Water Polo Balls -- Pt. 6, Conclusion, by swimmboy4@aol.com

This story involves sexual contact between young males. If such stories are not appealing to you, or it is illegal to read such material in your jurisdiction, please do not continue reading.

The night they had spent together was an amazing experience for both Jake and Derek. They had touched, loved, stroked, sucked, nibbled, licked, and groaned their way to two more orgasms as they spent hours entwined. At times wrestling, pinning, hugging and caressing each other, both had experienced feelings and emotions both new and exhilarating. Finally falling asleep near dawn, they rested blissfully until nearly noon, never hearing the light tapping of the maid who knocked at ten and eleven but received no response. "G'mornin', sleepyhead," Jake muttered to Derek, as the smaller boy began to stir himself awake in Jake's arms. Derek smiled, his eyes only half opened, then leaned over and kissed Jake on the cheek. Jake smiled, then tried to extricate himself from Derek, explaining he needed to take a morning piss -- now.

"You sure you can't go another round first?" Derek asked, his hand snaking between Jake's thighs and grasping the semi-hard shaft he found there. "Sometimes, it makes it feel that much sexier when you have to piss AND shoot a load at the same time." Jake was surprised by the quickness of Derek's hand -- and the way that hand so quickly took control of his own prized possession.

"No, dude, wait," cried Jake, squirming away from Derek. "I really got to take a leak, man, like, really bad! Just give me a sec -- I'll be right back," Jake said, as he finally scooted off the bed and hurried into the bathroom. But he turned toward his roomie and rolled his eyes as he heard Derek ask if he `needed any help.' "That Derek," Jake wondered to himself as he made his bladder gladder -- "What am I going to do with him?" Jake smiled broadly as he remembered the previous night -- a night of exploration and excitement and discovery for both of them. Returning to the side of the bed, he was tempted to leap onto Derek and just ravish him, loving him as he had -- or they had each other -- the night before. But he knew there WERE other things in life besides sex, and it was time he reminded Derek of a promise they had made each other the day before. "Dude," said the larger jock to the still-sleepy Derek, "get your lazy ass out of bed, and get your Speedo on! We've got some practicing and drills to do!"

Derek moaned audibly, but then realized how important it was to stay in shape for the final few games of their senior year, and for Jake to stay prepared for his training at the Junior Olympic camp. So he hopped out of bed, washed up, and quickly joined Jake to head downstairs for a quick bite. The continental breakfast had ended at ten, but the hotel manager took pity on the hungry teens and retrieved some bagels, cereal, fruit and juice for the boys. They gratefully wolfed the food down, then went out for a brisk walk to let the food settle before heading to the pool. By one o'clock, they were both in just their small Speedos, and were able to find some room in the less-crowded deep end of the pool for a workout. The walk along the pool deck had attracted a few glances, and even a couple stares from some newcomers, though many of the college-aged vacationers were now accustomed to seeing the two handsome athletes in their minimal gear. Both boys did some stretching and flexing, then spent quite a bit of time doing `egg-beater' kicking drills, something polo players practice constantly in preparation for lengthy periods of play. The swirling pattern of underwater kicking allows the player to keep his head and arms above the surface, and use his arms for blocking or passing -- it is a skill polo players have developed into a fine art. The guys also did some quick feinting drills, sprint swims, etc. A couple of guys on deck had a volleyball, and they agreed to play a fun game of polo using their ball, which allowed the guys a chance to practice shots and covering other players. After an hour and a half of practice and play, Jake and Derek decided to head over to the beach.

They found their frat friends from Ohio already on the sand -- some tossing footballs or Frisbees, some in the surf, some just spread on their blankets, soaking up the warm sun. Sitting a short distance away, on a towel sulking by himself, was Brody. Jake wanted to toss a football with some of the guys, but Derek just wanted to catch some rays -- truth be told, he was actually feeling a little tired from both the night before, and the hard practice the boys had done earlier at the pool. One by one, guys went down the beach or into the water, while Derek, always a good student, retrieved a history book he'd brought to read. He was well into the chapter when a sudden shadow fell over him. Turning and squinting to see who it was, Derek found Brody standing beside him, looking down at him. Derek was speechless, not sure what to say, or even if he should acknowledge the guy's presence at all. Then, suddenly, Brody was kneeling beside him, his hand gently touching Derek's shoulder, causing the high school student to jump nervously.

"I'm...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you," Brody said, looking downcast. "I just wanted to apologize to you for what happened last night. What I did, you know, in the kitchen and all." Derek sat up, feeling nearly naked, and quite vulnerable in his Speedo, with Brody only a couple feet away in long trunks and a wife beater. But Derek could tell instantly that the bigger guy meant what he said -- his apology was real. He could see it in Brody's solemn face, could hear it in his quiet yet determined voice. Brody continued, saying, "I was way out of line. Really, really drunk -- though I know that's no excuse, it was my own fault. It's just that, well, sometimes, when I see something -- or someone -- I'm really attracted to, I sort of get this tunnel vision. And my common sense flies out the window, and I end up making a damn fool of myself. I'm truly sorry, Derek, for everything I said and did last night."

Derek was touched by this honest, heartfelt admission, and quickly extended his hand to Brody, who shook it vigorously. "No harm done, man," Derek said. "I was a little shaken by what happened, but I guess I'll survive."

"Can I ask you something, Derek, man to man?" Brody said. When Derek nodded, the frat boy said, "Does it bother you that I found you, well, even still find you, attractive? I mean, surely, other guys have hit on you, or come on to you. I'm sorry if I offended you, I know I was way too forward, but surely last night wasn't the first time another guy has shown an interest in you, was it?"

Derek was astonished by the question, and not quite sure how to answer. "Well, um, it was not something I was expecting, and certainly not something I am accustomed to." Blushing slightly, Derek could not look Brody in the eyes, but instead stared down at his book as he quietly replied, "No guy has ever been, well, you know, interested in me like that -- at least no guy has ever said he was." Derek suddenly pictured himself in Dr. Witherspoon's office, the old man fondling and groping him into arousal, but thought it best not to mention that incident to Brody.

"Damn," Brody whispered, "I keep forgetting you're still in high school. Dude, you look like a college man, and college will open a whole new world of experiences for you. I forgot how young you are. Was I coming on to a virgin last night?"

The bluntness of the question surprised the young teen, and he was momentarily at a loss for words. "Pretty much, I guess," said Derek in a quiet voice. His activities of the night before with Jake were still fresh in his mind, but Derek honestly wasn't sure how to classify them -- messing around with a buddy? Some hand jobs and oral sex between friends? And besides, those had happened AFTER his encounter with Brody, so at the time of their kitchen encounter, Derek was still an `innocent' in most ways.

"Damn, I'm an idiot. God, no wonder you were so freaked out. Just my luck -- go all horny on the only virgin in Panama City Beach! Dude, I'm real sorry. I promise I won't bother you any more," said Brody as he stood to leave.

But now, Derek's curiosity had been piqued, and he found himself saying some things he never thought he'd have said. "Did you really find me so, um, attractive? How come? What was it about me? I mean, well, if you don't mind me asking," Derek stammered. "I mean, well, it seems you would be more interested in my friend Jake -- he has the real jock body, and all the girls back in the town where our school is are crazy for him."

Brody smiled, and sat down next to Derek. "Dude," he began, "Jake is a hot guy, but I just think you are more my type. I like the tall, lean, muscular look over the big-muscled jock. Yeah, I know some guys love muscle-boys, but I just like normal, athletic guys -- like you, for instance. You're handsome, a great athlete, and you're a really nice guy -- I just felt a strong attraction to you. I'm just sorry I was so clumsy in expressing it last night."

Derek smiled shyly at the big frat kid, but blushed deeply when he looked at Brody and saw the guy smiling, his eyes fixed on the front of Derek's small Speedo. Derek nearly died on the spot when he followed Brody's gaze -- and saw the front of his small suit tented by a semi-hard erection! "No, no," Derek told himself, fighting a losing battle to force his erection away. Within moments, he was completely hard, and was forced to twist and turn, trying to shift his hard cock into a less-noticeable position -- all to no avail. The clingy lycra fabric simply stretched and stretched, as his dick responded to the stimulation of Brody's admiring gaze. Finally grabbing a nearby towel, Derek dropped it over his lap as he muttered "Sorry" to Brody.

"You needn't apologize, Derek," Brody said huskily. "But I will tell you one thing -- you keep popping boners like that in your Speedo, and you won't be a virgin much longer!" Derek looked away in embarrassment as Brody got up and returned to his own towel. A minute later, Derek jumped up and dashed into the nearby surf, hoping it would help him `cool off.' A few moments later, Jake came running into the water nearby, and the boys spent over an hour body-surfing, swimming, and diving under the waves. Back on the sand, they were preparing to leave as Jake gathered up their soda cans and trash and carried them some distance to the trash and recycle containers. On his way back, a couple of girls in extremely revealing string bikinis called out to him, asking if he could put tanning lotion on their backs. Jake wondered why they just didn't help each other, but good-naturedly agreed to the task. From a short distance away, Derek watched Jake apply the lotion as the girls lithely and rather sexily stretched and moved under his hands. Apparently, one of the girls asked the jock to untie her bikini top, and Derek noticed Jake's hands trembling slightly as he fumbled with the small straps, finally allowing them to fall beside her as she lay face down on the blanket. Derek then noticed something else -- Jake was obviously becoming aroused by his contact with the pretty, blond coed. Even from a distance, a tent was clearly visible where Jake's hard shaft was straining against his suit. Derek felt a sudden surge of jealousy, to discover a complete stranger could so quickly manipulate his buddy's sexual trigger. "Damn it," Derek thought to himself, "what's going to happen when we return to school, and Jake's `girlfriends' in town start pestering him to pay them a visit?"

The last few days at the beach were spent in pretty much the same way -- at least an hour-and-a-half practice each morning, followed by several hours at the beach. The boys spent less evening time with the frat guys, who had become more focused on bar-hopping and strip-clubbing. The nights, however, always offered something new. Now sharing just one bed, Derek and Jake began to explore one another, discovering what each liked or disliked. New positions, new touches, new caresses, new emotions. Derek found it odd that while Jake continued to shy away from him whenever he tentatively touched or explored Jake's adorable bubble-butt, Jake had no such qualms about touching Derek in a similar fashion. During their frequent `wrestling bouts', Jake would teasingly poke a finger into Derek's virgin crack -- though not too far - sometimes even `threatening' (or was it promising?) to `take your cherry' -- words that always caused Derek to squirm and giggle in mock horror, while secretly wondering what such an encounter would be like. The libido of their teen-aged bodies seemed to have no limits, and it wasn't unusual for each to experience two or three orgasms per night as they licked, sucked and touched their way to a dream-filled sleep.

Soon enough, the week had ended, and the boys said good-bye to their college friends. Jeremy gave the boys a ride to the station to catch their bus back to school, and the boys bid a fond farewell to the swimmer they had come to consider a close friend. The ride north was long and tedious, but the time passed quickly, and soon enough, Jake and Derek were back on campus, back in their own dorm.

They were delighted to see Bryce was back, and happy to hear things had gone well in his home town, and that his family and home were safe. But Bryce didn't want to talk about the drudgery of daily cleaning, sorting out trash from what could be salvaged, and repair work he'd performed back home -- he demanded to know every detail of the boys' "spring break" trip to the beach! Jake and Derek had to smile at his eager questions, but both knew the need for keeping at least some aspects of the trip private. They told him of the sun-soaked shore, the practice sessions at the pool, and the frat guys they hung out with. Bryce asked if their hotel room was nice, and Derek accidentally blurted out how they only had one bed in the room. "How did you guys sleep -- in one bed...together?" Bryce asked curiously.

Derek and Jake suddenly felt vulnerable, and had trouble not glancing at each other in an effort to coordinate answers. "Yes," said Derek, at the exact same instant Jake said, "No, not..." The jocks looked at each other guiltily, while Bryce looked from one to the other, trying to figure out what was going on. Taking charge, Derek said, "Well, we tried to get a roll-away bed, but they were out. We tried to change rooms, but they were booked solid. So, we finally had to bite the bullet and share the bed, and believe me, Bryce, you NEVER want to share a bed with Jake. That is the lesson I learned. He kicks in his sleep, he rolls over on top of you, he steals the covers, he drools on the pillow, he snores, he farts -- he's just gross in every way imaginable."

Bryce was quiet for a moment, then said softly and shyly, "I don't think Jake is gross at all. I think he's the coolest guy in the world." Suddenly looking shocked at his own words, his own admission of admiration for the older, muscled athlete, Bryce tried to recover, saying, "Um, I mean...uh, well, I mean..." But he finally fell silent, afraid to glance at Derek, and terrified to raise his eyes to meet Jake's. "I think I'd better get back to my room. I've got a lot of reading to do tonight," he said quietly. He stood and walked toward the door, and slowly turned the knob.

"Hey, Bryce," Jake called, jumping up and hurrying over to the smaller youth. Putting his arm around Bryce's shoulder, he said, "Thanks, man, thanks for the kind words. And next time I need a guy to share a bed with, I'll pick you over Derek for sure!" Bryce looked up into Jake's handsome face and smiled broadly, before turning and leaving the room. After he had gone, Derek chuckled, then said to Jake, "You'd better be careful. Don't you know Bryce has a big crush on you?" Jake looked a little stunned as he faced his roommate. "What? Are you serious?" he said. Derek nodded in the affirmative, saying, "Yep, a big, old-fashioned crush. But you'd better keep one thing in mind, buddy-boy. You are MINE!" With that pronouncement, Derek leapt up and shoved the bigger boy onto his bed, before playfully crawling atop him, pinning his arms above his head, and smiling triumphantly. "Now, repeat after me: I belong to Derek, and Derek alone!" Jake started to laugh, but he dutifully repeated the words, before heaving his bulky, muscle-laden body to the side, completely flipping his smaller foe onto the bed next to him, then, pouncing atop Derek quick as a flash! Just like that, the tables had been turned, with Derek now helpless, pinned by his heavier, much stronger roommate.

With Derek at his mercy, Jake started trash talking. "I'm my own man! I don't belong to anyone, and I can do my own thing. If little Bryce has a crush on me, well, maybe I'll just oblige his fantasy, and let him have his way with me -- or, even better, I'll have my way with him! What would you think of that?" Immediately, Jake feared he had gone too far. A look of dark worry suddenly clouded Derek's normally smiling visage, and Derek turned his eyes away, not meeting Jake's gloating gaze. "Hey, Derek, man -- I was just funnin' with you -- I didn't mean that. I was just messing with you. Gee, I like Bryce -- he's a good guy -- but you know you're the only guy I have these, uh, well, these special feelings for. You know that, don't you?"

Derek turned his face back up towards Jake's, and he smiled the broad, radiant smile that always made Jake feel all was right with the world. "I'm so glad you said that, Jake," he said. "I feel the same about you."

As the weeks quickly passed, the water polo team practiced hard, preparing for the final showdown for the state championship. If things went as expected, Hardwood Academy was slated to play Mercer Prep for the title -- the same school they had played earlier in the year -- the team with nasty Ron Forrester. The same guy who had nearly kicked Derek's nuts up into his stomach during one of his numerous unseen fouls -- that Ron Forrester. But also, Derek reminded himself, the team with Kirk, that great kid who had accidentally kicked him, but had been so kind and concerned afterward, helping Derek to the side of the pool. Derek and Kirk had stayed in touch, often e-mailing or IM'ing one another to catch up on game stats, swap school stories, and just chat.

A couple days before the final game, a restless Derek and a pumped --up Jake were in their room one night, wrestling and sparring as teen jocks in their prime so often do. Since returning to school from break, they had been careful to avoid giving any impression that `something' was going on between them. Life at an all-boy's school was hard enough -- no use adding the `gay' rumor into the mix, as they well knew. They had been careful, quietly climbing into one or the other's bed now and then for a little relief, a little mutual satisfaction, but nothing more personal than that. But tonight, the air was filled with testosterone, as the two jocks prowled their small room like caged animals in heat, desperate to satisfy those desires and needs that seemed to overwhelm them more and more often these days. Playful wrestling had suddenly become intense, hand-to-hand, muscles bulging, bodies sweating as each struggled to gain an upper hand. With his size and muscle strength, Jake was slowly gaining the advantage, even trying a few dirty grabs as he began to dominate Derek. Derek suddenly found himself sitting on the floor, Jake towering over him. In desperation, he swept his foot up against the back of Jake's knee, causing the bigger boy to lose his balance and tumble down on top of him, landing sprawled on Derek's lap, his tight bubble-butt, covered by a thin, worn pair of briefs, tilted temptingly up at a perfect angle. As Jake struggled to get up, Derek, on a sudden impulse, began to spank Jake's firm ass through his briefs, teasingly telling him he'd been a bad boy and deserved a spanking.

Jake, who had just pushed himself up off Derek's lap, seemed to freeze in place, then almost instantly sank back down, becoming quiet as Derek delivered a few more stinging swats to his back side. Jake began to mumble something, but since he was facing the floor, Derek at first could not make out what he said. "Speak up, you bad, bad boy, or I will spank you harder!" Derek threatened, smiling to himself at the way Jake was playing along. Taking turns to balance his punishment, Derek delivered a few more smart smacks on Jake's left butt cheek, then switched to the right. "Smack! Smack!" went Derek's hand, stinging Jake's tender ass flesh through the thin cotton of his briefs. Now straining to hear, and wondering why the muscle-stud jock was not offering any resistance to the spanking, Derek began to pick out a few muffled words.

"Uncle Mike...sorry...bad...won't...please...please...I won't..." For some moments, this muttered gibberish went on, until Derek finally stopped his spanking, expecting Jake to jump up and seize him in a death grip. But though the spanking had stopped, Jake's body continued to tremble and jerk, as though blows were still being delivered. And he continued to lay across Derek's lap, sprawled helplessly, his powerful muscles useless. Cocking his head to hear better, Derek began to put the sentences Jake was muttering together. "I'm sorry, Uncle Mike, I'm sorry I'm a bad boy. I'll do better, I promise. Please don't spank me so hard. Please don't make me wet myself again. I'll be good, I promise." Derek felt something hard -- and wet - jabbing the top of his thigh, and realized that by the position Jake was in, it could only be one thing -- Jake's dick, hard and leaking. For some reason, Derek now began to caress and knead Jake's sore, quivering buttocks, rubbing them tenderly, soothingly, feeling somehow ashamed that he had done something bad -- awfully bad -- to this boy he loved.

"Here, Jake, come on, sit up, I'm not hitting you any more. Please tell me what's wrong," Derek said quietly. Slowly, Jake pushed himself up from Derek's lap, then knelt on his knees. Derek couldn't help but notice the large wet spot on the front of Jake's underwear where his cock head still bluntly thrust itself against the damp fabric. The smell of semen was strong, and Derek saw gobs of the white stuff soaking through Jake's briefs, as well as on his own thigh where Jake had obviously lost control and ejaculated his load of warm sperm. The sight and smell of Jake's fresh load quickly brought Derek's dick to full attention, and it began to throb as his erection obscenely tented his underwear. Glancing at Jake's face, Derek was stunned to see tears spilling down the handsome cheeks, Jake's eyes red and watery, his lips quivering. Jake would not -- or could not -- meet Derek's eyes, and he continued to stare at the floor between them. Derek reached over and placed his arm around Jake's shoulders, attempting to comfort him. "Tell me what I've done, Jake, to upset you so much. Please tell me so I can fix it. I'm sorry, man, I didn't mean to hurt you. I wasn't spanking you that hard, was I? There was something more, something about your uncle?" Derek stated questioningly.

Jake's face turned up, and he looked at Derek, then looked down at his soiled briefs. "I, um, I better go clean up. I'm sorry, Derek, I didn't mean to lose control of myself that way -- looks like I've made a mess of your leg." Using his fingers, Jake suddenly reached over and began to swab Derek's leg clean of the deposit of spooge he'd left there, wiping his sticky fingers on the side of his briefs, then scooping more of the deposit off Derek's naked thigh. But Derek grasped Jake's thicker wrist, stopping him, holding his hand still, looking beseechingly into Jake's wet eyes. "Please tell me what's wrong," he whispered to Jake.

Jake hung is head as if in shame, then slowly raised his eyes to look into Derek's. "When I was thirteen, I went to spend a couple weeks with my Uncle Mike -- he is my dad's younger brother, and he invited me to go with him to the family's cottage on a lake in Minnesota. It was my first real trip away from home -- I flew by myself to Minneapolis, and he picked me up and we drove a few hours to the house. I didn't really know my uncle very well, I'd only seen him a couple times as a little kid. We fished, went hiking -- just all kinds of fun stuff, all day long. But at night..." Jake's voice trailed away as a look of sadness or confusion suddenly came over him. Then he continued: "At night, everything changed -- he would drink beer and liquor, then start getting nasty, angry at me for no reason. Some little thing I did that day -- something he had laughed about at the time, like maybe drop my bait into the water when I couldn't get it on the hook -- at night, he'd get drunk and start yelling at me about it." Jake's voice lowered almost to a whisper as he spoke again. "He...well, he would tell me I needed to be punished, to be spanked." Jake sighed deeply, then continued with his story. "He, well, he told me to pull down my pants, and take off my shirt...just to strip to my underwear. Then, he'd put me across his knee and spank me, over and over, telling me it hurt him more than it hurt me, and other stuff like that."

Jake was now breathing hard, and he was once again staring at the floor. Finally, he looked into Derek's face and spoke again. "It, well, you know how it is at that age, Derek. Your dick gets excited by everything. It was like my uncle kept shifting his legs under me, and his thighs were rubbing on my dick as he spanked me, and, well, I couldn't help it, you know? I would get all stiff down there, and the harder I got, the more he shifted me around on his lap, and, and, well, then I'd start shooting -- I mean, my cum would shoot out in my underwear while he was spanking me. Then, he would turn me over and point to my wet spot and my hard dick, and tell me I was a dirty boy, a nasty boy. Then he'd make me pull down my briefs and he'd make fun of my boy-dick, and the mess I'd made in my underwear. I'd feel real ashamed, and I would start crying. As soon as my tears would start, HE would start crying! Then he'd grab me and pull me into a hug and tell me how sorry he was for spanking me, and tell me I wasn't nasty or bad or anything -- that I was a good kid and HE was the bad one. Then, he'd slowly get up and stagger off to his room to sleep it off, while I cleaned myself up as best I could and hurried to my own bed. The last night we were there, I, um, I waited until he had staggered to his room, then I sneaked over to his door and opened it a crack. He was on his bed, completely naked, his big cock in his hand, and he was beating off, whispering something about a `bad boy, so bad, so bad, I didn't want to spank you, but I had to,' until he blasted a load into his hand, then collapsed on the bed crying and sobbing." Looking into Derek's eyes once again, Jake whispered, "I guess my uncle, well, maybe he had a thing, you know, like a fetish or something, about spanking me in my underwear, making me cum. I guess he was gay, though I swear to you nothing happened between us other than the spanking thing."

Derek stared in shock at Jake, finding the story of his uncle's abuse both shocking and yet arousing. Attempting to comfort Jake, who was trembling uncontrollably, Derek wrapped his arm tightly around the bigger athlete's shoulders. "It's OK, Jake, it's OK now. I won't spank you again. I didn't mean to bring up bad memories, or scare you with something from the past."

"I think that's why I became such a `pussy-hound' when I came to Hardwood, Derek. I was out to prove to myself that I wasn't like that -- I didn't want to be a part of that whole `gay' thing. That's why I started chasing cunt left and right, trying to prove I wasn't into that `other' stuff. But then, as I got to know you better, Derek, well, I realized that I sort of had these feelings for you, and, and, well, you know, it seemed that you had feelings for me, too. Then, there was that night we measured each other's cocks -- that's when I knew. I knew that maybe the two of us would be more than friends. Dudes just don't touch each other there unless they are real close, you know what I mean?"

Derek just smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I know what you mean, Jake. I know exactly what you mean."

"And, about the spanking thing, Derek. Sometimes, well, if you want to, maybe you can spank me again? I kind of like it -- I don't know why, it just feels good to be in your lap -- just like it did when I was in my uncle's lap. It feels good to be spanked sometimes, so if you ever want to do it again, it's OK," Jake said, looking deep into Derek's eyes.

The championship play-offs were held at a large college pool about a hundred and fifty miles from Hardwood, and the team was staying at a motel just off campus for the weekend. The first round games went smoothly for Jake, Derek, and their teammates, and Hardwood quickly advanced to the final championship game. The other team that advanced, surprisingly, was none other than the team from Middleton, which the Hardwood Hornets had squeaked by in a 5-4 victory earlier in the year. Middleton had defeated Mercer by a score of 9-8, meaning Jake and Derek would not be playing against Kirk and the nasty Forrester kid. And Middleton was out for revenge. They had some big boys on their squad -- bigger than Jake and Derek remembered from earlier in the year. Then it hit Derek -- a news article Bryce had showed him just before spring break, about Middleton's football and wrestling teams being reprimanded, and forfeiting some victories, for having ineligible players on their squads. Players they had `recruited' from other schools in an apparent attempt to boost their sports programs. Glancing across the pool, Derek saw the face of none other than his old foe, Ron Forrester, the bruiser from Kirk's team who had so effectively pounded Derek's jewels in a game back near the beginning of the season. And Forrester was swimming straight toward him. "Well, I'll be damned, did Middleton just recruit Forrester from Mercer?" was all Derek could whisper before the game kicked into high gear and Forrester was all over his ass.

The first half of the game went well -- but it was physical and rough right from the start. Forrester had immediately recognized Derek, and taunted the smaller youth with promises of "mashing your nuts" and "neutering" Derek for the good of future generations. And he was doing his damnedest to make good on his threats, aiming blatant kicks and sneaky punches in the direction of Derek's genitalia. Quick reflexes and twists had protected Derek's pride and joy so far, but he feared sooner or later, Forrester would land a lucky blow. And the knowledge and fear of this impending injury was beginning to steal Derek's focus away from the game and toward his own self defense. In other words, taking him out of his game, just as Forrester hoped to do. Derek was doing his best to play, but he suddenly felt two fingers sneaking into the top of his suit, while Forrester's thumb ground viciously into his nuts, poking and prodding him painfully. With a vicious kick, Derek shoved the nasty player away from him -- only to be called for a foul by the ref, and ejected to the penalty box for one minute. Derek was sullen, and it burned him to see his foe gloating at him as he swam to the end of the pool.

Finally returning to the game, Derek played with renewed intensity. With only a few minutes left in the game, Hardwood was ahead 6-4. Suddenly, it was 6-5 when the Knights made a wide shot that just sneaked past the Hardwood goalie's outstretched fingers. Jake and Derek knew this was do or die -- they HAD to hold onto that one-point lead. Forrester was again covering and taunting Derek, when Derek remembered the advice Brett had given Jake weeks before -- beat the guy at his own game. On impulse, Derek reached quickly down between Forrester's big thighs and was shocked to find the athlete was hard as a rock, his erection straining against the nylon of his suit. His foe was so shocked by this turn of events, he could do nothing but open his mouth in surprise. Realizing he had a brief upper hand, Derek swiftly rubbed and stroked his foe's hard shaft, grasping it between his fingers and sliding the slick material up and down, using the friction of nylon-on-cock to distract Forrester. Derek whispered, "Yeah, you're liking this dick play, aren't you? That's why you are always between my legs -- you want me. After the game, I'll be coming over to your hotel room for some real action, stud."

Forrester could only moan and gasp in shock and embarrassment. He had never been sexually manipulated before -- that was his way of one-upping the other guy -- the other guy wasn't supposed to do it to him! Sputtering furiously, his face bright red, he swam quickly away from Derek, and maintained a safe distance from the Hardwood star for the rest of the game, while muttering `dirty fag' and `cocksucker' furtively under his breath. Derek just smiled and winked. Hardwood went on to win the game 7-5, when Jake outwitted the Knights' goalie -- readying for a shot, he glanced toward the right side of the goal just long enough to make sure the goalie had seen the direction he was looking. As he crooked his arm to shoot, he aimed -- straight at the center of the goal, while the goalie feinted toward the right side, falsely assuming that side was Jake's target. The ball sailed cleanly into the net for the game's final score.

The boys from both teams shook hands after the game, while Forrester skulked away, a look of worry on his face. Derek smiled to himself, wondering if the creep really feared Derek's arrival at his hotel room later in the evening. Looking over at Jake, standing on the deck, hands on hips, little suit tugged so far below his hip flexors that the top of his thick bush was plainly visible, Derek smiled again. "If Forrester knew what I have waiting for me in MY motel room tonight, he wouldn't have to think twice about me paying him a visit!" Derek mused.

After a celebratory dinner, the tired athletes returned to their motel. They would make the three-hour trip back to Hardwood in the morning. Jake and Derek settled in their room for the night, only to be repeatedly interrupted by the younger kids stopping by to visit and chat for awhile. As seniors, the two boys were given a room to themselves, while the younger players, including Bryce, who had accompanied the team, slept 3 or 4 to a room. Finally, the players were in their proper rooms for the 10 p.m. bed check, and Derek and Jake were alone. "So, stud, how does it feel to be state champ?" Derek asked Jake.

Jake smiled broadly, then said, "We are all champs -- the whole team. It was a real team effort. I know that bastard Forrester was on your ass the whole first half -- I could see that even from my position. But in the second half, he seemed to back off. What happened?"

" I took a page from Brett's playbook and promised to meet him tonight in his room, while giving his little cock a brisk rub for good effect!"

Jake laughed, then said, "Well, Forrester is just going to have to wait. I've got plans of my own with you." With a few quick steps, Jake approached Derek and began to slide his teammate's tee-shirt up and over his head. Moments later, he was untying the drawstring on Derek's sweatpants, dropping them to the floor. Then Jake gently reached down and cupped Derek's rapidly swelling manhood through his briefs, squeezing tenderly. Nudging Derek toward the bed, he helped the smaller boy onto the bed, then climbed on top of him, and began kissing him sweetly, lovingly on the chest, nipples, neck, and cheeks. Finally, he placed his lips on Derek's and forced his tongue between them.

For some time, the two of them lay together, kissing and nuzzling one another, soft whimpers and groans escaping their wet mouths from time to time. Jake became bolder, again reaching toward Derek's midsection, hooking his fingers under the waistband of his briefs, fervently tugging them down, forcing Derek to raise his ass so the thin cotton could be removed -- it was either that or, feared Derek, the briefs would literally be ripped from his body by Jake. It was obvious Jake was in a horny mood -- his hormones raging uncontrollably, not that Derek minded. The boys continued to tussle and wrestle on the bed, occasionally stopping to kiss, then revving their engines again, teasing and testing each other as underwear was quickly shed. Soon enough, the two naked teens, both sporting hard-ons, found themselves out of breath, hearts pounding, sex drive raging. All of a sudden, Jake spoke up: "Let's have a contest."

Derek had to chuckle -- with Jake, everything was a contest! Who was stronger, who had the bigger biceps, who scored the most points in a match. "OK, I'm game," said Derek. "What sort of contest did you have in mind?"

Jake's eyes were sparkling as he told Derek what he wanted to do. "Let's have a milking contest. Let's see which one can make the other shoot his load farthest, and who can shoot the most spunk!" Derek could sense the excitement in Jake, and thought it might be fun, so he agreed. Jake explained his idea further: "I milk you, you milk me. You have to touch the other guy in any way he wants you to -- this way, we can learn more about each other -- what we each like, what we enjoy, what gets us really turned on. But you can't touch yourself -- you give instructions on how I should touch you, and I do the same for how you should touch me. You can use any part of your body -- hand, fingers, tongue -- anything except your dick. You ready, Derek?" Derek, intrigued by this new game, agreed, but wondered how they could determine who shot the most, the farthest, etc. Jake said they would stand on the floor, with feet on each side of an open sheet of newspaper -- you had to stay at the corner, but could stand or kneel, so long as your feet stayed off the paper. Jake hopped off the bed, his hard cock swinging before him, retrieved a piece of newspaper, and spread it out on the floor. Derek walked over to the corner and stood there, naked, wondering what would come next. Jake stepped up beside him and asked, "What do you want me to do?"

Derek suddenly felt a little shy, and felt funny telling Jake in words what he wanted, what he thought would feel good. "Um, let's see," he began, "I guess you can wrap your fingers around my dick, and slide up and down." Gingerly, Jake, who was standing behind his friend, reached around and wrapped his right fingers around Derek's pole and began to slowly slide them along the turgid shaft. "Faster, and rougher, maybe," Derek whispered. Jake obeyed, beginning to jerk the cock he held a little faster, a little harder. Almost immediately, Derek's head lolled back and his body tensed, as the sexual tension began to build. "Work more pressure along the bottom of my dick, along the undershaft," groaned Derek. Shifting his fingers, Jake did as he was told, and he could now feel Derek's swollen urethra where it protruded along the undershaft. "Yeah, oh yeah," Derek hissed between his teeth, now, scratch along my g-spot -- no, a little farther down from my cockhead -- no, just a little farther down, just a...oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah...right there, right there, Jake, right there. Touch it, rub and scratch me there...oh, so sensitive, oh fuck, so sensitive there...right there, keep it up, oh MAN, I can't hold it, keep doing that, keep doing THAT, yes, THAT, RIGHT THERE. Oh...oh...oh...," Derek moaned helplessly, as the tension continued to build.

"Oh, yeah, big boy," Jake whispered hoarsely into Derek's ear. "You like that, D, you like that, don't you? Feels so good, me working your ol' dick shaft over, doesn't it? You like it here? Yeah, right here, oh yeah, you like that, you like it?" Derek could only moan, weakly nodding yes, his legs beginning to quiver as his ejaculation began to build. "Uh oh, getting a little slick down here, Derek. You starting to leak? You starting to leak your love juice out of your cock slit? Yeah, that's it, let it flow, makes my fingers all slick and slimy on your dick. Oh yeah, oh yeah..."

Derek was almost beside himself, desperate for his ejaculation to occur, desperate for the relief it would give him. As his legs began to buckle, Jake helped him to a kneeling position. But Jake never stopped tickling and stroking Derek's long, hard cock, concentrating on that so-sensitive spot Derek wanted him to rub. Derek was now kneeling at the corner of the paper, chest heaving, head back, gurgling incomprehensibly. He turned his head and his eyes fluttered open as he whispered to Jake, "Now...oh, NOW!" A few final teasing strokes, and Derek blasted his load. Even from his kneeling position, Derek's cum sprayed like bullets shooting from an Uzi, arcing across the paper to the far corner, some even splattering the floor beyond. Six, seven, eight, nine solid shots before the emission began to slow to a drizzle. In his kneeling position, Derek's head drooped forward, his chin on his chest, trying hard to catch his breath.

Slowly, Jake extricated himself from behind Derek, then went over to the far corner of the paper. "Dude," he said, "you shot past the paper a good 6 inches. Unbelievable, man, just unbelievable. But, um, as soon as you catch your breath, it's my turn!" Derek looked at Jake and smiled weakly. "Yeah, OK, just let me catch my breath," he said.

Ten minutes later, Derek had recovered somewhat, and was already starting to feel invigorated again. He began play-slapping Jake, punching him, grabbing him, trying to pin his big arms behind him. Jake fought back at first, pushing and shoving Derek away, laughing and taunting his smaller roommate. But as Derek persisted, Jake began to give in, surrendering, allowing Derek's hands to roan freely over his body, cupping his genitals, tickling his lower abs, his fingers tracing along Jake's pronounced hip flexor muscles, arousing the bigger stud. Derek loved this feeling -- a feeling of power over his bigger, stronger teammate. Within moments, Jake was like putty in Derek's hands, and Derek took full advantage of his superior position. Jake stood almost helpless at the corner of the newspaper as Derek continued to explore the chiseled, hard-muscled body he so adored. Now flicking Jake's sensitive nipples, then running his fingers through Jake's neat pubes, then slipping his hand further south to grasp the hard pole now rising from his best friend's groin. Teasingly, Derek began to trace his index finger down Jake's spine, down further and further until he was brushing along Jake's sweaty ass crack. Pausing, he pretended that he was going to insert his finger into Jake's `forbidden' area. To his shock, Derek met no resistance. Instead, he heard Jake whisper softly, "Do it, man. Slip that finger up inside me -- hurry, before I lose my nerve. I just wanna know what all the fuss is about. Do it, Derek, do it. Please."

Derek needed no further coaxing. Spitting on his finger, he gently began to insert it into Jake's quivering ass. Slowly pushing inside, he felt Jake tremble, then felt Jake's sphincter muscles begin to grasp at his digit, as though trying to pull it further inside. He was in to the big knuckle, and a moment later, he was all the way in. Derek began to slowly wiggle the finger to and fro, feeling the warmth and slipperiness of Jake's insides. By this time, Jake was moaning audibly, throaty grumbles and incoherent sounds coming from his open mouth. He became so loud that Derek had to whisper to him to quiet down, afraid the sounds would draw attention from nearby rooms. "Oh...oh...oh." was all Derek could understand as Jake continued to gasp and moan. Suddenly, Jake began to lose strength, and he sank slowly to his knees. Beside him, Derek also sank to a kneeling position, his right finger still playing inside Jake's tender rectum. Rolling back on his heels, Jake was now squatting next to Derek, and Derek was shocked to find the once-shy jock beginning to bounce and rock up and down, whispering, "keep it in...in and out, oh yeah...like that," as Derek moved his hand, pushing the finger in and out of Jake's clenching ass. Pushing further in than he had dared previously, Derek was suddenly frightened when Jake's closed eyes snapped open, and a sort of squealing sound erupted from deep within him.

"Did I hurt you?" Derek asked, beginning to extract his finger, concern showing on his face. "NO! No! It felt so good...something you touched there...keep it in...deeper...oh there...THERE...oh Derek...oh," said Jake breathlessly. "Dude," said Derek, leaning close to Jake's ear. "I think maybe that's your prostate. Remember that movie `Road Trip' we rented last year? Where the nurse gave that guy a `prostate milking'? That's what I'm doing to you right now. I'm gonna rub and prod your prostate until it drives you absolutely wild, and you will have the biggest cum of your life."

Glancing down between his legs, Jake said, "I'm gonna cum right now...I can't hold it...I just can't." Following Jake's line of sight, Derek looked at Jake's crotch and saw the biggest, reddest, hardest cock he'd ever seen. It twitched, a bubble of pre-cum emerging from the tip. It twitched again, and as Derek renewed his attack inside Jake, they both watched as Jake's cocktip suddenly gaped open and began shooting white-hot manseed wildly and uncontrollably. The first two shots went past the newspaper, across the rest of the carpet, and onto the wall beyond. Again, again, and yet again and again, Jake's tormented dick ejaculated over and over, as Jake groaned and moaned with pent up desire that had finally been unleashed. When the flow finally subsided after nine or ten healthy shots, Jake's eyes were glazed over, and he had to lean against a trembling Derek for support. Slowly raising his eyes, Jake saw the splotches of his semen on the wall. "Oh shit, dude...I hit the wall! I think I won -- this round, at least!" Jake started to laugh giddily, and Derek joined in, until both were kneeling side-by-side, holding each other for support, rocking back and forth, laughing themselves silly.

They fell asleep quickly, but in the middle of the night, both boys were awake, and feeling adventurous again. They wrestled and tickled each other, their sexual arousals building once again. Soon enough, Derek was atop Jake, pinning him to the bed, grinning mischievously. But Jake wasn't grinning -- instead, he suddenly spread his legs, allowing Derek to settle on top of him, then he raised his legs, wrapping them firmly around Derek's slender waist. Both boys were nude, and their sex organs were rapidly hardening, lengthening. Like two playful swordsmen, they jabbed and poked at one another with their long cocks. Them Derek placed his arms under Jake's legs, forcing them back, pinning the larger athlete on his back, and exposing his bubble-butt to the cool air. Shifting position, Derek began to hesitantly poke at the cute ass beneath him, his leaking dick leaving trails of dampness across the pale mounds. Tentatively, he began to prod at Jake's crack, as if trying to slip inside his friend's virgin chute. Surprisingly, he met no resistance. He was shocked and excited to hear Jake whisper, "Go ahead, man, do it. Put that big monster inside of me. I want to feel you in me -- all the way."

Derek looked deep into Jake's eyes, which glittered softly in the dim light from the partially open bathroom door. "Are you sure, Jake?" Jake nodded his head slowly. Derek eased himself into a position which gave him better access to Jake's warm anal opening. His cock now leaking furiously, he used his fingers to catch and spread some of the fluid over his rigid member, making is slick and shiny. Then, gently, he began to press inside Jake's twitching rosebud. "Relax, Jake, try to relax," he whispered encouragingly. Beneath him, he felt Jake's hard body begin to relax as Jake bit his lower lip in that endearing way Derek loved. And then -- he was in, though not by much. As he tenderly pushed inside, Jake tried to relax even more, slowly allowing Derek to enter further and further. Several times, Jake groaned and grunted loudly. "Am I hurting you -- should I stop?" Derek whispered. "No, no, it's OK -- just feels really strange, and maybe a little painful, but keep going. Are you all the way in yet?" Jake replied. "No, dude, I'm not even half way in yet," said Derek. "Oh, shit!" answered Jake, a tinge of fear in his voice.

Keeping his eagerness in check, Derek continued to press forward as Jake moaned and squirmed beneath him. But each time he asked Jake if he should stop, the big jock shook his head no, urging him on. Jake began to gasp suddenly as Derek's long prong began to rub his prostate, and both boys now experienced heights of sexual pleasure neither had known before. And then, finally, Derek was in, and he now began to slowly piston his dick in and out -- not all the way, just enough to drive poor Jake into a frenzy of desire. Within moments, both studs were breathing hard, sweat covering their muscled bodies as the two became one. Trapped between two sets of six-pack abs, Jake's rock-hard penis was being stimulated wildly, and moments later, it began to spew another load of hot, sticky cream. The sensation of Jake's cock twitching and shooting against his abs, and the feeling of Jake's warm, wet, slippery love canal, drove Derek over the edge, as he, too, began to ejaculate his second hot load of the night.

And then, it was over, their lovemaking consummated. Their torsos stuck together by sticky strands of Jake's semen, they clung to one another for several minutes, panting, kissing, licking one another, until Derek finally pulled his softening cock from Jake's aching ass. They lay together for quite a while, just holding each other in silence, relishing the love they had enjoyed. They finally arose, made a quick trip to the bathroom to clean themselves, then tumbled back into bed, falling into a deep slumber. But early the next morning, they were at it again, like two crazed male animals in rut -- this time, with Jake the `top', and Derek at the receiving end of his buddy's sexual escapades. Jake was like a kid with a new toy -- eager, excited, hard to control -- as he `delved' into Derek's backside, exclaiming how he was going to take Derek's cherry, and make him a love slave. Derek couldn't help but laugh at Jake's first fumbling attempts, but he knew that with a little coaxing and encouragement, Jake would master the skill soon enough. And Derek was looking forward to the many lessons yet to come.

Back at Hardwood, the team was honored for their state championship. With school wrapping up for the year, and no more organized team polo practices, Derek and Jake often went to the pool themselves for their own swimming and polo training. They had seen little of Bryce in the days since returning to the campus, but on this particular afternoon, they ran into him unexpectedly. Walking out onto the pool deck, they had spotted a familiar-looking guy standing beside the diving well in a small red Speedo. "Isn't that Bryce over there?" said Derek, nodding toward the boy in the suit, who was standing with his back to them. Looking in the direction indicated, Jake said, "Uh, I can't tell...but, um, yeah, I think it is! What is he doing here, and in a Speedo no less?" They hurried over to the diving area, and found themselves face-to-face with their team statistician, wearing a Speedo that fit him snugly, and left little to the imagination. "Hey Bryce! What are you doing here? Want to swim a practice with us?" asked Derek.

Bryce had not been expecting to see anyone he knew at that hour, and was momentarily nonplussed by the sudden arrival of two of the athletes he admired most. "Oh, hey guys," he stammered, "I didn't know you guys would be here at this hour. I, um, well, I'm sort of waiting for someone who offered to, um, well, help me with something." Trying to be casual, Bryce had lowered his arms, and his hands were suddenly clasped in front of him, down low, in an apparent attempt to modestly cover himself. But to Derek and Jake's eyes, such modesty was unnecessary. Though certainly not the cut, hard-muscled athlete Jake and Derek were, Bryce had a toned, well-proportioned physique, and amply filled the front of his small swim suit. Jake had to smile at Bryce's shyness, remembering the way the younger boy had tried to cover himself once before when he had hopped out of bed after his hallway accident, a boner raging within his tighty-whiteys.

Just as Jake began to ask who he was waiting for, David, the school's star diver, hurried onto the deck. "Hey, guys," he said warmly. Then, he put a hand gently on Bryce's shoulder, and asked, "Can you walk into my coach's office? There is a massage table in there we can use." Turning to Jake and Derek, David said, "I've been helping Bryce practice some elementary dives from the 3-meter board -- just some beginner's stuff, and I'm afraid I overworked him a little. Seems he pulled a groin muscle." Only then, as Bryce turned and began walking beside David, did the boys see a grimace of pain on Bryce's face, and notice his limp. Suddenly concerned, Jake and Derek both offered to help. "No, that's OK," said David. "I've had them plenty of times. I will just massage Bryce the way my coach does me. He will be fine. You guys should just hop on into the pool for your workout." Derek and Jake stepped back and watched as Bryce, leaning on David, walked into the office. Stepping quietly to the door, but slightly out of sight, they watched as Bryce climbed painfully onto the massage table, and continued watching as David ran his strong hands along the injured boy's upper and inner thighs. They could see a blush quickly spread across Bryce's young face, and then noticed something else. David's ministrations were obviously creating a strong reaction in Bryce's crotch, as his erection suddenly began to strain against the fabric of his small suit.

Blushing furiously, Bryce began to feebly attempt to push David's hands aside, embarrassed to be seen in such a state by the handsome diver. But David smiled and gently said, "It's OK, Bryce. My dick gets hard every time my coach massages my legs. It's natural, please don't be embarrassed." Bryce tried to relax, but found it difficult to do so. He was nearly naked, lying on a bed being massaged by his new friend, and he had a throbbing boner! Derek and Jake, watching from a secluded spot outside the door, both found themselves growing stiff in their own Speedos. They were surprised to suddenly hear David say, "Hey, if you are uncomfortable here, we can go to my dorm room. It's nearby, and my roommate is away. Would you feel better if I gave you a massage in my room, rather than here where anyone might walk in?" Bryce nodded yes, so David helped him sit up, then stand. Quickly, Jake and Derek hurried away, and slipped into the pool to cool off. As they did, they saw David helping their injured friend out to the deck. Both boys quickly pulled on some shorts over their suits, then left the natatorium. Despite his obvious pain, both polo players couldn't help but notice the broad smile on Bryce's face as he limped past them, his arm wrapped tightly around David's waist for support!

Smiling, Derek whispered to Jake. "Looks like Bryce has a new friend, or at least a new crush!" Jake glanced sideways at Derek, and the smaller athlete was somewhat surprised to see a look of -- what was it - Pain? Regret? Envy? clouding Jake's handsome features. Jake swam quickly away, over to the far side of the pool, then stopped. Derek hurriedly swam over to him, then put a hand on his friend's shoulder. "I'm sorry, Jake, did I say something wrong?"

Jake shook his head, bit his lower lip, then smiled at Derek. "No, Derek, I guess, well, when you said Bryce has a new crush, I remembered you telling me how you were sure he had a crush on me. All of a sudden, I felt like I'd been dumped! Like a jilted lover or something. Isn't that stupid? I just, well, you know, I really like Bryce -- I mean, we both do. He's such a great guy. It just hit me in a weird way when you implied he had `moved on', leaving me by the side of the road." Shaking his head and chuckling, Jake continued: "I know, I know, I'm weird and crazy. How do you put up with me?" Splashing water in Derek's face, and laughing devilishly, Jake suddenly sprinted away, leaving Derek alone, and grinning to himself, so happy to have Jake in his life.

The summer arrived a couple weeks later. Jake had applied to, and received a water polo scholarship, to a major polo powerhouse college in southern California. Derek knew he did not have the skills to receive a similar scholarship, but was thrilled that he had been admitted to the same university, due to his strong academic and extracurricular records. And he planned to try out for the team next fall as a walk-on, just on the off-chance the school might -- just might -- have a place for him on their roster. Only time would tell.

When classes at Hardwood Academy ended, Derek's aunt and uncle, who lived in the Los Angeles suburbs, within walking distance of a pool that was home to one California's premier water polo league programs, invited both boys to stay with them to allow them the opportunity to train with the team. Opportunities for the boys to share some together time were, of course, limited by these living arrangements. But Derek's relatives doted on the two teens incessantly, and couldn't have been nicer to the boys. When it came time for Jake to leave for the Junior National water polo camp, it was hard for Derek to say good-bye to Jake, even though it was only for two weeks.

Jake thrived at the camp, but he was certainly glad Brett had given him the `heads up' about what to expect from some of the other camp participants. While most of the guys, who ranged from their late teens to late twenties (Jake being the second-youngest there), were super nice and friendly, there was a small group who did exactly what Brett had warned they would do. During scrimmage matches, the few trouble makers aimed vicious taunts, kicks, punches, and blows at their unsuspecting opponents. Jake found himself grabbed, squeezed, fondled and diddled numerous times in the first couple days, and even had two suits virtually ripped to shreds by the nasty, desperate players who would do anything to make the cut. But he was ready, giving as good as he got most times, and answering the guys who tried to sexually intimidate him with promises of midnight romps and horny fuckfests. His tormenters quickly eased off, though often just changing targets. Jake, despite his youth, became something of a mentor to some of the slightly older athletes, sharing the wisdom Brett had imparted to him concerning how to deal with the dirtier members of the squad.

On the last day of camp, as Jake was packing his bags, there was a knock at his door. Across the threshold stood a guy named Gary, a college sophomore and talented player, who had tried to spook Jake the very first day, grabbing the younger athlete's genitals and whispering filthy threats during an extremely physical exchange between the two. Jake had handled the situation well, promising Gary in a voice loud enough to be heard by others nearby, that if Gary really wanted to play with his stuff, he'd be more than happy to visit his room later that night, so long as Gary was the `bitch' to Jake's `butch.' This comeback was all that was needed to cool Gary's nasty habits, and Jake had experienced no further trouble from him. As the days went by, the two had even become slightly friendly.

"So, I guess this is it," Gary said. "We will just have to wait until later this summer to see if we might be selected for the national team." Jake smiled and nodded, saying, "Even if I don't make that team, I feel I'm really ready for my college team this fall, and this has been a great experience." Gary agreed, then looked hesitantly at Jake, finally saying, "Listen, Jake. I really want to apologize to you for the way I treated you the first day or two. I was dumb enough to take some bad advice about how to `get inside the mind of my opponent', and really `fuck him up.' I want to say I'm sorry."

Jake chuckled, then told Gary about the warning he had received the previous winter. "If I hadn't been prepared for that, you might very well have totally freaked me out, Gary, and taken me totally out of my game. As it is, no harm done." The boys shook hands, and Gary turned to leave, then hesitated by the door. Turning back, he looked almost shyly at Jake, then, staring down at the floor and speaking in a halting voice, he said, "You know, Jake, I, um, well, when you told me you would, well, you know, when you said you would come to my room later that night, and maybe, you know, let me play with you and everything, well, I sort of wish you had...done that." Jake could see the perspiration on Gary's red face as he reached behind him, fumbling for the door knob. It was obvious that this confession had taken all the courage the young man could muster, and Jake was touched by the guy's frank admission. Smiling warmly at Gary, Jake replied, "If I didn't already have someone really special in my life, maybe I would have." Gary grinned shyly, then quickly opened the door and hurried into the hallway. Jake, too, had a sudden feeling of liberation, realizing this was the first time he'd mentioned to someone other than Derek that he was attracted to other guys. Whistling a song to himself, he finished packing and headed for the van that would take him to the bus station for the ride back to L.A.

Derek and Jake were able to share a dorm room at the university. Jake, though only a freshman, has already made an impact on the varsity polo team, even scoring one goal in his third game. Derek -- well, he wasn't quite as fortunate. He missed the cut to make varsity, though not by much. The coach was duly impressed with his hard work and dedication, but his smaller size would have hindered his abilities against his larger opponents. However, Derek has not given up. He joined the college water polo club team -- a team made up of kids not quite good enough for varsity, but still talented enough to be divisional champions among the club teams in California. Derek has announced his intention to vie for a spot on the team next fall, and Jake has taken it upon himself to be coach, mentor, drill instructor, and, to quote Derek, "slave driver". After his own grueling practices, Jake spends nearly an hour with Derek, working on his technique, his timing, and his endurance. After a quick supper, the weary boys head back to their dorm for some studying and reading. Soon, Jake, who indeed was selected for the junior national team, will attend try-outs for the senior national team, hoping against hope that maybe, just maybe, he will make the grade and be offered a spot on that team, and maybe get a ticket for Beijing. But for now, with final exams and the winter break fast approaching, the boys have more immediate concerns -- wrapping up term papers and reviewing for finals. The thin walls, and unannounced arrivals of friends and teammates at all hours have made it difficult for Jake and Derek to maintain their privacy in the dorms, but they have managed to steal a few quiet hours together as often as possible. Like tonight for example, when they reached their room, Derek fell onto his bed, exhausted. Quickly turning off the lights, and stripping to his boxer-briefs, Jake climbed onto the bed next to Derek, scooting him against the wall. After a few minutes of gentle touching and caressing, Derek's drowsiness suddenly vanished when Jake whispered to him, "Derek, I think I was a bad boy today. But I'll try to be better, I promise. Please Derek, don't spank me too hard. OK?" Derek just smiled as the bigger athlete assumed the position across his lap...