Date: Thu, 22 Sep 2011 00:54:32 -0400
From: Tyler Boyll <tboyll89@gmail.com>
Subject: Fall-- Installment 2

This story is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogues
are products of the author's imagination and are not to be construed as
real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is
entirely coincidental.

Fall--Chapter 2


       Ben could tell that Josh didn't get much sleep that night, in turn,
Ben got even less. Ben really didn't care though, his friend needed him and
there was no way that he would let Josh down, even though last night he
almost did.
	"I really shouldn't be thinking about this," Ben thought to
himself. He couldn't help but think about showing up five minutes later
than he had. There wouldn't have been anyone on the bridge. The only sign
of Josh being there would have been his car on the side of the road. A
single tear ran down Ben's cheek.
	     It was around 7 am when Ben finally let go of Josh and quietly
got out of bed. He went over to his closet and grabbed a white t-shirt and
a pair of jeans.  He then headed to the bathroom and closed the door behind
him. After splashing some water on his face and changing clothes, Ben just
looked in the mirror. The bags under his hazel eyes and his disheveled
short brown hair told the story of the night's events, a story that he
didn't want to relive just yet.  He took some gel in his hand and evenly
spread it through his hair before he spiked it up like normal. After he
brushed his teeth and applied deodorant, he quietly opened the bathroom
door, grabbed a pair of socks from his dresser and exited his bedroom.
	Ben made his way down to the family room and turned on the
TV. There was never anything on Saturday mornings, so he tuned it to his
favorite country station, sat back in one of the overstuffed recliners and
closed his eyes. Before he knew it, Ben was once again asleep.
       Ben awoke to a sharp jab in the side and Josh looking down at him
with a grin on his face.
       "Was that really necessary?" Ben asked while rubbing the area where
Josh poked him.
       "Good morning to you too," Josh shot back.
       "Well, you seem to be in better spirits this morning." Ben pointed
out, "Is there anything you'd like to talk about?"
       Josh just looked down at the floor.
       "J, look at me." Ben said as he took his hand and gently lifted
Josh's head up and brushed some of his shaggy brown hair so that the boys
deep brown eyes, "You know you can tell me anything. "
       "I know." Josh said quietly, "I'm just not ready to talk about it
yet, can you give me a few minutes of being happy before we talk?"
       "Ok, I understand." Ben said empathetically, "But promise me you
will tell me what's going on. I'm worried about you."
       "I will, just give me some time." Josh said.
       "Ok." Ben sighed, "I'm going to have your car towed here. I don't
think either one of us needs to go back there right now."
       "Yeah, that's probably a good idea." Josh agreed, "I'm going to go
take a shower. Do you mind if I grab some clothes?"
       "Sure, what's mine is yours buddy." Ben replied while dialing the
phone.
       "Oh and Ben," Josh said, waiting for Ben to look up, "Thanks for
everything, you have no clue how much I appreciate it."
       Ben smiled back, "Anytime, just remember that I may need you someday
too."
       Josh smiled and headed up to Ben's bathroom to shower.  ---
	"How am I going to break this to him?" Josh asked himself while in
the shower, "Do I just come out and say it?"
	How do you tell someone you've known almost your entire life that
you are gay? Not only was Josh gay, but he had happened to fall for his
best friend. He in no way wanted anything to change between them, but if
Josh didn't he didn't tell Ben, he'd feel like he was lying, not only to
Ben, but to himself. Would Ben hate him after he revealed his secret, or
would he support him?
	"Either way, I have to tell him and hope for the best," Josh told
himself after getting out of the shower.
	He wandered over to Ben's dresser and grabbed a pair of boxers,
socks and a pair of jeans. Luckily, the two boys were about the same size,
Ben being just a bit bigger than Josh. Neither of them was overweight, but
they weren't particularly athletic either.
       "Your car will be here in about an hour." Ben said as Josh came down
the stairs, "We can put it in the empty bay in the garage if you want."
       "We don't have to do that," Josh began to explain, "'ll be leaving
so.."
       "No, you won't be leaving." Ben interrupted, "You'll be staying here
at least until your parents get back. I'm not leaving you alone in that big
empty house!"
       Josh couldn't argue, he had given Ben quite a scare last night and
he couldn't blame him for being a little uneasy about leaving Josh alone.
       "Ok, whatever you say." Josh agreed.
       "Hey, it's after noon, you want something to eat?" Ben asked.
       "I really don't have an appetite right now." Josh replied.
       "Nope, you need to eat, I'm not taking no for an answer!" Ben said
as he walked towards the kitchen. "I'm gonna throw in a frozen pizza, if
that's alright."
       "Yeah, that's fine." Josh said taking a seat on the couch in the
family room.
       How long could he put this off? He desperately wanted to tell Ben,
but at the same time he didn't. If he knew Ben, he wouldn't ask again at
the risk of being too pushy. He was going to have to get the nerve up to do
this on his own, unprovoked.
       It wasn't long before Ben came in the living room with two plates of
pizza. Not a word was spoken while the two ate. Josh could tell that Ben
wanted to say something, but he was holding back. Just as the two finished
eating, a flatbed tow truck arrived with Josh's car. Ben went out to
instruct the driver on where to put it.
       	While Ben was outside, Josh took the liberty of cleaning up from
lunch. After the dishes were loaded in the dishwasher and the countertops
wiped clean, Josh returned to the living room to find Ben sprawled out on
the couch watching TV. Josh took a seat in one of the chairs adjacent to
the couch. He wasn't really interested in what was on TV, but he knew that
even if he had been, he wouldn't have been paying much attention. Josh just
sat there running every possible scenario through his head.
       After about an hour, Josh got up and went to the bathroom. He
splashed some water on his face and took a few deep breaths.
       "You can do this." He whispered to himself, "Everything is going to
be alright."
       Josh slowly walked back out to the living room, stopping between Ben
and the TV.
       "Is everything alright buddy?" Ben asked.
       "I think I'm ready to talk now." Josh replied taking a deep breath.
       Ben sat up on the couch.
       "Ok, take your time. I'm here for you." Ben said, motioning for Josh
to sit beside him on the couch.
       Josh took a seat next to Ben, but not too close. He wanted to have a
little time to react if Ben did anything. Josh took one last deep breath.
       "Ben, I've been trying to deal with this for a long time. Please
understand that I've wanted to tell you for a long time, but I couldn't get
myself to do it." Josh started.
       "It's ok, I understand. This is obviously hard for you." Bed said
reassuringly.
       Josh sat still for a second looking down at his feet. He noticed
that he had started crying. With one last deep breath he lifted his head
and look Ben directly in the eyes.
       "Ben, I'm gay." Josh said quickly while bracing himself for whatever
was about to happen.
       He was expecting Ben to react violently, but the next thing he knew
Ben had both of his arms wrapped tightly around Josh and Josh had begun
balling his eyes out on Bens shoulder. After a few minutes Josh felt
something wet start running down his forehead, originating from where Ben
had placed his head upon Josh's. Ben was crying.
       "Josh," Ben sad with a sniffle, "You have no idea how happy you just
made me."
       Josh looked up a bit puzzled
       "What do you mean?" Josh asked surprised by his friends comment.
       "Let me explain it a little clearer." Ben said with a smile and
tears still running down his face.
       Ben grabbed Josh and pulled him in for a passionate kiss. When their
lips finally separated, foreheads still touching, Ben asked, "Do you
understand now?"
       Josh nodded his head as they both went in for another kiss.  ---
	"You know that his is going to be a political nightmare if our
fathers find out about us right?" Ben asked as Josh was getting clothes out
of his dresser.
	"Oh yeah, I know." Josh replied, "But I could care less right
now. I'm the happiest I've been in a very long time and it's all thanks to
you."
	"I'm pretty awesome aren't I?" Ben said with a smirk.
	Josh laughed and threw a pair of boxers at Bens head.
	"I think it's safe to say that's not the last time you'll be
throwing your underwear at me." Ben shot back.
	"Ha, you're hilarious!" Josh said sarcastically, "You ready to go
or am I staying here tonight?"
	"Oh no you don't," Ben said grabbing Josh by the waist, "I've
finally got you and I'm not letting you out of my sights."
	"I like the sound of that." Josh said giving Ben a peck on the
lips, "Let's go hot stuff!"
       Once the pair arrived at Ben's house, they decided that they would
just relax and watch movies for the remainder of the evening, but
beforehand they both decided unanimously that they needed a shower.  It
took everything they had in them to not save water and shower
together. After each of them got out of their respective showers and put on
a shirt, gym shorts and a pair of socks, they got into Bens bed. Ben
grabbed the remote and flipped through the movie channels finally settling
on some random HBO Saturday night movie.
	Ben took Josh in his arms and Josh rested his head in the crook of
Ben's neck. Josh couldn't help but think how much can and did change in 24
hours... and he couldn't be happier about it.


Hi all, I hope this chapter didn't disappoint. Please bear with me on the
time it takes to get chapters out, I am very particular about my writing
and I'm also in college, so what little time I do have I spend at my
computer writing. As always, I welcome any and all comments, so email me at
tboyll89@gmail.com.

Enjoy--Ty