My Theory of Justice By: Edwin E.
Disclaimer: This story deals with male/male relationships in high school; don't read if you're not supposed to. This story is complete fiction: the people, places, situations, email addresses, etc, mentioned below never existed. This is copyrighted to me.
Quick note: Though this story is chronological, it's not entirely linear. But I'm sure that won't be a problem for y'all, right? :-)
Part IV: (re)acquaintance
"I'm surprised you don't wanna go to the game," Tanya said as she helped Adrian pack.
"It's not a matter of not wanting to," he answered. "I signed up for this Leadership Conference weeks ago. How was I to know I'd actually have a vested interest in this game?"
"You could skip it. Aren't you the one that hates to miss school, anyway?" She teased.
"I can't just ditch this thing - I'd look bad," he smiled. They both knew Adrian's reputation among the teachers and administrators of Cassidy Prep, was spot-free. He didn't mind if half the school hated him so long as the adults - those in power - adored him.
"What time do you leave?"
"We're gonna meet here before heading off to school. I think we're supposed to leave by 10:00."
"Wait, wait, wait. 'We?' I thought you said you couldn't get anyone else to go to this stupid thing."
"Well, Miles is coming along," Adrian said.
Tanya chuckled slightly. "Well that makes sense. The poor guy's been following you around like a lost puppy for years."
"Apparently he's the only one not filled with school spirit that he's willing to miss the big game," Adrian said, ignoring Tanya's comment.
"Please!" She laughed. "I think he just wants to be filled by something else. So this'll be nice: a weekend getaway to the City."
"We're not dating," Adrian made sure to point out. "We're just friends with really excellent benefits."
"Yeah, well you should tell him that. It seems to me he might think it's more."
"He thinks what I tell him to think," Adrian responded with some annoyance. Tanya had been busting his balls the last year or so over his trysts with Miles, but the judgment still peeved him a bit.
She just smiled and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, whatever. Anyways, I should go. I don't wanna be here when you two... ahem, get together."
"Really? I know quite a few people who'd pay good money to watch," he said with a wink.
"Gross!" Tanya exclaimed with mock disgust. "By the way, when do you get back?"
"Sunday night."
"Okay. I'll see you Monday then," she said as she gave Adrian a quick peck on the cheek and made her way out of the house.
It couldn't have been more than ten minutes later when Adrian heard his name being called from downstairs. "I'm up here Miles!" Adrian yelled.
Miles was only a junior but still relatively popular amongst the senior crowd (owing entirely to his association with his "mentor"). When The Split occurred, he happily gave his allegiance to Adrian, who found Miles cute and a project capable of keeping his mind off the drama. Their friendship was clearly unequal, but only one of them knew it.
"Alright, I'm pretty much all packed; just need a couple more minutes," Adrian continued as he jammed a few more clothes into his bag.
"No rush," Miles responded as he leaned against the doorframe to Adrian's room.
"Okay, I'm done. Did you-" Adrian stopped short as he turned and faced Miles with an increasingly disapproving look apparent on his face.
"What?" Miles asked, a bit unsure.
"I thought I told you not to wear that crap," Adrian said, referring to Miles' clothing emblazoned with the Abercrombie & Fitch logo.
"You were serious?" Miles answered with an unsteady smile.
"When am I not? Clothes make the man, right? You don't want to be that kind of man."
"I think I look good," Miles rebutted as he entered Adrian's room and checked himself out in the mirror. "Besides, everyone wears this shit."
"Exactly," Adrian said as he stood behind Miles and firmly placed his hands on his shoulders. "Let the drones dress under the banner of mediocrity and conformity. You wanna be great? You wanna take my place on the council next year? Then you gotta be a nonconformist - have your own voice. Banality is weak. Remember: 'Imitation is suicide.'"
Miles turned around to face Adrian, some irritation evident in his face. "Well what would you suggest?"
"You need to get out of those clothes," Adrian stated matter-of-factly.
"You wanna help me with that?" Responded Miles.
Adrian could only smirk at the awkward delivery of such a tritely "seductive" line. Nevertheless, there was a certain charming cuteness to Miles' constant attempts at wooing or impressing.
Miles raised his arms as Adrian grabbed his shirt and lifted it over his head. For being thinner (and a bit shorter) than the athletically built men to whom Adrian was normally attracted, Miles did not lack in definition. Adrian took off his own shirt and forcefully brought Miles to him as they kissed - their skin sticking to one another. Adrian, being the hands-on man that he is, kneaded and caressed Miles' back and chest. And Miles, in reverence, did the same.
Miles panted and groaned as Adrian breathed on his neck while unfastening his trendy-looking belt. As Adrian lowered Miles' pants, he heard a crinkling sound coming from one of the pockets. He reached in; his lips still attached to his friend, and found a condom.
"Prepared, eh?" He said with a smile.
"I was hoping we'd need it sometime this weekend," Miles whispered as he got on his knees and began taking off Adrian's pants. Once they were both completely naked, Miles stood up and they went at it again while letting their dicks rub against one another.
Adrian, knowing full well that they were short on time, glanced at his clock on the wall. He forcefully spun Miles around. "Fuck the foreplay," he muttered as he bent Miles over the bed...
"Ah, Mr. Kitsem, I'm so glad you got my message," began Mr. Barry, one of the guidance counselors at Cassidy Prep. "Your records said you were moving into town just yesterday, so I wasn't sure you'd be able to come down on such short notice."
"I have to admit I'm a little confused sir," Jude stated hesitantly as he took a seat in front of Mr. Barry's desk. "I thought I wasn't supposed to start school until Monday. Is something wrong?"
"To be honest: yes," Mr. Barry answered. Upon seeing the worried look on Jude's face, he continued quickly. "But it's nothing we can't handle. It's just that the requirements for graduating from Cassidy are different than the requirements of your former school. I'm afraid to say that you're missing a few credits."
Jude remained silent for a second or two. "So what are my options?" He asked very professionally.
Mr. Barry smiled. Most students would have been terribly upset at hearing such news. Jude's demeanor impressed him. "The good news is that you've already completed courses at your old school that we usually give to seniors, like Economics and Civics. That, coupled with the fact that you've already taken and passed the AP Calculus Exam, frees up your schedule quite a bit for the credits you'll need to make up."
"So that's good, right?"
"Absolutely. Unfortunately, your senior year will not be as carefree as some of your peers. You'll have more work than them, but glancing at your grades and test scores, I'm sure you're up to the task."
"I don't mind a little hard work," Jude responded with a genial smile. "So what courses do I need to take?"
"According to your records, you have no credits in visual or performing arts. Cassidy requires one year of either, although two is highly recommended. My suggestion is that you enroll in the Drama class because you could get the credit you need plus it'll add an extracurricular activity to your college applications. Since you still need more elective credits, you can also take Yearbook, or a computer class, or music-"
"Music," Jude interrupted with eagerness. "I've taken private trumpet lessons for years. If there's a jazz band, I'd like to take that."
Mr. Barry looked through the master schedule to see if Jude's request could be accommodated. "Well, Jazz Band meets during the same period as your AP Co mp and Lit class..." He stopped a moment to think. "Okay, this is what we'll do. I'll talk to the English teacher, Ms. Banker, and the principal about doing your AP work with Ms. Banker during her free period. This way you can enroll in both courses."
"You sure it'll be alright, sir?" Jude asked.
"We've done it before with kids in similar situations as yourself. I'm sure they'll both sign off. Ms. Banker is the most dedicated teacher we have, so she's always willing to lend a helping hand. And the principal is the same way."
"Great. That all sounds great," Jude said, sounding relieved. "Is there anything else?"
"Are you interested in any other extracurricular activities besides drama and music?"
"Um, well, I used to tutor at my old school."
"That's wonderful! If you'd like to take part, we have an unofficial tutoring club."
"Unofficial?"
"Well, since tutors are paid for their services - it would be against school policy to make it an official club. So I just keep the names of kids who are interested in being tutors and match them whenever parents come looking for one. If you'd like to join, just write down your name, email address, and the subject you're most comfortable with and I'll contact you if I can place you with someone."
"Sure, that sounds pretty good," said Jude as he jotted down his information.
"Well Mr. Kitsem, I believe we're all set now," Mr. Barry said as he stood up and shook hands with Jude. "If you'll excuse me, I'm chaperoning a trip to a Leadership Conference and my students will be here any minute."
"Okay Mr. Barry. Thanks for all your help," Jude smiled. Mr. Barry nodded graciously as Jude opened the door to leave.
Jude was busy staring down at his new tentative schedule when he saw two boys come toward him rather briskly. He quickly adjusted his position so as not to be in the way of one, but in doing so, he accidentally bumped shoulders with the other.
"Sorry," the deep voice said as Jude instantly found his footing so as not to fall embarrassingly.
"My fault," Jude acknowledged as he looked up.
Their eyes met for only a second: Adrian's eerie green and Jude's simple brown. But there was not enough time for anything to register between either of them. Both boys would have kept walking if Destiny hadn't caused them to turn their heads after a few steps. They locked eyes again, only momentarily, and from a greater distance.
Have you ever looked into a stranger's eyes, even if only for an instant, and felt a sudden click - as if a lifetime of never having met could be replaced with an intense appearance of always having known each other? Have you ever had the chasm of indifference and isolation melt away? Have you ever felt at home in eyes you've never seen?
Well this was nothing like that. If Adrian felt anything from the brief eye contact, his face showed no hint. He had an expression of granite - the same material his chiseled jaw and cheeks seemed to be made out of. Jude also had no emotional response to speak of to this incredibly attractive young man he had just seen. There was no clear connection: no interest, no lust, and certainly no love (as some kids try to trick themselves into believing).
But there was something - in the back of his mind.
Jude couldn't explain it because he had never experienced something like that before. He had just looked upon a complete stranger, and had (what could only be described as) a memory of the future.
It was close to 5:00pm by the time Philip got home after having met with Brad after school. He had decided to give him one final pep talk - reminding him of the scouting reports of the other team and relaying last minute tips and suggestions. Brad listened with a nervous smile, constantly nodding his head. They talked some more about the game and Brad's butterflies. Toward the end of the conversation, when Brad had to make his way to the locker rooms, Philip gave him a final hug and wished him the best of luck. He also left Brad with some final advice should Cassidy Prep beat St. Ignatius Academy: "keep staying away from Adrian." Brad nodded his head in passive agreement, his mind still mulling the unfairness of the entire situation.
And it is unfair; that one night can determine the course of Brad's entire senior year. How unfortunate it is that futures can be held hostage by single events that take mere moments to develop and pass away. To add insult to injury, the stakes in this particular case were so utterly lopsided! If the team lost, Adrian would be granted free license to blackmail and manipulate Brad to his heart and dick's content. But if Brad helped the team win, if he pulled off the upset, there would be no cash prize, no new car, no physical manifestation of his victory. He would become popular enough to escape from the threatening vise of Adrian's control - but that is all. He would still remain closeted, lonely, and paranoid; the only difference being he'd have more people around him.
As Philip left Brad, he had to bite his lip from suggesting the only other recourse at their disposal: coming out entirely. To do so would leave Adrian with no leverage, and even more fear of having anything to do with Brad. But it was painfully obvious to Philip that Brad wasn't ready for that - even if it meant bypassing the frightfulness of the current dilemma. If he still couldn't bring himself to come out to Philip, his most trusted and open-minded friend, how could he come out to the world at large?
These thoughts haunted Philip has he got home, took a shower, and plopped down on the living room couch. He couldn't attend the game or else people would be asking too many questions as to why he wasn't starting. If he didn't attend, the speculation wouldn't be too bad: maybe he's sick, maybe he's out of town, etc, etc. Unfortunately, seeing as how there was no media coverage of the game, he would have to settle for updates from Amanda through his celly in order to stay informed of the score.
He had expected to spend the night alone with pizza and his phone, seeing as how his parents were out of town - again. So he was surprised when the doorbell rang around the same time kick-off was supposed to take place.
When he opened the door, it took Philip several moments to recognize his visitor. "Jude!" He exclaimed.
Jude smiled a wide, toothy grin - his dimples on full blast. "Hello there Philip," he said very casually. The two stranger-friends embraced tightly.
"Come in! Come in!" Philip said. "When did you get into town? How did you know I lived here?"
Philip's excitement assuaged the nervousness Jude felt about dropping by uninvited. "Dad and I got into town yesterday. You mentioned in your journal that you weren't gonna go to the game, so when I was at school this morning to talk to the guidance counselor, I asked around to get your address."
Jude walked into Philip's ample home and took off his overcoat. "I ordered a pizza if you wanna stay and eat with me," Philip said.
"Uh, yeah, that'd be great," Jude accepted.
"Awesome," Philip said as he brought out a six-pack of soda.
The first fifteen minutes or so of the visit were unbearably uncomfortable. They sat across from each other in the living room, drinking soda, and staying silent. How does one react in this sort of dynamic? Here were two incomprehensibly good-looking boys, who knew so much of each other and yet had never met; they were privy to secrets and stories of each other's lives and yet they never had to carry a face-to-face conversation before. Both boys were confused.
"So..." Jude began with a nervous smile on his face and sweat forming on his brow. "I guess this is kinda weird, huh?"
"A little bit," Philip nodded. "Hmm... I'm not being a very good host, huh?"
"I guess not," Jude replied with sarcasm and a smile.
And just like that, the ice thawed. For two and a half hours Jude and Philip got to know each other again. They talked and joked about Cassidy Prep, the big game, and other random shit. The slow cultivation of their online friendship was finally bearing fruit: there was no longer a veil to keep them distant. As a result, Jude felt comfortable enough to as k Philip about the drama that was going on in his life: who were 'A' and 'B' and why was Philip so involved? To his credit, Philip opened up more than would have been expected. He told Jude about Adrian, a little bit about their past friendship and current active hostility. He also touched upon Brad's situation (without outing Brad, of course). But once the answers to his questions came in monosyllabic responses, Jude knew to take a step back; he had a well-developed respect for personal space. Then the two went back to laughing and just shooting the shit.
Though the two had spent so much time learning about each other over the Internet, having this personal contact added such a necessary dimension to their friendship. For example, Jude saw the little nuances in Philip's sense of humor that couldn't be adequately conveyed over IM; he saw how Philip's blue eyes sparkled brighter than in the grainy pictures they were used to sending each other. Similarly, Philip no longer had to imagine what an "LOL" from Jude sounded like: he could hear it for himself; he felt Jude's smile radiate whereas the emoticons they used to use had seemed so impersonal. This was definitely better than before.
It was toward the end of the night, when both boys were at their most comfortable, that Jude saw something he had failed to notice. He reached out his hand toward Philip's face and softly traced the scar above his left temple, causing Philip to close his eyes and sigh deeply.
"You never told me about this," Jude said with unrestrained curiosity.
"I know," said Philip as he took Jude's hand off the scar and held it for a second before quickly letting go. "I usually try to hide it as best I can because the damn thing has never healed. That's why all the pictures you see of me are at an angle."
"How did you get it?" Jude asked sincerely.
"Just, uh, a car accident - years ago," Philip answered.
Jude could sense there was a story behind it, but he didn't want to push. They may have become super-fast friends, but each was still entitled to some secrets. "Well, you know what they say: 'chicks love scars.'"
"Oh, yeah?" Philip smiled. "And what about guys?"
"I hear they like 'em too," Jude laughed. They gazed at each other's eyes for longer than they had the entire night. Silent questions were being asked, but neither seemed to have an answer. Suddenly, Philip's phone rang, knocking him back into reality.
"Oh, shit! It's Amanda. The game's probably over by now." He hesitated in answering. He didn't know whether the news he was about to hear would be good or not.
Jude remained seated during the conversation and was able to surmise the result of the game from Philip's reaction to the phone call...
The workshops Adrian and Miles were attending were being held in the conference rooms of their fancy hotel. When the final workshop let out for the day, Adrian booked it to the nearest restroom - the one in the lobby. As he relieved himself at a urinal, he turned his head to see Miles follow him in. After ensuring they were alone, Miles stood behind Adrian and started groping his front.
"Not now," Adrian said as he forcefully pushed Miles with his elbow.
"Sorry," Miles whispered with a disappointed look on his face. He took his place at the urinal alongside Adrian and closed his eyes as he pissed. "So, when?"
Adrian sighed. "When I tell you," he responded brusquely. "We can't just mess around as if no one's gonna find out. Mr. Barry's around here somewhere, remember? You still gotta be careful."
"I get it," Miles stated while Adrian moved to the sink. As he finished drying his hands, his phone rang that unmistakable ditty that notified him of a text message. He reached into his pocket and opened the phone. The message, from Tanya, was simple:
'SORRY BABE. CASSIDY, 21. IGNATIUS, 20. BRAD RAN FINAL TD.'
"Fuckin' shit!" Adrian yelled as he punched the paper towel dispenser with all his might. The force knocked the dispenser off its screws and sent it flying toward the bathroom mirror, causing it to crack in multiple places. Miles turned around quickly at the noise and just stared at Adrian blankly. Miles wasn't necessarily surprised at what occurred because he had grown accustomed to Adrian's explosions (though the fact that this one took place in a relatively public place was unexpected).
"You okay?" Miles asked as Adrian's knuckles began turning a bit purple, though luckily they weren't bleeding.
"Come on," Adrian said as he took hold of Miles' hand and led him out of the restroom just in case his outburst brought some unwanted attention. The reddish tint on Adrian's face indicated just how angry he was. So as they climbed the steps to their room on the first floor, Miles stayed silent. The speed at which Adrian limped through the hotel did get some curious looks from other hotel guests, but none of that mattered now.
Adrian quickly unlocked the door and gestured for Miles to go in first. Once inside, Adrian shut the door, locked it, and turned around. "Take off your clothes and make sure you're quiet as hell," he said as he stripped his own shirt and unfastened his belt.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
To: "Jude F. Kitsem" jfkitsem@xxxxxxx.org From: "Marcus Barry" mbarry@cassidyprep.edu
Subject: Tutoring Placement
Mr. Kitsem,
A parent just contacted me looking for an English tutor for her son. If you wish it, the job is yours. I'm still at this Leadership Conference, so you can either email me a confirmation or find me at school on Monday.
Here's some information on the off chance you're willing to accept the post.
Tutee: A. Altoman Address: 268 Acts Ln. Compensation: $20.00/hr. Time commitment: 2 days a week/2 hours per day, beginning this Wednesday @ 7:00pm
She wants an answer by Monday, so be sure to notify me.
Thanks,
Mr. Barry
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
TO BE CONTINUED...
Author's Notes: I hope everyone's enjoying the story so far. If you've written me and haven't received a response, I apologize. I've been bogged down by work that I sometimes forget to write back to people. Forgive me... and keep writing me. :-)
edwine81@gmail.com
AIM: edtimoria