Date: Fri, 27 Oct 2006 10:32:38 -0700 (PDT)
From: Zare Scott <raspucin70@yahoo.com>
Subject: rip tide, chapter 9

Disclaimer: This story is a work of fiction.  It
depicts a romance between two consenting adult males
and may contain some descriptions of sexual act
between two consenting adult males.  If you are not of
legal age to read this kind of story, please leave
now.  If you reside in area where reading stories that
include sexual situations between two consenting adult
males are illegal, please leave now.  This story is
for entertainment purposes only.  Any similarity to
any person(s) living or dead is simply a coincidence.
The author retains all rights to this story.  It
cannot be reproduced in any form without expressed
written permission from the author (me).  Please
contact the author for any requests at
raspucin70@yahoo.com.  Copyright 2006



Rip Tide, Chapter 9: The moviegoers

(Matt's point of view)

	I caught myself checking my hair in the mirror. "God,
I'm such a girl," I scolded myself. I was in the
bathroom for more than half an hour, and I was still
nervous about my appearance.

"This is not a date. This is not a date. This is NOT a
date!" I kept repeated my mantra, but it didn't
sounded convincing to my ears. Even Mary had the same
opinion, but I was still nervous about the whole
thing. Mary and I had spoken earlier. She was dying to
know every detail, and after I told her, she agreed
with me.

"Relax, Matty," she said. "It is just one guy hanging
out with another one. It is just like he is inviting
you to watch the Sunday football game. Don't let
things get to your head."

She was right, and I knew it. I looked again at my
combed hair, my carefully selected shirt and all of
the sudden I felt like the world's biggest dummy.

"Stop fooling yourself, Mathew. It will be much easier
if you just let it go."

Almost angrily, I tossed the shirt back in the closet
and picked just a plain tee. On my way out, I glanced
at the mirror one more time and defiantly tousled my
hair. It made me feel better, although I did look a
bit scruffy.

Hayden had called me earlier that day, and gave me
directions how to get to the movie theater from the
campus. The theater was on the main street and it was
actually easier to get there on foot than driving. All
I had to do was to cut across the campus and head
east, and then catch any of the side streets for two
blocks. The theater was not far away, and I preferred
to walk anyway instead driving and fighting for
parking space.

It took me less than twenty minutes to get there; and
I could see Hayden was already sitting on one of the
benches outside the main entrance. I wanted to speed
up my pace to get to him faster, but I restrained
myself. I was actually calm and composed when I
approached him.

"Hey Hayden," I said

"Hey Matt." he replied. "Did you find your way all
right?"

"Yeah, it was easy, just like you said. I actually
enjoyed the walk."

"Cool. That's what I like about small towns - you can
usually get around with no problem."

He stood up, giving me a chance to look at him. I was
actually curious about his appearance. This was a
little mind game to me: if he is dressy, that means
that this evening might mean something more to him
than just hanging out. That means that maybe, just
maybe I am not imagining stuff and that there is a
chance. I was disappointed to find that he was dressed
as usual. Jeans and polo shirt, and sporty suede
jacket that looked really good on him. He did have
nice shoes on, not sneakers; but again, nothing
special. Well, I guess this is going to be just a
Sunday football night hangout. Just two guys killing
time. Ok, so be it. I didn't let my disappointment
show.

"I got us the tickets already," he said, pulling them
from jeans pocket. He gave me one, and refused to take
my money.

"It's my treat...I called it," he said with a smile.

I opened mouth to protest, but sight of his smile
leaved me seeking for words. Once again I was
captivated by the sight of his white teeth flashing.

"Well...I'll get it next time then," I said. 'That was
crafty', I congratulated myself.

"Ok," he replied, and we went inside.

The theatre was not big; there were two halls, a small
vending booth and the usual posters on the walls. I
offered to pay for drinks and he accepted. Soon we
were in the theater, scanning for seats. It was not
full, and he suggested a middle row. We sat, with one
empty seat between us and started chatting. I was
surprised how relaxed I was; I guess the fact that I
decided to take Hayden as friend and not as
"boyfriend-material" had played a significant role. A
very hot straight friend, that is. He was in the
middle of telling me how he got busted with my cell
phone ringing in the middle of his class, when group
of four teenage girls came in the same row as ours.
There was no room for them all, so one of them asked
Hayden to move. He grabbed his coke and shifted next
to me.

That changed everything. My relaxed composure
disappeared in matter of seconds. I managed to pay
attention to his story, and he made me laugh with his
version of the event, but I was getting more and more
distracted. I didn't dare to look at him anymore. I
could smell his cologne, the same one that he was
wearing that first day at the coffee shop. But
tonight, this close, it was more intense. I enjoyed
breathing in, like I was breathing in small portions
of Hayden with every breath. And something else was
happening. As he was finishing his story, right into
my ear, I realized something.

I was getting hard.

I shifted in my seat. Panic crept over me.

Oh crap, not now.

His voice was reverberating from my ear all the way to
my lower abdomen and my body was responding in the
most inappropriate manner.

I fidgeted in my seat a little bit, but the situation
was getting worse. I cursed myself for forgetting a
jacket; I had nothing to cover myself with. I grabbed
my drink and concealed the problem the best I could
with the cup.

Thankfully the previews started and the lights dimmed.
Both of us sat back in our seats and stopped talking,
but only when actual movie started I got distracted
enough for my excitement to subside.

I quickly got immersed in Jack Sparrow's adventures.
(Johnny Depp is one of my favorite actors. I was
amazed at the role that he pulled in this movie.) The
movie did startle me a couple of times; I really hate
horror movies. Despite this being a Disney production,
it got to me with skeletons and exposed bones. Call me
a wuss, but I simply don't like that stuff.

After the movie ended we got out. I immediately got
cold - it was almost 50 degrees outside, and I was
wearing nothing but thin a T-shirt. Hayden noticed
that.

"Dude...you are gonna freeze! I guess you don't
believe in jackets, huh?" He was eyeing me carefully.

"No, I'm just an idiot who is forgetting that he is
not in Kansas anymore," I replied, stuffing my hands
deep into my pockets.

"What, Kansas is next to Hawaii? It doesn't get cold
there?"

"Not this quickly...it was nice and sunny this
afternoon...I guess I had to learn this the hard way"
I replied, shivering.

"Here, you can have mine," he said, taking off his
jacket and putting it over my shoulders. His gesture
startled me for a second, but then I relaxed and
accepted it.

I slid my hands in the sleeves and immediately started
to feel how the jacket, still warm from his body was
warming me up. I closed my eyes for a second, enjoying
the feeling of warm silky lining of the sleeves on my
skin.

"Ahhh Hayden...thank you...I get cold very
easily...and I hate being cold" I said, as I turned to
him.

"It's Nicky, remember?" he smiled again.

I shifted inside his jacket, still soaking in its
warmness. It felt so good to be warm again. He gave me
a look that I couldn't read. It was as if he was
looking at younger brother or something. That deep,
thoughtful and mysterious look that I couldn't read. I
realized that I was staring into his eyes and shifted
my gaze away uncomfortably.

I started to take the jacket off when he stopped me.

"No man, keep it. You have to hike back to the dorm;
you are going to need that."

"What about you?" I replied

"Oh, my car is right around the corner, don't worry
about me"

"Are you sure? I don't know when I will be able to get
this back to you" I said, concerned

"Don't worry about that. You can bring it to school
tomorrow, and we can meet in between classes" he
replied nonchalantly.

"Cool..." I said, but I felt obligated to say
something else.

"Hayden...er...Nicky...you have been very nice to
me...and I don't know how I can repay...or how could I
repay you for all this stuff that you are doing for
me," I said, looking at him timidly.

For a second he looked taken aback, like I said
something weird. His eyes darted left and right, like
he was seeking for something, and then they rested on
me again.

"Matt...you don't owe me anything man...I don't do
favors so I can expect something in return...I do
something because I want to, or I won't do it at all.
It is not that complicated, at least not for me. I
don't define my friendships by the amount of favors
that were done. Don't worry so much, at least not
around me," he finished.

I could only look at him, astonished. The more I
discover about Hayden, the more I felt lucky to know
him. Now it was my turn to search for words.

" I- I... thank you."

"Cool. Be careful going back," he smiled at me again,
and than playfully jabbed me in the shoulder. "I do
want my jacket back, ok?"

"Ok...dad" I replied.

He smiled again and walked away. I was staring at him
leaving, gazing at his broad shoulders. He didn't
appear to be fazed by nippy air at all.

"Nicky!" I shout after him. He turned around, with
question on his face.

" I'll call you tomorrow than, okay?"

He waved with his fist, with thumb and pinky extended.
I looked him, confused. Never seen that one before.

I shuffled inside his jacket again, enjoying the
feeling. It wasn't just the physical warmth of the
jacket; it was something more.

Hayden said that we were friends. That filled me with
different kind of warmth - the warmth that was coming
from the inside.

For that moment, I didn't care if Hayden would ever be
"boyfriend material". Just being his friend was
rewarding enough.  I turned around and headed back
toward the dorm.

I almost wanted to run out of joy: Hayden and I are
friends! That is awesome! It looks like I will be able
to hang around him a little more than I anticipated
earlier.


(From Hayden's point of view)

I got to my car and got in, but I didn't move or start
the engine. I was just sitting in the dark, thinking.

I was glad that I went out with Matt. My mind was
pleased that I spent some time with him; but my brain
was running in circles, repeating same question over
and over again: What is going on?

Confusion was only getting worse. I wasn't sure if I
liked this controversy that I within me. On one hand,
I was experiencing something different, and very
intense. On the other hand, the inability to recognize
what was it, was driving me insane.

I was still sitting in darkness when I got rude
awakening. Out of blue, my cell started to blare its
heavy metal ring tone. It startled me to that point
that at first I didn't even know where the damn noise
is coming from. I flipped the phone open, without even
looking to see who was calling.

"Hayden?"

"Oh, hi Courtney" I tried to sound calm.

"I am not interrupting anything, am I?" I could tell
that she had smile on her lips. It brought one to
mine, but only in response of my brain looking for
something spicy as an answer to her.

"Oh, no, Leila was just leaving." I barely managed to
stifle a chuckle.

"Leila?" She had surprise and hurt in her voice. Damn,
I shouldn't do that.

"Yeah, the redhead...um, sorry Courtney, bad joke." I
apologized.

"Oh, you bastard! You had my head spinning here!
You...you...Ugh!" Now she was pissed, but I could tell
that she was relieved, and smiling at the same time.

"Sorry...but you kinda provoked that...you know - in
the cafeteria the other day."

"You still remember that? God, Hayden, you can really
hold a grudge!"

"I remember most of the stuff about people that I care
about." I said with serious note.

She went quiet for a second, realizing that I meant
what I said.

"I guess that's good," she said. We remained quiet for
couple moments. She broke the silence first.

"Hey, do you wanna go to the movies tomorrow?" There
was distinctive change in her
voice, like she decided to shift mental gears, and I
welcomed that change.

"Sorry, I can't; I have test on Alkenes or whatnot
that I have to get ready for; but we can go Friday, if
you are available."

"Sure! That sounds even better, I have some papers
that are due Thursday, too. You want me to call you on
Friday afternoon?"

"Yeah, that sounds good." I replied, wondering should
I tell her that I'm sitting in theater's parking lot,
not even ten minutes away from her place. I decided to
skip that part.

"Cool, talk to you then, you vicious, vindictive,
villain." She finished with fake spite in her voice. I
recognized where she was coming from: it was the line
similar to the one from the movie "V For Vendetta",
when main character was starting every word in his
sentence with a "V".

"Well, as long as you are ok with my mask, we should
be good" I replied.

She laughed, and we said our byes. I closed the phone,
in a little better mood. But than last thing I said to
her echoed in my head.

I am wearing a mask.


(Matt's point of view)

As I approached my dorm, there ware a distinct sign
and sounds of a party going on. Cars in the parking
lot, and on the grass, loud laughter and music
thumping throughout the quad. There were several
people hanging in front of the front door, with beers
in their hands. It was a classic university
stereotype: three jocks and two girls, drinking and
laughing. I entered the building. In the hallway the
music was even louder, and there was bunch of people
hanging out with drinks in their hands. I sighed. This
was just not my cup of tea.

I climbed upstairs and went into my room. Steven was
playing some videogame, with his ears covered with
earphones. When he noticed me in the room, he took
them off.

"I guess the party is still on," he said to me. I
shook my head. The music was almost as loud here in
our room as it was downstairs.

"Yeah...this is getting aggravating." I responded.
This was the fourth party this month; every time I
would lose half a night's sleep, since I could hear
every drunken person leaving the building as they
would stumble across the parking lot. They would than
often hang in the parking lot right underneath our
window, shouting and singing before they would
actually leave.

"Who is it this time?" I asked.

"Mhmmm...wrestling team, I think. I think they are
celebrating victory over Hampton." he replied.

"Ah, ok." I said. It didn't make any difference,
really. Last time it was lacrosse team celebrating
their loss. Win or lose - those guys don't really need
an excuse to get wasted.

I took off Hayden's jacket and actually thought for a
second to go downstairs. Mary's advice was to "go and
mingle," but all of the sudden I lost all interest in
social life. I just wanted to have a peaceful evening.
Besides, what are the chances to meet someone
interesting in that crowd?

I was standing in the middle of the room, actually the
tossing idea of going downstairs around in my head.
After half a minute, I decided to stay in the room. I
had classes in the morning, and going to bed might be
better idea.

 I headed into the bathroom, feeling somewhat guilty.
Mary was right; I do need to go out more. The trouble
is, I didn't feel like I belonged in a crowd like the
one downstairs. I drink very rarely, and in that crowd
I would stand out like a sore thumb. Plus, too many
people in small space always cause anxiety in me. Oh,
and let's not forget that I won't be looking to hook
up with a girl, either. Bunch of jocks looking to
screw the first girl that they can lay their hands on
is not a prime place to look for ...er, my species.

I shook my head and started to brush my teeth. Yeah, I
need to find different type of environment. I am not
tuned for the one downstairs.

"Why everything has to be so complicated in my life?"
I asked my reflection in the mirror. With resignation,
I rinsed my mouth and headed back to my room.

As I walked in, I had the oddest sensation of
presence. It was weird, and I couldn't place it
immediately. Just like a déjà vu, but in a different
way. Just when I started to be little freaked about
it, I realized the source.

The smell Hayden's cologne from his jacket was filling
the room.

I smiled.

All of the sudden, Hayden's presence was welcome and
familiar. I inhaled, immediately began feeling much
better.  It was weird: I almost expected to hear his
voice. I smiled when I remembered how his voice was
making my chest vibrate. I sat on my bed and propped
myself against the wall with jacket as the pillow. The
world around me started to fade away as I drifted in
my thoughts.

Hayden is maybe considering me as a friend, but that
is actually making this whole issue more difficult. If
things remained distant between two of us like it was
at the beginning of the semester, he would be just a
dreamboat that I would lovingly observe and think
about in my fantasies, but rationally remained
unavailable. Like a teenage girl that would get
carried away with movie stars and musicians, putting
posters of Brad Pitt and similar hotties on her
bedroom walls.

But in this case, Hayden and I are actually getting
closer. I realized that for me, that could only mean
trouble. Being physically close to Hayden means that
it is going to be more and more difficult for me to
hide my emotions. I was not sure that I'll be able to
conceal my feelings towards him, and for how long.
Should I go ahead and tell him everything?

The more I get to know him, the more he seem like he
would be cool with the whole thing. Or maybe he is
going to freak out, seeing me as a stalker and than
just run away?

My mind was filling with options that were not looking
like solutions. Is it worth it to risk driving him
away for the sake of honesty and my piece of mind? I
would probably gain nothing with being open to him. I
learned that truth is double-edged sword. I know a lot
of people are not comfortable with gay people around
them. Why should Hayden be different? It sounds quite
reasonable that he would be polite and than just
slowly shut me off, if he found out about me. Is it
worth it?

I absent-mindedly started to play with sleeve of his
jacket. There is also an option that he would remain
contact with me, to be civil, but it would cause
uneasiness for him.

On the other hand, how fair is it to him? He is being
nothing but fair and open to me, and instead I want to
paint a facade of a friendship. How long I would be
able to go on like that? Emotions started to engulf
me. This is getting fucked up. All of this is well
beyond my ability of comprehension. Being close to
Hayden, and not be able to let my emotions flow freely
was overwhelming me. I felt that tears are forming in
the corner of my eyes. I angrily shut them.

"This is just not fair."

"What's not fair?" I heard Steve say.

Oh crap, I said it out loud.

"Oh...the fact that I want to get some sleep and those
morons downstairs are making so much noise" I blurted.


"Yeah, it sucks. You can put some music on your MP3
player, like I do. It really helps." Steve suggested.

I groaned, although that actually sounded like good
idea. Where have I left my MP3 player? I rummaged
briefly through my stuff, finally finding it in my
backpack. I got ready for bed, and I stuffed the
earphones in my ears.

"Hawthorne Heights" seemed like good choice for
tonight. I closed my eyes, trying to figure out some
solution for dilemma that I had on my hands. I will
have to find some way to be close to Hayden, but not
too close.

Not finding answer to that question, I pulled Hayden's
jacket close to me. This is not helping at all, but it
felt so good to have portion of his life in mine. Even
if it's a just the stupid jacket...and my overactive
imagination.

I buried my face in the soft suede and inhaled deeply,
deciding to let go of all worries for now and just
enjoy this moment. The feeling of suede on my face,
the smell of Hayden's cologne, and the peace that
started to settle in was too good to spoil with
worries.

Then I smiled.

I was getting hard again.




End of chapter nine


Thank you for being patient for this long! Sometimes I
do drag my feet. For all of you who wrote to me - big
thank you, I love the encouragement and suggestions.

Take care
HF