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All that Drama

By: All that Drama



"The rest are fellow inmates at the ROTC program. Steven does his best to hurt Francis and Constance dumps his ass in a very public, very loud break-up. The only person who has any sympathy for him is Francis. Everyone turns their back on Steven because he starts hanging out with Francis. Turns out the Seven is a closet case and tells Francis." Hector threw his head back and laughed while he clapped his hands.

"Oh you're an evil man, Justice," Sarah said. She knew all the inside joke in the piece and by the grin she approved of it. A slap in the face alright.

"I try. Any problem playing a gay guy, Patrick?"

"No." 

"Good, cause you get to do some stage snogging with Sarah and Hector." Sarah blushed. "So, in the end it turns into a tragedy. Steven kills himself." That sobered them. "He kills himself because he hates what he is, everyone except Francis has shunned him and his own father had disowned him. While this is somewhat a satirical piece it has a strong message I want out there. I hope that anyone who sees this will walk away seeing things from the perspective of someone who was teased, belittled, hated, whatevered from ignorant stupidity and prejudice." I watched them mull it over. This had suddenly become more than just an assignment for class. It was as if I had written this to send a message. I had, but not the one they thought. The message was for two people in particular, one of which would probably never see it. "So, page one."

My skit with Hector went great until we got to THE SNAG. I was surprised I was able to affect that I loved him. It was not too hard, we were friends and I only had to think about the many times I had acted like I cared for all those women I slept with. It was actually easier with him because we were friends and he was a great actor and could cover for my blunders. Jerry's piece had undergone a bit of an overhaul. Both of his actors had suggestions on dialog that he ratified with no problems. "Hey, I'm no writer whereas Justice is. I would almost say ad lib it all, but it has to be from the script."

"It's actually good as a format, Jerry," I said. "A lot of potential for ad lib, but you should not accept our suggestions if they are not what you want."

"Yeah. It's your piece."

"I know, but what you guys have suggested has made it better. Okay. The one part ole Justice has been avoiding like the plague." I grinned and blushed which made Hector chuckle.

"Quiet you. You've been snogging guys since you were probably ten."

"Actually...I've never kissed a guy other than on stage."

"Huh? Then how do you know..."

"I said no kissing." He gave me a seductively evil grin. " Does not mean anything else." I made as if to puke. "Hey, if rumors are true you've slept with half the high school."

"Close. 45%. The rest were of the 'alternate life style' persuasion or guys. So you never found the one to kiss?" He nodded. " Me too. Sex is fun, but kissing is more than that."

"You understand then."

"Guys? The skit?" We chuckled and set down the scripts. This was so awkward it hurt. I stepped up to him and our arms seemed to be in the way. We got all tangled up and laughed when we fell over on the couch that the scene required.

"Okay, okay," I said and took a deep breath. I brought my hand up and placed it on his cheek. He leaned into the touch with more feeling than I could ever muster. We stayed that way for a moment and he brought his hand up to my cheek, the side the audience would be seeing which effectively covered the fact that our lips would not be touching. We moved in until our noses were touching. That was when Hector crossed his eyes. I lost it and fell off the couch laughing. "Damn you!"

"Tension breaker." He helped me up.

"No laughing," Jerry chided.

"He started it."

"I know, he's pulled the same stunt on me. That was why I cast him opposite you. If anyone can get you over that last hurdle of kissing a guy, it's Hector." So there was a method to hid madness. "Try it again." We sat on the couch again and this time the stage kiss went flawlessly. There was something about Hector that put me at ease with this. Probably that look in his eyes that said he would not push me farther than I was willing to go. He did not challenge me to really kiss him or expect anything other than a stage kiss.

We went over the scene many times until there was no hesitation on my part. "I'm impressed, Justice. I fully expected you would need more than one afternoon to get comfortable with the kiss."

"Well, Jerry, I have an excellent teacher." I gave a smile to Hector and he returned it. "This is going to be interesting."

"May I have your attention please?" The teacher's voice rang out in the auditorium. "I have a last minute announcement. The Dean has asked that we actually perform our skits for the student body in the amphitheater the last week of the year." I felt faint. I sat down hard and put my head between my legs and concentrated on my breathing. Hector sat and put his hand on my shoulder.

"You okay?" His voice was full of concern.

"No. I...I can't do it. Either of them."

"You'll be fine."

"No, it's not that. What if Steven sees the play?" Hector looked spooked. "Yeah. He is pretty savvy about jokes targeting him. God, if he nearly killed you for just being gay..."

"Listen. He won't try anything. Then everyone will know what a toad he is and if he lays one finger on either of us he goes to prison for life." There was that. If he went after anyone seen as homosexual that was a hate crime and he would be gone for a very long time, more so since he was convicted of the same thing already. "So don't worry about it." He took my hands in his and that simple act made me feel better. I looked up at him. "Maybe if he does try anything I can save you this time."

I chuckled and pulled him into a hug. "I really do not deserve a friend like you, especially how I treated you."

"Like you said, that was then." He pulled back and took my shoulders in his hands. "You have become the kind of person anyone would like to have as a friend. Sarah agrees." I was lucky. I knew it and would not question my luck.

The final performance went off without a hitch and we got a standing ovation. I felt an obscene amount of pleasure being up there and looking down at all of the people there to see our performance. I felt a rush that I would have never felt if my counselor had not told me I needed these credits. This was better than football, better than the best sex I had ever had, better than earning high marks in school. This was where I belonged. I had friends who liked me for something that had nothing to do with popularity, something I worked very hard at achieving and not just handed to me or born into me. My father, of course, could not come. Too busy, which was fine with me...mostly.

The after-party was held at the local pizza parlor and was paid for by the ticket sales. Good thing too because I had worked up an appetite and needed to replace the twenty gallons of sweat I lost because of nerves. I was on my tenth piece of pizza when they decided to embarrass me more. "Each semester we hand out the award for most improved actor and actress." I started turning beet red, knowing where this was going. "It is no surprise that Justice has the most improved actor award this time." The teacher motioned me to the head of the long table. I went with as much dignity as I could, but I was grinning like an idiot. The award was an actual plaque and it had my name on it. 

They called for a speech. "Four whores and seven queers ago," it got the laugh I wanted. "Seriously guys. This means more to me than any of my stupid football trophies. I would not even have it were not for each of you. You guys helped me so much. With my lines, my skills. You guys are the best group a guy could hope for as friends." They clapped as I sat back down next to Hector who patted me on the back. "Especially you."

"Oh, you do love me!" he said batting his eyelashes.

"Don't push your luck." I scarfed down another six slices and slammed back four more Cokes before I was finally full. Of course by then the parlor was closing, so I wrapped up my share of the leftovers and went out to my car.

"Hey, Justice, what time do you want to rehearse the skit for next week?"

"You got anything to do tonight? I'm so caffeinated right now I won't sleep. We could use my dorm room."

"Are you sure? I mean...I would most likely be sleeping over and your neighbors will talk."

"True, but I don't care. You're my friend who just happens to like dick." He laughed.

"Since you put it so nicely. I'll meet you there."

It was only when I started my car that I realized just how comfortable I had become with Hector. I would have never even thought to offer even at the beginning of the semester, but we had become very good friends in the months of our shared class that I knew he would not try to seduce me in my sleep or any other ridiculous thing like that. I smiled to myself and I would have paid good money to see my father's reaction when he found out I slept in the same room alone with a gay man. I hope he would have a heart attack.

I unlocked my door and flipped on the light. "Just set you stuff on the chair." I motioned to the desk and tossed my stuff on the desk. My room was not much, but it was nice. Bed, desk, TV, wardrobe/dresser combo and a decent view of the mountains to the north. I fell onto the bed face down with a sigh. "God, what a night."

"Tell me about it. You were great."

"I messed up two lines." I had but I had ad libbed them to lead back to the right cues.

"No one but us knew. That, my friend, is the key to the stage. If you mess up cover it." I rolled over and sat up. "Seriously. I, of course, was flawless."

"And I hate you for it. Acting comes so easily for you."

"And look at you and football. You are pure grace on the field. I could watch you throw that stupid ball just to see what an athlete is supposed to be." 

"Thanks. Creepy, much, but thanks." I had never seen him in the stands, but then I had never looked. Wait, he was in the pep band, of course he would be there. Had been for the three years I had known him. Strange that I had never thought about how often we were in the same place for roughly the same reasons and I never encountered him. "You know, I feel that you ditched me all those years."

"I did. I never wanted to be anywhere where Steven and his cronies would be." I noted that he had not included me in that. Yes, I hung out with them, but I was not a crony. "Still did not stop me from admiring that forty-three yard pass senior year."

"That was nice, huh? So, do you want to start from the beginning?" He nodded and we placed ourselves where we would be on the stage. He sat on the bed, which was the couch, and I was at the door, just entering. "Hey, babe, I'm home." I crossed to get a hug and dropped off an imaginary coat.

"How was Topeka?" he asked changing an off stage TV channel.

"Boring. I don't understand why they send me on these errands. They could send Jimmy from the mail room and he would do just as well." I plopped down next to him on the bed and took his hand in mine.

"Probably, but you do get the best results. What good is a business without the heavy?" My role was supposed to be some corporate take over specialist.

"I know and I'm the best weapon they have for corporate leverage, but I hate leaving you for so long." He smiled and squeezed my hand

"I always miss you when you're gone. Oh, I got some good news." He got up and got an imaginary envelope. "This came in the mail yesterday."

I opened it and read the fake letter. "Is this real?" My voice carried the joy of good news. "Babe this is fabulous! It's about time they appreciated your hard work with the Salvation Army. Your own branch is great." I gave him another hug.

"Yeah...but it comes with a barb." I looked concerned. "The branch is in California. I would have to move there."

I stood and took a few steps before turning back. "Is this what you want?" I asked holding the paper up.

"Yeah," he said after a moment, "it is." He looked away and then back.

"Then when do we move?" I had not even hesitated.

"What? You want to go with me?" He sounded honestly shocked. He was so much better than me.

"Yeah. I can get transferred to the San Francisco branch of the company and if not I'll quit and find a new job there." He smiled and stood and wrapped his arms around my neck.

"I love you."

"I love you too." We initiated the stage kiss, but something happened. We were looking into each other's eyes and I know I saw something I had not before. Our lips met, soft and unsure, but they met. It was nothing like a Hollywood kiss, nothing like the snogging I had seen on stage. It was sweet and filled me with a feeling I could only describe as warmth in my soul. 

He pulled away and took a step back. "I am so sorry, Justice. I did not mean to do that." He grabbed his things.

"Where are you going?" He looked at me. "Seriously. You don't need to leave. So we kissed." I touched my lips and smiled shyly at him. "I have to say it was nothing like I thought it would be." He gave me that look again. "Hey, it was nothing to get upset about." I took his stuff and put it back on the chair. 

"You...what just happened?"

"I did not freak out when we kissed. Yes, we. I don't know, it just felt right." I went and sat down on the bed and looked at my feet. "I liked it, Hector." I looked back at him. "It was nice."

He edged towards me at sat down. "You aren't mad? I know that this is really weird for you."

"That's the funny thing, Hector, it was not weird at all." I smiled to let him know I was serious. "I have never wanted to kiss anyone before, but at that moment I wanted nothing more." He blushed and smiled. He really was attractive especially when he smiled. "Did I read the situation wrong?"

"No. God you read it perfectly. I've wanted to do that for a few weeks now, but..."

"You did not want to drive me away. I'm glad you waited." I took his hand and just held it while I looked into his eyes, trying to let him know that I was okay. Our lips met again, this time with a bit more confidence and just as much feeling. My hand slid to his cheek and we eased onto our side on the bed. It was so nice, it was perfect. It was...right, to be there like that with him. I propped myself on one elbow and looked down at him. "You know, for a guy who's never really kissed you're good."

"Me? Do you know what it is like to fake a kiss with a guy you have a crush on?" I shook my head. "It bites." I smiled and gave him a small peck before I got up. "Where are you going?"

"I'm a firm believer in the just do it method of life." I pulled my shirt over my head and watched his pupils dilate. He had never seen me shirtless as far as I knew and he quite obviously liked what he saw. I was in the best shape of my life and it seemed that he approved of my physique as well.

"You really are evil." I tilted my head in question as I took off my shoes. "If you knew what was in my mind right now you would probably puke."

"I doubt it." I undid the button and zipper on my pants and slid them off. I was wearing a pair of bikini underwear that I was fond off and kept things in place when I had to do the little bit of dancing in the play. I did not want to wear a jock strap under my costume so this was the next best thing.

His eyes were filled with a hunger that I knew very well and he was feasting on the sight of my body. "Are you teasing me? If so I will probably kill you."

I stretched out next to him again and brushed away a strand of his long hair from his face. "Do you think I'm teasing?" I slid my hand down his chest. He was by no means muscular, not even all that lithe, but I could feel a very nice set of abs under that shirt. It was always my favorite part of the body. For me nothing beats a defined set of abs. His hand began to caress my chest. The touch was feather light but as potent as the strongest wine. I pulled his shirt over his head and looked down at his tanned body. I stay milky year round, but Hector had a glowing tan. He was not afraid to take his shirt off, and I liked that, the confidence to be himself no matter what anyone thought. "Still think I'd puke?"

"No, but I wonder when I'm going to wake up from this dream." I smiled and kissed him while our hands did some exploring. I will say this, having had both men and women feeling me up, men are much better. His touch was soft but firm, like he knew when to be gentle and when to be rough. My hand slipped around and traced his spine down to his ass. I had never noticed how round it was. For someone so lanky he had a big bubble butt and it fit nicely into my hands. "How far is this going to go?"

"Honestly? If it does not happen tonight, I may chicken out the next time." He smiled at my words. I had said there would be a next time, which was what he wanted to hear. He straddled me for a moment and his eyes went wide when he felt the fact that I was very much aroused. Not that I'm very long, but I'm thick and it shows when I've got a hard on. Then he got off of me and removed his own shoes and pants. I expected any type of underwear. Nope, he did not wear them and I could see why. "I hate you," I said. God he was long. I had seen guys like that and wondered if it was just a shower.

"I do not want to hear it."

"I just feel insufficient." I was mostly joking, but if I had the length to go with the girth I could have been a porn star. But seeing as I was just average in length I could not be in porn...which I would have been good at. I could not seem to take my eyes off his body. It was a uniform healthy tan. He sunbathed in the nude. That was so sexy. "I have never wanted to see a guy naked as much as right now." I stood and crossed the space between us, my bikinis somehow winding up on the other side of the room. He looked down and I could tell he was surprised and turned on because that long thing between his legs was getting longer. My hands traced along his abs and then around his narrow waist to rest on those round cheeks. Both of us were breathing heavily.

"I could never have dreamed you would be here with me like this." We kissed again. Our kisses were not fiery, but they were passionate, that slowly building passion that could explode at any time into something almost animalistic. His hands moved across my back and down to my own cheeks. Our pelvises were touching and it felt like there was two feet of Hector stretching from his groin to my chin. "Let me know if I'm going too fast." I nodded as his hand snaked around and wrapped around my dick. His hands were hot and the heat seared me to my core. His fingers could not reach all the way around but it was the closest anyone had ever come. My brain was aflame and I knew then that I would be going all the way tonight. I would not stop until I knew what it was like to with a man, with this man.

I kissed along his jaw and over to his ear and whispered, "If you go any slower I'm going to shoot off in your hand." My voice sent shivers down his side, I know because it always did when I whispered in someone's ear. He pulled back to look at me.

"Are you sure?"

"If you don't, I will." I looked down at close to eleven inches and I was surprised their were no veins. My hand stroked along his side and slid to enfold him. His eyes rolled back and I knew if he gave me one stroke I would be done. The skin was velvety soft and despite that it could not stand fully erect it was hard as my own. He was too long to stand erect, it was just on the up side of horizontal. The head was a paler tan-pink and round rather than mushroom shaped like my own. I stroked up from the base and he shuddered.

"Justice..." he breathed huskily. I knew what he meant. Both of us were so hair triggered then that unless we took a breather we would not last more than a few seconds. We both let go and stepped back. I noticed again that he seemed to have more hips than most guys, but that was from his bubble butt. The breather lasted only a few seconds and I made my mind up which one of us was getting off first and sat on the bed an motioned him over.


All that Drama



He came over and went to straddle my hips. "Not yet." His look of confusion was blasted off his face as I took him in my mouth. I had never sucked a dick, never thought about it until that night, but I had gotten more than my fair share of them so I knew vaguely what to do. I ran my tongue up and around the head, feeling him quivering. The taste was not unpleasant, but it was unusual. I could smell the scent of sweat from that night mixed with an almost tangy taste like sweet and sour sauce. I cupped his cheeks and massaged them as my mouth took more of him in.

He gasped out my name and I knew he was about to cum in my mouth. I wanted to know everything. His knees wobbled as the first blast shot into my throat. The taste was that same sweet and sour tang but only better. Hector kept shooting until I had no choice to swallow or spit it out. In for a dollar...I swallowed. When he was done he almost collapsed next to me and looked at me with such thunderstruck awe that I was not surprised when he asked "Are you sure you've never done that before?"

"Never. You taste good." He laughed weakly. I stretched out next to him again and he laid his head on my shoulder and was toying with my chest.

"God, it's never been that good. Ever."

I made a stab in the dark. "Did you ever have feelings for the others?" He shook his head. "There you go. It was not that I was good, I was just me." He looked up at me. "Hey if I can admit that I care for you more than any woman I've ever been with then you can do the same."

"You care for me?" His voice was so weak with hope that he had not misunderstood.

"Yeah. I do." I was just as surprised as he was and it showed in my tone.

He chuckled. "Never saw this one coming, did you?"

"Not in a million years." We kissed and shared a laugh.

Hector looked down at my body and noticed I had not gotten any softer. "Is he always like that?"

"Until he's done, yep." He raised a brow and began to kiss down my chest. I knew what was going to happen but it did not register in my brain until his mouth was around me. I squeezed my eyes shut to ward off the fact that he was the best I had ever had. All feelings aside he did things that no woman had ever done. He could take all but the very base in his mouth, a feat no woman could do, and I began to breathe quickly and grabbed the bedding in a white knuckled grip so I did not grab that long hair. When his tongue slipped down and began to swab my balls at the same time he was deep throating me I lost control. Spots swam before my eyes and exploded in my head even as I exploded in his mouth. I could not have stopped myself even if I had wanted to. It was the most powerful orgasm I had ever had and I was glad that I was laying down or I would have fallen.

When I was done he looked up at me from behind a screen of that long blond hair and I could swear he had the biggest grin. "Were you trying to kill me? No one has ever done that." He slipped back up beside me and I pulled him in for a kiss. We both knew it would happen as we open our mouthes for a little tongue. The taste of him mingled with me was better than any aphrodisiac I had heard of. I wrapped my arms around him and we lay there for a few minutes just being close. I had never been one for cuddling after sex, but I had never wanted them to stay around. Tonight was simply a night for firsts.

"Justice?" Hector asked tentatively.

"Hmm?" I was drained and whatever caffeine high I had was gone. I'm not very eloquent when I'm tired.

"What does this mean? Between you and me."

I had not thought that far ahead, but what popped out was what I felt. "Us sound nice."

"Really? You're okay with that?" I nodded. "Openly or discrete?"

"Anyone who knows us will know, and they'll guess when I kiss you on stage."

"No fake kisses?" Again I shook my head. "So we don't hide it but proceed with decorum."

"What you said." He laughed

"Are you one of those sleep right after sex guys?"

"Not normally. I am so damned drained from one helluva day." He snuggled closer but pulled away to get up. "Where ya goin'?"

"Shower. You should take one too." I groaned but rolled out of bed to do it. I tossed him a towel as he pulled on his pants. I just wrapped my towel around my waist as I always did and grabbed all the necessities.

I took a quick one only because I was too tired to stand there. Once back in the room I pulled on my sleeping shorts and fell into bed. I was nearly asleep when voices in the hall woke me fully up. "What the hell are you doing sissy boy?"

"Go fuck yourself, Steven." I was up and pulling on my clothes in seconds. This would get very ugly and it was after one AM.

"No, that is what the women are for. You should try it some time." I opened the door to see them just outside the shower room.

I came over looking about as angry as I felt. "Do you mind? It is too damn early for this."

"See, sissy boy, my bro agrees with me." He looked so smug that I wanted to slap the shit out of him.

"Actually I was talking to you, Steven. Hector was at least whispering. By the way, leave him alone from now on. He's off limits." Hector looked at me with that look again.

"What the fuck, Justice. You his friend now?" Steven was looking like he was giving birth to a porcupine.

"Actually yes. He's a good friend now. Helped me pass drama even after the shit we put him through. He at least sees that I'm not the little punk I was in high school."

"Going queer on us, Justice?"

"Queer means peculiar or abnormal. If not being like you makes me queer then yes. I'd rather be queer than a fucking prick who only picks on people because he has a fucked up home life. C'mon, Hector, lets finish our lines for next week." We turned and went into my room. Once the door was shut I sagged against the door.

"You are the bravest, sweetest guy ever. Facing down that asshat like that." He gave me a kiss and helped me up. "I have never seen him looked so out of sorts."

"I know how to get his goat. But I think both of us should avoid him if we can." Hector nodded and hung up his towel. I stripped again and locked the door in case Steven felt like being an asshole. The lock was one of those heavy bars that no one would get past unless they wanted to really, really get in. I had a very expensive stereo and computer that I wanted to keep. The bar was to keep out thieves, but I guess it would keep out asshole ex-friends. I climbed into bed and held the covers open for Hector who smiled and got in. "You smell good."

"You have great taste in body wash and shampoo."

"I know." We drifted off to sleep.

I woke up the next morning feeling happy and I wondered who was in my bed with me when it all came flooding back. I grinned to myself. I was dating Hector and I could not be happier. It was Saturday and the cafeteria would be closed and all I had for breakfast were pop-tarts. It was also after ten o'clock and unless I got up now I would not be up before 2; whenever I slept in I did it whole hog. I gently shook Hector who seemed to come awake fully in the blink of an eye. "Morning, beautiful." I kissed his neck and he giggled.

"So I did not just dream last night."

"Oh no, it was a dream. One come true." He looked at me like I was the dorkiest, but sweetest guy alive. "Do you want leftover pizza for breakfast or go out?"

"What time is it?" I told him. He threw back the covers and was pulling on his clothes like he had been caught by my father.

"What?"

"I'm supposed to meet Sarah for brunch at 10:30." I laughed how frenzied he looked. "What? It's a long ride on my bike."

"Like I'd let you do that. My car does have bike racks on top." He halted in putting on his shoe. "Did you think I would just kick you out?"

"Well...it would be the normal for my life." I snickered and got out of bed.

"Not anymore. May I join you, or is this a girls only?" I ducked his halfhearted swing and laughed. "Seriously. Is it a private thing?"

"No. Of course you can come. Can we swing by my house so I can grab a change of clothes?" I nodded. "You can meet my mom. Again." I had met her briefly during Steven's trial. She was nice enough but seemed to not trust me. But then I had been a dick to her son for a year.

"Already meeting the parental units." He swatted my backside as I pulled on a pair of khaki cargo pants and a nice button up. I usually wore jeans and something that showed off my body, but the pants were loose and the shirt had almost billowy sleeves. He looked on with bewilderment. "Why dress like I'm looking for a good time when I have a boyfriend?" I wrapped my mind around that and found it was weird in a good way. I was dating a guy and it was fine with me.

"Will you turn back into a frog?" I snickered but shook my head.

We spent only a moment at his house while he changed. "Mom, you remember Justice."

"Yes. How are you young man?" His mother had had him late in life. He had six older siblings.

"I'm fine ma'am, how have you been?"

"Could be better. I'm getting too old to deal with a college son with odd hours." I could tell she not serious at all about being put out by his not coming home last night. "Hector tells me you're in a skit with him next week. You were very good last night."

"Thanks. Hector's been a godsend. I would never have remembered all those lines if he had not helped out."

"I'm surprised...what with your past." There it was. The past I would have liked to forget.

"I'm just grateful he's got a good heart and forgave me." She nodded. "But yeah. The skit is just the two of us. We were rehearsing until about two in the morning."

"That's nice. I'm glad you two have patched things up."

"Me too mom," he said coming from the hall. He gave me a look that said he wanted to kiss me and he wanted to know how I would feel about it. The look I returned said I would be fine with it. I gave him a quick smooch. "Patched things is putting it lightly." Her eyes nearly bugged out.

"You?" she asked me.

"That was what I said. But Hector's the best friend I've ever had and when we got to the kiss in the script we just...went for it." I was beet red with embarrassment. This was his mother and I did not know how to tell her I had sex with her son last night. "I won't question my luck."

She gave me a hug. "Welcome to the family, Justice. I never thought I would live to see him find someone he would kiss."

"He feels the same way about kissing. Odd since he was such a slut in high school." I laughed and nodded. I was. "Never kissed any of them. We have to go to brunch, Mom."

"Have fun you two. It was nice to see you again, Justice."

"You too, ma'am."

The car ride was short from his house and we were only a few minutes late. "Hey guys. Looks like we have one more." Sarah scooted over in the booth. Jerry and his girlfriend Gina were also there. She was a spunky little Vietnamese exchange student and a very pretty girl. Also a master of accents, few knew this was the first year she'd ever been stateside. The crowd varied weekend to weekend but every Saturday there was a group of friend meeting here at Denny's.

"Sorry we're late, but I had to go home to change."

Sarah looked from him to me and her mouth sagged open. "NO!" I nodded with the biggest grin. "Really?"

"His Mom said the same thing." I gave Jerry a hand shake and Gina a hug.

"Guess it worked, huh Hector?" I looked at Jerry in confusion. "He asked me to write a part for the two of you and include a kiss scene." Hector was suddenly very interested in the menu.

"Are you serious? You had your friend set me up just to kiss me?" I was red in the face and my brows were pulled down in anger.

"Oh god, don't be angry..."

"I so love you." I dropped the act and he gave me a good solid punch to my shoulder. "Owww. Abuse, abuse!" I was laughing it out and trying not to be too loud.

"I thought you were seriously mad at me." Sarah was giggling.

"I have been seduced, drugged, gotten drunk, and triple teamed into bed, but no one has ever gone so far just for a kiss." I put my lips to his and damn the discretion. It was one of the sneakiest and sweetest things to get my attention and it totally worked. "You are so in trouble."

"Will you punish me like you did last night?" he whispered in my ear.

"Worse. I have one hole that has never been tampered with." He pulled back with his eyes wide and filled with a mix of love and lust.

"I have never seen Hector with that look," said Gina sweetly, "he must have said something either really sweet or very, very naughty."

"Naughty," the rest of us chimed in.

"I'm so happy for you both. I..." she cut off and motioned to the door. Steven and his cronies were just coming in and looking around for me. I know they recognized my car. "Great. I can run interference. I do double as an entire defensive line according to him." I looked away in shame. I had started that joke. It had been one of my "funniest" so they went with it.

We shared a look. "That'll be okay, Sarah. We're not going to run from them. The little old ladies will protect us." She just shook her head and flicked her eyes above my head. They were coming this way.

"Well, if it isn't the drama queens. And I stress the word queen."

"Drop dead," said Gina with more acid in her tone than I thought possible. "Go mess up someone else's morning."

"Aw, the little chink has a spine." That was bad even for Steven. He usually tried to bed every Asian girl he saw. "Does she taste like sweet and sour sauce or sushi?" Wow, he was in rare form today. Jerry calmly placed his napkin on the table.

"Jerry, don't," I said. "Unless you're a better fighter than you look, he'll mop the floor with you." I stood up. I was taller than him by two inches and outweighed by at least thirty pounds. "I, on the other hand, can kick his ass. Just give me the word Gina and I'll send him home to Mommy...oh wait." I paused and smiled sweetly. "That's right. Your mom left you and your dad when you were six. And it was for another woman too, wasn't it?" His face was a splotchy red and white. He was very close to doing what I had wanted him to do for a while. If he swung on me I could beat the tar out of him. One good thing about being the son of a senator was very good lawyers. "Get out of here, you fucking little shit, before I forget we used to be friends." My tone was deadly even but my face said I was greeting an old friend. The smile was so false that I wondered if anyone would be fooled.

"I will kill you for this, Justice." At least that is what I thought he said. It came out so garbled that I could not be sure.

"Yeah, whatever. Have a good day boys." I turned my back on them for a moment but turned back and looked at one of the cronies. Seth was the one I actually liked out of the seven. "Seth, you should really think about your friends. The clique went out with high school. That's my advice to you." I gave him a smile, a real one that showed him I was genuinely worried about him. "You may find a better friend among those you used to torment. I did." The I sat down. I was ready for Steven to try anything. One good thing about JROTC was they had several options for self defense. I took them all, but my best was CQC, close quarter combat, with anything at hand and forks made for great weapons.

Steven turned and fumed away, his cronies in tow. Seth seemed torn as he made a decision. Stay or go? I could see his mind moving sluggishly, he was not the most brainy guy. I was disappointed when he went with them. I sighed and shook my head. "Sarah, I'm sorry for the lineman joke. I started it and it stuck."

"Don't worry, handsome, I forgave you already. At least that one makes me a bit proud. I was always good at football." I chuckled picturing her running at someone and them wetting themselves. "Mental funny?"

"Just picturing you sacking Steven and his eyes popping out even as he pissed himself." She laughed at that thought.

"Justice, thanks for standing up for Gina, but I can take him. I'm black belt four ways and I know knife fighting." I stared. No wonder he had been so calm. If he was as good as he says, he would have obliterated that asshole. I almost wish I had not spoke up. "And Gina whips my backside every time we spar."

"Stereo typing much, Gina?" I asked, but she did not get it. "The little pretty Asian girl who can kick the stupid white boy's ass from here to next Tuesday without even breaking a sweat? How cliché."

Hector only shook his head. Brunch went wonderfully after that and I will have to say this. I felt completely at peace within my own skin. Maybe I had been gay all along and only needed someone like Hector to bring it out. I could just be fooling myself into thinking I was gay, but if so I never wanted it to stop. And to top it all off a little old lady came by the table saying "You boys make such a cute couple," and then hobbled off with her walker. I could only grin at my boyfriend and kiss him.

Monday came and I was very surprised to feel none of the nervousness I had expected. I mean, kissing Hector in front of the drama department was one thing, they're all a bunch of voyeuristic freaks anyway, but I was going to be really kissing him in front of I don't know how many fellow students...and I did not care. I finally found someone I could love who loved me back and I wanted to shout it from the roof tops. Of course then I would be hauled off to the loony bin for a suicide attempt and disturbing the peace. The skit order was done alphabetically by last name and I was first. I was almost glad to get it out of the way so I could prepare for Jerry Fredrickson's skit. I was also glad because Steven would not be at school until after I was done. I was sitting front row center and looking on at the minimal set that involved a couch off to one side with a free standing door and an American flag off to the other side. No one was on stage yet and I was gathering my courage to introduce my skit. I stood and hopped onto the stage. "Hey everyone. I'm Justice Anderson and this skit is about prejudice. What it can do to those who are the targets and how it can bite you in the ass when it backfires. I hope you enjoy it." I got a smattering of applause from the close to one hundred student there.

When I took my seat Sarah took her spot on the couch. There was a momentary pause and then Hector came through the door and slammed it as hard as he could. "I hate him!" he yelled, and I knew there was no acting for that line. He did hate Steven. Not that character, either. He was dressed in my old ROTC uniform and I had to admit he filled out the pants very well, but then I was biased. From the word action to the time they took their bows I was very proud of my actors and actress. They delivered their lines perfectly even down to the scene where the Steven character slit his wrists and Francis ends with his short monologue about why blind hatred only leads to more. There was no applause and I thought I had written a truly bad piece until I looked back saw there was not a dry eye in the seats. When I stood the crowd was on their feet and clapping wildly. My cast gestured to me and I gave a small bow and went into the PA wing to change for my role. "That was great!" Hector said as he barreled into me. "I have never seen that in all my years. God they will remember this performance for years."

"You guys did fantastically. You really caught what I wanted to say and threw it in their faces." The cast joined in a group hug except for Sarah who had to change quickly for her next role. "All of you...thanks. I never realized it was such a powerful piece when I wrote it." I took Hector's hand and led to the dressing room for our set. I closed the door and wrapped my arms around his waist. "And you. God I am so proud of you. I wrote it to send a message, but you really sold it."




All that Drama



"I had all the motivation in the world. I was not acting so much as giving a speech." I nodded and kissed him. "We should get ready for the next skit." I helped him out of my uniform and hung it up even while he was fixing my tie. The rest of the day went as smoothly.

It was when we were on stage for a final bow of the entire class that I saw something that made my bowels turn to ice. Steven was standing at the top of the amphitheater seats and glaring daggers at me. I waved at him and turned my back as the Dean came over. "Wonderful, all of you, and such a diverse set of writing. I'm sure each of you worked hard, but all I hear about is the first skit." I smiled as Hector nudged me forward.

"Justice wrote it," said my boyfriend and I wanted to hug him and kick him all at the same time.

I stepped forward. "Young man that was an exceptional bit of writing."

"I had an exceptional cast to play it. No writer is good without them." I really did not want credit for this, I had only written what I wanted to tell everyone about how badly some people were still being treated.

"Well, unbeknownst to all of you a member of the Fine Arts department at Berkley was here." I know I was looking equal parts scared and thrilled. If some high mucky muck from a college like Berkley saw it... "He wants to meet with you, Justice, to talk about not only turning your skit into a full stage production, but he wants to talk about enrolling you at Berkley." I remember the world spinning. I recall hitting something soft as I fainted.

I do not remember my eyes rolling dramatically back into my head or that I had turn so white I looked dead. To hear those drama queens tell it I did a nose dive off the stage. I remember coming to in Sarah's lap. "Am I dreaming?"

"No, I'm that soft." I chuckled and looked up at everyone who was crowded around me.

"Did I faint?" They nodded. "God how embarrassing." Hector pulled me to my feet and steadied me. "Nice save, Sarah."

"Hey, it's about the only time I can say I had you in my arms." I laughed and kissed her cheek. "Stop before I steal you from the one you love." 

I took a deep breath. "Berkley, huh? Is this scout still here?"

"He went back to Berkley right after the last performance, but gave me his card to pass on. Think it over, Justice. It's a great opportunity." The dean left and I went and collapsed into the nearest seat.

Hector sat next to me with a big grin on his face. "Can you believe it? The first piece you do and someone wants to buy it." I nodded, but my mind was elsewhere. I had never seen Steven look so angry, so filled with hate. It was scary to think I had been friends with him and had never seen how truly twisted he was. Someone must have seen the skit and told him. "Justice?"

"Huh, oh sorry, my head is spinning."

"I'll bet. Will you sell the piece?"

"I honestly don't know. I wrote it for class not a large audience. And I could never want for a better cast and if they put someone in the roles that can't deliver it as well then the whole thing would be wasted on the public." He nodded, knowing how hard a decision this would be. It was my work, my message, and I did not want it to fail. I wanted every performance of it to do exactly what it did that morning.

"Will you take the scholarship?" I looked at him. "Never mind, it's too soon to think about it. I'll walk you back to your room and then you can call and leave a message on the voice mail." I nodded and he helped me home. I do not really remember what I did that night, only that I was sure Steven would be there Wednesday for the next performance. He would not be happy.

Tuesday morning I was woken by an insistent pounding on my door. I threw back the covers and stumbled over there. When I opened the door I was rushed and my first reaction was to grab the person. Whoever it was landed flat on their back with the wind knocked out of them. "Justice, it's me!" I blinked to see Seth trying to get up.

"How many times do I tell you not to barge in like that?" I pulled him to his feet and shut the door. "One of these times I may do more than throw you." It was the fifth time he had done it and each time I had either thrown him across the room or laid him out with one punch. I always felt like shit afterwards too. Seth was not tall or brawny. A hard body, yes, from the years of helping his parents as a migratory worker.

"I know, I'm just so excited." He shoved a newspaper at me and there on the front page was me and the cast. "They ran a story on your skit." He was grinning from ear to ear and I snagged the paper to read it while he sat down.

I read it and had to laugh. "They loved it! Seth the only people who have said it was crap are the people I wanted to hear it. Wow...PFLAG has added me to their top author list for the year."

"Who're they?" he asked.

"It stands for Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays. Like a support group for helping people to cope with being gay or having gay friends or family. This is exactly what I wanted. To shove the message up their prejudiced asses." I grinned and pulled him into a rough hug. "This is great. Dude, you are so forgiven for waking me up."

"I thought I would be." The smile fell off his face. "Steven knows about the play." I nodded, instantly sober. "He is pretty pissed. Kyle told him and we all caught the ...uh... kiss." He was looking at me strangely.

"Good. Do you think less of me for it?"

"Naw, you're still a cool dude, Justice. It was an act, right?" 

I knew whatever I said now would either get back to Hector or to Steven. Should I lie? It would be easy but I would lose the best part of my life. "No, it was not. I've been dating Hector for about a week now."

His eyes got as big as saucers. There was nothing he had ever seen to prepare him for this and it showed so bluntly on his face. "Really? I should'a guessed. You never did kiss anyone before. So, you're dating the sis...I mean Hector." I smiled an ignored the slip. Seth was a follower and never had much in the way of original thoughts. "He must mean a lot to you."

"Yeah, he does. You should try to get to know him."

"I can't. Steven would kill me." I nodded. As much as Seth was my friend he was totally dependent on Steven for social protection, dates, and anything approaching popularity. I understood and wished I could help Seth, but I was about to be kicked out of the popular Crowd.

"Yeah. Well, if you ever change you mind we have brunch at Denny's every Saturday. You're welcome to join us. I think I saw Sarah making eyes at you."

"The pretty girl with the nice smile?" I knew he liked big girls so there would be no problem there. "She would not be interested in me. I'm no catch."

"You would be surprised. She's really nice and forgiving of people who try to make amends."

"So I should apologize to her for calling her a beached beluga?" I wanted to laugh because that was the only thing he had come up with on his own. Simply knowing what a beluga was is a feat for Seth.

"Yes. You may want to tell her that away from Steven." He nodded and grinned. I knew I would have to call Sarah and tell her to expect it and keep an open mind. She may even play along with it to save the poor soul from the clutches of that twisted psycho.

"Yeah. I'll...I'll do that." He left with a kind of half smile and I pulled out my cell and called her to tell her what I had done.

"You mean the cute little Mexican boy with the puppy dog eyes?"

"That pretty much sums him up. So you won't tar and feather me?"

"No, silly. If I can get him away from Steven I'll do my best. It's not like he's repulsive and I do recall you singled him out at the restaurant."

"Thanks, Sarah." I hung up to see Hector standing in my door looking happy and scared all in one. "Hey, you look...odd."

"Did you tell Seth? Because he said, and I quote, 'I hope you guys last,' end quote."

"Yeah. I mean I would not lie about it and he seemed to want to know." I got attacked then and landed on the bed with him atop me and our lips pressed together. I took it as a good sign that he was not mad at me. When speaking was possible I smiled at him. "Good morning to you too." It was almost seven in the morning after all and I had no classes. I had hoped to sleep in until noon, but alas...

"He brought you the paper, didn't he? The bum! I wanted to tell you." I laughed and got up off the bed with him still in my arms. My neighbor peeked in and snickered.

"Quiet, Kai!" I said and slammed the door. Kai was on the football team and he was my center. How he would take to having a gay quarterback behind him would be interesting to see. "It's great though. I can't believe how many people hate it!"

"I know! Anyone with prejudice against gays are yelling themselves hoarse and just showing how ignorant they really are. Anyone with a modicum of sense likes it." He kissed me again and this time I picked him up and laid him on the bed rather than fall onto it. "How will we celebrate? Dinner at Olive Garden with the cast?" My boyfriend was a pasta fanatic. If it involved noodles of any kind he'd eat it.

"Sure, tonight. I have a few other things in mind for now." I whispered this last part in his ear as I slid my hand up his shirt and across his abs. Feeling him tremble beneath my finger tips was very nice. "I think I told you you were in trouble."

He turned to look at me with a very seductive smile. "Then punish me." I gave him an evil grin and got up to bar the door. I pulled him to his feet and pulled his shirt off. I ran my fingers across his stomach as I moved around behind him. When my arms encircled his waist he leaned back with a sigh. That sigh turned to a whimper as I trailed kisses from his earlobe to his shoulder and then back along his neck. My hands were unbuckling his belt and getting his shorts off. Like last time he wore no underwear and I was clad only in my sleeping shorts. Those fell when I loosened the draw string and my front was pressed to his back. "That is so unfair." I was grinding my pelvis against his ample backside, kissing his neck, and stroking his hard on. He could not decide which part of what I was doing he liked best and he was almost in sensory overload.

"I know." He quivered again and I spun him around and laid him on the bed again. I reached into my desk for something I bought for this occasion. I came back with two bottles of oil. "So, vanilla or strawberry?" I asked holding them up.

"Why?" he asked in a whisper.

"Because you are giving me a massage." He looked confused until I squirted some of the vanilla on my hand and gave his dick a few strokes. "Inside and out." He let out a sighing laugh and grabbed the vanilla while I put down a towel on the bed.

"Are you sure?" I looked at him with a smile and nodded. "Why the outside massage?"

"I know I need to relax or it will hurt."

"Experience from the other end, huh?" I nodded and lay face down on the bed with my pillows under my chest so I could hang my head down. He paused for a moment and then I felt him straddle my hips, his long dick nestled in my crack. "You have no idea how sexy this is." I flexed my cheeks and he gasped. He had never really felt on my ass thoroughly to know I really worked them out. 

When his hands touched my shoulders and began to knead my flesh I groaned. "That...wow." 

"My cousin is an expert at this and she taught me a few tricks." I sighed as he dug into my shoulders with enough pressure to get out the deep tension I always seemed to have. I could feel him softening as he concentrated on my upper body's relaxation. He was really trying to get me to relax and I could feel all the nervousness drain out.

"It shows." He moved down to the upper back and found small knots I did not know were there. They were gone under his expert hands. One hand stayed to massage between my shoulder blades while the other slipped down. I know I went a bit wide eyed when his fingers dug into my glutes, but I did not tense up, which was a good sign. I was not paying too much attention to his lower hand. I was lost I the relaxation when I felt his finger slide across my hole. I could not believe how good it felt. I had never let anyone except a doctor anywhere near that area, and a doctor only for the physicals required for football. The thought before now was that it was an exit only, but boy was I wrong. I raised my hips to spread my cheek apart and I could feel his dick getting hard again. He moved down so both hands could get at my glutes and while his fingers worked their magic on the muscles his thumbs cast their spell on my hole. It was like warm electricity that surged up my insides to the prostate, and I was so hard I could not remember it ever hurting with the need to orgasm. Then his finger entered. My breathing stopped as I was pushed over into an orgasm. He had barely touched my prostate and I was through.

"Are you..." I nodded, unable to speak. His finger massaged the gland and I started breathing again, only in shuddering gasps. "Do you still..."

"God yes." I wanted it. If his dick was even half as pleasurable I would want it there all day long if we could. He spread my cheeks as wide as he could and I reached back to hold them open. I heard him squirt some more lotion on his hands and then I felt that round head pressed against my hole, the place I wanted him to claim. He pushed forward a little and eased off. I knew exactly what he was doing and knew he was far better than I was on patience. When I was relaxed enough he slid in. Only a few inches, but I felt filled. Letting me get used to his girth he massaged my lower back but I could tell his mind was no longer as focused on my muscles.

He rocked forward a bit and I rose to meet him. He moaned softly as he had more than half inside. Pulling out felt very strange, but when he pushed back in he aimed for that spot and when he touched it I bucked and he fell atop me, all eleven inches buried inside of me. "Don't move, Justice." I could tell by his breathing he was about to cum, so I just let him wait. I cannot begin to describe the feeling of having him inside of me, but I knew this was meant to be. He fit perfectly. There was no pain, no discomfort, only blissful pleasure. He pulled out a bit and slid gently back in, each time brushing my gland and getting my dick hard again. 

I wanted to feel him cum in me. I pushed up into doggy style and looked back over my shoulder. His face was so full of need, but he was trying to be gentle. As he pushed in I slammed my ass back against him and his eyes rolled up. He looked at me as I met his every thrust with one of my own. "I want to feel it." He nodded and picked up the speed. It was still not fast enough for what I knew he wanted and I let him know by bucking back harder and harder. "This is about you, babe." He looked at me with such love in his eyes. I had what I wanted, what I needed, to feel. Now it was his turn. 

I could never match the long strokes he could do. His hips moved better than any belly dancer and he was giving me what he wanted, what I knew to be his fantasy. He had wanted to be with me for a while, probably even when he could not stand me, and now he was living a fantasy. In and out, with those long strokes. He was lost in the sensation and I was getting just as much pleasure seeing his need being filled as I was with the pounding I was getting. I saw his face scrunch up as he came in me. I could feel every splash of his cum coat my walls and I had to bury my face in my pillow to stifle the moan that escaped my lips. It was a piece of heaven, a simultaneous orgasm that left us breathless. We collapsed onto the bed with him still inside of me. "Consider me punished." I chuckled as he rolled off me, out of me, and onto his back. "That was..."

"I know. Whoever said exit only never had you in there." He grinned and kissed me.

"Did you cum again?" I nodded. I was one of those rare guys who could go for hours even with multiple orgasms. "What a waste." I laughed and rolled onto my side, my dick still hard. "Well, it looks ready for round three. Mine got knocked out in the first round."

"I hope I can revive it." He nodded. "That was amazing. I meant it when I said I love you. I've never uttered those words in my life." He smiled with his eyes half lidded. He was drained and I was too, but I was not surprised when he held up the lotion bottles. "Strawberry." He squirted a copious amount onto his hands and straddled me. One hand coated every inch of my shaft while the other lubed himself up. "Are you sure? I know it is thicker than most."

"Do you want it?" I nodded. "Then I do too. Hell, since I saw you naked I wanted it." He leaned over while he positioned it and whispered, "I like them thick." Then he eased back and I slid in. I was no stranger to anal sex and I usually caused some pain to my partner, but he sat all the way back and took all of it without batting an eyelash. His mouth opened in an O as he sat there. There might not be pain, but I was nothing to simple go at. He looked down at me with such an intense look in his blue eyes that I knew I had better hold on. How he knew this was my favorite position for anal I don't know. He rocked back and forth and the moist heat of his depths made me shudder. He was tight. How he could take me like that and still be as tight as any virgin I had been with was a mystery, but he showed me that he was just as good at riding as he was with his mouth. He found the perfect rhythm to build my orgasm without rushing it, but I still only lasted a few minutes. Watching his eyes as he looked at me was intoxicating but it was his abs flexing that pushed me into my third orgasm in less than an hour. As I was blasting off inside of him I felt something splash onto my chest.

He was cumming on my chest! God when it hit he got so tight it hurt, but I knew I would never do this with any other person. He sat there for a moment as I finally softened in him and looked down at me. "Never in my life have I cum when a guy fucked me." I had no reason to doubt him considering his eyes said he was so satisfied he could die then and be happy for all eternity.

A knock came at my door. We both got that deer in a headlight look and he dove for his shorts while I pulled on my pants from last night. He tossed me the towel to wipe off the evidence even though the scent of vanilla, strawberry, and sex hung in the air. I unbarred the door and opened it to see Kai. "Done?" he asked and I nodded. "First off, holy shit balls! When did this happen? Hey Hector." He waved from the bed.

"Friday night."

"Sweet, just no grabbing my ass when I hike you the ball." I laughed and nodded. "Secondly I have to remind everyone that they need to clear out their stuff by Saturday at noon." He gave me an evil grin. "But since you've been packing shit all morning that should not be a problem." He ran before I could retaliate. 

I shut the door and laughed. "What an ass! Cool that he's not freaked out about it though."

"Shouldn't be." I raised a brow in question and Hector gave me a flat look.

"No! Kai?!" Hector nodded. I could not see it. The man was taller than me and outweighed me by forty pounds of solid muscle. Hell he mad more chest hair than I had hair on my legs. He just seemed so...manly. "Spill it!"

"His girlfriend is my cousin and she said he had always been curious about guys. She asked me to help, knowing that I would try my best to make it good for him."

"Obviously you worked your magic on him and he liked it enough to not kill every gay guy in sight."

"True. He said it was great but not for him and we just stayed friends. Not jealous?"

"No, that's just stupid. So you slept with Kai. Kinda hot, but so what? Hell, you've been kissing Patrick for the past month and a half and it has not bothered me." He smiled at me and gave me that look. "I'm not the jealous type. I've seen it tear apart people's lives and I don't want to lose you over something so stupid." 




All that Drama



He wrapped his arms around my neck and looked at me like I was the cat's meow. "How do you know what to say?"

"I just say what I feel, and right now I feel," I kissed along his neck, "like we were interrupted. But I need to take a shower. Someone shot something all over my chest." He giggled. "How about I meet you in the cafeteria and we'll decide what to do from there."

"Or I could take a shower too since someone shot something all over my insides." I groaned and shook my head.

"The nerve of some people...I swear." We had our showers and on my way out to the quad I passed Kai in the hall and could not resist being evil. He never saw it coming until I had a handful of his ass cheek. "Never said anything about when we're not playing ball." He jumped about ten feet in the air and landed on his butt. He looked up at me like I was going to be dead, but he ended up laughing. "Golly, Kai, why are you sitting on the ground?"

"It's safer." I helped him up and he chuckled. "Dude, I'm glad you two hooked up. Hector's cool and I think you'll be good for each other."

"Not to mention he gives the best blow jobs ever. What did you give him out of ten?"

"He told...I hate the both of you." He spun and stalked away but not before I saw that laughter in his eyes. "Ten, by the way." I could only laugh at his retreating back.

The cafeteria was packed with students all saying their goodbyes. It was the last week of school and those who did not live on campus were making plans to meet up with friends over the Summer vacation/term. The place was filled with conversation and I realized as I looked over at where the "in" Crowd sat that I would not miss them. I had a whole new crowd that I liked a lot more. I found my friends on the stage tables and saw off to one side were Sarah and Seth. "Who introduced those two?" Jerry asked me. 

"I did. If I'm reading this right he's been apologizing for the past hour."

"Close. She finally had to shut him up the old fashioned way."

"She kissed him?" Jerry nodded. I was grinning as Seth gave me the thumbs up. I had never seen him happier and Sarah did not look adverse to his company either. There was some actual chemistry there. "Huh. She could do much worse than Seth, and he could not do much better."

"So the fact that he's a crony does not count?"

"I'm trying to get him away from Steven before Seth gets into a jam he can't get out of. Sarah agrees with me and is trying to give him a reason to break away." Jerry nodded and finished his breakfast. I snagged two plates from the counter for me and Hector, but I could not make it back to the group because my former friends were blocking my way. "Guys," I said in a sort if greeting that was part warning.

"Shut up you faggot loving bitch." I nodded like he had gotten a good one on me. "Seth told us you were fucking the sissy boy. Maybe it's the other way around."

"Maybe, but at least I don't bank on Daddy's money to get into college or to pick up on chicks or to afford a new car every year. I don't have to buy friend. Now get out of my way, Steven." My voice was controlled and tight. If he wanted to go a round I would happily oblige him.

"Yeah, get out of his way." Kai and two of the team were standing off to one side. Carl and Rafa were both on the offensive line and easily could take any two of the Crowd.

"You standing up for this punk fucker?"

"Yeah. Justice may be gay, but that puts him way above you." Kai shouldered through the crowd and stood next to me. He put his arm around my shoulder. "I have no problem seeing the fact that he's a cool dude, great quarterback, decent actor and the best damned writer I know. You're afraid to even touch him. Afraid he'll pull you out of your homophobic closet with gay cooties?" Carl was chuckling. Rafa wiggled his fingers and made a ghost like ooh.

"You fucking the sissy boy too, Kai?" I saw it coming, Carl saw it coming, Rafa had been waiting for it, but Steven did not until he was laying on the ground. Kai had popped him one right in the snot box and dropped him with that one hit. Other than football Kai was a boxer.

"That 'sissy boy' happens to be a really close friend, my girlfriend's cousin, and the boyfriend of my best friend Justice. If I ever hear you call him...no. If I ever hear you calling anyone who is gay a faggot or a punk I'll break you in two." I was enjoying this. More so because there was a crowd forming and all of them seemed to be sneering at Steven like he was filth. I remembered some of their faces from the audience the day before and knew my message had been heard.

"Steven, old friend. Leave me and my boyfriend, and my other friends, alone. Everyone can see what a petty, pathetic creep you are. I doubt that any lovely lady here will ever give you the time of day now that your true colors are revealed." Quite a few of the women nodded too. Hell, three of them he had slept with in the past year. "So just get up and walk away." He actually did too, shoving his way through the onlookers and holding his nose to stop the bleeding. The Crowd followed dutifully behind although I did see more than one re-evaluating his position. The onlookers applauded as I gave Kai a rough hug. "You are a brute, Kai. Thanks for the vote of confidence."

"Don't mention it, bro." I gave Carl and Rafa high fives. I got a decent shock when Rafa took Carl's hand. 

"It must be catching." They pulled me into a three way hug and I got a noogie from Carl.

"These two actually told me they'd been dating since they were freshmen in HS. Introduced them to Hector who helped them tell their families."

"God, have I been blind?"

"No, you just weren't looking." Hector came over with a smile and kissed me in front of the few remaining onlookers. They gave a few cat calls and some rather lewd comments, but it was not meant to hurt. They were letting us know that they were not like Steven, and I felt really lucky to have pulled my head out of my ass before it got stuck. "Want to join us for breakfast, boys?"

"Sure." It must have looked very odd to those who still believed that cliques were supposed to be separate. The drama geeks were eating with some of the jocks, I was of both worlds so I did not count, two of which were dating and had been for eight years. There were also a few of the exchange students hanging out with Gina and Jerry. Sarah and Seth were still off in the corner chatting up a storm. Life was better for all of us.

By the end of the week every student had seen my skit and I gave an interview for the local newspaper on why I wrote it. "Call it karma. I was a real jerk in high school that I wanted to put the message out there that it's not cool to be that way. Call it my personal penance and community service. If one person sees it and changes their thinking then I did my job." The guy from Berkley came back up and he brought the entire drama department just to see my skit. That way they can see what the author wanted it to be like. He offered me a nice sum of money to write a full length stage script. It would be my work, my name on it, but used solely by Berkley...for now. He seemed to think that quite a few schools would want their own copies.

"Are you going to do it?" Hector asked me. We were in the dressing room for our last performance of our skit and of the year. One more time we had to say those campy, silly lines and kiss in front of everyone. One more time I had to worry Steve was going to go Columbine on me and Hector.

"I think so. Not for the money, but just to say 'I wrote that.' To be able to look back and say I did something right." He shook his head fondly and gave me a kiss on my nose as the door burst inward.

"Guys, don't go out there." Seth, the ubique barging expert at his finest.

"Why?"

"Steven's out for blood." Our elation died with those four words.

"How do you know?" 

"C'mon, Justice, I know what you guys say about me. That I'm slow, that if I was any dumber you'd have to water me twice a week." I know I felt ashamed. I was guilty of thinking him slow, but the last line was just cruel. "I'm not bright, I know that, but I see things. I'm great at jigsaw puzzles. I get them. This entire semester had been one big puzzle that I finally knew more than the rest. So don't go out there." His puppy eyes were glistening with tears. He was so adamant that both of us nodded. The sunshine came out as he smiled and gave us both quick hugs and dashed out again. "I'll tell Jerry."

I looked at Hector and he nodded. We stripped out of our costumes and into regular clothes. All of my things had been shipped to my Father's six bedroom, two story house in northern California for my stay there during the summer, so I did not worry about leaving anything. The two of us slipped casually out the PA wing and into the music hall. God bless the thousand exits of any college. Even if Steven suspected we would leave he could not cover all the exits. Running for my car we were in and gone in under a minute. I thought we had made it, but no. 

In my rear view mirror I saw Steven in his Tundra barreling towards us at top speed. "Hold on," I said and took the turn onto the highway at close to eighty. My car was not the fastest, his Tundra would catch us in a straight run, but mine was suped up to corner like a dream. I did not have to worry about rolling her even at ninety. 

"Where are we going?"

"The place where there will be the most witnesses." This would be the final showdown and I could tell Hector knew it too. The car jerked as he hit the back of it. "Shit!" I changed lanes to avoid another collision and took the on ramp to I-5 south. He had to slow way down to make the turn so we gained some much needed distance.

That was when the CHP flashed their lights. "Not now!" Hector cried. I pulled over and sat there tapping my steering wheel while looking in my rear-view mirror for the missile that was a Toyota Tundra.

The officer got out of his car and sauntered up to the window. "License and registration please." I handed them to him. "Mister Anderson, do you know how fast you were going?"

"Probably about eighty-five considering there is this psycho who is trying to run us off the road." The officer took a breath to comment and it was his last.

Steven and his Tundra plowed into my car and the officer was caught in between them. He died instantly. My car was thrown over the guard rail and it tumbled down the embankment...I blacked out for a few moments and came to when someone pulled me out of the wreckage and smashed their fist into my face. "You fucking dick sucking bitch! I'm going to kill you for that little play!" I was so out of it that I could not even lift my arms to stop him.

But I could muster up one last retort. "I've won," I choked out. "No matter what you do to me everyone will always know what you are." I coughed up blood and spit it in his face. "You will be locked up for the rest of your life, and Hector will be safe." 

"He's dead, you punk fucker." He spun me so I could see Hector laying motionless at the base of a tree. Beyond him the car was totaled. "I win." I felt cold. My body was shutting down and my mind was getting sluggish, but I had one last act in me. One last parting shot. I took a shard of glass out of my leg, it no longer seemed to hurt really, and stabbed him in the gut. The wind whooshed from his lungs and he looked at me in shock.

"But I'm not going down without taking you with me." We both fell over.

Hector was in the ER for two days just to make sure he would live. He had a concussion, two broken ribs, a broken jaw and a new scar on the side of his head. Otherwise he was fine, physically. He had heard what Steven said but could not move to help Justice. He heard what his boyfriend had said. Justice was dead. Sarah had broken the news to him and only by sheer force of will did he not cry. "He...did he kill Steven?" he asked through a wired jaw.

"No. He's in ICU, but he'll live." The man nodded and shut his eyes. He could see Justice there. He saw the first time he walked into Homeroom their junior year in high school looking like a Mr. Hard Body calendar model. Hector had wanted to talk to him, to welcome him to the school, but the ramrod posture, brutal haircut and cold look in his eyes told Hector he would like to talk to a queer.

He saw him pulling Steven off of him through the blood red haze of his beating and wondered why the guy did it. Why help someone you obviously hated? He remembered the look on his face when Hector had thanked him for saving his life. He had been so shocked but so relieved that Hector was going to live. Then Hector saw how much he had changed over that summer. He still ran with the Crowd, but he did not seem to be a part of it any more. Whenever Steven was not looking his face was troubled. It was obvious to Hector he did not like the politics any more. They had sat next to each other at graduation and Justice had offered his congratulations on being valedictorian. He seemed honest.

Hector stopped trying to think about him at least for a moment and opened his eyes. "He's getting charged, right?"

"Murder, stalking, harassment, hate crimes...the works. He'll be someone's prison bitch for the rest of his life." Hector nodded and turned away. Justice had prevailed then, but the cost was too high. "I know you miss him. It's okay to cry." Sarah was trying to be comforting. She wanted him to grieve, to get that part over with, and remember the good times.

"He would want me to move on and forget him. To smile...this is the best I can do right now." She nodded. That was probably what he would want too, but it was not what Hector wanted or needed.

Hector was at home dressing for court. He had offered his testimony and statements to the cops and the DA. There would be no trial, Steven was urged to take a deal by his father so Steven would go on living in prison instead of being put to death by lethal injection. The sentencing hearing would be short, there was no way he could even appeal it with his past. "Honey, you have a letter from Berkley."

Hector was fixing his tie as he walked to the living room. His Mom held out the letter. It was from the admissions office. He opened it and read, his jaw falling open. "I've been asked to attend on full scholarship." His voice was a whisper. "Mom, Justice...he said that they needed to consider me for acceptance or they could not have his play." He took a shuddering breath. Then he sobbed out all the pain he had kept bottled up for the past month and cried. Even in death Justice had done his best to make sure he was happy and secure. How, he was not sure, but Justice had done it. Hector cried out his hurt and wailed out his sorrow until he could not shed another tear and he was drying his face as they entered the court. All the drama department was there, Seth holding Sarah's hand. "You two get hooked up?" he asked, his voice so raw.

"Yeah." Seth pulled him into a hug, which was kinda awkward since he was almost a foot shorter than Hector. "You got your letter?" Hector nodded. "Sarah got one too. Me too. I'm on a Criminal justice scholarship. Forensics." Hector could not even stop himself from gaping. Seth laughed. "Hey, it's all one big puzzle. I get it, you know?"

So Justice had made sure his friends were all given an opportunity to move on. "All rise." As one the courtroom audience stood. "The honorable judge Clark Luther presiding." The judge walked in and sat.

"You may be seated." The scraping of chairs and the shuffling of feet was the only sound. Everyone was here to see Justice win postmortem. "Will the defendant please rise." Steven stood somewhat. He could not stand up straight with a hundred stitches in his stomach. "In the case of The State of California versus Steven Anthony Jackson the sentencing is as follows. On the count of Murder in the Second degree you have plead guilty. You will receive no less than fifteen years in the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. On the charges of stalking of more than four people you will receive no less than twelve years to run consecutive of charge A. For the charges of harassment of the same victims you will receive no less than eight years to run consecutive to Charges A and B. The minor traffic violations have been waived. And finally for the crimes of discrimination against a creed, gender, race and sexual orientation which led to the Death of one person you will be sentenced to no less than twenty-five years. The total is no less than sixty years with a life cap because your juvenile record dealt specifically with two of the victims. Do you have any final words?" Steven shook his head. The gavel thundered in the room. Justice had prevailed.

Hector and the rest of Berkley's drama department had been studying their lines for months. It was the opening night of Justice's full stage play and many people were there who had as much influence as the Governor. They had come to see what sparked such an upheaval in the north state. The piece was titled "Let Justice be Done," and Hector had never been so nervous. He and Sarah were playing the parts they had in their community college to keep the style what the author wanted. The house lights went down and Sarah rushed onto the stage to take her place on the couch. When the curtain parted and the lights came on Hector gave one last inaudible sigh and stormed on stage. "I hate him!"

The play went perfectly and as the curtain fell and their mics were turned off Hector ran over to Sarah and fell into her arms. He was so emotionally drained, so wrung out like a wet dish towel, that he did not want to even take his bows. "He would be so proud of you right now." He nodded but stayed there for a moment longer. All she could do was hug him and rub his back. "C'mon, star, the curtain can't open until you're ready." The applause was deafening even muted by the curtains.

He nodded and they formed a line as the curtains parted for their bows. Hector could see his family was there, all of them. His old college pals were there. Even a few of the Crowd were there looking on with new outlooks on life. Everyone was there...even Senator Anderson, Justice's Father, was front row. Hector had never spoken to the man and did not really feel like having it out with him over the death of his son. "Tonight is a very special night for this cast," said the Dean of Arts. "Justice Anderson, the author of this piece, wanted to get out a message. You will see in your bills that two of our cast were in the original short skit and I think they kept us on track." There was thunderous applause again and Hector nodded...but they were not looking at them. They were looking stage right. "We have a surprise gust here tonight. Justice Anderson." Hector spun to see Justice limping in with the help of a cane.

* * *

I watched Hector's eyes go from numb to disbelief and then to such joy that I hated not telling him I was going to live. I knew it would come long before he moved so I was able to get my good leg back to brace for impact. He launched himself at me and I caught him in a hug that had the audience cheering. I was crying on his shoulder even as he was soaking mine. "I hate you. Why didn't you tell me?" he asked so quietly I almost did not hear him.

"I'll explain later." I pulled back and let him know that I was not going to leave him and held out my arms for Sarah and Seth. "All of you guys did great. I am so proud to say I wrote this." The entire cast came over to shake my hand and pat me on the back even though I had only met them once. I was wiping away more than my tears as I took Hector's hand and hobbled to the podium. My leg hurt something fierce and I did not want to stand on it longer than I had to. When I got there I was beaming my best smile. Gradually the audience quieted. "Thank you all for being here for the opening night. As you can see the reports of my demise were a bunch of hype. But seriously. I've been asked what inspired me to write this. The reason is not a what but a whom." I smiled over at Hector who had not taken his eyes off of my face since he saw me. "Hector is that reason. I was as bad as the Steven character in high school and I made this man's life hell. It took him almost being killed by those I called friend to bring me to my senses. I was not a good person if I let them beat Hector for simply being gay. He thanked me for standing up to them when he could walk no better than I can right now." He wiped away a tear and smiled. "His example of forgiveness even of his least favorite person changed me. Then by some twist of fate I simply had to have Fine Arts credits. Can't sing, hate the trumpet, sorry dad," that got a chuckle and a small smile from my Father, "so I chose the least of all evils. I took drama. I learned so much from Hector and Sarah and the rest of the class on being not only a better actor but a better person.




All that Drama



"I saw that prejudice was still so strong. It hurt me to see this man and our friends being ridiculed because they were gay, or voluptuous."

"Say it right, Justice, I'm fat," yelled Sarah and got a laugh.

"Fine, fat. Or in need of watering twice a week." Seth grinned. "These people are different, just like everybody else. No one was willing to say 'hey, that guy is a great actor.' All they saw was that he liked guys." My face was serious and only made more so by the throbbing in my leg. "So I wrote this as a wake up call. I set the stage in a place where prejudice is drilled into the minds of young people. I know, I was in ROTC and I learned to hate gays there. But Hector helped me so much. Then, great holy God he kissed me!" I smiled as they laughed. "I have never been the same since I went to drama, and I am glad to say in front of everyone here that my boyfriend Hector is one of the best people to ever know...the big sissy." He gave my hand a squeeze and we waited for the applause to die down. "So, I want to thank you for coming. If you learned anything tonight my job is done. If you have any questions or concerns for yourself or family members when dealing with prejudice there are several phone numbers in the backs of your playbills. Help is only a hand away. Will you be the one to offer it?" I nodded and was escorted off the stage by the entire cast.

Once in the wings I sat down on one of the couches and groaned. "Go ahead...lemme have it," I said to Hector.

He let me have it alright. I could never forget how his lips felt on mine, but it had been months since and I had forgotten how much I missed him. The kiss was soft, his lips trembling with emotion, but in those few seconds I knew he had never once stopped loving me. I slid my arms around him and pulled him onto my good leg. It felt so good to be with him again that I never wanted it to end. "You are in trouble."

I grinned. "I know." I leaned in and whispered in his ear. "There are a few more positions I can think of to punish me with." He shivered and laughed. "I hope you're not mad at me." I was so happy to see, to hold him that I knew if he was furious I would break down and cry for him to take me back and not be mad. I would do anything to keep him.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I went into hiding. Steven's father is a very rich man and I was sending his son away to prison for life. Who knows to what lengths he would have gone to shut me up. Father and the lawyers squirreled me away in Oregon in a small clinic there under a fake name. Like witness protection program only informally done. The son of a senator is, I guess, alloted some privileges. They," I swallowed back the tears, "They told me I should remain dead until after the sentencing dates and he was officially in custody." The tears fell anyway. "I wanted so much to tell you I was going to fine, relatively speaking, but they said you could not be trusted not to keep it a secret. They don't know how good of an actor you are. I think that has hurt the most. Not seeing you and not being able to tell you I would live." He smiled a sick sort of grin. "Also I did not want you to see me like that. I know you had to go through therapy afterwards, but I did not want sympathy. I wanted you to see me after the major suffering." He looked confused. "I have a very low tolerance for pain and become a very crabby person. I did not want to take it out on you."

"When were you healed enough to leave the clinic?"

"About four days ago. I knew this was coming up and figured I could surprise you."

He gave me a big grin. "You are still in trouble mister." He kissed me again but broke off when we heard a very loud throat clearing, one I knew very well.

My Father had come up on stage and was shaking his head, which was just about the only part of him he could really move except for his hands and forearms. Hector went to get off my lap, looking scared and shy. "Stay where you are, young man, I need to get use to the fact that my son is gay. In for a dollar and all that."

Father and I had a big talk when I was stable. I told him everything I had either been too scared to say or just did not feel like telling him. He listened for several hours a day for two weeks, his career on hold so he could do it. I found out that my first beating at the hands of Steven scared him. He realized we were not close, but he did not know how to bridge that gap. It took another near death mangling for him to drop by and have the talk we should have had yeas ago. He took me dating a guy in stride and we only shouted at each other for an hour, a record low for us. "Did you enjoy the show?" I asked. We had settled on a sort of political ceasefire.

"I did. All of you did quite admirably. It has been too long since my school days to recall if I saw such happenings, but I'm sure I did. It is a shame that it takes such tragedy to bring about change." All of us nodded. "I must get back to the capital, Justice. I've been gone long enough. Hector, I do hope you can be a better friend to him than I was. He needs it and you." He wheeled away in his power chair, leaving Hector with his mouth open.

"I was not expecting that."

"I gave him no choice. Either he accepts this or he can stay the hell out of my life. Then the shouting happened, but it ended up with a truce." I smiled at my boyfriend, content to just sit there with him on my lap, surrounded by friends. One last group of people made their way back stage. I had left a list of people I would see and I was ambivalent about these five. The Crowd had come to see us. Yippee skippy...not! "Guys," I said neutrally. I was not going to make this easy on them. Petty, but I'm the one who had to spend the last six months learning how to walk. There was a huge elephant of a silence that descended and I was not going to fill it.

"We're just glad you ain't dead," was all they said before they left.

Hector gave me a look that said I was being an ass. I sighed. "Hey, guys, want to join us for the party later? Catch up on old times?" My boy gave me a big hug and kiss on the cheek. I watched them register the shock of the invite and then the kiss. I think the invite shocked them more.

"Yeah, Justice, if that's okay with everyone." They specifically check with Hector, Sarah, and Seth. When they all nodded we parted on neutral ground.

"You know they'll just latch on to us now, right?" I asked with fake exasperation. They were followers and unfortunately we were leaders.

"Good, that way they have good role models. Queers, fat chicks and retards." I laughed and nudged him to get up. Seth pulled me to me feet and steadied me. "I'll be back after I change." I nodded.

Sarah came over to wrap her arm around my waist. I caught something glittering on her hand and looked. "No!" I smiled and looked at Seth who had the biggest grin. "God, I cannot believe this. When's the date?" I could not believe the people I had set up were getting married! Stupid cupid, that's me.

"Christmas," said my chum, "and I would love it if you were my best man. You did introduce us." I had never seen him so happy and I was glad for him, for her. Who knew they would hit it off? Not me!

"Hell yeah! Who's the maid of honor? I will have to walk her down the aisle."

"Hector," said Sarah and I laughed so hard I had to sit back down. I had missed this. And I would have missed it if it were not for all the Drama.

*

This is a revised edition of All that Drama, a sort of second draft if you will. With the help of the readers I was able to come up with a more possible ending that did not sound too lame. I hope it sits better with you guys who did not like the original and for those of you who did I hope you like the changes.

~Kevin~