Tommy and Tanner, Chapter 76
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," "Seth's Gift" (October 10, 2010) under the Science Fiction/Fantasy category, and "A Technological Christmas" (December 23, 2011) under "Beginnings."
I am 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.
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.
Finally, David has a new site that is hosting a number of authors. It's at: www.saberpeak.com. My first story, "Always and Forever," is posted there.
David (dlee169@hotmail.com)
Tommy and Tanner, Chapter 76
Given all the hard work the boys had done over the summer, returning to school would practically seem like a vacation. The seniors, including Tommy, Tanner, Andy, Devin, Michael, and Lance, were eager to get their final year of high school underway.
Track and football practices began even before the term started in late August. Michael was thankful for track practice because it gave him an outlet for his excess energy and helped keep his mind off of not being able to play football. Of course, he often watched his lover scrimmage on the field. He had to be there for Lance who was their main quarterback this fall despite its being a painful reminder that he couldn't participate. Tark let him hang around in the locker room when the team showered because he understood that Michael was protective of Lance and wanted to be there in case anyone harassed him. Michael hadn't forgotten what Bart and his group of thugs had tried to do to him last season.
For the most part, none of the bully types messed with either one of them. They were big enough to handle themselves in a bad situation and they'd taken enough martial arts classes to feel confident.
Occasionally, someone like Barry or his sidekick, Larry, would make some aside about how close Lance and Michael were, but no one paid too much attention to them. The rumor that Barry and Larry had been caught naked together in a hotel room in the spring hadn't died down.
September moved along quickly because of activities and new, challenging classes. Coupled with warm days and cool nights, the beginning of autumn felt idyllic – like Camelot. However, that mood was soon to be shattered.
On a Friday morning in early October, students in the cafeteria at Coolidge High thought that they were about to witness a shooting like the one in Chardon, Ohio about seven months earlier. Thin, scruffy-looking junior, Quentin Hames, walked up to the table where Barry Boswell and some of his friends were sitting, and pulled a revolver from his backpack. He pointed it at Barry.
"Now that I have your attention, I'm going to say one more time, STOP HARRASSING ME, ASSHOLE!"
He'd barely gotten the words out of his mouth when a hard kick delivered by Tuck Torrance sent the gun crashing to the floor. Several other boys were on their way to the table, as was Dr. Moore, but most of the students were either frozen with fear or had dived under a table.
Barry picked up the gun and pointed it at Quentin. "You're dead meat," he yelled.
"Go ahead and pull the trigger; I don't care."
"Give me the gun, Barry," Dr. Moore said quietly.
He looked at her for a moment with a defiant gaze, but she stared him down and he handed it over.
"Has anyone called 911?" she asked as she checked the cylinder to find that it was unloaded, a fact that she kept to herself.
"I did," Andy responded. "Some officers are on their way. Shall I tell them it's not a major emergency anymore?"
"Yes, please tell them we have it under control as far as we can tell. Of course they'll want to search the building.
I want you all to take a seat and calm down," she said, projecting her voice above the din. "I'm going to ask the cooks to put out more rolls, milk, and juice. We will be on lockdown mode until the police have cleared the building. I expect you to remain as quiet as you can and I'll ask you to refrain from calling or texting. No one has been hurt and I don't want mass hysteria all over town."
Of course her plea not to use their mobiles fell on deaf ears for the most part.
Officers Banes and Quinn were the first on the scene.
"Who's the perp?" Banes demanded.
"Dr. Moore placed her hands of the shoulders of Quentin who was sitting in front of her at the table and whose body was wracked with sobs.
"Get up!" Banes yelled.
Quentin stood for a moment before Banes shoved him face down on the table and snapped handcuffs on the boy. Officer Quinn cringed.
"I'm taking him downtown and getting the truth out of him," Banes swaggered.
"Is it necessary to be so rough with him?" Dr. Moore asked.
"Of course! He's a dangerous criminal."
"I think you could show a little kindness. There may be extenuating circumstances. He's never been a troublemaker."
"I don't care what you think, lady. It's you bleeding-heart liberals who are sending America down the drain."
Barry smirked. This policeman was his kind of man.
"I will accompany him to the station, then," Dr. Moore said with a humorless smile. "I want to make sure he doesn't end up injured in an attempt to escape."
"That's highly unusual. Are you implying that we'd rough him up on the way?"
"No, I don't think Officer Quinn would... Aren't you forgetting something?"
"What!"
"He needs to be Mirandized, if I'm not mistaken."
"Okay, okay, you don't need to tell me my job. You have the right to remain silent..."
"Do you understand all that, Quentin?" She asked when Banes had finished.
He shrugged his shoulders.
"It means you shouldn't answer any questions without an attorney present. That's your constitutional right! Now, how do I contact your parents?"
He shrugged again.
"Dad disappeared two years ago and Mom is probably home drunk. I wish Tuck hadn't kicked the gun out of my hand; then the officer could have shot me. I'd be better off dead."
"Okay, that cinches it. Mr. Barton, would you assume my administrative duties while I go to the station? My phone will be on if you need me."
"Of course, Dr. Moore."
"Thanks. Could you ask my secretary to play the "Evocation of the Spirit" CD over the intercom system? I think some soothing music might calm a lot of nerves. Please have her announce that though we're in lock-down mode, no one has been hurt and there's no reason to panic."
"Sure thing. May I send Andy down to the main office to do it because I'm not sure I'll be able to get though to them on the phone or walkie-talkie? The staff is probably overwhelmed answering phones, despite your plea for students not to use their cells."
"Yes, that's a good idea. Obviously you can't leave because you're needed here at the moment and they know Andy is trustworthy."
There was a lot of texting going on, but some was within the building. Andy was guilty of not adhering to Dr. Moore's request, but he did it only to let his father and Tark know that everyone was okay. Tark, in turn, texted the boys and Teri letting them know he'd received the message.
At the station, Susan stayed with Quentin until a court-appointed lawyer came to advise him. When she was satisfied that he'd be humanely treated, she planned to hurry back to school. However, the chief of police asked her to accompany him to the impromptu press conference he was about to have on the front steps of the station.
"The media are on this like flies on you know what!" he exclaimed. "I'd like you to give them assurances that all is well, but pleased don't give any more details than absolutely necessary. You can tell them that I won't allow you to. I don't mind taking the heat from that group. It's actually kind of a game with me."
"I'll do my best. If I can handle high school students, I think I'll be able to handle this bunch as well," she laughed.
Dr. Moore gave a brief statement that a boy who had been bullied confronted a student in the cafeteria during breakfast and that the incident had lasted a very few minutes. No one was hurt and school should resume its normal schedule on Monday.
"Can you describe the gun that was used?" on reporter asked.
"I have been asked to give no further information because this is an ongoing investigation."
"Could you give us the name of the shooter and tell us something about him? Rumor has it that he's a big aggressive boy with a police record," another newswoman said.
"First, there was NO shooting! Second, you are surely professional enough not to believe rumors. And finally, I will not name any names."
"I received a tweet from my niece that a sophomore boy named Tucker Tanner is a hero for disarming the student," a man from WGN TV stated. "Can you confirm that?"
"To repeat myself one more time, I have been asked not to disclose any details about this morning's incident. Please respect that. I have nothing more to say."
Susan ducked back inside the station to call for a cab, but was interrupted by Chris Roberts.
"I'm going on lunch break," he told her. "I'll be happy to take you back to school. In fact, it would be a good excuse to check on my sons even if it means eating on the run."
"Oh that's right; Tyler's in high school this year too. He's so quiet, like his brother used to be, that I haven't really gotten to know him. Andy has blossomed into a campus leader, so I certainly know him."
"Is he being overbearing?"
"Not at all! He's an example of the kind of kid who makes me love my job even on a day like this. Was I out of line to insist on coming to the station with Quentin?"
"No. Had I realized they were sending Banes to handle the situation, I'd have made sure they let me go too."
While some parents had insisted on taking their children out of school for the rest of the day, many students had stayed to talk in small groups with councilors and other teachers and coaches. The regular class schedule had been suspended after Associate Principal Barton had conferred with Dr. Moore on her cell phone.
Dr. Moore had Andy and Tyler paged to come to the cafeteria to eat with their dad. Devin and several buds came along too, including Tommy, Tanner, and Tuck. They appreciated being with Chris in a time of stress. Tark and Teri had been assigned to other rooms to help counsel students, and he was like a second dad.
Their conversation around the table centered on the incident of course and Tuck's role in disarming Quentin. His brothers praised his quick thinking, but told him he needed to be careful not to get killed being a hero.
"I'm not a hero," Tuck insisted. "I only did what I had to. It was for my safety as well as anyone else's. He could have had a gun that worked and he could have shot me if I'd waited. I had to seize the moment, as Dad would say."
In they all agreed that Tuck had made a rational choice and they told him how proud they were.
Tuck had hoped that he could remain out of the spotlight, but he didn't count on how resourceful members of the media can be. He was heading for the car with his brothers when someone with a microphone and camera got right in his face.
"I'm Cory Bates from NBC. I'd like to interview you about what you did this morning. You'll be on TV all over the country. This will be a great scoop for me, and you'll be famous!"
"I don't want to be interviewed, thank you." Tuck replied.
Despite his wishes, Tuck realized the man wasn't taking no for an answer. The camera light came on and the reporter began to speak into the microphone.
"Chris, I'm live here at the school with the boy who saved the day this morning by his quick action. I understand he used a martial arts maneuver to disarm the crazed student who threatened the students in the cafeteria. His name is Tucker Torrance.
Master Torrance, please tell us how you managed to do this. Were you frightened at all?"
"Master Bates, I told you that I do not wish to go on TV. Please leave me alone!"
The reporter turned red in the face at Tuck's response. He wasn't used to being turned down when he flattered a teenager with the promise of national fame.
"Look, kid, this is important. You have to cooperate."
"Perhaps you didn't understand my brother," Tommy said loudly. "He doesn't want to talk to you and you have no right to harass him. It's kind of stupid of you to do it on live TV! If he wants to take you to court, I'm sure there are thousands of witnesses out there unless they've cut us off by now."
As Tommy suspected, the attempted interview had been discontinued, but not before the reporter had pressured Tuck in front of a lot of viewers. Needless to say, Tuck had no interest in suing the man. He simply wanted to be left alone. Suddenly he had empathy for Justin Bieber and other young people who were constantly pursued by the paparazzi.
On the way home, Tuck called Tim to hear his voice mostly. They had texted several times, so Tim knew everyone was okay. Tim offered to come home immediately, but Tuck said it wasn't necessary. They could Skype after dinner and that would be sufficient. He knew Tim had an important paper to write over the weekend.
"Hey little Bro, Chas says he just saw you take care of an overbearing reporter. Way to go! I already know you're a hero and the rest of the country now does too. I don't blame you for wanting to keep a low profile. It makes you even greater in my eyes."
"Thanks, Tim!" Tuck exclaimed. "I didn't start out trying to be rude, but the bugger wouldn't leave me alone!"
The weekend break helped calm nerves and get the students back on an even keel. All formal sports activities had been called off and homework assignments postponed allowing the kids to simply kick back and relax.
Many of the usual crowd of high schoolers were out at the acreage to enjoy a fall frolic in the pleasant weather that followed a very hot summer. The days were comfortably warm and the nights on the chilly side. That didn't deter them from hanging out bare-ass as much as possible.
Jared was pleased to have the company of the older guys as well as a few younger ones. Since Peter and Lee had been living out there for days at a time, it wasn't an unusual experience to run free, but it was more fun with a bunch of guys, especially since his dads were going to stay in town to let the boys be on their own.
The list included Tommy, Tanner, Andy, Devin, Michael, Lance, Damon, Jake, Tucker, Tyler, and Bobby, of course. Tuck was very pleased to be out of town in an undisclosed location where he could avoid another reporter. It had taken a bit of strategy to get away without being followed. He had gone to the mall with Tark and then slipped quickly out a side door where his brothers were waiting in order to throw the media off his scent.
Tyler was also particularly happy to be at the acreage with his older brother, Andy. It made him feel grown up to hang with seniors even if most of them weren't straight like he was. They were all part of a respected group at school.
Although he was a bit shy by nature, being with Tuck, Damon, and Jake skinny dipping in broad daylight brought him out of his shell considerably. He began to splash and dunk with the best of them. He even participated in a game of chicken fight, sitting naked on Tuck's shoulders.
At one point on Saturday afternoon, Jake asked him if he wanted to be in a straight-boy circle jerk with Damon, Tuck, and him. He blushed deeply, but tagged along when the others headed for a spot surrounded by trees in the back part of the property.
When it came time to return to Middleton on Sunday afternoon, all of the guys felt like they'd had a vacation. There was no sign of any reporters because there'd been a shooting at Woodfield Mall on Saturday night. All of the news hounds were tripping over each other for any gory details that might be available. The incident at Coolidge High School was already forgotten as yesterday's news.
Unfortunately, not everyone had had a relaxing weekend. School administrators and teachers used the time to prepare for the coming week. Custodians had been busy getting the gym ready with extra chairs and the portable dais that was used when the whole student body was being addressed at once.
On Monday morning, Dr. Moore announced on the intercom that an assembly in the big gym would be the first order of the day. Students began to saunter in that direction soon after they entered the school. By the time the tardy bell sounded, the place was pretty well packed. When she saw that most of the student body was present, she called for quiet and began her talk.
"DAMN IT! I thought we'd already rid this school of bullying after last fall's incident that landed four former students in the hospital."
"Ooh, she swore," Barry said loudly enough for her to hear him since he was sitting in one of the rows of folding chairs that had been brought in to provide more seating in front of the bleachers.
For a split second, she thought it might be best to ignore him, but quickly changed her mind.
"Mr. Boswell, please bring your chair and join me up here on the platform."
"What if I don't want to?"
"Are you challenging my authority?" she asked, assuming a stance that several of the boys thought looked like a military one.
"Okay," he replied, giving in to the inevitable.
"Wuss," Larry Pratt called from the bleachers.
"Mr. Pratt, please grab an empty chair and join us."
Larry didn't say anything back to her, but looked daggers as he did what she asked.
"Bitch," he muttered under his breath.
"Did you have something else to say," she asked sweetly.
"Uh, no ma'am."
"Okay I want you to turn your chairs to face me. I don't want you to be distracted and miss anything I have to say.
As I said earlier, I am very disappointed that bullying is still going on. Instead of being eradicated, it seems to have merely gone underground. I'm not excusing the poor choice that Quentin made Friday, but I have to believe some of you are guilty of helping make it happen.
Yes, he named a few names and I've checked with other students who have some knowledge of what's been going on. If you were aware of harassment and didn't do anything to help stop it, you are responsible too. Why didn't you either step in or report the incidents? Have all of our anti-bullying seminars been in vain?
Anyone who has actively harassed Quentin is being given fair warning. I know who you are and I will pursue this to the point of having you suspended or even expelled if you don't change your ways. If you want to avoid stiff penalties, I suggest you sign up for the student council's project to change the culture of the elementary and the middle schools. Ava Carson has consented to set up signup sheets in the hall by the cafeteria. Student council members will be there through all lunch shifts for the rest of the week.
Please don't look on this as a form of punishment. It is a teaching tool for all of us. And there's a bonus in doing it because it will look good on your bios when you apply to college. Think about it.
Now I want to leave you with another thought that is prevalent in many philosophies and religions. You may know it as the "Golden Rule," but I'm going to paraphrase it lest some militant atheist accuse me of teaching Christianity. `Treat others in the same manner that you'd like to be treated.' Don't demean and debase others just because you can. That kind of behavior is what people with low self-esteem practice. They try to feel better about themselves by making others feel worse. In the end, it doesn't work. You can't feel good about yourself if you don't love yourself. And you can't love yourself if there is hatred in your heart.
Please go to your first hour classes. We will be on the `late-start' schedule."
"Would you two remain a few minutes," she requested after turning off her mike. "Do you think I'm being too hard on you?"
Both boys shrugged and neither looked at her.
"I'll admit I was exasperated with your behavior at the beginning of the assembly and I wanted to take you down a peg or two, but that doesn't mean I dislike you. You both have a lot of potential. Just lose the chip, please. You may go."
"I'm shocked that you swore in front of the whole student body!" Lisa Gordon exclaimed as she caught up with Dr. Moore in the hall.
"I suppose you'll complain to you mother and she'll call the school board, but frankly my dear, I don't give a, uh, whatever Rhett Butler said!"
"No, I'm not going to do that. You quoted scripture later, so you've redeemed yourself in my eyes."
"Thank you for granting me absolution," Susan said with a trace of sarcasm that was lost on the girl.
"Yes, I believe that Jesus is working in your heart!"
Susan continued toward her office with a parody on a litany running in her head, "From ghosties and ghoulies and long leggedy beasties, and smug, self-righteous prigs, Good Lord deliver me!"
Dr. Moore was somewhat surprised at the number of students who signed up for the anti-bullying project. No doubt some had guilty consciences, but many who were genuinely great kids decided to get involved.
She was really taken aback that both Barry and Larry had followed through. Perhaps she'd done the right thing by calling them on the carpet in front of the whole school about their rude behavior. She knew that Barry was one of Quentin's tormentors and wondered if he was having a change of heart or was merely trying to avoid the punishment which she was fully capable of meting out. Whatever his motive for participating, Barry seemed to be taking steps to atone for his actions. He was salvageable, in her estimation at least. Probably Larry was too.
Author's notes: Sorry, I didn't see the message on the web about the Aurora Colorado shootings until after I'd sent the last chapter for posting. Those of you who are on the list to receive notice of the new chapters got my message at least. Please continue to keep the victims and their families in your thoughts and prayers.
Thanks to all who emailed last week: Walt S, Walter Sz, Rutabaga, Jim C, Bill T, Jim W, Tom A, Roger L, Vern U, Wayne, Ott H, Eric S, Bob, Paul F, and Paul R.
As you know, you're responses are greatly appreciated!
David