Notice: This is a fictional story of friendship, commitment, love and trust. It is not a sex story. However, this story deals with love between male teenagers. If you are offended by stories involving love between two teenage boys, why are you at this website. There may be some sex scenes in this story; however, sex is not the main theme. If you are under age 18 or 21 or it is illegal to read this story where you live, don't read it. Reproducing this story for distribution without the owner's permission is a violation of that copyright.

Author's Note:

Hey Peeps!

Man was I happy with the response to Chapter 16. Thanks to all that voted and commented. After a few days 83% said it rocked! I was working on the Rock Opera part of the story and there is a really emotional song coming up that I love. The character Anthony sings. If you want to hear that song visit http://www.declan-galbraith.co.uk/tribute.html. Declan, I think is an awesome singer. Extremely talented and has an great personality. Funny Anth's voice sounds so similart to Declan's. LOL.

Anyway, on with the story.

Sam Lakes

Sam (sam_lakes@hotmail.com)

One Person at a Time - A Breakup

Anthony Radesheski

It was unusual the effect Matt and Luc's romance had on the other students. I had read so many stories where a couple comes out and everyone bullies them or shuns them and are afraid of what people will think if they associate with the gay couple.

This didn't happen at Worthington High. People accepted Luc and Matt as they were - a happy couple. Matt and Luc didn't go around swapping spit or even holding hands that much. Sometimes they would walk down the halls with their arms lying across each others shoulders. Sometimes they would get all gigglely and laughing but it was because they had a funny sense of humor.

That wasn't the only effect. A major effect was made it safe for others who were gay, like me. I didn't feel odd or out of place or different. It seems like if you're a bigot or you make some bigoted remark people would shun you and stop being your friend.

Joe Thomas who has dated Marsha Williams for the last three years and is probably the most popular basketball player in school was walking down the hall with Arnold Jorgersen when Jorgersen made some bigoted remark about queers.

"So, you really feel that way about guys that are gay?"

"Yeah, I do," said Arnold.

"Well, I am glad you told me cuz I thought you were a pretty decent person, but with that attitude I can see you are aren't anything more than a shithead. I don't associate with shitheads."

"What you're fucking gay too!"

"No, I'm totally straight but I have some friends that are gay. They are worth a million times more as a friend than someone like you." With that he walked off.

Matt was no longer referred to as Luc's boyfriend. He was simply Matthew Smith Eastman or that extraordinary drummer, guitarist, keyboardist, pianist, violinist, flutist, banjo playing singer with a golden voice who is also a fantastic friend, pal buddy, hero and voice coach. Okay, okay that's what I call him.

Yeah I am still in love with Matt and Luc. And in a way they love me too. We hang out a lot but I also know when they need their space.

Joey, Alicia Morris and some other drama students were discussing the fact that the few skits that had didn't have a central theme as I walked into the drama classroom humming a tune.
"What's that you're humming?" asked Alicia.

"A song," I giggled.

"Smart ass."

"Yes, my ass is smart."

She stuck her tongue out at me.

"No, thank you I'd rather use toilet paper. You're a girl besides now if it were Joey," I fluttered my eyes dramatically at Joey. He laughed.

"Seriously what's that tune?" Alicia asked.

"Seriously, it's a song that Matt wrote the song and Luc and Matt are writing the lyrics. It's called 'Boys in the Park'. It's about the day Matt and Luc met when they were seven. You know that's when they fell in love. That little cutie from San Fran, Bryce Larson," I gave a dramatic sighed. I think I am seriously in love with Bryce too! "Well he asked how they knew it wasn't just puppy love. Luc said it was because Matt wasn't a dog he was hot even at seven. I can't imagine Matt ever not looking hot."

"They fell in love at seven?" inquired Alicia.

I told her the story and a bit more. Perhaps I should not have said anything about the problems and the kind of life Matt had. 'In for a penny, in for a pound' I thought so, I went on to talk about his adopted grandparents and adopted Dad who died years before he was born and about him getting beaten up for being gay. I guess I told them pretty much his whole life as I knew it.

"That's it!" she exclaimed.

Joey and the others looked at her.

"Look, we all saw 'Tommy' - there was a story and music. We have to scrape everything we've done so far - humph! Two really bad skits instead we'll do skits on Luc and Matt's lives!"

"Yeah! That will work!" said Joey.

I was sort of excited too, but my excitement turned into a disaster that afternoon as I walked into Petri's classroom where Joey and Alicia and some of the other drama student handed Matt and Luc an outline of the different skits.

Matt face went red as he read Joey and Alicia's general idea and outline of the skits.

"No. Trash this. Come up with something different."

"But it's a perfect theme," said Joey.

"I said trash it!" Matt said.

"No! We've work for a week trying to come up with something and this is a great story and a good idea. You agree, right Luc."

"Yeah, it's good, babe."

"Who told you all this stuff about me?"

"Anth did and that's when we came up with the idea," Alicia said.

"Anth? As in Anthony Radesheski?"

"Yes, I know you had a rough life but -" Matt pointed his finger in her face and said "Sshh!"

"So, Anthony, did you tell them about how my mom and brother died?"

I knew I was in trouble. I nodded.

"I loved you and I trusted you when I told you about my life. I thought we were friends. I did expect you to broadcast my past to everybody. You killed that friendship when you shoved that knife in my back. Get out of my life and stay out!"

"Come on, babe, it's not -" Luc started to say.

"Don't you dare say it's not that bad!"

"Dude chill," said Joey.

"Trash it," Matt said.

"No."

"I won't do it. I'm out of here, out of this," he said throwing the papers on the floor,"I'm out of your life and out of this school."

"Come on babe, let's go cool off," Luc said as he took Matt's hand.

"No. You don't understand, do you, Luc. None of you do. You've lived pristine lives. While you and Eddie were playing giant bubble baths I was eating out of garbage cans. While you were driving daddy's corvette into the river I was having a huge dick driven up my ass!"

"While you were busy pushing the memory of me into the dark corners of your mind I was holding on to the memory of you! It was all I had that was good. And you want me to go through all that again. You want everyone to know what a pathetic life I had. I'm not going to do it. It's over. You and me are over. You need to move on."

Matt ran out of the classroom. Luc started to run after him, Joey grabbed his arm. "Let him go, he needs to cool off."

"No! I'm going after him."

Luc left.

"Are you okay, Anth?" asked Joey.

I lied. I nodded my head, turned and walked out of the room. When I got home I went to my room and cried myself to sleep.

George Smith (Matt's adopted grandfather)

I was a little surprised to get a call from my grandson Matthew asking me if I'd pick him up from the airport as he would be landing in twenty minutes He asked if could also I call his mom and tell her he was visiting me for a while.

There are so many things about Matt that remind Sarah and me of our son, Alex. Little mannerisms, like playing with his earlobe when he's deep in thought, or when he plays chess he and he's planning out his moves he wiggles his tongue on his bottom lip or the way he furrows his brow.

Sarah, my wife, and I picked Matt up at the airport. He was very quite which was unusual. We chatted for a bit about how his mom was doing. When I asked how he was doing he said he was okay he just need to see us and have a break. I knew that wasn't the complete truth but I let it slide.

As soon as we arrived home he went to his room - Alex's old room. Matt didn't come down until dinner. I knew he'd been crying. We ate dinner and watched a bit of TV. After an hour Matt said he was tired and went back to his room.

Lydia called. She said Jonathan had called and said Matt had a huge upset at school and broken up it his boyfriend, Luc. He told his friends was not coming back to school. Jon is very worried. Apparently, one of Matt's friends told others about Matt's life. The kids wanted to do a story of Matt's life and Luc's for a rock opera and Matt flipped out.

Jonathan also said if Matt isn't back here soon Evan will come up there and kidnap him. I had to laugh at that.

After four days of mopping around the house hardly talking at all I decided I had had enough. Matt was again in his room. When I opened the door Matt looked up he had Alex's journals scattered around him. He looked up at me. His bottom lip began to quiver and tears fell like raindrops.

"I can't find an answer. There no answer in here," He began to cry. I moved Alex's journals out of the way, sat down on the bed next to Matt and pulled his head over against my chest. I let him cry for a bit.

"Matt, your dad died when he was nineteen. He was very smart, very mature for his age but he didn't know all the answers. I'm sixty-four years old and even I don't have all the answers. Some times you have to figure things out for yourself."

We were both silent. He wasn't crying any more. He was playing with his earlobe so I knew he was thinking.

"You call Alex my dad. That's the first time you've done that," he stated.

"Yes. Well, I finally agree with you," I laughed, "You're my grandson. I only had one son; ergo he must have been your father or at least your adopted father. And if the man Alex was here in this room - it would be him holding you not me."

We were silent again. He started crying quietly. "Grandfather, I fucked up my life. I broke up with Luc. I flipped out and I told him it was over. He probably hates me grandfather."

I could help but have an almost silent chuckle. He looked up at me with such an inconsolable look on his face. "Matt, at least once a year your grandmother and I have a bad argument and we both say things we don't mean. Sometimes, we'll go for a week or two without talking after a really bad argument. But I love her. Life without your grandmother would be unbearable."

"We can't stand to be apart. We belong together. So, we make up, we do something nice for each other to show our love. I know it sounds silly but one time I went outside and picked a dandelion flower and gave it to her. She cried. I cried but we made up and our love was even stronger. How do you feel being away from Luc?"

"I feel horrible. I cry all the time. I love him so much. He's everything to me. I want to be with him forever," he was crying again. I waited.

"I messed up with everyone else, too especially Anthony. I was so mad at him. I was so scared. I mean he told everybody about my life. Now they'll hate me."

"I don't think so. Does Luc know about your life?" He nodded. "Does Luc hate you because of your past?" He shook his head no. "What about the boy Anthony, did he hate you?"

Matt said nothing for a few moments, "He's incapable of hating anything. I'm so sorry I hurt him."

"What about Melissa, Cory, Joey, Eddie, or Alicia?"

"I don't know. How do you know their names?" he asked. I smiled. He wiped his eyes. "Grandfather, tell me."

"Well," I said, "I had a call from Evan this morning and he sent me an email wanted to make sure I read it and wanted to make sure I had you read it. He also said that he will be here tomorrow morning to take you back home. Shall we go read the email?"

It was like he was shot from a canon Matt was out the door and in my office with a chair pulled up beside my chair in front of my computer. Sarah and I had to laugh. When Matt gets excited he has a magical effect on us.

"Now, what was my password?" I said pretending to forget.

"Grandfather!" whined Matt anxiously.

I laughed and logged in. There before us was Evan's email. I turned the monitor towards Matt so he could read it better.

"George -

Please have Matt read this email and the attachments.

Love Always,

Evan."

Below Evan's signature was another message.

"Hey Babe,

I hope this e-mail works, I miss you so much and I will never stop loving you. I cry myself to sleep every night. I cry most of the time during the day too. I'm a real bitch to everyone especially Anth. If this doesn't work I will kill him and go to prison where they will electrocute me and end the pain I feel without you.

Love Always Forever,

Luc."

"Hey,

I hope this works cuz I think Luc is serious. I didn't mean to hurt you or upset you. I know your life was bad, but you are my hero and I wanted everyone to see you from my viewpoint - someone who was so strong that they held on to their dream despite the horrors that happened. You're right I have lived a pristine life.

But I also lived a life where I had no confidence in myself. A life where I wondered if I would amount to anything and a life of being scared. You changed all that. Your love and confidence in me changed me. I've been in love with you from day one. When you told me of your life my love and respect for you only grew more intense. I want to be like you. I want to have your strength, your compassion, your love and your persistence and perseverance to hold on to my dreams and make them come true.

Mattie, YOU ARE MY HERO!!!

The day after you left everyone in school knew about your life. Everyone in school hated me. Nobody in school would talk to me - they all blamed me for you leaving. They all missed you. Luc wouldn't even talk to me until yesterday. He's been so bitchy to everyone.

To say I'm sorry means nothing. They are just words. I felt I had to do something to get you to come back. As everyone knows about your life and as nobody gives a rat's ass about your past - I did a crazy Luc Baxter thing. I got on the PA system. I told them my viewpoint of you and my idea of how to get you back. Unlike Luc I didn't lock the door but by the time the principal got into the room I had said my thing. Petri said he waited long enough to let me say what I had to say. I didn't get suspended either - I think he was afraid of a school riot.

I posted a note on the student notice board. Evan scanned the notice and all the pages. There are 1526 students at Worthington High. Attached are all 1520 signatures The only signatures missing are three students who are sick, Arnold Blinkley who broke both wrists roller blading, one student who hasn't been in school for a week and yours. Mr. Petri says nothing like this has ever happened.

Please I don't care if you never speak to me again, but just come back.

Love ya,

Anthony"

Matt was trying hard not to cry. I opened up the attachments and there was the note Anthony had posted.

"We, the undersigned students of Worthington High demand the return of our friend Matthew Smith Eastman. We missed you. Please come back."

Luc's signature was the first follow by x's and o's and LAF.

Fifteen hundred and nineteen other signatures followed. Most with comments like "Hurry back I miss you" or "we need your music". "You rock dude!" Matt read each name and each comment.

Sarah was tearful as was I and of course Matt bawling.

"Hey, there are about twenty students waiting by the phone at Evan and Jon's place. Think we should call?" I asked.

He nodded.

I dialed Evan's number and put the call on speakerphone.

"Hello?" said a voice.

"Luc, put it on speaker," said Evan.

"Luc! I love you," cried Matt.

"Babe! I love you too. I miss you so much. It really hurts being away from you. Please say you'll come back," cried Luc.

"I'll be back," sobbed Matt. Neither boy could talk both were crying.

"Mattie," I heard a high pitched voice of a young boy speak, "Mattie, talk to me please."

"Anth, I love your so much. You're my, you're my hero too. I-I ac-acted so stupid."

"Hey, dude, it's me Eddie. You guys are so gay. Listen Matt, you got to come back cuz Joey won't give me any until you get back and I'm getting really horny."

"Okay, I think I'll leave you guys to talk," laughed Sarah.

"Oops! Sorry, I didn't know you were there. Are you Matt's grandmother?" asked Eddie.

"Yes and no need to apologize. I understand all about blue balls," she laughed and left the room.

I decided to leave to and let Matt talk with his friends.

He looked a thousand times happier when he came into the kitchen than he has all week.

"Thank you! I love you guys so much! You are the best grandparents in the world. Would you be upset if I left in the morning there's a seven o'clock flight?"

"Not at all, seeing your happiness now is enough. You belong with Luc and your friends not with us old people," said Sarah. Matt walked over and hugged her. She hugged him back.

TBC

Hey dont forget to vote! Leave your coments on the comments page - Sam.