Date: Mon, 22 Nov 2021 10:50:04 +0000 From: Wes Leigh Subject: Misunderstood, Chapter 6 (Gay Adult/Youth) MISUNDERSTOOD By Wes Leigh This is a work of fiction intended solely for the entertainment of my readers; any resemblance to any real people or places is purely coincidental. This story is the property of the author and is protected by copyright laws. The author retains all rights. No reproductions are allowed without the author's consent. If you enjoy this story, please support the Nifty archives today with a thoughtful donation by visiting https://donate.nifty.org/. Chapter Six Gray's phone chimed once, indicating an incoming text message. He was a few minutes early for his job interview, so he pulled out his phone and checked the text message. It was from Jessica. Jessica: Gray chuckled and shook his head, then punched a quick reply. Her reply was quick. Gray: Jessica: Gray: Jessica: Gray: Jessica: Gray: Jessica: Gray: Jessica: Gray: Jessica: Gray: Jessica: Gray: Jessica: Gray: Jessica: Gray: Gray turned off the phone. It wouldn't do to have the thing going off during the job interview. He took a deep breath and wiped his sweaty palms on his pants. Walking into Games Plus, he found a tall, thin guy standing behind the counter. His name tag said Robert and identified him as the manager. Gray stuck out his hand. "I'm Gray Langston. Here to apply for the sales position." *** Sitting on a bench in the middle of the mall hallway, Gray smiled as he called his mother to tell her he'd been hired for the job at Games Plus. "That's wonderful, Gray. It sounds like a job you'll enjoy." Gray nodded. "It will be, Mom. And it will help to stay busy." "I'm happy for you, but you know your dad and I would understand if you wanted to take a break and sit around the house for a month or two." "I know you would, Mom. But sitting around and doing nothing just isn't my style. I'd probably get depressed thinking about school, so this will be good for me." "Oh, I agree with you, Gray. Honey, you never were a lazy boy, so I'm glad you aren't waiting to start a new job." Gray paused. He had to ask. "You aren't disappointed in where I'm working?" His mom's reply hinted at her confusion. "Why would I be?" "Well, it's not like there's much of a career in a gaming and computer store." He heard his mother laughing softly. "I suppose not. But is it something you'll enjoy? Just for now. Until you decide what you want to do with the next phase of your life?" Gray thought about his reply. He had to be honest. He owed his mom that much. "I have no clue what I want to do in life, and it scares me witless to even think about it." "Then don't think about it. Not right now. Gray, sweetheart, you've been through a traumatic experience. Give yourself time to heal, and when you're ready, you'll figure out where you want to go next." She paused and chuckled. "Your future might find you, instead of the other way around. It often happens that way, you know." He laughed. "Thanks for being so understanding, Mom." "Supper will be around 6 tonight. If I can get off on time. Your dad wants to take us out to Tia Maria's." "Yum," Gray replied. "Love their stuffed sopapillas." "Gotta go, sweetie. Patients are stacking up!" "See you tonight, Mom. Bye." "Bye, honey." He thought about calling his dad, but he remembered hearing that his dad was in a deposition all day, so he knew his dad couldn't talk. Instead, Gray sent a short text message. He shoved the phone in his pocket and stood up. Talking about eating out that night had made his stomach growl. He headed for the nearby food court, thinking about his options. Maybe a corn dog and curly fries? Or fried rice with sweet and sour chicken. Yeah. That sounded good. He wandered up to the China Temple counter and placed his order. While he waited, he noticed a flyer posted on the wall. "Dog Fair. Saturday, 9-3. Mason Park. They're looking for a forever home with a forever friend." All around the edges of the poster were pictures of dogs. Bulldogs. Shepherds. And a few Pitbulls. He'd heard stories about Pitbulls. Hadn't everyone? He wondered how hard it was for those dogs to find homes. Probably almost impossible. "Here you are, sir." He turned and saw the smiling lady behind the counter pushing a tray forward with his rice and chicken dish in the middle. "Soy sauce?" "Yes, please," he replied, pulling out his phone and taking a picture of the dog fair poster. He thought it might be interesting to go, just to see what it was all about. *** During dinner that night, his parents were acting peculiar. Exchanging secretive glances every now and then. Smiling for no particular reason he could see. Finally, he asked, "What's up?" "What do you mean, Son?" Richard asked. "You two are acting funny." "Funny? In what way, sweetheart?" Carol seemed sincere in her reply, but she said it with just a tiny grin. "Never mind," Gray said. "You'll either tell me or you won't, so I'll wait patiently until you fill me in on whatever it is you're planning." Richard grinned and winked. "After we eat. We have something to show you." And they refused to say anything else throughout the remainder of the meal. Afterward, they climbed into Carol's car for the ride home, but instead she drove the other direction. Gray didn't ask where they were going, but settled back into his seat and waited. Every now and then, Richard turned around and looked at him with a huge smile. Gray finally leaned forward and slapped his father's shoulder playfully. "Either tell me what's going on or quit teasing me!" Richard looked at Carol as she drove and asked, "Shall we tell him?" She shook her head. "It's only a few more blocks. Let's not." His father turned back to look at him and said, "Your mother's the boss. Sorry, Son." Gray rolled his eyes. His parents were such a pain sometimes, but he couldn't have asked for a better mom and dad. They drove into a residential neighborhood and pulled up in front of a nice brick home. A realtor's sign was in the front yard, but it had a "sold" banner plastered across the front. His parents opened their doors and climbed out, urging him to join them. They each took one of his hands and led him up the sidewalk to the front door. It was a nice home. Nothing fancy, but neat and clean and well maintained. The grass in the yard was weed-free. The bushes and flowerbeds were tidy. The window trim had been freshly painted and the door recently stained. "What's the deal with this place?" Gray asked. His parents didn't answer. Instead, Richard pulled keys from his pocket and handed them to Gray. Pointing out one of the keys, his dad said, "That one goes to the front door." Gray squinted at his father. "What are you two up to?" he asked. Richard nodded at the keys. "Open the door, Son. Let's go in and we'll explain." Gray turned the key in the lock and opened the door. They walked inside and found a tiled entryway leading to an empty front room. The carpet looked brand new. The walls were painted in a soft cream with bright white trim and baseboards. His dad put one arm across his shoulders and said, "There are two bedrooms. One bath. A nice large kitchen with a dining alcove. A fully-enclosed backyard perfect for parties. I might buy you a grill for your birthday." He winked and hugged Gray gently. Carol rubbed Gray's cheek lovingly. "The second bedroom will make a nice game room. Or it could be rented out for extra income." Gray was beginning to get the picture. "So that means ... ?" "You are welcome to stay with us as long as you want, but we thought it would help if you had your own place," his mom explained. "We know you said it wasn't our fault," his dad added, "but we still feel responsible for all that you went through at school. This will make a good first home for you. You can sell it and buy a bigger, better place when you're ready." Gray didn't reply, but walked into the kitchen and looked around. Plenty of room for prepping and cooking, with a dining nook and a mudroom where a washer and dryer could go. Then he walked down the hall and glanced inside the spacious bathroom with its enormous shower. He nodded his approval and continued down the hall to the two bedrooms. Both were a decent size with large closets. He turned around and walked back to his parents, who waited with eager anticipation. He took them both in his arms and hugged them to his chest. Yes, he couldn't have asked for a better mom and dad. *** Jessica held his hand as they walked to Mason Park. It was a few blocks from Gray's new house, which Jessica had absolutely adored. She had oohed and aahed over every room, gushing about what kind of furniture would be best and making plans for where everything would go. Gray had teased her, asking if she planned to move in with him, to which she'd replied with a sneer, "Of course not. I have a reputation to maintain. If I move in with you, everyone will assume I'm gay!" She could be such a bitch sometimes, but he loved her like a sister. When he'd asked her to go with him to the dog fair, she had eagerly agreed, being a bit of a dog lover herself. When they arrived at Mason Park, they heard the dog fair before they saw it. Howls filled the air as the dogs gave an impromptu concert in the crisp morning air. Jessica laughed and pulled Gray into a jogging run. "Come on, slow poke. We gotta find you a pet for your new house." Gray laughed and allowed her to tug him forward. "I'm not getting a dog. I don't even have furniture for it to chew up. And the carpet is brand new. If anyone's going to piddle on it, it'll be me." She shook her head in pity. "You are such a noob when it comes to dogs. Only puppies chew furniture. We'll get you a grown-up dog that's already trained to piddle outside." "I'm not getting a dog." "You have a house. You're getting a dog and a boyfriend. Or do gay guys just own cats? I never understood that part." "I hate cats," Gray replied, laughing. Jessica stopped and stared at him. "Are you sure you're gay?" Gray shrugged. "Don't know. Never been with a guy before." Jessica rolled her eyes. "We'll go to your place later and get naked in the shower. Then you can tell me if you're gay or not." Gray's eyes opened wide, shining silver in the morning sun, as he laughed and said. "Keep your clothes on, Jess. There's no need to get kinky." "Your loss, bubba," she replied with a grin. "Now come on and let's see the dogs!" A huge banner was stretched between two trees, proclaiming "Hopeful Paws Animal Shelter, Everyone Deserves a Forever Home." Tables were set up underneath. A woman with long, gray ponytails was sitting at the table, talking to two teenage girls. Kennels were lined up in the shade of the trees, each containing a dog. The woman handed leashes to the girls as she instructed, "Walk them around the park. If you meet anyone, explain why we're here and encourage them to come over and pick up a flyer." Jessica and Gray watched as the teens walked over to the kennels. They each opened one and let out the dogs inside. One girl snapped a leash on a large German Shepherd. The other leashed up a squatty Bulldog. Both dogs seemed eager to go for a walk and led the girls off at a rapid trot. The woman turned her attention to Jessica and Gray. "Hello. My name is Pam. I run Hopeful Paws." "I'm Jessica." "I'm Gray. Nice to meet you." "Nice to meet both of you. How'd you hear about our dog fair?" "I saw your poster in the mall food court," Gray replied. "Wonderful. Are you interested in adopting?" "Yes," Jessica replied. "No," Gray answered at the same time. They all laughed while Jessica explained. "I'm not. I'm attending school at the University of Tulsa, but Gray just got a new place here in town and I'm trying to talk him into getting a dog." Gray added, "And I'm trying to tell her I don't want a dog just yet, but she doesn't ever listen to me." Pam smiled at them both. "Having a dog is not a trivial matter. It deserves careful consideration, but if you do decide to open your place to a dog, I hope you'll consider one of ours. They would love a good home." Pam picked up a pamphlet and handed it to Gray. "I run a no-kill shelter. The city has a limited budget, so any animal who comes to their shelter must be adopted within one month or it will be euthanized." Jessica gasped. Pam nodded sadly. "There are so many pets who need a home and not enough homes to go around. It's terrible but true. I won't put an animal down just because it hasn't found a home yet. I run my shelter on donations, and we keep every animal until it gets adopted." She pointed at a few pictures in the pamphlet. "That's why we get so many Pitbulls, Mastiffs, and Bulldogs. They have the most trouble finding a home." "Because they're dangerous?" Gray asked. Pam shook her head. "Not dangerous." She frowned and added, "It's more of a case of misunderstanding. As a breed, they can be challenging to own. But you'll never find a more loyal and loving dog." "So what are you doing today? With your dog fair?" Jessica asked. "We're taking the dogs for walks around the park," Pam explained. "Trying to get folks interested in adopting. Hoping to make a connection with a future dog lover." She glanced at Gray and winked. He chuckled and asked, "Need any help?" Pam smiled and handed them each a leash. "How are you a walking a dog?" "I'm an expert," Jessica said with a grin. "Still learning but willing to give it my best," Gray replied. "Wonderful! Any experience with Pitbulls?" Pam added. "None," Gray admitted. Pam laughed. "Then I have a beagle you can start with." *** Gray and Jessica spent all morning at the dog fair, walking one dog after another, chatting with the families spending the day at the park, sending them over to Pam to learn more about Hopeful Paws. After eating hamburgers at a nearby fast-food joint, Gray and Jessica returned to the park to walk more dogs. "I think you're ready for a challenge," Pam said when they walked up. She led Gray to a large kennel and opened the door. "This is Amber," she said, by way of introduction. A massive cream-colored head peeked out of the kennel. "She's a Pitbull/Mastiff mix." Gray was apprehensive at first. The dog was huge, with an enormous head and heavy jowls. But her eyes were soft and brown, and when she stared up at Gray, he was surprised to feel no fear or nervousness. She slowly walked forward and laid at his feet, resting her heavy head on his shoe. When he reached down and scratched her behind the ear, she rolled over and offered her tummy for a quick rub too. He laughed and scratched her chest and belly while Pam snapped the leash onto Amber's collar. "She's been waiting patiently for her turn. Why don't you take her on two laps around the park?" Amber didn't get two laps. She got four. And when her walk was over, she sat between Jessica and Gray underneath a tree, her giant head resting in Gray's lap. He stroked her face gently, amazed at the big, beautiful dog who had taken to him so quickly. Pam watched them from a few feet away, nodding her head knowingly. It was only a matter of time now. Gray looked over at Pam and asked, "Could you use more help at the shelter? Pam nodded. "There's always room for one more pooper scooper." Gray smiled. "I'm off this Monday. I'll come by around 9?" "Works for me," Pam replied. Amber shifted forward, putting her head firmly in Gray's lap. *** Gray turned down his mom's invitation to join them for church. He and Jessica had made plans to hit all the furniture stores in town Sunday morning, then eat out at a favorite barbeque place for lunch before she had to leave for Tulsa that afternoon. It was a wild shopping expedition. Jessica was eager to spend Gray's money, and he enjoyed her company. They found a great sectional for the living room, arguing for an hour over whether to go with the more expensive leather or the more comfy cloth. Comfort won out in the end. Gray said he wanted to enjoy laying around watching movies, and the leather just felt too slippery. Jessica made a snarky comment about gay guys covered in cooking oil sliding around on leather, but she agreed in the end that the cloth did feel much more relaxing. She wouldn't budge on the bed, however. Gray wanted a simple queen-sized bed, nothing fancy. She insisted he go with a beautiful king-sized bedroom suite, in dark walnut. It was gorgeous, he had to admit, and she insisted the bed be big enough for two dogs and a lover. Gray laughed and said the dogs would have to sleep in the floor and he didn't have a lover yet. She smirked and replied, "The dogs won't stay in the floor. Trust me. And I'll find you a lover before Christmas break." "Good luck with that," Gray replied, but he gave in and bought the bigger bed. They also picked out a nice desk and bookshelves for the second bedroom. Gray thought it might be nice to add some gaming consoles and a wall-mounted television. Jessica didn't care. He could do whatever he wanted since she got her way with the master bedroom. The kitchen was a different matter. She picked out a sleek glass table with chrome legs and matching chairs with chrome legs and light gray upholstery. She explained that the table, with its neutral colors, would never clash with the dining room curtains. She had plans for those as well, describing vertical blinds she'd seen at a store in Tulsa. She promised to buy what he needed and bring them back with her the next time she visited. It would be her house-warming gift. Gray just smiled and hugged her tight to his chest. "If I wasn't gay, I'd marry you," he said with a grin. She kissed him quickly on the lips and replied, "If you weren't gay, I'd let you marry me." They pulled away, slightly embarrassed. Jessica pulled out her phone and searched for bath stores. "You need towels and vanity accessories. Might have to go to Tulsa for that too. Not sure what they have in this one-horse town." Gray chuckled. "There's a nice place in the mall next to where I work. Come on." *** While stuffing their faces with the best barbeque west of the Mississippi, Jessica asked the big question that had been on her mind all day. "So. Gray, my love. How gay are you?" He spluttered as he drank his tea, almost choking. He wiped his mouth with a napkin and asked, "What do you mean by that?" "It's not a complicated question, Gray. How gay are you?" Gray was baffled. He truly didn't understand what Jessica was asking. "Like .... on a scale of 1 to 10, or what?" Jessica rolled her eyes. "You say you don't want a girlfriend because you're gay, but you've never had a boyfriend. In fact, you've never even kissed a guy. Are you sure you're gay?" Gray turned bright red. "Why are we having this conversation?" Jessica reached out and took his hand in her own. "You don't have to answer, Gray. I'm not trying to be nosy, and I know it's absolutely none of my business. But I'm your best friend ever, and I love you. As your friend, and I want the best for you. So I want to know ... are you sure that you're gay?" He looked down at her hand holding his. He swallowed and nodded. "I'm sure. I'm attracted to guys, not girls. But I'm afraid to act on those attractions." "Afraid of what?" "I don't know really. Afraid of what will happen. Afraid of what my parents will say." "Have they ever given you reason to think they wouldn't accept you for being gay?" He shook his head. "No. Not really. But some stuff happened when I was a kid and I guess I just haven't ever gotten over it." She nodded. "Then I guess it's a good thing you aren't a kid anymore, isn't it?" He looked up. "Why do you say that?" She smiled gently. "Because kids aren't equipped to deal with `stuff', but grown men can handle `stuff' just fine. Now that you're a man, you can accept who you are and be happy for once." His eyes filled with tears and he squeezed her hand. "I want to be happy." She squeezed back. "Then do it, Gray. Don't let anything stop you. Especially the past." She paused and handed him a napkin. "You know, your eyes turn silver when they fill with tears." He laughed and dabbed his eyes with the napkin. "Yeah. I've heard that before." "They're really stunning like that. Some guy, somewhere, is gonna fall in love with you when he sees your gorgeous eyes. It's gonna be a beautiful wedding!" Gray choked back a sob and stood up, pulling Jessica into a hug. "Will you be my maid-of-honor?" "Nah," Jessica replied, "but I will be your best man." *** Alone in the bathroom of his new home, Gray used his cell phone to find a video of two young men making passionate love. Not a fuck video. Not a video with some flimsy excuse for raw sex with horrible dialog and clothes flying off in thirty seconds. But an amateur video of two young lovers who held each other in a gentle embrace, kissing softly and passionately, touching each other with soft caresses that gradually led to fervent love-making. He watched the video twice, then lowered his pants and underwear. He took his cock in his hand and slowly stroked it, watching with curious eyes at it filled with blood and swelled to its full length. He wasn't long or especially thick, but his skin was silky smooth over the hard-as-steel shaft, and the circumcised tip was bright red, plump, and spongy. He explored the length of it like a new lover would, unashamedly inspecting his throbbing cock and soft pubes, moving down to his balls held tight against his body in their wrinkled sack. Moving them about, he was intrigued by the way they moved on their own, pulling up randomly and sliding around. He took his cock in hand and slowly stroked it, starting the video again. He imagined he was one of the young men, holding his lover, touching his lover's body, being caressed in turn. He set the phone down and closed his eyes. His imagination took over and he allowed the wonderful electric sensations to fill his body. No shame this time. No embarrassment. For the first time in his life, he sought out the tingling vibrations, embracing them, welcoming them, permitting them to bring him to a shuddering, explosive finish. His cupped his hand beneath the end of his cock, capturing the essence of his passion. He touched the silver fluid with one finger, stirring it, investigating its slimy substance. He lifted his hand to his nose, smelling the acrid aroma. He stuck out the tip of his tongue and touched it. Bitter. Strong. He turned on the water and washed his hand clean, then carefully milked the last few drops from his cock, washing it in the flowing water. He looked in the bathroom mirror as he washed off his cock and smiled. His gray eyes seemed to be laughing back at him, finally accepting who he was. *** Sitting on the bench on the back patio, Gray stared up at the stars in the Oklahoma sky. Somewhere, there was a lover waiting for him. Of that, he was convinced. A lover who needed him. Not just for the joy of sexual release, but also to be held in strong arms and cared for. It was only a matter of time. Until then, he prayed that the stars would watch over his lover and bring them together when the time was right. The end of MISUNDERSTOOD, Chapter Six