Kurt

 

Life in The Village, through the eyes of a student at the remote school.
(This is a parallel story to "Schoolie", but through different eyes.)
This chapter aligns, partially, with Chapter 41 of "Schoolie".

This is an original work of pure fiction (just an expression of a fantasy)
by Robert A. Armstrong (a pseudonym)

The resemblance of the characters by action, name, location or description to any real person is purely coincidental.

If it is illegal, or offensive, for you to read stories involving interactions of a sexual nature between adults and youths, then what are you doing here?

 

 

From Chapter 22:

Huckleberry Finn finishes off our night. Hearing about how Huck's violent father treated him so badly makes me feel really sad for William.

William had no father and a drunken mother. Sort of the other way `round to Huck, who had no mother and a drunken father.

I would really love it for him, if William had a Dad like ours! I think that my next Christmas wish has just been sorted out; that he could have someone to love him and hug him and tuck him into bed at night and kiss him and look after him.

My dreams are all about Mr Grant, and I wake up wet.


 

 

Chapter 23 – A Girlfriend Causes Problems

Monday. Back-to-School Day. It's really good to see everyone again.

Mr Grant and William look very happy. I'm glad.

We boys all go through the routine of fist-bumping each other, even with David and little Eric.

Without trying to make it too obvious in front of the other kids, I smile and say, "It's good to see you again too, Mr Grant." Nobody, apart from William and Karl knows that I only saw him yesterday. And even they aren't aware of exactly how much of him that I saw. LOL.

"Good morning, everyone," Mr Grant says in the classroom.

"Good morning Mr Grant," we all chant back to him together.

We spend a lot of time listening to what everyone did during the holidays.

When David has told us what he and Eric did with their grandparents, he pauses and hesitantly puts the question: "Mr Grant, did, um, William, you know...? Did your girlfriend...?"

Mr Grant saves him the embarrassment of asking. "What you want to know, David, is could my girlfriend tell us apart, and did she kiss him?"

Everyone giggles.

Smiling, Mr Grant passes the buck. "Why don't you tell them, William?"

"Not once!" he says, pouting, in the worst acting that I've ever seen! David looks disappointed that there was no kissing.

However, I heard a totally different message, and by their faces, so did Karl, Jake and Jane.

After a pause, William turns off the pout, smiles cheekily and adds, "Not once, but three times!" He raises and lowers his eyebrows multiple times.

The whole class erupts in hoots and cheers. Jake whistles. Karl and I join in by slapping the desk.

When the noise dies down, David asks, "What did you say, Mr Grant?"

"I didn't say much, David," Mr Grant says for David's benefit and for everyone else's. "But I did take him down to the ocean and fed him to the sharks!"

All of the little kids gasp.

"Did they eat him?" little Susanna asks, sounding very concerned.

"Yep. All of him," Mr Grant tells her.

You can tell by the stunned looks on the little kids' faces that something doesn't add up. Like, if the shark ate him, how can he be here?

Then Mr Grant adds, "And he tasted so bad that the big shark spat him back out and told me to keep him!"

That's the cause of even greater laughter. Jake slaps William on the back and tells him, "The shark thought you tasted like shit." Then he quickly apologises to those who heard him.

We `big boys' see William bite his own arm then turn around and show it to the younger ones. "See, Susanna, I still have the marks where it tasted me!" he says. There are more gasps. We seniors chuckle to one another about the little kids falling for such a trick!

I'll bet that, tonight, they'll all be telling their parents the story of `William and the Shark' and say that it has to be true, `because Mr Grant said so'!

William continues to tell us the highlights of his stay with Mr Grant's parents. Surfing. Computer shop. Theme parks. Famous Italian restaurant. "And there's more," he whispers to us `big boys'. "Tell you later."

Karl and I go next and tell everyone that a lot of our holidays was spent at `Whispering Gums'. Working. Mending fences. Cutting mulga. Riding. Driving. We don't mention possums. LOL.

Jake doesn't say much. Helping his dad. Plus, two trips into Big Town.

Jane goes last. Staying with her friend in Big Town. Shopping. Cooking. Knitting. Girl stuff. However, right at the end she smirks, "And, Jake's got a girlfriend."

I'm sure that it's only his self-control in front of Mr Grant and the little kids that stops Jake from attacking his sister or just screaming at her. I've heard him use a lot of swear words when there were no adults around, and I'm really glad that he doesn't use any of them now.

There is no steam coming from his ears or his mouth, but there's definitely a fire inside of him. His face is bright red. His mouth tightens. His eyes squint. I've never seen Jake so angry!

Among all the hoots from the little kids, William elbows him, and Karl nudges him under the desk with his knee. I guess that this is all too much for Jake and I think that he is either about to cry, or let loose some of his language. Instead, he puts his head down on the desk and covers it, as best he can, with his arms. Hiding from the world. Shutting out Jane and the other kids. Humiliated!

Then he raises his head and snarls at his sister, "And why didn't you tell them about your boyfriend?"

More hoots. Karl, William and I start slapping the desks again. The little kids join in, and complete the percussion band.

Jane is totally unfazed. I think that her calmness upsets Jake even more, and he goes into seclusion again.

I suddenly feel really sorry for him. So does William, who lays his arm over Jake's shoulders.

Mr Grant calls, "Recess, everyone. Let's have an early one."

We all stand, and leave. Orderly. Little kids first. William and Jake stay behind.

In the playground, the younger boys come over and join Karl and me and we talk about what just happened. I'll bet that we look like pirates planning a mutiny. The other pirate band, led by Jane, have their own giggly pow-wow. Or is that what Indians do, and pirates don't?

We haven't been outside for too long when William and Jake appear. Jake is smiling. That makes me feel heaps better. The two of them head straight for the boys' toilet. When Karl and I go to follow them, Mr Grant calls us back and says, "Hey guys, can you just give Jake a few minutes to wash his face?"

"Sure thing, Mr Grant," Karl says.

"Yes, sir," is my response at the same time as Karl's.

A minute or so passes. Long enough for a person to take a pee and to wash his face and hands. Not long enough, though, for any `gentle' fun, if William and Jake do that stuff together too.

They emerge. Karl and I intercept them but William keeps walking and heads for Mr Grant. Jake stays with us.

"You OK now, Jake?" Karl asks him.

"Yeah. No sweat, guys," Jake replies. "It's all good. William will probably tell you about it later. Right now, I've gotta work out a way of getting even with my sister!" The last bit is said through gritted teeth.

Jake is pretty quiet all afternoon and, instead of doing his work, seems to be thinking about something else. I don't ask whether it's his `revenge' or his `girlfriend'.

At the end of the day, Karl, William and I are tidying up, but, after Jane and Jake get into their dad's Land Rover, we mostly watch, through the western windows, Mr Grant is talking to Mr O'Brien, who takes off his old hat and, while still holding it, rubs his forearm across his forehead.

There is some finger pointing and thumbing towards the Land Rover and some shaking of heads. I think that Mr Grant must either be dobbing on Jane, or talking about Jake's `girlfriend'. At one point, when I think that their conversation is just about over, Mr O'Brien appears totally shocked about something, then there is more talking. I'd love to know what they are saying!

They shake hands, like they are pirates who've agreed on a plan, or something. Mr O'Brien starts his noisy Land Rover. Jake and Jane wave and Mr Grant heads back inside.

William locks the last of the windows then he and Karl head out of the door. I follow, but a little more slowly. Mr Grant helps me along with one of his friendly swats to my backside, like I knew that he would. I turn and grin at him. He knows that I like it and I know that he likes to do it. I skip along the verandah to join the other two.

We say goodbye to William who stays next to Mr Grant's car, then Karl and I head off across the short cut.

"Watch out for snakes!" Mr Grant calls after us. We hear William tell him that, with the cooler weather, and at this time of the day, there shouldn't be many around. I know that, too!

William drives, toots the horn and we wave.

 

We start dinner at the right time.

Dad arrives home in a good mood, like after when he spoke with Mr Grant yesterday.

"Hi, guys!" Dad chirps as he bounces in and puts a small container on the bench. "Fresh scones for after dinner, courtesy of Mrs Cameron," he tells us. Then he opens his arms for a hug. He scrunches one of us against him with each arm and asks, "And how was my boys' first day back at school?"

"Really good," I say.

Karl adds, "Except for when Jane O'Brien told everybody that her brother, Jake, had a girlfriend, which really upset him."

"I felt really bad for him," I tell my Dad. "But William had a talk with him and it cheered him up."

"It's nice to have good friends," Dad tells both of us. "No, it's more than nice, it's really important that you can have somebody who knows your good and your bad, and still likes you. And..." he continues, "...you two are very fortunate to have each other. I know there are times that you have disagreements, but you will always be the best of mates. You are very lucky. Trust me."

Yes, I think, we are lucky to have each other; not just after lights-out! Karl and I look at each other and smirk, then, thinking as one, we bump fists.

 

"Dinner was delicious, guys. Thank you," Dad says. "I'll clean up. You two can get yourselves ready for bed, and then we'll read a couple of chapters and see what Huckleberry Finn is up to. But, hey, how about a game of cards first?"

The three of us win one game each.

Karl and I shower. Very soapy. A bit chunky – what do you expect! Pyjamas.

 

I have mixed feelings about Huck running away and `living' on a raft. On one hand, I would enjoy the freedom to do whatever I wanted, but on the other hand I feel sad about his loneliness and how scared he was sometimes. I think about what Dad said, and I'm glad that Huck had his friend, Jim, the negro. And I'm glad that I have Karl, as my brother and William as my friend. And I'm glad that I met Ron. And I'm glad that Mr Grant wants to play with me, and trusts me to keep our secret.

The `Huckleberry Finn' book has pictures. Pencil drawings, actually. And they help me to imagine what life was like at that time in America. One thing that really makes me smile in the pictures is how far Huck's pants are pulled up. Way up! It must have been as uncomfortable for him as my old tight jeans were getting on me! Or worse.

I can understand why he spent a lot of time on the raft, naked. He was growing up, too. LOL.

After kisses and lights out, Karl and I are `gentle' with each other. I feel his hairs, and think of William's and Ron's and Mr Grant's and I spurt first, like always, but even quicker than usual, thinking about what Mr Grant and I did yesterday.

 

(to be continued)

 

The parallel version to this story, is told through the eyes of Tom Grant, the `Schoolie'.
Find it at
https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/schoolie

If you'd like a full picture of their lives and thoughts, you should read both concurrently.

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rob.zz@hotmail.com

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