand. He'd heard about this one from the principal, heard about his abuse, his temporary homelessness and the way he was treated at his last school including being assaulted by the entire basketball team. He was told to keep a close eye out on this one and had no problems doing so as the kids life had been a virtual hell.

He hadn't expected to see such a handsome young man raise his hand to that name though. He figured since the kid was horribly teased all through school he'd be a geeky little scrawny thing. But this boy was well dressed well muscled and had a face he'd already caught half a dozen of the girls whispering about. He hadn't heard what they were saying only knew from 15 years experience of watching girls whisper excitedly about some new heart throb that they had been talking about Shane Campbell.

Realizing he'd stalled too long and Shane was looking at him fearfully he quickly looked back down at his list and read off the next name. After seeing everyone was present and accounted for he sat back on his desk. "Now for you new students." he said looking from Shane to the three other new kids in his home room. "Home room here is only thirty minutes long. It's used to catch up on that last minute homework you were too busy saving someone's life to finish or just redoing it say if your dog ate it or something."

Shane smiled as half the class chuckled feeling more sure he'd like this teacher who was also going to be his Government teacher. He sat and talked with them told them what to expect from the year and enforced that he was there for all his students should they need help or guidance in anything.

Shane tried to shake the feeling that he was looking at him more then anyone else as he talked. It worried him that the principal had gone blabbing to all the teachers what a miserable wretch he was trying so hard to try and not be.

The bell rang and as promised Kyle met him right outside the door. "What do you have next?"

"Art."

Kyle grinned. "What a fairy."

"Yeah I know," Shane said shaking his head. "I figured it was the queer thing to do."

Kyle laughed and led him again through the maze of hallways. At the end of another hall he stopped. "Right in there Monet. Next we have English. It's on the first floor in the hall you first came in."

"Okay, thanks." He turned and walked in the room where two long tables were set up with stools surrounding them. Past the tables were a dozen or so easels surrounding a raised platform he hoped would contain some nude male models sometime during the year. The walls were all decorated with art work some of it looking pretty old and he figured it all must be past student's work.

He set his book bag down on one of the tables again over by a window and looked around more at the paintings. More kids wandered in looking to be in all different grades and he sat down when the bell rang. There were two girls across from him and he smiled politely and was very relieved to see them both smile back.

The teacher was a woman. Tall and bony looking with a hooked nose much like one you'd see on a witch. She had pretty long dark hair clipped on both sides with barrettes and several beaded necklaces hanging down her chest. She wore so many rings Shane wondered how she could keep her hands held up under their weight.

She didn't read off names instead she set them to work drawing anything they wanted to draw saying it was so she could get taste of their abilities. She handed out white paper and very sharp pencils and set them to work. She asked them to all sign their papers and hand them in after class and at the end of the week she would hand them back and try to guess who was who soley by getting to know them more and see if she could match each students art with them. Shane thought this was a really cool idea and though he still hated woman in general thought he just may like her.

He had Shep's head all drawn out and was just starting to work on his body when the door opened again and Kenny walked in. His heart lurched a bit as he'd thought of him many times over the last day. He went to hand the teacher a note and she stepped back from it.

"No dear. I don't want to know your name yet." Shane chuckled to himself at her adherence to the rules of her own game. "Just tell me why you were late?"

"I had to change my schedule. I was in the office." He said it quietly but being quite close to where they were Shane could easily hear him.

"Okay dear," She grabbed him a pencil and a piece of paper. "Sit anywhere you'd like."

Kenny's eyes looked over the room then lit up seeing Shane. He walked over and sat down beside him. "How are you?"

Shane smiled. "Good how are you?"

"Good," He set his bag down and put the paper and pencil on the table. "What the hell is up with her not wanting to know my name?"

Shane explained it to him and he made a funny face. "That's kinda weird."

"I think it's kinda cool. I can't wait to see if she gets them right."

Kenny smiled and tapped his pencil to his lips thinking on what to draw. He looked over at Shane's paper. "That your dog?"

Shane nodded.

"German shepard?"

"Yeah," Shane said happily. "Guess I must be doing pretty good."

Kenny chuckled. "It is real good. Jimmy's got a dog. A Dalmation. I think I'll draw his cat though." he smiled then started in.

Shane kept glancing over at him out of the corner of his eye. Kenny was totally involved in his work and didn't notice him once. In fact he seemed so involved Shane didn't even dare talk to him til he was done. He wasn't done til about ten minutes after Shane was. He set his pencil down and stretched his arms letting out a good yawn.

"Not sleep last night?"

Kenny shrugged. He leaned closer to Shane and turned his head away from the girls. "It's hard living with your boyfriend sometimes. You don't get much sleep." He pulled back laughing and Shane laughed right a long with him. "It must suck with yours way up in Maine."

"It does. But we talk on the phone all the time and I got a dirty email yesterday."

Kenny grinned sheepishly. "Naked shots?"

Shane blushed and nodded and Kenny laughed again. "Did you ever meet Sam?"

"I saw him a couple times at Soccer games with Matt watching Seth. He seems real nice. Real cute that's for sure. You guys must look real good together." He put his hand on his chest. "Not like David and Goliath like me and Jimmy."

Shane chuckled. "I had a Goliath boyfriend once. Felt great sleeping by him every night."

Kenny nodded looking totally in agreeance. "It is, like sleeping wit a big ole teddy bear." He wrapped his arms around himself and shivered. "I think I'll go home and go back to bed." Shane laughed and pulled him back onto his stool.

"Not a good idea?" Kenny chuckled.

"Probably not it's not good to skip school on the first day."

"Uh oh," Kenny's eyes widened as he looked at Shane.

"What?"

"Are you a nerd too?"

"Yes," Shane snickered. "Cept I'm a nerd that gets bad grades."

"Well then you aren't a full fledged nerd." Kenny said as he shook his head emphatically. "Besides you haven't even got the look." he pointed over at Shane. "You got muscles. You don't dress like Urkel."

"Well neither do you."

"Jimmy helps me pick out my clothes now. I used to. Can I see your schedule." He asked leaning back over towards Shane.

"Sure," he dug it out of his back pocket and handed it over. Kenny took his out of his pocket and flattened them out on the table side by side. "Wow we got gym together. And sign language. Awesome!" He looked over at Shane. "You know what that means don't you?"

"What?"

"You gotta be my locker room body guard. You know them gym folks get rowdy and like to shove the little guy in his locker."

Shane was absolutely flattered. "Well I'd love to. I don't know how good I'd be but I'll give it my best shot."

Kenny smiled happily and patted him on the thigh. "Maybe you and me could be good friends." He said with heart warming sincerity.

"I would like that."

"Me too."

"Scuse me dear?" they both looked up at the teacher who was pointing over at Shane. "Yeah you hon. Can you please collect all the papers. Shuffle them up then bring them to me."

Shane nodded then got up and gathered the papers he shuffled them up and took them over to her at her desk. She thanked him at the same time the bell rang he nodded then went over and got his book bag.

He and Kenny walked together as far as his next class then they said goodbye saying they'd see each other at lunch. Shane's Algebra II teacher turned out to be the biggest bitch of his morning classes. She kept them all after the bell saying that when the bell rang it didn't mean she was done teaching and they were not dismissed until she said they were dismissed.

After she said they were dismissed she called Shane to her desk. His heart felt like it shrank to the size of a prune as he walked slowly to her desk. "Son I'm told here on my student files that you wear glasses. Why aren't you wearing them?"

Shane turned his head and was relieved to see they were alone in the room.

"I don't think you'll find any answer there behind you."

He snapped his head back to her. "I'm not used to wearing them yet I forgot." He repeated for himself to stay calm over and over in his head wanting this woman to hate him for him if she was gonna and not anything he had done.

"Can I see what you copied down from the board." She reached out her hand and Shane pulled his notebook out of his pack knowing it was not a question but an order by her tone.

She took the notebook and opened it to the first page where Shane had written out his problems. She turned to the board and checked them over. "Honey you got most of these numbers wrong. How do you expect to learn anything if you don't wear your glasses and can't see the board?"

Thrown by her calling him honey he only shook his head. Now not sure if she was a bitch or not.

"I want you to make sure and wear them tomorrow. I don't want to tell you in front of the whole class to put them on. I'm not here to embarrass you I'm here to teach you." She smiled handed him his notebook then another sheet of paper. "Take my copy of the problems. I'll recopy them you need to go eat lunch."

Shane tucked the paper in the notebook not able to take his eyes off her as she had him completely baffled.

"You okay Shane?"

He turned his head to one side then nodded. "Yeah fine. Thank you." He shoved the notebook back in his bag slung it over his shoulder and hurried out of the room.

Melanie Chambers the teacher began copying down the problems from the board as surprised as Mr. Craft had been by Shane's outward appearance. She as well was expecting a feeble looking boy. In fact she'd been sure of it as one day in the doctor's office she'd been looking through yearbooks and came across Shane's picture it had stuck out to her because the principal had just talked to her about him a few days before. The boy she saw in the picture and this boy were obviously the same boy but he was much different now then how he looked last fall.

She knew he was living with two men now and figured things must be going much better for him as he looked to have gained like 30 pounds and it looked like a lot of that was muscle.

By the time Shane got the cafeteria it was packed. Instead of dozens of round tables the tables here were long and rectangular with benches to sit on instead of chairs. It as well was brightly lit and looked oz-like with it's brilliantly colored banners hanging all over the walls. He realized within and instant of walking through the doors that this schools colors were red and white.

The food line like in the other cafeteria was at the other end of the room, though this room was much larger then at Prescott and the tables were set up on either side of the room so you had to walk down the middle kinda like you were getting married to get your food.

He turned back to the hall thinking of ditching lunch all together then told himself he was stupid and took a deep breath. He walked down the aisle the wedding march ringing in his ears. He saw a couple hands go up on a table about halfway down to his left and smiled seeing Seth, Tim, Kyle, Pete, Nathan, Jimmy and Kenny all sitting together near the wall at one of the tables.

Shane gave them half a wave then went up to the lunch line. He held his tray up for everything then put it down on the metal bars and slid it over to the cashier. He grabbed two pints of milk then took two dollars out of his back pocket two dollars that Tad had given him that allowed him to buy his lunch and not have to just say his name so he could get checked off a free lunch list. He wondered if they even had such a thing at this school.

Derek Kirk sitting back to Kenny, Jimmy and Seth at the next table sat in stony silence as he was sure the person who had just come into the cafeteria was Shane. Though he was sure one half of his mind was still arguing with the other half saying it couldn't have been him. That he looked so different so wonderful, so drop dead gorgeous. He'd always known Shane was real cute but the boy he just saw was eye bulging-ly hot.

He clutched his stomach as one of the boys behind him called out the name Shane a minute later. He turned his head to the wall not wanting Shane to see him knowing Shane hated his guts and had every reason to. He wanted to run from the room but didn't dare get up for fear of being spotted.

He wondered how long Shane had been going to this school. He wondered if he transferred here after what he had done to him. The boy beside him nudged him. "You alright?"

Derek nodded not able to find his voice. The boy beside him's name was Walter. He had met him in class just the period before and thus far was the only boy he had talked to at this new school. He hadn't wanted to come at all. Would rather be in the mental hospital he'd spent 3 months in where he felt like everyone else. Where he wasn't a freak. Where everyone was as much of a nut as he was.

Shane sat down between Kenny and Seth and they all asked how his first day was going. Shane shrugged and took a bite of potato. "Is that Miss Chambers a bitch or does she just pretend to be?"

"She's a bitch in class but if you meet her out of class or talk to her alone she's real nice. I think she just is that way in class so she keeps everyone's attention." Pete answered. "I had her last year. She's also my faculty advisor."

"What's a faculty advisor?"

"A teacher that you go to whenever you have a problem. It's like a guidance counselor. We don't have actual guidance counselors here. The teachers do it."

"Well how do I know who mine is?"

"Should be your schedule." Seth held out his hand. "Let me see it."

Shane pulled it out of his pocket and handed it over to him. He started laughing. "You got Looney Miss Moon."

Shane grinned. "Whose Looney Miss Moon."

Kenny smacked him on the arm. "Your art teacher dufus."

"Oh I liked her."

They all started laughing at him. "She's a hippie."

"Well she's a nice hippie whatever that means." he gave a wave of his hand. "She calls everyone honey and dear. I think it's sweet."

Seth chuckled and squeezed his arm around Shane. "I just think you're sweet."

Derek dared to turn around now only because he wanted to see who was saying this to Shane. He figured it must be his new boyfriend and had to have a look. He saw the boy looking at Shane lovingly and jealousy coursed through him seeing his arm around him.

The boy looked over at him and Derek quickly turned back to his tray. The boy was hot, Shane was hot. Damn the whole next table was hot.

Shane put his hand on Seth's thigh and squeezed it. "You get paid for that too?"

"Sure," Seth laughed and returned to his food. "Besides Tad's a hippie too no wonder you like her."

"Tad ain't no hippie."

"You don't even know what one is how would you know,"

Shane blushed and chuckled. "Good point."

"So I hear you are gonna take care of my boy in gym class." Jimmy said wrapping his arm around Kenny's shoulders.

"Well I'll try Jimmy. I've never beat anyone up before so's I'm not sure how effective I'll be."

Jimmy reached out his hand and shoved Shane's head playfully to one side. "It's not something you gotta practice." he said grinning. "Just kick 'em in the nuts. Do that a couple times and they'll know not to mess with you. They probably won't anyways. You look as though you could do some damage."

Shane blushed taking his words as an incredible compliment. Kenny smiled at him from deep in Jimmy's arms. Shane smiled back thinking he sure was cute and glad he had someone looking out for him like Jimmy whose first concern always seemed to be Kenny.

"You gonna come watch us practice after school Shane?"

"Soccer?"

Seth nodded. "It's the field right out front. Kyle and Kenny are gonna be there. It only lasts til 4:00 so you'll have plenty of time to get to the store. I can give you a ride anyways."

"Or you could be cool and come watch foot ball practice." Pete spoke up.

Shane made a face. "I don't think so."

"You don't like football?"

"Not one bit. Guess it's the queer in me." They all laughed while Seth pulled Shane closer. He kissed his temple and Shane ate the rest of his meal with Seth's arm around him feeling very content there with his new friends.

Kenny sat by him again in Sign language class where they learned the alphabet that first day. "This is so cool." Kenny said as he packed up his book and they waited for the bell to ring. "You and I can talk this secret language and no one else will have a clue what we are talking about." He put his finger to his lips and thought for a minute. "I wonder if they teach swears."

"Oh I already know one." Shane stuck up his middle finger and Kenny laughed so hard he nearly fell out of his chair.

"Everyone knows that one though. It wouldn't be much of a secret language."

"Well we'll make up our own." Shane held out two finger and pressed them into his wrist. "Like this."

Kenny did the same thing. "So what does it mean?"

"Anything we want. Say like 'fuck him.'"

"So if some guys being a shit I just do that to you and I'll be saying fuck him?"

Shane nodded and Kenny grinned. "Oh I like that one."

"Oh you know what though. We shouldn't make it so obvious like they would know something was up. We should pick something someone would normally do. Like scratch behind our ear or something."

"Oh yeah!" Kenny clapped his hands together and held them there. "Great plan." He reached up and scratched behind his ear. "How was that?"

Shane grinned. "Great"

The bell rang and they walked together to gym. The locker room was not as fancy as Prescott's but since it was obvious not all the money at this school was not spent on sports it didn't surprise him much.

The gym teacher was waiting near the lines of lockers. "Names?"

"Kenny Salisbury." Kenny said quietly.

The teacher looked down at his chart. "Locker 214." He pointed out to one of the rows of lockers then looked at Shane.

"Shane Campbell."

The coach's head snapped back up from his chart and studied him. Shane wanted to shrink down so small no one could see him under his gaze. He was feeling like smashing the principal's head into a wall as it was obvious by all the looks on the teachers faces that day they all knew all about him.

He looked back at his chart. "219." And pointed to the same row. Kenny was waiting for him at the end of the row.

"Name?" He heard the teacher say. "Cat got your tongue son?"

"Derek Kirk."

Shane's head snapped back his mind whirring he knew that voice and certainly knew that name. Derek was looking back at him and his heart froze right there in his chest. Shane felt like he was gonna throw up or faint or something but he couldn't take his eyes off him. He'd prayed he'd never see him again. Yet here he was at the same fucking school, the same fucking gym class.

He stopped short crashing into something solid and pain shooting through his shoulder and head. Kenny who had no idea of his distress started laughing beside him. Shane turned his head back in the direction he'd been walking and saw he'd crashed into the side of the lockers.

"Watch where your going Shane." Kenny said still chuckling as he pulled Shane by the hand into the row of lockers. Shane sat down heavily on the nearest bench. "hey what's wrong?" Kenny asked sitting down beside him.

Shane shook his head his throat feeling like it had closed up and swallowed his tongue in the process.

"You look like you seen a ghost or something."

Rubbing his hand across his forehead he shook his head again. He remembered he was supposed to be watching out for Kenny and stood back up. "I guess it's good we got lockers close together.

Still eyeing him nervously Kenny nodded. "You know you can talk about it with me Shane. I'm sure you know about me like I know about you."

Shane put his hand on Kenny's shoulder. "I'll tell you Kenny just not right now. Let's just get changed and get this over with."

Kenny leaned down where there were sweat pants and shorts laid out on the benches. "What size are you?"

"Medium I guess." Shane answered walking over to his locker. He opened it up and put in his bag. Kenny handed him a pair of medium grey sweat pants with Cliff Side written in red up the side of one leg and a red T-shirt. "I gotta go change in stalls. I'll be right back." He picked up another set of gym clothes and took off to the stalls.

Shane closed his locker and leaned his forehead into it pleading with himself not to start crying right there. He hated Derek told himself that every day. But seeing him again had brought back as many good memories as it had bad. He wiped his hand along his face took a deep breath and turned around setting his gym clothes down on the bench he peeled off his shirt and put on the T-shirt as quick as possible. After bringing it down over his eyes he looked ahead and saw Derek standing across the way against the other set of lockers. Less then five feet from him.

"How are you Shane?" He sounded scared but it did little to put Shane at ease.

"I don't want to talk to you Derek." He slid off his pants not feeling at all funny about doing it in front of Derek as he'd seen him a million times and the fact he hated him now did nothing to change that.

"I know you don't Shane. And I don't blame you." Derek was holding his hands in front of his chest in a pleading manner. "But I never got to apologize to you. I need to apologize to you."

Narrowing his eyes as he pulled on his sweat pants he looked up at Derek. "That gonna make you feel better Derek? Til next time you decide to deck me anyways. I shoulda known it all along." He stood up straight and looked him straight in the eye realizing he must have grown taller as he'd always had to look up to him before. "You don't hit people you love Derek. Didn't you know that?"

Derek shook his head and tears seeped out of his eyes. "But I did love you Shane. I still do."

Shane shook his head and threw his clothes into his locker slamming it hard. "You don't know what it is Derek. If you did you never would have done what you did to me." he looked over and saw Kenny stopped dead in his tracks looking from him to Derek. "Come on put your clothes in your locker. We gotta get out there."

Kenny nodded though it was obvious he wanted to know what was going on. He walked over and put his things in his locker then giving Derek who was still sobbing a wide girth he and Shane left the locker room.

"You gonna tell me now?" he asked once they got into the gym.

"I'll tell you at soccer practice. As long as we are alone. If Kyle's there I'll tell you after okay?"

Kenny nodded as he looked up into Shane's eyes. Looking very worried about what he may hear.

Shane had little reservations in telling Kenny what had happened. In the short time he knew him he considered him very trustworthy and it wasn't only cause he had tons of dirty secrets of his own. Kenny seemed like the type of guy where what you saw was what you got. He didn't seem to put on airs to impress people. He seemed the type that could really care less if he had tons of friends or not. He seemed happy with the few he had and paid little attention to everyone else. Those qualities made him very trust worthy in Shane's eyes.

The teacher blew his whistle and all eyes in the room turned to him. "Everyone grab a mat. Today we are gonna test your endurance and your strength. See what we have to work with."

"Oh great." Kenny rolled his eyes and he dropped down onto his butt on a mat. Shane sat down on the next one over. "I love this first day of gym humiliation. Damn fool knows I ain't got no strength." he was grinning like he was joking but Shane got the feeling he wasn't joking at all.

Derek walked in five minutes into sit ups and the teacher spent a good minute yelling at him which Shane thoroughly enjoyed. Kenny who was red faced and sweating still managed to chuckle at him seeing how happy he was that the other kid was getting yelled at.

The coach walked over to them as they were doing push ups. "Work it Salisbury. You gonna be a wimp your whole life."

Shane looked up at the coach anger surging through him. He looked over at Kenny who it was obvious to him he was doing his best.

"Switch to leg lifts." he called out after blowing his whistle. Kenny moved over onto his back taking deep breaths.

"Come on Salisbury I said leg lifts. Can't you manage that?"

"Let him alone." Shane shot out.

"Don't you tell me what to do young man. It's for his own good he needs to toughen up."

Shane propped himself up on his elbows and glared at the man. Kenny reached over and touched his arm and Shane looked over at him. "Just forget it Shane. He's just like that."

"Yeah that's Kenny's way of life." Coach said laughing sarcastically. "Just let people walk all over you. Get shit on. It don't matter."

"Wouldn't it be better sir," Shane said sitting up all the way and trying to sound polite as possible. "If people just stopped shitting on other people, instead of people having to toughen up to ward it off?"

Half the gym class started clapping and Shane blushed from his toes all the way to the top of his head.

"In an ideal world that would be good. But this is not an ideal world. There are a lot of jerks out there and Kenny merely needs to learn how to defend himself. His big brawn boyfriend ain't gonna protect him forever."

Kenny who was doing his leg lifts looked very shocked at this.

"You don't know that sir, you don't know what you are talking about at all. This world would be an ideal place if people like you would stop showing off how mean you can be. Every little bit helps you know."

Another round of clapping went through the room and Shane could see the coach was getting angry. He shrugged and looked apologetically at him though he didn't feel sorry at all. "I'm sorry sir, I'm just giving my opinion."

Huffing the coach walked off but said little else besides which exercise to do next for the rest of the class. Shane was not at all surprised to be called into his office the moment he had changed.

He sat down opposite the coach behind his desk feeling fearless and having no idea why.

The coach eyed him as he tapped his pen on his desk. "I'm not a mean man Shane. I'm sorry if I come across that way. I feel bad for kids like Kenny I just try and push them harder cause I hate to see them picked on by other kids. I'd like to see them defend themselves."

Shane leaned forward in his chair. "Well if you don't mind my opinion sir you just came off mean. You think he doesn't already know he's a wimp? You think he really needs to be reminded of it in front of a room full of kids that like to pick on him in the first place?"

The coach rubbed his chin for a minute, then let out a sigh and put his hand down on his desk. "Most kids I'd yell at 'em and tell 'em to mind their own business Shane. But you've been there. I can't bring myself to do that with you."

Shane sat back in his chair angrily. "What did all you teachers sit around and have a big meeting about me or something?"

"No, principal Webber did tell us all though. Not in a big meeting more one on one I think. I'm sorry if that upsets you."

"You think any of you guys are gonna tell the other kids?"

"No, it's confidential Shane don't worry about that. Derek Kirk went to Cliff Side too, you gonna have a problem with him being in the same gym class?"

Shane shrugged he did have a problem with it but was not about to start whining about it. "Long as he don't bug me I won't have a problem."

Coach chuckled a bit. "To tell you the truth son, he looks more scared of you then you look of him."

Shane smiled very glad to hear that though he didn't really believe it.

"You have the body of a swimmer or a gymnast Shane. I was watching you out there. You have good endurance and good muscle. You want to join one of the teams?"

"I was thinking about swimming. Well diving actually."

"Have you done much diving?"

Shane grinned. "Never. I've done a lot of swimming though."

"What do you have next period?"

Shane thought for a minute the next period was last period. "I have study hall."

"I have no class. What do you say you don swim trunks and show me what you got?"

"You mean for swimming? Cause really I've got nothing for dives. I just want to learn."

"That's fine." he said with a nod. "First you can show me how fast you swim then we can try out a few dives. Swim season starts in two months. I could get you on a work out routine so you'd be more ready for tryouts."

Shane pulled at his lip glad this man was coming to him with this cause he really wanted to try out but wasn't sure he would dare. But now since it was being presented like this it seemed easier somehow. "Okay,"

He clapped his hands together and stood up. "Great!" he opened a cupboard behind him and pulled out a red Speedo with two white stripes down the left front side. Coach handed them over. "Whose your study hall monitor."

Shane pulled out his schedule again and checked it over. "Mr. Metcalf room 221." he dropped his hand down to his thigh. "You know we had ten classrooms at Prescott this 200 and three hundred crap totally blows my mind."

Coach chuckled. "You'll get used to it fast enough. I'll go tell Mr. Metcalf where you are you get changed and meet me at the pool."

He headed for the door. "Ahh sir?"

"Yeah?"

"Where's the pool?"

"Oh yeah that may help huh?" He motioned for Shane to follow him and once they were back in the locker room he pointed over to a door. "Right through that door."

Shane was looking down at himself in the form fitting Speedo when he got a sharp slap on the ass. He turned quickly nearly dizzy with fright to see Seth grinning at him. "What in hell are you doing you sexy mother fucker." His eyes were wide as he looked over Shane in the suit.

"Well I was talking to the coach and he says I have the body of a swimmer." he flexed his muscles and grinned. "So's he wants to see me in action."

"That's awesome Shane." Seth swatted his rear again. "We could be swimming buddies."

"Not if you keep slapping my ass." He chortled.

Seth wrung his hands. "It's just so God Damn cute in that thing." He shook as though to control his raging hormones. "I swim last period. If I do that and do sports it gets me out of gym. I can practice with you so by swim season you'll be sure to make the team."

Shane's face lit up. "That's awesome!"

"We gotta warm up though." Seth shoved him against the locker and muckled onto him with his lips. "The..lips...are...the.. Most important....to warm...up."

"Seth could you stop molesting the swim team hopefuls."

Seth pulled back and they both looked over at the coach who had his hands on his hips but a grin on his face. He walked down the aisle of lockers. "You two a couple?"

"Well no sir, I just come in here and found this hot guy and thought I'd slam him up against the lockers and have my way with him."

Coach cuffed Seth playfully upside the head. "Are you ever serious?"

"No sir," he shook his head emphatically. "But we are sorta a couple. Part of a foursome really. See..." he stopped as the coach held up his hand.

"I think we are heading for territory I don't want to know about." he said looking a bit red in the face. "Come on Shane. I'll save you from him this time. You swimming today Greenway?"

"Yes sir,"

"Good you can help me show Shane the ropes."

"Sure thing." he went to his locker and got changed while Shane followed coach out to the pool. Shane's eyes widened the second he stepped into the room. It was as fancy and as well equipped as any he'd seen on the Olympic shows. The room was huge and the pool nearly filled it. The bleachers were up on a balcony looking over both sides of the pool which had blue lining and ten black lines running along the bottom and each end of it.

At the far end of the pool he saw the pedestals the swimmers dove off and in the middle was a tall ladder leading up to three separate diving boards all of different heights the top one being way up near ceiling which he had to really crane his neck to see.

"Pretty impressive huh?" coach said squeezing Shane's shoulder. "Bet they didn't have anything like this at Prescott."

"They didn't even have a pool at Prescott."

"Well hop in." Shane walked over to the edge of the pool sat down on the

side and lowered himself in. The water was refreshing but nowhere near as

cold as the ocean or that river in Maine.

"Why don't you start at that wall swim whichever stroke you like best go to the other wall kick off then come back."

"Kick off?" Shane asked looking up at him.

"Boy we have work to do."

Shane chuckled as the coach shook his head and grinned. "I never was formally trained in swimming sir, I just used to go out swimming in the ocean. For fun really. But I think I went pretty fast."

Seth walked into the pool room and Shane took a deep shuddering breath the sight of the bulge in his Speedo nearly making him dizzy.

"Seth show Shane what a kick off is."

"Oh sure," Seth put the goggles that were around his neck up over his eyes and jumped into the pool and swam over to the middle. "Go stand by the side Shane so you can see better."

Shane nodded and walked over to the edge of the pool near one of the black lines. Seth swam over to him did a sort of somersault thing then kicked off bolting him forward off the wall.

He stood up again in the water.

"Can you do it one more time?"

"Sure," Seth swam back out to the middle then did it again.

"Okay," Shane said once he'd resurfaced. "I think I can try it now."

"Okay," Coach said smiling down at him impressed with the boy already though he had yet to swim a stroke. "Try what Seth just did just swim in from the middle and kick off. Get that down first."

After a few failed attempts one sending him slamming painfully into the bottom of the pool he finally got it down. Coach had him do it a few more times til he was sure he had it down then had him swim the length of the pool and back.

Shane was glad Seth was on the other side of the pool doing his laps and hopefully paying little attention to him. If he was gonna make an ass of himself he'd rather have as little audience as possible.

"On my whistle." Shane nodded and backed up against the wall putting one foot flat out on it and his arm up on the side. The whistle blew and he kicked off as powerfully as possible and swam his heart out reaching the other end he fumbled a little on the kick off but still got a little distance and swam his heart out back. Coach was clapping as he came up and his heart flooded with relief that maybe he'd not made an ass of himself. "You can't just dive Shane. You are too good a swimmer."

"Well that's okay sir, as long as I can at least try diving."

"Sure, but first I want you to go back and forth here four times. I want to see how you would do in a longer swim. I'll give you a minute to rest."

Shane nodded glad of that as his lungs were feeling deflated at that point.

"And when you go out on this one don't go for speed so much as longevity. Go fast but only fast enough so that you can keep up the pace okay?"

Shane nodded again taking another deep breath.

"I'll be right back." He was back less then a minute later and handed Shane down a pair of goggles. "Helps when you can see where you are headed."

Putting them on Shane smiled at him as he adjusted them.

"You ready?"

"Ready."

He blew his whistle again and Shane took off going at a pace he hoped he could keep up with though he could feel himself slowing more on each lap. When he finally reached the last one he put his hand up on the side pulling his head up out of the water.

"Not bad Shane. But I'd say you are stronger at sprints. Want to try some dives?"

"Yes please." He climbed out of the pool and snapped the bottoms of his Speedo back in place around his ass. Seth whistled at him and he grinned over where Seth was resting on the side of the pool his legs dangling in the water.

"This sure is weird." He said absentmindedly as he walked alongside the coach.

"What's weird?"

"That Seth is whistling and being all flirty and you ain't kicking him out of the pool."

Coach laughed and shook his head. "It's no concern to me son who loves who in this school. Seth is a good athlete he can love whoever in hell he wants and I won't kick him out of my pool."

Shane smiled at the man wishing he'd not been so much of an ass earlier but more so hoping the man had listened to what he'd said about Kenny. He could see now the coach was a nice man just maybe confused on how to deal with kids like Kenny, kids like him.

"Start on the lowest one and work your way up. Just jump off if you want. Or try something fancy it's totally up to you. Do what you feel like you can do." He stepped back. "Oh wait."

Shane turned his upper body towards him while Seth tamed his expanding cock at seeing Shane's rippling muscles.

"Put this on. And take the goggles off."

He slid off the goggles and set them on one of the platforms then put on the red rubber cap the coach handed him. He pulled it down tight over his head and snapped the strap.

"Oh look the red baron."

"Hush up over there Seth." Coach called out grinning.

After each of his first two dives Seth and Coach exchanged opened mouthed looks of total shock. "He's lying when he said he hadn't dived before isn't he?" Coach asked before Shane surfaced from his second dive.

Seth shook his head. "I don't think so coach. I don't know where he ever would have got the chance."

Getting out of the pool Shane's heart tremored as the highest dive was next. The one he was most excited about. He climbed the ladder which took him a good two minutes then stood at the top feeling like the king of the world. He wanted to raise his arms up and yell it out just like Leonardo Dicrapio had done in Titanic.

He never felt so excited or thrilled with anything before and felt like maybe up here high above the world was where he belonged. He walked to the edge of the board and curled his toes over the edge. He smiled down at Seth who looked about the size of an ant below him.

He decided he was not just gonna jump. He decided he was gonna try one of those fancy rolls he'd seen so many times on TV. Surely with this much room between him and the water he could accomplish one. He slid his feet back just a hair and jumped a couple times on the board amazed at how much bounce it had. He looked up at the ceiling that was only a few feet above him now and wondered if anyone had ever bounced so high they'd hit their head on it.

He grinned as he put his arms out to his sides feeling more powerful then he'd ever felt in his life. He slowly raised them up over his head like he'd seen on TV feeling his muscles expand and contract with anticipation.

He jumped twice more then flew into the air feeling a rush of excitement nothing like he'd ever felt before. He tucked his hands down to his feet grasping his ankles and keeping his legs straight he flipped over in the air. Feeling plenty of strength still he flipped once more then straightened out like a board with his hands out ahead of him pressed tightly together.

He hit the surface of the water hands first and slid in and under the surface.

Coach stumbled back a few steps feeling for the wall to brace himself. When Shane surfaced he couldn't speak so instead he just clapped. Seth joined in then jumped in the water and swam over to Shane who was now at the side. Reaching him he threw his arms around him and kissed him full on the lips. "My God Shane I think you found your hidden talent."

Shane kissed him full on the lips then pulled back and laughed. "That was just the best thing ever. I had no idea I would love it that much." He looked back up at the board and shivered just from the memory. "I felt so powerful. And Seth..." He paused and took a deep breath. "I ain't never felt powerful before."

Seth smiled warmly at him the squeezed him extra tight wrapping his legs around him too.

Shane holding himself up with only one arm pushed him back. "You are gonna drown me you oaf."

Finding his voice coach walked back to the edge of the pool. "Shane I don't think you are gonna have to try out. I'm signing you on right now. I have never seen anyone in this school do a high dive as well as the one you just did and though I think you lied to me about never diving before I can't stand the thought of you not being on this team."

Shane wanted to cry from joy right then and there but instead he hugged Seth again. "Can I do it again?"

"Please do." Coach said with a laugh.

Seth was so excited back in the locker room he was nearly dancing. Between 'dances' he'd stop pull Shane's head forward and plant big ole kiss right on his lips. "God Shane. You better not think you are a loser anymore, if you do I'll beat the shit out of you myself." He stood up and pointed over towards the door of the pool. "I ain't never seen anything like that. Jesus." he pulled off his Speedo and flung it across the room and into his locker like and elastic.

"You are gonna make us state champs this year I just know it." He danced around some more while Shane now fully dressed tied up his shoes while watching him out of the corner of his eyes. "Would you put your damn pants on. I'm having a problem in my pants over here."

"I'll give you a problem in your pants." Seth grabbed onto him and playfully wrestled him over the bench. Shane was laughing so hard he could barely fight it but managed to get out of his grasp. "Man you are hyper when you are excited."

Seth laughed and slipped on a jock strap then bending over provocatively and picking up his soccer shorts. Shane laughed again and dropped back down onto the bench.

"Yuh," He sighed and put his hands behind his head cracking his knuckles. "I think I'm really gonna like school here."

"Well I hate to say I told you so, but I told you so." Seth grin popped out from the neck of his shirt.

"There is one problem though."

Seth's face dropped. "What?"

"Derek is going to school here."

His face turned white and he dropped down on the bench beside Shane. "What do you want me to do?" he said it like he would do anything and everything Shane asked.

"I don't want you to do anything Seth. Just leave him alone. If I leave him alone hopefully he'll leave me alone."

"Has he said anything to you yet?"

"He said he was sorry."

"You didn't accept it did you?"

"No," Shane laughed a short and bitter laugh. "I'll be fine, I just wanted you to know so you wouldn't find out on your own and beat the hell out of him or something."

"Well that's what he deserves."

Shane shrugged. "Well I don't want to be the one behind it. I really think he feels bad for what he did and though I don't forgive him I don't want to be downright mean to him. We did get a long well when we were together and had some good times. I know he's not all bad. I just think he made some bad choices."

Seth shook his head rubbing Shane's thigh. "You are a bigger person then me Shane. I could never be this calm."

"Well it's been a long time. And I really don't want to rehash the same issues over and over. It's in the past and I'd rather just leave it there."

Seth squeezed his knee. "Okay, but if he harasses you or anything and I find out and you haven't told me I'm gonna be pissed."

Shane nodded and put his head on his shoulder. "Thanks Seth."

They left the locker room together. In the front lobby Shane headed to the pay phones while Seth walked outside. He dialed the number to Tad's shop and before anyone answered Kenny walked up beside the phone and leaned against the wall. Shane smiled warmly at him feeling so damn good he had to fight not to reach out and muckle onto Kenny who he still thought was real damn cute.

Not so much cute as in hot. More cute as in boyish good looks. He looked his age but had many qualities that made him appear younger.

"Homestead antiques."

"Can I talk to Tad please." Shane smiled again at Kenny who put his fingers in his ears. "I'm not eaves dropping."

Shane pulled a hand at a time away from his ears and shook his head grinning. Jimmy walked up and kissed Kenny so passionately Shane had to turn away and think gross thoughts before he had another problem in his pants. By the time Tad came on the phone Jimmy was gone and Kenny was smiling happily.

"Tad here."

"Shane here." Tad laughed.

"Already got plans do you Mr. Popularity."

Shane snorted and told him to shut up. "I am gonna be a little late though. More like quarter to four."

"Detention?"

"Nooo,"

"How was your day?"

"Oh I can't wait to tell you, but it would take too long so I'll tell you when I get there okay?"

"Sure thing, can't wait. See you in one hour and fifteen minutes."

"Well don't set your stop watch, I might not be exact."

"Just make sure you're here by five thirty our you'll have to hitch home."

Shane laughed knowing full well he was only kidding. "Okay see you later." He hung up the phone and he and Kenny walked down to the soccer field. They sat high up in the bleachers.

"Kyle's not here."

Shane smiled over at him. "You been thinking on what happened all afternoon haven't you."

Kenny nodded with a hint of embarrassment. "I'm sorry, I just didn't like seeing you so upset."

"I'm okay really. I was a bit shocked but I'm better now."

"So what's with that guy?"

Shane put his hand on Kenny's which was on his knee. "What I tell you has to be our secret. Seth knows but I don't want anyone else knowing. Not even Jimmy."

Kenny nodded looking very honored that Shane had chosen him to tell.

"That guy used to be my boyfriend. We only went out for a couple months. He was pretty great most of the time. But sometimes he got mad and hit me." he looked out at Seth on the field who had the ball and was heading for the goal. "I was getting hit all the time back then so I didn't think much on it. I know now though that, that isn't right." Kenny turned his hand over under Shane's and squeezed his hand.

"So that was your Goliath?"

Shane nodded and grinned slightly as he looked back at Kenny.

"He don't seem much bigger then you."

"Well he's not so much anymore. I used to be real scrawny, I had no muscle and a stiff breeze could have blown me over."

"Like me?"

"Well a little. I was always taller then you but I had no weight on me."

"So did you break up with him or did he break up with you?"

"Both I think. And this is what you really can't tell anyone." Kenny squeezed his hand harder and nodded.

"One night I was kicked out of my house and I was wandering around the streets trying to find some change so's I could do my laundry that weekend. It was a Saturday night and I only needed like seventy five more cents. I found a whole bunch of change and started picking it up. It turned out though that it was a trap. It was put there so I'd stop. Everyone knew how poor I was so they knew that'd be a good way to get me to stop."

"The basketball team surrounded me. They beat me up, put me in a car and took me to some party. They beat me up some more and..." Shane stopped and swallowed hard having thought he could say but when it came right down to it found out he couldn't.

"Did they rape you Shane?"

God Bless Kenny he thought for saving him from saying it himself. He nodded and Kenny immediately wrapped his arms tightly around Shane. "Was that guy on the basketball team?" He asked his voice muffled from his mouth being pressed into Shane's chest.

"Yes, he was there."

Kenny squeezed him tighter and Shane felt wetness seeping through his shirt telling him Kenny was crying though he was making no noise at all. Shane put his hands on Kenny's biceps and held him out away from him. "I'm sorry Kenny. I didn't want to make you cry."

Kenny shook his head and smiled sweetly. "I just feel bad for you is all. I shouldn't say that. I hate when people say that to me. But I do I can't help it." He wrapped his hands around Shane's wrists. "I can't believe you stayed so calm seeing him. I would have melted into a pile of shit, puke and pee on the floor."

Shane grinned. "I thought so too. But I didn't when I actually saw him other then smashing into the locker I didn't do too bad. I guess we can surprise ourselves sometimes."

Kenny put a hand over his mouth. "Oh God Shane." He shook his head. "I'm sorry I laughed at you about that. I just thought you were being klutzy."

Chuckling Shane shook his head. "I imagine it was pretty funny. Hurt a little though."

Kenny grinned. "Well I'm sorry I laughed anyways."

Kyle bounded up the bleachers towards them and sat down on the other side of Shane. "You okay Kenny?" he asked seeing his eyes were red and puffy.

"Just got sneezing. Damn fall."

Shane grinned at his great excuse not feeling one bit nervous about his secret being exposed to Kenny. They all stretched out their legs and leaned back on their elbows on the bench behind them.

"So whose Tad?" Kyle asked amidst his gum chomping.

"Guy I live with."

"Just you and him?"

"No him and Don and me and my dog."

Kyle pushed himself up a bit on his elbows and looked back at Shane. "You live with two gay men?"

Shane furrowed his brow and nodded.

"Oh my God that must be so cool."

The corner of Shane's mouth turned up in a half grin. "Well I like it. They are both real nice."

"Do they make out in front of you and stuff."

Kenny and Shane both laughed. "You're such a perv Kyle." Kenny said shaking his head.

Kyle laughed. "I know."

"Usually he sits here with a boner all practice." Kenny said to Shane who got laughing again. "And he sits in that position like he's proud of it or something."

Kyle eased back on his elbows. "It's just my pennant. To cheer my team on you know."

Looking up at the sky Shane shook his head. "Oh my God you guys are so funny."

Kyle patted Shane's hand. "You're pretty funny yourself there Shane. You'll fit right in with the gay club."

Chapter 16

Seth dropped him off at Tad's shop at three forty five. He opened the front door making the bell over it ring just like in the old stores he'd seen in older movies. "Hey Shane." Kathy Cleverand said from behind the counter. A woman he'd met on two occasions and had been pretty nice both times.

"Hi. Where's Tad?"

"Back in his office."

Shane nodded and forced himself to stay walking as he wanted desperately to break out into a run. He walked in the office and dropped his bag into a chair by the door. He ran around the desk and threw his arms around Tad.

Tad chuckled and rubbed his back while he moved Shane's face up with his hand and kissed his cheek. "So the day was that bad?"

Shane stood up and sat on the edge of the desk. "Oh it sucked." But his smile was so big Tad didn't buy it for a second.

"Well let's see." Shane held out his hands like he was gonna count something out on his fingers. "First off, all my teachers had the audacity to be real nice." He put a finger down. "Second off the friends I met at the party had the balls to be real nice to me too." he put another finger down as Tad grinned widely crossing his arms across his chest and leaning back in his chair. "Then the God Damn gym teacher that fucking son of a bitch said I could join the diving team."

Tad's eyes lit up and he slammed his hand down on his desk. "My God Shane that's awesome. That god damn prick." He added just to keep up with the game before standing up and giving Shane another huge hug. "I'm so proud of you."

Shane nestled into his hug closing his eyes feeling totally at home and totally content. "You know what?"

Tad pulled back and looked into his eyes. "What?"

"I think maybe I'm a little proud of me too."

Grinning again Tad cupped the back of his neck and pulled him into yet another hug. "Damn that's good to hear."

Tad sat back down a minute later beaming like any proud father would while Shane swung his leg back and forth over the desk. "What's a hippie?"

"Well I'm not sure, pretty much someone who enjoys the simple things in life." He crossed and arm across his stomach and put a finger to his lips. "Someone who doesn't get all caught up in money, likes herbal stuff, lives off the land."

"They ain't bad people are they?"

Shaking his head Tad said no. "not at all. They are real nice actually. Nicer then most people. Why do you ask?"

"Cause they said my art teacher is one. And Seth said you were one."

Tad grinned then let out a laugh. "Well don't worry I take it as a compliment."

Shane smiled happily. "Good then I don't have to be offended."

"Certainly not on my account." He was glowing inside that Shane would be offended at someone picking on him. He knew Shane liked him but was getting the feeling maybe Shane liked him more then even he knew. "Why don't you sit over on the other side of the desk and do your homework. That way when you get home you can call Sam and Aaron and not have to worry about homework."

"Sure," He got down off the desk and walked around pulling out his least favorite, Algebra, homework first. He sat and worked on it quietly while Tad did a lot of punching into a calculator and writing stuff down. At five thirty with his homework done Shane helped him lock up and they drove home.

They walked in the door and the smell of scallops greeted them as strongly as Shep greeted Shane. Shane knelt right down and gave him a big hug then set his book bag on the stairs and followed Tad into the kitchen. Don was standing at the island slicing cucumbers. "Well how'd it go?"

Shane rambled on and on about how great his day was and Don hugged him as tightly as Tad had over the swim team announcement.

"Well I can't wait til the first meet. What are your school colors? I'll have to wear the proper colors."

Shane grinned a feeling of euphoria washing over him so strong tears sprang right out of his eyes with no warning at all. Don cupped his hand around his neck and wiped them with his thumb. "Happy tears?"

Shane nodded feeling pretty embarrassed.

"Well you better get it all out Shane. Cause we are gonna go to every single one of your meets. Cheering you on louder then anyone else cheers their kids on."

Shane chuckled through his tears and wrapped his arms around Don's neck. "I love you guys." He'd said it. He'd never said it to them before had been scared to. He braced himself a bit hoping it had not been a huge mistake. Don's arms only closed in tighter around him then he felt Tad come up behind him and he was immersed between them.

"And we love you Shane. Very much."

Shane could hear that he was crying and it made him not feel so stupid that he'd been crying. When they pulled out of the hug he smiled at Tad then to Don. "Happy tears?"

They both laughed and nodded while wiping furiously at their eyes.

After dinner Shane borrowed Don's digital camera went up to his room positioned it on the desk then took off his clothes. He brought the naked picture of Sam up on the screen and that was all he needed to get hard. He set the timer on the camera then posed in front of it in sort of a super man pose while he tried not to laugh at how stupid he felt doing this whole nude picture thing.

He set the timer one more time then turned back to the camera. Leaning over he spread his ass cheeks and did laugh this time knowing his face would not be seen in this picture. He took a few more suggestive shots the more he did the more fun he had then put his clothes back on and sat down at his desk.

He downloaded the pictures into his computer then mailed them off to Sam. He got on the internet and his eyes lit up seeing Sam was on there too. He brought up his instant messenger and typed in. 'Check your email I'll call you in five minutes.'

He waited long enough for Sam to say okay then clicked off the internet and patted Shep for five minutes. Five minutes passed and he picked up the phone and dialed Sam's number. All he heard was laughing for about 10 seconds after the phone was picked up on the other end.

"God Shane I love you."

Grinning Shane changed his voice and said. "Whose Shane." There was a second or two of silence and Sam busted out laughing all over again.

"You had me there for a minute."

Shane laughed. "So you liked the pictures?"

"God yes, I'm gonna have fun when the lights go out tonight. I especially like the ass close up." He started snickering again and Shane joined in. "So love muffin, how was school?"

Shane told him and Sam got so excited Shane had to pull the phone away from his ear so he would not lose an ear drum from Sam's yells of excitement. When he calmed down there was a heavy moment of silence after Shane broke the bad news.

"Well," He said sighing deeply. "You ain't gotta worry about him bugging you there Shane. You got plenty of friends who'll stick up for you."

"I know, and it really didn't bother me as bad as I thought seeing him again would. I hate him I know that. But he didn't really scare me or make me pee my pants or anything."

"God what are the damn odds you two would both change schools then end up in the same school?"

"Bad odds."

"Did you tell Seth to beat him up?"

Chuckling Shane said no then explained why. Sam said the same thing Seth did but seemed content to go along with Shane in whatever he said. They talked for so long that night that Shane did not get a chance to call Aaron so he sent him an email apologizing and saying he would call him the next night before shutting out his light and going to bed.

He walked into art class on Friday very excited to see how the teacher would do guessing who every one was. He had no idea why it interested him so but it did. He sat down by Kenny in his usual seat.

"Well today's the big day." he said then started laughing thinking it was funny as hell how excited Shane was about the teacher's little game.

Shane smacked him on the arm. "Stop picking on me." He said laughing himself.

Miss Moon stood up three minutes later with the papers in her hand. She walked around slowly and handed them out looking like she was doing some last minute thinking. She walked up to Kenny and Shane last.

"You two have got me confused. I must say that hardly ever happens. By me being confused it means that the two of you think a lot alike." Shane and Kenny looked at each other in surprise the news pleasing them both.

"You're good friends huh?" She asked smiling warmly at the both of them. They both nodded without hesitation.

"See it's amazing what you can tell from one drawing." She looked at the two drawings in her hand Shane could see through the thin paper and saw she was holding the picture of Shep and the one of Jimmy's cat. She looked from them to the papers for a minute then sighed and slid the picture of Shep down in front of Shane and the cat down in front of Kenny.

"How'd I do?"

Shane grinned at her picking up the picture. "Very good."

"And you both are very good artists. I'm very excited to see what work you produce this year." she started to turn away. "And Shane. I'm your faculty advisor. Do you mind staying and talking with me for a few minutes after class?"

"No ma'am." She set them to work in white doctor type jackets around the easels with acrylic paints to paint a bowl of fruit. "No drawing." She said like it was life or death. "Just work your paints. Get the feel of them. Learn how each one has a life of it's own."

Kenny turned bright red from trying not to laugh and Shane tried not to laugh soley cause Kenny was being so funny in his effort not to. The white coat itself was funny on him as it was like three times too big, rolled up five times on the sleeves and the bottom was hanging down on the floor. He looked even cuter then usual in it and again Shane just want to grab a hold of him and squeeze.

Still unable to picture him and Jimmy having sex he wanted to get more of a visual. He leaned over and whispered. "Are you a top or a bottom?" in Kenny's ear.

Kenny broke out laughing making a long red line across his canvas as it caught him so off guard. "Look what you made me do." He said pointing to the canvas and the red streak with his brush.

Shane grinned then got up and wet some paper towels he wiped off the streak leaving only a very light pinkish hue. Then threw the papers away. "well you gonna tell me?" He asked stepping back up behind the easel.

"You want to know cause you can't get over what it must be like for us in bed can you? You think he'd squish me." he was grinning widely and seemed to enjoy this conversation.

Shane laughed a little nervously then nodded.

Kenny laughed again making sure to hold his brush away from the canvas. "My answer is only gonna make it worse."

Shane's eyes widened. "You are a bottom then?"

Chuckling at Shane's wide eyes Kenny nodded. He leaned over closer. "Mine ain't big enough to get through his big ole ass cheeks anyways."

Shane turned a little red but managed to grin. "Seems to me like his would be bigger then your whole ass though."

Kenny laughed again. "His ain't as big as the rest of his body. It's not teeny but nothing more then a little guy like me can't handle. I imagine it would be a little funny for someone to watch. That's why we haven't invited spectators." Kenny started laughing again at his own joke and Shane laughed right a long with him.

"It really doesn't bother me though Shane that people might laugh at us. I love him and that's all that matters. I know he loves me too and I feel so safe with him. You know what I mean?"

Shane smiled warmly and nodded. "Yeah I think I do."

When the bell rang Shane grabbed his pack and walked up to Mrs. Moon's desk. "Oh have a seat dear." she said standing up and walking to the other side of her desk. She sat on the edge of it while Shane sat down in a chair.

"How are things going so far for you here?"

"Really great ma'am. I really like it."

She crossed her arms across her chest and smiled warmly. "Heard me called Looney miss Moon yet?"

Shane blushed and looked at the floor. She started laughing. "I spose I am a little looney. But I like to think I'm a good teacher and I don't want those other kids to scare you off towards me. I'm here to help you out and I don't want you to ever be scared to come to me with anything."

"I won't be scared Miss Moon. I think you are very nice. And I've not let what people have said scare me. No one's really said anything mean other then the looney thing and that's not necessarily scary I think everyone can be a bit Looney sometimes."

She laughed again and patted his shoulder. "You are certainly right about that. So you are content with all your classes and everything?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Have you got any plans for after you graduate?"

"No ma'am."

"Don't have any idea what you want to do when you grow up?"

"No ma'am."

"Well Shane you are a Junior this year. In less then six months you'll need to start filling out college applications. Why don't you start thinking on it. I'm here anytime you want to talk and I'm pretty knowledgeable when it comes to careers and the best colleges to go to for those careers. As you probably guessed I'm for you at least going to college." she smiled warmly again.

"Well I've never considered it before. But I'll think on it okay?"

"Sure dear. I wish you would a college education can be very valuable."

"And very costly."

"Oh there's scholarships and grants. I think you'd be eligible for some. Remember though the sooner you apply the better chances are of you getting them. Now I'll write you a pass to your next class. That is if there isn't anything you want to tell me."

Shane shook his head and stood up. "No ma'am."

She chuckled as she turned to her desk and picked up a notepad. "You sure are a polite young man."

He sat down at lunch between Kenny and Seth like he had been all week. "So what did Looney Miss Moon want?" Kenny asked.

Shane shook his head. "She wanted to tell me that she didn't want me to be scared of her despite what all the very rude kids in this school call her."

Kenny put his hand over his mouth and chuckled. "So she knows we all call her that?"

Nodding Shane looked up at Jimmy who was smiling with his arm wrapped around Kenny. "So you think I'd squish him huh?"

Shane nearly choked on his milk and turned bright red. "Kenny did you tell on me?"

Kenny nodded and chuckled some more burying himself deeper into Jimmy's massive body and pulling his arm tighter around him. Jimmy laughed and shook his head. "You are not the first one to ask Shane. And I'm sure you won't be the last. It takes a lot of muscle to have sex with Kenny when you're my size." He grinned widely. "To make sure you don't fall over and make a pancake out of him."

Lowering his head Shane laughed still unable to picture anything but cartoon character looking Kenny and Jimmy going at it.

"You can't sit here." Shane's head shot back up at Seth's voice and he looked across the table where Derek was standing by Pete.

"Why not?" Pete asked angrily while Shane's eyes locked into Derek's.

Seth pointed over at Shane. "They have history."

Shane shrunk down on the bench wanting to disappear right under it. Kenny looked from Derek to Shane nervously while Seth held his ground and stared warning-ly at Pete.

"Well we..." Pete pointed to Derek then himself. "Have a present. And I don't think I should have to lose my lunch spot just cause they have a history."

Shane watched Derek's face turn as red as his felt. "It's okay man. I'll just go sit somewhere's else."

"Yeah do that ass hole." Seth sneered.

Shane put his hand on Seth's arm. "It's okay," he looked up at Pete then Derek. "It's okay really. Derek can sit here. I don't mind." He did mind but did not want to be the asshole of the situation.

Seth looked at him with a gaping mouth. Shane squeezed his arm tighter. "It's alright Seth." He gave him a look that he hoped portrayed he just wanted to subject to drop. Seth read it and took a deep breath calming his raging anger. "Yeah okay Pete. I'm sorry." He looked like it killed him to say it but he looked a little better after seeing Shane's very appreciative smile.

Pete sat down across from Kenny and motioned for Derek to sit on the other side of him closest to the wall and as far away from Shane as possible while still sitting at the same table. Pete looked at him apologetically and Shane smiled at him.

Derek could easily tell who knew the story of what he'd done. He was surprised it was only two he'd have figured Shane would have told all his friends which was why he'd been so surprised when Pete started making passes at him in the locker room before and after football practice.

He'd thought Pete was cute from that first day in the cafeteria thought the whole table was pretty damn hot. But Shane was by far still the cutest and he had to force himself to keep his eyes on his tray and not stare over at him.

"You coming to practice tonight Shane?" Kenny asked after a few minutes.

"I can't I have an appointment." He said it quietly but there wasn't anyway to say it low enough for Derek not to hear unless he whispered which would probably raise more of a suspicion then him just saying an appointment.

"You can get out of study hall again though can't you?" Seth asked.

"Oh sure, as long as I keep my grades up I can stay out of study hall. Sort of a deal the coach worked out." Shane downed the rest of the milk and got up from the table.

"Where you going?"

"I'm all done."

Seth sighed and shot Derek a dirty look. Derek didn't see it but Pete did. He kept quiet about it though til Shane was out of earshot. "He didn't do anything man."

Derek looked up and over at Seth who was looking back at Pete with daggers coming out of his eyes. Seth turned to Derek seeing him looking. "What are you trying to do Derek?"

Derek stammered but could say nothing comprehendible.

Seth threw his fork back into his tray. "You are god damn lucky Shane told me to leave you alone you fuck. Cause I'd kick your fucking ass into next week." He stood up grabbed his tray and took off before Derek could say anything not wanting to hear a word that came out of his God Damn mouth.

With 20 minutes left of lunch Shane went up to the library wanting to get a good book to read over the weekend. He walked through the fiction section tracing his finger along the books pulling one out here and there and checking it over. He went down one aisle then turned into another seeing the girl who'd been laughing at him the first day of school. The one who'd been wearing the cute blue suit thing-y he turned back out of the aisle and went over to the next one.

He was just starting down the aisle when the girl joined him. "Hi Shane." he dropped his finger that had been tracing along the books back to his side and smiled at her.

"How are you?" She asked almost curtsying as she said it.

"I'm fine. How are you?" he wanted to at least appear polite.

"Well I'm good." she leaned back against the bookshelves and ran her finger along her lips while her eyes studied his face.

"Is there something I can help you with?" Shane asked too uncomfortable to just stand there and wait for whatever the hell it was she wanted.

"Well uh," She giggled a bit and turned bright red.

Shane shook his head. "Are you teasing me or something?" He asked turning and looking around to see if there were other people there to watch him get teased.

"No Shane. I just gotta ask you something."

"Well ask it." he snapped.

"Are you gay?"

Shane rolled his eyes and took off down the aisle. She ran up behind him and grabbed his arm. "I'm not teasing you Shane. I just want to know. So I can not waste my time flirting with you all year."

He stopped and turned back to her totally shocked now. Not only was she not gonna tease him she apparently thought he was worth flirting with. She smiled shyly at him looking nervous. He smiled back feeling a little sorry for her looking so nervous. "Yes I'm gay." he braced himself still expecting her to laugh right in his face but she only smiled again letting out a sigh.

"Why is it all the cutest guys are gay?"

Shane laughed a little and shook his head. "I have no idea. In fact I hadn't really noticed. But I appreciate your compliment anyways."

She held her books tighter to her chest, leaning her head into the bookshelves she sighed again. "And apparently very nice too."

Blushing Shane chuckled.

"And modest."

He put his hand out and nudged her arm. "Would you stop you are embarrassing the hell out of me."

She touched his hand. "I'm sorry. And I'm sorry I made you uncomfortable that first day in class. My friend and I get a little excited when we see a new cute guy. We weren't saying anything mean. Just how cute you were."

A little unable to believe it Shane was finding himself liking this girl. He'd never talked to any girl around his age this long before. Had mostly run from girls as fast as he could. But this girl seemed real nice.

"There you are." Shane turned to see Seth coming down the aisle. He stopped beside him and looked over at the girl. "Natalie are you trying to convert again." He said putting his hands on his hips like he was pissed but Shane could tell he was just joking.

Natalie laughed. "I was just checking. I won't try and convert." she reached out her hand and Shane shook it. "Maybe we could at least be friends."

Shane smiled and nodded. "That sounds nice."

She nodded to him then to Seth then turned around and walked off. "She seems nice." He said turning to Seth.

"Oh yeah she's real nice. One of the few girls I can tolerate at this school." Grabbing his hand Seth led him over to one of the tables. "Can I please kick Derek's ass." He said holding his hands up in a praying position.

Shane laughed. "No, I'm sorry Seth I just wouldn't feel right about it. It would make me as bad as he is."

"No it wouldn't you aren't pretending to love him. You would just be defending your honor."

Putting his hand over Seth's in the middle of the table Shane shook his head. "No you'd be defending my honor. Don't get me wrong I really appreciate the offer, but he hasn't done anything to me. He seems like he's sorry. I'm not gonna start trouble all over again."

"You tell Sam about this?"

Shane's eyes widened in shock. "You mean you didn't call him right up and tell him?"

Seth shook his head. "I got grounded from long distance calls. I was up about 200 bucks last month my dad was pissed."

"I told him. I told him what I told you. He seemed okay with it. Said it was my decision. He's as unhappy as you are at the situation but he knows it's my situation and will go along with what I say." He pointed over at Seth jabbing him in the forehead. "And if you call and sway him I'll kick your ass."

Seth grinned and rubbed his forehead. "Alright I'll be good. But I swear if that fuck puts one finger on you it's all over."

Shane nodded. "That sounds fair."

In the locker room before gym Kenny grabbed his gym clothes and took off again to the bathroom stalls. Shane felt sorry for him that he had to do that cause he knew he did cause he didn't want anyone seeing his scars. He was facing his own locker when Derek's voice spoke up.

"Is that Seth guy your boyfriend?"

Shane shook his head and slipped on his shirt. He threw his other one in the locker and turned around. "Why does it matter to you?"

Derek shrugged. "I just want you to be happy Shane. I think that guy would take good care of you."

"I don't need any taking care of." he snapped pulling roughly at the bottom of his shirt.

"Do you have a boyfriend?"

Giving him a dirty look Shane asked. "Why does it matter?"

"I just want to know."

"Even if I didn't I would never go out with you again."

"I know that Shane." He knew it but desperately wished it didn't have to be that way. He loved Shane every bit as much as he had when they were going out and didn't think that love would ever stop. "Is that little guy your boyfriend?"

"My boyfriend doesn't go to this school. You probably know him though. He went to Prescott last year." He wasn't sure why he was giving out this information. Figured maybe it was just cause he was real proud of his boyfriend and wanted Derek to know just for that reason.

"Who?"

"Sam Mcneil."

Derek nodded looking like he approved, not that Shane gave a shit, but also impressed which Shane really liked. "He good to you?"

"Hell of a lot better then you were."

Derek nodded again and lowered his eyes to the floor. "My dad said he talked to you right after it happened. He said you didn't look good at all."

"Did you expect me to look good?" Shane shot out angrily. "I couldn't move for a fucking week Derek. I couldn't see I couldn't sit up. And you left me there to fend for myself." Tears burned at Shane's eyes and he refused to let them fall. "I don't know if I'd have made it if Don hadn't come along. I was scared to death."

Tears were coursing down Derek's cheek as he shook his head and apologized repeatedly.

"I don't know why you expect me to keep talking to you. To act like I like you when I don't. If you were me would you forgive you?"

Derek shook his head again.

"I don't give a shit if you sit with Pete at lunch. I don't give a shit if you come to parties I'm at. But I don't want you talking to me." He could not believe how bold he was being. Could not believe how much Derek was crying he did not care though he'd cried a hell of a lot harder the night he was attacked and the days following it. Derek in his opinion deserved to feel as bad as he was feeling now. Kenny walked back into the aisle he looked at Derek then at Shane. He jammed his clothes in his locker took Shane's hand and hauled him away from Derek.

"Why don't he just leave you alone?" He asked angrily as they walked into the gym.

"I don't know, don't worry about it though. I'm quite certain he's not intending on hurting me."