Date: Fri, 24 Apr 2015 23:48:35 -0600 From: Jesse Hamill Subject: The Love of Rainn: Chapter 2 Jesse Hamill April 18, 2015 This is a love story between two consenting males and contains sexual themes and graphic depictions of sexual acts. This is also work of fiction. All characters in this story are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. This is my first work for Nifty and any criticism, comments, improvements or thanks can be directed at jesse.hamill88@gmail.com. I appreciate all the comments and support that I've received so far, so thank you readers! Remember to please donate to nifty.org to help keep these stories free. We depend on your support, and even a small donation will do! * * * * * * * * * The Love of Rainn: Chapter 2 Rainn was surprised to see Jesse at school. Rainn never really noticed anyone, he supposed, but Jesse kind of stood out against everyone else. He saw him passing and waved to him down the hall. Jesse flashed a smile and waved back. Again, like at the diner, Jesse kept to himself. He walked to his classes alone and never stopped to talk to anyone. At lunch, Rainn ate quickly with some of his other friends. Everyone at school called them the "emo" kids, and they sat at a table in the back of the cafeteria by the skateboarders and the stoners. Rainn wasn't really close to any one of them, but they liked his art and made him feel welcome. He wanted to work on a sketch and start adding color to it, but space was a premium at the lunch table. So, instead of trying to make room, (and possibly ruining his work with possible food spills) he left unnoticed and went to the library. He had to go there anyway for study hall. When he walked in, Rainn was surprised to see Jesse in there. He sat toward the back working on a computer, headphones plugged in and listening to music. Rainn hesitated and wondered if he should go and say hi and risk seeming clingy. He wondered what Jesse thought of him. Was he just some loser that just needed protecting? Or, was he... never mind... Feeling down about himself, Rainn decided to leave Jesse alone for now. He took over one of the many empty reading tables and went to see the librarian. He needed to ask permission about using the tables to sketch and use ink or paint. "Seriously?" she asked. He just stood there, not sure what to do. Mrs. Swan was pretty severe sometimes. "Yeah-er, ...yes ma'am," he replied, correcting himself. "You can't use the art room?" she asked, sternly. "No ma'am, Ms. Graham isn't here today. They're using the art room as a conference room." Then he remembered. "Wait! I have a note..." He reached into his bag and brought out a note from Ms. Graham. It asked for Rainn to use the library for his art class and his study hall to get his work ready for a national competition undisturbed. She looked at him and gave him just a semblance of a smile. "You're Rainn?" she asked. "Yes ma'am," he replied. "I remember Ms. Graham talking about your work," she said. "Alright, I suppose you can work in here, but don't make a mess on the tables, chairs or floors. There's some large rolls of paper in the store room, put some down on the table first." He did as she asked and put down some brown paper on a one of the larger reading tables. He got out his sketchbook, pens, pencils, and a few bottles of ink. Rainn worked meticulously, and liked to have a lot of room for his tools and materials. The sketch was large and took up half the table, but he worked around it, and turning it around as he needed. It depicted a floating human heart, but not an anatomically correct model. It was a <3, shape, but it had muscle structure and flowing arteries. Some of it was stylized shapes and patterns, and one section was grey and dying. It distinguished itself by having large pointed crystals sticking out and rupturing the muscle tissue. Rainn wanted to put more detail into it. The colors were what he want to focus on and get just right. He was working so busily and taking advantage of the quiet that he jumped when someone nearby spoke to him. "Hey, that's pretty awesome. I like the design of it." The familiar voice jarred Rainn back to Earth. Startled, he looked up to see who was talking to him. Of course, it could only be Jesse. "...Uh ...thanks," Rainn finally managed. *Don't blush, just stay calm, Rainn thought.* It was a little late though because he felt warmth on his cheeks. "No talking in the library!" Mrs. Swan snapped at them. Even though they were the only two students in there, she enforced the rules all of the time and never made exceptions. Jesse whispered an apology to her and went back to where he was working. He smiled at Rainn as he left, and Rainn smiled back. Rainn went back to working on his colors when Jesse casually went by his table to get a book from the shelf behind. As he went back to his seat, Jesse dropped a small note on the table. Rainn, heart beating fast, discretely opened it up to find a phone number. *Oh my god! I have his number!... Unless... it's a fake and he's playing me. He wouldn't do that to me... would he?* Rainn decided to take a chance and got his phone out carefully. Sitting down, he changed his sound settings to silent, and sent a "hi" to the number on the note. Pocketing his phone in his hoodie, he watched to see what Jesse would do. It didn't take long because across the room Rainn heard a light buzzing. *Well at least I know it's really his number!* Jesse carefully went into his bag, looking over his shoulder to make sure Mrs. Swan didn't hear him. Too late. "Phones are not to be used in the library, Mr. Michaels!" Crap. He was busted. Mrs. Swan had the most impressive hearing of all the teachers and eyes like a hawk. Jesse was new and he didn't have a clue how strict she could be. Rainn panicked a little. He didn't want to get Jesse in trouble. "Sorry Mrs. Swan, I'm turning it off now!" Jesse said, managing his phone. Rainn watched as Jesse carefully slipped the phone into the front pocket of his flannel shirt unseen. He waited for her to turn back around completely before he casually took his phone back out. Jesse adjusted his chair, sitting himself with his back toward the librarian's desk. He typed a message while he looked at a book on his desk. Rainn smiled a little and waited for a reply. He went back to working on his sketch for a little bit. He didn't want Mrs. Swan to get suspicious. A few minutes passed, and Rainn couldn't wait anymore. He went to the side of the table where he could check his phone unnoticed and saw he had a new message. Looking over his shoulder, he opened it up. "that was a close 1," it read. He smiled at it and sent a reply. "yeah." Across the room, Jesse dimmed the display on the computer a little bit and tilted the monitor slightly. Rainn wondered what he was doing at first, but then he figured it out. Jesse carefully stared back into the monitor and used the reflection to see the room behind him. He could see the librarian's desk and when Mrs. Swan was looking in his direction. Clever. They started a staggered conversation, working the few minutes between messages and replies. Rainn and Jesse were always careful to check before they used their phones. "almost got busted," he sent. "sorry. forgot 2 tell you she's super strict," Rainn sent back. "it's ok. awesome art btw." Rainn wasn't used to texting, and almost forgot what everything meant. *btw... oh yeah, by the way.* "thanx," he replied, as he put in a smiley face. "it's for an art competition." "awesome," he sent back. "what r u up 2?" Rainn asked. "this is my web college class." "oh kewl." "nah it sux. The lecture is 2 long." He put a smiley with x's on the eyes. "oh, I thought u were listening 2 music. guess not if swan was sitting right there watching, huh?" "no, i'd get kicked out 4 sure." Rainn sent him a sad face first, and then a sarcastic smiley sticking his tongue out. Jesse replied with a laughing one. "hey u need a ride after school?" he asked. "sure," Rainn sent back. He was super excited now, and couldn't wait for school to be over. "k, meet u out front," Jesse sent back. Rainn looked at the clock and saw that there was only a fifteen minutes left before the school day was over. Butterflies were floating up in his stomach and Rainn was a little dazed. He was going to get a ride home from Jesse! The last few minutes of study hall dragged on for what seemed like an eternity. Rainn used the time to color and add outlining to his artwork, but the clock seemed to have its hands nailed down. He gave up watching it and continued working. Finally, after trying to decide and what shade of purple to use with the emerald green crystal, the bell rang. He started cleaning up his stuff, being careful not to make a mess or leave a single stray pencil mark behind. Otherwise, he knew Mrs. Swan would never let him come back to the library again. Jesse came by and started helping him clean up, making Rainn blush a little. "You got everything cleaned up and put away Mr. Dawson?" the librarian asked. "Yes ma'am," Rainn told her politely. "You too, Mr. Michaels?" "Affirmative ma'am," Jesse said in a mock military voice. Rainn smiled wide and almost cracked up laughing. "Watch your tone Mr. Michaels," she retorted. But, mysteriously, she smiled at him. Jesse must have that effect on everyone. He was intoxicatingly charming and could make even Mrs. Swan smile! "Yes ma'am," he replied in his best manners. "Well then, have a good afternoon gentlemen. I'm locking up after you two leave." Jesse walked with Rainn out to the school parking lot. "You got off lucky, Jesse!" Rainn told him as they walked. "Really?" he asked. "Yeah, she usually just confiscates people's phones without giving them a warning first. She doesn't let anyone off easy." "Well, I'm glad that didn't happen. That would have been the most boring class ever," he said. "I wasn't sure you were going to text me when I gave you the note." "Honestly..." Rainn started. He thought about telling Jesse he wasn't completely sure the number was his, but decided against it. "Yeah?" "Never mind. Thanks for your number Jesse..." he said, a little pink. "No worries. You can message me anytime. You know, if you're bored, or need a ride, or something..." Jesse headed toward the student parking section and Rainn followed. Rainn was anxious to see what Jesse drove, and cringed a little when they started heading towards a on old junker. A rusty, graffiti-covered, dirty brown truck was where they were walking to. The closer they came the worse it got, Rainn realized. The seats were all torn up with the springs exposed, and the windshield was severely cracked. *This was not at all what I expected! Oh well... can't expect him to be perfect in every way, right?* Then relief set in when Jesse walked passed it. Rainn followed more hopeful, and they stopped at a small white jeep, with just two seats and bench/trunk in the back. It was hidden behind that brown monstrosity of a truck. "I hope this okay," he said, "it's my mom's." "It's awesome," Rainn replied, smiling. And it was. It was a newer model, clean inside with a black hard top. It still had the new car smell that everyone loves. Rainn loaded his bag and sketchbook in the back and climbed in the passenger seat. Jesse got in and they started heading out. As they got closer to the gate, he reached over Rainn's lap to get into the glovebox. Rainn's heart skipped a beat, and he had to look out the window to hide his reddening face. Jesse got the parking pass and handed it to the gatekeeper to check it. Out of the corner of his eye, hidden in his hair, Rainn noticed that Jesse, too, was a little red. While getting his pass back, a large red truck screeched to a stop inches behind them. Rainn felt his life flash before his eyes, and looked back with the side mirror. He recognized the truck right away. Surprise, surprise, it belonged to the football captain, Mark. *Holy shit! We almost got plowed!* Jesse looked up in the rear view mirror as he heard the screeching tires, and his eyes widened a little, but he didn't seemed too surprised. The gatekeeper hastily handed the parking pass back to Jesse, and let them through. As Jesse drove on, he could see the gatekeeper and the security officer stopping Mark's truck and arguing with him. *Maybe he'll get in detention for that stunt! * Rainn thought. He could only hope. "Idiot!" Jesse said now that they got on Main Street. "Huh?" Rainn asked. "Sorry, not you. I meant that jackass, Mark." "Yeah, that hole almost rear ended us," Rainn said. "Nah, he wouldn't be that stupid. He's just trying to scare us. Mess with our heads. You'd think he'd take a hint and realize just to leave you alone." "What? Me??" Rainn asked, a little frightened. "Oops. I meant me..." Jesse replied. "Well... us. I heard him talking a big revenge plan or something during gym." "Oh..." Rainn said. He was concerned now and wondered if he'd be able to walk home anymore without having to look over his shoulder for a speeding truck. "But... looks like he's getting a detention for reckless driving. I haven't seen his truck coming from the school yet." That set Rainn's mind at ease. The school had pretty strict student-driver rules. Reckless driving meant that you got detention for five days and they suspended your parking pass and leaner's permit for the whole week. That meant Mark would have to be on foot because none of his friends had a vehicle to lend. At least he wouldn't get run down in the middle of the road like a bunny this week. "You don't think he'll want to get back at us?" Rainn asked. "Well, we *technically* didn't do him anything. He did it to himself. But, yeah, probably." Rainn sighed. "Don't worry though, I'm armed with the best mp3 player money can buy," Jesse said, smiling. Rainn chuckled at that. They talked a little on the way to Rainn's house, but he didn't live that far away, so they got there quickly. "Hey, do you..." Rainn started nervously, "wanna come in and hang out for a while... or something?" He suddenly hated his voice and his choice of words. He sounded so high pitched and girly right then. "Sorry, I can't. I gotta work in the flower shop and help out my mom," Jesse replied. *Damn, Rainn thought.* Then he had an idea. "Wait just a sec, `kay?" Rainn said, "Don't drive off yet..." "Okay..." Jesse said, a little confused. He put the jeep in park and waited, as Rainn got off the jeep and ran inside. He saw his Gran and asked if he could go with Jesse to his mom's shop. "Oh yes, I had the pleasure of stopping there again today. Diana had the most gorgeous roses..." she started. Gran had a way of losing track of a conversation, but Rainn didn't want to be rude, so he just asked again politely. "Huh?" she responded. "Oh! Yes, of course! But, be sure to be home by ten. And be polite and stay for dinner *only* if she asks, okay? Don't impose or be a bother. Come home early if she doesn't, okay?" "Okay Gran!" he said as he bolted out the door. *Yes! he thought. Or... wait... Oh crap! I didn't even ask Jesse if I could hang out there! What if he says he's too busy, or... what if he just says no?* Rainn walked back to the jeep a little leery. "Hey... is it okay... if..." *Dammit! Why do I struggle so much with words around him?* "Huh?" Jesse asked. "Sorry. I wanted to know if it was okay If I hung out at the flower shop. With you." As soon as he said it, Rainn wished he could take back the last part. He didn't want to be clingy, creepy or come off too strong. *I should have just asked him to marry me... that might have been less embarrassing.* "Sure," Jesse said, "but it might be a little boring. I have to mind the counter, but... if you don't mind sitting in a flower shop all afternoon..." he said. Rainn's heart lifted. "Oh, that's okay. I was just going to work on some drawings and stuff... maybe some homework." "Okay," he said, "that's cool with me." Rainn got back into the jeep and they drove down a few streets before making a left. Feeling happier than he had in long time, Rainn watched as the houses became sparser and more small shops appeared. Jesse drove on till they got back on Main Street and stopped a few blocks down from the supermarket. It was not too far from Rainn's house, maybe half a mile. They pulled into a small, yellow, two-story building, labeled simply "Flowers by Diana." Looking at the building, the bottom section was the shop with storefront windows displaying several beautiful arrangements. That left the top section as the apartment. "You live above the shop?" Rainn asked. "Yeah. It's smaller than our last apartment, but I like it," Jesse said. "Cool," Rainn said. Rainn got his stuff down from the jeep and Jesse showed him inside. *Oh my god! I get to see where Jesse lives!* * * * * * * * * * Author's Note: That's it for this week's installment. I hope you're enjoying the story so far. More to come soon! Copyright Jesse Hamill and nifty.org 2015. All rights reserved.