FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2017

The school day ended and Lukas sat on the steps of the middle school and waited for Simon and Michael. Ear buds in, he beat out the rhythm of the song on his knees. The talent show gave him a much-needed boost to his confidence about playing in public. Despite Michael's showmanship and Simon's ability to play multiple string instruments, Lukas didn't realize that of the three boys, he possessed the most innate musical ability and the highest ceiling, if he wanted to pursue music.

The song ended and Lukas opened his eyes to see Simon descend the high school steps at the other end of the mallway. Everytime the blonde set his eyes on his best friend, he couldn't help but smile. Time froze for Lukas as he watched Simon head his way. Simon heard his name and stopped. Chloe Lin hurried to catch up with Simon. She looked really excited as she said something to boy. Then she threw her arms around his neck and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Simon looked embarrassed as Chloe drew back, said bye, and walked away. Simon turned and continued on his way to meet up with Lukas.

Lukas tried to deny what he saw. Did he really see Chloe kiss Simon? Was his worst nightmare coming true? Is Simon really interested in girls? Maybe even Chloe? Simon and Chloe have known each other for years and they were friends -- but dating?

Lukas wiped the tears from his eyes in a way not to draw attention. His father told him this day may come but he'd hoped that it never would. In the few minutes it took for Simon to reach the middle school, Lukas decided that he would pretend he hadn't seen anything and let Simon tell him in his own time.

"Dude, what happened to Michael today?" asked Simon, really concerned about his little friend.

Lukas was caught off guard. That was not what he expected Simon to say. "What? What do you mean?" The kiss from a few moments ago temporarily forgotten.

"He got to class today he could hardly move. He wouldn't tell me anything, but he looked to be in a lot of pain."

"I don't know. The last I saw him he was running into the locker room to change to go to class."

"Shouldn't he be out here by now? Or does he have soccer practice today?"

"Let's go find him."

The boys headed into the school. Simon waited inside the front doors to catch Michael in case he made an appearance while Lukas ran down to the locker room to see about soccer practice. Returning, Lukas said there was no one around so there must not be any practices today.

"Let's try his locker, he always comes back over here to get his books before going home. Maybe he's upstairs," suggested Lukas. His level of concern rose by the moment.

When they reached the third floor and turned the corner, they found Michael sitting on the floor beside his backpack with Mrs. Harmon and the school nurse, Ella Martin. Both boys broke into a run.

"What happened?" asked Lukas, ready to fix any problem.

"Are you alright?" Simon asked, deeply concerned about Michael and guessing that this situation has something to do with Michael's earlier condition.

"I'm alright," said Michael through his tears. "I just fell."

Mrs. Harmon started to fill in the gaps. "I was in the hallway here when Michael tried to pick up his full backpack and dropped it. I called Miss Martin to come up and take a look. But so far, Michael's just said he's fine."

"I'm fine, it's.. it's just my backpack is too heavy," offered Michael. The four concerned individuals standing over him weren't swayed one iota by his explanation.

"Here," Simon offered his hand. Michael started to reach with his right hand, flinched in pain, and then reached with his left hand. Simon helped Michael to his feet.

"Where does it hurt, Michael?" asked Ella. Michael pointed to his ribs just below his right arm pit.

"Can I raise your shirt to take a look?" she asked. Michael nodded and everyone moved into position to get a better look. Ella pulled his shirt up carefully to reveal a black and blue bruise that clearly showed the imprint of the throat and lower head of a lacrosse stick.

"Wow, that looks painful. Where did you fall? We could have a real safety hazard on our hands that needs to be fixed right away." Michael looked away so no one could see his face to tell he was lying. Michael explained that he slipped and fell on the steps leading down to the locker room on his way to change before heading to the high school, Ella pointed to the outline of the bruise to make sure everyone understood that this injury was NOT caused by a fall on the steps.

"Okay, I'll report the incident to the principal so we can look for ways to improve school safety. I'm sorry you fell and hurt yourself, Michael." Ella adjusted Michael shirt and turned the boy around to face her. "You need to get to the doctor or urgent care to have that checked out."

Turning to Simon and Lukas, "Will you boys grab his gear? We need to head to the office and call his mother to come pick him up."

"No, I'm fine," argued Michael. "You don't need to call my mom." He didn't want to be a problem for his mother, she had enough on her plate.

"He's right," said Lukas. Everyone turned to the skinny blond, surprised that he would suggest that Michael was fine.

"No, I mean we don't need to call his mother," clarified Lukas. "My dad has some sort of guardianship over Michael and he's home right now. I'll call my dad, instead." With that, he pulled out his iPhone and called Lars.

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As the afternoon wore on, the pain grew more intense. Lars and the boys returned from the emergency room and helped Michael out of the car. He walked gingerly into the house and sat at the kitchen table. The couch would have been more comfortable, but he didn't want to have to get up and to move to the table for dinner.

Before Lars began dinner, he and the other two boys joined Michael at the kitchen table. Lars pulled out his phone and brought up the photo of Michael's injury. He showed it to the young boy.

"Looks pretty painful, doesn't it?" It was more of a statement than a question asked by Lars and he watched Michael's reaction.

The boy was smart and figured out that he'd been caught in his lie. There was no way anyone believed he fell. The injury was clearly made by someone hitting him with a lacrosse stick. He looked down at his hands and spun his phone on the table. He didn't know what to say.

"Michael, I'm really disappointed that you lied to us," said Lars. "I didn't expect you'd to do that to us."

Lukas thought his dad was laying it on a bit thick, but Lars expressed exactly what everyone was feeling. No one expected Michael to lie and couldn't understand why he would.

Tears streamed down Michael's cheeks. As much as he was embarrassed that Lewis was bullying him and he hadn't been able to defend himself, he was even more embarrassed and heartbroken he'd disappointed those he loved so much. In a quiet whisper, Michael apologized, "I'm sorry."

"What really happened?" asked Lars.

"Well, during gym, I took a shot on goal and got knocked down. The ball went the other way with a long pass, and everyone started running down the field. I started to get up and got whacked in the side. I don't think anyone saw it happen."

"Do you know who did it?" asked Lars.

"I think so," answered Michael.

"I don't know if you are trying to protect someone or if you think this isn't a big deal, but you received two cracked ribs. From your story and the injury, there is no way that the hit was an accident. Who hit you?" asked Lars with his stern, fatherly tone. The same tone that always worked with Lukas and Simon.

"Lewis."

Lars gave Lukas "the look" meaning, get a hold of yourself. His son's knuckles were white, and jaw clenched.

The revelation of Lewis Fuerst's name in conjunction with Michael's injury was the last piece of the puzzle. Everything made sense, and it also meant there was more trouble on the horizon.

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"How are you feeling?" asked Simon.

Michael was lying flat on his back in the middle of Lukas' bed with his shirt off and ribs bandaged. It was the most comfortable position he could find. "It's sore, but not that bad."

"Well, we still have a few hours before bed and I think lacrosse and music are both out tonight," said Lukas as he assessed the situation.

"But that doesn't mean we can't be productive," said Simon. He grabbed his phone and a notebook then took a seat at the desk. "Let's plan a setlist for homecoming."

The task at hand pushed the day's events to the side and focused the boys. Ideas started flying.

"We should play some songs with Simon on his double-bass," thought Michael. He enjoyed the sound and it would look cool on stage.

"Maybe we should do some acoustic songs," offered Simon.

"And if we are doing a show, we have to mix it up with some slower songs to go with the punk songs," stated Lukas as a matter of fact.

"This is great," said Simon as he scratched notes on the paper in front of him. "Now we'll know what to start practicing tomorrow."

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On the walk home from school, Gavin should have been excited about his brother waiting for him. But today, he was preoccupied with worry about Michael. According to Lukas' texts, their young friend wouldn't give a straight answer about how he'd been hurt. Lukas said he couldn't tell if he was hiding something or if he was embarrassed by something. But by the time Gavin reached his home, he was convinced that someone hurt Michael intentionally and he fumed.

"What's up little brother!" shouted Garrett as he got up and grabbed Gavin into a bear hug.

"Hey Garrett," Gavin said a lot less excitement but returned his brother's hug.

"Whoa, what's up? Trouble in paradise already?" Garrett teased then realized what a bad idea that was when he saw the look in Gavin's face. "Hey, come in and meet some friends I brought home with me and then we'll find some place private to talk." Gavin gave a short nod.

"Gavin, these are two fine gentlemen are Zach Schultz and Mason Randolph. Zach plays guitar and keyboard and Mason plays keyboard and percussion. Both of these guys graduated from East Harbor ahead of me and we ran into each other in LA. When they heard that I was coming down to meet the band and about homecoming show, they wanted to come too," explained Garrett. Gavin said polite greetings and fist bumped his brother's friends. "Hey guys, I need to talk to Gavin for a few. I'll be back."

The boys when upstairs. Since Garrett's old room was the first door at the top of the stairs, they went inside and closed the door.

"Dude, what's up? Is everything alright?" asked Garrett before the door was even closed.

"Something happened today and I'm not sure what it is," said Gavin, still preoccupied with Michael.

"What is it? Tell me," replied Garrett, taking a seat on his bed and pushing his desk chair to Gavin. Gavin took a seat and propped his feet up on the bed. Garrett scooted back and piled up his pillows to support his back. It looked like this was going to be a long conversation.

"You know I mentioned Michael," started Gavin.

"Well yeah, who else would get you in a mood like this," Garrett retorted. "Sorry, I know you care for him."

"Well, he and Simon are in my Geometry class."

"Wait, I thought you said he was eleven and in the eighth grade?"

"He is, and he takes Geometry and Chemistry at the high school."

"Wow. Okay, go on."

"Well, he comes to class today in a lot of pain. He could hardly move without cringing. When we asked what happened, he said he fell down, but I didn't buy it. I think someone did it to him."

"Why? Who?"

"I don't know. But I bet he's been bullied before and I bet it's happening again."

"It could be. But what do you do now?" asked Garrett.

"I don't know," moaned Gavin. He rested his head on the back of the chair and stared at the ceiling. "I want Michael to trust me enough to tell me. So, I should probably just wait for him to tell me and let Dr. Meijer take care of this. But like hurting someone as badly as Michael appeared to be hurt isn't just bullying. I mean, this is pretty fucking serious. I need to do something about it."

"Look, he should be home by now, right? Why don't you call to check up on him? Make sure he made it home okay and that he isn't seriously injured. We're gonna go see him tomorrow so you can have your talk with him then. Okay?" Garrett felt like it made sense and hoped Gavin would too.

"Yeah, you're right," agreed Gavin.

"Okay, go make your call and come down and hang with us." Garrett go up off the bed and ruffled Gavin's hair like he did when they were kids. Gavin rolled his eyes and gave a big sigh.

Once he reached his own bedroom, Gavin dropped his books on his desk and pulled out his phone. He realized he didn't have Michael's number, so he called Simon. The phone rang multiple times and rolled over to voicemail. He immediately dialed again. This time Simon picked up.

"Hey Gavin," said Simon, quietly like he couldn't talk at the moment.

"What's going on? It's Michael isn't it? What happened? Where are you?" Gavin was getting himself worked up.

"Gavin. Gavin, he's going to be fine. He was in a lot of pain after school, so Lars brought him to the ER. They took x-rays and say he has two cracked ribs. They are bandaging his ribs now." That was all the information that Simon offered.

"What happened to him? He didn't fall. Someone did it to him, didn't they?"

"Well... hang on." Gavin moved around the corner and out of earshot of Michael. "He hasn't told us who, but the bruise on his side was clearly made by a lacrosse stick. We think someone hit him during gym class today." Simon looked back around the corner to check to see if he's missed yet. "Don't worry, he's going to be fine and Lars will have him singing like a bird by dinner. At least that's what he does with me and Lukas."

"Okay," said Gavin. There wasn't really anything else he could say or do until he knew more. "Oh, Simon?"

"Yeah, Gavin."

"Would you send me Michael's contact information?"

"Sure thing. I'll talk to you later. I need to get back in there."

"Yeah, okay. Later..."

Simon ended the call and texted Gavin Michael's contact info as he watched the nurse finish bandaging the busted ribs.

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SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2017

Something dragged Lukas out of his deep sleep. Uncertain if he was really awake or still asleep, he wondered if he dreamed the chiming of their doorbell.

*ding dong*

Lukas gently untangled himself from Michael and the blankets, careful not to wake the sleeping boy, or Simon. He slipped on a pair of shorts and headed to the front door. Lukas peeked through the eye hole to see who was there, he heard his father come up behind him.

"Who is it?" asked Lars, still groggy. Last night, after he gave Michael some pain medicine that allowed the boy to finally fall to sleep, he, Simon, and Lukas stayed up far too late discussing the situation.

"Oh! It's Michael's mom," said Lukas as he unlocked the door.

"Good morning. I'm sorry. Did I wake you guys? I can come back later..." said Megan. She stepped back from the door as she offered to leave.

"No, please, come in," said Lars.

Megan entered and gave Lukas a quick hug. "Good morning, Megan," he said, hugging her back. "I'm going back to bed."

"I'm sorry for coming so early," Megan apologized. She hadn't been up this early since moving to town.

"Don't apologize, I'm glad you are here. You're looking good this morning," greeted Lars. He directed Megan to his office.

"Thanks. I went to a meeting last night and then got a good night's sleep last night," she explained. "I'm feeling a lot better this morning."

"That's terrific," said Lars, truly excited that she'd taken the first steps to get herself together. "How did you like the meeting?"

"It was really great to open up and feel understood by people going through similar things."

"So, what are your next steps?"

"Well, Marc suggests I go to an in-patient program in Arizona. It isn't strictly for alcohol or chemical dependency. It's focused on helping individuals get through tough patches and get their head on straight. But if I do that, I'll be out of communication with everyone, including Michael, for 60 days."

"Are you going to do it?" asked Lars.

"I think I should."

"I do too. There isn't a better time and you know we'll take good care of Michael. He's adjusting to East Harbor pretty well and being with Simon and Lukas seems to be doing him a world of good."

"Yes, I think so too."

"When do you plan on leaving?"

"Tomorrow."

"Oh, wow. That's good. I'm really glad you are moving forward."

"I am too. Michael will be fine with you, right? Am I making the right decision for him, too?"

"Of course, the boys and I wouldn't have it any other way. He's starting to feel at home here and understands your need to focus on yourself right now." He didn't mention that Michael's spent more nights in Lukas and Simon's room than he has in his own room down the street.

"I want to leave you some money for taking care of Michael while I'm gone." Megan dug into her purse to find her checkbook.

"Absolutely not. It is my pleasure to have Michael here and the boys love him like a little brother. I'm not going to take a penny from you for having Michael stay here."

"But you've done so much for us already."

"No. Put that away, we have some bigger things to discuss."

Megan paused and looked at Lars to gauge how alarmed she should be. She stopped by today because Lars had called her and told her they needed to talk about Michael.

"What is it?" asked Megan.

"First, what are your thoughts on the budding romance with Gavin Parker?"

"Michael's been in a loving, sexual relationship with an older boy before. I think it was really good for him while it lasted. He's not like other boys, particularly boys his age. He's more mature, more compassionate, and more loving."

"How much older was the boy he had a relationship with?" asked Lars.

"About the same age as Gavin. Maybe a little older," said Megan. She was becoming a bit agitated with this conversation. He wondered if the answers he sought were in the court transcripts, but he hadn't read them all yet.

"Who was the boy? What happened?" asked Lars.

"It was his brother, Matthew," Megan stated flatly. "The relationship ended with the allegations against Matthew's football coach. To protect Matthew from the fallout, we sent him to stay with his grandparents. Bruce left with Matthew while Michael was out of the house. We didn't know about their relationship at the time, and they didn't know they were being split up. Once their relationship came to light in court, the families prevented Michael and Matthew from even speaking to each other."

The more detail Lars learned about Michael's past, the more heart wrenching it seemed. In the aftermath of all the abuse and the trauma of the police investigation and court hearings, he lost the person he loved so dearly without even being able to say goodbye.

"Megan, Gavin is a person of good character. He came out when he was about Michael's age, but never dated. He has waited to find someone very special and it seems Michael is that person. He truly adores Michael and will be look out for him. I know many people will frown upon their relationship because of the age difference, but we'll be there to support them, as will their friends."

"Good. Are they a couple already?" asked Megan.

"No, but I don't imagine it will be long. They are really sweet together," said Lars.

"Yes, I could tell Michael was already in love when he introduced me to Gavin. He was practically floating in the air," Megan cracked a smile thinking about her baby boy crushing hard on the handsome older boy. Both adults took a moment to reflect on the two boys before Lars changed topics.

"But Megan, we have a more serious topic to discuss. Do not let this incident change your plans to go to Arizona. That is the most important thing you can do for Michael at the moment." Lars clearly stated his position, but only succeeded in making Megan uneasy about what he was about to tell her.

"What happened?" asked Megan.

"Promise me you won't change you plans." Lars needed to make sure that Megan continued to focus on herself, even if there is a situation here to deal with.

"Yes," stated Megan. She was not entirely confident in her answer, but it felt good when she said it. It felt good to know she was doing what is best for her, and for Michael. Then she repeated her answer with more bravado. "Yes, I'm going to go to Arizona in the morning no matter what you tell me."

Lars smiled. He was happy with her commitment and the confidence with which she said it.

"Yesterday, there was an incident at school that Michael kept quiet until it was too late in the day to take the appropriate action."

"Okay..." Megan said cautiously, waiting to hear more of the story.

"There is a boy at school named Lewis Fuerst that has targeted Michael for bullying."

"Yes, I am aware of that. Michael told me about their encounter last week in gym. The boy was taking shots at Michael and Michael stood up for himself and kicked the ball into the boys'... well... into his family jewels." Megan smiled recalling the fun she and Michael had at breakfast when he told her the story.

"Well, Lewis isn't one to let things go. Yesterday, he had another opening in gym class and took it. No one saw the incident and Michael didn't want anyone to know it was Lewis who hurt him. Michael told everyone he'd hurt himself falling down the steps to locker room. However, the injury was clearly made by a lacrosse stick." Lars showed Megan the photo he'd taken of Michael's injury. "Michael later confessed to me what actually happened. Lewis hit him." Lars paused to gather himself and to choose his words carefully. "Lukas called me to pick them up from school and I took Michael to the ER. He sustained two cracked ribs."

Megan gasped. "Oh my god!"

"He's going to be fine, but the school is going to have to escalate this to the police. They may decide to press charges which will require Michael to give a statement to the police and maybe even testifying in court."

"That's not good. Couldn't that retraumatize him from the last trial?" asked Megan.

"I'll be here for him. He's started opening up to me and has been doing a really good job talking about what happened and how he's feeling. I think he'll be fine," Lars assured Megan.

"That's good. His therapist back in Oregon couldn't get him to talk about anything."

"Well, I think he's ready to start moving past everything. Hey, do you have time to have breakfast with us?"

"Yeah, I don't have much to do be get ready for Arizona."

"Let's start batch of French toast and come coffee. That will have the boys up and ready to eat in no time." Agreed, Lars texted Carol to come over and join them for breakfast.

With coffee brewing, Megan made French toast while Lars made eggs and sausage links, and Carol prepared the table. Their efforts worked exactly as planned.

Michael's brain registered the aroma of his favorite breakfast. "French toast!"

That woke up the other two boys. They also caught a whiff of breakfast and decided to crawl out of bed. Simon and Lukas were first up making their morning pit stop. Michael, on the other hand, was taking a bit longer to climb out of bed. His ribs were extra tender. He moved slowly in order to experience as little pain as possible. Michael finally made it to the bathroom and took care of his business. The three boys wandered into the kitchen in their underwear.

"Morning dad..." mumbled Lukas.

Simon grumbled, "Hi mom..."

"MOM!" Michael was surprised to see his mother there making the French toast. Michael moved towards his mother as fast as he could comfortably go.

"Oh shit!" squealed Lukas. He took off for his bedroom once he realized he was practically naked in front of company. Simon followed in the pursuit of clothing. Both boys returned shortly in shorts and t-shirts.

Michael, on the other hand, hugged his mother the best he could, and she carefully hugged him back. He wasn't even aware he was only in his boxer briefs.

"Have a seat at the table, honey. I'll make your plate for you," said Megan as she shooed Michael with a soft smack on his butt. The young boy couldn't be happier than to have his mom there with his best friends and their parent, all having French toast together. The perfect morning if you were to ask him.

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With Michael's ribs, Lars suggested that they do their weekend session while Lukas, Simon and the guys had their Saturday morning lacrosse practice. Though Michael was disappointed he couldn't continue his lacrosse training, he knew it he physically couldn't. At breakfast, it was a struggle for him to simply lift a glass of milk with his right hand.

After meeting with Lars, Michael had some time to kill. His mom ran some errands to prepare for her trip and the boys wouldn't be back from lacrosse until noon or so. Weighing his options, he considered going home to play with his Legos -- he hadn't gotten them out since the move. But the effort to go home and lift boxes of Lego pieces was far greater than what he felt he was up for. Instead, he decided to head over to the studio.

He was happy to hear Chloe and Simon's other friends in the string section were excited to be part of the homecoming plan. With the big show before the game, part of Michael wished homecoming was later in the fall. It was going to be a lot of work to get a show put together for Friday's pregame student and alumni gathering and from the start, the band's plans for the show were rather ambitious. But the scheme Simon put into motion for the homecoming dance on Saturday made Michael wish it was tonight. Well, tonight if his ribs weren't so banged up.

Piano seemed to work best with his ribs. Singing was only going to happen if he sang quietly to himself because taking a deep breath was painful. He began practicing the song Simon heard the other day and then progressed to other songs he enjoyed accompanying himself on piano.

After an hour and a half practicing, Michael decided he needed to take some pain medication. He wanted to feel better when the guys came back from lacrosse. Lars was happy to help him out and grabbed the doctor's prescribed medication. He talked to Lars for a bit and by the time Michael made it back to the studio, the pain medication was making him groggy. Within minutes of plopping on the sofa, he was out like a light.

The boys showed up about an hour later with Garrett, Zach and Mason in tow. The nap and pain medication did Michael some good and before long, he was wide awake and ready to play once everyone else was plugged in. Gavin introduced Garrett to everyone, and Garrett introduced his friends Zach and Mason.

Lukas looked at Zach kind of funny for a second. "You look kinda like my friend Scott. Did Garrett say your last name is Schultz?"

"Yeah, I'm the oldest of five kids and Scottie's the youngest. Hey, wait. If you guys know Scott, then you're Michael from the soccer team, right?" asked Zach as he turned to Michael.

"Uh, yeah," Michael said, wondering where this conversation was going.

"Wow, it's nice to meet you Michael. Scott talks about you a lot and how you've inspired the soccer team this season. Congrats on betting Madison, too," Zach gave the young boy a fist bump. Michael didn't know what to say so he just sat there quietly.

Zach invited Garrett and Mason over to his family's house for dinner so the older boys left around 6:30 pm. Before they departed, the group round out the set list and who would be playing what. This way, they could all work independently to perfect their part of each song. More importantly, they were able to pick songs that some of them already knew so no one had to learn all the music. If they pulled it off, the show would be nearly two hours with an intermission in the middle.

With the studio shut down for the evening and four rumbling stomachs, the boys, Michael, Lukas, Simon and Gavin, considered their options for food.

"I have an idea," offered Michael, uncertain of how his friend would react to his suggestion. "We can have dinner at my house, if you guys want." To Michael, having his friends over for dinner with his mom home was the ultimate. It would confirm their friendship and make Michael feel like life was getting back to a normal home life.

"Really? Is your mom okay with that?" asked Simon.

"Ummm... yeah," started Michael. "She's going away tomorrow for a couple months and I wanted to be with her tonight, but I want you guys there too and to spend the night."

"That's a great idea," said Lukas. He could tell from the hope and excitement in the boy's voice that it meant a lot to their little friend.

"And Gavin too. Can you come?" asked Michael.

"Let me ask the 'rents'..." Gavin was texting before he finished the sentence.

"And ask if you can spend the night too!" added Michael excitedly.

Michael grabbed his phone and texted his mother that he'd be coming home soon with his friends to have dinner and spend the night. He bubbled with excitement that was only contained by the pain of his ribs.

When they arrived at Michael's, his mother had dinner almost finished. "Hi mom! We're here!"

"Aww man, something smells good. I'm starving!" said Simon.

"Thanks for inviting us for dinner, Megan," said Lukas, giving a surprised Megan a hug.

"Yeah, thanks Mrs. Grant," said Gavin. He was feeling a bit shy and awkward around Michael's mother, especially after she gave him the go ahead to date her 11-year-old son. He was still trying to get his head around that idea when everyone else seemed fine with it.

"It's Megan, Gavin," she corrected with a smile. "Alright. Michael, you know how this works, explain it to your guests." Megan knew how proud Michael was to show is friends off and for him to host his friend. It wasn't something he got to do very often back in Oregon. Tonight, she wanted him to be the center of attention.

Michael handed her the bag Lars had given him with his medication then explained the Grant family's famous make-your-own burrito (or burrito bowl) bar. "Start here and grab a bowl or burrito shell. We have seasoned ground turkey, refried beans and black beans, freshly chopped tomatoes, onions and green peppers, jalapeños, homemade guacamole and cheese. We also have chips and queso here." Michael waved his hand to the different chips and dips over on the far side of the sink. "You can use the microwave to warm up the burrito shell before you wrap it so it won't tear and if you don't know how to wrap your burrito, I can help."

"I think that about explains it," Megan concluded before adding, "I have soda in the fridge so help yourself. Dig in!" She was certain that she'd have plenty for leftovers for the boys to take to Lars' the next day. However, she grossly underestimated how much they would enjoy the food. The boys demolished the burrito bar and transported the queso, guac, and chips to the living room to enjoy while they watched movies before bed.

"Mom! Come watch movies with us!" shouted Michael from the living room as he pulled up Netflix.

"I'll be there in a minute," answered Megan.

"I'll be back," said Gavin and he got up and walked around the corner.

"Can I help you clean up?" asked Gavin.

"Sure thing, sweetie," answered Megan. She had already consolidated the few left overs into a disposable container, so Megan asked Gavin to rinse the dishes and place them in the dishwasher.

"I think Michael's going to need his pain medicine before we start the movie." Gavin had noticed Michael favoring his right side more and more as the evening progressed.

"Thank you for noticing, Gavin. I'm glad you are around to help look out for my son." Mega brushed her hand across Gavin's cheek with a sad look in her eyes. She worried about being away from Michael the next few weeks, but with Lars and the boys around, she knew he would be well taken care of.

"Let's see. Michael gave me those meds and they are right here," she pulled the prescription from the bag. They finished up in the kitchen and reached the living room as the other three finalized the planned viewing for the evening. They were going to start with Marvel's "Doctor Strange" and then watch the Netflix Original "Little Evil."

Megan handed Michael his pain medication and he swallowed it with a gulp of soda. She curled up with a cup of tea in her favorite arm chair while the boys got comfy on the couch. On the far end, Simon was laying on his side with his head resting on his hand, elbow on the arm of the couch. Lukas was the little spoon with his head on the arm of the sofa. Simon had his free arm draped over the blond boy. Their intimacy didn't go unnoticed. No one had ever mentioned that the two boys were a couple, but it certainly looked like they were. They were so at ease with each other. She actually felt a bit jealous of the special bond Lukas and Simon exhibited.

At the opposite end of the couch, Gavin was kicked back with his socked feet up on the ottoman. Michael was snuggled up to Gavin with his head on the older boy's shoulder. Gavin's arm was around her son, holding his left side. Megan smiled at the sight. Michael looked so content.

"Doctor Strange," part of the Marvel movie universe that Michael and Lukas loved so much, was exciting. But as captivated as the boys were, the pain medicine put Michael to sleep midway through the movie. Megan looked over in time to see Gavin plant a kiss on top of Michael's head as he played with the sleeping boy's hair.

Megan needed to get on the road early in the morning, so she headed off to bed between movies. "Little Evil" was funny but not enough to completely keep Lukas' mind off the kiss Chloe gave Simon after school. Yeah, it was only on the cheek, but it was Simon's cheek and Lukas didn't like it at all. He once again tried to convince himself that it didn't happen and snuggled even tighter into Simon. The saying "enjoy it while it lasts" kept bouncing around in the blonde's head. As much as he despised that saying, it seemed to pop into his mind with increasing frequency.

At the end of the second movie, the boys decided on sleeping arrangements. Lukas remembered some extra blankets and pillows in the linen closet outside Michael's bathroom. He retrieved those and joined Simon on the couch. That left Michael's bed for the other two boys. Gavin carefully lifted Michael and carried him upstairs. In the privacy of the bedroom, Gavin wasn't sure what to do. They'd always simply fell to sleep on the couch at Lukas' so their state of dress, or undress, was never a thought. But here in Michael's bedroom, they could get comfortable. Gavin considered undressing himself, and Michael, to their underwear, but worried someone might think he was taking advantage of the younger boy. As a compromise, he decided to get their socks and shirts off, but leave their shorts in place. However, getting Michael's t-shirt off without waking him was more difficult than he planned. Eventually, he gave up and just crawled into bed beside the boy he adored and fell into a deep sleep.

Simon also fell to sleep quickly. It didn't matter that he was in a strange house or cramped up on a couch. The comfort of holding Lukas in his arms and the scent of the blonde's hair could make Simon feel at home anywhere. Lukas, on the other hand, laid awake and ruminated about the kiss.

As the minutes passed, Lukas wiped tears from his cheeks and felt a loneliness he'd never experienced before. For a few brief moments he fell into a fitful sleep. He dreamed he and Simon clutched debris floating in the ocean during storm. The waves splashed over the boys causing Lukas to lose his grip of Simon's hand. Lukas cried out and grasped for Simon, but the ocean currents caused the boys to drift farther and farther apart.

"Lukas," whispered Simon, holding his lover to make sure he didn't fall from the sofa. "Lukas, wake up."

The spell cast by the nightmare broken, Lukas opened his eyes. In the dim light he saw Simon's concern written all over his handsome face. Seeing Simon, Lukas burst into tears.

Simon drew Lukas to his chest and held the boy tight. Lukas wanted to steel himself for the inevitable but couldn't. He wrapped his arms around Simon and held on for dear life. Simon stroked his hair and let the boy get it out of his system.

Lukas finally stopped crying and released Simon. Simon sensed Lukas would be able to talk to him. "What's wrong?"

"I need you." What Lukas meant was he needed Simon every minute of every day for the rest of his life. But he felt that more importantly, he needed to express his immediate need for Simon. He pulled off his t-shirt and dropped it on the floor before shimming out of his boxers and shorts. Kicking them onto the floor, Lukas was left wearing only his white ankle socks. He tugged at the hem of Simon's t-shirt hoping the taller boy would get the hint. Simon looked over at the door to Megan's bedroom and back to Lukas with a questioning look. Lukas answered by jamming his hand down the front of shorts and grabbing Simon by the balls.

"Ssssssss..." hissed Simon. He closed his eyes and dropped his head backwards onto the back of the couch. With Simon's head tilted back, Lukas leaned in and lapped and sucked at the boy's neck. Simon's manhood quickly rose to the occasion and stretched out along the inside of Lukas' forearm.

Simon didn't need another hint. When Lukas retreated, the high schooler slipped out of t-shirt. He grabbed Lukas' head and kissed his best friend with all the passion a horny 14-year-old could possess.

Lukas broke the kiss and put it on the line for Simon. He clutched the fat cock that was dripping pre cum on his arm and stated, "This is mine and I want it now."

Something about Lukas' directness really amped Simon up. He didn't know where any of this was coming from, but if Lukas wanted dick, he was going to give it to him. In a flash, Simon had kicked his shorts onto the floor alongside Lukas'. Their proximity to Michael's mother forgotten as lust took over the pair of horny teenagers. Luckily for the boys, Megan's sedative made her sleep like the dead.

Lukas moved the coffee table out of the way then pulled Simon up off the couch. The dark-haired teen smeared his dripping pre cum around the head of his cock as he watched Lukas get into position. The blonde balanced on his knees on the edge of the sofa before he leaned forward and draped himself over the back of the couch. He arched his back and pointed his ass at Simon. "Fuck it like you own it."

Simon moved between Lukas' feet prompting the kneeling boy to spread his knee's wider. This opened his butt cheeks and exposed his young, needy pussy to his boned-up lover. Simon dribbled spit into the top of Lukas' crack and massaged it into his lover's hole with the head of his cock. A second glob of spit landed on his thick shaft for Simon to smear over his aching cock in preparation for penetration.

Every time something brushed against Lukas' backside, he lunged backwards, longing for whatever it was to enter his ass. Simon knew the boy was ready. Without further ado, he lined up and pressed forward. In one even stroke, he slid in balls deep. This time it was Lukas' turn to hiss.

"Ssssss... oh gawd," moaned Lukas. "You feel so good in me. Now fuck me."

Simon latched onto the skinny hips presented before him and began to saw his cock in and out of the familiar hole. With each cycle, Simon picked up speed and applied more force. Before long, Simon was lifting onto his toes with each thrust causing a loud slap as his pelvis smacked up against Lukas' firm teen ass. Each time Simon bottomed out, Lukas emitted a grunt and his head nearly smacked into the wall behind the couch. They fucked frantically until Simon grabbed Lukas by the shoulders and embedded himself fully to ensure not a single drop of his cum was wasted. His body shook as he shot stream after stream of searing hot cum into the begging ass. Lukas felt Simon's cock swell as his top achieved his orgasm. Using every bit of strength he could muster, Lukas used his ass muscles to milk Simon's cock for every drop cum he could extract from his lover. 'Let's see Chloe do that,' thought Lukas.

Simon released Lukas and rested his hands on the back of the sofa on either side of Lukas' body. Lukas, however, wasn't finished. He squeezed Simon's cock in his ass and gyrated his hips to help his lover maintain an erection for round two.

Lukas felt Simon's knees wobble and knew they needed to find a better position. He grabbed Simon's hands and placed them back on his hips. "Keep it in and let's lay back down on the couch." With some careful maneuvering, the boys managed to return to the couch, spooned up with Simon still embedded in Lukas' ass. However, the couch didn't offer much space for fucking. Simon wasn't about to let that prevent him from satisfying Lukas' needs.

With careful manipulation of Lukas' body onto his side, Simon managed to raise up to his knee. Sliding that knee behind Lukas, he placed his other foot on the floor for leverage as he straddled Lukas' lower leg. He grabbed Lukas' other ankle and placed it over his shoulder so he could use his head to keep Lukas spread open. He hugged Lukas' leg to his body immobilizing the needy bottom. It also kept Lukas' fuck hole in the perfect position for Simon to plunder.

Simon tested the new position with a few in and out motions. With a few minor adjustments to his position, Simon leaned over Lukas causing Lukas' hips to twist upward. It gave Simon a better angle for deeper entry. With all his power, Simon fucked Lukas with a vengeance. Lukas was pinned in place and under Simon's complete control. This was new for their love making and it turned Lukas on even more. The little drummer rambled in delirium, "Oh yeah... oh, so good... right there... fuck me... harder..." With each thrust, Lukas felt his cock grow harder as it wagged in time with Simon's violent thrusts.

"Are you going to cum for me Lukas?" Simon wasn't sure where these words came from, but they seemed like the appropriate thing to say.

Lukas nodded his head and moaned.

"Will you cum with me?"

Lukas nodded again and his moans turned into whimpering.

"I'm almost there Lukas. Are you ready?"

Lukas nodded faster and his whimpering rose in pitch. Simon sped up in anticipation of his orgasm.

"I'm almost there Lukas... Are you ready? It's coming... It's coming... NOW!"

With Simon's command and one final shove of his adult-sized sex organ, Lukas arched his back and sprayed cum everywhere. To help out, Simon grabbed the twitching cock and frantically jerked it to prolong Lukas' orgasm. The anal spasms caused by Lukas' orgasm intensified Simon's orgasm almost causing the top boy to black out.

As Lukas orgasm subsided, the stimulation of Simon's hand on his sensitive cock caused the boy to jerk and twitch. Spent, Simon dropped down behind Lukas and held him close. Both boys were asleep almost immediately.

----------------------     

MONDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2017

You would think having a child psychologist as a parent would be a pain in the ass. But for Lukas, he felt there were only benefits. The benefit he enjoyed the most was that other parents were more lenient when it came to their children going to or staying over at Lukas' house. Lars was well respected in the community and Lukas' reputation as a compassionate student with excellent character was also well known by the parents. When someone's child was invited over to the Meijer residence, parents allowed their children to accept the invitation with the hope the influence of Lars and Lukas would impact their own children.

That's why Lukas was successful in organizing a sleep over for his 14th birthday. Curtis, Scott, Jordan, Will and Trajan from the lunch table were joining Lukas after school to do homework and celebrate. The group met up with Michael and Simon before the walk up Maple Street. Everyone was excited for Lukas' birthday and the sleep over.

They piled into the house. The nice, calm, quiet setting in the home immediately filled with excitement and teen hormones. For a moment, Lars had second thoughts about housing eight boys -- seven teens and one preteen -- on a school night. He slipped a third lasagna into the oven as the group entered the kitchen area.

"Hey boys!" greeted Lars.

"Hi, Dr. Meijer!" said the boys almost in unison. All of the boys had spent time at Lukas' home and were comfortable around his dad -- even liking him as much as any teen can like an adult.

Typically, Lars would have told them to call him Lars, but today he thought keeping things on a more formal basis could serve him well later. He needn't worry. Lukas had everything under control.

"Let's get our homework done and then hit the pool," instructed Lukas. It wasn't a hard sell. The boys looked forward to horsing around in the pool.

Simon and Michael sat at the breakfast bar to work on Geometry together and the other eighth graders sat around the kitchen table. Lars grabbed some cookies and chips while Lukas offered his friends drinks so they could snack while doing their homework.

The boys worked diligently and provided support when needed. Lars watched as Michael helped Simon with Geometry when the teen got frustrated. The younger boy had really become tight with Lukas and Simon and was a real pleasure to have around the house. As the boys finished their homework, they packed up their books and headed to Lukas' bedroom to change into swimsuits and waited for the others to finish.

By 5:00, all the boys were finished, changed, and headed out to the pool and hot tub. Simon opened the sliding glass walls and played music over the sound system in the studio.

Lars smiled hearing the laughter coming from the backyard. Dinner was in the oven and the garlic bread was buttered and read to toast when the lasagna was finished. In the meantime, he watched his son and the other boys having a good time.

From time to time, Lars wondered if he'd made the right decision to leave Denmark when his relationship with Jan crashed and burned after Lukas' birth. Lars never imagined being a single parent, but here he was, 14 years later, raising his son in Southern California. He reminded himself of the two reasons he should never doubt he made the right decision. First, Lukas never asked about his other parent. Once, when he was in Kindergarten, there had been a discussion about parents and Lukas said he didn't have a mom. When his classmates insisted he had to have a mother somewhere, he asked Lars when he got home from school. Lars told him that they'd talk about it when he was older and that satisfied the little tike. Now, at 14, Lukas hadn't been bothered to ask again. Second, he saw how happy his son was with his friends. He wasn't exactly sure if it was his parenting, or just the luck of genetics, but he couldn't have asked for a better son. There wasn't a single thing he would change about the boy and he couldn't imagine loving anyone more than he did Lukas. Lars wiped his eyes and began setting up the area where he would serve dinner in the backyard.

After the boys polished off three pans of lasagna, a loaf of garlic bread, and devoured most of a homemade chocolate birthday cake and a gallon of Neapolitan ice cream, they decided to sit in the hot tub while their food digested.

Being only a six-person hot tub, the boys needed to solve seating arrangements. Lukas found this to be the perfect excuse to sit on Simon's lap. He parked his ass right on top of Simon's semi-hard cock with Simon's knees between his own. Lukas relaxed and settled into Simon's chest. To squeeze the rest of the boys into the hot tub, Trajan volunteered to sit on Scott's lap much to everyone's surprise, especially Scott. Trajan awkwardly straddled Scott's left knee.

The boys laughed, talked, and tried to decide whether to swim until bedtime, or to watch a movie together. Simon wanted some private time with Lukas to give him his birthday orgasm, a recent tradition the two boys had established. Lukas could feel Simon's growing erection and it excited him. With both arms around Lukas, the bubbling water hid Simon's hand as he pulled the draw strong of Lukas' boardies. Lukas turned his head and spied Simon's mischievous smile. Lukas smiled back and rested his head on Simon's shoulder while slipping his own hand under his butt and into Simon's swimsuit. The bubbles dutifully hid Lukas' erection when Simon pulled the front of Lukas' boardies down releasing the blonde's boyhood. Wrapping his hand around Lukas' dick, Lukas shuddered and sighed out loud.

"Oh shit," said Will looking over at Simon and Lukas. "You got your hand in Lukas' pants, don't you?" Will blushed and squirmed to adjust his swimsuit to make room for his growing erection. When the other boys looked over at Simon and Lukas, it was clear from the look on Lukas' blushing face that Simon was masturbating him under the water. The naughtiness of the act excited the other boys and they too had to adjust their suits.

When Scott adjusted himself, he nearly knocked Trajan his knee. Scott caught Trajan before he fell and pulled Trajan back, so his friend sat on his upper thigh and leaning against his torso for more stability. Scott was relieved he pointed his boner off to the right or Trajan would have sat right on it. For Trajan, being this close to Scott was super exciting, making the boy so excited he almost creamed his pants when Scott wrapped his arm around him and pulled him closer.

Jordan said what the others were thinking, "It may have been like in sixth grade, but it's not like we haven't done this together before." He squirmed under the water then his swimsuit floated to the center of the hot tub. "Ahhhh... that's better." He relaxed and laid his head on the edge of the hot tub.

Simon reached down and shoved Lukas swimsuit down and off the long, coltish legs before he shed his own. Both suits joined Jordan and Trajan's suits in the middle of the hot tub.

Trajan leaned back and whispered into Scott's ear, "You can take yours off too. I won't mind." Scott blushed and gave a subtle shake of his head. Trajan just turned back to face the rest of the boys and settled back against Scott's body.

Whether suits on or off, all the teens pleasured themselves. Michael, on the other hand, was turned on but was nervous. Even in the heat of the hot tub, he felt his body flush with excitement, but he didn't get hard. He sat there and observed each of his new friends and tried to grasp the changes in the social dynamics of the group.

Lukas and Simon masturbated each other as Simon held Lukas tightly and nuzzled his chin into the side of Lukas' neck. Both boys lost in their pleasure.

Jordan had he eyes closed and legs stretched out, entangled with other legs in the hot tub while he leisurely stroked himself. Jordan enjoyed the random contact with the other boys.

Curtis was shy. He left his trunks on but slipped his hand inside to masturbate. Less comfortable than the other boys, he kept opening his eyes to make sure no one watched as he pleasured himself.

Will turned to face the jet that that massaged his back. The only boy that wore a Speedo, Will enjoyed the feeling of the water spraying across his spandex clad erection. As the jet sprayed across the head of his dick, he rubbed his hand across his material encasing his ball sack. Will's movements left little doubt about what he was doing or how much he enjoyed himself.

Scott was oblivious of who he was holding. He simply enjoyed the body contact. When Trajan leaned forward removed his own suit, Scott was able to slide his swim trunks down enough to release his erection. Trajan returned to Scott's lap, planting his bare ass on Scott's bare thigh, just above the twisted swimsuit. Trajan could feel Scott's balls and the bottom of his erection press against the side of his butt. He relaxed back into Scott's body and Scott strengthened his grip around Trajan's body to secure the slick teen body against his own. Trajan dropped his head back onto Scott's shoulder and closed his eyes as images danced through his mind. Images of he and Scott as lovers like Lukas and Simon.

Though Lukas and Simon had a head start, Trajan shot first. His body shook as he moaned through an intense orgasm. That caused Scott to hold him even tighter so Trajan wouldn't fall or mess up the rhythm he established as he beat his own meat. Lukas was next. Sensing his best friend was close, Simon sped up his handling of Lukas' cock and sent the boy over the edge. Lukas tensed and let out a squeak before shuddering through his own orgasm. Though fluidity of Lukas' technique faltered as he rode out his orgasm, the spasms rippling through his body caused him to tighten his grip on Simon cock and sent the older teen over the edge too.

Curtis, oblivious to the others in the hot tub, could no longer take it the stimulation of the jetting water. He rose up onto his knees and pulled the front of his Speedo down. With a few quick tugs, his teen tool peeked out of the bubbling water and fired shot after shot of cum like a submarine missile launcher. His large, pent up, teen load volleyed over the edge of the tub and splattered on the patio. His orgasm was so intense, Curtis placed his arms on the side of the hot tub to cushion his head so he could catch his breath and recover from the intense pleasure.

Jordan and Will sat side by side. Since Jordan was left handed and Will was a righty, when they made room for their working elbow, they inadvertently scooted right up against each other, creating body contact from shoulder to knee. Enjoying the body contact, each boy was engrossed in their well-practiced ritual of jacking themselves off. The subtlety of feeling each other shift gears, adjust style, and climb to the peak of their orgasm spurred the other. The two ended up reaching the summit at the same time. Jordan exclaimed, "Oh shit!" while Will gave a grunt as they exploded into the warm water. When the boys came to their senses, they blushed gave each other a shy, knowing smile.

That left Scott to finish. He began to speed up, mumbling, "oh yeah" under his breath. None of the boys, except Lukas, Simon and Michael, had seen each other's boners in at least two years and the bubbles allowed the boys some level of privacy. That's why all the boys were surprised when Scott slide Trajan off his lap and stood up to reveal a fat seven-inch boner before he blasted a huge load of cum. "Fuck yes," groaned Scott as he launched six jets of hot boy cum before dropping back into the water. The first shot made it across the hot tub and landed just short of Michael's astonished face.

Michael couldn't believe what he'd just witnessed. All of his friends jerked off together and Scott let everyone see his shoot his load. The exhibition made Michael flush with excitement. Though the erotic display got Michael's immature testosterone flowing, it was still too soon for him to feel like joining in sexually.

"Damn," said Scott. "I vote we shower and watch a movie." The boys agreed and put their suits back on as a curtesy for Dr. Meijer and his hospitality.

Showers were quick. Each boy hopped in, rinsed the chlorine off and hopped back out. Teeth were brushed and underwear donned so they could all crash in the family room to watch the movie. Being the polite hosts, Lukas and Simon offered to go last and suggested to Michael to start the movie while got their shower. Michael gave his friends a sly smile then headed to the family room to join the others. He knew what his big bros were up to.

As the lunch gang and Michael settled to watch the movie, Lukas and Simon locked the bathroom door.

"Now for your birthday orgasm," said Simon with a wicked look on his face.

"You mean what we did in the pool didn't count?" Lukas was surprised, but pleased.

"Not even close." Simon placed a towel on the counter next to the sink and lifted Lukas up onto the towel. He grabbed the boy's legs and placed the blonde's feet next to his ears. Already back to full mast, Simon produced tube of lube and prepared Lukas' ass and his rock-hard cock for the task at hand. Placing the lube back in the medicine cabinet, Simon lined up and ever so slowly pushed in. The intrusion excited Lukas. The bottom boy was back to full attention by the time Simon's trimmed pubes tickled his taint. The feeling of Simon's cock in his ass caused Lukas' toes to curl and his face and chest to flush in excitement.

Lukas adjusted to accommodate Simon's adult-sized cock and sighed, letting Simon know he was ready. Simon wrapped his hands around the top of Lukas' quads and spread the boy's legs so his ankles slipped off the older boy's shoulders. Now, with his knees bent over Simon's elbows, Simon had the angle and leverage he sought. Dipping with his knees as he pulled out and the using an upward trajectory as he pushed back in, Simon raked Lukas' prostate on both the inward and outward motions. Lukas leaned back onto his elbows, resting his head on the mirror and let Simon work his magic.

Slowing increasing the speed and force of the fuck, Simon worked to bring both of them to another orgasm. Each time Lukas felt he couldn't take it any longer, he would reach for his dick and Simon would scold him.

"Just let it come, Lukas. Let me make you cum." Lukas clinched the towel with both hands as his friend fucked him.

Higher and higher climbed Lukas' excitement. Each moment he thought he was about to climax left him finding another higher level of intensity that he was sure the last before he would explode.

Lukas watched his throbbing erection bobbing up and down with each of Simon's thrusts. The motion caused the leaking precum to paint his torso like a Jackson Pollock masterpiece. Lukas wondered at the beautiful site set on the backdrop of Simon's flexing abs as the dark-haired teen hips undulated.

Simon began grunting with each powerful thrust. He tried to stay focused on bringing Lukas to orgasm, but his own pending explosion was a distraction. Lukas clutched the edge of the counter to prevent himself from grabbing his cock. The lanky, teen drummer needed to come so badly he cried out with each thrust. Louder and louder the boys voices rose until they crescendoed when Simon made the first leap.

"AHHHHHHHH," shouted Simon. His body shook and he lost his rhythm as he basted Lukas' insides with teen spouge.

The knowledge of Simon seeding his ass sent Lukas over the edge. His knees trapped Simon between them as his ass contracted each time his cock fired cum across his own chest and face.

Lukas finally opened his eyes. He grinned at Simon then licked the cum his lips. Simon leaned forward and kissed Lukas. "Happy Birthday."

----------------------     

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2017

It had been an interesting few of weeks for Michael and the boys. After the injury to his ribs, Michael was excused from gym and soccer practice. Not being allowed to play or practice for the last three weeks allowed the young boy more time to prepare for the homecoming pregame show on the 27th and the plans Simon put into action. During the school day, instead of going to gym class, Michael headed over to the high school's music department to practice. On some days, the friends Simon recruited to help with his scheme were excused from their classes to join the practice, including Simon himself.

Michael and Simon were excited by the show and the surprise, but it was obvious to Michael there was something going on with Lukas. His friend seemed sad and Michael didn't understand why. To Michael, things were going better than ever for he and his friends. In addition to the pregame show, the homecoming committee invited the band to play a few songs at the dance. That meant Simon, Lukas, Gavin, and Michael were going to the dance on Saturday night. The band, with Mason, Garrett, and Zach's support, was really gelling together. The lacrosse guys were still practicing together, and the hard work was playing off. School was fine and as far as Michael could tell, there wasn't a rift between Lukas and any of his friends. He just couldn't figure out what was bothering Lukas.

When Michael tried to sit in on soccer practices, Coach Lopez sent him home. It wasn't that he didn't want Michael to be part of the team. He explained to Michael that he wanted Michael's absence to be a challenge for other players to step up and take leadership roles. If Michael was at practice, even if he wasn't on the field playing, the players would still look to him for his leadership. That didn't stop him from attending their matches so he could support his friends and teammates. The boy was happy to watch Scott and Mateo fill the leadership void on the pitch. In his absence, the Sabers continued their undefeated streak.

With each day, the pain in his ribs lessened and Michael's desire to fully rejoin his teammates and band mates grew. Everyone around his saw it, including his doctor.

"You know Michael, just because you have regained your full range of motion without the pain hampering your movements doesn't mean you are fully healed," asserted the stern Dr. Wise.

"I know, but..." Michael began to counter the doctor's explanation when the grandfatherly doctor interrupted.

"...but you need to support your teammates." He'd heard this argument from Michael since their first encounter after the boy sustained the injury. "All right, I'll tell you what. You promise me you'll wear a rib protection vest the rest of the season, I'll allow write you a note to allow you to participate in gym and sports."

Michael pulled out this phone and he and the doctor selected the appropriate safety equipment and shook hands on their deal.

"That means you have to wear that vest for gym, soccer, lacrosse and any other activity you get yourself into. You hear?"

"Yes, sir!" said Michael with a huge grin on his face.

He was thrilled with the permission to rejoin his favorite activities. However, more importantly to the smiling boy, was the fact that he could rejoin his friends instead of having downtime at home to be left with his thoughts.

On the days when Lukas and Simon left to play lacrosse, or Michael was home instead of at soccer practice, his mind wandered. During these times, Michael was left to worry about his mother and to think about the things he confided to Lars. The thoughts left him feeling sad and broken. He needed to get back to his old routine to escape these thoughts and feelings.

The green light from the doctor meant he was going to get to practice lacrosse the next morning as long as he was able to get the protective vest. After the appointment, Lars and Michael visited a specialty sports equipment store and got the boy fitted with his new protective gear before dropping him off at school in time for lunch.

Throughout the rest of the school day, Michael wiggled and squirmed in anticipation for the evening's band practice. Tonight, would be the first time since Garrett and his friends joined them to practice that Michael felt he could participate 100%. This weekend would be the first time Michael could practice and not be hampered by his ribs. With homecoming only a week away, that was important.

So many things were on Michael's mind as he bounded out of the school's doors to join Lukas on the front steps to wait for Simon. Lukas sat still and stared at the entrance to the high school. Over the last few weeks, he's seen Chloe and Simon say goodbye two or three times a week. Sometimes it was just her touching his arm. Other times the goodbye was accompanied by a hug or a kiss on the cheek. With each new instance, it became harder for Lukas to ignore. Nothing seemed to have changed between him and Simon, but things had obviously changed between Simon and Chloe. Today, Chloe and Simon walked out the door together. Chloe seemed animated and excited about something and Simon was listening and nodding his head in understanding. At the bottom of the stairs, Chloe gave Simon a side hug and laid her head on his arm as she squeezed him. Then she hurried off towards the parking lot.

It was too much for Lukas. Just as Michael sat down, Lukas got up and heading home -- his vision blurred as tears welled up in his eyes. Michael was confused. The three of them always walked home together so it was obvious to him something was wrong.

"Lukas? Wait, Lukas," said Michael. He winced as he slung his heavy backpack over his shoulder and hurried after his friend, trying to catch up.

When Michael was close to catching Lukas, the older boy started running. Michael did his best but running with a backpack and sore ribs wasn't easy. He saw Lukas turn and go into his house instead of heading to the studio. A minute or two later, Michael finally caught up and found Lukas sprawled out on his bed, crying into his pillow. Michael had no idea what was wrong. He dropped his backpack, crawled up on the bed and draped himself over his best friend.

"Lukas, whatever it is, it's going to be alright," said Michael, trying to calm his friend. "I'm here for you." He hugged the crying boy tight. Lukas cried harder. Lars, surprised by this change in routine, left his office to see what was going on. When he saw Michael trying to sooth his son, Lars wondered what was going on. He also knew this wasn't the time to butt in. Lukas would come to him when he was ready. For now, it was good for the two boys to talk and the role reversal -- Michael comforting Lukas -- would be good for both boys. Even so, it was difficult for Lars to turn away instead of entering the bedroom to take his young son into his arms.

Simon hadn't seen the boys leave. When he across the Mallway towards the middle school, the boys had already started down Maple and the diner blocked them from his line of sight. Simon sat on the steps and waited for his friends.

"Tell me what's going on. You've been sad for the last couple weeks. What's wrong?" Michael spoke quietly, holding his friend tight.

"Simon. He..." That was all Lukas could get out before he started sobbing again.

"Simon? What did he do?" Michael was really puzzled by this. He'd never seen the two boys ever get upset with each other. As a matter of fact, he'd never seen two friends get along better, or be closer, than Simon and Lukas.

Lukas pulled himself out from under Michael and sat up with his back against the headboard. He looked horrible - like he'd lost everything that mattered to him in the world. In his mind, he had.

Lukas looked at his friend and whispered, "I think he's got a girlfriend."

Michael was shocked. That was the most absurd thing he could imagine. "What? Did you two break up?" He really couldn't get his brain around what Lukas was saying.

"We're not a couple," stated Lukas.

Again, Michael couldn't get his mind around this fact. "Of course, you are a couple. I never met two people more in love than you two."

"No, we aren't. Last year, Simon told me he didn't know if he was gay or not. Even though I am in love with him, he's not in love with me. And now, he's dating Chloe. I'm going to lose him." Lukas started crying again.

"Oh Lukas," Michael pulled Lukas into him arms. "No, no, you've got it all wrong." Michael's brain worked quickly. He needed to put Lukas' mind at ease without giving away Simon's secret plan.

"Lukas," said Michael, trying to get Lukas' attention. "I'm going to tell you something, but you have to promise not to let anyone know I told you."

"You know about Simon and Chloe?" Lukas was horrified that Michael was in on the betrayal. Well, what felt like betrayal to Lukas, even though he knew Simon had never made a commitment to him.

"No, well, yes, but it's not what you think?" explained Michael.

"What?" Lukas was completely confused. Confused enough that he momentarily stopped crying. "I saw her kiss him."

"Yes. Well, no. But... ugh!" Michael was exacerbated trying to put Lukas' mind at ease while not spilling the beans of Simon's secret. "Lukas, you know Chloe plays violin, right?" It was more of a statement than a question.

"Uh, yeah, I know." That fact didn't provide any further clarity for Lukas.

"You know the string section is going to play with us at the homecoming show, right?"

"Yeah," Lukas replied, still completely confused.

"Well, they are also helping Simon with a surprise at the homecoming dance." Michael proceeded carefully, trying not to give too much of the secret away.

"Okay."

"Look, you have to promise you won't tell anyone. I don't want to spoil it," pleaded Michael.

"Okay! I promise, now tell me," said Lukas emphatically.

"The surprise is for you."

"Huh?"

"Yes, Chloe and Simon's friends at school are super excited to be helping him plan a surprise for you. Now don't tell anyone that I told you. Got it?"

"You mean, Chloe and Simon aren't a thing?" asked Lukas, trying to make sure he was getting all the facts.

"No. Chloe and Simon are buddies. She's super excited about the surprise," explain Michael.

"What's the surprise?" asked Lukas, getting excited.

"That, I'm not telling."

Simon arrived shortly after the conversation to find Michael and Lukas sitting on Lukas' bed, laughing and joking around, though it was clear Lukas had been crying.

"Why did you... What happened?" said Simon, rushing to Lukas's side. "Why were you crying?"

Michael chimed in, smiling as Simon pulled Lukas into a hug. "It's nothing. It was just a misunderstanding, but it's all straightened out now. Right, Lukas?"

"Yeah, it's all better now," smiled Lukas as he snuggled into Simon's embrace.

----------------------     

The boys headed over to the studio to prepare for Garrett, Zach and Mason's arrival.

"Well, if we're going to practice like we're putting on a show, we're gonna need to make some room," noted Michael.

They moved as many of the items to the outer walls of the family room as they could to maximize the available floor space so they could perform the songs, not just play them. They finished just as the three young adults arrived. Once the rest of the equipment was set up, they got down to business.

"So how are you feeling Michael," asked Zach with a laugh. Michael was bouncing and round with the energy that can only be found in an 11-year-old boy.

He lifted his tee to show Zach his protective vest. "I'm good. Took some pain medicine and I have this on, so I'm ready to go," replied Michael.

"Good. Lukas said are a great front man and you can really get the crowd going. If you get the crowd going and you are having a good time, we'll also have a good time and play that much better." Michael listened carefully to what Zach was saying. "So let it loose, Michael. Okay?"

To the rest of the guys he added, "That means we need to not just play, but pick up our energy level to match Michael's." The all nodded. They adjusted the volume on the amps, set the heights of the microphone stands and loosened up their fingers. The room was already starting to feel stuffy, so Simon slid the glass door open giving them more room and a nice breeze.

"So, Michael, what song do you want to start with?"

Michael thought for a moment before he responded, "Hate to Say I Told You So." With that, Garrett kicked into the opening guitar riff before Zach jumped in on lead. With the extra guitar, the sound was amazing. But the older boys were floored watching Michael with the microphone. He seemed to be channeling Pelle Almqvist, Craig Nicholls, Mick Jagger and Freddie Mercury all at once. Strutting around the room, stomping his feet to the music, and dancing with complete confidence, Michael lost himself in the music. When the song ended, they all needed to catch their breath.

Garrett was the first to speak. "Damn, we're good!" Everyone burst out laughing.

Lukas, thinking back to their performance at the talent show added, "I can't wait to perform that in front of an audience again. How many people do you think will be at the bonfire?" Simon smiled. It seemed Lukas had quickly gotten over his fear of performing live.

"Mrs. G says there will be a few hundred," offered Gavin. "It will be bigger than the talent show."

After a few more songs, stomachs growled. "Dad's got burgers and hot dogs for us to grill and some other stuff in the fridge. You guys ready to eat?" Lukas politely asked the question, but since he was already on his way out the door, it was clear he was ready to eat.

"Yeah, can you guys go get the food ready? I want Zach to teach me how he plays that guitar riff before we eat," said Michael, giving Garrett a look.

"Oh, yeah, Gavin. I left something at home. Ride with, 'k?" asked Garrett getting Michael's hint.

Gavin looked up from his phone, "Sure, okay."

With that, Zach, Mason and Michael bought themselves a little time to work on their own secret project.

----------------------     

CA_MILF_32: *Private Room Invite*

Private Room Joined

CA_MILF_32: Hi HarborBoy!

HarborBoy2004: hi

CA_MILF_32: You know you shouldn't go into private chat rooms with strangers. Right?

HarborBoy2004: lol not like u r gonna do something to me

CA_MILF_32: Seen you on a few times. What are you doing here?

HarborBoy2004: bored

CA_MILF_32: On a Friday night?

HarborBoy2004: grounded

CA_MILF_32: Awww... what happened?

HarborBoy2004: got in trouble

CA_MILF_32: Obviously. LOL So you're stuck at home and decided to get online?

HarborBoy2004: yeah

CA_MILF_32: So where do you live?

HarborBoy2004: East Harbor

CA_MILF_32: Really? That's neat. I don't live too far away.

HarborBoy2004: where

CA_MILF_32: Solana Beach

HarborBoy2004: cool u live on beach?

CA_MILF_32: No, but I'm less than a block away.

HarborBoy2004: cool

CA_MILF_32: From your handle, you're 14?

HarborBoy2004: not yet birthday in nov

CA_MILF_32: Well happy early birthday.

HarborBoy2004: thx

CA_MILF_32: What do you look like?

HarborBoy2004: i dont no

CA_MILF_32: Send me a pic.

HarborBoy2004: y

CA_MILF_32: Because I like seeing who I'm talking to.

HarborBoy2004: y

CA_MILF_32: I just do. Makes me feel like I'm talking to a real person.

HarborBoy2004: *pic sent*

CA_MILF_32: Oh, you're a little hottie.

HarborBoy2004: thx

CA_MILF_32: Is this you right now?

HarborBoy2004: yes

CA_MILF_32: What happened to your arm?

HarborBoy2004: dad got mad

CA_MILF_32: Your dad broke your arm?

HarborBoy2004: yes

CA_MILF_32: I'm sure he didn't mean to do it.

HarborBoy2004: wtv

CA_MILF_32: Do you think he did it on purpose?

HarborBoy2004: he was mad at me

CA_MILF_32: I'm sorry sweetie.

HarborBoy2004: wtv

CA_MILF_32: I know something that will make you feel better.

HarborBoy2004: what

CA_MILF_32: You like boobs?

HarborBoy2004: yes

CA_MILF_32: *pic sent*

CA_MILF_32: You like those?

HarborBoy2004: yes

CA_MILF_32: Well I took that photo just for you.

HarborBoy2004: thx

CA_MILF_32: Could you do something for me?

HarborBoy2004: what

CA_MILF_32: Could you send me another pic?

HarborBoy2004: ok

CA_MILF_32: One without your shirt on. I wanna see your chest.

HarborBoy2004: ok

HarborBoy2004: *pic sent*

She quickly texted the photo to her associate. 'What do you think about this one?'

The little dots on her phone indicated he was typing as she anxiously waited for his response. His response was simple. 'Nice find.'