Thursday was another big day for Aaron and Brian. It was to be their first day back at school since Brian’s accident, and their first day at school as an ‘out’ gay couple. For Brian, however, it was also a bowel program day for Brian, which meant getting up extra early.
Although Brian was the one doing it, Aaron was a bit grossed out by the ordeal. Not that Aaron wouldn’t have minded sticking a suppository up Brian’s ass — indeed, he had his own ideas about what he’d like to stick up there — however, the ensuing bowel movement was anything but pleasant. Until Brian’s bathroom modifications were completed, they’d have to use his commode chair, which consisted of a waterproof wheelchair with a padded toilet seat and a removable bucket underneath. It took all Aaron’s willpower for to keep from throwing up as Brian's bowels slowly emptied themselves over the next 45 minutes. Once Brian’s bathroom was finished, Brian would be able to clean himself up in the shower, but for now Aaron had to deal with the clean-up.
As they finished up, Aaron realized that, were it not for the time, this would an ideal opportunity for sexual exploration. After all, there was nothing like a clean ass for good gay sex, not to mention that he’d learned from his chats on the internet that having sex after a bowel program was the best way to avoid messy complications.
“You know, Brian, it might be good if you could switch your bowel program to the evening. That way we’d be able to do stuff together afterwards.”
Brian thought about it for a minute and said, “Good idea, Aaron! I’ll take my senna tomorrow morning and take an extra dose at noon, and then we can get with the new program tomorrow night. That’d be cool.”
Aaron finished bathing the rest of Brian, then went about taking his own shower and getting himself ready for school. As he’d shaved yesterday, he wouldn’t need to again until tomorrow morning. Once dressed, the boys headed to the kitchen for breakfast. Alan Sandler had already left for work.
“Good morning boys,” June said. “I’m running a bit late, but I made some scrambled eggs and toast for your breakfast. It took a while for you guys to get ready this morning. Is everything OK?”
“Yeah, we’re fine, we had to do a bowel program this morning.” Brian explained. “I’m glad Aaron was there to help.”
“Me too!” June said as she smiled. She gave both Aaron and Brian a peck on the cheek. “Gotta go. Hope you both have a good day,” she added as she was closing the front door.
After Aaron and Brian finished their breakfast and put their dishes in the dishwasher, they grabbed their books and headed out to Aaron’s car. ‘Wow!’ Aaron thought to himself, ‘My own car!’
The drive to school was a short one and took a hell of a lot less time than taking the school bus ever had. Aaron pulled up in front of the school into one of the handicapped-accessible spaces. His parents had taken care of getting handicapped plates for his car, so he’d always be able to park there rather than in the much more distant student lot. Nevertheless, he’d still need to get a parking sticker for his car.
Now came the moment of truth. They were early, but the kids from the first bus routes were already there and the looks began as soon as Brian got his wheelchair from behind his seat. Although there were some 4000 students attending their high school, there were only a few of them who used wheelchairs, and now Brian was one of them. With his head held high, he wheeled himself up to the school entrance and went inside, with Aaron following close behind.
Once inside, the situation became much worse for Brian. Kids were blatantly staring at him — it was merciless. Both boys knew that it was only natural and they would have probably been doing the same thing in other circumstances. How long, Aaron wondered, before they would learn to politely look away instead of staring — the effect being no better in the end. Why couldn’t people see the person rather than the chair?
Then Aaron had an idea… He knew he had to do something to focus everyone’s attention away from the wheelchair and he knew just what could do it, but what he had in mind would be taking a big step. He knew people pretty much knew that he and Brian were a couple, but confirming it openly was another matter. However, he was proud to be gay and even more proud to be Brian’s boyfriend, and so he took his right hand and placed it squarely on Brian’s shoulder. He could feel Brian shudder slightly as he made contact and he imagined the nervousness coursing through Brian, but with so many kids openly staring at them, he figured they had nothing to lose.
Rubbing Brian’s shoulder slightly as he walked while Brian wheeled down the hall, they were no longer looking at Brian, the kid in the wheelchair and his friend, Aaron. Now they were Brian and Aaron, an openly gay couple. The effect was almost immediate. Some of the kids continued to stare at the two of them, even more so now that it was evident they were gay, but more than a few kids actually smiled at them as if to say that they were OK with them being gay. In an instant, the wheelchair seemed to fade away and Brian was a human again. It felt good to be out. He knew the feeling wouldn’t last and that there would undoubtedly be some confrontations, but this felt so right.
They made their way to the main office, where Aaron got his parking sticker and Brian got a revised class schedule, helping to minimize distances between his classes. Brian also received an assignment to a locker that was more accessible, as well as an elevator key. Brian was thankful that he, Aaron, Larry, Cindy, Scott, Jared, Sharon and Jackie now, all shared the same lunch period.
Aaron walked Brian to his first class and got him settled in. A table had been set up in the back of the room — apparently the school’s concession to making ‘reasonable accommodation’ under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Aaron couldn’t help but think how much this sucked. Brian liked to sit up in the front with the other smart kids, rather than in the back with all the doofuses and trouble-makers. Aaron hoped Brian would be OK as he made his way to his own first class.
At lunch, Aaron asked Brian how things were going. Although Aaron had experienced his share of insults that day, Brian seemed to be devastated.
“I never knew there were so many fucking jerks in our school,” Brian said. Aaron and their friends knew how upset Brian must be, as he seldom used profanity. Brian elaborated, “Try wheeling down a corridor filled with kids more interested in getting the latest gossip than in getting to class. Yet if I stopped to talk to someone, kids glared at me for being in the way! The kids in the back of the classes kept calling me ‘fag’ and ‘queer’ and kept saying it was a good thing I’m in a wheelchair, or they’d beat the crap out of me.”
“That really sucks,” Larry added. “Why don’t we make an appointment to see Mr. Sampson. I’ll bet he’ll know how to deal with those homophobic bastards.”
“That’s a good idea,” Aaron added. They then settled into talking about school, classes and the like.
At the end of the school day, Aaron drove Brian to his first outpatient therapy session. He’d settled on a Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday schedule for his therapies. The sessions would last an hour each and, since it took fifteen minutes to get there, it didn’t make much sense for Aaron to go home, so he started on his homework while waiting for Brian to finish. Unbeknownst to the boys, however, the first time would last much longer, since both the physical and occupational therapists needed to do full evaluations, each one requiring nearly an hour. When Aaron finished with his homework and Brian still hadn’t finished, he went to the reception desk to find out what was taking so long. The receptionist was clueless, but told him he could go into the therapy area and see for himself.
Aaron quickly spotted Brian, who was using a weight machine. He couldn’t help but stare at his boyfriend’s bulging biceps as he exercised — it gave him an instant hard-on. God Brian was so sexy! Taking care to keep his bulge from being too obvious, Aaron approached Brian and the young man who was working with him. When Aaron came into view, Brian’s whole face lit up.
“Hey, sexy!” Brian said as he greeted his lover.
“You’re the sexy one.”
“Aaron, this is Tim. He’s my physical therapist. Tim, this is Aaron.”
“Hi Aaron,” Tim said as he reached out and shook Aaron’s hand. “Brian’s been talking about you non-stop since we started our session, and now I can certainly see why.” Aaron blushed as Tim seemed to look him up and down. Tim continued, “You two make a really cute couple. Like I told Brian, rehab is a family affair, so don’t hesitate to come back and participate in Brian’s rehab.”
“I just didn’t want to get in the way.”
“Believe me, I’ll tell you if you get in the way. Seriously, there’s a lot I need to teach you. From what Brian told me, you two are practically engaged, so you’ll probably be the one spending more time with him than anyone else.”
Blushing, Aaron replied, “Well it’ll still be a couple of years and then some before we can live out on our own together, but yeah, if I could marry him, I would right now.”
Brian looked up at Aaron, smiled and said, “Aaron, you never told me that before. That’s so sweet, and I’d marry you, too, in a millisecond.”
Aaron leaned down and kissed Brian on the lips.
“It’s so cool that you guys have that. I’m still looking for my soul mate, and I’m a good ten years older than you guys. Sure, I’ve met my share of cute guys along the way, but none I’d want to spend more than a few days with, let alone eternity.” Tim sighed and then continued, “I’m not sure I know what love is anymore, but you guys give me hope. Seeing the two of you together and the way your faces light up when you see each other… it’s just so amazing that you found each other at such a young age.”
“And nearly lost each other,” Aaron said reflectively. “I couldn’t imagine life without Brian, but thank God he’s OK. I know it sucks that this happened, but it could have been so much worse.”
“Sometimes I wish I hadn’t survived,” Brian admitted, “but the thought of what that would have done to Aaron quickly drives those thoughts away. Why he’d still want me is something I’ll never understand, but I love him more than life itself.”
“Brian, in case you didn’t know it, you are hot,” Tim said, “and you’re kind and sensitive. Why wouldn’t Aaron still want you? Just because you’re in this wheelchair doesn’t mean you’re not the same Brian you were before. Believe me, I’ve had my share of quick fucks. It’s a lot of fun, but it’s not making love. What you two have is something special. Don’t sell yourself short. You’re really quite a catch and I have a feeling, Aaron knows it!”
“Damn straight… er, or maybe damn gay!” Aaron said as they all broke into laughter. “I love you, Brian, and I’m not letting you go.”
Tim interrupted, “Well, our time’s running out, and I still have more testing to do before I can let you go today, so maybe we should get back to work.”
Tim proceeded to evaluate Brian’s muscle function and his endurance, and to test his ability to use his wheelchair and even how to recover from falling out of it.
“Brian, you’re doing great!” Tim complemented him when he was finished. “You’re well ahead of the game and you make my job easy! I’ll see you guys next week!”
Aaron and Brian said their goodbyes and headed home. As Aaron drove, he couldn’t help but marvel at how cool it was to be driving his own car. His own car, but then he remembered how he got it and he felt a bit diminished by it; how he’d gladly give it all up if only Brian could walk! However, there was no use thinking of what might have been — the main thing was that they were both alive and had each other. Yes, he truly was lucky — damn lucky — even now.
Aaron dropped Brian off at his home and after a prolonged make-out session, headed home to his own house. His parents had made it clear that they expected him to spend most of his school nights in his own bed. Aaron knew that his parents were unusually accepting, but they were still his parents and they weren’t quite ready to let him go. In a way, it felt good to be loved, but he really wanted to be with Brian more than anything.
The next morning, much to the chagrin of his parents, Aaron got up an hour early and after getting himself ready, went over to Brian’s so he could help him get ready for school and have time to meet with Mr. Sampson before class.
Unfortunately, Mr. Sampson didn’t have much to say except that neither Aaron nor Brian should stoop to the level of his tormentors, and to always feel proud of who they were. He talked about making their enemies into their friends, but in parting, he told the boys something that would profoundly influence them for the rest of their lives.
“You have to realize, boys, that those kids sit in the back of the class for a reason. Brian, you used to sit in front because you have confidence in yourself. Sure, you’re smart, but you also feel comfortable in the classroom and like to participate. You don’t worry about the teacher calling on you and you even volunteer. You’re always on top of your lessons.
“The kids in the back aren’t necessarily any less intelligent that you are. Their real shortcoming is that they have low self-esteem. Their bravado is nothing more than an act. Some of them may be popular and some of them are jocks, but down deep, they know that they’ll never amount to anything.
“How many major league pro ballplayers do you think have graduated from this school? Either of you care to guess?”
“I dunno,” Brian answered. “Maybe three or four.”
“It’s probably not quite that many,” Aaron added. “I’d say maybe one or two.”
“The correct answer is none. Not one of our former students has gone on to make a career in professional sports. A few of our best players get athletic scholarships every year, but at least, until now, their sports careers have ended in college or in the minor leagues. The bottom line is that the kids who have picked on you, don’t really expect to go far in life. With such a poor self-image, they expect very little of themselves. So why study when you won’t get good grades anyway? It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy.
“I know it’s not a perfect solution, boys, but the best thing you can do is to treat them with respect. Let their snide remarks drop and don’t make an issue out of you being gay. Engage them in their studies. Make them feel like more a part of the class. Help them to gain an appreciation for what they do know, and make them want to learn more”
“Thanks, Mr. Sampson. You’ve given me some real food for thought.”
Brian had an opportunity to put this advice to test right away in his first period class. As he entered the classroom and took his ‘seat’ at the table in the back, a kid next to him greeted him.
“Hey fag. Have fun with your lover boy last night? Is his cock tasty?”
Rather than get angry, Brian simply said, “Nah. Aaron had to spend the night with his folks, but with the weekend coming up, I’m sure I’ll be getting plenty. So how about you? Got any big plans for the weekend?” He was about to add, ‘Is your girl’s cunt real tasty?,’ but decided against it. Before the other boy could answer, he added, “By the way, in case you didn’t already know, my name’s Brian.”
The kid seemed taken aback and all he could do was utter, “Um… my name’s Chad .”
“So, Chad, what do you think of Mrs. Watson?”
“I think the bitch has real poker up her ass.”
Brian flinched at hearing that about one of his favorite teachers, but went on, “Why do you think that?”
“Well, I dunno. She just seems so aloof. You know? She only calls on me when she knows I don’t know the answer, and when I do, she calls on someone else and praises them to the hilt. She really likes people like you, but she hates me. I just know it.”
“I don’t think she hates anyone, Chad . Maybe you’re right about her paying more attention to the smarter kids, but maybe you need to give her more of a chance. You know, she really came through for me when I was injured. She came to see me at the hospital almost every day and even kept me informed on things going on at school… and she was great about me and Aaron. Without her help, I don’t know how we’d have gotten by. I mean my parents learned about us from the accident and they were very un-cool about the whole thing… even worse than you,” Brian said with a bit of a sly smile. “She helped us keep in touch, even when my parents wouldn’t let us see each other.”
Soon the bell rang and Mrs. Watson began going over the previous night’s reading assignment. When she asked a question, Brian leaned over and told Chad the answer and gave him a brief explanation. With a nudge from Brian, Chad raised his hand and, sure enough, Mrs. Watson called on him. Predictably, she asked him to expand on his answer and he surprised even himself by saying a little more than Brian had told him. She was impressed by his response and didn’t hesitate to tell him so, although she suspected that Brian had helped him out, but she realized, if Brian could interest Chad in learning, more power to him. The effect on Chad ’s psyche was immeasurable.
“Way to go, Chad . I wasn’t sure if you’d even read the assignment.”
“Well, I didn’t, but I read a lotta other stuff for fun and somehow it came to me all of a sudden. I didn’t think I knew it, but you kinda jogged my memory.”
“You must be pretty smart.”
“You kiddin’ me? Everyone’s always tellin’ me how dumb I am. My old man tells me I’ll never amount to nothing.”
Mrs. Watson spoke up, “
The boys were quiet the rest of the class until the bell rang. They walked and wheeled down the hall together to their next class, which they also shared. Brian broke the ice by saying, “
“Nah, just lucky… and besides,” he lowered his voice, “I wouldn’t want to spoil my reputation.”
“Now that’s just plain dumb.”
“See, what’d I tell ya?”
“Seriously, Chad, you don’t have to act dumb to be cool. Look at me. I’m in a wheelchair, I’m gay, and I still have a lot of close friends.”
“Yeah, but you’re a braniac. I’m not like that. I’m good at sports, but I’m not a jock, so what else is there? I’m not smart enough for the geek crowd, and I’m not a stoner. My parents’d throw me out of the house if I were a goth, so what’s left? The only way I fit in is as a slacker.”
“I hear what you’re saying, but I think you’re smarter than you give yourself credit for. Maybe not enough to be a geek, but I’m not exactly a geek either. OK, my boyfriend is, but you don’t exactly see either of us hanging around with the geek crowd. Chad, everyone here is an individual. Your friends are your friends no matter what. Just be yourself. Someday you’ll finish high school and maybe go to college. Making something of your life may not sound cool, but it’s what counts in the end, and it doesn’t mean you can’t still be a cool guy.”
As they entered their next classroom, another kid shouted, “Hey Chad, what are you doin’ talking to the faggot.”
“Stop bein’ a jerk, Carl. Brian’s actually pretty cool.”
“Ya turnin’ queer on me?”
“Fuck you, Carl.”
“But don’t it freak you out that he’s queerin’ on ya?”
“Lay off, Carl.”
“Yeah, Carl,” Brian added, “no offense, but I’m not interested in either of you. Seriously, I have a steady boyfriend and, frankly, neither of you are my type. Just because I’m gay doesn’t mean I’m gonna jump every boy in sight, but I’d be willin’ to bet you that I’m getting more sex than the both of you together. More important, I love Aaron. I’m not about to ‘queer’ on anyone else.”
“Well it still ain’t right. It ain’t natural.”
“I’m not going to argue with you, Carl, but I didn’t choose to be this way. In some ways it’s easier to be a paraplegic… at least people accept that I had no choice about it. But I really had no choice about being gay, either. When you walk down the hallway, you see tits. I see broad shoulders and tight asses. I can’t help it… it’s what I am, but it’s not who I am. Who I am is a kid who’s really into music and who plays in the band, and that has nothing to do with me being gay.”
Just then the bell rang and they took their ‘seats’. The rest of the morning went by without incident and Brian headed to lunch, ready to meet up with Aaron and their friends. After the three of them were seated, Chad approached their table and asked if he could sit with them.
“
“Well, you gave me a lot to think about this morning, and like you said, I think I can still be cool and be friends with ya. Besides, if I’m gonna get anywhere in life, it ain’t gonna be by slackin’. But the real reason I wanted to talk to you is because you said you’re really into music. I’m passionate about music myself. It’s just about the only thing that really interests me besides girls. So I’m curious about what types of music you like and what instruments you play.”
“Well, I like just about everything… well, everything but rap and its derivatives. I like classical music in all forms, and classic rock, some metal, a lot of alternative stuff like Coldplay and Ben Folds, but my favorite music is jazz, especially the mellow stuff. My idols are Miles Davis, even if he was a real bastard, and Winton Marsalis. That’s why I took up playing the trumpet. I really like a lot of the old and new jazz greats. When it comes to the newer stuff, I absolutely love Norman Brown and Mark Antoine. They’re incredible guitar players. What instruments? Well besides the trumpet, I also play both alto and tenor sax, the piano, and I used to play guitar.”
“Wow! You really are into music. I do like rap. I guess that comes with the image I’m trying to portray, and of course I like grunge, but like you, I absolutely love jazz. John Coltrane is my absolute all-time favorite, but I like all the guys you mentioned, too. And no one sings like Ella Fitzgerald used to. I even like Sinatra, but don’t tell anyone else that. In terms of what I play, I grew up with piano lessons, but my dad put an end to it when I was eleven. He said playing piano is for pussies. After that I took up guitar and now I play bass guitar.”
“That’s really cool, Chad,” Aaron chimed in. “I’m in awe of the both of you. When I was in third grade, I started playing the viola. I thought the violin was for sissies and the cello and bass were too big for me, so I thought the viola would be cool. But I didn’t stick with it and I dropped it when I finished fifth grade. Brian and I like the same kinds of music. At least I did learn how to read music, so maybe some day I’ll get back into playing an instrument… not like you guys, but if I ever could learn to play something more practical than the viola, it could be fun to jam.”
“Well it may be for pussies, but even though I’m one of the straight guys at this table,” Larry began, “I still play piano. I have a Yamaha keyboard and playing it can be as macho as anything else. Yeah, jammin’d be cool.”
The boys chatted excitedly about music and were stunned when the bell seemed to ring so soon. Other than a few more snide comments in class, which Brian simply ignored, the rest of the afternoon was uneventful. After their last class, Aaron and Brian headed to the music room for band practice.
They got there a little early and Brian got out his trumpet and started to warm up, but when he blew into the trumpet, the sound that came out was short-lived and flat. Try as he did, he couldn’t get more than short bursts of sound to come out of it.
In fact, the harder he tried, the more light-headed he felt until he finally passed out.
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I would like to thank WriteByMyself and David of Hope for their editing skills and invaluable suggestions, Trab for his proofreading and Captain Rick for providing incomparable advice on the legal aspects of the plot. This story can be found at Gay Authors and Awesome Dude. It was originally hosted at Nifty and at the Rainbow Community Writing Project. I am grateful to all of these sites for hosting this and my other stories. © Altimexis 2005–2024