The usual warnings of dire consequences that nobody ever reads.
Don't proceed if you are under the legal age for accessing such stories. Don't proceed if you are unfortunate enough to live in an area where it is illegal to download and view such material.
This story is fiction, it didn't happen, the characters aren't real.
Finally, this work is copyright, all rights are reserved. The reader may print out or archive a copy for their own personal use, but hosting on any website without the author's permission is strictly prohibited.
I dedicate this story to my friend, mentor and editor Tim Mead. If it wasn't for his persistent prodding and 'gentle' enquiries about my progress, I don't think this story would have ever been finished.
Trapped Nerves
by Drew Hunt (drew.hunt@blueyonder.co.uk)
Chapter 2
Pill Hill, Portland OR, July 2005
"Which floor, bud?"
Mason couldn't move or speak.
"Buddy? You okay?" Parker moved toward Mason's wheelchair.
"NO!" Mason put up a hand to fend Parker away.
"Uh, sorry, guy. Um, look, I'll, uh just press the button for the eighth floor, which is mine. Then you press your own, okay?" The expression on Parker's face was a mixture of surprise and slight amusement.
Mason could feel his heart pumping rapidly in his chest. He'd also broken out in a cold sweat. In a disconnected, far away sense, Mason knew his actions must be coming across as very strange. Obviously Parker didn't recognize him.
The elevator began to move upward. 'Just hold it together, not long now,' Mason told himself, though he remembered Parker was getting out at his floor, too. Mason decided he'd stay in the car and go up and down a couple of times to allow Parker to get out of his way. 'Yeah, that'd be best,' Mason thought, calming his strung-out nerves.
"Bout time we got some sunshine, huh?" Parker observed. "Never knew winters could be so wet."
Mason didn't reply; he was finding it hard to breathe. A quick look at the indicator lights showed they had just passed the fourth floor. 'Halfway there, not long now.'
Crawford WA, October 1991
Mason sat on his bed after dressing for school. It was early Monday morning and still dark outside. However, his usual enthusiasm for the upcoming week was absent.
Mason recalled the image of a trembling Parker, panic writ large in his usually beautiful grey eyes. Parker had attempted to bolt from the hot tub and run, but Mason had somehow managed to physically restrain him.
Maintaining an outwardly calm exterior that was at odds with what was happening inside, Mason did his best to talk Parker down. He explained that he was out to his folks.
"It's cool, Parker. Mom isn't mad, she's not gonna tell anyone what she saw. Your secret, our secret," Mason added as an afterthought, "is safe."
Parker eventually relaxed and let go the death grip he'd had on Mason's arms. His eyes still looked troubled, but maybe not as panicked.
"You sure?" Parker asked, beginning to shiver despite the warm water.
"Trust me. If you like we can go get dressed. Then we can talk to Mom and you'll see for yourself."
Parker shook his head. "No, I. . ."
Mason didn't pursue it. Coming out could be a scary business, especially for someone in Parker's position.
When Parker bid goodbye to Mason, promising he'd be in touch once he'd had time to work it all through, Mason couldn't help thinking that he wouldn't ever get another chance to be close to the handsome athlete.
Although Mason waited by the phone for much of the weekend, Parker never called.
"Honey, you'll be late if you don't get a move on," Mason's mother called from down the hallway.
Mason ate his usual breakfast of a bowl of cold cereal and sliced banana.
A car horn honked, prompting his mother to get up and look out of the window. Cars sounding their horns weren't the norm in their part of town, especially at 7:00 am.
"Derek, do we know anyone who drives a Ford pick-up?" Samantha asked her husband, who had just stumbled, blurry eyed, into the kitchen.
Mason suddenly snapped to attention. He got out of his seat so quickly it toppled over. Rushing to the window, Mason saw that the truck belonged to Parker, who was casually leaning his left elbow on the wound down window.
"Is this the boy you brought back on Friday?" his dad asked.
"Uh, yeah," Mason said, rooted to the spot.
"Well it looks like he's come to drive you to school. How sweet."
"Derek, don't tease him," Samantha warned.
"Sorry, kiddo." Derek ruffled his son's hair.
But Mason remained frozen in place, marveling that Parker came. Actually drove out of his way to come see him. All wasn't lost. Or was it? Was this Parker come to tell him that he'd made a mistake the previous Friday, he wasn't actually gay, he didn't want to. . .
"Son?" Derek laid a hand on Mason's shoulder. "You can't just stand there looking at him through the window. Either go get your school things and meet him out there or invite him in."
"Oh, uh, yeah." Mason ran to his room, picked up his already packed bookbag and headed outside.
The cautious smile which broke out on Parker's face was all the reassurance Mason needed to know that everything would be okay.
"Um, thought I'd come and pick you up," Parker said out of his open window.
"Uh, yeah. Thanks." Not sure where he got the courage to say what he did next, Mason opened Parker's door and said, "Come on in and meet the folks."
Parker's small smile vanished instantly. "Uh, I."
"Do you trust me?" Mason had no idea why he'd asked that.
Parker didn't reply.
"If you don't get it over with now, it'll eat away at you. All the while you'll be wondering what they're like, if they'll say anything that would let the cat out of the bag. But if you come in now, see what they're like, you'll feel a lot better."
Mason watched attentively as Parker sat unmoving for at least a minute, several expressions passing over his beautiful face. Then he seemed to reach some kind of decision. "You're right."
Getting out of the cab, Parker slammed the door and together they walked up Mason's driveway. Just before going inside, Mason sneaked a peek at Parker's face, which was showing an increased level of concern.
"Relax, dude."
* * * * *
"Oh, man! Parker said pulling up in the student parking lot. "Thanks for almost dragging me inside your place."
Mason smiled. As he'd known would happen, his parents had made a real fuss of Parker. As Parker talked and even made jokes with Mason's dad during the short visit, the worry lines on Parker's face disappeared.
"Go on, I give you permission to say it."
"What?" Mason said looking at Parker.
"That you were right and you told me so."
Mason laughed. "I just knew they'd fall for your charms." Under his breath Mason added, "Just like I did.'
"Your parents are great. You're lucky, real lucky." A shadow fell across Parker's face, but Mason didn't think he ought to intrude.
The two remained quiet for a few moments, until Parker said, "Come on, otherwise we'll be late."
Mason had forgotten all about school. As they jogged across the parking lot, Mason wondered again why Parker had picked him up, it was so. . . romantic.
* * * *
Mason stared out of the window. His mind had long since stopped paying attention to the teacher who was droning on about a calculus problem that Mason had solved minutes earlier. The weather had decided that it was about time it reminded people that it was the fall and this was the Pacific North West. In short it was raining like a cow pissing on a flat rock. Mason knew he would have to abandon his usual practice of eating his lunch outdoors. He'd have to brave the offerings that the school lunch room provided.
Mason had just loaded his tray and was making his way over to the table traditionally occupied by the soccer team, when a voice at the next table called out to him. Looking up he saw it was Parker.
"Over here, bud."
Mason shrugged, inwardly flattered at the public recognition of his and Parker's friendship.
"Thought you normally had sandwiches," Parker said once Mason had sat down.
Mason explained his reasons for changing his routine while nodding at the other members of the football team whom Parker re-introduced to him.
"God, you should have seen Mason here wiping the fucking floor with Eastside during Saturday's soccer game," Parker said, slapping Mason on the back.
Mason hadn't even known Parker had been there. Parker saw Mason's look of confusion and mouthed, "Later."
Mason shrugged and came out with something about how weak the opposition had been.
"Yeah, we always kick their asses at football," a heavy-set black-haired guy said. Mason couldn't remember his name.
"They're a bunch of fags," someone else said, causing Mason to wince inwardly.
Once he'd finished eating, Mason hung around for a while as Parker seemed in no hurry to leave. Eventually Parker picked up that Mason had finished, and concluded the conversations he'd been having. He stood up, told the guys he'd catch them later, and walked out of the lunch room with Mason.
"Sorry 'bout that, bud."
"It's okay." Mason shrugged.
"We always have a big discussion on Monday lunchtime about the game."
"The guys still seemed pumped over the win. A win which you made possible."
Parker smiled broadly, causing Mason's chest to tighten.
"Look, uh, about your soccer game. I went to see you, but, uh, I was still sorting out stuff in my head about you, about us. So I didn't let you see that I was there, I. . . "
"It's okay, I understand. I guess you've figured it out then, I mean you coming to pick me up this morning and everything."
"Yeah." Parker looked about him, at the students milling passed. "Look, uh, we can't talk here. Can you meet after practice?"
"Okay. But `cause you brought me this morning, I'll have to stick around anyway `cause I don't have any other way of getting home."
"Oh yeah." That smile was back again, but was slightly more cautious. Mason found it just as irresistible.
Parker squeezed Mason's shoulder before loping away, Mason's eyes as usual fixed on Parker's deliciously firm ass mounds. Readjusting himself, mentally as well as physically, Mason set out to face the rest of the school day.
* * * * *
Thinking the coach would never blow his whistle to end practice, Mason stood, hands on knees in goal. The regular goalie was out injured, so Mason had been drafted in his place. 'And wouldn't you know it, they decided to practice kicking penalties,' Mason muttered.
As had happened during the rest of the afternoon, Mason received a couple of rebukes for inattention. Things had gotten so bad in biology during last hour that Mason thought he was going to be given detention. Normally mammalian respiration would have held his interest, but there were more important things to occupy his thoughts.
Finally, mercifully, the coach blew his whistle, and Mason's agony was over. He ran off the soccer field, across the running track and into the locker-room.
After having a quick shower and dressing in his street clothes, Mason made for the parking lot, only to discover Parker was nowhere to be seen. 'Of course he's not here, dumbass, he's probably still at practice.' Mason didn't know if football practices usually took longer than those for soccer. He couldn't help being bummed out that Parker wasn't waiting for him.
After ten minutes had passed, Mason was starting to get worried. Had Parker forgotten, had he left him standing there deliberately? Was all that had happened - earlier that day, the ride to school, the lunch room, and the events of Friday - just been a dream?
"Hi bud, sorry to have kept ya," a voice said from behind him.
Mason spun round and was immediately captured by a pair of soft grey eyes. "Oh, that's okay, I just arrived myself." Mason was relieved, aroused, happy.
Parker raised an eyebrow. "Liar."
Mason felt his face heat up.
"Coach wanted a word with me after practice, and. . ." The shy side of Parker seemed to be coming to the fore. Up until Friday night when his mom had poked her head around the French doors, Mason hadn't known there was a vulnerable side to the star jock. He couldn't help but fall even more in love with Parker because of it.
"No problem. Uh, you said you wanted to talk."
"Yeah." Parker unlocked the door to his truck and was about to climb in when a girl who was on the cheerleading squad, approached and began to hang all over him.
Mason looked on as the girl whose big boobs were threatening to spill out of her uniform top pawed at Parker, making Mason want to barf.
"I missed you at the party Friday night," she said, trying to sound sexy. The voice had the opposite effect on Mason.
"Uh, hi, Hannah. I hurt my ass, so I decided to just go home and crash."
Her hand moved to Parker's right ass cheek and began to rub it. "You should have told me, Parky, I'd have made it all better for you"
"Uh," Parker groaned. "Look, um, later, okay? I gotta be somewhere."
"Sure thing, hot stuff." Hannah removed her hand, gave Parker a quick kiss on the lips and sashayed away.
Once inside the cab Mason did his best to put a neutral expression on his face, but judging by the look Parker gave him, he failed miserably.
"Come on, let's get out of here."
'Couldn't agree more,' Mason thought. His previous good mood was all but shattered. Would he and Parker ever have anything approaching a normal relationship? Or would Mason always have to watch scenes like that with Parker playing the role of a straight red-blooded male?
* * * *
"You're quiet," Parker said pulling into traffic, heading, Mason assumed, back to his house.
"Yeah."
The two drove in silence for a while before Parker said, "It didn't mean anything you know. That girl, Hannah."
Mason didn't respond; he didn't know what to say. In the back of his mind he'd always known Parker was a player. He shouldn't have built a fantasy of the pair of them living some kind of gay version of "The Little House on the Prairie."
"Looks like your folks are home."
"Huh?" It was way too early for his parents to be home. Looking in the same direction Parker was, Mason understood. "No, that's my car. The garage must have brought it back."
The pair got out of Parker's truck and approached the highly polished bright red Chevrolet Beretta GT in the driveway.
"Cool," Parker said.
Mason didn't know if Parker was teasing him. The Beretta wasn't exactly the type of muscle car the average American teen dreamed of owning. His mom had put her foot down and squelched any thoughts Mason had had of driving a sports car. The Beretta had been something of a compromise.
"Um, it's not exactly a. . . But, you know." Mason shrugged, still not knowing what Parker thought.
"It's cool," Parker said, staring at the vehicle. "Why haven't I seen it before?"
"It's new, but there was a problem with the transmission, so dad took it back to the dealership. They must have brought it back sometime today."
Parker continued to look at the vehicle.
"Uh, wanna go for a test drive?" Mason asked, not knowing what else to say. "I've got a spare set of keys in my room."
"Uh, um, sure."
"Right." Mason turned away and headed toward his front door, his growing sense of unease crowding his thoughts.
As Mason made his way along the hall, he wondered yet again what he was doing hanging around Parker Collins. It had to be Parker's magnetic personality. Mason just felt drawn to him, and couldn't escape. Did he want to escape?
After scooping up his car keys, Mason caught his reflection in the mirror on his closet door. His brown hair looked tangled, out of control. Mason picked up a comb and tried in vain to deal with his errant locks. He mused at how perfect Parker's hair always was. "God, all he's got to do is run his fingers through that sexy center part and it just falls in place."
Suddenly the vision of that center part appeared in the mirror. Mason spun round. Parker's face wore a satisfied smirk. "So you think my hair's sexy?" he said raising an eyebrow.
Mason open and closed his mouth, but no words came out. He just wanted the floor to swallow him up.
Parker's smirk slowly faded and was replaced by concern. "It's okay, bud." He gripped Mason's biceps. "Dude, look at me."
Mason slowly raised his head. "I'm sorry."
Parker leaned in and kissed Mason on the lips. It wasn't passionate or deep, just reassuring. "For what it's worth I think your hair's kinda sexy too, how it always seems to misbehave and. . ." Parker moved his right hand up and ran his fingers through Mason's hair. Mason had to stifle a groan, it felt amazing to be, well, petted like that.
"Go on, you can touch my hair too if you like," Parker all but whispered.
With trembling fingers, Mason reached up and touched the part, widening it slightly. He drew his fingertips downward, feeling the soft blond strands. "It's so soft," Mason whispered.
"Yeah, I get that from my mom."
The two then fell silent. Mason didn't know what to say. He just stared into Parker's grey eyes.
Parker shifted, no doubt growing uncomfortable at being stared at so intensely. "Uh, man you're lucky. This room's massive," Parker said, flicking his gaze across Mason's space.
"Yeah."
"Shit man, you got a computer."
"Uh huh. Mason spent a lot of time on the machine. He wanted to tell Parker all about it, how he had a modem and could call up various bulletin boards and newsgroups, but sensed that would be way too geeky.
"And you've got a queen sized bed, oh, man. All this and a brand new car, too." Parker seemed sad.
Something clicked in Mason's head. Parker hadn't been dismissive of his choice of vehicle, he'd been envious. Not necessarily at the model but at it being new.
"They're just things you know, just possessions,"
"Suppose." Parker walked over to Mason's bed and lay down. If Mason had been thinking more clearly, he'd have marveled at having Parker Collins, the subject of many a nightly masturbation fantasy, lying there on his bed. But Mason's in-built need to make everything okay was foremost in his mind.
"But you have so much, too. At school you're the big jock, the one everyone looks up to. People admire you, want to be near you, even touch you. Hannah, for example.
"I know. But it's not easy keeping up the straight jock-boy image all the time."
Mason felt compelled to go over and offer Parker comfort. This was something he thought he'd never see. He'd always imagined Parker had it all, fame, good-looks, a brain. Never did he think that the great Parker Collins would have a vulnerable side.
"I guess that wasn't an easy admission to make," Mason said, sitting on the side of his bed and looking down at the star athlete.
Parker let out a deep sigh. "Nope. But, I dunno, I. . . I get the feeling I can trust you."
Mason acted without thinking. He lay down next to Parker, rolled onto his side and put his arm across Parker's broad chest. "Thank you, that means a lot. I promise that whatever you tell me won't go any further."
Parker shifted so he was lying on his side, facing Mason. "I know, bud. I don't mind admitting I'm scared, I'm usually the one in control, I have to be, but all this, it's. . ." Parker's voice faded into silence.
"I know." Mason pulled the big jock into a tight hug. "I'm here for you, buddy."
Parker snuffled, and buried his head into Mason's chest. Mason reached up and stroked Parker's hair, but unlike the previous time, he didn't get a sexual thrill out of it, he was just offering comfort to a lonely and confused fellow student, a person he was beginning to realize he was getting serious feelings of attachment for.
"You're all right with this?"
Mason smiled. "I gotta say it wasn't quite what I expected would happen between us, but I really like it,"
"Me, too."
In an attempt to change the subject, Mason asked, "Do you think I need to bulk up? I mean I'm so skinny."
"Nah. You've got a good body. Okay, so you're not bulging with muscles, so what? But everything's in proportion."
"Thanks, Though I still think I'm a bit thin."
"You need to be that way to play soccer. Nope, you're good as you are,"
Even though the complement was carefully phrased, Mason still blushed.
Parker laughed. "It's so cute when you get embarrassed."
"Cute! Yuck, I hate that word. It's the sort of thing a grandmother or an old aunt would say."
"Oh looky here," Parker affected an old lady voice, "just look at those baby cheeks." Parker pinched them. "And such a cherubic smile. And those hazel eyes. Now who do you remind me of?"
Mason burst out laughing.
"Oh, but your hair. You've certainly inherited that from your Uncle Henry. Come here, let me fix it."
Mason lost it completely. He couldn't lie still, he was laughing so hard.
The two eventually quieted, Parker settled back down against Mason's chest, Mason content to cuddle the bigger boy. The silence was broken when Mason's stomach rumbled.
Parker laughed softly. "I guess we ought to get up so you can feed your belly."
"Yeah. Wanna go out to eat? That way I can show off my car. Sorry, Parker, I didn't mean it like that."
"I know, bud. You're just used to having nice things. It just was natural for you to say it."
"I'm sorry." Mason gave Parker a squeeze.
"It's cool."
"Thanks."
Neither teen made an effort to move from their comfortable embrace. However, Mason's stomach had other ideas, letting out another and louder groan.
Parker propped himself up on one elbow and regarded Mason with a serious expression.
"What?" Mason said, looking back at the grey-eyed god.
Parker leaned down and began to nibble at Mason's lips, which soon opened, allowing Parker's tongue entrance.
The two spent a few minutes kissing before the telephone interrupted them. Parker withdrew.
"Hello?" Mason said into the bedroom extension.
"Mason, honey."
"Oh hi, Aunt Caroline, how are you and Uncle Peter?"
"Oh we're fine dear. I just wanted to have a word with your mom."
As Mason explained to his mother's oldest sister that his mom was at work, Parker made a series of comic faces, pinching his cheeks and generally making it difficult for Mason to not burst out laughing.
"Uh, I gotta go, someone's at the front door. I'll tell mom you called, okay?" Mason said in an effort to end the call. Sometimes Aunt Caroline could be on the phone for hours.
"Okay, dear. I love you."
Going red in the face, Mason was forced to repeat the declaration before hanging up.
Parker was doubled over with laughter. "Did she say you had a cute face?"
Mason shot Parker the bird.
Parker tackled Mason to the floor. They wrestled until Parker's stomach rumbled. "Come on, bud," Parker stood up and held out a hand to help Mason rise. "Where you thinking about taking me on our date?" Parker said playfully.
'Date?' Mason thought. "Uh, well, there's that new steak house just off the exit ramp. It's supposed to be really good."
A shadow fell across Parker's beautiful features. "I was only joking."
"I know, but. I'd still like to go."
"Yeah but." Parker's hand went to his back pocket.
"My treat. You paid last time, remember?"
"Yeah but that place is real expensive, Wendy's the other night only cost. . ."
Mason put a finger over Parker's lips. "Hey, if I'm taking my man out on a date, then he's gonna have the best." Mason tried to emulate Parker's light tone, but he knew he wasn't fooling anyone.
Parker pulled Mason into a tight hug. "Let me use the can, then we'll get going, okay?"
Mason nodded, and watched Parker leave the room. He was both nervous and amazed at how open he'd allowed himself to be about his true feelings toward Parker.
* * * *
"This thing can go faster. Come on bud, don't be a pussy."
Mason was torn. On the one hand he didn't want to come across as a wimp in front of Parker. This warred with the type of person he'd always been. Mason was a law-abiding citizen. The fact that his uncle, whom he admired, was a cop played a large part in this.
"Sorry, Parker, but I don't want anything to happen to this baby, and dad would kill me if I got caught speeding." 'Not to mention my uncle,' Mason thought.
Parker shrugged. Mason hoped he didn't see him as a wuss. Maybe he should loosen up some, especially if he were to keep Parker interested 'and away from the likes of Hannah Berwick,' he thought following the signs for the freeway.
After riding a few miles, Mason took the exit ramp and soon he was pulling up outside the steak house. "Sorry, Parker, but I'm not a speed freak, it's just not who I am."
Parker smiled and clapped a hand on Mason's shoulder. "Don't worry, dude, you're still a cool guy."
Mason felt as though he was walking on air as he and Parker crossed the parking lot. His good mood lasted throughout their meal. When the conversation moved to soccer, Mason asked why Parker had attended his last game but kept himself hidden away.
Parker's face reddened, Mason thought it made him look even more adorable. "Well I'd, uh, sorta already realized that I liked you, and. . . But I still had to convince myself, you know?"
"Thanks, it meant a lot that you went, even if I didn't know it at the time."
"That's okay. When's the next game?"
"Next Thursday evening, at our school."
"I'll be there, bud."
The conversation moved to football. Parker became more expansive as well as boastful. Mason lapped it up.
The food had been great, the portions large, Mason's dining companion funny, happy and just incredible. He felt relaxed and content as they left the restaurant.
"Wanna have a turn at the wheel?" Mason asked tossing his car keys at Parker, who caught them effortlessly.
"Now you're talking." He grinned, something Mason tried to emulate, a feat made more difficult the longer Mason thought about what he was potentially in for.
After fastening their seatbelts, Parker said, "Let's see what this V/6 baby can do, wanna feel all 140 horses?"
Mason winced, wishing he'd not let Parker behind the wheel. As they drove along the freeway, Mason kept stealing anxious glances at the speedometer. Parker soon reached the posted limit, but thankfully never exceeded it. Mason slowly relaxed as it dawned on him that Parker wasn't going to get them in trouble.
Steering the car into the drive, Parker shut off the engine. Mason noticed his mom's car was already there.
"Guess I ought to be getting home," Parker said, sounding unenthusiastic.
"You don't have to go just cause Mom's home."
"Thanks," Parker said, giving Mason's left bicep a squeeze, "I'll just come in for a minute, but I've got homework, plus my chores."
The two got out of the Beretta and headed for the Grants' kitchen.
"Honey, I wondered where you were," Mason's mother asked, presenting her cheek for Mason to kiss. "Hello, Parker, thank you for driving my son to and from school today."
"Oh, that's okay, Mrs. Grant."
"Please, call me Samantha."
"When Parker brought me home we saw that the garage had returned my car, so we decided to take it out for a test drive."
"And how was the transmission?"
"It's good. I'm just taking Parker up to my room for a while, that okay?"
"Sure, honey. Will you stay for supper, Parker?"
"Thank you, Mrs. Um, Samantha, but Mason and I had something while we were out."
"Oh," Samantha said, bringing a hand to her cheek. "I almost forgot. I'm afraid your father has got something on at the University this weekend so we won't be able to get to the cabin."
"Oh, Mom!" Mason looked forward to the times spent at their place in the Cascade Mountains.
"Sorry, honey. But it can't be helped. You know how much pressure the Dean puts on your father."
"And how dad can never say no to him," Mason said sarcastically.
"Mason. That wasn't called for. Look, um, you could always go and take Parker, that is, if . . ."
Mason looked over at his new friend. He wouldn't have had the guts to ask himself, but as his mother had raised the subject, he couldn't help kindling the small ray of hope that had ignited in his heart.
"Um, I'd have to clear it with my mom, but I can't see why not."
"Fantastic!" Mason said loudly. He had to hold himself back from giving Parker a hug. He knew his parents were cool with their son being gay, but he'd never had an opportunity to test their tolerance of public displays of affection.
"You'll love it up there. It's so quiet and remote." Mason began to hope the solitude of the place wasn't a turn off to the outgoing, sociable Parker.
"Sounds cool."
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