Date: Tue, 01 Feb 2000 20:16:22 -0500 From: DWEDNO Subject: The First Season, Chapters 3 & 4 Chapter 3, Our Friendship and Secret. Without going into a lot of detail I introduced myself to her and we shook hands. I told her I needed to get going because it was late and that the next time we would definitely talk some more and get to know each other. I asked Matt to walk me to the door so I could make sure what happened upstairs stayed there. "You know we have to keep this to ourselves, right! "Nobody, I mean nobody can know, not even your friends from school." "Nobody!" "I totally understand coach," he said, and with that we shook hands and I told him I would see him tomorrow at practice, and we needed to talk about this and good night. I drove home with my head still reeling from our pleasant act wondering a lot of things, mainly where this was going and how much trouble I was in for blowing a minor. When I got home and noticed there was a message on my machine. It was my private line and not too many people had this number so I was curious to know who it could be. I had given the number to Bill last, and other than work and a few close friends they were all that had it, about ten people at best. My main number was listed in the book so it didn't matter who called me on that one. I rewound the tape and played it back and it was Matt on the machine. How the hell could he get this number and so quick. I checked the caller id and the call came in just ten minutes ago. He was thanking me for everything tonight and promised me that everything would be okay and he would never tell a soul about us. The part that shocked me was at the end of that sentence when we said "I would never tell a soul about what we did because I love you too much to hurt you" and then click he hung up. I found it quite strange for someone whom I met just five hours ago for the first time to leave me a message on my private line and tell me that he loved me. I used every ounce of strength I had to keep from calling him back so I could get answers to my many questions I now had. They will wait until morning. I just decided to go to bed, after all 6am came quickly. The work day was uneventful and really dragged since I only had one thing on my mind, Matt. Finally the day was over and although it was only 3pm, I just decided to grab a quick beer next door at the tavern and kill the last hour before I could show up to practice. Finally it was 4:30 and I rolled into the driveway of the field and once again Nick was already in the bleachers. I walked over and patted him on the back and he turned to look at me and I swear his actions were leading me to believe something was wrong. "Hi Nick, you really look upset, this is two days in a row and come on man, if something is eating at you and I can help please let me know." "Thanks again coach, but I don't really want to talk about it yet if I need to l will let you know otherwise I appreciate your caring but I need to work this out for myself." "As you wish Nick." I turned and went out for a quick lap and to start my kicking exercises as always. Sebastian showed up out of equipment and I stopped kicking to go over and find out how bad he felt after hurting his lower leg last night. "Hey Bastian, its not too bad is it? I thought it would be okay after you went back on the field last night." "The doctor said no practice for the rest of this week and I should me fine for Monday." "Good we can't afford to lose you your one of our best players." "Thanks coach nice of you to say that." "I wouldn't said it if I didn't mean it." "Hey Sebastian, how bad is it, Matt came up and asked. "Hi Matt, I'll be okay Monday." I turned at the sound of his voice almost spraining my neck, "Where the heck did you sneak in from?" "Oh hi ya Coach," Matt said to me. I walked by him and whispered, we will talk after, I am going back to kick some more. It was still early I guess the good practices had a lot of them coming down to practice earlier each day, as long as the nice weather held out. I still had a half hour easy before practice was scheduled so I jogged back to the field with my kicking tee and attempted some field goals for a change of pace. As usual before I could even get one thru the goal posts I had a crowd wanting a piece of each kick. This slowed my pace down and irritated me a tad. "Hey, I yelled if you clowns want to retrieve the ball that's fine just get it back here before it gets dark out!" With that the ball quickly returned. I kept it up for a while booting 40 and 50 yarders thru and sometimes outside the posts. "Okay guys I am beat that's it bring the ball in with you I'll give you about tem more minutes and we are going to start." I walked over to the car and toweled off as usual and Matt strolled over while I had my back turned to everyone changing my shirt. "Nice pecks coach," he said in a barely audible voice. "Hey watch it" I quipped back at him you might make me hotter than I all ready am. We both laughed at that and headed over to start practice. "TWEET" I blew the whistle and everyone hustled over. "All right gang just a quick few things before we start running, First I wanted to tell all of you that the first two days have really impressed us and if you all keep this up we could really kick some ass this year and make the playoffs." "So I want 100 percent from everyone, all 19 of you minus our injured, as I messed up Bastian's hair in mentioning his injury. "K, lets go two laps around the track and gentlemen please try to stay in a group this time!" As I said that I looked at Matt and everyone laughed because he was always first in laps from what I could see. "Okay go." I walked over to the bench with Bastian and in passing asked him if he knew if anything was wrong with Nick. He told me nothing as far as he knew but he would snoop around for me and see what he could find out. "One lap down, I yelled as most of the group passed me, Lets pick up the pace!" A new kid walked over with his father and I met them and introduce myself. "Hi the guy said, my name is Jim Haberman and this is my son, Ronnie." "Nice to meet the both of you, How old are you Ron?" "I am fourteen and its my first time playing in years, I played as a pee wee but didn't like it but I wanted to give it a try again this year." "Well that great I am alone today so I can't get you any gear until after practice so you just come over and loosen up with us and watch practice for now." "Okay sir," "Ah, coach, please I hate 'sir'" "Sure then, coach." I turned and told his father we would be here until 8pm practicing and I would try to rush him through a fitting afterwards so 8:20 or around there would be a good time to pick him up. He agreed and turned to leave. I stood and watched exercises which last about 15-20 minutes if done properly. It was my job to spent most of exercises criticizing how weakly everyone was doing and threaten to make them start all over again if they didn't shape up and do things right. This usually brought most of them back into proper position. "Okay you guys lets get things started and give me a defensive line, the one we had last year!" Practice went well considering I was alone until Bill showed up around 7:30. I filled him in on everything quickly and before I knew it Eric was here and as usual just in time for the end of practice. "Hey, Eric another long day of work, huh?" "Yeah, I have to get a break soon this is wearing me down." He went over and said hi to his son and we finished up the last few minutes of practice. I went over to speak to Ronnie and ask him if he had any questions and he said for the most part he thought he was okay and if he had any he would run them by Nick or Tommy since he hung out with them a lot. Practice was now over and it was time for Ronnie to get his gear and some private time with Matt. I ran over and asked Matt if he had a ride home and he looked at me and said, "Are you serious? You know my mom is probably still at work. She rarely gets home before 9pm on most nights, she doesn't start her job until noontime." "Well are you going to catch a ride home with someone or wait for me to suit up Ronnie?" "Heck no I will wait for you," he said as he smiled at me. "Great I'll be inside I answered as I brushed his wet mop out of his eyes back to the side of his brow. You need a towel," I chuckled at him. I turned and walked into the club house, there would be no fun with Ronnie inside, after practice someone was always around and I didn't want to make Matt jealous anyway. "Lets go Ron, I have things to do and I want to get to them." I repeated the drill to him about undressing and things but nobody was in our part of the building anyway. Anyone that came in usually went over towards the office/meeting area especially when this room was occupied to avoid any embarrassment and or extra traffic thru here. If they didn't I usually yelled about this not being a thruway and it quickly came to an end. Everyone knew I could be a loud mouth if necessary from my umpiring days. Ron stripped to his boxers and I asked him his size. He was a big boy around 5'7 and easily near our weight limit which is 146 for seniors and ends up at 151 by mid season giving everyone a chance to catch a break if a few pounds are added. I couldn't get much of a clue about his size down there, I always hated boxers! His dark hair was cut short and with his shirt off you could make out a decent amount of arm pit hair showing he was well into puberty. I would love to get a glimpse of him just to see if the rest of him caught up with his underarms. I decided to give the old weight trick a try just for the hell of it maybe just maybe I could get this brown eyed young man down to his birthday suit if I played it just right. "Ron how's your weight you look close to our limit, would you mind stepping on the scale when you're done with the shoulder pads over there?" "Sure coach, be right there." The scale was in a rather secluded area incase of these situations. We didn't want to bare all to everyone when weight was an issue as it always was for someone. "Ready coach." "This way son, you know our top limit right now is 146 I hope your not over." "I think I am right there at 145 or so coach, lets see." He stepped on the scale and I slid the weights over to get an accurate reading. "Wow, Ron this says your 147 and a half, if your not embarrassed by me asking would you slip them off so I can get an accurate weight?" "No coach not at all, he said we are all guys, right? "Yup," I said. Without blinking an eye he stepped off the scale and yanked down those baggy boxers exposing his manhood for me to gawk at. He was a wonderful sight too, a full bush of pubic hair surrounded a rather thick but flaccid 4 inch cock. A nice sight for a horny coach to see. He didn't look me in the eyes he just stared at the scale as I gladly took my time setting the scale. Wow, Ron I repeated you're just under 146. I guess those boxers are heavier than I thought. Of course I was saying to myself that five pounds of meat between your legs isn't helping much. But I knew that would only get me in massive trouble so I bit my lip and told him to get dressed. He turned and flashed two nice and firm cheeks at me with a bit of hair on them and pulled his boxers back up and he went off to gather his stuff and get ready to leave as his father had just popped in any yelled for him. "Ronnie, I think you better watch what you eat until weigh in even though you are borderline. I want to check you at least once a week if not more to make sure you okay. "Right coach, I'll see you tomorrow night." He left, arms full and I set off to see if Matt had stuck around like he said he would. I went around to check the building to see if he was around here first , not finding him I checked the grounds and still not finding him I decided to go home. I still had plenty of questions for him but I was not going to chase a twelve year old all over town. I got into my truck and once again this kid, who I was beginning to believe was part magician, appeared out of nowhere and scared the shit out of me. "Matt!, are you trying to put a coach into his grave early or something?" "No coach, why, did I scare you or something?" "I'll give you scare you or something when I get my hands on you." "Ooh, I am really scared now, are you going to punish me severely?" "Yes, mister wise ass, I think your punishment will be that I am going directly home tonight after I drop you off!" He couldn't tell if I was serious or not now and he got really quiet. I let him hang for a minute and then I was ready to let him off the hook, so I reached over to give his knee a squeeze as a gesture of love and he pulled away. I pulled the truck over to the side of the road and put it in park and tried to find out what was going on in his pre pubescent mind. "Matt, what's wrong, I was only fooling with you, come on you were bustin' me just as good as we went back and forth." No response. I put the light on in the truck and looked at him and he was silently crying. "Oh honey I am sorry I was really only fooling with you, I am going to come in with you tonight if you want for a little while. I have things to discuss with you." Through his tears and cracking voice he started to answer me. "I, I. was only fooling with you sir, I didn't' mean for you to raise your voice and get you all upset like you did. I am sorryyyyyy" and he started to cry. I had no idea way and now I really needed to know more about what was going on inside his head. I scooted over to him and held him for a moment and dried his face with my hand. "Matthew, I know you don't know me that well yet but honest, I was only playing along with you like you started when you got in the truck. I am not mad at you how could I be?" I care. love you already son." I wasn't sure if I just heard myself correctly. What did I just blurt out of my mouth? Matt looked queerly at me and fainted a smile and said, "Really, I mean your not kidding, what we did last night was so special to me I thought you just wanted to get some young dick or something. The way I am I was happy to leave it at that and go on but what you just said, do you really mean it?" "I guess I do Matt, I didn't even realize it myself until I just spoke the words right now! You are very special to me even after just two days of knowing you. If we take this relationship slow and proper I am sure that we will become very good friends and take it from there, okay?" "Now lets get you home and out of that gear and comfortable I want another look at that cute body of yours, hehehe! Are you okay now that we have talked some?" "I'll be fine sir, I guess you just pushed the right button in my mind and with everything else about my dad lately it all hit me now." "Well don't let that bother you too much I am right here if you need me, okay?" "You bet, and I wouldn't want it any other way right now." I pulled up outside his dark house one again. "Okay, I said lets get you inside." "Yeah, I am staving." "I'll bet you are, ya know I am off tomorrow so, damn it we could have had 'double sessions' well too late now." "Nah, that ok I think two hours is plenty of practice time." "Matt are you saying that you don't want to spend more than two hours with me?" He just turned and game me this look and didn't say a word. "Okay then I won't call extra practice. I guess I will have to find something else to do with my free time tomorrow, but I could easily be swayed if the right offer came along." He opened the front door and turned to me. "What kind of swaying are ya talking about?" "We'll see, now go change." I was curious to see if I was going to get a show or if he was going right into the shower this time. I guess I will have to wait and see. Chapter 4, Meeting the family. It wasn't long before I got my answer. I didn't hear the shower and suddenly he came running down from his room in nothing but his underwear. I made comment to his choice of attire and a few cat calls were throw in for effect. "I know you want me, he said. But you will have to wait your turn, wise guy. The way I smell I wouldn't go near anybody." That did it I got up and ran after him just catching him before he hit the bottom step and all I heard was an eruption from him like a pig getting stabbed or something. "Matt, what was that, half a giggle and half a scream?" I didn't let him answer I scooped him up and threw him down on the couch and said, "Now let me be the judge of whether you stink of not." With that I lifted up his arm exposing his pit and stuck my nose in it. He didn't smell at all but he sure let out a deafening screech and roared with laughter. "Whoa, man your reek, I better make sure you get a shower or you'll never find any more friends." I left that plural on purpose not knowing what his future choices might be. "Oh, come on man do I really smell that bad?" "Matt if you smelled any sweeter I would eat you instead of dinner." He wrapped his arms around my neck and himself to my body and just hugged me. I grabbed him tight, and tickled his ribs then I brought him upstairs. "Okay boy now you go shower and I will wait downstairs, it's too late for me to join you this time your mom may be home any minute. I'll wait for her downstairs on the couch" "Right, we don't want to chance getting caught, especially since I might have you all to my self tomorrow." "We can discuss that after you mom meets me, kay?" "Sure." Before I turned to head back down stairs he pulled off his underwear and threw them at me. "Now that's something that really stinks!" I got out before he slammed the door. I yelled though the door, "And nice ass too." That caused him to open the door a crack and say, "Thank you, too bad you won't get any of it tonight." "Really, smart-ass." I pushed the door in on him and he had nowhere to go but in the shower. I grabbed him by the arm before he could get in and wet both of us and he squealed and say no, no, no, please don't. Too late I grabbed him and sat on the top of the toilet out him over my knee as we were both laughing hysterically and started to lightly smack his ass. He yelped like a dog but I let him have a few and he told me to stop or he was going to pee on my pants. "Okay then, if you behave I will stop!" "I promise" He somehow managed to get the words out. "Now go shower, and nice red cheeks sweetie" "GET out!" He jokingly pushed me out of the room and once again slammed the door. "Hurry up now," I yelled at the door, You wouldn't want to miss dinner. I went downstairs and sat to watch TV. Almost as if on cue, the door opened and in popped his mother and the siblings. She didn't appear too startled by me being there again, maybe a little surprised though. "Hi nice to see you again, I said. Sorry I had to run out last night." "Oh, that's ok I appreciate you staying with Matt, its nice to know someone cares enough to do that." If she only knew I thought. She went on to introduce herself and the other two young ones. "My name is Eileen and these two are 'Joseph and 'Ashley. " "Well I am Jeremy and it's a pleasure to meet you." We shook hands. "And thanks again for being here for my Matthew." "Not a problem, Eileen, it was my pleasure." "Well if you will excuse me I want to get something for him to eat when he gets down here. I guess he's in the shower?" "Yes he is about five minutes ago, I said." "Well that's more than I can get him to do, I guess football may just pay off in more ways than one she laughed, at times getting him in there is as hard as getting them up for school." "I totally understand what you mean, I was the same way when I was younger for some reason until we were embarrassed from it by a friend or just old enough to understand it never sunk in." "Well if your going to be the influence he needs to do that and his father isn't going to be around then I guess you will be just what he needs so please feel free to become friends with him and I guess eventually you might be another member of the family." "Thank you that would be an honor. I guess." I trailed off with the I guess part just so there would be no commitment until we all knew what we were getting into here. She turned to center her attention on dinner for Matt and I decided to see if the other two would have something to say. I tried to make light of the situation with the kids to see if they were as friendly as their brother is. "Okay then your Joey and your Ashley," I said pointing to her and then him respectively. Ashley started to laugh and said no he's Joey not me I am Ashley. Then Joey started the same thing, and I continued to try to confuse their names and they laughed wildly at this. Then down came a freshly cleansed Matt and to my surprise both siblings ran to him and hugged him like they hadn't seen him in weeks. Wow, I thought to myself this must be some family, brothers and sisters rarely got along from what I remembered growing up. "Come on in and eat honey, and bring your coach too." Matt looked at me with what looked like apprehension on his face. I walked over to him and whispered in his ear that we talked quite a bit while he was in the shower and I told him that he really had a kewl mother. He smiled at me and dragged me into the kitchen with him. "So mom what do you think of my coach?" "Well Matt so far he seems very nice and you seem clean which is a blessing in disguise. If he can make you do your chores easier then I definitely want to keep him around." "Oh, mom." He blushed a little and sat down to eat. The meal was franks and beans and I was asked to join him without hesitation from Eileen. "Thanks I would love some home cooked food for a change, us bachelors know our way around the fast food places better then I care to fess up to." Dinner was good and filling, I joked around with all three of them and by the time we were done it was close to 10pm. "Okay kids, she said, ten more minutes and you two have to got to bed, you're already up too late." This was greeted with the usual complains about, but we have company and why is Matt allowed to stay up, etc. these went ignored by a mother who apparently was used to these bedtime complaints. "Mom I need to talk to coach about a few things can I bring him into my room for a while?" She looked at me, hesitated for a moment and said all right but you're in bed at 11:00 no later! "Kewl, come on coach." With that I was literally dragged off to his room upstairs. Eileen just shook her head at me as if to say 'sorry' but I laughed and waved her off. We got upstairs and Matt closed his door turned to me and said, "Finally alone at last." I bust out laughing at this. You had to see the sly, conniving look on his face like he just put one over on his mother or something like that. "Matthew, ah what is your middle name?" "Its., promise you won't laugh? He stared me down, come on promise. I said nothing, I just waited I knew he would come out with it. Okay its Jordan." "So what's funny that I need to laugh at that? "I dunno, the kids laugh when they hear it all the time so I don't talk about it much." "Well 'MJ' I like it. Not MJ, just Jordan, it's a fine name. "Well don't feel too bad I got laughed at too when I was your age." "You did, really"? "Yup all though it was rare I got my balls busted once in a while. Usually for stupid things, like anything, when you're a kid." "Yeah, mostly I never even know why it happens." "I know kiddo just go along with it most of the time if you ignore them they usually don't bother you again. Do you know that when I was in high school for five years I didn't play football, I was the team trainer in charge of the players needs and injuries and things like that. I scored a lot of points that way and made a lot of friends too. Nobody bothered me or picked on me then. I used to tape them up before games and prepare the whirl pool for them and pretty much did what ever was needed to make the club stick together and run. I hade two kids helping me too. They were called my junior trainers and a lot of players depended on us. "Sort of like a water boy does?" "Yes, in a way but way more important and some of the things you saw were pretty awesome too. At times there were so many nude bodies in the locker room you got a hard on just walking around there." "I bet you did." He just smiled at that and I guess he was forming a mental picture because he drifted away for a little bit but I called him and he came back down to earth. "Anyway I am just dying to know how you got my private phone number last night? I was shocked when I heard your voice. "I asked coach Fergus while you were dressing the twins the other night. I told him I needed to call you about something and I guess it was the only number he had so he just gave me a copy of it. Why are you upset by it?" "Heck no I was going to give it to you anyway if you wanted it but you beat me to it. The only other thing I wanted to talk to you about was our love session the other night but I am sure you know the consequences by now if word gets out." "I would never say anything, I love you JR." With that he got up and came over and hugged me. Tight, real tight and I returned his affection just the same way and gave him a kiss on top of his head. His hair still smelled the strong, great scent of baby shampoo from his shower. I wanted so much to do more but I couldn't risk getting caught by his mother if she walked in on us. I pulled him away and said, "Matt, if you ever want to talk or need to tell me anything no matter how small or large or horrible it seems I want to know. Kay?" "Sure thing, and I love you too!" he said. I kissed him on the forehead and told him I better be going. "Do you have to? Say a while longer! Pleaseeeeeeeee?" "Look pal tomorrow is another day and its five to eleven. Your mom will be up in a few minutes anyway. This will be a good show of faith if I leave a little early. Besides we can hang together tomorrow if you want. Just as long as its okay with your mom, she has to know and always have final say." "Right. I'll ask her after you leave" "All right if you want to do it that way but I just want her to know I am not forcing any of this. Okay hon? Please make sure she knows this is your idea, not mine." "You bet!" He smiled and gave me another quick hug and he walked me down to leave. "Please wait out here for a minute I want to talk to your mom before I leave and see how she feels about things. I will be right out." I went in to her and said good night, and thanks for dinner. "No, thank you JR. I really am glad you are around for him especially when I am working. He's too much for my sister sometimes. I mean he does a lot of cleaning around here and helps me with the wash and dishes when I ask and even sometimes when I don't ask. But he is still a kid and need to have his fun, some freedom and his friends. So if you are the one that can help me out I don't care how much time you spend with him or here for that matter." "Thanks, that's great I liked him immediately because of his politeness, manners and the way that the other kids spoke so highly of him, he has quite a reputation already and it's a good one. You have done an excellent job raising him so far, it really shows." "Thanks, that was sweet and really nice to hear from somebody like you." She walked over to me and pulled me down to her and gave me a kiss on by forehead. "What was that for?" "That's for being so nice to us and saying those nice things and watching my Matthew." "That was easy and my pleasure. I'll see you soon then, good night." "Good night, Jeremy." I walked out smiling away and met up with Matt on my way out. I picked him up under the arms and swung him around in the air twice putting him down right next to the front door. "What was that for?" He was startled. That's for you because your mom really likes me. So see what she says about tomorrow after I leave and if you can sneak in a call to me without getting in trouble call me. Otherwise wait until tomorrow and call me in the morning about 8:30 or 9am. Okay pal good night, and I love you. I whispered into his ear just so his mom wouldn't hear it and I left. I hardly noticed the ride home the way I felt. I had a new friend and he had a nice mother who was accepting me and asking me to befriend her son what more could I ask for. When I got home it was after 11pm I went to check my answering machine and it was empty so I decided to take a hot shower and go to bed. "Ring, ring" I was startled out of my sleep to phone ringing. "Hello?" "Guess who?" A cheery voice toned from the other end. I knew who it was but since he woke me I decided to have some fun. "Um, Bastian? No, Maybe is Phil or Johnny. "No silly, it's Matt." "Matt? I don't know any Matt, good bye." "J-R.. " "Oh, that Matt, Hi, is it morning all ready?" "Very funny. I asked my mom and she said we could hang out today but I couldn't call you till morning. Its 8am get up and let's go." "8am. I though I said 8:30 or 9!" "Well I was too excited to wait I have been up since 7am and watching the clock since." "Is you mom there yet?" "No she left for work at 7:30 and said if you wanted to call her for me to give you her phone number and she would verify that I could go with you over the phone." "Okay hon, I'll call her from your house, I'll be there in about a half hour." "Great see ya then JR, Bye!" "Bye, Matt." "Auuuuuuugh," I turned and stretched as I got out of bed. I wondered what was going through his mom's mind. It was only three days and she was trusting me with her son for the day and she hardly knew me. It's not like I was going to hurt him. I really was falling in love with him if that was possible between a thirty one year old and a twelve year old, more like a father-son thing if anything. Either way the kid was safe with me. I know we had sex but it wasn't forced. I was trying to convince myself of something but I couldn't figure it out so I let it slide. I went in a did the morning ritual, got myself ready and was out the door with a pop-tart in my mouth with-in thirty minutes. I pulled up to Matt's house and he was sitting on the front stoop with his baseball cap on, short sleeved shirt and shorts. Boy do I like the summer, I thought to my self. Matt ran over to my truck not even letting me get out. "Hi, young man, how are you?" "Great, are you ready to go?" "Yes I am but there's that little thing about me calling your mom and checking. Right?" "Oh, yeah, Come on in the number is on the frig door." "Okay pal open up and we will get this over with." I picked up and dialed her number and she answered on the first ring. "Hello, Eileen Myers speaking." "Good morning Eileen, its JR." "Hi, JR how is everything, is he bothering you all ready?" "You could say that, I laughed. He called me at 8am." "Oh, I hope that wasn't too early on your day off." "Its okay, don't worry about it. I told him 8:30 so a half hour doesn't really matter either way." "Well if he gets out of hand just give him a time out." I laughed again. "Picture that, him sitting in the corner of the arcade with a time out." We both laughed at that and asked her if she had a time she wanted him home by. "I don't care JR, just call me if you're later then 7pm, I will be home from work at five tonight." "We will be later because of football practice. We won't be home before 8pm." "I meant during the day or I should I just keep him and take him with me right to football." "Oh yes, I forgot about that. No JR, don't worry about it then I will see you two when you get home from practice tonight." "Right then, bye now," and she hung up. With a serious face is turned to Matt and spoke, "I am sorry Matt she said you are not allowed out with me." "Whaaada mean I can go anywhere I just. hey are you busting my balls?" I started laughing and he got all pissy looking. "You suck!" "You better watch that mouth mister, but yes I just might, later." "Sorry, it slipped, but there's a thought there." he said. "Ah, never mind that now, come on let's go we are burning daylight." "So where are we off to JR?" "Do you really want to know or should I make it a surprise?" "Um, I guess you can. a. surprise me!" "Good then lets get going we only have until 4pm then we have to get back for practice." "Can't we skip practice if we are having too much fun?" "No we can't, that's not fair to the others and I don't want to miss a session when things are going so well right now." "All right." He sounded dejected but I know where we were headed I hoped he would perk right up. "Oh quit it with that puss face you know practice comes first You want the world or something? We are supposed to be going off to have fun! Is there anything wrong with that?" He didn't say anything. "You know, I don't know what's with you today but that polite young man I have known for the past few days is missing in action today. I am not looking for an angel, but it seems like I might have second guessed myself when I commented to your mom last night about how nice and well mannered you are." He just sat there and said nothing. I might have laid it on a bit thick just now even though we have been fooling around, but I did kind of fall in love with his mannerisms more then anything else and I haven't seen much of them today. I guess I have to chalk it to age and immaturity. I decided to try to loosen up my grip a little and see if he would bite. I pulled over to the side of the rode and looked at him. "Look Matt, I didn't mean to blast you right out of the water just now but I did befriend you for more then your looks. You are one of the best looking kids around Matthew, but I fell in love with your kindness and your innocence plus everything else. I am not asking you to act like you're in church. I am just looking for a small amount of common courtesy. Okay?" He said nothing. Actually he just turned away and looked out his window. I don't know what button I pushed to get the cold shoulder but I wasn't about to take this from him. Maybe a little tough love will do the trick. If I don't do anything now I would be afraid that he might think he could get anything he wants by just putting on the 'act.' "Okay, what's wrong Matt are you going to say anything to me? Look, I don't know what you want or expect from me but I will bend over backwards for you, however I do expect to get some respect from you I always have in the past but for some reason right now you are having a problem with me and I don't know why and you won't even tell me now!" I was getting no where and I was really surprised with this sudden stubborn streak. I put the truck in gear and turned around and headed back to his house. This caused him to look at me but still he said nothing. "All right Matt, if this is how you are going to be I am bringing you home. I will give you the world if I can but I will NOT give you anything with an attitude like that." We were just blocks from his house and it wasn't even 9am, but yet I had the feeling a whole day had already passed. I hope he comes to his senses quickly or at least speaks to me before I get him home or this whole thing might just backfire. I pulled onto his block and although he lived at the end of it, it was quickly approaching and he was still silent. I stopped outside his house and put my truck into park and hoped for something positive before he got out. "Matt I don't know what else to say to you. I don't want you to leave my truck this way but I will not kiss any twelve year old ass. I stopped doing that years ago when I coached in the other town." He opened my door and got out, strolled sadly to his front door without looking at me and opened it and slammed it shut, I threw the truck in reverse and smoked the tires as I backed out of his driveway. As soon as I cleared his house I pulled over and called his mom on my cell phone. "Hello, Eileen Myers speaking." "Eileen its Jeremy, I don't know what just happened but I got less then two blocks from your house and I had to turn around and bring Matt back home. We were fooling around and the mention of football practice came up and he asked me if we could skip it. I told him no that it wouldn't be fair and he got this look on his face. So I said to him to knock off the puss face and grow up in so many words. After that he just seemed to go to pieces and didn't say a word so I turned the truck around and brought him home." "I am sorry Jeremy, but he gets this way once in a while, but I think I know what's wrong. You said pussy to him right? Or a form of the word?" "Yeah, but I didn't mean anything by it." "I know JR, but his father used to call him that to get even with him. It was his way of trying to hurt me through Matt. I can't go into it at work but if you want I will tell you the whole story tonight when I get home from work and after practice." "So do you think I should go back over and talk to him about it? "Yes, I am sure he is hurting right now. He got real quiet on you right?" "Yes like he was another person and didn't even know me." "I am sure that's it, JR. Please go back and talk to him he might even tell you something. Just understand it is hard on him to talk about it so don't expect any miracles, okay?" "Sure Eileen. Thanks for letting me know. I am sure if he lets me in that we can talk now." "Well if he doesn't the back door is usually open. I keep it like that during the day because he always forgets his key. You have my permission to just go in even if he says no, just please be careful and gentile with him. He has already been hurt by one man and he needs a lot of support right now." "I promise, Eileen, I will do my best to cheer him up, Thanks for being so open and filling me in. I really appreciate it!" " Bye now." "Bye, Eileen see you tonight." I turned the truck around and drove back to their house and into the driveway. I went up to the front door and rang the bell. No answer, I expected that. It hasn't been but five minutes so he has to be in there. The door was locked so I went around back like she said to do. Sure enough it was open and I let myself in. I walked through the kitchen and into the living room and he wasn't there so I figured he was in his bedroom and I headed upstairs. When I got to the top of the steps I heard him crying and I knew exactly where he was. In his room. I slowly pushed open his door and I guess he heard me because he didn't jump but he didn't turn around either. He laid there with his head on his pillow so I walked over to the bed and sat on it right next to him. "Matty. Hey big boy, come on talk to me." I started rubbing his back and he pulled away and made a soft yelping kind of sound. Almost like don't touch me. "Come on Matt you know I didn't know about the pussy comment or I never would have said it." This got his attention and he rolled over and looked at me. I looked right into those big cute brown eyes of his and as red as they were and as gorgeous as that face is I just wanted to take him and hold him forever. But right now I had to get this dilemma solved first. His face was stained with tear marks and although he didn't seem to care about his appearance in front of me he still brought his hand up to his cheeks and wiped off the wetness. When he was done I did the same thing. I gently brought my hand to his right cheek and braced his head with my hand and using my thumb I delicately wiped his cheek and now had his full attention. Finally he spoke. "How do you know about the pussy incident? Only my parents know that. You talked to my mom didn't you?" "Matthew, after you left my truck without saying a word I was very upset and I needed to find out what was wrong with you. So I called your mom and we talked a bit and she told me a few things.. She couldn't tell me everything on the phone but she told me about the pussy thing, that is why I came back to see you. I am sorry about that comment. If I would have known I never would have said that. Matt you mean a whole lot to me and I don't want you to be upset. Are you okay now?" He smiled at me and sat up. "Yeah, I guess so." "You guess so? Come over here you bum." I reached for him and pulled him to me and gave him a big hug. While I was holding him I continued. "Matt, I hope you understand that if you want, you can tell me anything. I don't know how you father treated you but I get the feeling he was not a nice person. I will never hurt you son, I might get mad or yell at you but that is part of life and unless you learn that real fast this isn't going to be a fun life for you. Not only you but everyone will have to take their lumps over a lifetime, but its how you handle those lumps that will make you a good person or a failure. Understand what I am saying?" "Yes sir!' I release our embrace and looked him in the eyes. "Now are you coming with me or are we going to sit here all day and be upset?" Again he smiled, that smile that I knew. "Sure lets go" "Hey, I said. Your going to be okay you know your mom is a smart lady and I hope I can help you too. Besides you have to younger siblings to help take care of, smiley! You need to be strong for them too! Lets go eat breakfast and then I will take you to your surprise." "Kewl, I'm starving!"