Date: Fri, 4 Feb 2011 16:54:29 -0800 (PST)
From: Joey Young <untitledlovestory23@yahoo.com>
Subject: Untitled Love Story, Chapter four

The author of this story maintains all rights to this production. This
story contains scenes of gay sex between teenagers. If you do not wish to
read this, please leave the story at once. All comments should be sent to
Joey Young at untitledlovestory23@yahoo.com

Author's note:

Hey everybody thank you all for the support for this series so far. I
truly appreciate the comments and fans I have acquired. This story is
pretty long, but some of you have asked for a longer story. Anyways,
Caleb's story is not over yet, so I hope this story answers some of the
previous chapter's questions. Not all of them of course, but some of them
at least. So enjoy.

-Joey Young

Untitled Love Story

Chapter 4

After school I walked straight home, to finish what little homework I had
left, and to get ready for the game. My mom wasn't home but she left a few
things out for ham sandwiches. I made myself a couple and ate them quietly
at the table, as I worked out my math homework.

Today was normal; well for me anyway. I hadn't seen Drew all day, and that
made me feel a small sense of guilt. But I shook it off easily. Dante was
only in school long enough to tell me he had a doctor's appointment. He had
to get a physical done for soccer try outs, so I understood. So the whole
day was normal, which was a huge change from the past four days. But I
wasn't complaining. Eventually my thoughts became muddled, so I turned my
attention back to my homework.

I glanced at the clock every now and then, but time seemed to gradually
move by. Once, I was done with homework, I busied myself with cleaning up
my mess. I washed my dishes, tidied up the kitchen and living room, but
still had 30 minutes before Stacey and Justin showed up.

So I decided a nice hot shower and fresh clothes would occupy the time. I
took a slow shower and meticulously got dressed. The weather report said
tonight would be extra chilly, so I put on warmer clothes. I wore a black
long sleeve shirt under a thick maroon sweater, and just a pair of casual
jeans and shoes. My hair of course would just dry in its usual position;
slightly swooping over my eyes. But tonight I thought I should wear a wool
cap. So I donned a thick maroon and gray beanie, that had little ear flaps
on the sides. In the mirror I looked like a little kid, which made me
laugh, so I took the beanie off and put it in my sweater pocket, for later.

By the time I bounded down the stairs, I could just hear Justin's car
pulling into my driveway. Sure enough, Justin honked his horn, signaling
for me to come. I hated when he honked. I grabbed my keys and the book I
had been currently reading, from the small table near the door and walked
outside. The cold air curled around my body, but couldn't find any purchase
through the thick layers of clothing.

However, my ears and wet hair were freezing by the time I get into Justin's
car.

"Man, its cold out there," I said as soon as I got in. The heater was
warmly blowing over my body, as I settled into the plush leather seating.

"Yeah," replied Stacey, "I hate it when it hits, especially during a game."

"Uh-huh," is all I said, as I scooted between both seats and warmed my
hands near the vents.

"So when does it start?" Justin asked, speaking for the first time.

"Not for another 45 minutes-" she tried to say, but was cut off when Justin
stared at her incredulously.

"Are you serious?" he asked, obviously annoyed.

"Yeah," Stacey admitted, "I need to be there early to set up the stand."

Justin didn't say anything, but I could see there was something teeming
under his skin, so I changed the subject. "Hey do we get like an employee
discount?"

Stacey laughed, "No, but your helping our senior class's prom."

"That's it?" I replied mockingly. "All we get is to help dress up the ugly
gym?"

I could see just a hint of a smile play on Justin's lips. Stacey saw this
too and gave us a stern look, but commented no further. We had already
pulled out of the driveway and were passing the school. I looked out the
window and could see the bright lights of the stadium in the distance.

When we got to the baseball field, there were a few cars already showing
up. The field's lights were brightly illuminating people gradually making
their way to the stands. I could see some of the players warming up in
their uniforms, but I couldn't make out who is who. Justin parked near the
concession stand, which was surrounded by the first shift of students.

I hesitantly got out of the car, fearing the cold wind. I put my book in my
pocket before I closed the door behind me. However, the wind barely bit at
my cheeks. But my hair was still wet, so I gradually slid on my
beanie. Justin and Stacey saw my hat, but didn't say anything. I helped
Justin carry the concessions Stacey brought into the average sized
concession stand. The other students immediately started to unpack and set
up the stand, which freed Justin and me from further obligation. We told
Stacey we would be back after the game and decided to find seats in the
stands.

Justin talked errantly about the game and the rival team, but I hardly pay
attention. Not because he was boring. No. Because baseball wasn't my cup of
tea. I had more of a stays- inside-and-reads-a-book phase, than a
play-catch-with-my-dad phase. And this again was mainly due to the fact
that in order to deal with my previous illness, I had to stay inside. The
same went for my dad.

So, sports never really held an interest for me.

Once we got to the stands we stood at the base of the stairs trying to find
good seats. Justin said something about the middle being the best spot but
I didn't hear because someone tapped on my shoulder. I turned to Justin,
expectantly, but he just pointed to my other side. Confused I turned around
and saw Drew standing a few feet from me. He was in his well fitted
baseball uniform. I gulped loudly.

He smiled sheepishly at me, and I couldn't help but notice how handsome he
looked. His golden curls spilled out from the bottom of his cap, and his
broad shoulders filled out his jersey nicely. His eyes were alight, but
controlled, and his smile was content at my appearance. Oh, the stupid hat,
I thought as I scratched randomly at it.

Justin lightly patted me on the arm and signaled to the seat he found, "I'm
going to go sit."

"Okay," I replied, "I'll be right there."

He nodded and looked at Drew once before climbing the stairs. After Justin
left, Drew relaxed and gestured me to sit next him. I glanced fleetingly
between my seat next to Justin and the one Drew had, before surrendering.

"Alright," I said, "but just for a second. You have to go warm up."

Drew chuckled, "Okay, for a second."

I sat next to him, but kept a little distance between us just in case he
tried anything. He noticed my little maneuver and cleared his throat. He
looked away and stared toward the field.

"You know I've thought a lot about what you said the other day," he started
off, jumping into conversation, "and I think your right. About us being
friends. I think it would make things... a lot less complicated, and it
would also keep me close to you. So when you are ready, I'll be there
waiting."

I controlled my expression, but inside my whole body was screaming in
frustration. This wasn't what I wanted. I wanted to be left alone. To not
have to think about him or how he makes me feel. I needed a well-deserved
break. Not a possible maybe.

"Well that's good," I replied, not sure what to say. Drew smiled
triumphantly, like he had figured out my true logic.

"Good," he stated, before standing up, "well the game is about to start,
I'd better get out there."

"Okay," I replied, still feeling annoyed and frustrated. I was about to
turn and go, but before I could he pulled me into a quick hug. I hugged
back halfheartedly, but enough to not make him suspicious.

He eventually let go and turned back to the field, giving me a warm smile,
"I'm glad you came."

I smiled back, but said nothing further. He stared at me for a second
longer, before he bounded down the stairs; two steps at a time. I groaned
in frustration and turned back to the stands.

I walked up the stairs and slid in next to Justin. He acted like nothing
happened and immediately started talking about the school's chances of
winning. I looked at him and noticed the tightening of his jaw, but he
remained oblivious. I smiled in gratitude. Justin was a decent guy. He kept
to himself and hardly asked any questions, which was what I liked about
him. He was in a lot of ways like the older brother I never had.

However, ten minutes into the game, Justin got bored.

"Hey, I'm gonna go hit up Stace for some snacks," he said and stood up.

"You want anything?"

I glanced up from my book, "Twizzler's and a hot dog. . . Maybe some
fries."

He smiled and shook his head, "Anything else?"

"Nope," I replied with a smirk, and moved to pull out my wallet.

He stopped me, "I got this, don't worry about it, buddy."

I smiled, "In that case, fries for sure."

He just smiled and sauntered off down the stairs.

"And a drink!!" I called after him, before he disappeared around the
corner.

A few people turned in my direction, making me blush. I ignored them and
buried my face back into my book.

The game carried on, and our team was two points behind. I knew nothing
about baseball, besides the basics. I knew you hit the ball, as far as you
could. Then try to make it past all the bases, and back to the home plate,
before the ball got caught or you got caught. However, the game itself held
no particular interest for me, so I just continued to read my book. The
fans did yell occasionally in encouragement, which distracted me a little,
but I did my best to ignore them. It seemed kind of silly to be at a
baseball game reading a book, but no one seemed to notice.

Somewhere between 30 or 45 minutes into the game, I glanced up and searched
for Justin, who still wasn't back with my food. Instead I saw Dante
casually making his way through the fans trying to get to my seat. He
seemed to have been trying to catch my attention for the longest time,
because my sudden recognition made him smile. He waved enthusiastically as
he stepped over people's laps and belongings, trying to clear a path. I
smiled in amusement. He saw my smile, and shrugged, while a man glared at
him. He didn't notice.

By the time he got to me, his path was lined with disapproving faces and
scowling old men. I made room for him as he rubbed his gloved hands
together. I glanced at his ensemble and grinned, apparently he wasn't used
to cold weather either. He wore a black modern jacket with a hoodie, some
dark blue jeans, and plain black sneakers. His hair was still fixed but was
slightly covered by his hood. He looked rugged and handsome as he watched
the game, so I looked away.

"You look nice," I commented as I watched a player round second base. My
book still in hand.

I didn't see his face, but I could tell he was smiling, "You don't look to
bad yourself. I like the hat. Cute."

Oh, darn the hat. I blushed scarlet, I had completely forgotten about the
hat. No wonder he was smiling so much.

He noticed my fit of embarrassment, "Oh, I didn't mean to embarrass you."

"No, its fine," I replied sheepishly, "it's just a hat."

He chuckled lightly and ruffled my hat, "No, I like it. It's very adorable,
which suits you."

I blushed again, but it didn't catch his attention.

"So what are you doing here?" I asked, attempting to change the subject.

"Oh, I just helped Stacey out." he replied nonchalantly. "I pulled a thirty
minute shift and then Justin told me you were up here."

"Oh," I replied. Well that explains the random meeting and why Justin
wasn't back with my food.

His smile widened at my understanding, "So, what are you here for?"

"I'm, uh, helping Stacey too," I replied, "after the game I mean. Justin
and I are the cleanup crew."

He laughed, "Cool, maybe you could use an extra hand."

"Sure, that would help a lot; maybe even get us home sooner."

"It's a deal then," he stated and smiled winningly. I just nodded in
agreement.

After about an hour and 15 minutes into the game Justin finally returned
with my food and a drink. I sniped at him for his tardiness, but let go
after a while. Justin and Dante were entertained by my little rant and just
laughed as I dug into my food hungrily. They laughed and talk for most of
the game, dissecting each move the player made, but it was all lost on
me. They tried to include me in their conversation, but tired after a
while, and continued talking about the game, themselves.

With most of my food consumed, and nothing to contribute to the
conversation, I sat and nibbled on a Twizzler while I read my
book. Eventually the game came to the final inning. It seemed Drew was up
to bat for the final leg of the game. I could tell because of the number 13
on his jersey, and the curls of golden hair that peeked out from his
helmet. There was a tangible air of anticipation as the pitcher got ready
to launch the ball.

Drew took his stance and waited patiently for the pitchers strike. Time
passed so slowly, it felt like eons before the ball finally left the
pitchers hand. The sound of the bat hitting the ball was instantaneous. It
arced up in a wide expanse from Drew before landing just a few feet from
the outfielder. The crowd roared in encouragement; yelling at Drew to keep
running. He passed second base with ease and ran to third base. The crowd
roared with anticipation. When the second baseman finally got the ball, the
crowd yelled in fear, but he barely made it to third base before he was
caught.

"Out!" the referee called to the restless crowd. Sounds of anguish and
disappointment echoed throughout the stands.

"He almost had it," Justin and Dante yelled simultaneously, but in
different timbres. I didn't say anything and continue to nibble on my
candy, trying to remain oblivious.

I could see the slight slump in Drew's shoulders from where I sat, as he
slowly moved back to the dugout. But shoved feelings of pity to the back of
my head. The boys got up and dumped whatever trash they had into the trash
bins near the steps. I followed suit, but kept what little candy I had. I
saw Drew's silhouette as he merged into the huddle of players. The crowd of
fans gradually dispersed behind us and made their way to the parking
lot. We walked back to the concession stand, ready to do are part.


Stacey was a blur of movement when we made it back to the concession
stand. She moved from different areas of the small space talking hurriedly
to different students. She assigned them to pack away what candy or food
that was left. She didn't even notice us until Justin scooped her up into
his arms, making her scream in surprise. Justin just laughed and placed her
back on the floor. Stacey glowered at him for a moment, before addressing
the remaining students.

"Alright, thank you everyone for helping," she called out over their heads,
"I'll have the money counted, and I'll give the results tomorrow. So,
whenever you're done putting the snacks and food away, you can leave. Thank
you."

They all nodded and continued like little worker bees. I smiled and glanced
up at Dante. He smiled in return, somehow I knew he was thinking the same
thing; worker bees. I looked to Stacey and Justin who were already talking
about clean up sections, and how long it will take.

"Hey Stace, Dante has agreed to help," I said and interrupted what Justin
was about to say.

Stacey glanced at Dante, "No, I couldn't do that. He already worked a
shift, that wouldn't be fair."

Dante just smiled, "It's no problem, really."

"Are you sure?" she asked hesitantly, but she didn't fool me.

Dante only nodded. I saw the instant relief on her face.

"Okay," she agreed, and handed us trash bags, "well you and Caleb have
trash duty."

"Trash duty?" I ask confused.

"Yeah, just clean the stands of any trash and food," she replied
dismissively as she stacked the remaining snacks on the counter.

"Alright," I replied, taking my trash bag, "Come on Dante."

He extended his elbow in a clear invitation and I hooked mine into his
willingly. He smiled confidently as we walked to the stands. Most of the
fields lights were out, but a few that lit the stands were still on.

The wind was starting to pick up as we combed through the stands, but Dante
stayed at my side the entire time. Sometime later when we had about 10 more
rows to do, Justin called Dante to help load the food into his car.

"What about Caleb?" he called back to Justin.

"Oh, I'm fine, it's just a few more rows, I'll be done in time," I replied
warmly, before yelling back to Justin, "I'm fine!"

"Okay," Justin replied, while Dante gave me a lopsided smile, and bounded
down each step to Justin.

I watched as he waved me to continue, before I finished picking up the last
bit of trash. There were a lot of empty cups, wrappers, and napkins that
lined the steps and seats.

There were two more rows left, but I didn't see any signs of trash
anywhere, so I decided to just head back. The last of the lights went out
just as I took a step into the dark.

I misjudged the distance of my step and took an extra one, which made me
slip. My butt fell harshly on the edge of a step and I went tumbling down
the last few steps. My head bashed against the steel railing and I fell on
my tailbone repeatedly. I could hear the loud bangs of different body parts
hitting the metal stairs, but somehow I landed softly in the grass.

My head throbbed where it hit the railing and my tailbone had seen better
days. But other than that I was fine. I squeezed my hand and noticed the
trash bag was still in my grip. Most of it had spilled out onto the floor
but I held the majority of it in my hand. I groaned in pain. I didn't want
to pick up the trash or even get up. I rolled over on my side and crawled
to the bottom step. I sat. My eyes adjusted to the lights from the
concession stand and gave me some understanding of my surroundings. I was
surprised no one heard my terrible fall.

I slowly began to pick up the spilled trash. By the time I was done
gathering all my disgusting trash, my tailbone had numbed enough for me to
stand. I didn't want to go back up on the stands, so instead I entered the
field through a small gate. I had only walked halfway to the other entrance
before I noticed someone sitting on a bench in the dugout slumped in the
darkness. I watched them carefully; making sure my head fall wasn't
creating hallucinations. I approached them warily. They didn't even seem to
notice my approach, or the rustle of the plastic bag. They continued to
face away from me staring at the empty field.

"Hello?" I asked stupidly, but the boy didn't respond. He was one of the
players, I could tell by his baseball cap.

It wasn't until I was standing right in front of him that I realized it was
Drew. I dropped the bag of trash off to the side and squatted down to his
eye level.

"Drew?" I asked, softly placing my hands on his knees. "Drew, its Caleb,
are you alright?"

"I should have stayed at second," he replied absently, "then we could have
won the game."

"Hey, it's not your fault," I replied calmly, "it's no one's fault."

I slowly rubbed his legs in a calming gesture - in no way sexual - but
after a few minutes he glanced up. I smiled tentatively. He seemed to be
feeling better. He smiled in return but didn't stop there. He leaned
forward and slowly placed his hand on either side of my face. I could see
what he was about to do but I was so caught off guard, that I didn't have
time to stop it. His lips were as warm as ever, with just the slightest
tickle of his facial hair. His teeth grated against my lips hungrily. His
tongue slipped into my mouth, letting me taste him once again. I gasped in
shock, which he took as amazement and urgently pulled me closer. His hands
found purchase at my waist, and pulled me onto his lap. I could feel the
hard meaty shaft rub into my lower thigh. Apparently my leg rubbing was
more effective than I thought.

I tried to disengage from his grip, but failed completely. My legs dangled
over his thighs, behind his back.

I tried to slide off his lap, but to him it looked like grinding. He
groaned in pleasure and slid both hands into the back of my pants. His
kisses become urgent and he momentarily let me go. This gave me enough time
to stand up.

"Drew, wait," I said firmly and grabbed his hands as they attempted to
unbuckle his belt, "you got it all wrong. Were friends remember?"

He looked at me with sad, searching eyes. It reminded me of a small dog I
saw at the pet store once when I was little. My mom wouldn't let me get it,
because she knew I wouldn't take care of it. I stepped back, and turned to
pick up my bag of trash.

"I'm sorry, if I mislead you," I said before leaving.

I wasn't even outside the gate, before his hand enclosed my arm.

"Hey, I didn't mean it either," he said pulling me close, "it was just in
the heat of the moment, I guess."

I snorted and pointed to the bulge in his pants, "See that's why it's hard
to talk to you. You think everything is about sex. How can we be friends,
if that's all you see me for?"

He grinned and adjusted himself. But before either one of us could say
anything more, I heard Dante calling for me.

"I gotta go. I'm supposed to be helping with clean up." I said as Dante
neared the gate.

"Hey, where've you been?" he asked clearly concerned.

"Oh, I ran into Drew and lost track of time," I replied, gesturing to
Drew. "This is Dante, Drew, and Dante, this is Drew.

Dante laughed, "Two D's."

I laughed in realization, but Drew remained cold and distant.

"Well it was nice talking to you, Drew," I said formally and placed a hand
on his arm. "I'll see you around."

"Drew," Dante said and clapped him on the back.

Drew just nodded, and watched us leave. Dante courteously grabbed the bag
from my hand and offered his arm again. I smiled in acquiesce and hooked my
arm into his. But before I knew it I was grabbed from behind by the waist.
Drew pulled me into his hard chest.

"Oww, Drew, what's wrong?" I asked as he glared at Dante.

"Hey, Italy, keep your hands to yourself," Drew spat at Dante, who was
glaring equally at him.

"I could say the same to you," Dante replied coldly. "So let go of him."

I tried to wiggle free, but Drew's hold was permanent. Dante watched as my
feeble attempts amounted to nothing, before he was on top of Drew, shoving
his arm away. I tried to set myself free, without causing a fight, but the
sound of a loud thump made me freeze. Dante was on his knees rubbing his
jaw, and I finally managed to squirm free. I glanced frantically between
Dante and Drew, before they were on the floor fighting. I could hear every
time one of them made contact, and I flinched.

"Stop!" I yelled trying to break them apart. I pulled on Dante's shoulder,
but he just shrugged me off and placed me behind him in protection. He kept
his back to me and ducked around Drew's fist. I moved from my spot and
tried to grab Drew's arm. He just shoved me to the floor, making my
tailbone scream in agony. I squeaked in pain and rolled over, rubbing my
butt. Dante noticed this and punched Drew square in the jaw. He tumbled
backward onto the ground. While he tried to regain his balance, Dante
quickly came over and helped me up.

I could see he had a few bruises blooming on his face and a small cut on
his lip. I didn't have much time to examine him, before he grabbed my waist
and whisked me down to the concession stand. He roughly pulled open the
door to the small hut and guided me inside. His arm around my waist never
left. He was huffing in exertion and wiped at his eyebrow.

Stacey and Justin were already waiting for us, and their heads were deep in
conversation. They hadn't noticed us until we grabbed their attention. They
turned with a smile and were about to say something, before their eyes
widened.  They stared at Dante's injured face.

"What happened?" Stacey asked, glancing between us both.

"I fell," Dante replied calmly, but they didn't buy it, "down a couple of
bleachers."

Justin picked this up much quicker, "Well you've got to be more careful,
dude."

I smiled at his nonchalance, but he gave me a meaningful look. Later, I
mouthed to him as we headed to our parking spots. Dante continued to keep
his hold on me, as we made our way to Justin's car. I could see the fight
took a lot out of him, but he tried not to show it. His jaw was set in
pain, but his pride wouldn't allow him to express it. Stacey could see this
too, and she offered him a ride.

"No, I brought my parent's car," he replied gesturing to the BMW down at
the end of the lot. "Thanks though."

"Well, someone could at least go with you, to watch out," she prompted
concerned.

"I can go, if it's okay," I asked, looking at Dante. I didn't know where
Drew was but I didn't want him going back there to fight.

His thoughts seemed to be in sync with mine, because he also looked toward
the stands. I smiled weakly at him, trying to quell his anger.

"Okay, but just to your house," he said gesturing me to walk ahead of
him. I saw his face wince in pain when his arm moved, but I keep silent. I
waved to Stacey and Justin, who watched us get into Dante's car; worry
clear on their face.

When I finally saw the field disappear behind us, I spoke.

"Are you okay?" I asked, watching him hold his side. He turned and smiled
crookedly, but kept the car on the road.

"I'm fine," he replied, and he stretched his left arm out, suppressing a
painful expression.

"Are you sure?" I prompted. "Because you might have some bruised ribs or
something."

He quietly chuckled, "You worry too much. I'm fine."

I hadn't realized we were at my house until the car came to a slow stop.

I glanced around confused, but saw the trampled flowers near our
driveway. My mom was home, and I could see the light on in the living
room. This was a nice change of pace. I turned back around to Dante with a
smile and he laughed at my silly grin.

"You know that hat truly matches you," he said pulling on the little
strings.

I looked up into his hazel eyes, trying to decipher his chaotic thoughts,
but came up short when I saw a bleeding cut near his eyebrow.

"Dante!" I exclaimed in shock making his eyes widen. "Your eyebrow."

His face relaxed immediately, when I pointed out the cut above his eye.

He just laughed and wiped away at the blood. I softly pushed his hands away
and scooted closer to examine it. I wasn't a doctor or a nurse like my mom,
but I knew a pretty decent cut when I saw one. It looked deep, but not deep
enough to require stitches.

I leaned over his head, balancing on my knees to get a better look. Blood
was oozing out, but most of the cut had already started clotting. I wiped
what little blood there was away, with the end of my sleeve.

He hissed in pain, but I continued to clean around the cut.

"Geez, that's a nasty cut," I remarked, "but it will heal. You just need a
Band-Aid."

I hadn't noticed the close proximity of our bodies until I pulled back to
get his opinion. I had scooted close enough that my knees were lightly
touching his thighs. His head was placed near my collarbone and when he
looked up, his nose softly grazed against my jaw. I shuddered
involuntarily, but held my ground. I looked into his light hazel eyes, and
saw little flecks of green burst near the pupil. It was mesmerizing. He
seemed to be seeing something similar in my eyes and held his gaze too.

I watched as his eyes flitted over my face, gauging my reaction. His eyes
were hesitant, but calm as he leaned into kiss me. I could sense the
anticipation and tension, once his face was close enough to mine.

His warm breath blew sweet scents into my face, making me dizzy with
excitement. I could feel the electric tension between us that had my heart
sprinting a mile a minute.

In a sudden burst of enthusiasm, I leaned in and softly kissed his
surprisingly smooth lips. I sensed his sudden surprise, but kept my lips
planted on his. His stubble tickled the corners of my mouth, but this only
fueled the desire burning inside me. His hot breathe blew into my mouth
making me lose control. I wrapped my left hand around his neck holding him
close; welding him to my face.

This intensified his appetite too. His hands wrapped easily around my waist
pulling my body tighter to his. I huffed in surprise as he gently laid me
down on the full seat of his car. His lips momentarily left mine but
continued to explore my neck and face. My legs wrapped agilely around his
muscular waist as he pulled my shirt up, and kissed my bellybutton. I
laughed breathlessly, trying to control myself. He chuckled at my resolve,
and slowly traced my hip and belly.

Every now and then he would kiss me on the hip or hand, whispering at how
soft I was. I sighed and lightly ran my fingers through his hair, making
sure to not hit his wounds. Eventually he came back up and started kissing
me again, but carefully this time, as if I would suddenly shatter. This
gave me a chance to explore his musculature.

I ran my hand up his shirt, feeling every hard plane and ab that he had.

His abs were intensely hard, and defined as my fingers traced each one,
counting six. He was relatively smooth, but had a light dusting of hair on
his chest that ran down his abdomen to the line of his pants. I stopped
there, not wanting to take it too far, but I could definitely feel his
excitement through his jeans. My tongue ran smoothly over his teeth, making
its way into his mouth, and started to tangle with his tongue. I kissed his
cut on his lip, making sure to be gentle. He sighed in contentment at my
careful gesture.

I sighed heavily too, and glanced at the clock. It was almost 10:30. My mom
would start to worry. The car was still on, and I hadn't even noticed.

"I have to go inside," I whispered while still kissing him. He smiled but
kept his lips firmly on mine, shaping them around my mouth.

I laughed.

"Dante?" I asked placing my hands on his face.

"One more minute," was all he replied before burying his face into my neck.

I shuddered uncontrollably. His lips parted over my jugular, just near my
Adam's apple. I sighed in pure pleasure. He laughed as I give into his warm
lips. His hands held me firmly in his grasp. His ribs no longer protesting
from the pressure my body gave.

"I gotta go." I replied breathlessly. He sighed in assent before
disengaging his hold.

"When can I see you again?" he asked running his hands over my face.

"Is tomorrow too soon?" I replied, tracing his jaw and lips.

He laughed at my answer but remained on top of me. His eyes held mine in a
steady gaze, neither one of us willing to look away.

He smiled before answering, "Tomorrow's perfect."

I smiled in return, feeling more warmth again. I gave an answering kiss,
before he sat up and pulled me along with him. His hands linger at my waist
as he hesitantly let me go.

I scooted over in the seat and slowly opened the door. I didn't want to
leave, but knew I had too.

"Good night, Dante," I said before closing the door.

"Sweet Dreams, Caleb," was all he replied before he shifted the gear and
drove off.

I watched him drive down the street and around the next corner, until he
was out of my sight. I sighed happily and walked up the steps to my house.

My mom greeted me cheerfully as I entered the door.

"How was the game, honey?" she asked from the couch.

"It was okay. We lost." I added, but my mind was still with Dante.

"Are you okay?" she asked cautiously. "You seem distracted."

"Who me?" I looked up in alarm. "Oh, it's just the game."

She eyed me suspiciously, "Wow I've never seen you this distraught over a
baseball game before."

I smile timidly, "Yeah well it's my senior year. I guess it has some
significance."

"Okay," she replied uncertainly. "Well I was just waiting up for you. I'm
headed to bed now."

"Me too," I replied, relieved to be off this topic.

We both headed to bed, feeling extremely tired. I got undressed slowly, not
caring to fold my clothes. I crawled into bed and fell asleep instantly. I
didn't dream about anything and finally got a good night's rest.

The next morning, I woke up in a foggy haze and felt slightly dizzy. I sat
up to fast and felt a sudden wave of vertigo, which caused me to just lie
back down again. When I did finally get out of bed, I started to feel
nauseous. I was halfway through getting ready when I had a sudden urge to
throw up. I ran to my bathroom and barely made it to the toilet, before I
spewed vomit all over the rim. The insides of my stomach twisted with
bile. I could hear the hollow noise it made as it left my mouth. Some of it
ended up in my nose which made my eyes burn with its smell.

By the time my stomach was done, my whole body felt horrible. I decided to
take a shower to get rid of this moment. The shower did help and the smell
did go away, quickly replaced by the smell of my shampoo. This time I got
dressed quickly, hoping I wouldn't have to change again.

When I finally left my room, I could hear my mom talking to someone
downstairs. I assumed it was Stacey and Justin, who were always coming over
for free breakfast on the weekends. But when I got to the living room I was
surprised to see Dante sitting leisurely on the small sofa, talking with my
mom.

He was wearing a dark grey form fitting shirt that hugged every muscle on
his body. His hair was swooped up from his face and was gelled perfectly,
making him look more handsome. His legs were covered in a pair of loose
jeans. He was a picture of perfect ease. I could tell he already had a five
'o' clock shadow, despite it being still in the morning. He smiled as he
talked to my mom and his teeth gleamed with brilliance.

They noticed my entrance and Dante immediately stood. I smiled tentatively
at him.

"Dante," I blurted out formally. "Hi."

My mom looked at me and smiled, "Honey, we've already been through the
pleasantries. He was just telling me about the game last night, and how he
gave you a ride home."

She eyed me pointedly, which only made me more nervous.

"Oh," was all I said as I looked at Dante, who was still standing.

"Well like I told Dante earlier, he is an honorable gentleman," she said
giving Dante an approving look.

I walked more into the room and gestured Dante to sit, before making myself
comfortable on the same sofa.

"So Dante tell me more about your heritage, and how you came to Taylor,"

she pressed clearly interested.

"Well my father lived in Italy, but came to the states for a college
education. He thought an American education would give him more business
experience. You see the Giordano's owned a plantation back in
Florence. That's where he came from. Well he came to the states and started
college and that is where he met my mother. They always say they fell madly
in love here in California, but I don't like to ask too many questions."

He looked at me and raised an eyebrow. I smiled and blushed.

"However, his student visa soon expired," he continued and I turned back to
him. "He had to go back to Italy. He was devastated and my mom insisted on
marrying him. He told her that he didn't want it to be that way. He wanted
to do it with love, not because he was being deported. So, he moved back to
Florence without his true love."

His gaze swept over my face again as he said this. My mother noticed it
too.

"How tragic," she said placing a hand over her heart, but Dante continued.

"They were separated for months neither one able to visit each other.

They wrote and called, but to them it wasn't the same. Eventually they
began to grow distant. My mother got a great job with an advertising
company, which took most of her time. She couldn't have the life she wanted
while my dad still wanted to be with her. My father on the other hand was
busy helping the family business grow, and he traveled all over Italy. He
would try to get investors and grocery stores to take his produce. But
after a while he got lonely and he was the one to take the first step."

My mother was so enthralled by the story, she didn't notice how Dante's
hand glided to mine.

"He bought a plane ticket, to visit California, which was very out of
character for him, my grandmother said. But he was intent on visiting my
mother. He turned all the traveling aspects of the business over to my
uncle and left Florence, saying he was coming back married or alone.

My grandparents were romantics at heart, so they entertained the idea just
for their son."

"When he did arrive, he was lost. He wanted his arrival to be a surprise.

So his method took quite a while. But he did find her. He recognized her
from an advertising billboard, and he eventually figured out where she was
staying. My mother was exceedingly happy at his arrival and they both fell
back into the moment of their college days."

"In the end, my father stayed in California with my mother, even though she
was willing to live in Italy with him. He liked the beaches, and busy
bustle of the town, so they got married. After a couple of years they had
me, and ever since then, life has been good for them. My father still runs
the family business from here, and we go back to Italy every now and
then. But my father always says his life is here with my mother, Dario and
I."

My mother smiled warmly at Dante's story and noticed for the first time
Dante's hand tangled with mine. He quickly let go and looked away
sheepishly. I smiled reassuringly at him but he didn't notice.

My mother's face was a mix between shock and understanding.

"Uhhh, mom I can explain," I replied, before she could say anything.

She held up her hand before I could say anymore, "Caleb, honey, you don't
need to explain anything. I understand completely."

She smiled pleasantly as she glanced between Dante and me.

"I was actually hoping this would happen." She stated mater-of-factly."

Ever since the time at the movie theatre and the other evening."

"Oh," I replied and blushed noticeably. My mom always seemed to know
beforehand the outcome of mostly every situation.

"Well I'm happy, Cale. I'm also glad he's a looker," she added giving Dante
a wink.

This thawed him out immediately and his hand found mine again. Wow, was it
really that easy. I thought my mom would at least argue against my choice
or tell me she had to think about it. I never thought she would instantly
welcome him in. But this made me feel hopeful for the other news I had to
bare.

"So is Dante joining us for Breakfast this morning?" she asked me, but her
question was directed to Dante.

I smiled happily as he played with my fingers, "I don't know does Dante
want to join us."

"Of course, Dante would," he replied playing along.

"Well I'll get started, you two just relax," my mom said and headed to the
kitchen.

Dante waited until she was gone before, pulling me into his side. His arm
wrapped warmly around my waist and held me. His other hand played with my
fingers on his lap.

"I like your mom," he mused, while I laid my head on his shoulder. "She
reminds me a lot of Stacey."

I laughed, "Don't tell her that. She'll tell Stace and they'll pester you
to tell them again and again."

He laughed too, but continued casually, "I like that she approves of us so
willingly. Like she would give you anything you wanted."

I looked up at him, and noticed his face was guarded, "Yeah, but that's how
she always is. Nobody can't help but love her. That's why Stacey and Justin
are always here at my house. Their parents are always busy with work or
arguing to pay attention to their children. My mom just has me, so it makes
it easier for her to balance her life and mine. What about you? What are
your parents like?"

"Let's just say my parents love me and my brother, but they're not as open
as your mother."

I tried to decipher his vague response, but my mom interrupted us. She
noticed our embrace, but didn't comment. Dante however, quickly sat up and
released his hold.

My mother smiled sheepishly, "I didn't mean to interrupt. I was just
wondering how many eggs and pancakes you wanted."

"Three of each please," I replied slouching back into the sofa.

Dante stared at me wide eyed, "You actually eat that much?"

I laughed, "Yeah. High metabolism." I gestured to my flat stomach to
emphasize my point.

He just laughed and shook his head, "Two eggs, and two pancakes please."

My mom smiled at his manners, and nodded. "You know, manners would be nice
coming from you too, Caleb."

I smiled at her obvious attempt at refining me, "Says the woman who still
burps in public."

She scowled at me and playfully threw a pillow before she headed back into
the kitchen, mumbling something about not burping.

"Where were we?" I asked as Dante settled back down and wrapped his arm
around my waist again.

He ignored my attempt at bringing up the subject of his parents again and
said, "I still can't wrap my head around your mom's acceptance. I still
feel like we should keep the physical affection to a minimum."

I laughed at his innocence, "Don't worry, she doesn't mind. She's use to
it. Stace and Justin always do that around here, so it's nothing new."

This brought him up short, "Stacey and Justin?"

"Oh, I forgot you didn't know. They try to keep it a secret, but everyone
knows. I think they will eventually end up together. But yeah, my mom's
okay with it. Don't worry."

He processed this for a moment, and finally I felt the tension leave his
body. I rested my head on his shoulder again, and for once felt the
gratification of this moment. I didn't want to ruin the moment by declaring
my feelings, so I kept silent.

His hand slid under my shirt and his thumb slowly moved back and forth over
my hip bone. I twined my hands back into his and played with his rough
callused fingers. I could tell he did a lot of physical labor by the tiny
scars and rough feel of his palms. Mine on the other hand had nothing to
show for it. They were soft and smooth. The only form of labor shown was
the small indentation where my pencil was placed from writing notes.

Dante's thoughts must have been in the same direction, because he commented
on my soft skin.

"Your amazingly soft," he said just above a whisper, "I like it."

I laughed, "Well if you like it." I added sarcastically. He pulled me
closer and playfully pinched my side.

I turned and moved my arm swiftly, which caused him to hiss in pain.

"Oh your ribs, I'm sorry," I apologized moving away quickly. I had
forgotten about the fight last night in the haze of all the happiness. I
looked up at his face and saw that it was in an exultant grin. The cuts and
bruises from last night were barely visible, which led me to believe I may
have over exaggerated a bit.

For the first time I saw past his temporary mask of indifference to his
expression of pure joy.

I touched the corner of his mouth which was still smiling and said, "You're
smiling."

He laughed a shaky laugh and answered, "Because in this moment, I can't
believe this is truly happening.

I mean, when I first came to this school, everyone treated me like an
outsider. The only time they wanted to talk to me was because they thought
I was good-looking. But you. You talked to me, just to talk to me. And when
I bored you, you just went back to your books. But still you continued to
talk to me."

"I just can't believe that I have you now. I know that sounds possessive
and weird, but it's true. You never saw me just for my looks, like everyone
else. You saw me for who I really am. And I'm grateful. I'm smiling
because, now I'm really happy, and hopefully everyone will stop pestering
me."

I laughed at his odd view of me.

"Well your looks did give you an advantage," I joked.

He smiled wickedly, and started to tickle me. I tried to get out of his
grasp but he continued to make me laugh. I squirmed in his arms and grabbed
at his shirt. This only made him more determined to keep me laughing. I
rolled and rolled, trying to get out of his grasp, but only managed to get
tangled in his arms.

My sides were hurting by the time he finally stopped and I had my head
buried in the cushions. His hands lingered at my waist as I tried to calm
down. Cautiously I lifted my head and looked up at him, ready to get back
at him. Suddenly his face rippled in shock.

"Caleb, your nose," he whispered pointing to the blood I could feel
trickling down my lip.

I touched my lip and glanced at my finger. The blood was bright, crimson
which only reminded me of my reality. Without another word I got up and
swiftly ran to my bathroom. I washed my face thoroughly, before finding the
courage to look in the mirror. I sighed at the sight of my face.  My face
was still the same sort of. My cheekbones were a little shallower and the
bags under my eyes appeared again, despite the good night's rest. But other
than that I looked fine, nothing to noticeable. I breathed deeply before I
exited the bathroom and headed back downstairs.

Dante was still in the living room, but he wasn't sitting anymore. He was
slowly pacing the floor and was in mid-pace when I walked in. The moment he
saw me emerge from the stairs he was hovering around me.

"Are you alright?" he asked in an urgent whisper. "What was that?"

His hand guided me back to the couch and he had me sit down before he
did. I was frozen with anxiety.

A small battle raged within me, on whether or not I should tell him. He saw
my tension and grabbed my clammy hand. He rubbed out the cold. I glanced up
at him and blinked. His face was a mask of worry.

"Umm, that," I started off with, "was nothing. I get them every now and
then. . . I think it's the high elevation here."

He watched me cautiously, and then seemed to accept my lie. However, there
was the tiniest look of doubt that I saw, before he looked down at our
hands. His were long and thin, enclosing mine completely. He would slowly
open them and close them around my hand every now then. I slowly lifted my
other hand to rest on his cheek. He looked up from our hands and watched me
as I caressed his face.

I could feel the stubble growing along his jaw, and thought he looked very
handsome.

I turned his face away from me and slowly moved to kiss him on the cheek.

It was a light butterfly kiss that tickled my lips and made his eyes blaze
with warmth.  He smiled crookedly, and placed his other hand on top of
mine.

"You scared me there," he said lightly squeezing my hand. "I just about
called an ambulance or ran you to an emergency room myself."

I laughed quietly, "Silly, there's no need. I'm fine. Just a minor
nosebleed."

He lowered our hands from his face and wrapped his arm around my waist,
pulling me close. I laid my head on his shoulder in contentment.

"Okay, okay," he finally said, while he played with my fingers. "I guess, I
overreacted, a little. If you say you're alright, I believe you."

I felt a sharp stab of guilt when he said that last sentence, but kept my
control. I reached up and lightly kissed his chin, making him shiver,
before settling down into his side.

His arm created a warm barrier around my waist, holding me close. We sat in
silence, as I watched him continually twine, and untwine our fingers. Every
now and then he'd lift my hand and kiss it with tenderness. His kisses sent
little jolts of warmth throughout my body.

I smiled at him as he watched me and he smiled too, but his smile was
brilliant and beautiful. I sighed breathlessly as it caught me off
guard. We stared into each other's eyes for what felt like forever, until
my mom suddenly burst from the kitchen, bringing with her the scents of the
kitchen.

Dante released me from his gaze and smiled warmly at my mom. I turned
too. She was wearing an apron, which i hadn't seen, since my dad was
alive. Her hands were covered in flour.

She gave Dante a returning smile, and announced, "Breakfast is ready."

I got up immediately, "Good, I'm starving."

She playfully swatted me on the arm, sending up a small puff of flour, and
turned to Dante, "Excuse his manners; he hangs out with Justin and Stacey
too much."

Dante chuckled lightly and got up. He moved to stand next to me.

"I understand," he replied, and nudged me softly. I scowled at him, which
only made him grin wider.

"Well let's eat," I grumbled as I grabbed Dante's hand, and pulled him into
the kitchen.

My mom followed, lightly slapping her hands together, to get the excess
flour off. I glanced around the kitchen and saw nothing but chaos. There
were pans, and breakfast ingredients spread out all over the
counters. There was flour on one counter, completely covering it and
discarded eggshells near the trashcan, where they didn't quite make it.

My mom pointed to the table and we sat down. We ate in silence, for most of
the time, but occasionally, Dante struck up conversation, saving us from
entering the awkward phase of the situation. He talked about what he ate
for breakfast at home and how his family prepared their meals.

"My little brother had to eat with his babysitter this morning," he said
while forking down a pancake, "cuz I told him I was coming here."

I instantly felt guilty. I had taken Dante away from his family. I didn't
want that.

"I feel bad," I said, putting my fork down, "you could've stayed with your
little brother. You didn't have to come today."

He smiled, "I was kinda hoping, you would come back with me."

I was momentarily shocked.

Dante's face immediately fell, "I mean only if you want to. You could
always meet him another time."

"No, no," I said, quickly apologizing, I turned to my mom for help, but she
was studiously reading the morning newspaper.

"I would love to go," I finally said, giving an apologetic smile.

His face broke out into an ecstatic grin, "Really?"

"Yeah," I replied, "besides, you've already met my family."

"Okay," he said, still smiling that brilliant smile. "Well, when do you
wanna go?"

My mom interrupted, "You can go now if you want, Caleb. I can clean up my
own mess."

I turned to look at her, "Are you sure? I can help."

"Go," she said and laid the newspaper next to her on the chair, "go have
fun for once."

Dante smiled at her warmly, and turned to me for an answer.

I looked up at him, "Okay, let's go."

His eyes burst with excitement and he got up, pulling me along. Before I
knew what he was doing, he lifted me up onto his back, and bounded out the
door. I laughed in surprise, and waved back to my mom. She was smiling
affectionately, and shook her head.

I wrapped my legs around Dante's back, holding on tightly. My arms clung to
his hard chest, while his hands were supporting my weight, with his
hands. His hands were planted firmly on my butt, keeping me from sliding
off his back. He spun around once, before bounding out the front door. The
whole time I was laughing, unable to do anything else.

When we got outside, he cleared the steps in one single bound, and landed
on the grass. I slipped from his grasp and landed on my back side,
laughing. He turned and looked at me. I stared back at him, and felt
buoyant with happiness. He reached down and helped me up. I brushed the
grass of my jeans, and saw that he was staring at me.

"What? I asked still breathless with laughter. I clasped my hands together
and held them behind my back. He walked forward, and leaned his forehead
down to mine, resting there.

"Your, amazing, you know that right?" he asked, wrapping his arms around my
waist.

I blushed and shook my head, not wanting to speak. He just smiled and found
my hand behind my back, twining our fingers.

"You ready?" he asked and started to guide me to the road.

"Yupp," I replied, following him to sidewalk where I spotted for the first
time a motorcycle.

I stopped in alarm, "What is that?"

"A motorcycle," he replied innocently, "you never saw one?"

I scowled at him, but he only smiled.

"No, silly, I mean what happened to your car?"

"Oh, the BMW?" He asked I only nodded. "That's my parent's car. This is
mine."

He gestured to the silver motorcycle, which gleamed in the sunlight. I eyed
it doubtfully. I didn't like the way it had no cover, or seatbelts. He
seemed to understand my hesitation.

"I drive very carefully," he said, guiding me to the side of the
motorcycle, "I won't crash. Promise."

As if that was supposed to reassure my fears, I thought, he just made them
worse. He let go of my hand and reached around the side of the bike,
grabbing something black and bulky. I saw that it was a black helmet. I
smiled expectantly at him, and crossed my arms.

"Really?" I asked. "This is the only way we can get to your house?"

He grinned crookedly, "Yupp."

He moved from the bike and stood in front of me; helmet in hand. I stared
up at his face, and saw that I was only amusing him. I sighed and closed my
eyes, finally surrendering.

"Alright, but no funny business," I said, my eyes still closed, "were just
going to drive regularly, no switching lanes on the highway, or jumps, like
in action movies. Becau-"

But I was cut off, before I could finish. He suddenly pulled me into a
kiss, stopping me from speaking. His lips were warm to the touch, and
molded to mine. I gasped at the sudden assault, but enjoyed every minute of
it. I felt the prickling hairs on his jaw scrap across my face, but thought
that it only made him more masculine.

He pulled away, giving me time to breath, "Has anyone ever told you, you
talk too much?"

"Well Stace, and sometimes my mom, I think maybe Ju-" but I was cut off
again, by his lips.

"Caleb, shut up," he simply said between kisses, and grinned crookedly,
stifling a laugh.

I laughed and wrapped my arms around his neck. His lips were soft and warm,
making me shiver whenever I felt his tongue enter my mouth. His arms
tightened every time I tried to pull away, so I finally submitted to his
lips. We kissed for what felt like hours, leaning against his silver bike,
neither one ready to give up. Finally, his grip loosened from under my
shirt, and he slid away slowly.

"We'd better go, before your mom finds us out here," he said, smiling that
damn smile.

I just nodded, and ran my hands through my hair, trying to control my
chaotic emotions. He grabbed the helmet from before, and placed it on my
head, fitting it snugly in place.

I growled at the sudden disturbance, but waited until he was done clasping
the straps to talk.

"Is this necessary?" I asked, feeling idiotic. He smiled at my mood, and
patted the helmet.

"Yes," he replied, throwing a leg over the seat, and settled down, "for
you, but not for me."

"What?" I asked half in shock, and half in annoyance. "Why not you?"

"Well, for one, that's my only helmet," he replied with an air of ease,
"and two, I think you look cute in it."

"Ha," I snorted and took his outstretched hand. He helped me get onto the
bike, and brought my arms around his torso. I clasped my hands around his
chest and held on. I could feel the hard planes of muscle underneath his
shirt. However, he moved my hands to the lip of his pants just above his
belt.

"Hold on," he retorted, before blazing the engine to life.

The bike roared with power, and vibrated slightly. I grasped his belt
tightly, determined to hang on. He revved the engine twice before letting
go of the clutch. The bike lurched with speed onto the road, leaving my
sidewalk in the dust. My whole body jerked back with force, but I held on
with all my strength, which wasn't much.

We drove down the road, towards the school, making a turn just before the
school entrance. He seemed to know where he was going, despite being a new
resident, and didn't get lost. We entered downtown, which was sparsely
populated and followed the line of the freeway. We traveled for a good
thirty minutes, past small shops, strip malls, restaurants, and smaller
schools, until we reached a residential area near the ocean. I glanced
around, unsure what to say. The houses lining the beach were very huge and
beautifully crafted. They had my attention immediately. Dante seemed to be
following the line of houses, so I didn't ask any questions.

The houses were large in size, but seemed to moderate in shapes the longer
we traveled down. They were still large, but they seemed to shrink and
elongate as we passed, like watching a flip book of a tower molding into a
flat rectangle. The beaches were empty, and the sea was gray, but it all
looked fascinating to me. Dante slowed before a modern rectangular house
that had lifted roofs, and floor-to- ceiling windows. The garage was off to
the side, and opened as we entered off the road. There was a sidewalk
leading up to the house that ran along all the houses, as far as I could
see.

I immediately felt intimidated by the immense structure of his house, that
all I could do was gape in astonishment. Inside the garage was an array of
tools, sports equipment, and storage bins. Dante pulled into the garage,
and turned off the bike, instantly dismounting. I slowly got off, and had
him take the helmet off for me. I stared down the driveway, and couldn't
help but compare it to my cracked pavement back home. Dante seemed inclined
to let me absorb my surroundings, before he said anything.

"What do you think?" he asked, eyeing me carefully.

I shook my head, and looked around again.

Finally I spoke, "You never told me you were rich."

He busted up laughing, and I turned to look at him.

"What?" I asked, confused. He merely picked me up and threw me over his
shoulder. I huffed in surprise, but he just kept laughing the whole
time. "Dante?"

He didn't say anything, but walked through the garage door, into the
enormous house. I couldn't see what room we were in, but could smell the
faint scents of metal, plastic, and spices. Finally he let me go.

I slid out of his grasp and into his waiting arms. He pulled me close and
lightly kissed me on the lips; a sweet butterfly kiss that had me blushing.

I turned away in embarrassment and looked at the room we were in. It was a
huge metallic kitchen, which faced the road outside. The floor-to-ceiling
windows started by the counter and ran the length of the house, showing the
living room, and other rooms cut off from my view by walls. The counter was
connected to the kitchen sink which had a small window above it, looking
over the same view of the road. There were huge metal appliances that made
up the other wall, where the garage door was placed, making me think again
of my own home. There was a large island in the middle of the room, that
had seats, but Dante pulled me to the living room.

The living room, was in the middle of the house, and had the same floor-
to-ceiling windows on both sides. One showing the beach, the other showing
the road. I didn't have time to admire the room, before Dante whisked me
down the hall, past other rooms closed off. The hall wasn't long and we
ended up entering the third one off to the left. The room was fairly
proportioned, and had a view of the ocean and beach. I looked around and
saw posters of soccer players, posters of movies, shelves of books, stacked
CD's, and a large bed off to the corner. I suddenly realized that this was
Dante's room.

I turned to look at him, but he was gone. I glanced around, thinking he was
hiding, but was sadly mistaken when he came back into the room with
someone. It was a small boy about the age of 8. He was small and cute, with
a round button nose. He had caramel skin like his brother, but his hair was
a few shades lighter than Dante's. He was holding a game device, and his
light green eyes were centered on me. Dante was holding his shoulder, as he
guided him over to where I stood.

I smiled tentatively at the little boy, unable to do anything else. The
little boy's eyes were hesitant, but curious as he gazed at me. I raised a
hand, gesturing a small wave. He just smiled slightly, and walked up to
shake my hand.

"Hi," I said in surprise, as he took my hand, giving a small shake. "I'm
Caleb."

"Hi," he replied, and took a seat on the bed. He didn't say anything else,
but opened his game, which we probably interrupted.

I turned to Dante who was leaning against the door, his arms crossed
comfortably. I looked at him confused. He just smiled and pushed himself
away from the doorframe.

"Caleb, this is Dario," he said guiding me to a small swivel chair; I
hadn't noticed before, "my little brother."

"Huh," I replied, "another D, imagine that."

Dante smiled, "My parents thought both our names should start with D."

"How, apropos," I said, and looked at the small boy on the bed. He seemed
more interested in his game, then anything else, and laid back
casually. Dante sat down next to him and patted his back.

"Hey, Dario, how bout a snack?" he asked the little boy, who immediately
sat up. His hair was slightly tousled and he sniffed involuntarily, making
his nose scrunch. I smiled at Dante's brotherly affection as he grabbed
Dario's head, swiveling it back in forth, as he guiding him from the room.

Dario turned back just before Dante did, and asked, "Isn't your friend
coming?"

"Of course," I said, before Dante could answer, and I got up in one fluid
motion. Dante smiled warmly at me and offered his hand, as Dario bounded
down the hall.

"Your brother's cute," I said, as I took Dante's hand.

"Ohh? Do I have competition?" he asked and nudged me playfully.

I rolled my eyes and said, "Not like that. He reminds me of Stacey's niece,
is all. She's cute too."

He smiled at me and pulled our twined hands to his lips, giving the back of
my hand a kiss.

"I just never had little brothers or sisters," I continued, as we walked
down the hall. "I always wished my mom had more kids, but my dad died,
before it happened. So, I never know what to do around them. I mean, Dario
and Stacey's little niece Claire, are okay, but other kids don't like me. I
always make them cry or they annoy me."

Dante laughed at my child expertise, and pulled me into his side.

"Well I don't know about Stacey's niece and other kids," he said, pulling
me into the living room, "but Dario is easy to get along with, you'll see."

I smiled in return, and pulled out of his embrace, before Dario saw us.

Dante seemed to understand my logic, and walked around the island, to get
to the cupboard. Dario was sitting in one of the stools at the island,
still playing his game, so I silently joined him.

I didn't interfere with his game, because I had firsthand experience with
people playing games. I did once with Justin, and was yelled at for losing
him the game. Instead I focused on what Dante was doing.

He had pulled a loaf of bread out from the cupboard, along with honey, jam,
and peanut butter. He placed them all on the island, before resting his
elbows on the table to talk to Dario.

"Hey, kiddo, what'll it be? Honey or Jam?" he asked Dario, and winked at
me. Dario paused his game and turned it off before answering Dante.

"Honey," he replied confidently, and rested his little arms on the table.

Dante nodded and proceeded to grab a butter knife.

"So, Caleb," he said grabbing my attention, "you never told me your father
passed away."

I was caught off guard, and saw that both of them were waiting for an
answer.

"Umm, yeah, he did. Ten years ago, when I was eight," I replied, my voice
shaking a little.

Dante looked up from his occupation and looked at me sadly, "I'm sorry."

"It's okay; it was a long time ago."

"How did he die?" Dario asked, addressing me for the first time.

"Dario," Dante scolded his little brother, placing a sandwich cut in half,
in front of him. "You don't have to answer that Caleb."

"No, it's alright," I said, and turned to Dario, who was chewing a piece of
his sandwich. "To answer your question Dario, my dad died of cancer. I
don't know the name of the cancer, but that was what took his life. My mom
said it's hereditary, and aggressive, but she never told me what it was
called."

This time Dante asked a question, "Hereditary? Does that mean you're liable
to get it?"

Oh dang, I thought as I tried to think of a white lie.

"It's possible," I replied averting my eyes from his gaze, I hated lying to
him, "but I haven't experienced any symptoms yet."

He seemed to take my attempt at diversion as grief, because he changed the
subject.

"Hey, Dario," he said while still making sandwiches, "why don't you tell
Caleb, what you're eating."

I quickly took the chance to change the subject and turned to the little
boy next to me. He gulped loudly and placed his little hand on his
mouth. He burped and finally turned to look at me.

"Its honey and peanut butter," he said while he took another bite. "Dante
always makes it for me, when my parents aren't here. It's the only sweets
they'll let me eat."

He said the last sentence with a slight tone, which had me thinking he
didn't like that rule. I smiled at him and he smiled back.

"You know, my mom doesn't let me eat certain foods too," I said and
crinkled my nose in distaste. "And there some of my favorites."

His smile widened and he sniffed, "Really? I thought big kids got to eat
whatever they liked?"

I faked a shocked expression, "Not true at all. We still get bossed around
by our parents."

He chuckled lightly, which only reminded me of Dante. I turned to look at
him and saw that he was watching me. He smiled warmly and slid a sandwich
over the table to me.

"Thank you kind sir," I said, making Dario laugh. Dante smiled and moved to
the fridge.

"Dario, milk?" he asked as he rummaged through the fridge.

"Mm-hmm," Dario replied with his mouth full. He looked like a little
squirrel with puffy cheeks and little marble eyes. I laughed at him and
made him smile.

"What?" Dante asked, coming back to the table. I was still shaking with
laughter.

"Dario was just making me laugh," I replied and ruffled Dario's hair.

"Really?" Dante asked as he rounded the island and handed us a glass of
milk. He sat next to me in one of the chairs and took a bite of his
sandwich.

"Yupp, he's a regular comedian," I said and smiled at Dario. He was too
busy eating to notice.

Dante was eating too, and I glanced between them both. Dario looked just
like Dante. He had the same frame in his shoulders like Dante, and the same
amazing hazel eyes. The only thing different was Dario was boyishly cute,
while Dante was ruggedly handsome. I had a feeling though that Dario would
grow up to look exactly like his brother.

"So, Dario what happened to the babysitter?" Dante suddenly asked, pushing
his empty plate and cup away.

Dario was looking down at his hands, not wanting to answer.

"Dario?" he asked again and winked at me. I just looked at him confused.

"I told mom I was old enough to stay home alone," he said stubbornly and
glanced up from his plate with a sniff. "But she never listens."

Dante busted up laughing. I stared at him in confusion. He noticed my
questioning gaze and settled down.

"Dario's been through five babysitter's since we moved here," he explained
with pride. "He always manages to run them off within a few hours."

"Oh," was I all said before glancing at Dario, who was beaming with pride
too. Apparently he was looking for his older brother's approval of his
behavior.

"She was only here till 10," he said, making Dante laugh again. "You won't
tell mom, will you?"

Suddenly Dante sobered up. He eyed Dario with a smile, like he had
something to trade for the secret.

"Could you watch yourself later?" he asked with a poker face.

"Maybe," Dario replied putting on his own poker face. "What are you doing?"

Dante turned to me and gestured, "Taking Caleb to the movies."

I didn't look at Dario but instead took a gulp of my milk. He pondered for
a while before answering.

"What like on a date?" he finally asked.

I immediately snorted up my milk and choked on the rest. Dante softly
patted my back as I tried to regain my composure. Dario watched us
carefully as Dante slowly rubbed my back. Finally I took a deep breath and
calmed down.

"Soo?" Dario asked still clearly interested. Dante's poker face was back.

"Maybe," he replied casually. "What's it to you?"

"Nothin, just asking," Dario replied and took a sip of his milk. "So if it
is a date, do I get anything else?"

Dante smirked, "What else do you want besides keeping your secret?"

"50 bucks," Dario said confidently.

Dante chuckled, "Done."

"Deal!" Dario exclaimed and extended a hand. "Let's shake on it."

"Alright," Dante replied and extended his hand, "but no backing out or
telling mom and dad what I'm doing. Got it?"

"Got it," he replied eagerly.

I watched as they shook hands and exchanged money for secrets. Dante turned
to me and scooted closer.

"Looks like I'm free tonight," he said with a sly grin, "you wanna go on a
date?"

"I thought it wasn't a date," I heard Dario say between counting bills.

Dante grabbed his face and pushed him into the living room, "Dude, get out
of here."

Dario obeyed willingly and walked into the living room, counting his money
over and over again. Dante kept his eyes locked on mine, waiting for an
answer.

"What movies playing?" I asked and he smiled.

He leaned in and kissed me fully on the lips. I twined my arms around his
neck and pulled him close, forgetting we weren't alone. His lips moved
freely around my mouth and were hesitant in their passion.

He pulled away and lightly kissed me on the nose.

"I heard a good romance movie was playing," he said hinting at our
conversation at the theater.

I smiled, "I thought you were more of an action kinda guy."

He chuckled darkly and stood up, "You want action?"

I kept smiling, "Maybe."

Suddenly he pulled me up from my seat and lifted me into his arms, cradling
me.  My legs dangled over the sides. I glanced up into his eyes and slid my
hand over his face. He leaned down and kissed me tenderly, before he
started to walk into the living room. He didn't even pay attention to where
he was walking, but he made it to the long couch near the windows. He
slowly turned and plopped down on the couch, making me gasp in surprise. He
chuckled and moved from my lips to speak.

"The action guys always kiss like that," he said with a grin.

"Oh really?" I asked and pulled away to look at him.

"Yeah," he replied and pulled me back to kiss him again.

I was sitting in his lap and it only made kissing easier. His hands held my
face to his as I ran mine along his chest. I could feel the hard mounds of
pure muscle that bulged from his chest. He seemed to work out incessantly
by the way his arms flexed and the rock hard abs he always had. Suddenly
Dario piped in.

"Ahhh, do that at the movies," he said with apparent disgust. I turned in
surprise, remembering he was still there. Dante huffed in annoyance.

"Dude, you just ruined the moment," he said and placed his hand on the
small of my back, in total relaxation.

I relaxed too and leaned into his chest. That was one of the reasons I
liked his muscles. They were comfortable and also because they attributed
to his beauty. He seemed to like my sudden comfort and he wrapped his arm
around my waist, pulling me closer.

Dario looked at us, but didn't say anything. Instead he moved over to sit
next to us and very conspicuously showed off his game. I watched the little
characters move over the screen, but couldn't figure out how to play the
game. Dante had turned on the TV and was watching a soccer game, as I
continued to watch Dario play his game. Suddenly Dario broke my
concentration.

"Do you wanna try?" he asked and paused the game. I blinked and looked up
from the screen.

"No, its okay," I said with a smile. "I wouldn't know how to play it."

This seemed to peek his interest. It seemed he liked to share his game with
other people, who were virgins to the world of videogames. He scooted
closer and placed the game in my hand. He gave me the little stick that
guided the characters around the screen and began to explain the rules to
me.

Eventually I got the hang of it and actually started to get competitive.

He had the highest score in everything and I was determined to beat it. He
took my challenge and tried to help me move from one level to the next. I
was so engrossed with the game that when the character moved, I moved in
actuality. I moved to the left with my shoulders when the character moved
to the left and I jumped when the character was about to jump.

Dante seemed to like when I did that, because when I bounced he would
lightly bite his lip and groan quietly. He was watching my game too, and
whispered little tips of advice in my ear, while Dario tried to tell me the
opposite. He chuckled whenever I got frustrated and lost.

Finally, I got to the last level and beat the huge ugly creature thing,
with a hundred more points than Dario.

"Yes!!!" I exclaimed happily and bounced in Dante's lap. He chuckled
lightly and pulled the device out of my hands. He handed it to Dario, who
was scowling in defeat. Dante pulled me close and grabbed my face.

"Who are you?" he asked with a smile, but I could see true curiosity in his
eyes.

"Caleb," I replied with a silly grin.

He chuckled and moved his hand to my face. He lightly traced the side of my
face and cheek before he placed his hand on my neck. It moved to the back
of my neck and wrapped firmly around it. He leaned forward and pulled my
face into his. He kissed me tenderly and opened my mouth with his. I sighed
deeply and kissed him back.

We made out on the couch for a while until, Dario yelled for us to stop.

Dante occasionally shoved him away but Dario insisted on getting my
attention. Finally Dante groaned with annoyance and surrendered me to
Dario. He swiftly stood up and adjusted himself, before he walked out of
the living room. I stared after him smiling and turned to Dario.

"Yes?" I asked still smiling and settled into the surprisingly soft
couch. It was a nice difference from Dante's hard chest.

"Where'd Dante go?" he asked taking me by surprise.

"Umm, I'm not sure," I replied staring back down the hall and then turned
back. "Was there something you wanted to ask, Dario?"

He looked at me, "Yeah, I wanted to know what you intentions were with my
brother."

I blinked in shock and started to blush. He waited patiently for an answer.

"Uhhh, I don't know what you mean, exactly," I replied finally.

He sniffed and asked, "Are you dating him?"

"I guess - I guess I am," I replied with a smile, making him nod in
agreement.

"I was afraid of that," he said so seriously it made me laugh.

"What do you mean by that?" I asked still laughing.

"Well he's still dati-" but he was cut off, when Dante suddenly entered the
room.

"Hey, you ready to go?" he asked, his face was flushed. He looked like he
had been sweating.

"Where'd you go?" I asked and stood up. He moved closer and leaned in.

"Your bouncing got me a little excited, so I had to take care of it," he
whispered and grabbed my hand.

I gasped in embarrassment and blushed scarlet. He just smiled and twined my
hands with his.

"You ready?" he asked again. I looked to the clock and noticed for the
first time it was 6 in the evening.

"Oh, man," I said hastily, "I didn't know it was that late."

"Having too much fun?" he asked raising an eyebrow.

I sighed in contentment. He looked so handsome when he did that. But
Dario's last statement still rang in my ears. Who was Dario talking about?
And why did he say he was afraid of that? I glanced at Dario.

He had gone back to his game, but this time it looked like he was
intentionally ignoring us. I moved over and ruffled his hair, taking him by
surprise.

"I'll see you around Dario," I said with a smile.

He sniffed, "I hope so. Cuz I really like you."

I smiled and flicked his nose, making him snicker. Dante grabbed my hand
and pulled me towards the kitchen.

"See you later, bro," Dante called after him, and led me to the garage.

"I like your little brother," I said as soon as he closed the door behind
us. "He's very mature for his age."

Dante smiled and flipped his leg over the side of the bike. He sat and
reached for my hand, pulling me to his lap. I sat in his lap and stared
into his eyes. He softly caressed my face, before he leaned in and kissed
me tenderly. His lips were slow and careful, but still had my blood
boiling.

He eventually pulled away, "Did I mention how amazing you are?"

I laughed and stood up. He watched me as I moved to get the helmet. I held
it out to him when I got it.

"You might've mentioned it once or twice," I replied finally, with a smirk.

He grinned crookedly and plopped the helmet on my head. He fastened the
straps and patted the top.

"Oh, by the way," he said as I got on behind him. "Stacey and Justin are
meeting us at the movies."

"What really?!" I asked in surprise. "How do you know?"

He turned back in concern, "I texted them. . . . . I hope that's okay."

I blinked and corrected myself, "No its fine. I'm just surprised there
coming."

He laughed, "Good."

He revved the engine to life and I immediately wrapped my arms around his
waist. He slowly backed up from the garage and pulled out into the road. I
saw Dario watching us from the huge windows and waved at him. He smiled and
waved back, before Dante sped away. My stomach lurched back into my spine
with pressure and I quickly shut my eyes. Dante lightly squeezed my hands
and I opened my eyes.

I didn't know how fast were going until we showed up in the parking lot of
the mall. He parked near the front and immediately got off. I followed suit
and slid off the bike rigidly. My whole body was locked into place and I my
joints moved stiffly. I began to stretch and bend my joints when I heard
laughter behind me. I turned quickly and saw Dante greeting Stacey and
Justin. I blushed just as Stacey came up.

"That's a good look for you Cale," she said and nudged me playfully.

Oh, crap the helmet I thought and quickly pulled it off. Stacey laughed
again and gently re-fixed my hair.

"Thanks Stace," I replied dismally and turned back to Justin and Dante.

They were both talking quietly together and staring at Dante's bike.

Justin's eyes were huge with admiration. He walked casually around the
bike, while Dante told him little facts about the make and model. I only
understood the 'ands' and 'the's' throughout the whole conversation. Stacey
and I waited until Justin was done admiring the bike. We talked silently
too, but not about the bike.

"Soo...." she said dragging out the O's, "what did you guys do?"

I continued to watch the boys, like they were a life line, before I
answered Stacey.

"We, uhhh, went to his house," I replied truthfully, "and I met his little
brother. He reminds me a lot of Claire."

I turned to gauge her reaction. She was smiling proudly. She leaned over
and wrapped a hand around my shoulder.

"I'm happy for you Cale," she said and then whispered, "So are you dating
him?"

I looked at her and shrugged, "I don't know. Nothing's been finalized I
guess."

Stacey giggled, "That's it. Nothing interesting?"

"Well..." I said slowly and grabbed her attention. "We did kiss. Like all
day."

She squealed in happiness, and made the boys look at us. They moved from
the bike and walked over.

Justin smiled at Stacey who instantly composed herself. Dante moved to my
side and put his hand at the small of my back.

"You two ready?" Justin asked and grabbed Stacey's hand.

I blinked in shock. Justin never grabbed Stacey's hand in public. They
usually saved that for my house or when they were alone. Stacey smiled
sheepishly at my gaping mouth. Justin ignored me and pulled Stacey to the
theater.

Dante and I followed. I wasn't sure if we were supposed to hold hands in
public, but I didn't want to push Dante too soon. Instead I kept very close
to him and his hand remained on my back. He occasionally looked down and
smiled at me, which sent little flashes of heat throughout my body.

Stacey and Justin we already at the ticket booth when we got inside, but
Dante merely waved at a friend who was working. They opened another booth
for him and immediately got him tickets. I watched as he joked around with
his friend. Daniel, I thought as I recognized the boy from last time. That
was his name.

I smiled as Dante continued to talk to him, making the other kid laugh.

Suddenly a girl walked up wearing a bright blouse. Her long soft hair was
tied up in a ponytail that dangled down her back. She wore some tight
skinny jeans and a pair of sandals. I watched as she moved to Dante's side
and rested a dainty hand on his arm. He turned at her arrival, but I
couldn't see what his faced looked like.

However I could see what she was about to do. She stood on the tips of her
feet and kissed Dante on the lips. I froze in denial. I turned away and
gasped for air. I moved quickly to the nearest exit. I felt claustrophobic
surrounded by all these people. I needed to get some fresh air and clear my
head. I pushed past a girl who was blocking my way and burst through the
exit door near the first theater.

I gasped for air. My lungs were struggling with the exertion I was giving
it. My head swam with dizzying thoughts and I couldn't focus on standing
for very long. I fell to my knees and clutched my chest.

Breathe, I thought, just breathe.

Finally I managed to calm my racing heart and stood up. My legs shook
slightly at the weight, but I was able to walk. I ran my hand through my
hair and noticed where I was. I was in an alleyway that connected to the
theater through the doors I had just come from. It was lined on one side
with two huge dumpster cans and the other side had empty bun crates. I
looked down the length of the alley, but saw no end.

Suddenly I heard the door open and close shut behind me. I didn't want to
talk. Not yet. I just wanted to be left alone for a while. I remained
facing the alleyway and waited for whoever it was to talk.

"There you are," a nasally voice said with a sneer. I froze in surprise.

That wasn't the voice I was expecting. "We have unfinished business."


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