The cool breeze that rustled the parted curtains made me shiver slightly despite the fact my body was flushed with heat. The arm at my waist tugged me closer, a soft rumbling ‘mmm’ came from the person next to me and I almost gasped. ‘It wasn’t a dream?’ I thought as I turned my head fully to look at the being next to me. Black hair clung to his ruggedly handsome face as he slept. I reached up hesitantly to move a lock of hair that was hanging in front of his closed eye. He looked absolutely breathtaking. As I managed to move the rogue lock, his eyelids opened to reveal sparkling ice blue eyes. He smiles at me. Another breeze made me shiver again, but I couldn’t tear my eyes away from his. The arm at my waist tugged me again.

          “Come closer to me Sage, I’ll keep you warm.”

          My name is Sage Francis Walker. I know what were my parents thinking. I haven’t a clue. Everyone likes to call me Sage Francis since there’s an underground hip-hop artist with that name. Thankfully we don’t look a thing alike or I’d be really freaked. I just can’t see why someone would want to have that much hair growing on their face. Me on the other hand, I’m an even six foot with a smooth face and semi wavy red hair with natural highlights of honey-kiss-fire gold as I like to call it. I have this annoying dusting of freckles in the warmer months across the bridge of my nose that makes female relatives and old ladies want to pinch my cheeks and tell me how cute they are. When they aren’t pinching my cheeks they’re complementing me on my dark, emerald green eyes. Guys seem to stare just a bit and when I catch them in the act they cough and say something along the lines of ‘Are those contacts?’ I politely ignore them so they save face and go about my business. It’s a good thing I’ve got some muscle definition from track and field or else they’d think I was a chick. Since my hair comes down to the small of my back. My folks gave up a long time ago trying to get me to cut my hair when I gave the barber a bloody nose and a few missing teeth the first time they took me to get it cut when I was about seven. I don’t think he liked me much. Good thing I never went back.

          As for the person lying beside me, he’s Avan Fitzgerald. It’s like Evan with a long ‘a’. I think his parents were on the same stuff as mine. Everyone, even his parents, call him A.V. I heard when he was younger some kid was stupid enough to call him ‘van’ and ended up with a broken nose and ribs. Yes, you do not want to make AV mad. I’m the only one that calls him Avan when no one’s around. He likes that. When it’s not damp, his hair is a glossy blue-black that falls just below his shoulders.  He’s got the most intense blue eyes I’ve ever seen. You can’t help but stare at them. It’s like his irises are clear and bright with a hint of blue. Truly amazing. The most astounding thing is that he’s next to me, and very naked. I shiver again, this time he wakes up fully and looks at me with those gorgeous eyes. He then sits up and grabs a blanket at the edge of the bed and covers us. He tugs me until we’re facing each other on our sides, the blanket licking our ribs. He touches my cheek and I close my eyes.

          “What’s wrong Sage? You still cold?” he asks, hand gliding softly down my face into the dip of my neck before coming back up to rest on my shoulder. I try to form words, but nothing’s coming out. ‘This can’t be real.’ I keep thinking. This really has to be a dream.

          “You’re not thinkin’ this is a dream, are you? Come on, talk to me. Please.”

          “Is it?” I manage to squeeze out.

          “It’s not a dream Sage,” he chuckles softly, “If it were, then this wouldn’t feel like a kiss.”

          I waited for my alarm to go off, or my cell phone to ring, or for my sister to start banging on the door to my apartment. All I got was the soft touch of his lips on mine. This is real. Oh yeah!

          He smirked and moved to lie on his back, bringing me along in the process to rest across his chest. I could hear his strong heart beating within, “This is very real Sage. Took you long enough to realize it though. I was almost gonna give up on you. Did you really think I was pulling a stunt like some of the others?”

          I lay there for a moment. It was true that a lot of the people at our school were notorious for pulling elaborate pranks. A lot of the other schools in the county call our school ‘Prank High’ since our exploits seem to reach evening news status. We actually went through two principals before our current one.  This one seems to have the love of the school board since the number of pranks within our school alone dropped about twenty percent in a year. Thankfully I graduated as a junior with the senior class that Avan’s in thanks to our school’s academic program with the universities in the area. Much of the summer and the first half of the fall semester I’ve been attending classes outside of school so I really haven’t had to deal with the pranks, save one.

          If you haven’t figured it out by now, I’m gay. I’ve pretty much have known this all my life. Chicks just don’t do it for me, never did. Could have been all the cheek pinchin’ and shit but hey, I’m cool with it. Chicks have mad drama. When they go about getting’ back at somebody, Katie-bar-the-door; they’re scarier than the jocks and punkers that pull pranks.

          Hell, it might be a lot easier on the brain if I tell you how it got to this moment right here, with me and Avan in the same bed all nice and sweaty and naked. It started back in the summer before my freshman year…

          See, where I live you get basically what I call recruited to high school. Many of the counties in our state are like this. As long as you have a means to get there, you can go to any school in the county. You can even take different classes at different school depending on the college or university you were trying for. Many schools wanted me to enroll ‘cause I was a brain and could play sports relatively well. Schools like to brag like that. Anyway, Prank High or West Giliam High as it’s properly named has the best literature department in the state and since I want to actively pursue a career as a writer, this was my only choice. Well maybe that and the fact that their track and field team is the third best in the nation! HELLO! No one else in the state comes close. We pretty much win everything. I myself did shot put, discus, and the four-hundred. No, I’m not bulky like the other putters and throwers, but I could hold my own just fine. I had rarely placed lower than third since I started doing track and field and had been named to the all-conference and all-county teams each year.

          To get back on track here, during the spring semester prior to that summer my older sister Raime was competing in a charity invitational being held at West Giliam so I came to support her and was recognized by the track coach and we talked and I let him know I was coming here and he invited me to train with the rest of the team during the summer. Happily I accepted and during the summer I’d bike down to the school and work out with them. They really are a great group of people to hang out with and probably the only group that doesn’t get pranked on by the other cliques in school. Maybe because they look like they can out bench the football team, and that includes the ladies. I was told right off the bat never to call them girls. They look all nice and fem-like, but you really don’t want to piss them off. The other schools call them the Amazons ‘cause they are actually a hot lookin’ group of women that can throw with the best of ‘em. Anyway, one day we were in workin’ on our strength training when some of the football players came in to the weight room. That’s when I first saw him. He was wearing a white wifebeater and baggy black shorts that stopped just below the knee. His hair was shorter back then, just below his ears and he would a hand through his locks quite a bit. I remember someone asking him why he didn’t just cut it and he said, “I don’t like short hair, makes me feel like I’m in the military.” It’s when he started in my direction over at the weight benches that I first saw his eyes. They looked unreal. Whose eyes are clear? I had just sat up from my last set of reps and was wiping my face when I caught those sparkling orbs looking at me. He walked up and stood at the bench beside mine.

          “Where’s your spot?”

          “…Huh, what?”

          “Your spotter. Someone to catch your weight if you slip. Can’t do sets without one. Coach Jones’s law.”

          “Who’s Coach Jones?”

          “…Head football coach?”

          “I’m not on the football team.”

          “What are ya in here workin’ out for? Basketball conditioning doesn’t start ‘til school starts.”

          “I’m not on the basketball team. Is that your real eye color?”

          “Don’t change the subject. What are you doin’ here? You’re not in the freshman class ‘cause I know everybody in the F.C. You transfer in?”

          “I don’t go here…yet.”

          “Then you aren’t allowed here.”

          At that sentence other members of the football team started to walk over, “There are plenty of gyms in the city to work out at, go there.” By then the rest of his group had come over the benches, surrounding the two in a semi-circle. Thankfully Jake came over from the free weights to settle the situation. Quite a looker Jake is with a short curly mop of brown hair and chocolate brown eyes that were just dreamy; even if he was six-two and two hundred seventy four pounds of muscle. (He was number one in the nation in shot put his freshman year by the way.)

          “Is there a problem guys?” his bass voice like a soft thunder.

          “This brat doesn’t know where the local gyms are,” said one of the football players.

          “He’s allowed to train here. He’ll be goin’ here in the fall and has a spot on the track team, so you guys can go on about you business.” The others left, but he stayed, still staring at me.

          “Jake said I was cool. Really. Coach Morgansen invited me to train a few months back when I came to watch my sister compete in that charity invitational. You can ask him if ya want.”

          He just stood there watching me. Not one to be intimidated by a stare, I just looked back into those gorgeous eyes. Jake went over to him and put a hand on his shoulder.

          “He’s cool AV. He’s just getting’ ready for the season, just like you.”

          He looked at Jake for a second, then back to me, “Just make sure you have a spotter. Coach’ll have a meltdown if he sees someone workin’ without one.” And with that, he went back to his group.

          “What’s eatin’ him? These are light weights and I’ve been without someone watchin’ me before.”

          “Don’t worry about it Sagie, I got ya back. You doin’ any more sets?”

          “Nah, that was my last one. Think I’ll hit the bike for a bit,” and I got up and headed to the rows of stationary bikes that lined the far wall. As I walked by the football team as they were doin’ stretches in the middle of the weight room. By chance I looked over to find those eyes looking back at me.

          The rest of the summer went pretty much like that. I’d come in with the shot and discus crew to the weight room, the football team would come in and we’d coexist in a strength training pax. The times that he was there, Jake would mysteriously appear to be my spotter. Jake likes to keep the peace. I really wouldn’t want to see him mad. I’d still feel his eyes on me as I’d do my sets at the bench press or the elevated press. I mean, it’s not that I didn’t mine that hot lookin’ guy staring at me, but there were times I wished he’d just say what was on his mind instead of just staring. Soon enough school started. After thankfully having a flat to cause me to miss that dreadful freshman ceremony, I managed to weave my way into the school with the other six hundred and forty-something freshman to begin classes. I found my locker and dumped my other notebooks (yeah, I can’t do those five-in-one books, I tend to loose things on occasion) and headed to my first class, advanced lit. Oh joy. Don’t get me wrong, I love literature, it’s just that teachers seem to have a hard time making it interesting and I really don’t care to have it first thing in the morning. I’m more creative after lunch.

          The crowd around me thinned out as most of the freshman classes are on the first floor and mind happened to be on the second. I passed by a couple of upper classmen doddling in the halls when I caught sight of him. He was leaning against a row of lockers with a couple of girls flocked around him. They were giving their fake laughs and casually touching him like they wanted him to know they were there. Groupies are strange like that. My class was just beyond the lot. Yay me. I went on as normal and passed them. When I made it to the door I got that feeling again that I had during the summer when he was staring at me. I took a chance and looked in that direction and lo and behold, there were those eyes looking back at me. I went inside just as the teacher came out to round up the stragglers. I found a seat a row back from the wall so I didn’t notice until I sat down that those eyes had followed me into the classroom, down the same isle and into the seat right behind me. Oh joy.

          The teacher began his first day of class lecture on what’s expected then launched into a regular class only pausing long enough to say that where we were seated was our seat for the year and to take notes because there will be a test at the end of the week. Just great. I clicked my pen and wrote down the date when I felt a poke in the back. I turned my head to those eyes.

          “Let me have some paper…please.”

          I tore out a couple of sheets and handed them back to him. I wasn’t expecting to feel a squeeze on my right shoulder or the “Thanks” that followed. Oh joy! I think I’m gonna like this class. During the rest of the class I could still feel the pressure and heat of his hand on my shoulder. It was a strong and sure grip even if it only lasted a second. Right then I made my mind up to get to know this guy. I had a feeling that there was something about him that would make me want to have a relationship with him.

          Ok, so not to bore you with too many details of freshman year I ended up having two more classes with him and lunch as well. Very nice by the way and he even managed to sit behind me in those classes too. Lunch separated us into our groups but we were sitting close to each other since all the athletes in our lunch time take up about a third of the cafeteria. This place is huge by the way, there’s something like two thousand three hundred and some students that go to ‘Prank High’ so places like the cafeteria, the auditorium, and the gym are mammoth.

          Alright on to the most important part of freshman year, our first actual conversation! It happened during Phys Ed (the second of the three classes we have) when we were running the mile on the Olympic sized track. All that conditioning during the summer and the school year helped out greatly. Track and field season was just around the corner and it was it was nice and warm out with a nice breeze stopping by now and then. Perfect time to go for a run our teacher said (which is the track coach) and of course the standard groan was let out among the general slackers that didn’t like running. So, off we are on the first lap when I got that feeling again. I looked right to find, yep, those eyes. Since during the year much of our talking consisted of one or two phrases a piece, I took the opportunity to actually speak to him.

          “So, do you only play football or do you do other sports?” Hey, he’s an athlete, it’s an easy way to start a conversation since I knew he played.

          “I play soccer to help with foot coordination.” He answered keeping pace with me.

          “Cool.”

          “You just do track?”

          “Yeah. I spent a lot of time writing and trying to get my work published so I do this as a way to keep some kind of shape about me. And so the folks don’t think I’m a hermit or something.”

          “What kind of stuff do you write?” he asked as we come out of the back stretch into the curve.

          “Sci-fi, fantasy, and a little erotica once in a while.”

           He snorted at that one, “A guy writing about sex.”

          “There’s a market for it. And quite a bit of the authors in that field are male.” We came into the straight and coach is calling out times for the first lap but I barely heard it.  It wasn’t until we got out of range of the coach that our conversation continued.

          “So you write gay lit or something?”

          I nearly broke stride on that one. He looked over at me.

          “Not every guy that writes erotica writes from a homosexual point of view,” I said trying to regain my senses and my stride as we come out of the bend into the back straight.

          “It’s no big, just wondering,” We continue on for a bit in silence, “Is there a reason why you wear your hair so long?”

          At the time it was just below my shoulder blades. I had to cut it over a year ago since I managed to get a huge wad of gum stuck in it when I got stuck babysitting my younger cousins and had to take them to the fair. Evil little demons did it on purpose! “Actually it used to be a lot longer than this. One of my cousins I was watching felt the need to put his gum in my hair and the other two thought it was funny so they did the same. That was the first time I ever had my hair cut. My sister still gives me grief over it. She says I was cryin’ like a baby when mom cut it.”

          “Come on Walker! You’re ten seconds behind time. Get it in gear!” the coach yells as we come up on him completing the second lap. He’s trying to talk me into running the sixteen hundred. Oh joy.

          “So your sister’s Raime Walker then?”

          “Yep. She competed at invitational back here last spring. That’s how I met the coach and was invited to train with the crew.”

          “Yeah, I remember you said something about that. My bad, I wasn’t tryin’ to be a dick or nothin’, it’s just that Coach Jones really does have a fit about that kind of thing.”

          “No harm done,” I said as we are halfway through the back straight again, “I was wondering what was up with you lookin’ at me practically the entire time I was workin’ out.” I took a chance to look over at him, his eyes were focused on the ground before us.

          “Sorry, didn’t realize I was makin’ you uncomfortable.”

          “Don’t worry about it. It’s not the first time people felt the need to stare at me. When my hair was longer, most people thought I was a chick at first glance.”

          “You like your hair long?”

          “I just never saw the need in cutting it. I know I’m a guy so what’s the big deal? It’s only hair after all.”

          “True.” We ran in silence past coach again, he was glaring at me.

          “He’s gonna be pissed if I don’t make up my time,” I said as we came into the first part of the bend.

          “Am I holding you back?” He said with concern.

           “Nah, I can make it up on the last lap anyway.  I don’t know why he’s havin’ a hissy fit.”

          “Oh, ok.”

          After about thirty meters, I couldn’t help but ask, “Does everyone in your family have eyes like that?”

          “It’s mostly the women. My mother’s brother and I are the only living males with them. All my sisters have these eyes.”

          “How many sisters do you have?”

          “Six.”

          “Holy shit, talk about out numbered. Any brothers?”

          “Yeah, just one. He’s the first and I’m the fifth of eight.”

          “Damn.”

          “Yeah. It was cool when mom said she was pregnant again even though I was the youngest, but she wasn’t expecting triplets. Only the second set in the entire family.”

          “That’s a crowded house.”

          “It was when I was younger. Then Michael, Maverly, and Circe all moved out when they went to college so it’s just Kara, me, and the trio. The house actually feels big even with seven people living there.”

          “I couldn’t image that many people in our house. It’s just the folks, my younger brother Brahm, and me since Raime’s out of the country most of the time with track.”

          “Yeah, she’s good. My sister Circe competed against her in the triple jump a few years back before she got married.”

          “Final lap Walker move it!” the coach yells as we pass him.

          “Does she still compete?”

          “Not as much as she used to. She’s thinkin’ about becoming a trainer. Which is cool, she’s good at that sort of thing.”

          “Get the lead out Walker!” coach yells as we enter the curve.

          “Shit, better sprint this. Maybe we can finish this later? The  conversation,” I said in the middle of the curve.

          “Yeah, let’s finish this lap before Morgansen blows a gasket.”

          I break off into a sprint as we come out of the curve and to my delight Avan was right there with me. Yay! I quickly made up the time to Morgansen’s pleasure. I ended up running the mile a couple of times during the season for points basically. Since we were one of the firsts to finish we had a chance to talk more. I really didn’t expect him to be that open with me since we never really spoke but hey, I took what I got. There were other times where we talked after that, but of course that was the first.

          Fast forward to the middle of summer. That means back at the weight room. It was an off day for the football team so we track and field people had the run of the place. Most of the crew had left for the day and since I was only doing cardio that day I wasn’t bothered when they were heading out to do this, that, or the other. I was on a bike with my headphones pouring tunes in my ears so I didn’t really pay attention to the comings and goings of anyone. My mind was focused on finishing set of miles. It was during a track change that I noticed I was the only person in the room until the doors swung open and Avan walked in. I closed my eyes for fear I’d start drooling right then and there. Avan was sportin’ a pair of basketball shorts and a healthy sheen of sweat that made him look of so yummy! His hair was sticking to his face in all the right places as he walked over to the towel rack. I chanced opening my eyes again and was assaulted with the gorgeous view of him bending over. If only those shorts were tighter! Not to say that you couldn’t see much but he definitely has a grope-able ass. Hello Dolly! He straightened up and made his way over to the benches. An evil smirk came over my face as I watched him adjust the weights on one of the bars. ‘The things I’d do to him on that bench!’ I thought. Just then, the stopped and turned to face me. I didn’t have a chance to school my features so I didn’t look like I was trying to undress him with my eyes. He tapped at his ears signaling me to remove my headphones.

          “Come spot me Walker,” he said. That’s what he’d taken to calling me. I didn’t mind since everyone else was having a ball calling me Sage Francis. Geez, I get it already!  I got off the bike and walked over as casually as I could manage. His body was totally screaming ‘I’m a sex god and you must worship me’ and I knew that my body was starting to react. Than goodness I wore baggy shorts that day. I walk up and assume the position behind the bench as spotter. He really didn’t have much on the bar, just a total of seventy-five pounds (and the bar weighs twenty alone). I guess he’s just used to going by the rules. I gripped the bar the same time he did and lifted with him, that’s when I actually looked down at him. Holy mother of chocolate chip fudge ice cream! That was too much of a sight to take in. Avan Fitzgerald on his back between my legs (so to speak). It didn’t help matters that his muscles were moving so fluidly as he did his reps, especially with his breathing making his abs nice and defined on each exhale. This was not going well for me down below. Luckily he finished his set. I breathed a sigh and hoped that he was only gonna do a few more. I was gonna have to take a shower after this.

          “Your turn,” he said sitting up.

          “I’m just doin’ cardio today,” I said back.

          “It’s just light weight, come on,” he spoke getting up and moving to my place behind the bench. I was about to protest when the thought of him being that close to me in that state was making things south of the border a slight bit riled up. I went and took my place on the bench knowing if anything I could cover up any inkling of a hard-on with the excuse of pressing. I laid back and took the bar, oh hell, I’m between his legs.  I closed my eyes and took the bar. I started into my set when he spoke again.

          “Keep your eyes open.”

          I opened them to have his looking down at me. Oh hell. How was I supposed to concentrate with that hot bod of his right above me? I swallowed and I could feel my face heat up.

          “What’s wrong? I know you can handle this, I’ve seen you do it before. Am I distracting you?” he asked, eyebrow arched.

          “I’m fine,” I squeak out.

          He smirked, “Yeah right, Why are you so red then?” he leaned over me just as I brought the bar down to my chest, his eyes even with mine, “Is it my bod that’s makin’ you red?”

          My eyes went wide for a second. His face broke out into an amazing smile, eyes full of mischief that I failed to catch due to said smile.

          “Thought so.”

          “No it’s not!” I said, weight pressing against my chest.

That just egged him on, “You know it’s alright. I mean, you’re not the first guy to admire the hotness of my bod. What can I say? I got it like that.”

          That made me snort, he was jokin’ with me. If he only knew. I went to push the bar up when his hands closed over mine, “From what I hear, you’re not too bad yourself under there.”

          “Fitzgerald?”

          “Call me Avan.”

          “A-Avan…”

          “Better.”

          “Do you think you can let me up now? This is kinda heavy on me.”

          He leaned up and brought the bar with him and placed it in the cradle, “My bad.”

          “No prob,” I said sitting up. I let out a quick sigh of relief and realized it was his turn again. Oh hell. We switched positions and I tried to think of anything other than the body stretched out before me. Not workin’, and of course, the activities south of the border were picking up. Avan’s set seemed to last forever. I could only manage to look at his handsome face ‘cause if I dared look anywhere else the party down below would definitely get bigger. Just when I thought I couldn’t handle any more his set was done. I closed my eyes and released the breath I didn’t know I was holding in. I wasn’t paying attention or I would have noticed that Avan was staring at me again.

          “What’s got you all worked up Walker? My bod makin’ you a little hot under the collar?”

          My eyes popped open and I looked down at him. He still had a look of mischief in his eyes, but as before, his smile drew my attention and I didn’t notice him taking a quick peek up my shorts. Yeah, they were baggy, but not as long as Avan’s, so basically I was givin’ him a free show of the action south of the border. Oh yeah, I didn’t mention that I don’t like underwear and it totally didn’t dawn on me at the time that he could see everything if he wanted to. Oh bloody hell. I couldn’t believe I didn’t realize that! I mean, it’s not like I’ve got something different down below, but ya kinda don’t want the person who’s on the bench lookin’ up your shorts at your unit. Not unless you plan on shaggin’ him to within an inch of his life, that is. Hell I didn’t know if he was gay or not at the time.

          “Things gettin’ a little hard to handle for ya?” he said and that’s when it clicked in my head that he could see up my shorts. I wished I could have passed out or something but all I was able to do was stand there turning into a tomato. I didn’t see him get up and come over to me until he laid a hand on my shoulder. I looked in his direction and blinked myself back to reality before bolting from the weight room.  I so needed a shower.

          I somehow managed to make it to the locker room and doubly thankful that is was empty. I sat down on a nearby bench and put my face in my hands. I could feel the heat from my face prickling my hands. I was beyond embarrassed. Here I am trying to get to know this guy and he’s checkin’ out my unit! I wanted to do that later, like a lot later! I blocked out everything to the point that I nearly jumped out of my skin when a hand clapped me on the shoulder. I squeaked (hell, there’s no other way to say it) and met those dreamy chocolate brown eyes. It was such a relief that it was someone other than Avan and I was really grateful that it was Jake.

          “What’s up Sagie?” he asked, hands on my shoulders to steady me. (Oh yeah, he’s the only one that calls me Sagie. Probably ‘cause he’s the kind of guy and if he gives you a name, it’s yours, in a good way.) “Ya blew by me like a demon was on your tail.”

          I couldn’t speak. I hung my head and shook it. It was far more embarrassing to tell someone that the person you were interested in just looked up your shorts to find a somewhat excited unit (yeah, I call it my ‘unit’). Especially when no one knows you’re gay.

          “Someone pull a prank on ya?” he asked. His voice is so soothing. I shook my head again and leaned forward ‘til I came in contact with his chest. I felt his arms go around me, hands comforting as they rubbed my back. I was so close to crying that day. Thankfully Jake’s voice and hands were calming and my embarrassment ebbed. I’m glad no one else came in the entire time.

          After a time I lifted my head from his chest (nicely developed chest I might add) and managed to give him a weak smile. My face had returned to normal and I found my voice and gave Jake gratitude for being there. He really is an awesome guy.

          “If anyone gives you trouble just let me know. I’ll straighten ‘em out.”

          “Thanks Jake, you rock.” I said. He smiled. Man he’s got a gorgeous smile.

          Jake gave me a ride home and we did the usual guy bullshitting about random stuff. He also gave me his number just in case I did get pranked. It makes me wonder why I wasn’t goin’ for him. Then I remembered, Alison, one of the Amazons, was his girlfriend. A fiery redhead (like yours truly) with almost topaz colored eyes. Jake didn’t have to worry about defending her honor ‘cause she handled it herself. She’s a fourth degree black belt in judo. She’s been doin’ it ever since she could walk. I’m tellin’ ya, ya don’t mess with the Amazons!

So anyway after I got in the house and made a pause in the kitchen to find out what mom was making for dinner I went upstairs to take a shower. My mind went back to the weight room and I felt my face flush again as the water poured over me. Things started picking up down below again. I couldn’t help it. Just remembering Avan’s body all nice and yummy lookin’…well damn! I’m a teenager ya know. We’ve got hormone issues! So like any normal teen male, I began my trek south of the border to relieve my unit. I soon found my head against the wall with the water rushing down my back while thinking all the lovely ways I could worship that sex god’s body. I could only imagine what those hands would feel like in my hair, on my skin. I gripped myself tighter wishing it was Avan’s hand stroking me with those receiver’s fingers gliding over my sensitive length of hardened tissue. I fingered my slit and felt the precum mingling with the occasional stream of water that flowed down my arm in rhythm with my stroking. The image of Avan between my legs with his tongue licking my slit drew out a long moan. I had to shift my weight onto my left arm as my strokes were becoming faster and my breathing heavier. Thinking of Avan on the bench, his hands just above my crotch, wishing his hand left the bar to caress my swollen flesh…

Sometimes, being a teenager with the standard hormone issues, we tend to forget that there are other things going on in the world around us when it comes to bringing the party down below to a climax. I am no exception. The thought of Avan that close to my unit and the fact that he’s seen it made me forget that I was in the shower, at home, where my family was getting ready for dinner. Apparently I was moaning loud enough to draw attention to myself. I forgot to lock the door, and of course in my state I didn’t hear the knocking, nor the door opening. I was seconds away from cumming; I couldn’t stop even if I wanted to. I was calling out Avan’s name the entire time as my seed jettisoned from my body to the shower wall. Once spent, I slumped down on the floor trying to catch my breath when the most evil of things occurred.

“If you’re done jackin’ off little bro then how ‘bout coming down and joinin’ us for dinner.” That voice could only belong to one person.

Raime was back in town.

I guess I should explain some about my sister. Yeah she’s a good athlete and all…she’s also a major perv. I’ve been in her room and seen her computer wallpaper. She’s got this thing for guy-on-guy action. Not that I’m complaining since I like the same thing, but she’s a fanatic about it. I heard her on her phone once telling one of her friends that she wished I were gay so she could tape some action and post it on some website that caters to  the needs of ‘fangirls’, as she likes to call it, like herself. What the fuck? Hell, if I told her back then…..I can only cringe. Oh yeah, she also has no sense of modesty with herself or with anyone else. If she could, she’d walk around the house naked. And she doesn’t care in the least bit if you’re taking a shower, if she needed in, she came in. And of course she’ll start a conversation with whoever’s in there. That’s how Raime got her own section of the house. She and mom were arguing about something and she wanted dad’s opinion on the matter. So she went into their bathroom, while dad was in the shower mind you, and started talking about whatever the hell they were arguing about. Dad was mortified to say the least. The shower doors are see-thru in the master bath. That night dad began drafting (he’s an architect by the way) plans for an addition to the house just for her. That’s when he told us if we didn’t want anyone coming in on us to lock the door. I had no clue that Raime was even in the country so I had gotten used to not locking the door since she wasn’t in the country a lot….I never did that again. There really aren’t any words to accurately describe Raime. She’s pretty out there. But, the one thing that you could count on with her was that she’d help you in any way she could. In a way, that kinda offsets her strangeness.

I got myself together enough to get out of the shower and into my room. I was still in a bit of shock since we normally got a call when she was in the country. She may have a meet on the other side of the country, but rest assured, as soon as it was done, she was on a plane to the house. As I zipped up my jeans I looked at me cell phone lying on the bed. There was a text from dad saying that Raime was home sent around the time I was in the weight room with Avan. Well damn. I went downstairs to join the rest of the family. Much of the conversation at dinner consisted of meets and the tamer of Raime’s exploits in Europe. She was careful enough to not go into detail since our younger brother Brahm was only in sixth grade. I don’t think that the folks wanted to hear about her strange goings while eating anyway. I know I didn’t. It is nice though when the whole family’s able to be at the table for a meal. Granted she is a weird one, but it’s nice to all be under the same roof.

After dinner mom pegged me and Raime to do the dishes and straighten up the kitchen. We knew better to complain ‘cause the first thing mom’d say would be ‘Well you can cook next time.’ I can manage ok, but Raime totally blows when it comes to cooking. I don’t want to risk the food poisoning.  Anyway, Raime had just finished loading the dishwasher with the pots and pans while I was filling the sink with soapy water to do the dishes when she slid next to me at the sink with a Cheshire grin on her face. I turned my eyes in her direction, “What Raime.”

“Who’s Avan?”

How’d I know she was gonna ask that, “Don’t worry about it.”

“You lucky they didn’t hear you downstairs.”

“What were you doin’ upstairs? You’ve got your own area on the other side of the house.”

“I was just gonna pop in and say hi, but when I came into the hallway I could hear you moaning like there was no tomorrow. So who’s Avan? Is she hot? Would I want to do her?”

I neglected to mention that Raime’s bisexual. ‘Gotta have my cock and carpet too,’ she’d say to anyone who was bold or stupid enough to ask. I can do just fine with one thank you.

“Forget it sis, I’m not tellin’ ya anything.”

“Aw, come on Sage Francis, you can tell me,” Yep, even my sister calls me that.

“I’m not telling you a damn thing.”

“Such language for a teenager!” Raime mocked, “What would our parents think!”

“Give it a rest, the parents know you curse in different languages, I just prefer to do it in English.”

“Mom’d wash out you mouth with soap if she heard you.”

“That’s why I only do it around you.”

Mom really did that, too.  Raime came home from a meet back when she was in high school cursing up a storm. Mom had just put Brahm down for a nap when all the noise woke him up. She put him back to sleep, grabbed Raime by the ear, hauled her into the bathroom and proceeded to wash out her mouth with ivory soap. That’s when she gained an interest in foreign languages. I guess I could have told her back then that they knew just about every curse word in almost all European languages (they traveled a lot before Raime was born), but where was the fun in that?

“Come on Sage Francis, tell me about this Avan chick. I promise I won’t try anything with her.”

“I know you won’t ‘cause I’m not telling,” I said as I started washing the dishes and handing them to her to dry.

“MOM! DAD! SAGE’S GOT A GIRLFRIEND!”

“Raime! Leave your brother alone and STOP YELLING IN THE HOUSE!” came from mom. Raime huffed, I smiled. Score one for me.

Needless to say I avoided Avan the rest of the summer. I knew Jake wanted to ask what was wrong when I suddenly felt the need to call it a day when the football players came in but he didn’t. Sophomore year started and thankfully I had no classes with him. I did get stuck with a sports medicine class with one of its requirements to pass was attending games as student trainers. That first week we drew assignments and I got, you guessed it, varsity football. I didn’t have to deal with the practices and games were only once a week. I could handle that. The team’s large so there was a good chance of not seeing him and the season didn’t officially start until September.

The first half of the season I only saw him on the field making catches and causing the fans to go crazy. One day before a home game he filtered in with some players into the training room to undergo the ritual taping. He stayed back until he was the last player. The other student trainers packed up equipment and headed for the field leaving us alone.

“So what do you need taped?” I asked opening a drawer and retrieving a fresh roll of tape.

“I’m sorry.”
I turned to look at him, “What?”

“I know you’ve been avoiding me since that day in the weight room.  I shouldn’t have teased you like that. I’m sorry.”

I looked into those ice blue eyes that were genuinely sad, “Don’t worry about it. I’m over it.”

“Then how come I never saw you after that? I can understand a week, but the rest of the summer?” he said walking over to me. I was in the back of the training room and the only means to escape was blocked by him. I felt heat creeping into my face again, but I couldn’t break eye contact with him. I felt him touch my arm.

“I gotta go Avan and so do you. I’m sure you’ve got a pre game pep talk or something like that.”

“Had that before we came here.”

“Well, I’ve got to--,”

“Why are you embarrassed that I saw up your shorts? It’s not like you’ve got two dicks or something. Besides, guys shower together so it’s not like we don’t see each other’s packages, ya know?” Avan leaned into me. I still remember his breath against my skin that evening, “How do you know I didn’t like what I saw?” That got me. I opened my mouth to say something when another player stuck his head into the room.

“Yo, AV, come on. Time for warm-ups.”

I looked past him to a surly looking player. I think he was a lineman or something ‘cause he was huge. There was something about him at the time that I couldn’t put my finger on; I had strong reservations about him. I saw his true colors later.

“I’m there Blake,” Avan answered him but didn’t move, “Find me after the game. We’re gonna talk. Ok?”

I looked at him for a moment and nodded. He smiled briefly before turning to meet up with the lineman. I let out a sigh and gathered my cell phone and keys and made my way out of the training room. I could still hear Blake talking as they walked down the hall.

“What took you so long? And you’re not even taped.”

“Not your business Blake,” I heard Avan say.

“What, are ya settin’ him up or somethin’?”

“Not your business Blake.”

“You are! Sweet! I’ve wanted to get over on those track bitches for a while. Who else’s in on it?”

I couldn’t believe what I was heard. Avan was possibly setting me up for a prank? What the hell? I stood there until I heard the musical stylings of Rocket Lee as they disappeared around the corner at the end of the hall. Rocket Lee is another Amazon that was on varsity detail with me. Don’t ask for her real name ‘cause I doubt anyone knows. Her official nickname is Crotch Rocket Lee due to her love of motorcycles. Her rockets of choice are Kawasaki and Yamaha and she’s got plenty of both. Her dad’s a motorcycle aficionado and loaded so she gets the latest models as soon as they’re announced. She’s also known for her loud taste in music, mostly metal. You can always hear her before you see her.

“What’s up Sage Francis, you comin’ or what,” she said over her headphones that were decorating her neck.

“Yeah,” I said back. That’s when something shocking happened. She turned off her music. Trust me, she doesn’t do that often. She’ll even have her tunes playing while in class. The teachers gave up trying to get her to turn it off completely and settled for it a much lower levels.

“Ok Sage, what’s wrong. Did those players do something to ya?”

“No. They were just talkin’ their usual shit. No biggie.”

“To you or at you?”

“I think they were talkin’ about prankin’ someone.”

“Let me know if they give you shit, ok?”
          “Why does everyone think I can’t handle myself?” I said getting a bit irritated with that phrase.

Rocket took a step back, “Whoa there, no harm. It’s just ‘cause you’re an underclassmen that’s all. The upperclassmen on the crew look out for the underclassmen. It’s always been like that. I asked the same thing when I was a sophomore.”

“Sorry Rocket, I didn’t--,”

“Don’t worry about it. I do want you to know that you can talk to me or any of the crew about anything. I mean it, too. Sex, seein’ if a guy’s a good match for you--,”

“Why would I be looking for a boyfriend?” I said quickly. Rocket smiled. Oops.

“Had a feeling ‘bout you. You still in?”

Another thing that Rocket Lee was known for was her perceptiveness, “Yeah.”

She slung an arm around my shoulder, “Don’t worry. The crew doesn’t hate. We’re used to it. Besides you aren’t the only one.”

“You mean…you?”

She shook her head, “Not me. Jake and Alison, Bombshell, and Mark. Don’t let on too much that you know. Just go with it, ‘k?”

“Sure.”

In that small frame of time, I outted myself and found out I wasn’t the only one within the crew. That was some year. It did tell me a lot. I definitely saw Jake in a new light. Man, he does have a gorgeous smile. Ok, I’m goin’ off track here. I made it through the game (which we won by the way) and then I had to lag around and wait for Avan to get changed. I started to get nervous waiting in the main lobby of the school while other players passed by me doing the usual ‘hell yeah, we won’ antics. My eyes came to rest on Blake as he came around the corner. Something in his eyes told me to leave him alone. Remembering what he said earlier in the evening confirmed it. Those coal-colored orbs were trying to burn through me, like he was disgusted with my being. I didn’t even know him. He came up to me and stopped.

“What the hell are you still doing here? Game’s over.”

“Not that it’s any of your business, but I’m waiting on someone,” I said not intimidated by his size. He could make up almost two of me! But I hold my own.

“You should keep those girly eyes of yours off AV. He doesn’t swing that way,” Blake said. A few people looked in our direction but kept walking.

“What the hell are you talkin’ about?”

“I’ve seen the way you were lookin’ at him last year. And you’re still doin’ it.”

          “Who I look at is none of your concern.”

          “Better watch yourself fag,” he said stepping closer to me like his size was gonna make me think otherwise.

          “Is there a problem here Blake Atwater?” came a voice from behind him. It was Rocket. She stood even with his six foot two inches.

          “I’m not talkin’ to you bitch,” he said over his shoulder, eyes still trained on me.

          “Guess what jackass,” she said grabbing his arm and turning him around to face her, “I’m talkin’ to you.”

          “Like I give a shit about you bitch,” he said shrugging off her hand.

          “You should Atwater, since your language towards both of these students just got you suspended from the team for two weeks,” That came from principal Nikas who was walking up with Coach Jones, Coach was not happy about that, “You should apologize  now before I decide to make it the rest of the season. And the playoffs. I know Coach Jones wouldn’t appreciate that.”

          “…sorry,” he said before stalking off out a set of double doors, Coach Jones hot on his tail.

          “Did he say anything else to you two?” Mr. Nikas said coming up to us.

          “He didn’t to me, but it looked like he was already talking to Sage. Was he threatening you?” Rocket asked.

          “It’s nothing. Just talkin’ out of the wrong end,” I said.

          “I don’t take it lightly when a student threatens another Sage. If he said anything—,”

          “It’s cool, just some stupid bullshit that low self-esteem guys say to make themselves feel higher than they really are. I’m not fazed by him. I doubt he’d have the balls to do anything,” Yes, he gave me a look, but hey, he asked. I’m really not one for sugar coating words when I’m not writing a children’s fairytale.

          “Well anyway, if something like that happens again…”

          “I know, let you know. Thanks, but I doubt it. I gotta crew lookin’ out for me,” and smiled at Rocket, who smiled back.

          “You teenagers and your cliques,” Mr. Nikas said shaking his head.

          “It’s a shot and disc thing Mr. Nikas,” Rocket said coming to my side and putting an arm around me, “You wouldn’t understand.”

          I slipped my arm around her waist and smiled at Mr. Nikas. He’s not a bad lookin’ guy for a principal. Six five, short sand blonde hair, brown eyes (not as dreamy as Jake’s), a basketball build since he still manages to play (he’s even scrimmaged with the varsity team a few times), and has impeccable taste in clothing. We call him ‘Mr. GQ’ when he’s not around but I have a feeling he knows it.

          Ok, back to the matter at hand. I was still waiting on Avan. Mr. GQ-I mean-Nikas talked to us for a bit then made his departure to his office. We both let out sighs of relief. Don’t get me wrong, Mr. Nikas is cool and all, but you know us teenagers, we’ve got an image to uphold.

          “Man I thought he was gonna go into a speech about ‘solving problems with violence is not the answer’ when you told him you had a crew backin’ ya Sage Francis,” Rocket said.

          “Yeah, I’m glad that he didn’t ‘cause I would have asked you to turn your tunes up. Who’s in the playlist tonight might I ask?”

          “Oh the usual, DevilDriver,” she said holding up her sleek, stylish MP3 player her older brother sent her from Japan. It read ‘Meet the Wretched – DevilDriver’ in a scrolling marquee with a picture of the album cover below it, “So what, or who keeps you here tonight? You’re usually gone by now.”

          I pinked, “I’m waiting on someone.”

          “Would that someone be an Avan Fitzgerald?” she said whispering in my ear as a group of those hyper active cheer people went by us. I blushed further and nodded my head. Just as she was about to say something, I got the feeling. I looked in the direction that the others were coming from and saw those dazzling eyes. His hair was slicked back from the shower and he was wearing a nice pair of form fitting jeans and a dark green button-down shirt with the top three buttons undone to reveal the white wifebeater beneath. I gasped just loud enough that Rocket looked in the same direction, “Oh, very nice. Well, I’ll leave you to it. Have a good weekend hon,” she said and kissed my cheek. I didn’t even notice when she turned up her tunes to their normal levels or the sound of her walking away and out the double doors. All I was focused on was the sight in front of me. Sweet Georgia brown what a sight it was. He stopped just in front of me. I caught the scent of his bodywash, AXE. I’m glad I had some sense of restraint or I would have jumped him like those chicks in the commercials.

          “You stayed,” he said softly.

          “You did ask me after all.”

          “Thanks.”

          “So what are we gonna talk about?”

          “Not here. You hungry?”

          “Sure.”

          “Cool. I know a place where we can eat and not be bothered. Come on,” he said and walked past me. Ok, yes, I let him walk ahead of me ‘cause I wanted to see that ass. I’m not gonna lie. It was a great view. I can’t believe I had that much self control! Give me a cookie!