WARNING: 
This is a story of friendship, commitment, love, and trust. It is not a sex story. However, this story deals with love between two male teenagers. If you are offended by stories involving love between two teenage boys, please do not read this story. There may be some sex scenes in this story; however, sex is not the main theme. If you are under age 18 or 21 or it is illegal to read this story where you live, don't read it. Reproducing this story for distribution without the owner's permission is a violation of that copyright. 

Hey guys, 

Thanks for your e-mails.  The more e-mails the more I'm encouraged to write.

Sam Lakes 
 

sam_lakes@hotmail.com

 

Just A Ghost's Story - Chapter 3

My balls were totally frozen. I don't know how long I can manage to keep this ice pack on them. God, I hope there isn't any permanent damage. What a night! Still the tip I got makes it almost worthwhile. Would you believe a hundred and ten percent tip!

I saw him put an extra $10 on the table. I wish they'd paid by credit card. The whole evening he fascinated me. He is drop dead gorgeous. Despite the ice pack freezing my balls off, little Lucas was beginning to stir just at the thought of him. It's funny, the whole evening he kept looking to his left with such love in his eyes, but also some sadness. It was almost like there was someone sitting next to him who he was so much in love with. I wish it had been me. The only thing I know is he has a friend called Paul. Lucky Paul...I must be a nut, a normal person would hate someone who racked him, stomped on his hand, and bloodied his nose, but I don't.

I took off the ice pack, turned out the light, and went to sleep, wondering what it was that his friend said to his mother that made him blush.

My alarm went off too early. Well, not really, it's a school day. Yes, folks, another glorious day at JFK High School! I did the usual shower, get dressed, and checked out myself in the mirror. Good, no pimples!

"Luke! Sara's here. Get a move on, dear," called my mom. Sara McCogan. I call her 'Coogie' and I've known her almost my whole life. I guess you could say we're best friends. She's the only one who knows I'm gay and I'm the only one who knows she's gay. We make a great couple, everyone says. If they only knew!

"Hey, Coogie, wassup?" I asked as I got into the car.

"Nada, why you walkin' like you got a dick up your ass!"

"Girl, you are so crude!" I said.

"So what happened?"

"This kid at one of my tables leans over and falls off the seat in a booth. I'm bringing the check over. Anyway, he crawls out as I step forward. Wham! Right in the balls! I doubled up on the floor in severe pain! He tries to help by getting me to jump except he jumps up and I move my hand and crunch! Right on my hand! The poor kid is near hysterical, he reaches down to help me up and wham! Our heads collide and he bloodies my nose!"

"Was he cute?" she asks. No sympathy, just is he cute! I blushed.

"Oh, God! You're in love! So what's his name? When do I get to meet him?"

"I don't know. They paid in cash, a huge tip. I never heard his name. With my luck he's straight or already got a boyfriend. Anyway, I'll probably never see him again. Gee, thanks, Sara, for getting me really depressed."

"You know you should tell Sam and Jordan you're gay. I am sure they are gay. Maybe you could have a threesome!"

"Gross! For one, they are not gay and secondly, they are my best guy friends and I'm just not willing to lose them as friends."

"Well, maybe your luck will change and you'll run into your mystery boy!"

****




Sam's POV

"Hi, Mabel, is Lord Harrington-Ford ready to leave?" I asked Charlie's maid.
"Master Harrington-Ford is still at breakfast, but do come in and I'll let him know that you are here," she said as she left me standing in the foyer. 

I know it irritates Jordan, the way I dote over Charlie, but he's so hot! The fact that he and Paul used to talk about me was a total surprise. Seeing Paul last night was to say the least weird. After several minutes Charlie appeared. God, he was gorgeous.

"Hi, Sam," he said as he came over and gave me a hug. Still holding on to me he said, "So, you admitted to Paul you have the hots for me, huh?" Then he giggled as I blushed. 

"He told you that?"

"Yeah, well, confirmed what we already knew. I do love you, Sammy, but like an older brother."

"I can't help the way I feel, I wish I could," I said.

"I know, just realize that I love you, but that's as far as it goes. You want more than this (he kissed me on the cheek), get it from Jordan."

"You know, I think that may just be enough."

"Good, let's get to school."

****

Paul's POV

We go to the same high school as Jordan and Sam now. They are seniors and we are juniors. We, well, Charlie is anyway, but I tag along with him. Gym class was really funny. He's standing by the locker taking his clothes off and I'm watching him. He has got such a body. Beautiful enough to give any hetero a hard-on!
 

Anyway, I'm messing with Charlie by standing here watching him undress and panting like a dog - hah, hah, hah, hah! Of course nobody sees or hears me except him. I know he's about to giggle, but he's suppressing it. Finally, he said, "Dude, stop panting like a dog with your tongue hanging out and stop watching me getting undressed!" Three heads suddenly turned and looked the other way. That started me laughing.

"What?" Charlie asked.

"That dude, that one, and him," I said, "were looking at you getting undressed too cuz as soon as you told me to stop, each one quickly looked the other way! Each one turned a different shade of red!" I continued giggling. 

"Hey, dudes, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to embarrass you. I mean I'm sort of flattered, and if you're gay that's cool! I don't mind, but I, uh, already have someone. My name is Charlie. Charlie Harrington-Ford." Two of them rushed away, not bothering to say anything and totally embarrassed. 

"Hi. I'm Joel Hernadez. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to stare...uh, I have a girl friend, I was just thinking about something else."

"Oh, yeah, right! That's what they all say! She's been his best friend since they were three, but he's never been in her pants! I read something like that on Nifty!" I said to Charlie.

Charlie pulled off his underwear and I saw Joel's eye dart down to look at Charlie's crotch. "He just shot a glace at Mr. Penis," I laughed.

Charlie gave me an angry look. 

"You know, it's funny how those couple of fags took off," said Joel in a half laugh.

'Wrong thing to say, Joel,' I thought. In that instant Charlie grabbed Joel by the shirt and slammed him into the lockers. 

He got right up in his face and quietly said, "At least those two guys didn't hang around to cop a look at my dick, like you did!"

"I-I," stuttered Joel.

"Oh, shut the fuck up! You're two faced!" Charlie said as he released Joel and continued to get into his PE clothes. 

Joel left. For some reason, maybe my sixth sense, I decided to follow him. Joel walked down a couple of rows of lockers, turned and sat down on a bench and cried. I turned to go get Charlie, but he was right behind me.

"Hey. I'm sorry," Charlie said. Joel continued sobbing.

"Just go away, leave me alone," cried Joel.

"No, a friend doesn't walk out when things are rough. So why don't we talk?"

"I'm not your friend. You don't even know me."

"I want to be. I'm new here. My first day."

"Why would you want to be my friend, I'm...I'm..."

"Gay? So, you think that makes a difference to me?"

"Are you gay?" asked Joel.

"Yes, and I have a boyfriend," replied Charlie.

"Does he go to school here?"

Charlie rolled his eyes and smiled, "Sort of, yeah."

"Sort of?"

"He's a ghost."

"A ghost"

"Yes."

"Like Casper?"

"Yeah, except his name is Paul."

"Oh...we better get outside before we get into trouble."

"Yeah," said Charlie with such sadness in his eyes.

"He must have been pretty special," said Joel.

I could tell Charlie was trying to hold back the tears, but it was a losing battle. He turned and ran for the door.

I suddenly got very pissed with this Joel character and I pushed him, he moved backward. "Asshole! I'LL SHOW YOU FUCKING CASPER!" I shoved him hard and he fell backwards with a look of horror on his face.

****

Charlie's POV

It really wasn't Joel's fault. It was just his look of disbelief when I told him my boyfriend was a ghost and then he tried to cover it up by being polite and saying that Paul must have been pretty special. Paul is special. I know I have to give him up...but I can't...I just had to get out of there cuz I knew the tears would be flowing uncontrollably. I was running as fast as I could and the next thing I knew, WHAM! I collided with someone, knocking him down with me on top. 

Of all the people this was not the person I should have knocked over. "Oh God, not you!" I cried, "I-I am really sorry!" I jumped up and continued running until I got to Sam's car. It was locked so I slouched down by the right rear tire and continued crying.

"Charlie," said Sam as he sat down beside me and put his arm around me.

"I-I can't let go of him! Sam, it hurts so much. I want to let him be free; I know that it's me keeping him here. I'm scared I'll never find anyone like him."

"Well, you won't. Look, Charlie, Paul is unique, just like you are, like Jordan, even me. But I know you and I know you will find somebody, he won't be a Paul, he'll just be himself. And he'll love you as much as Paul if not more, but don't look to replace Paul because Paul is a part of you and will always be a part of you. What you had, what you shared, can never be taken away from you and it's what makes you a better you, but you have to let the past be, life is in you today and you make your tomorrows. And maybe someday you'll run into another 'mister right'."

I thought over what Sam had said. I love Sam; he seems to have a calming effect on me like Paul. I also know that although he's infatuated with me, he loves Jordan and they are perfect together. My head was resting on his chest. I looked up at him, "Thanks." He lowered his lips to mine and we kissed. I kept thinking I shouldn't be doing this, but I couldn't stop myself. I wanted to feel his arms around me. I wanted to taste his lips, his saliva...our passion grew, but I knew I had to stop it because I didn't think he would. I pulled back.

"No. We've got to stop before we go too far, please."

"I love you, Charlie. But you are right. I think we'd both regret it. You ready to go back or I could go get Jordan and we could go to the mall. Whatcha think?"

"The mall, definitely!" I said.

****




Luke's POV

I was on my way to the library, not really paying much attention. Well, to be honest I was sort of daydreaming about, as Coogie called him, my mystery boy. WHAM! I am flat on my back, books scattered across the floor.

I couldn't believe it! It was him! He was lying on top of me, his lips so close to mine that I could smell his sweet breath. As soon as I was over the shock I realized he had tears running down his cheeks. If only I had wrapped my arms around him, but I didn't. Then what he said stunned me for a moment. I mean he recognized me, but all too quickly he was gone. I knew he was upset over something. I thought of chasing after him, but he was already gone from view. I was picking up my books when Sam Lakes walked by, he seemed pre-occupied.

"Hey, Dude!" I said.

"Oh, hi, Luke, sorry, my mind was elsewhere," he replied, "so what's up?"

"Nothing much, I was on my way to the library, what about you?"

"Oh, I'm supposed to be on a pee-break, but I'm actually going out to my car."

"Going to cut?"

"Nah, I don't think so. I think a friend of mine needs a shoulder to cry on. I'd better get goin'! Later!"

"Yeah, later!" 

The rest of my day was boring. I met up with Coogie after school and we decided to go get an ice cream at the mall.

"You seem happier," said Coogie.

"Yeah, you'll never guess what happened!"

"Probably not," she said sort of matter-of-factly.

"You're not interested."

"Go on, tell me," she giggled.

"I ran into him! Actually he ran into me, knocked me flat on my back - books everywhere! - I couldn't believe it!"

"Really! What's his name?"

"I don't know. I think he'd been crying, but anyway he apologized and ran off."

"You didn't even ask him his name!"

"No. But he must go to school here! I looked for him all day but I couldn't find him."

"Who knows, maybe he cut and went with your other two friends?"

"Who? Sam and Jordan? They cut? Damn! And Sam said he wasn't going to cut!" 

"Don't sound so disappointed! I just am surmising. I saw S and J talking right before lunch and then I didn't see them for the rest of the day."
 
 

****

Charlie's POV
 

I was glad Sam let Jordan and me out at the mall while he went to park the car. Sam loves his car and always parks it away from other cars so it doesn't get any dings on it. As Jordan and I were walking in to Nordstrom's I said, "J, I uh, I was, I mean..."

"Is this about you kissing him?" He smiled. I nodded. "And?"

"And I'm sorry. It was my fault. I wanted him to kiss me and then I..I didn't want him to stop."

"But you did."

"Yeah, well, we were in the school parking lot and because I thought of you. You and Sam are my best friends. I never want to be the cause of you two breaking up. I love both of you," I said, "I think if it had been you there instead of Sam, I would have done the same with you. I don't ever want to lose you or Sam as a friend."

"Hey, I understand. And I was a little upset with Sam, but I also know him and love him and as much as he thinks he could go all the way with you, I know he won't. I'll be honest, I've thought about doing the same thing with Paul and...and you. You are just so damn sexy!" He laughed and then went serious, "Charlie, why do you think Sam dropped us off, he wanted us to talk." He smiled and said, "But if you ever do it again, I will beat you to a pulp! He's mine!"

I knew he wasn't going to hold what happened against Sam, or me, but I also knew he meant for it never to happen again. 

We had lunch at the food court and then decided to see a movie. The movie we saw was about a couple of bank robbers that was really funny, but long. I sat on Jordan's left and Sam on his right. After the movie started Jordan took my hand and placed it on Sam's and then his on top of mine. I laid my head on is shoulder, but then I started to pull away and he put his arm around my shoulder and pulled me close. So, I laid my head back on his shoulder.

Sam had paid for lunch. Jordan paid for the movie. So, I decided I would treat them to ice cream. They agreed. I ordered three triple-sized hot fudge sundaes with extra hot fudge, whipped cream, and nuts! They were huge and almost too big for the small tray! I was carefully navigating over to the table where Sam and Jordan were sitting with two other people, a girl and a guy. The girl was sort of attractive and I couldn't tell what the guy looked like 'cause he was facing Jordan. I am almost to the table when some kid running away from his brother slams into me; I fall forward, then in like slow motion one of the sundaes lands upside down on the guy's forehead, the next one on his chest, and the last one right in his lap! And me, I ended up on the floor when the dish in the guy's lap falls and gets me right on the back of my head. I lay there with warm chocolate and cold, but melting, ice cream running down my neck and cheeks. 

Paul appears, laughing his head off. "Guess who's up there?"

I shook my head, "Tell me it's not the pizza guy." 

Sam looks under the table. "Oh, hi, Paul, where you been?"

"Don't know, I sort of phased out there for a while, Sam," he replied, then commenced laughing. 

"Paul, shut up! Go haunt a house or something!" said Sam.

I could hear the pizza guy's girlfriend laughing, "And you were worried you'd never see him again!"

As I'm getting up, guess who's coming down to see if I'm all right? You got it! The pizza guy, but luckily I missed him, but only because he moved out of the way. We simply looked at each other for a few moments. I reached over and took the dish of ice cream that was still on his chest, scooping up as much of the ice cream, chocolate fudge, and whipped cream as I could; I placed the bowl in his hand and directed his hand to the top of my head and inverted the bowl, spilling its contents onto my head. I vaguely cracked a smile, "That makes me feel better."

With both his hands he smooshed the concoction down on my head, then smeared it down my face. He held my face with both hands and with the most amazing smile he said, "That makes me feel better."

We both cracked up, we couldn't stop laughing; literally the tears were running down my cheeks I was laughing so hard. 

"This poor guy! Last night I went to lean on Paul's shoulder and of course it wasn't there. I ended up on the floor, then crawling out from under the table I racked him hard, I mean he was dying, well, you know when you're racked if you jump hard it helps to relieve the pain so I went to show him. I end up stomping on his hand, and then <laughing> I bend down to help him up and I bloody his nose...then today I crash into him running out of the school and now this!" Everybody around us was now giggling or laughing. "And, and the worst part of all this is...I...don't...even know who he is!!!"

"I don't know who you are either!" laughed the guy.

"Oh, Oh!" laughed Sam, "Charles Harrington-Ford, this is Lucas Larica. Luke - Charlie!"

A cleaning guy came over to clean up the mess. And Lucas and I went to the restroom to clean up. We both stripped down to our waists. He had a nice build and Paul was right, he was cute. I must have been staring at him cuz he looked at me. 

"Can I ask you a question?" he asked.

"Yeah."

"Who's Paul?"

"He's my boyfriend."

"Oh."

"And he's a ghost. So, now you can really have a good laugh with your girlfriend. I'm gay and I see dead people." I put on my shirt. I could feel him looking at me.

"She's not my girlfriend...I'm gay...When I saw you last night I couldn't take my eyes off you. You looked so sad...now I know why...after you left I thought I'd never see you again...I know I will never be able to replace Paul, but I'd like to be your friend."