Date: Sun, 9 Jan 2011 01:24:27 -0500 From: K J Subject: Finding Another Like Me: Chapter 24 This story is fiction. Any similarity to any persons living or dead is merely a coincidence. If you are not allowed by law to view this material, please do not do so. If you are under 18 years of age, please leave now. This is a love story between two barely under the age of 18 year old boys in high school. If that offends you, I apologize and ask that you not read any further. Otherwise, enjoy. AUTHOR"S NOTE: Hey guys. It's been awhile. I hope you all enjoy this new chapter. I had a little time to write so I wrote a few chapters. I'll put them out every two weeks or so in order to make them last until I get a chance to write more. SIDE NOTE: This chapter was posted with only me proof reading it so I apologize for errors, I'm in the process of looking for a new proof reader, since I have not been in contact with mine in quiet awhile, so if your interested shoot me and email at writenowin@gmail.com Chapter 24 It must have been late when Chris got in from the Margarita party. All I can remember is feeling his warm body press on top of mine as he laid into bed. Then I felt his attempt at giving my neck a good night kiss- he was definitely drunk because it was a wet kiss. Chris pulled me into an embrace and we fell asleep letting the events of the first day on the cruise slip away. Our second day was a little less eventful than the first. We decided just to chill up on the deck and take in some sun. I had decided not to mention my little altercation with Ben from the first night to Chris. I didn't want to upset him after I had seen how he reacted when I had brought it up at his house. After spending the day bathing in the sun, our group decided to go see the Dolls Dancing Show that we had opted out of the night before. It was hilarious! The show was made up these amazing dancers, who towards the end of their performances would pick a random person from the audience to participate in it. Deb got picked. She's a terrible dancer and it was just hysterical to watch. After the show we all decided to turn in for the night. As Chris and I lay in bed that night, he turned and just stared me in the eyes. He put had one of his magical smiles on his face. It seemed random and all I could do is giggle like a little girl. "What?" he asked. "Nothing I just couldn't figure out why you were staring at me, which made it just very awkward. And you know me in awkward situations, I laugh." "True. True. Well I was staring at you because you're so hot." "What?" I exclaimed. "I'm not really." "Yeah you are. Well at least to me you definitely are. You're the most beautiful human being I've ever met." I just smiled. There was a moment of silence between us. "Kyle so what's next for us?" I looked at him quizzically. "What do you mean?" "I mean after this. After this week. After I graduate. What's next?" I thought about it for a second. "I don't know Chris. I guess we spend the summer together, make the most of the time we have. Then when September comes you go off to college and I stay here and finish my senior year. It's not like you're going a million miles away. We can see each other on weekends and stuff." "I know that Kyle. I know I'm not going that far. But I am worried that we're going to be in two different points in our lives or something." "Well we will be, but that doesn't mean they can't coexist. Relationships are about compromise and that is what we'll do." "Yeah I guess your right." "Plus I remember a guy only a few months ago telling me that he wanted to marry me and have children with me," I laughed as I rolled on top of him with my hand on his neck. "And I am holding that guy fully accountable to stick with that promise." I smiled and proceeded to kiss him. 8 AM came sooner than I thought it would. The alarm clock sounded next to the bed as I groaned and hit it to silence it. I had promised Deb that I would get up and take the morning yoga class with her. I had no clue why since I was neither flexible nor calm, but I figured I'd give it a try. As I slipped on a pair of running shorts and a black beater, I heard movement from the bed. I turned to see Chris looking at me half asleep. "Have I told you how good you look lately? I mean like body wise. Have you been working out more?" I chuckled. "Since we got back together I have made it a point to go the gym more often. I can't be fat when I am always standing next to you." I gave him a wink. "Well you look stunning. By the way speaking of doing something for others, how about tonight you let me surprise you with something for the two of us?" I looked at him curiously. "Ooh la la?.." "Nah not like that!" he chuckled. "Well maybe but I meant more like a special evening just the two off us away from the group?" "Yeah sure babe that'd be wonderful." I smiled and leaned down and gave him a quick kiss. "But I have to go for now. I'll see you in a little." I left the cabin wondering what Chris had in store for me later on tonight. As I reached the yoga studio I met up with Deb and we took our spots on the mats where we were designated. The whole situation turned out to be very painful. I had attempted to bend in ways that no man's body should probably bend, but at least I had tried. After the class, Deb and I decided to take a walk up to the top deck to grab some breakfast and sit and talk. I sat at the table waiting for Deb to get back from grabbing her food. I stared out the window at the open ocean. "So what's on your mind? You look all serious," Deb asked. I turned and smiled at her. "Nah just thinking how perfect all this is." I said this half heartedly. "Are you sure? No problems with you and Chris." I shook my head. "You would tell me right Kyle? If there was?" I smiled again as I looked at her. "Yeah I would Deb. Don't worry its nothing between me and Chris...persay. It's more how upset I get thinking about Chris and Ben not being friends." Her face dropped a little at the mention of Ben's name. "But Deb it's not a big deal. I know you don't..." "Kyle, Ben's a great guy. I know that's weird for me to say considering I found out he cheated on me...numerous times. But deep down he's a good guy. And I know sometimes it's a sore subject for me, but I definitely agree with you that the whole Chris and Ben situation sucks." "Yeah. I just don't know what to do about it either. Like I talked to Ben last night...well rather yelled at him, but he didn't seem to want to budge." "Honestly Kyle. Maybe he just needs some more time." "But how much more time? There's not much time left. You guys graduate next month and then you all will separate in a few months for college. I don't want them leaving with this fight this going on." She just shrugged. "Well maybe what you said did have an effect on him, but you just haven't realized it yet." "Maybe. Then there's that whole Paige calling me a `fag' every time I run into her. She's so trashy." Deb laughed. "Yeah she is." "But like I don't get why she hates gay people so much? I never did anything to her and neither has Chris. Is it really just cause she hates gay people that much? Like it's not like she is super religious or from a conservative area. We're from Massachusetts god damn it!" She laughed at my last comment, but then got real serious. "Honestly Kyle its not you she hates. It is just the fact you're gay." I looked at her puzzled. "What?" "Alright so you promise never to repeat this to anyone else. Like ever?" I nodded. "Alright well you might not know this, but Paige and I used to be best friends back in like middle school. From sixth grade to eighth grade we were almost inseparable." I gave her rotten look. Deb laughed. "Listen it was before she was so cruel. So anyways during the eighth grade her mom and dad split up. Everyone else thinks it's because her moms a slut who couldn't keep her legs closed. But it wasn't. Her mom became a slut after that. The only reason I knew this was because we used to tell each other everything. Well the real reason they got a divorce is because Paige's mom caught Paige's dad in bed with another person... a man. This tore Paige's family apart and I knew for awhile her mom used to just talk brutally about the dad around the house. Paige I think attributed her dad's affair to gayness and gayness to ending her parent's marriage. This is why I think she is so mean to you." I just sat there in shock. "I also think it might stem from the fact that at that point in her life she believed she lost her dad to `gayness' and so now she attributing losing Chris to it too. I know it doesn't excuse what she has said or done, or even make sense, but it does give a reason." I still couldn't bring myself to say anything besides, "Wow." "Yeah I know right?" I just nodded. I spent the rest of the day with Deb and a few other people from our group of friends. However, I failed to see Chris at all. I wondered where he could possibly be. Around 5 o'clock, I decided to go back to the room and check to see if he was there. When I got to the room, I noticed there was only a piece of paper sitting on the bed. It read: Meet me at the front of the ship on the second to top level on the balcony at 6 o'clock. Don't be late! =) I smiled knowing that this must've been all part of his master plan. I quickly decided to hop in the shower and get dressed. Around 5:50 I reached into my bag to grab out my can of body spray, but realized it wasn't there. I searched the room up and down for it, but soon realized Chris probably had borrowed it. I decided I'd grab some in the little store on the way to the spot. As I came out of the elevator and sprinted to the store, I stopped in my tracks. Ben walked right out in front of me not noticing that I almost ran into him. He had his head down and looked like he was talking to himself. I was going to say something, but realized I had no time. I quickly watched him walk away. I ran into the store. The clerk was taken aback at how pushy I was and how quickly I wanted to move. After I got the body spray I sprinted toward the front of the ship. I looked down at my watch and it read 5:59. As I reached the point, where the deck became a balcony, I stopped dead in my tracks. I heard two voices talking... two familiar voices. AUTHOR'S END NOTE: Send all feedback (positive or negative) to writenowin@gmail.com...i love hearing from readers!