by
Mark 'Ponyboy' Peters
Chapter Sixteen
After leaving work I didn't go straight home, as I was too wound up over what had happened that afternoon. I also believed that my mother would quite likely explode when she saw my scratched face and torn shirt and found out what had happened, so I figured I needed to think about things for a little while first.
Driving down to Riverside Park, the same place where I had sat with Uncle Bryan a few days earlier, I parked my car and got out, then decided to take a walk along the paths which weaved their way through gardens and along the water's edge. Crossing a pedestrian bridge over one of the smaller streams that flowed into the river I stopped and leaned on the rail, watching the dark water flowing beneath me and down the channel into the river.
Shadows were now growing long in the late afternoon and it was turning quite cool, and on checking my phone I saw that half an hour had passed already. In another half an hour it would be starting to get dark and Raffa would be finishing work. I smiled to myself at the thought of meeting him in a park after dark. I'd heard all sorts of stories about people getting up to that sort of thing, but never thought it would be something I would ever see myself doing. How times change, eh?
Of course, there was nothing sexual about our planned meeting, but that didn't stop some part of me stirring at the thought.
I continued walking and when I reached the end of the park I noticed the local McDonalds on a nearby corner, so I decided to grab something to eat and headed across the road. My first stop was the rest-rooms and after relieving myself I went to wash my hands, only to be suddenly taken aback when I looked in the mirror to see the beginnings of a healthy bruise on my face around the scratches I had received when being smashed against the brick wall. There wasn't anything I could do about that right now, but I just knew that I would be getting a reaction upon others seeing it.
On reaching the counter to be served I received my first odd look, from the girl taking my order, no doubt being shocked by the state of my cheek and my torn shirt.
'What happened to you? Are you okay?' she asked.
'Yeah, I'm fine, thanks. Just a mishap at work this afternoon,' I answered, before placing my order. I had decided to grab something for Raffa as well, so after paying for the order I stepped aside to wait for the meals. A few minutes later my number was called and I was soon on my way back towards my car, and my clandestine meeting with Raffa.
By the time I reached my car and was sitting inside it I knew that the front doors of our store would have been closing, and as the park was only a couple of blocks from the store it wouldn't be long now before Raffa would arrive. Almost on queue I heard the sound of a motor bike approaching, then moments later the bike came speeding into the car park, before coming to a stop right beside my Nissan.
Raffa quickly pulled off his helmet and climbed into my car.
'What kept you?' I cheekily asked.
'What?' he said, then he saw me grinning at him. 'Asshole!'
I handed him a paper bag containing a Maccas meal, along with a shake.
'What's this? You trying to fatten me up or something?'
'Nah, you’re hot enough just the way you are.'
'Really?'
'Hell yeah . . . though I'm not one hundred percent sure about the hair. I think you'd look dead sexy if it was shorter, though.'
'Hmmm . . . maybe I might try that,' he replied, before taking a sip from the shake, then thanking me for it.
'So, did anything else happen after I left,' I asked, before biting into my burger.
'I have two words for you.'
'Which are?'
'He's gone!'
'What do you mean?'
'Sacked . . . kicked out . . . let go . . . adios amigo, or whatever else you might want to call it. Obviously they are taking their company policies very seriously these days.'
'Wow. It certainly sounds like it. So now I guess I'll be copping some more backlash from all his mates at work . . .'
'Not if they have any brains,' Raffa replied.
For the next few minutes we both sat in silence and ate as we contemplated what had happened that day. Should I have been feeling anything for Tom losing his job, I wondered. I had to admit that I had been surprised by the news, but now I was feeling torn. In some respects I was sorry for someone losing their job, but it was difficult to have sympathy for a guy that had a track record of bullying others, and for his attack on me. Maybe I should just be grateful that he got his just desserts.
I was quickly snapped from my reverie when the interior light for my car came on after I noticed that Raffa had reached up and switched it on.
'I just noticed your face,' he said. 'Looks like you're getting a bruise.'
'Not getting a bruise. I've got a bruise. Mum is going to go ape shit when I tell her what happened!'
'It makes you look kind of tough,' Raffa added, as he reached across and ran the back of his fingers gently across my cheek.
'I'm far from being tough.'
'I don't care,' he replied, before leaning over and then planting a kiss on my cheek. 'I like you just as you are. Feel like going for a walk?'
'Yeah. I think I'd like that.'
This was a real moment between us and as I climbed out of the car I found that my heart was beating fast and my hands were suddenly getting clammy. Was this the beginning of something special? I didn't want to get ahead of myself, but I was certainly hoping so.
Darkness had descended and the area was now lit by overhead street lights, as well as some discretely placed garden lights at ground level. We walked along the same path I had earlier trodden, amongst gardens and along the water's edge, until we reached the same pedestrian bridge upon which I had previously stopped. Raffa stopped and leaned back against the railing, so I did the same, allowing our arms to touch just briefly.
Nothing was said for now. Sharing the moment was enough, as we listened to the sounds of the night and the city, nearby and all around us, yet far enough away not to overwhelm us.
'It's beautiful here, isn't it?' Raffa eventually stated.
'Yeah. It's a good place to chill . . . not that I come here that often.'
'And I guess you've needed a bit of chill time lately?'
'Yeah, you could say that.'
We listened to the night for a couple more minutes, then I felt Raffa's hand reach out tentatively before it found mine.
'I'm sorry for everything that you have had to go through lately,' he said softly. 'But I'm so glad that we've gotten to know each other a little better.'
'Me too,' I said, while giving his hand a gentle squeeze. 'And I hope we can get to know each other even more,' I added as I turned my head to look at him.
Just as I did so we heard the whirring sound of bicycle wheels coming along the path and turned just in time to see a kid, barely a teenager, speeding toward the footbridge.
‘Watch out,’ he yelled, before whizzing past, missing us by only centimetres.
'Bloody faggots,' we heard him say, but before we could react he was gone, a dark shape disappearing into a darker night, visible only as he passed beneath the lamps while racing away from us.
'Bloody punks!' Raffa yelled after him, stepping forward and waving a fist in the air, making me laugh, but the kid would have already been out of earshot.
When he turned back toward me, grinning, I took hold of his jacket and pulled him to me. 'I love it when you talk tough,' I whispered, and then I kissed him.
Raffa's arms snaked their way around my body and pulled me in as his lips worked on mine, tentatively at first, but soon with an eagerness that was infectious. I felt his tongue probing between my lips and I opened my mouth to allow him entry. His hands found their way onto my arse and pulled me in closer, and I could feel his hardness rubbing against mine. I was in heaven.
When we broke off the kiss I could see him grinning at me.
'Fuck, that was definitely worth the wait,' he said.
'Why did we take so long?' I said, with a note of laughter in my voice.
'I have no idea, but I hope we can make up for lost time?'
'Sounds like a plan,' I replied, before pulling him to me and kissing him again.
* * * * *
We continued our walk around the park for a time, only now we were hand in hand. The darkness offered us some cover, enabling us to enjoy each other’s company, largely free of any fear of repercussions. I very much doubted that either of us would have the courage to be able to do this in broad daylight, so we were making the most of this opportunity to just be ourselves.
'So, you didn't drag me down here just so that you could have your wicked way with me,' Raffa eventually said after we had done an entire lap of the park. 'What was it that you said you wanted to talk about?'
Looking quickly around us I noticed a park bench nearby, so I dragged him over to it and sat us both down.
I wasn't sure exactly how to ask him, but I knew I needed to start somewhere.
'When you and Mike . . . I mean, after your incident with him and Animal, did you get yourself tested? Did you see anyone about . . . you know, checking for diseases or anything like that? I need to do something, but don't know what to do or who to see, and I don't really want to get mum to help.’
'Yeah babe. I hear you. It can be pretty scary just thinking about it. And yeah, I got tested and got the all clear, thank God.'
'What did you do? Where did you go?'
'There's a sexual health clinic at the hospital. You just go see them and they'll talk you through it all, explain everything, what needs to happen, tell you about safe sex and all that. They'll check you out and then arrange for all the tests.'
'Check you out? Like what? And what sort of tests?'
He gave a little chuckle. 'They'll poke and prod you, do some swabs and then order some blood tests through the pathology department.'
'Does it hurt?'
'What? You're not scared of needles are you?' he said, then laughed.
'Maybe just a little,' I replied honestly, while feeling somewhat embarrassed.
I think Raffa sensed this and almost instantly he was on his knees in front of me, taking my hands in his.
'I want to help you through this. There's nothing to be embarrassed about.'
'I know . . . it's just . . .'
'Ssshhh,' he cooed, then wrapped his arms around me and hugged me tight. I hugged him back, not wanting to let go, but our moment was interrupted by the ringing of my phone, which I reluctantly pulled from my pocket to check who was calling.
Unsurprisingly, it was my mother. It seems she has switched over to full mother-hen mode these past few weeks.
I showed the screen to Raffa and he smiled when he saw that the caller ID said MUM.
'You better answer it,' he said, so I clicked on the green button.
'Hi,' I said, before quickly clicking the speaker icon so that it was on hands free.
'Just checking you're okay, honey,' she said. Raffa was grinning at me.
'I'm fine. Just downtown, talking with Raffa.'
'That's the cute one, right? The one whose photo you showed me?'
'That's him.'
Raffa's body was shaking from trying to remain quiet.
'Okay, you just be careful. Want me to leave dinner in the oven for you?'
'Yes, that would be great, thanks.'
'Okay. See you when you get home,' she said, before disconnecting.
For a few moments I didn't quite know what to say, but Raffa certainly did.
'Did she just give you permission to stay out late with your new boyfriend?' he said, while trying his best to not totally crack up laughing.
'New boyfriend?'
'Well . . .'
'Well, I think I like the sound of that,' I replied, before kissing him once more
.
To be continued . . .
Authors Note:
Hi there. It has been a while since I have posted anything new on Nifty. I guess life gets in the way sometimes.
I hope you enjoy this new story. Please be sure to donate to Nifty.org at http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html
Your support of Nifty is what helps ensure that stories like this are available for people like you to enjoy! :)
Oh, hey, you might also like to check out my websites, where all my fiction, real life stories, reviews, books
and other stuff are available. Please visit:
Ponyboysplace - the home page for Mark Peters
Mark 'Ponyboy' Peters | Facebook
Email: mp_ponyboy@hotmail.com