Date: Fri, 5 Feb 2021 18:01:11 +0200
From: Ryan White <liciousryan@gmail.com>
Subject: Salamander

HOLA PEEPS!!

Hope you enjoy this one. I had a lot of fun...and exhaustion writing it lol
Ant feedback or if you just wanna chat...I'm always here.
liciousryan@gmail.com

Stay safe,
Ryan

SALAMANDER

"GOAAAAAAAAAL!!!!"

"What a wonderful team effort from the Durbanville Ravens as they go 2-1 up
with five minutes to go! And it's that kid again, Kyle "Salamander" Leigh
who has done it! And all from a wonderful pass from the equally talented
Freddy Moss!  Those two almost have a telepathic understanding going on
that pitch... And LOOK at that crowd! Folks, if you aren't here at the semi
finals of the under seventeen high school soccer championships you are
seriously missing out!"

** ELEVEN YEARS AGO **

"Everybody, we have a brand new little boy joining us for class today! And
guess what, his name is Kyle! Now you guys know how nervous you all were on
your first day here in Kindergarten, so come over and say hi, okay? Kyle,
this is everyone! You're gonna make lots of new friends here, I just know
it! Why don't you sit here with Angelica and Freddy for today, yeah? And
look... they are drawing...what is that exactly, Angelica?"

"It's a spider, Miss Holly. My older brother keeps one at home, but my
daddy said he has to get rid of it," bragged six year old Angelica as she
beamed to the new boy who was visually very impressed with her drawing.

"Oh my... that might be the best thing to do, yes... and Freddy! What...is
THAT?"

Freddy smiled... his two front teeth that was missing clearly showing that
he had a recent visit from the tooth fairy, and of course so he thought. He
also had a shining new R20 note which the infamous tooth fairy had left in
inside one of his slippers this morning when he had woken up, with the very
clear instructions that he had to use it for his lunch money and nothing
else. This... was 2010 after all and things were much cheaper then. The new
boy sat down next to Freddy as the latter proudly held up his drawing to
Miss Holly.

"It's a willy!"

Both Angelica and the new boy were shocked as anything...even the notion
that a forbidden word had been used, here...the new kid wanted to laugh so
bad but somehow, even inside his six year old little mind, he knew that now
wasn't exactly the right time for that.

Miss Holly had the look on her face of someone who had just been shown a
corpse of a rotting animal, before she cleared her throat and quickly
stormed out of the classroom, whilst chunks of her perfectly permed
hairstyle falling and slipping out of the concoction as she did so.

"You got Miss Holly angry!" Angelica said with all the meanness that a
little six year old kindergarten girl could possibly produce triggered
towards Freddy.

"It's her fault. She said we should draw anything that we have seen over
the weekend! And I saw a willy!" Freddy said convincingly but having seen
his teacher in such distress and probably on her way to phone his parents,
there was just a smidgeon of worry on his kiddie boy face.

Both Angelica and Freddy made a surprising noise as the new boy suddenly
grabbed the paper on which the very... long... willy had been drawn on and
he quickly grabbed a grey and then, a green coloured crayon. Freddy got a
little upset as he saw the new boy make a few adjustments to his pride and
joy drawing before said new kid held it up for both Angelica and Freddy
himself to see.

"What did you do?" Freddy asked in a voice that very much resembled a six
year old on the verge of crying.

The new boy cracked a smile. Even at six years of age, he was already a
beautiful human being.

"Now it's not a willy anymore. Now it's a Salamander."

Before Angelica nor Freddy could reply, the boy, still smiling
mischievously, wrote his name on top of the page.

"Kile".



** PRESENT DAY **



Kyle high fived Freddy and placed his arm around his lifelong best friend
as they entered the school showers after the game.

Coach Nathan clapped his hands several times in sheer applause, as he
entered said bathroom with almost all of his team in some or other state of
nakedness, but really, after so many years still here, coaching the under
seventeen soccer team at Durbanville High, nothing was new to him anymore.

"You only bloody gone and done it! Semi finals, done and won! Boys, we
literally only have ONE more game remaining and that's gonna be an little
over two months time. So we gotta be fitter, sharper and stronger than we
were today. Yeah, Salamander bailed us out there, let's be fair. Speaking
of which...Kyle? Get your scrawny ass over here!"

Kyle smiled and he was patted on the back at every step he took to the
middle of the bathroom where he could be seen by every member of the
team. Freddy placed some much needed deodorant underneath his both arms and
he playfully threw the little bottle at his best friend, hitting Kyle
against the side of his head, eliciting laughs and cheers from all corners
of the bathroom.

"Settle down, you muppets...Kyle, look, I did actually wanna tell you this
in private but heck...after that game we just had, everyone in here, every
one of you deserves to know. There was a recruiting scout at the game
today. And he specifically asked me about you."

Silence droned on in that bathroom where it had been near carnage only
minutes before.

Kyle swallowed and his eyes were huge. Freddy ever so slowly sat down on
the bench and he too, was moved at what the coach had just divulged but for
different reasons all together. None that except himself and Kyle knew
about and probably never will.

"So...did he say anything?" Kyle managed to croak out.

Playing soccer professionally was his dream, his lifetime goal and
hopefully one day, his biggest achievement. He was the happiest when he was
on the soccer pitch and kicking a ball around. When people asked him what
he wanted to do after he finished school, he always said he was gonna play
for Manchester United some day and of course majority just smiled, rolling
their eyes. Unrealistic as it seemed and sounded...there was just never
another answer.



** SEVEN YEARS AGO **



"Happy birthday, dear Kyle. Happy birthday to youuuuu!"

Kyle leaned forward happily and blew all ten of his cake candles out as the
smoke literally vapored around him and his army of friends that had come to
attend his birthday party. By now everyone was having a good time and
bombing each other into the pool whilst Kyle was opening his presents one
by one as a typical ten year old boy, he literally couldn't wait any
longer.

"Oh my gosh! This is ace! Thanks Angie!" he cried out in sheer disbelief as
he unwrapped the latest installment of the popular FIFA video game that was
currently on the market.

Angelica blushed furiously and immediately went about to stuffing her face
with some much needed popcorn...she didn't know why these days whenever she
was in her best friend's company...like literally ALL the time she would
get a warm flutter in the pit of her stomach. She couldn't put a name
exactly to whatever it was...all that she knew at the tender age of ten
was...she enjoyed every moment that she was spending with Kyle.

With his shirt off and that big ole smile plastered across his face, Kyle
aka Salamander, really had evolved from his kindergarten days. He was
blossoming into the most handsome boy most people have ever seen in their
entire lives. Even some of the older girls in school made funny comments
such as that they couldn't wait to see what Salamander would look like when
he was all grown up if this was the results at the mere age of ten.

And yes...ever since that day that Kyle had almost magically recreated the
willy drawn by Freddy as a salamander, word got out on the playground and
quite simply, it had stuck on him to this day.

Suddenly, there was only one present remaining on the table. Everyone had
gotten Kyle such...really, really expensive gifts and Freddy knew that all
too well. He really wanted to give Kyle his present when they were alone,
on their own, away from others, simply because he was ashamed of it.

Every year around this time Freddy and his mother had a fierce argument
when it came to buying Freddy's best buddy in the whole world, something
nice for his birthday. Unfortunately Kyle was born on the 21st of
March...and at that time of the month Freddy and his family were usually
ass stone broke. This year though, Freddy had saved up all his allowance
and without Kyle knowing, did extra jobs for people in their neighborhood,
simply because he knew what Kyle really wanted and he knew that his parents
hadn't already gotten him one.

Kyle aka Salamander looked at Freddy and he smiled his beautiful
smile. That same...feeling...that same nagging spot in the pit of his
stomach...very much the same as what Angelica felt when she was near
him...that special warm feeling that ten year old boys still didn't quite
understand...that same feeling was evident between them every time Kyle and
Freddy were hanging out. Even more so now. Because Kyle knew Freddy and his
family were struggling financially and even so...he still had gotten him a
birthday present.

Kyle wrecked open the package that Freddy's mother had wrapped so neatly
only that morning...and suddenly he stood back, with his hands over his
mouth. It took a fair few seconds for Kyle to get back to life, before he
pulled out the red Manchester United shirt...and held it before his
eyes. He solemnly turned it around, and the name "ROONEY" and the number 10
was plastered at the back in crisp write letters.

Freddy had given him this...a shirt of his favorite soccer team, complete
with the name of his most favorite player, ever on the back.

Tears wanted to stream from Kyle's face as he looked at Freddy. Suddenly
there was a whole lot of things he wanted so say to his buddy...and do to
him...he wanted to hug him towards him and never let go...but he couldn't
of course in front of all these people. He didn't know why...or where the
sudden need had came from...his heart was telling him he wanted to be close
to his friend.

Freddy was so happy that Salamander loved the shirt...all that mowing of
grass, going hungry at school every day because he was saving his lunch
money...it had all been worth it, to see a smile as big as Kyle's on that
gorgeous face that day.



** PRESENT DAY **



"Any idea what you're gonna do? It's fucking Kaizer Chiefs offering you a
free stuff and a trial...dude, you can't just not go."

Kyle sat back down on the pavement before his house, where he and Freddy
were busy hanging out after the soccer match later that same afternoon. The
sun was out and the pool was cool...but neither seventeen year old boy felt
they had the need to swim right now.

"I know it's fucking Kaizer Chiefs. I fucking know! Stop saying it!" Kyle
snapped and rested his head on his knees and arms. He had no idea what to
do.

Only the most supported and most famous of all the South African soccer
teams had offered him a scholarship at their under eighteen reserve side
for a year. He would be home schooled at their academy and have trials and
matches with the reserve teams of the squad. If everything was successful,
chances were looking good that they were signing Kyle on a permanent basis
as a player.

A chance of a lifetime that didn't befall a teenager from Durbanville every
day.

If he played his cards right and took every ounce of juice out of this
opportunity, and if he of course worked his ass off, then
maybe...maybe...he would eventually realize his dream of one day playing
for the great Manchester United.

There was only one snag.

Durbanville was in Cape Town.

Kaizer Chiefs was located in Soweto...Johannesburg.

He'd had to leave everything and everyone here if he did decide to go. This
was his big chance...a once in a damn lifetime opportunity. But...it had to
be said...there were more important things and people in his life than
soccer. That, he pretty much already knew.

One of which was sitting beside him.

He felt Freddy's hand touch his own and eventually the two life long best
friends were holding hands. So tightly...they never wanted to let the other
go.

"What am I gonna do without you, Salamander?" Freddy whispered, hoarsely,
his voice breaking, before squeezing Kyle's hand softly.



** FIVE YEARS AGO **



Freddy was late.

And Freddy was never late.

Freddy was way too eager to go home at the end of every school day not to
have been here already. Kyle sighed and kicked a pebble that was laying on
the ground around as if it was a soccer ball whilst in thought.

Freddy usually had art class in their final period of the day and he had
told Kyle to wait for him underneath the tree outside of the school
gates. Kyle himself never couldn't understand art and all that paint
malarkey and all that it seemed to stand for, however, neither did Freddy
when it came to Woodwork, or Woodshop as they called it in the states.

The idea of physically carving something out of a simple piece of wood with
your bare hands and watching the sculpture simply...getting it's life in
front of you...for Kyle there was nothing better than witnessing
that. Oh...and of course a kick about on the soccer field.

He looked at his watch. Damn...he was gonna end up late for his training
session that afternoon and he STILL had to go home and change unto his
soccer gear which he had of course, forgotten on his bed that morning. He
has known Freddy ever since they were six years old...he knew Freddy
wouldn't make him wait on purpose. Surely?

After another sigh, and a real need to get home as soon as possible, Kyle
grabbed his backpack and quickly jogged back into the school grounds to
find his friend.

He had a sort of idea where the art department was but since he never
needed to be there he struggled to actually find the place. One of the
girls who he ran into on his way, who was of course, clearly also
infatuated with the sexy Salamander, told him exactly which way to go and
she received a million dollar smile for her efforts.

She would later use that memory for something completely different in her
room, when her parents were asleep.

I digress.

As Kyle neared the art department...he heard it.

Or them, so to speak.

"SHUT UP, YOU FAGGOT! TAKE IT LIKE A MAN!"

Knowing what Freddy had already gone through a couple of weeks ago and how
he himself had almost risked getting detention in order to defend his pal,
Kyle couldn't believe that those idiots were at it again! Why couldn't they
just leave Freddy the fuck alone?

He ran around the corner to the department and it felt suddenly like a
piece of his own soul was getting kicked and punched along with his buddy.

"LEAVE HIM! LET HIM GO!" Kyle screamed in sheer anger and frustration
before he ran towards where Freddy was now limply laying on the floor, his
white school shirt almost drenched in blood.

"What's it to you? You should be helping us! Everyone knows this scum is a
fag!" the bully shouted, his face nearly as red as the blood seeping out of
Freddy's nose.

"Forget it, babes. He won't do shit to him. He's always been Freddy here's
guardian angel..." came a voice dripping of hate and sheer sarcasm...

...and that same voice always sliced time echoes through Kyle every single
time he heard it. He couldn't believe how much she had changed over the
past two years.

"Know what, Angelica? Shut the hell up! Get out of here before I do
something that will get me fucking expelled!" Kyle screamed and the two
bullies knew he meant it.

His popularity was a huge factor in their decision...no one would dare
cross Salamander. That would be the definition of social suicide.

Angelica spat out the gum that she had been chewing, and signaled to her
bully of a boyfriend that it was time to go.

"Whatever, Kyle. You always only cared about him anyway..." she said...and
just for a vague minute, Kyle could see something...something vaguely
resembling the old Angelica...the one who he had made friends with on his
very first day of kindergarten...before that cold, hard exterior was back
in full force.

Once they were gone, Kyle knelt at Freddy's side...and held his face in his
hands.

"Hey...you're gonna be okay. You hear? No one is gonna touch you ever
again. I promise. This ends here!" he hissed before he stood up and ran
towards the soccer pitch out back as quick as possible, where he knew he
would get some assistance to help his buddy.



** PRESENT DAY **



"Quick! Get in!" Kyle whispered as he opened his bedroom window. It was
freezing cold outside after all the rays from that afternoon, and he stood
aside to allow Freddy to sneak into his room.

"Geez Louise, its cold out there!" Freddy croaked as he rubbed his hands
together for some much needed warmth.

Kyle immediately reached into his cupboard and pulled out a clean sweat
shirt of his, and tossed it over to his friend. Freddy faintly smiled
before he pulled it over his muscled body. It was ironic, really. One would
have thought that Kyle would be all muscular and full of biceps and big
bulging areas and sides...but he wasn't. He wasn't flabby by any means, but
boy, oh boy, was he skinny. His taller and lanky physique made him perfect
for playing a striker in any soccer team, as he did that afternoon when he
so expertly headed in the cross that Freddy had provided to win the game.

In sheer contrast, it was the meek and mild Freddy...who had been bullied
mercilessly over the years and who many might have referred to as the
"feminine" one of the duo, who had all the muscle on him. His chest was
ripped, his baby fat had all melted away and made for a flat stomach,
rippled with a stunning six pack abs. His biceps were insane and his legs
were like fucking tree trunks, strong and healthy from spending such many
times in the gym.

Every time Freddy wanted to give up or he was simply too tired to carry on
his training regime, he would think back to all those times he was so
viciously attacked...and he would FIND the strength from inside, somehow,
to complete his work out. Just by looks of him today, no kid in their right
mind would wanna mess with him.

"You decided yet?" Freddy asked as he sat down on Kyle's bed.

The latter glumly placed his hands inside his pockets and shook his head.

"Coach Nathan's gonna need an answer like next week, bro..."

"...I KNOW! Okay? I know all of that and I still..."

Kyle slumped over towards Freddy and he sat on his buddy's lap, facing
him. He then clasped his arms around Freddy's neck and looked deep into his
eyes.

"I dunno if I can go and leave you here. We've never been apart since
fucking Kindergarten," Kyle whispered.

Freddy leaned forward and kissed Kyle...his Kyle...his buddy, his bro...his
best friend...his Salamander.

Both boys moaned softly as the kiss deepened between the two. Two sets of
lips seemed to perform cartwheels round each other and hands seemed to
caress every damn fibre of their being they could grab hold of. Kyle
lightly, playfully bit Freddy's bottom lip as he came up for some much
needed air.

"It sounds...pathetic dude...God...but I dunno if I can go and leave you
here. If this was just a fling or even just two buds just messing around
and getting each other off then it would be have fine. But it's more than
that and both damn well know it."

Freddy's eyes danced across Kyle's face.

What was a cute little six year old...a stunningly handsome ten year
old...and a sexy as hell twelve year old...and now at seventeen, turned
into what had to be the most BEAUTIFUL young adult male that existed. How
Kyle had gotten so lucky with looks like his, no one would ever know. But
there you are. God seemingly made no mistakes in creating this incredible
human being before him.

"You need to go."

"What? This is my room, you nut job!"

Freddy smiled...but only for a second.

"No. You need to go to Joburg. It's Kaizer Chiefs, Salamander. Not just a
pub team. Your dream is to play for Man U, right? This could only be the
start!"

Kyle groaned...before he kissed Freddy one more time.

"Oh man...I wish...I wish we actually told someone about us. I know I
always said we can't because of soccer and because I always dreamed of
making pro...but now I really wish someone else knew. That way I would at
least know here's someone who will have your back when I'm gone."

Freddy playfully punched Kyle's chest as he cackled softly.

"I pretty much think Angelica and her crew all know even though there's no
evidence," he said.

"Man...what the fuck happened there?" Kyle murmured as he stood up and
walked over to the window.

It had started to rain, and that pretty much meant that Freddy would have
to sleep over.

"She changed so much. I still can't understand it."

He felt Freddy hug him from behind, with the latter's arms reaching around
him and finally ended up resting tightly on his chest. He felt Freddy's
head gently and warmly nuzzling at his neck and he shuddered with pure love
and affection for his lifelong friend.

"I can be wrong, Salamander. I really think she had a crush on you. And
then me and you...we didn't know what it meant at the time, but we were
getting closer. We started to realize that we were in love, we weren't just
best friends anymore. Remember what she said that day they attacked me?
Anyhow... I'll never forget that afternoon that we kissed for the first
time..."



** THREE YEARS AGO **



"Dude, it's the seventh grade farewell! You can't stay home!" Kyle sneered
as he sorted through his numerous shirts that he had inside his dresser and
cupboards.

He was nervous as hell...this was going to be his first ever date with a
girl, even though they were going to be inside a packed middle school hall
for the entire time. Once more he willed himself to look forward to what's
probably gonna happen. All that his fellow boy friends were talking
about...was having sex with their dates are the after party. It wasn't that
he didn't wanna go...he really wanted to...only he didn't wanna go with
Abby. He'd rather not even say who he really wanted to take to the dance.

Freddy dramatically threw up his arms and stared at his pal as if he was
the most stupidest person alive.

"Uhm...hello? Poor and broke kid sitting right here! I can't afford to go
and even if I could, which I don't, what would you suggest I wear? This?"
Freddy cackled as he looked down at his sleeveless shirt along with baggy
pants that his poor mother had gotten on a closing down sale at PEP.

Even though they were unfortunately worse off financially than Kyle's
family, Freddy never made Kyle feel bad about it. Instead, he joked around,
he made light it of it. Inside, however, he was shaking. Of course he
wanted to go. But it was not to be. Their family simply couldn't afford the
fees needed to pay, in order to attend. He had to understand that.

"Well, if I take you, as my date, then you wouldn't have to pay. My mom can
pay for us both like she did for Abby," Kyle giggled as he searched for
more clothes that he could wear to the do.

When he heard no reply from Freddy, he turned around...and Freddy's head
hung down almost to his chest.

A pain like he never before felt, struck through Kyle's heart. He had never
seen Freddy like THIS...even when he got beaten up loads of times...even
when kids called him a faggot at school...and especially when Angelica,
their former best friend...and her crew nasty ass crew painted his locker
to look like a giant pink penis...he still didn't seem as deflated as he
was now.

"Bud? Man...I'm sorry. Hey, I just made a joke...I'm really sorry, okay?
Look, I know you're bummed out that you can't go..."

"...it's not that..." came the slight whisper.

"Then tell me," Kyle said, putting his arm around his best friend.

Freddy simply shook his head and then...perhaps the most telling
contribution to their relationship this far...he turned his head and looked
Kyle straight in the eye.

Two pairs of eyes were locked so tightly not even the Jaws of Life would
have been able to separate them. The truth was finally...FINALLY reflected
in each others eyes.

Somehow...some way...since that fateful day when Miss Holly introduced them
in Kindergarten...something had changed between Freddy and his
Salamander. Somehow the feelings of real true friendship and years of
standing by each other through thick and thin and by virtue of their
lifelong respect and bond...something truly magical had occurred.

Their lips collided and both were instantly afraid that the other might be
angry or even worse, push them away and instantly reject them. They waited
in vain...their lips mere inches from the other...there eyes sparkling and
nervous...before Kyle slowly smiled that beautiful smile of his, and Freddy
returned it in his own goofy way.

"I can taste your spit, Salamander..." Freddy whispered, teasingly...as if
he didn't just kiss his best friend.

"Should I come back in there and get it?" Kyle replied, his eyes and voice
full of mischief and excitement.

Freddy could only nod.

It was that night...as they fell asleep with Kyle's head lodged on Freddy's
chest...his arm dashed across his buddy's abdomen...and in return Freddy's
own arm was around that of his beloved Salamander...it was then, that both
of them knew...they had found their soul mate.



** THE FOLLOWING DAY, PRESENT **



"I'm gonna do it."

"Do what?"

"I'm gonna go to Johannesburg. I'm gonna sign with Kaizer Chiefs."

Freddy jubilantly jumped on Kyle's back with his arms encircled around
him. He was way more muscled than the latter so keeping upright for Kyle
was a sheer mission. Both boys tumbled to the ground as they immediately
started a typical boyish impromptu wrestling match. Both knew that Freddy
would win in a heartbeat and since Kyle still needed his limbs in working
order for the scholarship, he gave in after a few mere seconds.

Freddy happily rolled off his boyfriend and looked up at the clouds in the
sky.

"You're so doing the right thing. You'll forever regret things if you don't
at least try. And they are paying your school fees for the whole of next
year. And if things don't work out...well, I'll be here. I'll always be
here."

Kyle was the first one up and he helped Freddy up, which was another
mission for the lanky teenager, because of the weight difference.

"This is why I wish we told somebody. I know I said we need to stay quiet
but...I kinda regret it now. Look, we aren't gonna break up. Not on my
watch. We need to promise each other. Okay? No matter what. That we'll
return to each other. I'm serious, Freddy. Promise me!"

Freddy noticed a white BMW car tearing down the side of the street in what
had to be going nearly twice as fast as the speed limit allowed but he soon
returned his attention to his secret boyfriend.

"I promise. You just hurry up back here and make sure your skinny ass don't
forget me, will ya?"

Kyle held Freddy's hand in his for a little while longer than what was
supposedly safe to do in a public park. He squeezed it before saying...

"How can I ever forget you?"

**

"Isn't that your phone, bro?"

"Fuck...yeah it only vibrates these days instead of actually making
noises. The damn thing is old and fucked. Pretty much like my dick."

Kyle cackled and jogged quickly across the busy intersection that they
needed to cross in order to get back to Freddy's house.

They had taken the long way around as they wanted have some form of
privacy, which they would never have gotten at his house, nor at
Freddy's. Every time they were together he was worried that someone might
see them being affectionate and he was damn well sick and tired of that
shit. He knew it was still, unfortunately, very much frowned upon being gay
in South African sport...he desperately wanted to come out but he couldn't
help worrying what that would do to his scholarship. Oh well. It is what it
is.

"Freddy! Hey, what's taking so long?" he shouted as he saw his buddy still
slowly making his merry way across the street, and still typing away on his
phone.

"Bro, my mother fucking forgot her pin number! She wants me to send it but
the fucking sunlight is so bad I can't see a thing on this old phone
screen!" Freddy shouted back.

"We're nearly at your house, come on, you can tell her there in person!"
Kyle yelled before he saw the same white car from earlier, in a fucking
onslaught oncoming in their way and it was heading straight for Freddy.

"She's already at the shops, I'll just send her a quick voice note!" Freddy
yelled back and he turned his back towards the oncoming speeding car.

There was no time.

The car wasn't stopping.

Seriously...IT WASN'T FUCKING STOPPING!

"FREDDY!" Kyle shouted and on sheer morbid instinct, he ran into the road
and PUSHED Freddy out of harm's way.

Only he didn't quite think about the consequences of doing that.

"KYLE! FUCK! KYLE!"

**

All that Freddy could do...his phone still lodged inside his hand...was to
lie safely on the opposite pavement where he had landed from his buddy's
almighty push...and all he could do...was to see Kyle's tall, skinny body
being tossed into the air like it was a fucking ragdoll. The sound...the
actual sound...which could be heard as Kyle's head made HARD contact with
the tarred road...

"YOU BASTARD! COME BACK HERE, YOU FUCKING CUNT!" Freddy screamed after the
white car and ran towards his buddy. Jesus...there was so much blood.

"SALAMANDER...WAKE UP!" Freddy yelled hysterically before coming to his
full scenes, dialing the number of the local town ambulance from phone.

Cars immediately stopped around them as traffic came to a screaming
holt. Everyone was shocked and wanted help and assist in some
form. Everyone in town knew Kyle Leigh, aka Salamander...and if they didn't
know him personally, they knew OF him.

The rest of the afternoon was a blur for Freddy. All he could remember was
that the paramedics told him that Kyle was still alive, but BARELY hanging
on, as they took his boyfriend to hospital.



** TWO WEEKS LATER **



"Urrgh..."

Freddy was gast asleep with the fucking drool running out of the sidenof
his loity agter spending hrt ANOTHER night at Kyle's side when he heard the
croaked noises coming rrom that very same bed. He only realised what was
actually happening after a gew seconds and immediately ran like lightening
towards the room door, which he swung open like a mad man.

"It's Kyle! It's Kyle! Nurse, somebody...anybody! He's waking up!"

These last few weeks has been an utter nightmare. He felt like a giant, big
black hole could simply devour him then he didn't even wanna know how Uncle
Henry as well as Aunt Jemima was feeling about all of this...Kyle's
parents.

They had to operate on his brain...that's what Freddy had been frightened
of the most...that somehow something would go wrong and his best
friend...boyfriend...would never wake up again. The accident and the
injuries was so severe that they didn't think he WOULD pull through...but
true to his nature...Salamander did. He was STILL here.

As soon as the nurses were rushing in, they were unfortunately rushing
Freddy out as they had a job to do. The last thing that Freddy had managed
to see, was Kyle opening his eyes...and fucking hell, after two solid weeks
of staying by his bedside almost every day...bunking off school early
several days to come and be with the boy he loved more than life
itself...and now...thank god...he was finally awake.

**

"But Uncle Henry..."

"...for Christ's sake, Freddy, I said no! Kyle cannot have ANY visitors!
He's only been out of the coma for two days now. Give him some time to get
his bearings for crying out loud. I'll call you, when the time is right."

**

That...was over a week ago.

Something wasn't right. He has known Uncle Henry and Aunt Jemima ever since
he was six years old. They couldn't lie to save their own damn lives. He
knew they were keeping something from him. Even if they had kept it a damn
guarded secret...Kyle was STILL his boyfriend and fucking hell, he had
RIGHTS!

When the school bell rung early that morning, to indicate that recess was
over and that the students should return to class...one particular student
decided, fuck that.

He wanted to see his boyfriend.

**

"Nurse, please! Look, don't you remember me? I'm his best friend! I was
here all the time when he was in that coma, so why can't I see him now? You
gotta remember me!"

"I do remember you, son, but his parents gave us strict instructions that
no one, and I mean, no one be allowed near him. Believe me, they have their
reasons."

"Yeah? What reasons?" Freddy spat out.

"I can't tell you. We have patient confidentiality..."

"MAN, FUCK THIS SHIT!" Freddy yelled in sheer desperation and he ran
towards the room he knew Salamander was in, before anyone could dare stop
him.

What the hell was going on?

God...did they figure out Kyle was gay? Did they know they were dating or
something and that's why they wanted to keep them apart? Jesus, he didn't
even think of that...

Too late as he literally BURST into Kyle's room...and it was a very scared
and nervous Kyle...complete with bandages all around his head, face and
arms...but very much alert and awake...that stared at him with total
confusion in his eyes. His mom, Aunt Jemima, quickly stood up and looked at
Kyle, and then suddenly back at Freddy with horror drenched all over her
beautiful features.

"How did you get in here...? Freddy, you can't be here, not yet..."

"Kyle! You're...awake! Man...I was so worried about you, dude..." Freddy
smiled as he happily approached Kyle, not even bothering to hear what Aunt
Jemima had to say...

...but she didn't need to say anything.

Kyle...Salamander's face said it all.

**

"Kyle...?" Freddy whispered.

Kyle was a mere shadow of himself. He flinched as Freddy approached...as if
he was scared of him...

The terrified look in his eyes also didn't help matters.

Aunt Jemima placed her hand on Freddy's shoulder, very softly and gently.

"My god, Freddy...we told you so stay away. This...this is why we didn't
want you to see him. Not yet, anyway. Freddy, why...?"

Kyle casted his eyes towards his mother, and then just as she did
before...back to Freddy.

"Mom...who is this?"



**



THANKS FOR READING!!

Wow...that took a lot outta me.

Please send me some feedback, if you enjoyed it and if you wanna read some
more xx

Stay safe.

liciousryan@gmail.com