Tripod Chapter 26

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"Tripod"

Chapter -- 26

The EMTs rushed Tyler to the hospital, but the police weren't done with us yet.

They paraded the two now maskless thieves in front of Eddie, Brandon, Darius and me. We didn't know the taller of the two, but the sight of Miguel standing there with a clear look of shame on his face left me really torn. I was sad at how far and how fast Miguel had fallen and just how desperate he had become since walking out on his He Brew job. But I was also angry that he would steal and even angrier that he would get mixed up with this shithead who'd pulled a gun on us. One part of my brain wanted to see him punished, not just for stealing, but even maybe a little bit for how he'd treated me before. On the other hand, I felt sorry for him and hoped that if he got convicted, the sentence would be a light one.

"Take a good look at these guys," the first officer said. He was a tall Latino named Rodriguez. "You'll be asked to identify them later in a line up."

The two officers told us to stick around while they led the now-handcuffed perpetrators into the squad car. Eddie was clearly worried sick about Tyler and wanted to leave immediately.

Officer Rodriguez returned to the bedroom a couple of minutes later to finish taking our statements. He had Ashley in tow.

"So," he asked, "do you know the two guys who you said attempted to steal jewelry?"

"We know one of them," I said. Brandon and Eddie nodded.

"Which one? Does he go to your school?" Office Rodriguez asked.

"The shorter one," I said. "His name is Miguel Hernandez. He doesn't go to our school. He used to be a barista at He Brew, that coffee place across from the school. But he doesn't work there anymore. He quit a few weeks ago and I haven't seen him since then."

"What do you know about him?" the officer asked.

"I know he lives with his mom in Rogers Park. He goes to community college. I know that money's been really tight for him and his mom lately. I don't know that much else. But officer, I do know that he didn't know the other guy had a gun. He was surprised when the other guy pulled out a gun and Miguel argued with him about it."

"Do you guys agree with that?" Office Rodriguez asked.

"Yes," said all three.

"Miguel was really angry that the other guy had brought a gun," Darius said.

"Did any of you know that it was Miguel before I took his mask off?" the officer continued.

We all shook our heads.

"What happened? How did you discover these guys stealing?" Officer Rodriguez asked.

I jumped in to answer, "The four of us were taking a tour of the house. Ashley had said it would be OK to look around. We were in the bathroom and spent a little while in there because, honestly, it's the coolest bathroom we'd ever seen. We were in there talking because the music was loud and we just wanted to get away for a while. Anyhow, when we opened the door, we saw those two guys with a bag, dumping jewelry and stuff into it. The taller guy pulled out a handgun and pointed it at us. Just then, Tyler yelled to us when he walked into the bedroom. He got here later than we did. When the guy with the gun turned around to see who was coming, Darius jumped on Miguel and knocked him over."

"Then what happened with the other guy, the one with the gun?" the officer questioned.

"At the same time that Darius jumped on Miguel, Brandon and Eddie jumped on the guy with the gun. They hit him so hard that the gun went off. Eddie got the other guy in a head lock, but the guy was struggling, so Brandon tried to protect Eddie and the rest of us by punching the guy a few times."

Brandon winced. The officer noticed. "Is that what happened, Brandon?"

Brandon nodded, "I don't like beating people up. But when I saw the gun, I lost it. I'm really sorry."

"I probably would have done the same, son," the officer said. "So, it sounds to me like you're saying that the guy with the gun didn't intentionally shoot Tyler?"

"It's hard to say, officer," Darius said. "He had the gun pointing at us, and it was still raised when he turned around to see who was coming. But I can honestly say that the gun only went off when Eddie and Brandon dove on the guy."

Eddie interrupted, "Are we almost done here? Please, can we go. I really need to be with Tyler. We need to get to the hospital."

"He's in good hands. Don't worry. I don't think he's in real danger. Why the rush?" the policeman asked.

Eddie was clearly uncomfortable and anxious. His voice almost squeaked when he said, "He's my boyfriend, officer. We've been together for four years. Please, can we go now?"

The officer showed no reaction to Eddie's statement, but turned to Ashley. "Do you know these four guys?"

"I know Eddie, Brandon and Jaime pretty well. We go to school together. Jaime introduced me to Darius tonight," Ashley said.

"Did you tell them that they could roam around the house?" the officer asked.

"Yes, absolutely," Ashley responded. "They're my friends and I'm positive they had nothing to do with taking my mom's stuff. I don't know the other guys and they were definitely not invited here tonight. The fact that they had their faces completely covered should tell you something."

"OK. I guess I've got what I need from you guys. You all seem sober. Who's driving?" he asked.

"I am," I said. "I think Eddie's too nervous. Just Eddie and me have cars tonight. I'll drive us all to the hospital."

"You did a good job here tonight, boys. You stopped an armed robbery and you kept your friend stable until the EMTs could get here, but don't do anything stupid like that again. Someone could have gotten killed. Your friend was lucky that he wasn't really seriously hurt. We'll be in touch when we need more info or your testimony in court. You're free to go."

Eddie, who had been only in his underwear and baseball shirt, raced to grab his pants and jumped into them.

I thought it was strange that the officer never asked why Eddie wasn't fully dressed, but I was thankful that I didn't have to go into those details. Explaining that the four of us had been in the bathroom sucking dick and eating ass might have sidetracked the investigation just a touch.

We made our way back downstairs to find the house all but empty. Nothing like hearing a gun shot, then having the police show up, to take all the fun out of the party. I'm sure there were lots of sexually frustrated kids, pissed off that the party ended before they'd gotten their rocks off.

There were a few additional cops out on the sidewalk, mostly checking to see if anyone appeared to be under the influence. A few kids handed over their car keys to the officers. I'm sure there were going to be a whole shit load of kids grounded for the foreseeable future. This was the kind of parent-child bonding experience that kids my age are definitely not down for.

The four of us jumped into my mom's car and headed for the hospital, which was about a ten-minute drive from Ashley's house.

"Oh, God, this is so fucked up. I shouldn't have jumped on that guy. Tyler's hurt because of me. He's never gonna forgive me," Eddie moaned.

Darius jumped in, "Dude, Tyler's gonna be fine. It was a small caliber bullet. He was able to move his fingers, so there's probably no nerve damage. Yeah, he'll probably wind up missing out on some gymnastics practices and maybe a meet or two, but it's not the end of the world. And as far as it being your fault, I think you should just shut the fuck up. You and Brandon here are heroes. You risked your lives trying to protect us. That idiot with the gun could have easily killed any of us if you'd just stood there. You know, Jaime says you're like the nicest guy ever. I see why he loves you so much. Everything's gonna be OK. We'll be there in a few minutes and you'll see. Got it?"

Eddie nodded.

"Brandon," I said, "are you OK? You helped to save us, too, you know. What happened with you and Eddie in the bathroom? Why did you run out like that? It's OK if you don't want to talk now."

"It's OK, but you'll think I'm stupid," he replied.

"Not a chance. I know you better," I responded.

"I couldn't believe that Eddie, who I'd done such shitty things to, not only wanted to be my friend now, but was doing everything he could to make me feel good and to show me that he cared about me. I just kinda got choked up and started to cry. I was really happy, but I didn't want anyone to see me slobbering like a baby, so I walked out."

"Why did you go apeshit on the guy with the gun?" Eddie asked.

"I've been barely keeping it together forever. After all of the shit that my family went through with my psycho dad, I guess it just took that one thing and I exploded. It scares the hell out of me. What would happen if one of you guys accidentally said something that got me mad. Would I turn on you? Could I hurt you?"

"Dude," Eddie said fighting back tears, "I'm fucked up, too. Everyone's got something wrong with them in some way, at least in their own mind. We know you're getting help. Just make sure you mention it to your shrink so they can help you work through it. Hell, if any of us had been through the kind of shit that you have, I can't even imagine how fucked up we'd be. Cut yourself some slack and be proud that you've made it this far and haven't killed yourself or anyone else. I know that that sounds awful, but you're one of the strongest people I've ever met. I'm glad you're our friend now. You've taught me a lot."

I pulled up to the emergency room entrance at Evanston General Hospital and the guys jumped out, comically dressed as a baseball player, a wrestler and the devil. Darius hadn't bothered to get dressed in his street clothes.

I went to park the car, then ran into the hospital where I found Eddie already talking to Tyler's parents. Eddie started to cry again and Tyler's mom wrapped her arms around him and said, "Eddie, we've already seen Tyler. He's gonna be OK. From what you told us, the guy with the gun could have done anything. He could have shot all of you. You jumped on him to protect Tyler. The doctors are just getting some images to make sure there's no hidden damage, but Tyler's conscious and not in danger. Unless something changes, they'll probably release him tonight. Why don't you go home?"

"I can't. I need to see Tyler. Please," Eddie pleaded.

"It's OK, Eddie," Tyler's dad said. "You can stay. Have you called your folks yet? It's already after midnight and they're probably worried."

"God, I haven't even checked my phone," Eddie said. He dug his phone out of his pocket and saw the missed texts and calls. He picked up the phone, dialed his mom and proceeded to tell her the whole story. After he'd gotten her calmed down, and had explained why he wanted to stay at the hospital, she agreed, but asked Eddie to send a text when he was leaving the hospital.

Tyler's dad turned to Darius. "So, you're the guy that gave first aid to Tyler. We can't thank you enough. I'm Josh. This is Carol."

"I'm Darius."

"Oh, you're Darius," Carol said. "Tyler mentioned you this morning. You're Jaime's new boyfriend."

Darius and I looked at each other. He wasn't out to his parents and wasn't used to having his sexuality open to the public. It was obvious he was extremely uncomfortable.

"We're really just getting to know each other, Carol," I said. "Darius isn't out yet and this is all kind of new for him."

"Oh, I'm so sorry. It's really none of my business anyway, but we are so grateful to you for stepping in and taking charge with Tyler. Would a hug be OK?"

Darius nodded, "I'm always up for a hug. I know these guys love Tyler a lot. I really didn't get a chance to talk to him other than asking him if he could feel his fingers and toes."

"Eddie, your car is still at Ashley's, remember? Why don't I drop you off back at Ashley's, then I'll take everyone else home? We can catch up tomorrow, OK?"

Eddie nodded. We said our goodbyes to Tyler's mom and dad and headed out the door and slammed head-on into a media barrage. TV station remote vehicles had set up in the hospital's parking lot. Journalists and camera crews, with microphones extended and cameras rolling, caught the four of us, still dressed in our Halloween finest, completely off guard.

"Is it true that these men were driven to desperation by the inequities of a system where the CEO whose home they were arrested in makes 670 times what the median worker makes?" came the question from the left-leaning station.

"How much liquor did CEO Swenson supply to underaged kids at the party and didn't she encourage participation in orgies all over the house?" from the station that bills itself as "Nothing but the truth."

"Don't you wish that you'd had a gun in the first place so that you could have shot the gunman before he shot your friend?" was the question from the right-wing station.

The four of us looked like deer caught in the headlights. Darius and I caught each other's eyes, then we stepped out in front of Eddie and Brandon, protecting them from the cameras. I spoke first.

"My friends here reacted to an extremely dangerous situation by risking their own safety to protect us. They are heroes. Not only did they stop a robbery, but they may have saved lives, too, by subduing a gunman and administering first aid to our friend who got shot."

Then Darius jumped in, "I didn't know either Eddie or Brandon before tonight, but their bravery and quick-thinking should be commended. I really hope we get to know each other better, but under less stressful circumstances. And we wish our friend Tyler a speedy recovery." Darius looked to the three of us, nodded, and continued, "As to your questions, the motivation behind the crime would require us to speculate, which we're not going to do. As far as we could tell, CEO Swenson was not at home and had no knowledge of the party, so she neither supplied alcohol nor encouraged participation in untoward activities. And with regard to the gun question, we're only 17. We're not allowed by law to own a gun in Illinois and even if we were, we wouldn't take one to a friend's Halloween party. Besides, where would I have stashed a gun in my wrestling singlet? Go do your homework before asking stupid questions like that. We have no further comments."

And with that, Darius and I grabbed Eddie and Brandon, pushed through the dumbfounded reporters, got in my car and drove away.

I dropped Eddie at his car and took Darius and Brandon to their respective houses. It was nearly 1:00 a. m. by the time I got home. I creeped as quietly up the stairs as I could. I'd already let my folks know I'd be late getting home, so I wasn't worried about that, but I was too tired to go into the details of the party and figured I'd cover it off in the morning.

"You OK, Jaime?" came the sound of Mom's voice through her bedroom door.

"Yup. Just heading to bed," I responded.

"Are you heading to bed alone?" Dad asked.

"Yes, Dad. Just me. Goodnight."

***

I was still sound asleep when my bedroom door burst open sometime early in the morning.

"What the hell happened at that party, Jaime?" Mom asked. "And why in God's name didn't you call us?"

"We had to learn about it on the morning news, seeing you and your friends interviewed? What the fuck?" Dad chimed in. "Care to explain?"

"I was gonna tell you this morning. I was too tired last night. Everyone's gonna be OK. Tyler should be home from the hospital by now. Darius was incredible, by the way. He saved Tyler."

"Jaime, you could have been killed. What the hell kind of a party was that anyway?" Mom asked.

"It was a regular Halloween party. I mean, it did get a little out of hand, but that had nothing to do with the robbery. One of the guys who tried to rob the house is Miguel, from He Brew! Can you believe it? Anyhow, they were dressed in lucha libre masks, so no one knew who they were. I think they were just looking for Halloween parties in big houses and figured they could just filter in with the crowd. Ashley had told us we could walk around and check out the house. Eddie, Branden, Darius and I just stumbled on them in the biggest bedroom. Then the other guy, not Miguel, pulled out a gun. Miguel was as shocked as we were. So, Tyler had to work until 11:00 and we'd sent him a text letting him know where we were in the house and when he walked into the room, he saw us being held up at gun point. The gun guy turned around to look at Tyler. So, Eddie and Brandon jumped on him just as Darius knocked over Miguel. The gun went off from the force of Eddie and Brandon hitting the guy. Tyler got shot, but just in the shoulder. Darius was amazing. He took charge, told me what to do while he took care of Tyler. You know, Darius's dad's a doctor, so he taught Darius what to do in an emergency like that. The police and paramedics showed up a few minutes later and took Tyler to the hospital."

"OK, take a few steps back here," Mom said. "You said you just stumbled on these guys in the bedroom, but you also said you'd already sent Tyler a message letting him know where you were in the house, so how could you have just stumbled on them in the bedroom if you were there already?"

"Well, we were in the bathroom inside the big bedroom. It was the most amazing bathroom we'd ever seen, so we were hanging out there and when we opened the door back to the bedroom, the guys were robbing the place."

"Jaime," Mom continued, "you were just 'hanging out' in the bathroom? Let me see, you were there with Eddie, Brandon and Darius, and Tyler was supposed to meet you guys in the bathroom. Somehow, I get the feeling that you guys weren't there to admire the lovely bathroom fixtures. How 'out of hand' did this party get? Where was Ashely's mom when all this was taking place?"

"Um, I think Ashley's mom was out of town."

"Let me guess. Alcohol. Drugs. Sex. Too many uninvited people in, I'm guessing, a very large house. A recipe for trouble," Dad interjected.

"Look at me, Jaime," Mom said in a way only a mom can. "Were you drinking or doing drugs? Because if I find out you were drinking or doing drugs and driving, you're grounded for six months."

I looked her straight in the eyes. "NO!! I didn't drink and I don't even smoke weed. Even the police officer let us all go after he said that we all looked sober and there was no reason to keep us any longer."

"So, you guys were having sex in the bathroom and for some reason you needed to walk back into the bedroom, and stumbled on those guys?" Dad asked.

"That's pretty much it," I mumbled.

"Jaime, that's really tacky. Ashley invites you guys to her party and instead of being a good guest, you check out rooms so you could throw yourselves a little orgy?" Mom said.

"Ashley kind of encouraged us to do it, to be honest. I think all of the bedrooms were in use, except for Ashley's."

"Were you guys at least wearing clothes when you discovered the robbers?" Dad asked.

I blushed. "No. He was pointing at us with the gun while we were standing there naked. He called us 'faggots' and said we looked like we'd just stepped out of some gay porn video."

Dad held in a snicker. Mom gave him some serious side eye.

"So did the police and paramedics walk in on you guys naked?" Dad asked.

"No. Once we had the robbers tied up and I'd called 9-1-1, I threw everyone's clothes at them and told them to get dressed ASAP. We were all in our Halloween costumes when the police arrived. After they took our statements and told us we could go, I drove everyone to the hospital to check on Tyler. Eddie was too nervous to drive. He was really shaken up about Tyler getting shot. He thinks it's his fault."

"At least you're all OK and you said Tyler's going to be fine, right?" Dad asked. "I don't know whether to be really pissed off at you or really proud of you or both. You let your little head do the thinking instead of your big one at that party, but you also kept your wits about you in a crisis. The way you and Darius handled the press attack was masterful. I can see why you like him. That kid is smart and self-confident." Dad stopped for a second. "Mom and I are going to think about how we want to handle this. Go back to sleep. I'm guessing you're going to want to see Tyler later and check in with your friends, too."

As tired as I was, I couldn't go back to sleep. It was 8:30 a. m. I started texting.

Me: U up?

Brandon: part of me is. (Dick pic attached)

Brandon: wanna chow down on some sausage?

Me: LOL. I love that kind of breakfast sausage, but I really just want to see if UR OK. talk to your mom?

Brandon: she was waiting up when I got home. when I told her what happened at the party, she about passed out. don't think I'm gonna be going to any parties any time soon. my wings got clipped. I'm not completely grounded, but no more wild nights.

Me: I hear you. My folks are still deciding what to do with me. I'm worried about you. RUOK?

Brandon: yeah. I scared myself last night. crying like an idiot one second. raging like a bull the next. maybe I should ask about some meds like my brother's taking. Thx for asking. (Kiss emoji)

Me: Wanna see Tyler later?

Brandon: Yup.

Me: OK. I'll let you know when I've got more info

Next check-in:

Me: You up?

Darius: I am now. Had to answer your txt.

Darius: (Dick pic attached) Some parts are more up than others. (Laugh-until-you-cry emoji)

Me: You're working up my appetite. (Drooling emoji)

Me: Talk to your folks?

Darius: ouch. yes. dad said he was proud of how I handled the situation, but my folks are really pissed that I went to a party with no parents at home, especially with kids they don't know

Me: yeah, I C their point

Darius: I told them that you guys are all really nice kids. not the kind to get in trouble. they said they'd like to meet U then

Me: that ok with you?

Darius: sure. we don't have to tell them that Eddie and Tyler are boyfriends or that we've all sucked each other's cocks or that I've taken your monster up my butt. LOL.

Me: (Mind blown emoji) Did they see the news this morning?

Darius: not sure. they haven't come banging on my door yet. they don't usually watch the news early on Sundays.

Me: wanna go see Tyler later?

Darius: I guess that would be OK. I'm kinda grounded, but it's more like I can't go out at night for a few weeks. they'd probably be OK if I tell them that we're going over to Tyler's house to see how he's doing

Me: OK. I'll text Eddie in a little while. Don't wanna wake those guys up

By 9:30 my stomach was starting to growl, so I dragged my ass out of bed. I walked downstairs, bracing for more advice from my folks, but, thankfully, they weren't home. Dad's car was gone. They'd probably headed to the gym. Very ambitious for a Sunday morning.

Luckily, they'd left some coffee for me. I poured myself a cup and made myself some huevos rancheros. The salsa was already made, so it only took about five minutes to pull together. I was hungry and not feeling ambitious enough to cook something more complicated.

With my belly full and the caffeine now seeping into my cells, I decided to try Eddie.

Me: UOK Stinky? How's Tyler?

Ten seconds later, my phone chirped, signaling an incoming video chat. It was Eddie.

"Ask him yourself," Eddie said, holding up the phone so I could see the two of them cuddled up in bed.

"Oh, my God, Tyler! How are you, buddy?"

"I'm OK," he said, his speech kind of slow and drawn out. "It doesn't hurt too much anymore." Tyler held up two small prescription bottles. "They sent me home with these really good meds from the hospital." He held up one of the vials. "And I've got these other pills I need to take for a few days to make sure I don't get infrected."

"You mean 'infected,' right?"

"Whatever." Tyler giggled.

"Eddie, how's his shoulder?" I asked.

"The bullet nicked a bone and shot through some muscle. He's not gonna be doing any still rings routines any time soon, but he should be OK in a few weeks.

"Why are you at Tyler's place, Eddie? Didn't you go home?"

"His folks let me spend the night. They figured it would probably be a good idea to have someone in the room with him, in case he needed help in the middle of the night."

"Gonna need some help with this!" Tyler said, pulling back the blanket and grabbing his dick with his good hand. "Wanna come over and help out your poor, disabled, buddy?" Tyler giggled again.

"You're unbelievable. Sure, can I bring Darius and Brandon? They've been worried sick about you."

"Yeah, I'll throw a party in my mouth. Wanna cum?" Tyler laughed hard, then winced. "Ouch, it hurts when I laugh."

"Eddie, what the fuck did they give him? He's high as a kite," I said.

"I know. They only gave him a couple of those pills. Don't wanna get him hooked, but Tyler sure is having fun."

"No shit. How about if we show up around noon with something to eat?" I asked.

"Sounds like a plan, my man. See you then," Eddie said.

I ended the chat and got to work texting.

Me: We're going over to Tyler's. Pick U up at 11:30?

Brandon: Works for me. CU then

Me: Gotta be at Tyler's at noon, but gotta make a couple of stops along the way. Pick you up at 11:15?

Darius: Cool. My folks want to meet U first. OK? Better make it 11:00.

Me: Oh, shit! meeting the royal family! And I haven't got a thing to wear. Is the sexy elf costume still cool?

Darius: LOL. Uh...nope. Jeans and a t-shirt are fine, Cinderella.

Me: Guessing you guys are at the gym. Is it OK to borrow the car to go see Tyler? Brandon and Darius are coming with me.

Mom: No problem with that. Thanks for letting me know. Drive carefully.

It was already 10:15. I made my bed, hopped into the shower and was ready to go at 10:45. By 11:00, I was parking in front of Darius's house. First impressions were that both mom and dad must be doing well. The house was nowhere near as impressive as Ashley's almost-mansion, but very nice. Just two blocks from Lake Michigan, in a very nice part of town.

I rang the bell. Darius's mom answered the door. I could see where Darius got his good looks. She's very pretty with jet black hair and piercing dark eyes. She was dressed in jeans and a sweatshirt--the standard Sunday uniform.

"Hello, Jaime. Come on in. I'm Yasmin. Darius should be down in a second."

"Nice to meet you. Thanks," I said, as I stepped inside.

The artwork on the walls was the first thing to catch my eyes. I'm not an expert, but even I could see the quality of the work was outstanding. The house was starkly modern with white walls that let the artwork do all the talking. Even though it was daytime, I noticed that each piece of art had lighting perfectly aligned to highlight it. Even the furniture looked like works of art.

"Your house is really beautiful. The artwork is amazing. By the way, I think you've met my dad. His name is Barry Fine. He said he shot a PSA in your gallery last year."

"Yes! I remember him well. We had a nice conversation about our sons. He is so proud of you. Athlete, great student...he said you also volunteer to cook at homeless shelters, too. He says you're a great cook."

"That's kind of how I met Darius. He was looking for some gochujang paste at the supermarket, but he looked lost, so I helped him out. I like to cook Korean food sometimes."

Darius's dad walked in and held out his hand. Apparently, Darius gets his good looks from both sides of the family.

"I'm Javid. It's nice to meet you, Jaime. Darius has said you're a great guy."

"He's not so bad himself," I laughed.

"He said that you're on the gymnastics team, right?" Javid said.

"Well, I'm only 5' 4", and since my high school doesn't have a training program for jockeys, gymnastics was kind of the only sport left for me," I said, hoping they got the joke.

Thankfully, both of them laughed. Darius walked into the room, looking confused.

"What's so funny?"

"I was just telling your folks about why I'm a gymnast and not a forward on the basketball team."

Darius just smiled. I could just tell his mind was churning out joke after joke about me playing basketball, about how well I handle balls, how he loves to see me shoot and how I'd be a basketball team's secret weapon by distracting everyone with my dick hanging out the bottom of a pair of basketball shorts. But he kept his mouth shut tight.

I had another subject in mind. I had waited for Darius's arrival to talk about it. I took a breath and I swallowed hard.

"I'd really like to apologize to all of you about yesterday. When I invited Darius to Ashley's party, I knew that her mom was going to be out of town. Honestly, Ashley only invited about twenty people, but a lot more must have heard about the party and showed up. It made for a really unsecure situation. The two robbers took advantage of that and just walked in. It was a Halloween party and with everyone in costume, no one had a clue that they weren't just some other high school kids. Anyhow, I'm very sorry that I put Darius into a situation like that. He's a really good guy and I hope we can still be friends."

"It's hard to admit you made a mistake, Jaime," Javid began. "Neither Yasmin nor I was completely innocent growing up either. We went to parties. We just got lucky that nothing terrible happened. Things could have turned out so much worse. Your friends and you were really brave to take on those guys yourself. And I'm glad that Darius was able to help your friend Tyler when he got shot. It's nice to know that he remembered what I taught him and that he kept his cool when he needed to. Darius also needs to bear some of the responsibility here though. That's why he's grounded for two weeks. We're not taking his phone and we're letting him go with you now because this isn't really a social event. But no hanging out with his friends for a couple of weeks. Got it?"

"I'm expecting pretty much the same from my folks. They wanted to think about what the best punishment should be, but they're also OK with me going to see Tyler."

"Once Darius is allowed back out on the streets, we'd love to have you back. I can see why your dad is so proud of you," Yasmin said.

"Thanks. We should get going. We're picking up some lunch to take to Tyler and we've got to stop and pick up Brandon along the way."

"OK, take care," Javid said, and he extended his hand again to shake mine.

"It really was nice to meet you, Jaime," Jasmin added, giving me a hug.

Darius and I got into the car and headed toward Brandon's house.

"You didn't have to do that," Darius said.

"Yes, I did. You and I might end up being something more than just fuck buddies, you know. I want your folks to know that they're not letting the kid they love hook up with some douchebag. When you come out to them, if I'm still in the picture, I really want them to love me, too."

"Don't make me cry. That was like the nicest thing I've ever heard."

Darius and I sat in silence as I drove toward Brandon's house. He just reached over and put his hand on my leg and smiled at me.

Brandon jumped in the back seat and we made two stops to pick up lunch and dessert.

"You doing OK, Brandon?" Darius asked.

"Honestly, I'm not sure. Last night totally freaked me out. I'm glad to be hanging out with you guys, though. Hanging with my friends helps."

We pulled up to Tyler's and his dad Josh answered the door.

"Hi, guys. Tyler's in bed. Eddie managed to get him into the shower and back into his pajamas. You can head on up."

The three of us raced up the stairs. I knocked gently on Tyler's door.

"Come on in, guys," Eddie said.

Eddie sat on Tyler's bed. Tyler was sitting up, but still partially under the covers.

"Hey, dudes!" Tyler screamed. "Wanna see my hole?"

"Been there, done that, bro," I laughed. "Oh, your bullet hole? Nah, I think you should keep that one covered up for a while, too"

"We brought you some lunch," Brandon said. "What's in this box is guaranteed to make you happy, even though it might give Jaime a meltdown."

"You brought me a dildo? That's so nice!" Tyler chuckled.

"No, you idiot! It's a ham and pineapple pizza," I said.

Tyler, through his drugged-up fog, all of a sudden became serious. "You'd do that for me? You hate pineapple on pizza. You must really love me a lot."

"We all love you a lot, Ty," Eddie said.

Tyler, smiled meekly, then asked, "What's in the other bag?"

"It's a dozen rugulach, Ty," I said.

"The Jewish miracle cookie? Guaranteed to make you fat and happy at the same time? You guys..." Tyler started to tear up.

"You scared the shit out of us last night, dude," Darius said.

"Hah, talk about your house of horrors on Halloween!" Tyler said, then his lower lip started to tremble.

None of us had lost anyone close to us before. The idea that Tyler, or any one of us, could have been killed at that party, hit us all like a freight train. I sat down on Tyler's bed and gently hugged him as the tears started to pour down my cheeks. Brandon followed, pulling Eddie into the hug, then Darius joined in the water works.

A few minutes later, the storm had passed. Eddie passed around the box of tissues and we got our shit together.

Darius opened the pizza box and everyone, including me, grabbed a slice. They all chomped into the still-hot, crispy, thin crust. And once I'd picked off all of the pineapple, I did the same.

End -- "Tripod" -- Chapter 26