Date: Tue, 5 Aug 2003 12:55:47 -0700 (PDT) From: Thomas Gaige Subject: My Step-Brother Jacob - Chapter Twenty-Six DISCLAIMER: The following story is FICTIONAL. It contains descriptions of sexual activities between teenage boys. If you are not over 18 years of age, or if you find this type of story offensive, or viewing this material is illegal where you are, then please DO NOT READ IT! If you choose to read it, then - I hope you enjoy it! My Step-Brother Jacob Chapter 26 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Elizabeth's door opened about a half hour later, and Jacob emerged closing it behind him. He came down the hall, and into my room and shut the door behind him. Andy and I had been sitting, nervously speculating on what was going on in Elizabeth's room. "Well?" we both burst out. Jacob looked at me and said, "She wants to talk to you again." "Now?" I asked. "Yeah," he said. "Jacob, what happened in there? What did you say to her?" I asked. "I told her that even though Dad was dead now, that you were still my brother, and always would be. I told her I love you and that if she tried to make you leave, I'd go with you!" he said. "Holy shit! You told her that?" I asked. "Uh huh," he said. "Well what did she say when you said that?" I asked. "Nothing," Jacob replied. "Well you were in there a half hour, you had to talk about more stuff. Tell us everything," I said. "There isn't time, she wants to talk to you," he said, "just go, maybe she'll tell you more." He pushed me toward the door then. I felt like I was headed to the Inquistion, as I walked toward Elizabeth's room. I knocked on her door, and she told me to come in. She was laying on her bed, propped up, glancing at the newspaper. Her brandy snifter, which was almost empty, sat on her night stand. "Sit down," she said, indicating a plumply stuffed chintz chair to the side of her bed. I sat and looked at her. "You certainly have made a big impression on Jacob since you arrived here only a few months ago," she began, "he thinks of you as his brother, and defends you most magnificently." She smiled. "I know you're a good person John, and I know you've been very good to Jacob, to us all. I don't have a problem with you or Andy being gay. How can I, when my own son is gay as well. Yes, Jacob told me he's gay too. I know you love him and he loves you. I prefer though not to think about what you may have done with him in your bed all those nights he's spent with you." I turned beet red and looked at the floor, as Elizabeth paused for a moment. "That's what I was afraid of," she muttered, more to herself than to me. After a moment, she continued, "Jacob swears you've never done anything to hurt him. I believe that. I believe you do love him as if he were your own brother. And I believe you'd do anything to protect him, and see to it that he arrives at his manhood both happy and healthy." She paused again. I quickly glanced up at her for a moment. Her eyes were watery, but she was smiling faintly. "You asked me if I wanted you to move out. I wasn't sure at the time, but now, after talking to Jacob, I've made up my mind. No John, I don't want you or Andy to move out. I have nothing against gays. The only reason, I might have considered asking you to leave was that I felt it might set a bad example for Jacob if I let you and Andy stay here, inhabiting the same bedroom together. After hearing Jacob explain that he too is gay, and has already begun having sexual relations as well, um - yes - he told me about Harry, I've concluded that it would be more harm to Jacob to ask you to leave, than to stay. I'm not entirely happy with the sleeping arrangements. I'd prefer you and Andy not share a room and bed, as it does set an example for Jacob. Jacob however, informs me that he's fully aware of all aspects of your relationship, and that he feels it would be completely unfair of me to separate the two of you. So, I guess we'll just leave things as they are for the moment." Elizabeth paused. I glanced at her. She was smiling a little. "You're sure it's OK with you?" I asked. "Yes John, you see, even though I haven't known you for very long, you are my husband's son, and I've grown to care about you quite a bit already too. As I said, I know you're a good person. Setting all that aside, I also feel that if I ever asked you to leave, I'd lose Jacob as well," she said. "Thank you Elizabeth," I said, looking at her, "I promise I'll never do anything to hurt Jacob, and I will do whatever it takes to see that we're all happy." "I know you will," she said, smiling, "now I really am tired, and would like to go to sleep." I smiled and got up to leave. "No, no, come here," she said. I stepped back toward her bed, and she reached for my hand and pulled me down to her. Then she kissed me on the cheek. I kissed her back. "You see, since you're my husband's son, you're automatically my son as well," she said smiling. I smiled back, then I said "Good night." "Good night," she said, as I went out the door, closing it behind me. When I got back to my room, Andy and Jacob were laying in bed together, both propped up against the headboard, looking anxiously at me. I closed the door behind me and sat on the edge of the bed next to Jacob. "I can't believe you told her everything," I said. "I - I didn't tell her EVERYTHING!" he protested. "Well, you told her pretty much everything!" I said. "I didn't tell her about Mike's letter, and what happened with Dad," he said, "and I certainly didn't tell her that you and I have fooled around!" "Well, I think she's figured out that you and I have had sex," I said, "but I'm glad you didn't mention the rest." Jacob's eyes began to fill with tears, as he asked, "she knows about us?" "I think so, but don't cry," I said, pulling him toward me, so I could hug him. "It's OK," I said, as I held Jacob in my arms as he cried, "it worked out OK. She says we can stay, and things can be pretty much like they are." Jacob breathed in deeply, and expelled the air in a huge sigh. He was still shaking a bit. I could tell he was crying quietly yet. "It's OK," I said, rubbing Jacob's back , and hugging him tightly, as Andy looked on smiling, with tears in his eyes. Eventually, Jacob calmed down and sat back against the pillows, wiping his eyes. I reached over and wiped Andy's eyes for him. "So you're staying for sure?" Jacob asked. "Yeah, we're stayin', and everything seems like it's gonna be OK," I said. Both Jacob and Andy grinned at me. "C'mon, it's getting late, time for you to go to bed," I said to Jacob. All three of us were stifling yawns by then. Jacob leaned over and kissed Andy on the cheek, then leaned over and kissed me. He said "Goodnight then", and left, heading into the bathroom. I tucked Andy in and told him I was going to let Jack out and make sure everything was locked up, and I'd be right back. I went downstairs and found Jack snoozing by the fire, which was just embers now. He looked up at me when I walked into the livingroom. I had him go out to pee. It was still snowing and really starting to pile up! It looked like tomorrow was going to be a snow day! I hadn't planned on going to school anyway, as I wanted to be home to take care of Andy, but Jacob was supposed to to go school. I locked up after Jack came in, and we went upstairs. Jacob was in bed, lights out, and Andy had drifted off to sleep already too. Jack curled up in his bed in the corner, and started to lick his feet dry. I set my alarm so the radio would come on early enough to hear if Jacob had school. Then I went to the bathroom, took a leak and brushed my teeth. When I came back into my room, Jack had one hind leg up in the air and was licking his penis. The red tip was already peeking out of its sheath. I snickered and whispered "Good Boy!" Jack kept on licking. I turned out the light, took off my clothes, dropping them on the floor, and crawled into bed next to Andy. In the dark I heard Jack still licking himself. It went on for a while, seeming to get a bit faster after a couple minutes. His breathing seemed to become faster and louder too. Then suddenly, he breathed out forcefully through his nose, and the licking stopped. He smacked his lips a few times, breathed out again through his nose and finally settled down. I of course was hard as a rock by then. Andy was still sleeping. So very quietly I pulled the covers back and began masturbating. After a couple minutes I reached in the drawer of my nightstand, took out a bottle of lotion and squirted some into my hand. Then I went back to jacking off. With the lube now, my hand could glide gently up and down my shaft. I went as slowly as possible, as I didn't want to get really going and shake the bed so much that Andy woke up. After a couple minutes, I knew I was going to cum soon, but kept going as slow as I could. The feeling kept building and building until I thought I was going to explode! Suddenly I did explode! I ejaculated a massive glob of jism, shooting it with such force, it landed on my left cheek, upper lip, and nose. This was followed by several more squirts, all in quick succession, which left a trail of globs of cum stretching from my cheek all the way down my body to my pubic hair. Finally, one last spasm caused the final bit of cum to ooze out my dick and dribble over my knuckles, down onto my scrotum. God that was a good orgasm! I was a complete mess though. I reached down to the floor and found my briefs and used them to clean myself off with. I started with my face, and worked my way down my body, wiping all the cum off myself. There was so much though, I kept making matters worse. In the end I used a bunch of tissues as well. Finally, as dry as I could get, I pulled the covers back up and relaxed. A few seconds after I finally settled down, Andy startled the hell out of me. He snickered quietly and said "Damn! That sure was a messy one!" "You were awake all this time?" I whispered fiercely. He snickered again and whispered "uh huh - sorry I couldn't help you out!" I snickered then too and said, "me too!" "Um - well..." he whispered. I snickered and reached over. Sure enough, Andy was tenting the covers in a big way! "I think maybe we can do something about this," I said. I got the lotion out again and took a handful. Then I pulled the covers off Andy, and rubbed the lotion all over his hard cock. Then I began giving him the same kind of handjob I'd just given myself - slow and gentle. It wasn't too long before I had Andy squirming and whimpering for me to go faster. I didn't. Eventually, he was nearly beside himself, just as I had been, and seconds later, he too had a violent orgasm, just like mine, also making a complete mess of himself as well! "God Damn that was good!" he exclaimed in a whisper, when he'd finally finished cumming. Snickering, I reached around and found my t-shirt on the floor and used it to clean Andy up. It worked better than briefs - probably because it was larger. Andy's first load had landed on his forehead and in his hair a bit. Finally, with my shirt and more tissue, I had him cleaned up too. Then I pulled the covers back over us and we snuggled together, and finally drifted off to sleep. The next morning, I woke up to the radio giving a long list of school closings. Our school was one of them. I turned off the radio, and quietly got up. I peeked out the window. It was still snowing to beat the band, and Damn! there was a lot of it on the ground already! Naked, I dashed across the hall to Jacob's room. His alarm hadn't gone off yet, and he was still asleep, so I turned his alarm off so he could continue sleeping. I almost shrieked as I came out of Jacob's room and nearly collided with Elizabeth. My hand flew down to cover my crotch. She smiled and said "don't you ever put on your pants to run around in the hallway?" I turned red and snickered. Then she looked at me suspiciously, then peered past me into Jacob's room. "What were you doing in Jacob's room?" she asked. "Molesting him as he slept!" I said rather sarcastically. She gave me a stern look, which quickly faded to an apologetic one. "I'm sorry", She said. I snickered then and said, "I turned off his alarm - snow day." "Oh good," she said, as she reached for my chest and picked what must have been a dried piece of cum out of my hair. I turned redder still. "It's going to take some time for me to get used to having a bunch of sexually active gay boys in the house I guess," she said. I turned redder, looked at her, and swallowed. "It's OK," she said, "Just promise me Jacob won't ever get hurt." "That's an easy one to promise you Elizabeth," I said, some of the redness fading from my face, "because I love him very much. I'll never hurt him, or let him get hurt!" She smiled then and said, "well I have to pee, and we might as well all sleep in." I grinned, and headed back to my room. Elizabeth swatted me on the ass, as she headed into the bathroom and I passed her. "Nice Arse!" she said chuckling, as she closed the door behind her. I snickered and crawled back into bed with Andy, who was still snoring contentedly. We all slept in until about 9:00. I woke up when I heard Jacob stirring in his room. He poked his head in our door and flashed me a smile. "Snow Day!" he whispered gleefully! I grinned. "Join me for a shower?" he asked. I thought a minute, but decided since he and I shared the bathroom all the time in the past, we might as well continue to, unless Elizabeth asked us not to, so I got up and followed Jacob into the bathroom. Jacob took a healthy shit while I shaved and brushed my teeth, then I shit and peed while he brushed. Then we climbed into the shower together. Jacob let me soap him up and wash him all over, then made me submit to him washing me. When he was finished, and had massaged my soapy hardon for a while, he rinsed me off, and dropped to his knees and began sucking me off. He sucked up and down my cock, and pressed a finger between my ass cheeks and massaged my hole. He was getting really good at giving head! I grabbed the bar and held on as he expertly pumped his mouth up and down my shaft, while massaging my anus. It didn't take long for me to feel my orgasm beginning to build up. I began thrusting my hips forward and backward, gently fucking Jacob's mouth, as he continued pleasuring me. His finger, nuzzling against my pucker felt so sensual, as he sucked up and down my dick. Just a few more strokes, then I felt Jacob thrust his finger through my sphincter, and up into my rectum. That was all I needed. I gasped, then groaning, I began to empty my balls into the boy's mouth. Jacob swallowed eagerly, as moaning quietly, I pumped load after load into his waiting mouth. Jacob continued sucking my cock until he'd milked it completely dry. Then he finally pulled off me, and looked up at me grinning. I smiled down at him and pulled him up and hugged him and kissed him. Then I knelt in front of him, and sucked his entire hard dick into my mouth. Giving him similar ministrations to those he'd just given me, I soon had him moaning, and filling my mouth with his tasty boy juice as well! Both happy and spent, we rinsed each other off, got out and dried. As we emerged together from the bathroom, both naked, Elizabeth was just coming out of her bedroom. Both our hands flew to our crotches, and we both dashed into our rooms. As I closed the door behind me, I saw Elizabeth looking toward me with a mildly concerned look on her face. She smiled faintly at me, when she saw me looking in her direction. I closed the door then, and got some clean clothes out and got dressed. I glanced out the window. The snow seemed to be letting up. Andy was awake, and needed to use the loo, so I pulled the covers back, and scooped him up into my arms, and carried him into the bathroom and sat him down on the toilet. When he was finished, I wiped his butt for him, and brushed his teeth. Then I gave him a sponge bath. As I dried him off, I took note of the fact he was sporting a semi-hardon. So quickly I dove on his dick, sucking it into my mouth. Instantly he was hard, and I heard him moan. I looked up, and he was grinning down at me. I began sucking up and down his dick. Andy leaned back on the toilet tank, and was thoroughly enjoying being sucked off. It only took a couple minutes, before he grunted, then began shooting his load into my mouth. I swallowed all his semen, as he gasped, groaned, and continued pumping my mouth full of it. Eventually, his orgasm died down, and I sucked him dry. "God that was great!" he said, smiling at me. I grinned at him, as I got up and lifted him into my arms again. I carried him back to our room, then found a pair of my sweat pants and a sweat shirt. I dressed Andy, and combed his hair, then suggested we go downstairs. I decided he could sit in the kitchen with us for breakfast, if I propped his leg up on a chair, so I carried him downstairs. I smelled coffee brewing as I carried Andy into the kitchen. I looked at Elizabeth with alarm. She chuckled and said "relax, Jacob started your coffee." I grinned. Jacob came up from the basement with a package of English Muffins then. "Will you make us Eggs Benedict?" he asked eagerly. I grinned and said that sounded good to me, so I got Andy positioned at the table, with his leg propped up, and then went about getting breakfast ready, as Jacob let Jack out, then poured us all some orange juice. As I began making the Hollandaise sauce, I heard Andy say quietly to Elizabeth, "I wanted to thank you for saying that I could stay here in your home. I'm sorry for any inconvenience it causes you. If you change your mind and want me to leave, please say so and I will." Jacob looked nervously at me, as I glanced over at the table. Elizabeth put her newspaper down and got up and walked around the table. She knelt next to Andy and said "You're no inconvenience Andy, and we're all very happy to have you here with us. John explained what happened, and I'm very sorry about the way your family has treated you. So now you have a new family and a new home - here with us! We all love you and want you to be here with us!" Tears started streaming down Andy's cheeks, as Elizabeth leaned into him and hugged him. I looked at Jacob and saw that he too was wiping his eyes, as was I. Jack started woofing at the door then, and broke our "Kodak Moment". We all started laughing as Jacob opened the door for him, and he padded in looking like the abominable snow dog! Jacob got a towel and dried Jack off, fed him and changed his water, while I finished making our breakfast. We all enjoyed the eggs very much. Jacob and I sat on either side of Andy and took turns feeding him. "I'm sorry I can't even feed myself," Andy said at one point. Jacob and I looked at him and I said, "Well we're rather enjoying having you at our mercy you know!" We all laughed then, even Andy joined in. When we'd finished, Jacob asked if I could make more eggs, and Elizabeth surprised us all by saying she would even like some more if we had enough. "Well, I am eating for two you know," she grinned, rubbing her belly. I smiled and said, "I'm so glad your morning sickness has worn off! We have plenty more eggs and fixings, I'll just whip up another batch. I made more eggs, and we all ate them with gusto, then lingered at the table, me finishing my coffee and the others, their tea. We chatted and watched the snow flurries that were still drifting down. "I wish I didn't have all these bloody stookies, and I could go out and help clear the snow," Andy said. "Well ya can't - so enjoy being the invalid a while!" I said snickering. Elizabeth told me and Jacob to leave the dishes, that she'd handle them, if we wanted to go out and clear the driveway. I carried Andy into the living room and propped him on the couch and ottoman, and put an afghan over him. Then I built a fire for him and gave him the TV remote. Between both hands, he was just able to poke the buttons, while pointing it at the TV, as it rested on his leg cast. He grinned when he realized he could actually do something to help himself for a change! Jacob, Jack and I went out then to shovel the driveway and walks. Jack bounded through the snow over to Mr. Walsh's house when he saw he was outside. Mr. Walsh chuckled, then called over "Have you ever seen this much snow before?" I laughed and hollered back, "Yeah, but only back in the states!" He hollered, "This is MOST unusual here! We never get this much all at once!" "I love it!" Jacob hollered. "I expect you do," Mr. Walsh said, then he returned to shoveling his driveway. I nudged Jacob and said, "Why don't you go help Mr. Walsh, I got our's." So Jacob went over and helped Mr. Walsh shovel out. Mr. Walsh was most appreciative, and gave Jacob some money for his help. Jacob protested, but Mr. Walsh insisted. By the time Jacob and Jack came back, I'd cleared the back walk, brushed off my car, and shoveled half the driveway. Jacob and I quickly finished the rest of the driveway and attacked the front walks, working together. While we were still shoveling, Laney pulled up to the curb. She had Harry with her. Harry jumped out and said he'd called to see if Jacob could come over, but Elizabeth invited him to come over to our house instead. Laney smiled and asked if I could drop him at home later. I told her that wouldn't be a problem. She grinned and said she had to go, she was late. She tooted as she pulled away. The temperature had gone up a bit, and the roofs were dripping now. Harry got another shovel and pitched in to help us finish shoveling. As we finished, I scooped a handful of snow and made a ball of it. It was good packing. I lobbed the snowball at Jacob, and hit him in the shoulder. He looked up surprised, but grinned. The snowball fight was on! We must've spent a good half hour throwing snowballs at one another, and wrestling in the snow together as I chased them around, occasionally catching them. Eventually, Jacob suggested we build a snowman, so we built a big snowman in the front yard. We put a face on it facing the street, and another facing back to the house, so Andy could see it from the window. By the time we were finished, we were all tired, thirsty, and a bit wet! Laughing, we all trudged into the kitchen, getting the floor all wet with snow. Elizabeth was shrieking about the mess, but I noticed she was smiling at the same time. We all got our wet outter clothes off and threw them down in the basement. I toweled Jack dry again. Then after we all had a drink, I suggested that Harry and Jacob go upstairs, take a hot shower, and put on some dry clothes. Obediently they ran for the stairs. I hollered at them to leave their wet clothes in the hall for me. "K" Jacob yelled, then we heard the bathroom door slam. Elizabeth gave me a questioning look. I looked at her and said "yes?" She blinked, then said "no, I think I'd rather not know." I smiled, and she looked at me with a worried look. I said "they're fine - really!" She continued looking at me a moment, but then said, "I'll have to trust you on this I guess." I grinned then and said "I promised you before - he won't get hurt!" She smiled then. I went into the living room then, and found Jack flaked out in front of the fire, and Andy watching a talk show on TV. I stepped over Jack and threw another log on the fire. "I love the snowman!" Andy said, "it's huge!" "Yeah, great packing snow," I said. All of a sudden, Andy said, "My God John! Your pants! They're steaming!" I chuckled as I looked down at my jeans - they were actually steaming. "Must be I'm cold and wet, and the fire's so hot," I said, "I'll boot the boys out of the shower in a minute and get cleaned up and changed." Andy grinned as I headed up the stairs. I found Jacob and Harry's wet clothes outside the bathroom door. Listening a moment, I heard the shower running, but over it, faintly I heard the sounds of one of them moaning. I chuckled, as I stripped my wet clothes off and added them to the pile. I went in my room and found a housecoat in my closet, put it on, then went and took all the wet clothes down to the basement. I threw the dirty ones in the washer, but the clean ones that were just wet, in the dryer, and turned it on. Then I headed back upstairs. As I reached the top of the stairs, Harry and Jacob emerged from the bathroom in a cloud of steam, both wearing towels around their waists. "Jeeze - I hope you left me some hot water," I said, snickering, as they laughed and ran into Jacob's room. I took a hot shower, and put on dry clothes and went downstairs. We all spent the rest of the day lounging around the house. Jacob and Harry played video games, Andy and I played Chess, and Elizabeth caught up on her correspondence. We had a late lunch of cheeseburgers and all watched a movie together in the afternoon. Harry stayed for a supper of soup and sandwiches, then I drove him home. Before we turned in for the night, Elizabeth told me I'd be returning to school the next day, along with Jacob. I told her I had to stay home to take care of Andy, but she told me she would be taking care of him, as I belonged in school. I started to protest, but she pulled rank and reminded me that she was still my legal guardian for a couple more weeks. I looked at Andy, he grinned at me and said that he and Elizabeth had discussed it, and it was OK with him. I was outnumbered! So that night I set my alarm for its regular time to get me up for school, and Jacob called Harry and told him we'd pick him up the next day. Before we went to bed, Andy asked me if I'd wash him up, and take care of him in the evenings, so Elizabeth didn't have to in the mornings. I grinned and said that'd be fine, so I washed him up. That night in bed, Andy insisted on trying to suck me off. He asked me to kneel straddling his chest. I did so, and was able to get my cock into his mouth, so we were both comfortable. Then he sucked me while I half fucked him. It didn't take long before I filled his mouth with my seed several times. When I was finished, I gave Andy a slow, sensual suck job. I sucked up and down his dick very slowly, causing him to go wild, and try to hump up and down, to make my strokes go faster. Finally, almost ready to scream, he exploded, firing blast after blast of semen into my mouth. Andy was completely spent, and exhausted after that, and drifted off to sleep almost immediately. I was asleep soon myself. At school the next morning, I was called into the headmaster's office, for cutting classes the previous Friday afternoon. I explained that I had had to go and help a friend in need. "That would be Andy?" he asked. I sat blinking, not sure what I should say. "I know he's your best friend here, and I know he was out all last week. I also know why he was out," he said. "What?" I asked, caught offguard. "I called his family last week to see why he wasn't in school. His mother answered the phone and explained what had happened, and that Andy wasn't living with them anymore," he said. "Did she say why?" I asked. "Yes, she told me it was because of his orientation," the head said. I felt my face turning red, as I looked at the floor. "I'm not going to ask about any possible relationship you might have with Andy, that's your business. I would like to know however, if you've seen Andy?" the head said. I looked up at him. He seemed to have a compassionate look on his face. Finally, I said "Yes, Ev-, um I left school Friday because I was told where Andy was. I went and got him and took him to my house, and he's staying there with us now." "So Evan Rothbard was with your then? Someone said they'd seen him with you just before you left. I actually didn't think the two of you were friends," the headmaster said, "and how is Andy?" I explained then how Evan had helped me, and that we'd gotten Andy home. Then I told him about Andy's injuries as well. He looked angry when I told him about them. Finally, he said, "Very well, I won't punish you for leaving the school without permission Friday, but don't let it happen again!" "I won't," I said, "but Sir, please don't punish Evan either - he did a good thing Friday." The headmaster looked at me a moment, then finally said, "very well, but I will have to speak with him." I nodded, then left. Evan was sitting outside the door. He looked at me miserably. "Don't piss him off, I fixed it so you won't get punished," I whispered. He grinned then. "Meet me in the cafeteria at lunch," I whispered. He nodded, and I left, as the head's door opened, and he called Evan into his office. I was happy when I arrived in the cafeteria before Laney and her friends did. I wasn't sure if she'd still want me to sit with her or not, besides, I wanted to talk with Evan. I sat down at a table alone and began eating my sandwich. A couple guys from my Maths class came and sat with me. We were talking about our homework, when Laney came in. She walked over and asked if she could join us. I said, "Sure!" She sat next to me. She didn't take out anything to eat. I asked her if she was OK. She said she was, but just didn't feel hungry, so she thought she'd skip lunch and eat a good dinner that evening. A couple of her friends joined us and we all talked for a while. About fifteen minutes later, Laney said, "Why does he keep staring at me?" "Who?" I said, glancing up. "Your new friend Evan," she said. I followed her gaze across the room, and saw Evan sitting at a table across the way. I hadn't seen him come in. I grinned and waved at him. He grinned back, but looked away when everyone looked at him. "I thought you hated him?" one of the guys asked. "Naw, it's that creep Devon he hangs around with sometimes that I don't like," I said. "Well, he seems to keep looking at you," one of Laney's friends said. "Yeah, we gotta talk about something," I said, and I got up and picked up my stuff. "I'll catch up with you guys later," I said. They all looked at me in surprise, as I wandered over To Evan's table. Evan was sitting alone, eating a shepard's pie he'd bought, when I joined him. "Your friends don't approve of me I don't think," he said. I looked back at them. They were all looking at the two of us. I grinned and waved, then they all looked sheepishly away. I turned back to Evan and said, "it's just that I usually don't leave their table in the middle of lunch." "That's nice of you to say, but I know it's because you left them to sit with me, that they're looking at us so funny," he said, "It's OK, I get it." "Let's forget them," I said, "So did you get in trouble, or not?" "Nope, and thanks!" Evan said smiling, "I just got hollered at for leaving when I shouldn't have, and I was told to thank you for not getting a detention - or worse! I - erm - well, I've skipped out before actually." I snickered and said "You? Really? Naw!" Evan grinned. "I'm glad it worked out OK this time," I said. "Yeah, me too. So thanks! Really!" Evan said, "so how's Andy?" "He's doing a LOT better!" I said, "But he does have a busted leg, busted arm, busted hand, and several busted ribs, one broken tooth, another missing altogether, and of course cuts and bruises. He's going to be OK though. Thanks again for your help! I mean it! He'd have been dead by now if it wasn't for you! I owe you big time!" Evan blushed and smiled a little, then said, "You don't owe me anything, besides you fixed it so I didn't get detention." I reached over and put my hand on Evan's, as he was forking some more of his pie, he looked up into my eyes, and I said "Evan, Andy almost died! I do owe you! I owe you a LOT!" Evan looked all flustered, and didn't know what to say. I let go of his hand, and he quietly went back to eating. I took out an apple and started to eat it. We sat silently, both eating, for a couple minutes, then I fixed Evan with a stare and said "So who's the guy you asked me to give the bag to?" Evan's fork missed his mouth, and the mashed potatoes that were on it, dropped on the table in front of him. He paled a little and suddenly looked upset. "Nobody special," he said, as he scooped the potatoes off the table and onto his tray. "Hmm," I said, still looking at Evan, "well, he told me he once had a son named Evan, and suspiciously, he looks a hell of a lot like an older version of you!" I saw tears forming in Evan's eyes, and he looked at me miserably, almost pleadingly. I knew he wanted me to drop the subject. I felt bad for upsetting him. "Hey, I'm sorry man, I didn't mean to hurt you, or upset you - Really!" I said, "And I'm certainly not trying to make fun of you or anything!" Evan blinked a couple times, and wiped his eyes. Then looked down at his shepard's pie. "I just want to help Evan, will you let me?" I asked. Sniffing a couple times, Evan put down his fork and rubbed his eyes. Finally, he looked up at me. His eyes were watery, and he was still on the verge of crying. "Why would someone like you want to help me?" he asked, looking at me miserably. "Well," I said, "setting aside the fact that I owe you big time for saving Andy's life, I've gotten to know you just a little bit lately, and I happen to think that on the inside, hidden beneath all that tough veneer of your's, there's a really nice guy lurking around. Someone I might like to get to know better and be friends with!" Evan stared at me a few seconds, then his lower lip trembled a bit, almost imperceptibly. He rubbed his right eye again. "Look, I helped you find your friend. You said thanks! We're fine!" he said. I just kept looking at him for a minute. He'd almost begun squirming, when he finally said "John, you're a nice guy. You're REALLY popular! Guys like you can't be friends with losers like me! That's just the way things are!" I snickered, and said "guys like me huh? I didn't realize I was a 'guy like me'! Listen Evan, I don't let popularity contests run my life. If I want to be friends with someone - I'll be friends with them. I don't give a shit about what anyone else thinks. Nor do I give a shit about being popular! So can we please get past this insecurity complex you've got, and decide it's OK for us to like each other? And by the way - I don't make friends with losers. I don't happen to think you are a loser!" "But, why me? Why would you want to be friends with me?" he asked. I grinned and said, "I told you. I think that inside, in here - " I thumped my heart with my fist "you're a really nice guy, and that maybe you're just afraid to show it!" I paused a moment, then continued "Of course, if you don't like me for some reason..." Evan studied me for a minute, then said "I do like you. I think you're a nice guy. It's just nobody like you ever wanted to be friends with me before." I smiled and said "well there's gotta be a first time for everything!" Evan smiled faintly then. "So, you wanta try it out and see what happens?" I asked, smiling again. Evan smiled a little more, then said "OK, I guess." "Cool!" I said, and stuck my hand out. Uncertainly, Evan took my hand, and we shook. He smiled shyly at me then. "Eat your pie before it gets cold," I said. Apparently the shepard's pie reminded him of what started our conversation. He looked up at me with an upset look on his face again. I winked at him, smiled, and said, "he's your dad right?" Evan just looked at me. "I promise, this is just between you and me," I said. Evan picked up his fork and pushed a piece of meat into his potatoes. "Yeah, he's my father," he said finally, glancing up at me quickly to see my reaction. I smiled slightly at him and said "kinda figured that, so what's the story? Why's he living alone down there? And Evan - I'm not trying to hurt you by asking. I'm just wondering if I can help." Evan looked pretty upset again. "I can't talk about this. Not here, and now. Can we talk about it another time? I mean if you really have to know the story - I'll tell you - but can we do it more privately?" Evan asked, looking pleadingly at me. His eyes looked watery again. I felt like shit. "Oh Christ, Evan, I'm sorry! Really!" I said, "It was completely thoughtless of me to bring it up here out in the open." "It's alright," he said, "Maybe we can talk after school?" I smiled and said "Sure!" He smiled faintly then, and went back to eating his Shepard's pie. I finished my apple. The bell rang, as we were both finishing up. We agreed to meet at my locker, after last class, then go someplace to talk. As we stood up, I held out my hand again. Evan took it and shook it firmly, smiling at me this time. I grinned back at him. Out of the corner of my eye, I suddenly noticed Devon Lankford, sitting off in a corner, by himself, staring at us. He looked furious! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The next chapter in this series will be published shortly.