Date: Fri, 2 Apr 2004 11:18:21 -0800 (PST) From: Virtual Insanity Subject: Wade & Chris 12 The saga continues....but only for awhile. If you are 18+ this is legal for you to read, etc. Check me out at http://virtualinsanity.jeanessa.com and e-mail me with your thoughts. ***************************************************************** Part Twelve Christian sat across from Kiesha and Reggie in the Pizza King, munching quietly on a slice of pepperoni and willing himself to stay calm. He was certain that Wade should have been done with Tiffany at least two hours before and called him to meet up. As the time passed, he grew more and more nervous, more and more anxious of what might have happened. What if Tiffany went ballistic and told Wade's parents? How would Wade react to that? There were so many questions that Christian had in his head, so many what ifs and what scared him the most was that underneath it all, he doubted Wade. What kind of relationship was built on doubt? He listened to Reggie and Lakiesha squabble with a half-smile, his mind retracing everything that had gone on over the past few months. Wade back in his life was almost unbelieveable. Who would believe that the hottest guy at West High was willing to give up everything to be with him? Christian certainly wouldn't. Still, Wade had been surprisingly consistent since they were together. Not one time had he failed Christian, even when it came down to deciding to be open about their relationship. It was hard, but they were going to go through with it. Now, it was time for Christian to be consistent. If it took Wade a year to straighten things out with his family, then he would stand by his side and wait. What was the rush? He willed his heart to steady itself and his blood to slow down in his veins. He was going to be patient and steady and solid if it killed him. "Reggie, that's gross," Kiesha said, grinning at Christian's big goon of a cousin. "Eat the fucking pizza, don't inhale it." "You might think you control me, woman," Reggie said, continuing to munch noisily. "But I eat the way I eat." She gave him a look and then turned to look at Christian. When she saw the look on his face, she gave him a soft smile. "He'll call," she told Christian. "Just give him a little time." "That's just what I was telling myself," Christian said with a smile. "I just feel so anxious for some reason. I can't figure it out. Do you think maybe he lost your cell number?" "No," Kiesha said emphatically. "You wrote it in like ten places. He'll remember and he'll call. So, stop worrying. I swear, you're worse than me." "I wanna know who this guy is," Reggie said suddenly. "I get to hear all about him, but I don't know who he is. That's not fair." "Whoever said life was fair, sweetie?" Kiesha quipped back quickly. "Nobody did, but I've been real good with all the other stuff you guys have told me," Reggie pointed out. "I haven't even hinted to your mom that you're gay." "My mom knows that I'm gay, dufus," Christian informed him. "She's the reason why you and Kiesha never run out of condoms. She gives me my own stock pile." "Oh." "Don't stress Christian out, Reg," Kiesha said quietly. "He'll tell you when he's ready." "Come on, Chris," Reggie said quietly. "I promise I won't tell anybody." "Promises, promises," Christian said and went back to nibbling at his pizza. "God, I've never seen you eat like this," Kiesha said. "What could be so bad? What could happen?" "Maybe she convinced him to try to be straight," Christian said, fearfully. "She's very pretty." "And maybe a dragon will fly out of my ass, the boy is gay, Chris," Kiesha said between bites. "I'm sorry. I know you think that you're scared and everything, but you have him locked. He is completely in love with you. I will even say - and never mention this again - that I was wrong when I told you not to let him back into your life. I mean, everyday you are glowing from how much love this guy shows you. You have never been so happy and, really, if you weren't my best friend and if I wasn't completely gaga with Reg right now, I would kill you." "You're right," Christian said with a small smile. Kiesha's cell phone rang and Christian tensed, effectively pushing everything out of his mind . He listened with bated breath as she answered the call. "It's for you," Kiesha said quietly and passed the phone to Christian. He happily reached for it. "Hello." "Chris, baby, I need you t-to come right now," Wade's voice was wobbly and terrible. Christian's heart accelerated drastically. "What's going on?" Christian asked, forcing himself to sound calm. "Where are you?" "Metro Hospital downtown," Wade said and Christian could hear the sound of cars in the background. "Are you okay?" Christian asked, terrible visions floating around in his mind. "No," Wade said and began to cry. Christian stood up in the booth, scared and drawing the eyes of everyone around him. "Did something happen, are you hurt?" Christian asked. "No, I'm not...I'm not hurt, Chris, it's Jon," Wade said. "Jon shot himself in the head. Shannon died on the freeway...and Jon shot himself in the head at my house. I'm at the hospital. Just come, baby, I need you so...so bad right now." "Ten minutes and I'm there," Christian said, already moving towards the door. "I'm there, okay?" "Okay," Wade said and hung up. Christian took off for the parking lot with Kiesha and Reggie fast at his heels. *** Wade stood in the middle of the waiting room, willing himself to be calm. He was the one that had managed to be calm while everyone else went crazy around him and he was feeling ragged around the edges. There was no word on Jon's condition. His parents had come streaming into the waiting room, completely wrecked and disbelieving that their son had shot himself. Wade had done the comforting and the calming while they went loudly crazy around him. Tiffany was little help, comforting people between her own outbursts of tears and even looking at her was painful because Jon's blood was spattered all over her peasant blouse and blonde hair. Wade had given in a few minutes before and gone outside to call Christian. He didn't care who saw. He needed Christian. Moments later, his own father and mother came into the waiting room, eyes searching the room frantically for a sight of him. When they saw him standing there, looking haggard and blood-splattered, their relief was tangible. "Oh, thank God, Wade," his mom said as she made her way to him, wrapping her arms around him. "We were worried sick." "I'm okay," he somehow managed to say. "How is he?" his father asked authoritatively and Wade shook his head. "We don't know," Wade answered. "He's being operated on. It can't be good." And Wade's father took charge, the way he had always done, quietly hailinf a nurse for more information, sending Tiffany to get a carafe of water from the cafeteria and marshalling a hospital volunteer into the task of gathering blankets for the long night ahead of them. No one could even talk about food, but Wade's father had already called in to his secretary and given her the task of bring sandwiches and coffee down to the hospital. By the time his father was done, the room was humming in perfect order... grievers to the left and workers to the right. Wade stood in a corner, taking in the quiet order silently. Then there was a commotion at the door and Wade looked up and saw Christian make his way into the room, shrouded by his cousin Reggie and Lakiesha. Wade felt a momentary panic at the thought of his father two feet away, then he looked into Christian's eyes. Those blue eyes...and Wade broke down, half-staggering across the room. Christian, who had paused cautiously at the sight of Wade's parents, made for Wade, who was stumbling towards him. He caught Wade up in his arms and held him strongly, carefully. Wade bawled into Christian's shoulder and Christian tightened his grip on him, whispering encouragement into Wade's ear. The shock of seeing his best friend shoot himself, thoroughly set in and Wade held on to Christian as if he were a life raft, afraid to let go. Jon's last statement reverbated through his head. Wade pulled back a little and looked at Christian after a moment. "There was nothing I could do, I swear, I was so scared," Wade said, almost defensively. "I would have done anything if I could." "It's not your fault, Wade," Christian told him. "Don't even think that. You did everything you could, I know it." "I just wanted to stop him," Wade said, the tears still falling down. "I just wanted to save him." "And you would have if you could," Christian told him. "I know that you would do anything for him." Wade nodded and unconsciously leaned in to kiss Christian. Their lips locked and the room fell silent, even the grieving stopped long enough to take in the sight of them, pressed so close together that nothing could wedge between them and a kiss full of so much passion that there was no denying what they were to each other. "Wade Harrison is your boyfriend?" Reggie asked, shocked into speaking and Lakiesha hit him in the arm hard to make him shut up. "Yeah," Wade said, still holding Christian. "I'm his boyfriend." And just like that, they were out. ***************************************************************** Finally! More to come real soon.