Date: Thu, 30 Jun 2005 17:18:15 -0700
From: edwine81@gmail.com
Subject: My Theory of Justice

Disclaimer: Don't read if you don't like stories of male/male relationships
involving high school aged people, etc, etc, etc. This story is complete
fiction: the people, places, and situations below never existed... This
thing is copyrighted to me.

Quick note: This is just the introduction, so be patient and stick around.

My Theory of Justice
By: Edwin E.

Part I: Introduction

The friendship of Adrian Altoman and Philip Albright was to be the stuff of
legend. However, it would be highly irresponsible to relate this developing
saga without making a detailed reference to their beginnings...

The Altomans and Albrights both moved to the same neighborhood, in the same
city within a month of each other. Perhaps under other circumstances, the
relationship between the young couples would have been lukewarm and cordial
at best - after all, there's no reason to believe that they would have
become friends under their own volition. But as often happens when Destiny
decides to step in, the Altomans and Albrights found themselves in each
other's company quite often: they joined the same gym, shopped at the same
supermarket, made the same friends, and were in the same Lamaze class.  The
kicker, however, was that both wives gave birth to beautiful baby boys on
the same day, in the same hospital.

Keep in mind that both sets of parents were highly ambitious. They
succumbed long ago to the idea that Success (capital S) meant having the
perfect education, getting the perfect job, buying the perfect house, and
raising the perfect family. Fortunately, they were not malicious people -
in fact, there was quite a bit of love all around. But they were consumed
by careerism, materialistic hedonism, narcissism, and individualism. In
short, they were good Americans.

Just as their parents became close friends, Adrian and Philip became
brotherly in their affection. Considering the world they were born into,
the chances were good that they would be left drifting (existentially
speaking, of course) like the vast majority of kids nowadays. But these
were no ordinary children. Sure, it was obvious that they would grow up to
be heartthrobs with plenty of friends and live in relative economic
comfort. But what made them special - what separated them from all the
other kids in the neighborhood - was that they had each other. They raised
each other and clung to their mutual support and childlike innocence. No,
these were no ordinary children at all. There was *something* between those
two, something intangible yet still apparent.

Destiny had touched them.

Thus began a remarkable childhood between Adrian and Philip. As early as
Kindergarten it was clear that they would become the social vanguards of
their world. At such a young age kids were already wishing to be invited to
their birthday parties, or hoping to get picked to play on their sports
teams. And the tandem did not let their popularity go to their heads -
well, not too much (they were still kids, after all).

As the years progressed, their social status increased, as did their
affinity. One might assume that with such closeness and common influences,
these two kids would end up carbon copies of each other. But that was not
the case: Adrian and Philip had somewhat disparate personalities. The
purpose of friendships, however, is to tether similar and differing
personalities into a mutual harmony. Though opposites don't always attract,
good friendships allow them to. Adrian and Philip were not the same, but
their friendship helped balance out the extremes in each respective
boy. Together, they always remained good.

Other kids envied Adrian and Philip a great deal. Fortunately, the envy was
rather healthy (not the bad kind rooted in hatred): it's a little hard to
truly hate people who are genuinely nice and good. Everyone wanted a
relationship like those two. But it's hard; any teenager can tell you
that. Magical friendships cannot be forced. There almost always needs to be
another influence at work - some sort of ethereal dimension. And the
Altoman and Albright boys had it.

Beginning in junior high, there was a secret the boys shared. A secret so
well concealed that no one, even if looking for it, would be able to
find. Hell, Adrian and Philip were so careful that even these omniscient
eyes almost missed it. But it was there. The two were more than just
friends; their bond grew deeper than their families, friends, and teachers
could have suspected. Even though they guarded their secret with rabid
ferocity, it kept the boys incredibly happy.

And in this time of extended bliss, the two ruled their worlds. As
predicted, they grew into the hottest guys in their private school. They
made friends with just about everyone they met, which helped make the
ambiance at junior high very comforting and fun. Their grades were
immaculate. Though Philip was the one truly gifted at sports, they both
earned kudos from their respective teams. Junior high was a breeze. And
high school promised to be an equally exhilarating adventure.

But then the unbelievable happened.

In an instant, just before they were to start their freshman year at the
private high school, the friendship between Adrian and Philip - this
friendship carefully grown from the fertile soil of Destiny - ended. A
single event had shaken their lives with all the skill of a British
nanny. Contrary to the grand design, these two teens were filled to the
brim with an instant enmity. As often happens with unthinking teenagers,
recklessness became the outlet of their anger. That horrible night had
lasting physical repercussions: Adrian was forever left with a slight (but
still noticeable) limp, while Philip received a large scar near his left
temple that could never fully heal.

These marks declared the ending of a promised majesty.

Metaphysically speaking, the ramifications of the split were both swift and
severe. With the tether snapped - the bond broken - both boys drifted, one
toward bitterness and hate, the other toward solemnity and
contemplation. The chord of balance remained meaningless and unused. Two
streams were created: a fast moving current ready and willing to demolish
all in its path, and a gentle brook able to provide comfort to those who
were willing. The two streams could not coexist amicably. Nietzsche had
understood this: intellect versus emotion, order versus reckless abandon,
clarity versus passion, saint versus sinner - these opposing powers coming
together gives birth to tragedy. And in this case, the high school became
the stage.

Just because one of the boys moved to the more contemplative and gentle
side of the personality spectrum, don't think that he was going to take the
licks of his former friend lying down. Both boys fought the war
willingly. Neither was about to concede any sort of ground to the other -
whether it were on social, academic, or extracurricular terms. Lines had
been drawn and sides had to be taken. For three years, the boys (still
incredibly hot and popular) demanded loyalty from their friends. Whenever
Adrian and Philip were around, the high school became split; or to be more
specific, the upper echelon of the high school became split (for the two
could no longer afford to mingle beneath their ranks). Social peace became
a memory.

It was during these times that the students of Cassidy Preparatory School
became like every other high school student body in the country:
stratified, petty, cliquish. That may not seem like such a big thing, but
keep in mind that this particular student population could remember a time
when such divisiveness was not the norm. So when the two pulsars weren't
around each other, there were many elites who crossed the line in the sand
and socialized with those from the opposing sides, whispering their wishes
for the two to make peace. However, with no one willing to bring them
together, the drama persisted.

By the beginning of Adrian and Philip's senior year, Destiny had had
enough. Angered that her plans for both boys could be so easily fucked up
by human agency, she had been preparing one last ditch effort to set things
back on their original path (or at the very least, a similar path to the
original). I told her - I warned her - not to get involved. "Let their
choices and decisions play themselves out," I said. "Our purpose is to
gently guide, not forcibly dictate. Besides, none are given second
chances." But Destiny wouldn't listen; the old broad can be so stubborn at
times. She needed an arbitrator - a bridge - for the two boys, and found
one in a young man: Jude. So she set the stage for the hopeful conclusion
of all the drama.

And here we are, watching events unfold. All the pieces are present for
some sort of reconciliation. But as is the trouble with humans nowadays,
there's no telling whether or not the signs will be heeded and
opportunities taken; there's no controlling free will and random chance.

I was never a fan of free will, but it sure makes things interesting...

TO BE CONTINUED

Author's Notes: Hello everyone! So this is my second attempt at writing a
fictive story. If you missed my first story, Hound of God, it's here in the
High School section of Nifty (last updated May 20th). Y'all should read
that too ;-) I was going to wait on posting chapters until I had this
entire story completed, but it turns out I'm not that patient. I'm hoping
to post a chapter every two weeks... hopefully. :-)

Holla back fellas.

edwine81@gmail.com or edtimoria@hotmail.com