Tommy and Tanner, Chapter 3
Warning:
This story contains scenes of love and sexual interaction between males of similar age. If the reading or possessing this material is illegal in your country, state, province, county, municipality, etc., please leave this site immediately and do not proceed further. If you are under the legal age to read this, please do not do so. It is not my intention to offend anyone or to get you in trouble.
The author retains the copyright, and any other rights, to this original story. You may not publish it or any part of it without explicit authorization from me.
This is not my first attempt at writing fiction. My longer stories on Nifty include: "Always and Forever" (March 25, 2004), "Jacob and Jacques" (May 30, 2004), "Zeke" (August 29, 2005), "Tales from Bentonville" (November 16, 2008), and "Second Chance" (September 24, 2010) under "High School" and "Someone to Watch over Me" under "Beginnings" in the gay male section. There are a few short stories also: "Brad and Alan's Canoe Trip" (April 22, 2004 under "Camping", "Of Angels and Dragons" (November 8, 2008) under "Camping", "A Christmas Tale" (December 22, 2009) under "High School", "Brazil Affair" (October 1, 2010) under "Beginnings" and "Seth's Gift" (October 10, 2010) under the Science Fiction/Fantasy category.
I am now listed on Nifty under the category of "Prolific Net Authors" which will make it easier for you to access earlier stories. Some of these stories are also posted at: www.storylover.us along with those of other writers that may interest you.
My only reward for contributing to Nifty is your emails. Please write if you like the story. Please include the name of the story in the title of your email because my email service sometimes puts them in the "spam" file.
Finally, thanks and hugs to Tom and David (boxerdude) who edit for me so that there are fewer mistakes! They not only proof-read, but make other valuable suggestions.
David (dlee169@hotmail.com)
Tommy and Tanner 3
John started 9th grade in the fall as "Tanner Torrance." It wasn't as though his classmates from middle school didn't know about the circumstances of his father's death, but it still made him feel better going to school with a new name. In time, he would move on to places where most people didn't know about his dad, and the ones who did might forget some of the details by then.
On official records, it was John Tanner Torrance, but everywhere else he was called by his middle name. So from that point on, the boys were known as Tommy and Tanner. Since three middle schools fed into the high school, there were many new acquaintances who called Tanner by his new name. It wasn't long before John's old classmates had adapted to the change too. (Terrance had always been "Tommy" to them anyway.)
Going to high school for the first time is a scary transition for lots of kids. Being the lowest in the pecking order after being the high and mighty eighth-graders is a bit of a comedown. But it helps if you appear to be more grown up. It is also an advantage to have an older brother or sister in high school to tell you how to act cool, which kids to avoid, and how to get along with various teachers. Tommy and Tanner had these advantages because of Tim.
Tark was a well-liked teacher so that helped the boys not to get picked on by the older kids. Some of them actually tried to befriend the two ninth-graders hoping to gain points with their social studies teacher and coach. But Tark was not the kind who would let someone off easy for being nice to his kids. In fact, he had the reputation of being a tough teacher; tough but fair. All, but a few jerks, had respect for him.
Tanner and Tommy both celebrated their 14th birthdays shortly after school began – Tanner on the 8th of September and Tommy on the 12th. As they'd often done when Tanner's mother was alive, they celebrated together with one cake between them. Ralph had stopped the tradition after she died. Tanner wasn't sure why his father had done that, but was happy to have the custom revived again even though some people would consider them too old to celebrate in the manner they had as little boys. They might be in high school, but they really didn't feel that grown up at times.
High school brought with it more expectations to date. Probably most of the ninth-grade boys were a bit intimidated by the whole ritual. Sure, there were a few who thought of themselves as Casanovas and were eager to lose their virginity, but many of them were still little boys in lots of ways despite their sprouting pubes and changing voices.
Tommy and Tanner were both inexperienced and rather shy where the opposite sex was concerned. The prospect of actually asking a girl out made the palms of their hands sweat and gave them butterflies in their stomachs. But homecoming would be happening in October, and a number of their friends would be escorting girls to the big dance. The Torrance boys would have to come up with dates if they didn't want to look like dorks in the eyes of their peers. Or at least that was what they thought.
One possible source for dates was church. Tanner had never balked at the idea of going to church with his new family. He had always gone when his mother was alive and had attended sometimes with Tommy's family after her death. His father had not darkened the door of any religious institution following his wife's demise. It was as if he blamed God for taking her before her time. But, at least he didn't prevent Tanner from going if he wanted to.
The church community provided the boys with a number of prospective girls to ask to homecoming. There were some sweet ones who wouldn't expect a boy to make out with them or get too serious at too young an age. That was just fine! They didn't want to get pressured into going steady for some time to come.
The more mature members of the freshman class loved the format of high school. They liked changing teachers each period and having more freedom. There was more homework, but classes were also more interesting and challenging.
Kids like Tommy and Tanner who had each other to study with were among the lucky ones. It wasn't that they gave each other all the answers, but they did discuss what they were reading. They always used their own words in filling out the study sheets so they wouldn't be suspected of copying, but their thoughts were similar. Like most people, they had their own strong points and idiosyncrasies. These tended to complement each other. It made them both appear to be smarter than they probably would have by themselves.
The two boys went out for cross-country track in the fall. Neither was a star runner, but both benefited from the exercise and from the weight training that went along with it. Being part of a team didn't hurt either. It helped them make friends and feel more at home in their new environment. One kid that they hit it off with immediately was Andy Roberts. He was about their size and a bit on the shy side.
The guy who coached track, Mark Lewis, was the same one who coached boys' swimming. He was happy to have the kids keeping in shape so they would have more stamina for that sport in the winter.
Tim got his promised vehicle in September, about a month after his birthday, but well ahead of homecoming. It wasn't a new one and it wasn't every boy's dream car. It had belonged to an older lady, Ms Dorothy Cranston, from church. She couldn't get her license renewed because of her eyesight, so when she got wind that Tim needed a car; she sold hers to Tark for a price below market value. She wanted to help them out for taking in the good kid who was now their new son. After all, she was the last living remnant of her once large family and she had no one to leave anything to. Tark was grateful for her generosity and told her so.
Tim was as pleased with the burgundy Buick Regal sedan as if it had been a Porsche. It was very well maintained and had low mileage. Teri claimed it would probably outlast her newer car.
As soon as he got it, Tim wanted to wash it and apply a new coat of wax to protect its finish. Tommy and Tanner helped. Naturally the boys messed around with the hose and all three got soaked to the skin in the process. Luckily the day was a hot one and the boys were attired only in cutoffs and flip-flops. Despite the way the boys looked, the car could have been put on display in a showroom when they finished.
Tim had lined up a date for the homecoming dance well in advance. There was no shortage of girls who would jump at the chance to date him. He was working on Chas to ask someone too so they could double. Luckily, Tim's date had a best friend who didn't think Chas was too big of a dork to be seen with, so he got fixed up with a date as well.
The younger boys eventually got up the nerve to ask a couple of girls from church who were also ninth graders. They had discussed their prospective dates many times in the privacy of their shared room before dropping off to sleep. Both were warming to the idea of holding hands with a girl and possibly getting a goodnight kiss. These thoughts were fueled by talk among their peers in the locker room after gym classes.
When the big night arrived, Tark chauffeured Tommy and Tanner in the family minivan to pick up their dates. It wasn't exactly a cool ride, but at least the boys would be able to sit with the girls instead of having to be split up as they would have to in Teri's car.
Ava Carson looked very cute in the dress her mother had purchased for her first "real" date. She was as nervous as Tommy was, and blushed every few minutes in the beginning.
Her best friend, Sibyl Wharton was not bashful, but equally pretty. She was very pleased to be going to homecoming with Tanner. He was her idea of a perfect boyfriend. She was going to do her best to make sure he asked her out again. In this community there was an unwritten rule that a girl could ask her homecoming date out to a movie or something within a couple of weeks after their date. She was going to honor the tradition.
The dance turned out to be more fun than the boys had imagined it would be. Ava and Sibyl were good dancers, but didn't make the boys feel awkward when they made a misstep. Although Teri had given them several lessons, Tommy and Tanner felt uncomfortable in the beginning. However, before the night was over, they were relaxed and actually looked pretty good on the dance floor.
Tark was one of the faculty sponsors so he got to watch from the sidelines. It made him proud, but nostalgic, that his ninth-grade boys were becoming young men. Ah well, he still had Tucker to be his little boy for another year or so...
On the way home, Tanner and Sibyl were seated in the very back seat holding hands in the dark. Tommy was afraid to because it would be obvious since he and Ava were sitting in separate seats in the middle row.
Sibyl was dropped off first and Tanner dutifully walked her to her front door. The porch light wasn't on, but Tommy could see that Sibyl lifted her face expectantly for a kiss. Tanner didn't let her down.
When it was Tommy's turn to escort his date to her door, the front light seemed as bright as a lighthouse beacon. He was dreading having his father see him kiss a girl, but he gave Ava a quick, dry peck on her cheek before saying goodnight. Both of them giggled and turned bright crimson.
"So, did you get a woody kissing her?" Tanner teased Tommy after they were alone in their room.
"No, I was too scared, I guess. How about you?"
"Nah, I guess I was nervous too."
Tim came home over an hour later than the younger boys. He and Chas had taken their dates out for pizza and had spent a bit longer saying their goodbyes. Tim had glanced in the mirror when he heard moaning in the back seat. Chas had evidently learned a few things from the movies he loved to watch because he was kissing his date like a "romantic lead". Tim suddenly developed a new respect for his "nerdy" friend. He'd have to get some pointers and possibly borrow a chick-flick video or two.
The fall term moved along at a rather rapid rate. Football games and track meets helped to quicken the pace. The teams didn't have outstanding records, but had more wins than losses. The coaching staff at Coolidge High was pleased with their teams' efforts. They had a rare attitude in that they valued fair competition and sportsmanship above the concept of winning at all costs. They would rather keep an injured player on the bench than risk a kid's having long-term health problems. As a result, the student athletes had a lot of fun and didn't end up broken-hearted when they lost a game, though a few of the parents did.
Halloween parties followed closely on the heels of homecoming activities. There was a big one jointly sponsored by three of the larger churches. The incentive for it was to give high school students something fun to do and at the same time keep them out of trouble. An added benefit was that it would be a large enough affair to attract socially active students and make church events more acceptable for "cool" kids to attend.
Ava and Sibyl invited Tommy and Tanner to go with them. It was a convenient excuse for a "payback" date. The boys accepted graciously, but were a bit concerned that the girls might be getting attached too quickly. Going steady wasn't on their agendas at this point.
Ava's mother drove the kids to the party in her SUV. The seating arrangement made it easier to hold hands in secret, but having Ava's mother there in the same vehicle made Tommy more reticent to do anything more than he had been when his dad was driving. Tommy wasn't sure how Ava felt, but she wasn't making any attempt to come in contact with his hand as it lay on the seat next to hers.
Sibyl had no problem. She reached for Tanner's hand as soon as they got underway and let both of their hands rest on his leg very near to the bulge in his pants. That made him wonder just how serious she was going to get. It was at the same time exciting and scary.
The party, itself, was a lot of fun. There were games, plenty of food, and a bit of dancing. The kids all enjoyed the time socializing in a wholesome atmosphere.
On the way home from the party, Sibyl actually rested her hand on Tanner's package, which tended to grow bigger from the contact. No hand but his own had ever touched him there. It was exciting,
Every fall, all of the ninth graders got the annual sex lecture during one of their language arts periods. It was a time of embarrassment for many of them, but it was also a time of learning more about the hormonal changes their bodies were going through. In addition, it gave them valuable information about how to avoid sexually transmitted diseases.
Tommy and Tanner listened carefully, but felt they hadn't learned much they didn't already know.
Tark had "the talk" with Tommy and Tanner the day after the annual sex lecture at school. He spent a while with them in their room showing them, with a banana, the proper way to put on a condom. The boys were so curious to learn about it that they didn't seem overly embarrassed. Tommy had always been able to talk about anything with his father and Tanner went along with it easily too. They both thought Tark's demonstration was more to the point about the practical things they needed to know than the discussion at school had been.
"I don't want you to take this as being a license to screw," Tark had said after giving them a box of a dozen condoms. "But, I feel it's better to be safe than sorry. You can hide these above one of the ceiling tiles in the basement bathroom if you like. Please let me know if and when you need more. I won't ask questions or judge you."
In November, Tanner began sleeping alone in the top bunk instead of sharing Tommy's bed. There was no discussion about it; he simply chose to do it one night and kept on. Tommy felt hurt, but didn't mention it because he thought it might sound "gay" if he said he wanted to continue sleeping together. However, he missed the physical contact.
Thanksgiving week was vacation for the students and teachers. It was a welcome break from the fast pace of the fall term. Teri's parents came for the big dinner, but Tark's parents declined because they had reservations for a cruise in the Bahamas.
Floyd and Jeri arrived bearing lots of food. Jeri was retired and had time for baking goodies. She knew her daughter did not have that leisure and she should not have to prepare for company along with keeping up the house and looking after her husband and four boys. Jeri had been a working mom and knew the stress.
Tanner was sincerely pleased to see his new grandparents again. He got the same hugs from them as his brothers did and each of the boys was treated to a bag of goodies which included a $20 bill to spend any way they wanted. Tommy and Tanner figured they might use the money see a movie.
Tucker got additional presents in honor of his 13th birthday which fell on Thanksgiving Day that year. He sometimes hated having it so close to Christmas, but he enjoyed the idea of becoming a teenager!
Author's notes: Thanks to all who emailed since last posting: Bob (Z), Jim C, Rutabaga, JT, Bill T, Lawrence and Douglas, Matt F, Randal, Danny A, Paul R, Ferd B, Walt S, Bill K, Jim W, Gary McC, Tom A, Jamie E, Trish R, John McD, Edward L, Don R, and Geoff T (Always and Forever).
If your name doesn't appear, it's quite possible that I sent the chapter in before you responded. If so, I'll try to get you on the next one.
Two of your fellow readers have just posted stories of their own. John has "Justin and Alan" in the celebrity category and Trish has "A Voice from the Past" in the beginnings category.
I also discovered a story by Etienne in beginnings called "Damaged Goods" which looks like a good romantic one. He has three chapters posted on Nifty, but there's a new one on his own site.
Perhaps you've heard that the conservatives who have a majority in the Iowa House are trying to make same-sex unions of any kind illegal in Iowa. The Democratic majority in the Senate is likely to thwart those plans. However, it's scary! Letters to the editor in our local paper have been running heavily to the side of "give us a break and work on the important things because the majority of Iowans know that same-sex marriage isn't doing anything bad." Perhaps there's hope!
David