Date: Sat, 6 Nov 2004 16:14:03 EST From: Madasonaysha@aol.com Subject: "Around My Way" chapte four Gay /High School and Gay/ Interracial Disclaimer: Okay so if your on chapter four than you already know that this is a love story between two teenage boys, one Black and one Latino. This is not a sex story although eventually scenes of that nature will occur. If that bothers you than don't read. This is my first story on Nifty and comments and criticism are helpful. You can send any responses to Madasonaysha@aol.com Or Madisonaysha@yahoo.com But use the AOL account first. Authors Note: This chapter is dedicated to a wonderful man by the name of KhaymanRice. He is the man who inspired me to submit this story and has taken the strenuous time to be my editor ( THAT'S RIGHT I FINALLY HAVE ONE ). I highly recommend all of you read his story "What's Happening To Me", In the high school section last updated October 23. He can be reached at Khaymanrice@aol.com Again thank you all for the wonderful responses and expect chapter five to be out in a few days. Chapter four is my favorite chapter so far. Enjoy! CHAPTER FOUR The weeks flew by and the next thing I knew I had been living in Newark for almost two months. My Aunt Mickey's job became permanent so we would be staying there. It was now late August and my friendship with Amanda was still growing stronger. We were together almost everyday. I never questioned her about her attitude changes around her friends manly because I could never find the right time to bring it up. The mystery boy was still on my mind and I wanted to find out anything I could about him. During a horror movie of the eighties marathon Amanda and I were having I took a chance. We were laughing at "Prom Night" when I brought him up. "So I've met all your friends". I asked, trying to make light of the question. "Yeah for the most part. I'll introduce you to the rest when school starts up. Why do you ask? Are you nervous about not knowing anybody?" "No, it's not that, I just wondered why I never met that Spanish guy from the bodega." "Huh? What guy are you talking about?" She asked. "You know, the first day that we met. The guy that I knocked down." . "Oh that's Joey. If I tell you something you CAN NOT repeat it." Amanda whispered "Okay but you don't have to whisper it's just the two of us." My humor was lost on her and her seriousness remained. "That's Joey. I am not suppose to talk to him, so I don't see much of him anymore." "Why?" I asked. "Well, I grew up with him. My dad and his dad were best friends and when my dad died, Joey's dad kind of took over in looking after me. Joey was like a brother to me and we told each other everything . He was my best friend but when he turned twelve, he began to change and become distant. He joined a gang and started acting like this hard core gangster. I thought I knew him but now that I think about it, I don't think I ever really did. I hated the new person he was becoming. We drifted apart and when I was thirteen I met Nate. Please don`t get mad that I never told you but Nate...is in a gang. He is Westside. Joey's is Eastside. The two gangs are rivals and they hate each other. Nate doesn't let me talk to anyone who is from Eastside." This explained the argument between Nate and Joey in the store that day. "AMANDA! NATE'S IN A GANG!?" I yelled. "Please don't be mad. He wasn't always in it." she cringed as she answered. "I don't understand how you can date a guy like that. He not right for you. You can do so much better." "Nate use to be this sweet nice guy. He use to be so much fun to be around but gang life has hardened him. He's not the same guy I fell in love with." "So why don't you just dump him?" "I can't. Because you don't just dump a West Sider. I can't , you don't know what they would do to me." She began to tremble and softly cry. I brought her body close to mine and held her. "Amanda you shouldn't stay with someone if you don't love them." I said to her softly. "I know. Its just that he would kill me if I left him. I mean he would REALLY kill me. You know those bruises that I always have? He gives them to me. Sometimes all I have to do is look at him and he'll hit me. If I don't want to have sex ,he'll hit me until I give in. It's horrible. I try to remember how good things use to be but its not enough. I wish I could leave him but I'm to afraid of what will happen if I try." I never seen Amanda like this before. It bothered me to see her upset like that. I think understood her more in that moment than I ever did before. "He hits you?" I asked softly. "What kind of guy would ever want to hurt you. You are the sweetest girl that I know and if he can't treat you the way that you deserve than he is not worthy of you. What and ASSHOLE!" She smiled at me. "God, Chris...thank you. You are the best friend that I have." "Girl you know I love you". We smiled at each other and watched the rest of the movie. Despite my sadness over Amanda's situation I couldn't help but wonder about Joey. My mystery guy now had a name. * * * * * * * * * * * It was now the end of August and school started in less than a week away. Aunt Mickey took me to school to register. East High was a far cry form my high schools in Montclair and Seaside. Although the school wasn't half as bad as I imagined, it didn't have the technical advantages as my previous schools. Even my middle school had better facilities. But I was surprised to find that they had very impressive Mathematics programs. That weekend Amanda asked me to go with her to New York for the Puerto Rican day parade. After endless moments of me calling her a "poser" for being Cuban we went. The train to New York was crowded with excited parade goers. The excitement of it all rubbed of on me and I was more excited than Amanda. When we got there, it was so crowded. There was at leas a million people flooding the streets of the city. One minute I was walking with Amanda holding onto her hand as I tried to lead us, and the next thing I knew she was gone. I turned to look for her but it was impossible to find her in the crowd . I made my way into a pizza shop that wouldn 't let me stay until I agreed to buy something. I called her cell phone from mine but the signals were busy. I repeated this for close to twenty minutes, growing anxious as the time passed. I had never been to the city alone before and was a little afraid to be there with out any one. I didn't even know what train to take home. I left to look for her. I couldn't help but to admire the magnificence of the floats as they passed. One float was covered with beautiful Spanish women wearing flamingo attire and dancing to salsa music. I thought I heard someone scream my name but I thought I imagined it so I kept walking. I walked for about ten minutes and I kept hearing my name being called. Every time I looked, I didn't see anyone. Someone grabbed me from behind roughly. I turned around pissed. The guy who grabbed me was a short Hispanic guy with short jet black hair, spiked with some gel. He was average looking but looked a little off in the head. You know how you can just look at someone and see that something isn't completely all together with them. Well that's how he looked. He wore a baggy red t-shirt and khaki shorts. I took notice to a red bandana wrapped around his wrist. "Damn, Nigga! We been chasing you for like an hour and shit." "Do I know you?" I asked, trying to pull away from him. "Oh Yeah , I 'm Loco. Amanda sent me to get you." "Where is she?" "She with Tearz in the pizza place. She had to pee." Loco was nice but he was extra hyper. "So, who's Tearz"? "Oh that's my boy. He and Amanda go way back. Been friends since like ever." I was not interested in seeing Amanda act funny the way she always does when her friends are around. Loco couldn't complete a full sentence. He would jump from one topic to another with out finishing the first. When we walked into the restaurant I saw Amanda sitting down looking exhausted. Her face brightened when she saw me. She rushed over to give me a hug. "I am so sorry Chris. I turned around for like TWO SECONDS and you were gone." "It's okay, lets go back to the parade." "Yeah, we can after my friend comes out the bathroom." She told me that I should go too because there weren't that many places to "go" once we got back out in the parade. There was a guy at one of the urinals with his back turned to me. I couldn't see his face but he seemed familiar. After I handled my business I went to wash my hands. I looked up at him as he stood next to me. My heart immediately began to race as I realized it was Joey. He looked at me like he knew me from somewhere but couldn't place where. He smiled at me and left. After I calmed down I went back to join Amanda and Loco only Joey was with them. His light brown wavy hair was pulled back with a red sweat band and his crystal blue eyes stood out against his baggy white t-shirt. His baggy light blue jean shorts hung seductively off his hips. As I walked over our eyes met and stayed locked until Amanda introduced us. "Chris this is Joey, Joey you remember Chris. He's the one who tried to kill you." She laughed and his cheeks reddened. "Sorry about that I was kinda already pissed and you were there so...Nice to meet you." He raised his hand to give me the "what's up" hand shake. He also had a red bandana wrapped around his wrist and a matching one tucked out from his back pocket. "That's cool. You guys ready to go?" I said. "You guys? Who says that?" Loco laughed. "Steven don't be an asshole." Amanda said, coming to my defense and it was Loco's turn to redden. "It's Loco...Mandy." I could tell he was making her angry and before I could step in Joey did. "Hey guys lets go, the parade is almost over." Amanda and Joey talked like only best friends do. I was a little jealous. Not about Amanda talking to some one else but that Joey's attention was focused on something other than me. I know I was being dumb. There was no way this thug was even into guys but still... I couldn't help it. Maybe it was just wishful thinking on my part but I could have sworn that I caught him staring at me a couple of times. Every time I would turn to look at him he would quickly turn away. We watched the floats, making comments on them as they passed. "Damn Kid! Look at all those fine ass Chicas on them floats. My dick is getting mad hard." Loco said. "Your dick always hard." replied Joey. "Why you looking faggot? You wanna suck it?" Loco laughed at his own joke but Joey looked just as annoyed as I was. "Shut up stupid." We continued to enjoy the floats and then one passed that was for gay Puerto Ricans. It had gorgeous guys on it dancing around and having a good time despites some of the protests from the crowd. "You know I can't stand how these mutha fucking faggots prance around flaunting that nasty shit. I hope they all go to hell." Loco said. Amanda had a look of disgust on her face. "STEVEN! You keep your stupid comments to yourself. I don't want to hear that shit!" I could have been imagining it but Joey looked angry to. Probably because Amanda was. "Amanda forget him. We all know that STEVEN talks a lot of shit." Joey said. She calmed down while Loco pouted. "Shit, ya'll bitches no I'm right. Ya'll too pussy to admit it. My man Chris agree right?" I was afraid that if I didn't agree with him they would all figure out that I was gay but I just couldn't bring my self to do it. My response was subtle. "Whatever! To each his own." I turned my attention back to the parade. I occasionally would steal a glance at Joey. I peaked at him for like the tenth time when my hazel green eyes met crystal blues. He gave me a half smile than his face fell and he looked forward. The rest of the day we barely exchanged two words. I scared him off I guess. The train was crowded and Amanda and I had to stand. Joey was sitting in front of me and I thought I saw him check out my package. Amanda and I were talking when the train stopped short causing me to fall into Joey's lap. Our eyes locked and he turned just as red as me. We exchanged nervous laughs. I thought I felt him hardening underneath me but I jumped up when Loco said we looked like fags. I hide my face and Joey rolled his eyes muttering something in Spanish. At the train station Amanda and Joey hugged. He left with Loco. Amanda came back to my house. After an minute or so, she realized that she had Joey's keys. She called Loco's house but there was no answer. She left the keys with me. I was so exhausted from the day that I passed out as soon as my head hit the pillow. Crystal blue eyes in my thoughts. The ringing of the phone awoke me from a deep sleep. The clock read 11:30. Andy and Wes wouldn't be calling so late and I barley talked to them since my move here anyway. Amanda said she was suffering from big girl syndrome and needed a meal and a nap so I knew It wouldn't be here calling. I groggily answered. "Hello..." "Hey Chris! Honey it's Mickey. I won't be home tonight. I have a lot of work to do at the studio so I'll see you in the morning." She had been spending a lot of nights at the studio. Somehow I didn't believe that she was just working. I told her good night and I would see here in the morning. Less than a minute later the phone rung again. "What do you want Mickey?" "Uh...hey, this isn't Mickey." The voice said. I didn't recognize it." "Who is this?" I asked. "Uh... Hey this is Joey." My heartbeat speed up. "Hey man, Amanda's not here." "Yeah I know. She said you had my keys." "Yeah, do you want to come and get them?" I prayed that he would say yes. I just wanted to see his face even if it was only for a moment. "I need them but can you bring them to me. You live in West territory and those Niggas would kill me if they caught me around your way." "Well I don't really know my way around here yet?" "Do you know where East Park is?" That park was about a twenty minute walk away from my house. I knew I shouldn't go out this late alone but I wanted to see him. "Yeah I'll meet you by the swings in thirty minutes." I told him. "YEAH! I mean yeah. See you in a few." He excitedly replied. I threw on my cloths and looked in the mirror. My hair was in need of trim. I usually kept my wavy hair cut close on top and faded on the sides but now it was about six inches long. I hadn't had a hair cut in close to six months so it was in a mop of waves. Amanda said it made me look cute like a little boy but I needed to find a barber soon. It was a hot August night and the streets were mostly deserted. The occasional drunk or drug addict lay passed out in the street around me. I passed a group of guys all wearing green bandanas around their wrists. I knew that this was the color of Nates gang. I hoped he wasn't with them. The guys sized me up as I pasted. My body tensed. Some one yelled out "We got smokes, we got smokes". I turned the corner and kept on walking. I heard two sets of foot steps following behind me. I was afraid to turn around. I speed up my pace. I turned on a darken street and the park was within my eye sight. A few more minutes and I would see Joey. As I speed up so did the footsteps. Then I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned around and was temporarily relived to see Nate and Jay. "Shit! You guys scared the hell out of me." I could smell the alcohol and weed off their breathes. Nate slurred his words. "Yo what the fuck you doing out here. Ain't it a little to late for corn balls to be outside." As the two of them laughed, the anxiety grew inside me. I started to walk away when Jay put his hand to my shoulder to stop me. "Why you bouncing? Me and Nasty just want to talk for a minute." Jay was swaying back and forth. Nate was in a fucked up state but Jay's was worse. "Wh...What do you guys want to talk about?" I stuttered. "Why don't we go into the park and chill." Nate replied. "I `m meeting a friend in there already. I'll see you tomorrow Nate." I started to walk away but Jay stopped me again and spoke. "Why you call him Nate. You should call him Nasty." They looked at each other and started to laugh. I stood there in utter confusion. Nate put his hand on my other shoulder and leaned down to whisper in my ear. "Yeah, You should call me Nasty. Wanna know why"? I didn't like where this conversation was going. My mind said run but my body wouldn't let me. My eyes glanced from Nate and Jay then towards the park. Somewhere in those shadows Joey was waiting for me. "That's okay guys I really should be going." There grip on my shoulder became tighter. It was obvious that they weren't about to let me go any time soon. Spit drenched my ear with every slurred word that Nate spoke. "You wanna know why they call me Nasty?" he hissed. Chills ran up and down my spine. I didn't know what he was getting at and I didn't want to find out. They could hear the fear in my voice as I spoke. "Tha...Tha...That's okay Nate. I really have to go." They gripped my shoulders so tight that I winced in pain. Something definitely was not right here. I needed to leave but they weren't letting me. As Nate spoke again and it started to become clear just exactly what they wanted. "You know something "C"? You look soft. Almost like girl. I bet you feel soft too." He ran his hand down my cheek. I flinched at his touch. Jay leaned his head into the crook of my neck and inhaled deeply. "Umm. He smells like a girl too." Nate looked over at Jay and they shared a knowing smile. Nate turned my face to look up at his as he addressed me. "So if you feel like a bitch and you smell like a bitch, than you probably fuck like a bitch. "C--Can you fuck like a bitch?" Okay I had to get out of there. I shucked them off of me and ran as far as I could to the park. They laughed for a moment and ran after me. I reached the park and saw no one in sight. My heart pounded in my chest as I ran deeper and deeper into the darkened park. This was a huge park that sat on over two acres. All I had to do was go into the woods a little and hide until Nate and Jay left. As I looked for a direction to run to someone's hand went over my mouth and I screamed. Before I could through a punch. a familiar voice calmed me down. "Shhhhh. Chris it's me Joey." I was more than happy to see him. Before I realized what I was doing I hugged him. "Oh thank God it's you!" I said through struggled breathe. "What's wrong? You look like shit." The concern in his voice took me by surprise. "It...was...Nate and Joey. They were trying to-." I stopped my self before I said fuck me. I didn't want him to hear me say anything about fucking and guy 's in the same sentence. I knew he couldn't ever want to be with me sexually but I didn't want to ruin any chances of a friendship. "What were Nate and Joey trying to do?" Joey asked as he shot me a sideways glance. "Uhh...Nothing. They were just acting like real ass holes." Joey looked at me for a moment analyzing my face. He was about to say something when we heard Nates booming voice, "YO CHRIS! WHERE YOU AT NIGGA? ME AND JAY WANNA HOLLA AT YOU FOR A MINUTE!" Jay cut in with his own threaten statement. "YEAH...ONLY FOR A MINUTE...OR TWO...OR THREE!" Their laughter echoed around us. Joey took me by the hand and led me a few feet behind some trees. "Okay man look those Niggas are crazy and I don't know what they want from you but it ain't good. We gotta make it over to the east side of the park. They know better than to go over there." Joey whispered. I nodded then glanced down to my hand that Joey still gripped. He followed my eyes and when he saw what I was looking at, he quickly pulled his hand away. It was too dark to be sure but I thought I saw his milky complexion slightly redden. But like I said it was to dark to be sure. He started to walk and whispered for me to follow. It was dead silent in the park. The smell of the summer night filled my nostrils. I could smell the faint scent of Joey in front of me. His scent brought a calmness over me as I inhaled. He smelled sweet and strong at the same time. If it wasn't for the fact that I heard Nate yell out for me again I could have let my self relax fully under the spell that Joey was unknowingly casting. We ran as fast as we could towards the other side of the park. It was hard to keep up with him. Joey was so fast. I could tell that he was holding back for my benefit but even with that he still ran like the wind. After running for a few minutes we stopped to catch our breath. I spoke first. "Oh-My-God! Where did you learn how to run like that?" A smile crept on his face as he answered through his grin. "I use to run track back in the day." "Use to? You don't run anymore?" As quickly as a look of regret ran over his face it was gone. He answered simply with a yeah and looked away. I took that as a hint not to press on. "We can hang at my house till shit cool down. The fam won't be home till tomorrow so we don't gotta worry about them being up in our business." As we walked towards his house I couldn't help but to let my mind wonder. Joey , me and an empty house. This was going to either be a night of opportunities or... a night of regrets...