Date: Mon, 10 Nov 2008 17:36:47 -0800 (PST) From: Joseph Foster Subject: Gay- High School-Deciding Deciding Chapter 1 It's never easy to make a decision, one always has to consider the variables, and sometimes those variables include both the good and the bad, having always been faced with tough decisions I devised a simple process to follow to make my decisions, and until I met Hayden that process was always very easy for me to follow. I never really thought about guys much, hell I never really thought about girls either, I am one of those super guys that you hear about, I play all the sports possible, and I am in the top ten percent of my class, I am usually so absorbed in my piano, singing, sports, or my studies, that I rarely take a step back to check myself, I live in a well off neighborhood, and I go to a high priced school, while it's not Gossip Girl, it's more like The O.C, more meaning, I get all the perks of the acclaimed academy without the drawback of a dorky uniform. It all happened on that fateful spring day, I was sitting in my college level quantum physics course, when he walked in... "Can I help you?" Ms. Newman asked in her strict yet somehow upbeat manner that could confuse the hell out of you "Sorry is this college level quantum physics?" "Well if you figured that out you should have no problem telling me your name and why you're so late to my class..." of course snickers were heard but I didn't even glance up from my worksheet "I'm Hayden Dupree, and I was taking a placement test..." "Oh, so I assume that's your pass there..." "Yes mam." "Ok, take a seat there's an empty on next to Barrett, over there..." She was pointing next to me I knew it so I looked up and my breath caught in my throat a little, temporarily strangling me, he was a sight that was for sure, tall and broad, cropped brown hair and striking cheekbones, highlighted with deep brown eyes, he was naturally sun kissed but now too dark, so you knew he wasn't into fake and bake "Hey I'm Hayden." Was all he said as he sat next to me, not about to allow this beautiful boy to get the best of me, I spoke up "Barrett James, friends call me Barry." "Nice to meet you." "Likewise." "See to it that Mr. Dupree isn't tardy to the rest of his classes Mr. James." "Yes mam." When the bell rang and we were a safe distance from class he asked me "So is she always so..." "Indecisive about what mood she's in? Yeah, can't tell if she wants to hug you or slap you, she's cool though, just don't piss her off." "Gotcha, ok so where am I headed..." he asked looking at his schedule, I took it from him "Your afternoon classes are all on the way to mine, I'll walk with you to your next then we'll go to lunch, chaperone the newbie, I'll just add that to my never ending list of shit to do..." I attempted a joke, not something I usually do... stop it Barry "If it's an issue, I'm sure I could get a map or something..." "Nah, no worries, I'm just not good at cracking jokes, here we are, wood shop, have fun with that..." "Where are you heading?" "Well, my elective is sort of being a TA, next period, they offered it to me, so I'll be down the hall in speech and debate." "Cool, catch you after class..." I couldn't really do much in class, not like I usually did, I just passed stuff out, helped out the students, or watched the class, mostly I was an assistant, only working if asked to, other than that I just let my mind wander... The bell rang and I met Hayden outside his class "If it isn't my chaperone, let's go to lunch, I'm starving, so what DOES your to do list look like?" "Well let's see, after school, I have football practice, then, I'm teaching piano, then I'm taking voice and surfing lesson, and tonight I am studying for my medical assisting final." "Wow, is that a typical day for Barry?" "More or less, usually I have a couple hours of down time right before bed, so I'll check the DVR or pop in a DVD..." "So, the worker bee makes time for fun sometimes..." "I try to, doesn't mean I actually do though..." "You should always have some fun, it's not healthy to never have fun..." "I have fun doing the things I do though, I wouldn't do them if they weren't fun to me..." "Sorry, didn't mean to hit a nerve..." "You didn't I was just explaining, these things are fun to me, they are my life for the time being..." "That's great though that you're so dedicated to what you like..." "Thank you..." We stood in line and then we got our food, our trays loaded with the good stuff, we found a table..." "Don't you usually sit with friends?" "None of my friends have the same lunch time I do, so I usually sit by myself..." "I guess now you've got me." "Well at least I can put my book down then..." He coughed a little, "You're reading Twilight??" "What, you got a problem with that?" I asked a little nervous... "No, I love those books, it's just so rare to find a guy reading them..." "I suppose you're right, I only got into them cause my sister is like obsessed with them, so I had to see what the fuss was about, and she was right, it does really take you in..." "I agree." "Who's your favorite character?" "I like Edward, because, sometimes I feel too advanced for my age group, like I'm an old soul or something, cause I know things kids our age don't usually know, or select few do..." "I agree, you seem really advanced..." "Yeah, comes from being home schooled I guess, mom taught me what she had to, and then what she wanted, I'm definitely ahead of public school material, but hey, gotta socialize sometime..." "Your mom home schooled you?" "Yeah, until she got offered a tenure position at Stanford." "wow, that's good though for her." "Yeah, but with my dad being Mr. Senator dude, I'm always alone with nobody but the cleaning crew or butler to look after me, why do you think I take so many courses or lessons, I'm filling the time, I'm sorry to unload on you, I just I don't have many friends, because friends require time..." "I'd like to be your friend..." "I'd like that." "Cool then it's settled, we're friends..." "Couldn't ask for much more..." I said lowly "Couldn't you?" Hayden asked suddenly, but zoned back in "What'd you say dude?" I asked "Oh, I said no, prolly couldn't..." "Ok, well let's eat..." To Be Continued