So, now for the legal shit. If you are under 18 (or 21 in some places), please don't read this. If you find high school kids learning about their sexuality, please go elsewhere. And, I, as the writer of this story retain all the rights to this work. It may not be reprinted or reposted in any manner unless I give permission. Thanks.

And now on with...
 

Collision IX
By Joey E
 

I was the first to wake up in the morning with the sun light in my eyes. I tried to move but I couldn't because someone's large, strong arms were surrounding me. I smiled as I remembered where I was. However, as soon as I remember where I was, I also remembered that we were not alone. And I looked down to the floor to find Peter was not there on the floor. So much for thinking I was the first one up. There was no time to lose.

"Brett, babe," I said, trying to get out of his hold.

He responded with a grunt.

"Brett, wake up. I think we got a small problem," I said, trying to turn around to face him. His arms released me. He turned on to his back and opened his eyes.

"Do I have to wake up now?" he asked, very sleepily.

"Brett, Peter already is awake," I said.

"So?"

"So, you had your arms around me. Do you think he saw us?" I asked.

Brett laughed. "Peter is a not a morning person. I doubt he even looked over in our direction when he got up. He's still half asleep, guaranteed,"

"Well, still, don't tell me I didn't warn you."

"Hey! You were the one who was sucking me off under the..."

He looked up and said, "Hey Pete!"

Pete looked like he was still half asleep. He mumbled something and went back to his bed on the floor. I felt like laughing.

"See?" whispered Brett.

I nodded and I scooted out of bed. Brett followed me and we went out to the hallway.

"Well, what do you want to do?" he asked.

"How long does he sleep usually?"

"Oh, he'll wake up anytime I say to."

"Well, I could take my shower and get ready for the day first," I suggested.

"Cool."

He showed me where everything was, I brought a change of clothes into the bathroom with me. Just before I closed the door, I whispered, "You sure you don't want to join me?"

Brett grinned his usual grin, showing his dimples. "I'd love to man, but the family is here. Too risky."

I nodded and closed the door. The warm water felt refreshing on my skin. Soon, I was done, got dressed, and walked out. Brett was no where to be found, so I went downstairs hoping to find something to eat for breakfast.

"Good morning, Ryan," his Mom said, as soon as she saw me appear in the kitchen. "Or rather should I say, Good afternoon?"

I looked at the clock on the wall which read 1PM.

"Wow, I didn't know it was that late!"

She laughed. "Well, don't worry."

Brett appeared from the other room. "Hey, man. You done with the shower?"

"Yeah. It's all yours!" I said, smiling.

He went back upstairs, leaving me in the kitchen with his mom. We actually had a good conversation. I never really spoke to his parents for an extended length of time before. We talked about where I used to live, among other things like school and Brett. Before I knew it, Brett appeared again.

"Well, Pete's in the shower now. I dragged him out of bed."

"He was always late sleeper," his Mom remarked, getting up from the table.

"Yep! Well, I was thinkin' we could go to the mall or something today," he said sitting down next to me.

"Sounds good to me. I gotta be home sometime though to let my parents know that I'm still alive."

After Peter joined us, we were off to my house in Brett's 4Runner of course. Both my parents were home, and I invited them inside.

"Hi Dad," I said, coming into the family room.

"Hey. Nice to see you come home every once in a while. Did you have a good time?"

"Sure did. I just wanted to stop in and check in before we went to the mall," I said. The two other guys appeared from behind me.

"Hey, Mr. Miller," Brett said, waving to my Dad. "This is my old friend Pete, who's visiting me this weekend."

Pete waved to my dad.

"So, is it okay if we go to the Mall now?"

"Well, yeah, but don't forget about Steve's game tonight. It's an important one," he said.

"Oh yeah! I'll be there," I said, wondering if I really would be. I mean, I wanted to spend time with Brett as much as I could. But I wanted to give Brett space with his old best friend as well. So, it could work out for the best.

We had a great time at the mall. Unfortunately, I had to be back by 5PM for dinner at my house. So, I'm turning it over to the neutral narrator now...
 

"So, how long have you known this Ry character?" Peter asked, after Ry had left Brett's house.

"Oh, since the beginning of school. It was sort of funny how I met him. I ran into him and knocked him down on the ground."

Peter laughed and said, "You always were the graceful one. Doesn't surprise me one bit."

"Yeah, I felt bad for the kid. He just moved here this past summer."

Brett and Peter talked about Ryan for a while longer, just about where he was from and shit like that. They then decided to go out to eat. All the while, something in Brett's mind was screaming out for help. It didn't feel right to keep the real truth away from Peter. After all, he told Peter almost everything when they were growing up together. Except for the fact he might be gay. But when Pete was around, Brett hadn't come to terms with the fact himself.

They sat down at McDonald's. Pete was wondering why his friend was acting strange ever since Ryan had left. Usually Brett was relaxed and easy-going, but this evening, Brett was very short and looked a little lost.

"Brett, what's goin' on in that head of yours? I know you, bud. You're thinking about something!"

"Huh?" Brett asked. Then realizing what Pete just said Brett answered, "Nothin' man."

"What's up?"

"I told you nothing!" Brett said, with an edge to his voice. Each second, Brett was feeling more uncomfortable. If this were just a friend, Brett would have no trouble keeping this from him. But this was the guy he grew up with, lived right across the street from him. And he was finding it difficult not to tell him.

"Gee, man, chill out!" said Pete, surprised by Brett's reaction.

The two young men sat and chomped away at their food. One slightly higher than the other, but equally as good looking.

Finally, breaking the long silence, Brett decided he was going to tell him.

"Actually, Pete, buddy, I, uh, do have to tell you something. I mean, I want to tell you, but I don't know how you'll take it."

Pete put his burger down and looked at Brett. "Now it comes," he said, smiling. "Come on, what's up? You don't know how I'll take it?"

"Yeah, I don't know how you'll react," Brett said softly, looking down at his food.

"What?" exclaimed Pete. "How I'll react? Man, what did you do now? Let me guess..."

"Okay..." said Brett, looking back up at Pete.

"You're on drugs."

Brett quickly thought about where they were and decided it would be better to just tell him somewhere else more private.

"Well, maybe this isn't the best place to tell you," Brett said. "Let's finish up and leave and then I'll tell you later."

"Man, this must be something serious," said Pete, losing his smile. "Okay, buddy. I'm ready to go if you are.

Brett nodded and they both got up, dumped their trays and walked out to Brett's car.

"So, what is it?" Peter asked.

"God, you are insistent!" said Brett, starting up the car.

"Well, I want to know!'

"Just wait. Let's go home first. We'll go for a walk around the old neighborhood when we get back," Brett said. Inside, he was so nervous and worried. He'd never come out to anyone before....well, without Ryan's help. And he was very proud of who he was. He didn't want Pete to think that he wasn't normal. But still, he knew he wouldn't be happy if he didn't tell him.

They were mostly silent on the way home, just flipping through radio stations. When they got back, they didn't go back in the house. They started walking around the neighborhood. A walk that could be a very long one tonight, Brett thought to himself.

"Com' on man! Tell me!"

"Yeah, I will, man. Just give me time."

"Look, it just can't be all that bad! Spill your guts!"

"Oh, it might be," Brett said, looking down at the ground, walking kind of slowly.

"Brett, come on...tell...

"Oh all right!" Brett said, looking straight at Pete, standing in one place.

"Oh, forget it," Brett said, having second thoughts. He continued walking. Pete grabbed him by his arm.

"Tell me, please," Pete said softly.

"All right, but let's keep walking".

They walked a few steps in silence until Brett spoke again.

"Pete," he started saying, but took a deep breath before the next line. "I'm gay."

"You're what?" Pete asked, frozen.

Brett looked down to the ground again. "I'm gay."

"What?" Pete asked, sort of laughing. "You can't be man! We grew up together. You're not gay, man. Come on!"

"No, I believe that I am gay," He said.

"Man, you're not serious," he said in a serious tone. "What the fuck, Brett? You're kidding right?"

Brett looked up at his best bud's face. "No, I'm not."

"God, damn it," Pete said, suddenly. "But you can't be!"

"Why not?" Brett said, a little agitated.

"Because it's wrong! It's not natural!," Pete explained.

Brett laughed at the outrageous response. "What?" he asked, laughing. "It's not normal?"

"Yeah, man. It's sick! It's fuckin' disgusting. You mean to tell me that you're one of those cock-sucking faggots?" Pete asked, no longer joking.

"Hey, fuck you, Pete! Shut the hell up."

"Man, I never thought that you.....That's just sick man. It ain't natural."

"Oh, and what is?"

"Brett, for heaven sakes, you're a guy, and you're supposed fuck chicks. Not guys....oh, God that's disgusting."

"No, man, you're starting to disgust me!"

"Man, I don't even know you anymore. I thought I did. But now I don't." Pete said, turning away from Brett.

"Don't try that shit on me, bud. I'm the same person as I was before. Don't even try to pull that shit on me."

"Oh, come on Brett. What the hell? Are you going to tell me now that you have a boyfriend?"

"Yeah, fuck yeah I do. And I get it whenever the fuck I want it!"

"Shut the hell up man. That's nasty. That shit is nasty! I'm gettin' out of here."

"And where are you going to go?" asked Brett, turning around, watching Pete walk away from him.

"I don't know, but I can't deal with you now. I don't even want to look at you right now."

"Pete, where the fuck do you think you're going?" Brett asked loudly.

"Fuck, man, how could you do this?" Pete said, in a high voice, almost whimpering. He turned around to face Brett once more.

Brett closed his eyes and started back to his house. He had tears running down his face as he watched Pete walk down his street. He didn't care where he was going. He felt like he lost his best friend. All Brett wanted was Ryan with him right now. He went inside his house and called him up, hoping desperately that he was home.
 

Meanwhile, Peter had walked a few blocks in the neighborhood to stumble on an old friend's house. Eric and Pete used to be close and all three of them would hang out now and again. Pete was pissed off. He couldn't believe his friend could turn on him like this. He knocked on Eric's door. Luckily, Eric came to it first.

"Hey, PETE!!" Eric yelled, smiling. "Come on in!"

Eric held the door and Pete came in. They went downstairs to the basement and caught up on old times with each other. Soon, Pete was feeling better, but not completely.

"So, how long are you stayin'?"

"This weekend," Pete said.

"Who you stayin' with?"

"Well I was stayin' with Brett..."

His voice trailed off.

"Was? You're not anymore?"

Pete didn't know what to say. He knew that he didn't want anyone to know that his best friend was a faggot, but he felt like he had to tell just someone to get it off his chest.

"No, we had a disagreement..."

"You and Brett?" asked Eric, shocked.

"Yeah."

"What about?"

"Well, I don't want to talk about it now man."

"Dude, you're shaking!" Eric said, noticing that Pete was shaking. "Sit down, man, relax. He pulled Pete over towards one of the chairs and pushed him down in it.

Pete meanwhile had a lost looking expression on his face. He felt dizzy. He held his head in between his hands and let out a sigh.

"Where'd you come from?" Eric said, sitting down next to him.

"From Brett's house."

"Well, what happened?"

"I'm not sure, man. I'm not sure of anything anymore..." he said, his voice trailing off.

"Buddy, what's wrong? I've never seen you like this before!"

"Well, I had the shock of my life this evening," Pete said, leaning back in the chair looking at Eric. "Brett told me that he was....uh...."

Pete couldn't finish the sentence. He knew it was wrong to tell someone else. And he didn't want to believe it himself. So, he just stopped in mid sentence.

Eric thought quickly. "Oh shit..." he murmured to himself.

"He told you?" Eric asked, looking at Pete. Pete couldn't talk and just nodded his head yes.

"Damn. I take it you didn't take it well?" Eric asked.

"How would you expect me to take something like that?" Pete asked, suddenly angry again. "My best bud that I grew up with just comes out to me just like that! I can't accept that. How could he do something like this? Why?"

"Pete, he didn't do something."

"How could he chose this? He was fuckin' straight as long as I can remember, and now he turns around and changes? God, I can't even look at him. It just makes me sick thinking about it!"

"Pete, Pete, bud. Calm down! It's not the end of the world. Brett hasn't changed. He hasn't changed one bit. He's still the same. He's Brett!"

"Not to me he isn't. He's just a queer ass faggot to me now. I can never look at him again in the same way I did!"

"Shut up!" Eric yelled to Pete as he jumped up from his seat. "Just shut the fuck up! Don't talk that shit!"

"What? Don't tell me you don't find it sick what gay guys do? Man, they should all die and go to hell, which is where they're goin' anyway!"

That did it. Eric made a fist and punched Pete right in the side of the face.

"Watch what you say, asshole!" Eric yelled, looking right into Pete's eyes. Eric was visibly ready to fight, and Pete was so shocked from the punch and from the news before, that he just sat there, rubbing the spot that Eric had just punched on his face.

All Pete could say was, "Ow, man."

"Now, are you going to stop this bull shit and listen to me?" Eric asked, still standing above Pete.

Pete shook his head yes.

"First of all, Brett is your best friend. How can you be talking that shit about him?" Eric asked, sitting back down.

"He was my best friend. But this changes everything!"

"What does it change? Does it change that you spent your lives growing up together? Does it change that he is still Brett?"

"I don't know man. I just never liked queers, and I'd never thought my best bud was one! He can't be man! That ain't the Brett that I knew."

"Man, you are fucked up!" Eric said, getting up again in frustration. "I mean, I know it must be a shock to you. And yes, you do have a right to be a little upset, after all it is a shock to have someone come out to you. But, I don't think it's right for you to say you can't be his friend anymore because of this. Listen to what you're saying!'

Pete just kept staring ahead. "Fuck man, I don't know where this feeling is coming from," he finally said.

Eric looked at Pete and sat back down again. "Pete, it's hard. I know it. But think of how hard it is for Brett to tell you. It's no easy decision. And it's hard to follow through even when you decide to. I know..."

Eric paused on that thought, thinking about his own life. Pete looked back at Eric.

"What? You sound like you know because you know how it feels..."

Eric looked at Pete again. He said nothing, but shook his head yes.

"FUCK! What the hell is it with you homos?"

That did it for Eric. "You want another fuckin' punch in the face?"

Pete stood up and glared at Eric. "Are you two together?"

"Who? Brett and I?" Eric asked, laughing.

"Yeah!" snarled Pete. "What the hell is so funny?"

"You, man! You are pathetic. Get with the times man. We're the same as you are. We're people, god damnit!," Eric said, getting closer to Pete.

"No you aren't, man. You're all gonna go to hell!" Pete said, loudly.

Eric had enough. He grabbed Pete by the arms and threw him into the wall.

"FUCK YOU, PETER! You fuckin' asshole. Get a grip! We are who we are and there ain't nothing you can do about it!" Eric yelled, holding Pete against the wall. Pete was strong, but Eric was stronger. Pete tried to fight back, but Eric's grip on Pete was too much. Finally, Eric threw him back down into his seat.

"Get out of here. I don't want to fuckin' talk to you now. Get out of here!" Eric said, pointing towards the stairs.

"Fuck you," Pete said, getting up and passing Eric. "Fuck all you faggots."

"Get out!" screamed Eric.

Pete .let himself out of the house. Eric had tears running down his face by the time he got upstairs himself. He felt miserable, even though he tried to not let Pete's comments get him down. It was true, he was gay. He realized it then and there and it hurt like hell.

Eric left his house and drove over to Brett's,.knowing that Brett would need someone to be there for him. And quite frankly, Eric needed someone to be there for him too.
 

A little emotional there. As I was writing the character of Pete, I found myself getting pissed off at him, even though he doesn't exist. It's a shame people can't accept us for what we are. Well, enough of that. I hope you enjoyed this section of Collision. Please send all comments to SNJBoy76@aol.com Thanks again!