Leopard Spots

Chapter 38

After racing up the grandstand steps, Liam paused a few paces from Neil. He hesitated, wondering if he should make the first move or if it was time to let Neil take the lead.

Neil slowly rose to his feet. “Liam, I…”

“It’s okay.” The shadows meant that Liam couldn’t make out Neil’s expression, but he sensed that Neil was still ready to flee. He had to proceed slowly, though he took strength from knowing that Neil had invited him.

Neil’s head dropped. “I’m sorry.”

“For what?” Liam swallowed as he feared that Neil was telling him it wouldn’t work.

“For running out on you.”

Liam took a step forward and smiled. “You didn’t run out on me. You ran out on everyone else.” Despite the darkness, Neil’s flinch was visible. Liam quickly closed the gap between them and wrapped his arms around Neil. “I didn’t mean it like that! They shouldn’t’ve interfered. That’s what I meant.”

Neil pulled away slightly but only enough so he could look at Liam’s face. The only feature that Liam noticed were the eyes: bright, moist…innocent. Before he could study them further, Neil’s eyes closed as the space between their lips disappeared. Liam let his own eyes close as he relaxed into the moment, just like what had occurred out on the dance floor. Liam felt that this kiss was better because Neil had been the one who had initiated it, a little detail that told Liam that Neil had turned a corner. He didn’t know why, but he wasn’t going to question it.

It was some time later—Liam wasn’t sure how long—when Neil shivered. Liam smiled as the two broke apart, Neil sliding his hand down Liam’s arm and then intertwining their fingers.

“It’s getting cold.” Neil’s face was in shadows, but Liam heard the almost light-hearted tone. “Maybe we should head back inside.”

“If that’s what you want.” Liam tightened his grip on Neil’s hand. “I’m happy to stay out here longer, but I’ll go where you go.”

“I need to get warm.”

Liam bit back his first response: that he’d be more than happy to warm Neil with his body. He had achieved a lot, and he didn’t want to risk ruining that by pushing too much. “Then let’s go.”

The two strolled quietly down the steps, not letting go of each other. Liam was about to re-enter the clubroom when he realised that the guy with the freshly dishevelled hair at the other end of his hand had stopped. “It’ll be fine, Neil.”

“I know, but that doesn’t stop me from being nervous.” Neil gave Liam a weak grin. “I’m not really comfortable with people staring at me.”

Liam smiled as he gave Neil’s hand a squeeze of reassurance. “Relax. I won’t let anything happen to you. If they stare too much, I’ll glare back at them and make them stop.”

Neil flinched. “Yeah, you’re good at that.”

Liam quickly gathered Neil into his arms. “Hey, I’ve changed. I won’t be doing it because I want to; I’ll be doing it because you need me to.”

Neil rested his head on Liam’s shoulder for a moment before giving Liam a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you.”

Liam grinned. “That’s what I’m here for.” He caught Neil’s eye. “Ready to go in? Remember, I’ll be right here with you.”

Neil nodded, setting his face into an expression that Liam internally winced to see. It was the one he’d worn in the past at school when he had been caught by Doug, Liam, and Rod. It was the expression that Liam thought of as Neil’s do-what-you-want, I’m-not-going-to-let-it-get-to-me face.

“They’re not going to harass you, Neil. They will want to make sure you’re okay.” Liam smiled. “Come on, let’s go in and see everyone. It’s almost time for you to cut the cake.”

Neil nodded again and his grip on Liam’s hand tightened. The two entered the clubroom.

Liam could almost see a wave sweep through the room as heads turned to look at them, smiles appeared on people’s faces, and then the friendly swamping of him and Neil as everyone approached to make sure that Neil was fine. Neil started to pull his hand away from Liam’s, but then his grip firmed as he started to apologise for running off.

“Forget that, mate. We shouldn’t’ve been interfering in a private moment.” Ty’s eyes flicked down to where Liam’s and Neil’s hands were clasped. “As long as everything’s fine now, there’s a cake that needs cutting.”

“You’re just hungry.” Oliver’s grin showed he was only teasing.

Ty grinned. “Of course!” Ty patted his stomach. “Unlike most people, I worked hard today, and I need some sustenance.” A slight frown appeared on his face. “Speaking of which, I’ll be back in a couple of minutes. Don’t cut the cake without me.” He disappeared.

“Where’s he going?” Todd asked.

Karen shrugged. “No idea.” She chuckled. “Sometimes with Ty it’s just easier to go with the flow.”

Jim laughed. “Yeah, I know what you mean.” He smiled at Neil. “Do you agree?”

Neil nodded, a faint smile appearing on his face. “The brat does things his way. He doesn’t listen to anyone else’s views.”

“That’s not true. He listens, but if he believes he knows the best way of doing something, then that’s the way he does it.” Jim frowned at Karen. “Actually, that’s not right, either. If it’s serious, he listens and listens hard. It’s when he’s in party mode that he does things his way.”

Karen snorted. “Tell me about it. But with the right encouragement, he can be made to do what he has to, despite his own preferences.” She winked at Neil. “Like buying a Mother’s Day present for his mum.”

Liam was pleased when Neil laughed. The tension that had been there before they re-entered the clubroom was gone. Liam let Neil continue to chat with his friends, deciding to stay in the background of the conversation. They were mainly talking about shared experiences for which Liam had only a partial understanding, so he listened carefully while saying little.

“Okay, I’m back.” Ty was holding a plastic shopping bag. “I had an idea for an extra birthday present for you, Neil, but you’re going to have to wait while I set the scene.”

Jim and Karen both rolled their eyes, while Neil grinned.

Ty grinned back. “Now, you know that I stormed out after the game today and didn’t bother getting changed. To cut a long story short, a couple of the guys made homophobic comments, and I didn’t want to stick around in case I did something I shouldn’t.” He flicked a thumb in Jim’s direction. “Dad here would be disappointed if I got myself suspended for fighting in the change room.”

“Not only me, but everyone else in the team would, too. You’d be letting us all down if you did that,” Jim said.

Ty leant forward conspiratorially and whispered loudly. “He’s a bit bossy. I think it runs in the family, not that that applies to me.”

Neil laughed. “No, you’re not bossy…much.”

“Good to hear you say that. It’s always nice when others realise I’m always right.” Ty straightened. “Anyway, you’ll need to wash it because it stinks, but I’d like you to have this.” Ty held out the plastic bag and grinned. “Happy birthday, Neil. Sorry, it’s not wrapped, but I haven’t had a chance.”

Looking puzzled, Neil let go of Liam’s hand and accepted the present. He reached in and pulled out a navy-blue piece of material. Dropping the plastic bag, he held out the piece of clothing for all to see. It was Ty’s state-team jumper.

“Ty, I…” Neil seemed in shock.

“Mate, it’s yours. I don’t want it anymore, and I can’t think of anyone else I’d like to have it, apart from maybe Karen or Dad, but Karen gets other things from me, and Dad can go out and earn his own guernsey.”

Liam stared in amazement. With the rise of a true national competition, the AFL hadn’t played a state-of-origin series since Liam was a toddler, but he still recognised the iconic Big V design that had been used by the Victorian football teams throughout the decades. It had last been seen within the AFL six years earlier in a one-off All-Star game between Victoria and the rest of the country. He never thought he’d see one outside of a sporting museum let alone know someone who owned one. He reached out and ran a hand reverently down the cloth as Neil held it up. “Neil, this is a fantastic gift! There can’t be many of these around.”

Ty grinned. “One, actually, at least with that number.” He paused in thought. “I suppose they’ve got a couple of spares in case someone needed to change their top during the game, so maybe two or three.”

Neil tore his eyes away from the jumper and smiled at Ty. “Thanks, brat. I don’t know what else to say.”

“All you need to do is acknowledge that I’m always right.” Ty winked.

Neil laughed. “You’re not always right, but this time you are.” His smile slipped slightly as he glanced at Karen. “Are you okay with…?”

Karen chuckled as she slipped her arm into Ty’s. “I think it’s a great present. If I want one, too, Ty can go and get another one next year.” She grinned at her boyfriend.

Ty rolled his eyes. “No pressure.” He tilted his head towards the cake. “Time to sing Happy Birthday and then cut the cake. No more procrastinating.”

Liam followed Neil towards the table where the cake was displayed. It was only then that he realised that Ty and Karen hadn’t joined them. He scanned the room and spotted them just as Ty used the DJ’s sound equipment to attract everyone’s attention.

“Apparently, there’s actually a reason for having this party. Given that he’s the excuse for all of us to have a good time, I suppose it’s appropriate that we all wish Neil a happy birthday.” Ty grinned across the room at Neil. “I’m sure everyone will be pleased to know that, unlike our coaches, I’m not into torturing people, so I won’t be singing into this microphone, but if you’d all join in when the music starts…”

Ty nodded to the DJ who started playing an instrumental Happy Birthday.

Liam slipped his hand into Neil’s as he sang along with everyone in the room. After a nervous glance around the room, Neil’s gaze settled on Liam, a smile playing across his lips. Liam guessed that Neil was too shy to look anyone else in the eye while he was the focus of attention. Liam smiled back as he sang. It gave him an extra buzz to know that he was the one that Neil was watching at this special moment. When the song finished and the traditional three cheers had ended, Liam leant forward and gave Neil a light kiss. “Happy birthday, Neil.”

Neil didn’t say anything, but Liam felt a squeeze of his hand. He knew there was still a long way to go in building a relationship, but Neil was giving him a chance. Liam wasn’t sure why, but he wasn’t going to question his good fortune.

* * *

Karen and Clarissa tapped their water bottles together. “It’s only a start, but I think it’s time we bow out and allow the guys to work things out for themselves,” Karen said.

Clarissa stared down her nose at the other girl. “And let them fuck it up after all the effort we’ve put in? I don’t think so.”

Karen chuckled. “Fair point, but we should give them a chance. They might surprise us.” She glanced over to where Ty was talking with Neil and Liam. “Ty and Todd will give Neil the support he needs. I’m not sure what help Liam’s got available to him, but he strikes me as pretty self-confident.”

“Liam will be fine.” Clarissa shrugged. “Hey, I dated him for several months, so I know what he’s like. He’s got the potential to be a great boyfriend if Neil lets him.”

“We can’t hold their hands forever.”

Clarissa grinned. “Who’d want to? I’ll just keep an eye on things at school and step in when they start to make a mess of it.” She glanced around the room. “However, we’ve done enough for now. Since my date has dumped me for another guy, I think I’ll look around for a replacement. Any suggestions?”

“Depends on what you’re after. Most of the single guys are fine with casual relationships.” Karen stretched her neck as she scanned the room. “Let me see who’s already hooked up.”

Clarissa shook her head. “I’m not interested in sex. I’m waiting for something serious before I go that far. Tonight, I just want someone I can have a good time with.”

Karen raised an eyebrow as she returned her attention to the other girl. “That might cut down the list a bit. Sex is what most of the guys would be looking for.” She frowned in thought. “Then again, that was Ty, too, when I met him, but he waited.”

“Oh, well. I should probably do my own scouting, then.”

Their conversation was interrupted by the return of Ty and Deon. Ty grinned as he held out a hand to Karen. “The dancing’s about to start up again. Shall we?”

Karen made a pretence of thinking about it. “I suppose so, until I get a better offer.”

Ty shrugged. “Okay, that means I’ve got you for the rest of my life, then. Sounds good to me.”

Karen rolled her eyes. “You don’t think there’s anyone better than you?”

“Of course, there is!” Ty winked. “But Dad’s gay, so I don’t think you’ll get an offer from him. You’ll just have to put up with me.”

Karen laughed and allowed Ty to lead her away.

Clarissa smiled at the two before she realised that Deon was still standing next to her. She turned to face him, a quizzical look on her face. He held out a hand. “May I?”

“Why not?” She smiled. “My official date seems to have dumped me, so I’m free.”

Deon frowned as they strolled towards the dance area. “I didn’t realise you had a date. You came here with us.”

Clarissa chuckled. “Liam was my official date. It was an excuse to allow him to come because Neil wasn’t going to ask him.”

Deon glanced over to where Liam and Neil were standing. “Okay, that makes sense. You told me you were trying to hook them up, but you never mentioned how Liam got invited.”

The music started up, a piece of light rock. “Enough about those two. Let’s dance.”

* * *

Neil started sorting through the various envelopes he had received. Most of them contained gift cards, but he was searching for one in particular.

“Whose present are you looking for?” Liam asked as he stacked the ones that Neil was putting aside.

Neil kept his attention on what he was doing while he answered. “Sam’s and Marcus’s. While I was outside, Sam said something about the present, explaining why he came out to see me.”

“Okay.” Liam didn’t understand, but he wasn’t going to ask. He didn’t think it was important. “Haven’t you already looked at all of these?”

“No. There were so many people coming in at once that I just thanked everyone and put the presents aside.” Neil grinned and held up an otherwise plain envelope that had a simple inscription saying 'To Neil from Sam and Marcus’. “Here it is!”

“What is it?” Liam asked as Neil pulled up a simple piece of paper. From what Liam could see it was some sort of homemade voucher, but he couldn’t work out what it was for as it was upside down from his point of view.

Neil’s eyes widened. He looked at Liam and then back at the paper. He turned and scanned the room. “I don’t believe it!”

“What is it?” Liam repeated. Whatever it was had clearly disconcerted Neil, but Liam sensed more amazement than anything else.

“A free room for four years while I go to uni!”

Liam grinned. “That’s fantastic. You’ll be able become an engineer, just like you wanted!” Liam grabbed Neil and gave him a quick hug. “I’m so happy for you. Is it near Ringwood?” Liam didn’t want it to be too far away since he was planning on living at home while he pursued his own degree.

Neil stiffened. He visibly swallowed and then dropped his eyes. “No.”

“Not too far away, I hope.” Liam smiled. “I want us to be able to go out on weekends and not spend too much time travelling.”

“Sydney.” Neil’s voice was subdued.

Liam blinked. “What?”

“They live in Sydney.” Neil looked up, his face distraught.

“You can’t accept. I’d never see you if you moved!” Liam heard the words coming out of his mouth and didn’t need to see Neil’s hardening expression to know he’d made a major mistake. “I’m sorry, that came out wrong,” he quickly added. “What I meant was I don’t want to lose you. We’ve just started to see each other, and I don’t want that to end!”

Neil scowled. “We’re not seeing each other. We might start dating, but you can’t tell me what to do.”

Liam swallowed. “Yeah, you’re right. I’m sorry, I really am. It just blurted out. I didn’t mean it, honest.” He closed his eyes, not wanting to see Neil’s face while he forced out the next part. “If you want to go to Sydney, I’ll try to work out how to do the same.”

Liam waited for Neil to say something, but then his eyes shot open as he felt someone take his hand.

“Let’s dance,” Neil said. His expression was neutral, but Liam could accept that. The issue of university was something he had months to sort out. As Neil led him onto the dance floor, Liam wondered if his parents would accept Neil moving in with them. If they would, that would solve a lot of problems.

* * *

Two figures stood side by side in the shadows of a large ghost-gum tree. They had been there for almost three hours, waiting, listening. When the familiar tune of the birthday song was heard, they had sung quietly along. Immediately afterwards, the smaller figure had buried her head in the larger one’s chest.

“He shouldn’t be long,” Phil Rosewood said. “Most of the guests look like they’ve left.”

Mary sobbed quietly next to him. “Thanks for bringing me, but it’s still so painful…”

Neil’s father put an arm around her and held her tight. “He’d be better off at home, but they’re certainly looking after him. They’ve gone all out to give him a decent birthday party.”

“Why is this happening? Is it something we did wrong?”

Phil flinched. “I lost my temper. That’s what went wrong.”

“No, not that.” Mary gave him a kiss on the cheek. “That was just the once. You’re not like that, and Neil knows it. I meant about him being…you know…a homosexual.”

“The word’s 'gay’, Mary. We’re going to have to get used to saying it.” He sighed. “I don’t know. I’ve had people tell me it’s who he is, that it’s not something we did or didn’t do; it’s just the way he is. Other people tell me it’s what he’s chosen, and he’s going to have to live with the consequences. I don’t know what to think.”

The two stood in silence for several minutes, lost in their own thoughts as more stragglers left the party.

Mary stiffened. “There he is!” She glanced at her husband. “Who’s that with him?”

Phil frowned at the two young men who had left the building. “I’m not sure.”

Mary stared for a moment longer. “He looks vaguely familiar. Maybe he’s someone from school?”

Phil shrugged. “I don’t know. You’re the one who attended most of the school functions.”

“They’re holding hands. Could he be the one who changed Neil?” She gasped as Neil and the other guy kissed.

Phil Rosewood swallowed and looked away. Irrationally, he had hoped that Neil’s statement in the Leopards boardroom almost a month earlier had been a lie, an exaggeration. His son had never looked 'gay’, had never done anything that Phil would consider to be 'gay’. He could no longer hold onto that illusion.

“Should we do something?” Mary asked.

Phil shook his head while keeping his gaze averted from his son. “This is Neil’s life. It’s his choices, his decisions. We can be here for him, but until he comes to us, there’s nothing we can do.”

* * *

Doug’s text had warned him, but it was still a shock to see his father’s car in Doug’s driveway. Knowing that he was in trouble and the only question was how deep, Liam steeled himself as he marched up to the front door.

The door opened as he approached. “Hi, Dad.”

“Get in the car.” Bruce Bellweather’s statement was cold and flat.

“I have to get my stuff.”

“That’s already been done. Now get in the car. I’m taking you home.”

Liam stared for a moment and then turned away to hide his anger. His father wasn’t giving him the chance to explain.

The trip was made in silence. Liam stared out the side window, not wanting to look at his father. Instead, he tried to calm himself down by remembering the good time he’d had at the party. He and Neil were not officially dating, but the major roadblock was gone. Liam was able to try to build a relationship with Neil, and he was looking forward to doing so.

The first words between the two were after Liam’s father had parked the car. “Your bag’s in the back.”

Liam didn’t say anything as he retrieved the things he’d taken to Doug’s place. His father indicated that he should lead the way into the house, so Liam pulled out his keys as he walked up the entrance. Again, the door was opened as he approached, but this time he found himself being embraced by his mother.

“Liam, we were so worried. I’m glad you’re okay.” She gave him one extra hug and then let him go.

Liam frowned at his mother. “Why? You had to know where I was.”

His father glared. “Inside. We don’t need the neighbours to hear everything.”

A minute later, the three were standing in the lounge room. Liam and his father were scowling at each other while his mother’s worried gaze was flicking between them.

Bruce Bellweather crossed his arms. “We’d hoped you could be trusted, Liam. Yes, as soon as we realised you weren’t at Doug’s place, we knew you’d gone to the party.” He leant forward. “But you never told us exactly where it was going to be, and Doug wouldn’t tell us! We had no way of knowing if you got there safely or if you’d have any problems getting back. We also didn’t know much about the people who would be attending or what sort of party it would be. We tried ringing you, the club and Todd Underwood, but all we got was the answering machine and Todd’s voicemail. For the last two hours, we’ve been worried sick, me at Doug’s place and your mother here. We trusted you, Liam, and you broke that trust.”

“Only because you wouldn’t let me go! You didn’t understand how important it was!”

“I hope it was worth it, because that was the last party you’ll be going to for a very long time.”

Liam glared back. “Yes, it was worth it. I’d do it again, if I had to. I’m hoping Neil and I will be going out regularly from now on.”

“That’s not going to happen.”

His father’s blunt statement stopped Liam cold. As he was trying to take in the implications, his father continued: “Until further notice, you’re not leaving the house without permission. You’ve proven that you can’t be trusted. Your mother and I will discuss it in the morning when we’re not so stressed, but don’t expect to be allowed out without supervision from now on.”

Liam stared. “You can’t do that!”

“Try me.”

Liam’s mother stepped between them. “Bruce, Liam, calm down. Liam, we’ll work out what happens tomorrow. For now, I think it would be best if you go to your room and get some sleep. We’ll talk in the morning.”

Liam stormed off. He’d known he was going to get into trouble, but he didn’t expect his parents to be completely unreasonable. Stopping him from dating Neil was way beyond what he considered a fair punishment for his deception.

* * *

Deon rolled his shoulders to loosen the stiffness as he walked into the kitchen for breakfast. “Morning, Karen.” He glanced around. “Where’s the brat?”

She looked up from her mug of coffee and smiled. “He’s ducked down the street, but he should be back soon. He wanted to cook me pancakes for breakfast, but he couldn’t find any packet mixes in the pantry.” She raised an eyebrow. “Did you have a good time last night?”

Deon grinned. “Yeah, it was great. I haven’t had that much fun since…” His smile slipped away as he remembered the nightclub where he’d met Pamela. Like Neil’s party, it has been a night filled with dancing and good company. He grimaced at how that relationship had ended.

Karen stood up. “Sit down, and I’ll make you a coffee.” She continued to speak as she strolled over to the kettle. “What are your plans for the day?”

Deon chuckled as he dropped into the nearest chair. “As little as possible. I’ll go for a run later and then catch up with Marcus and my dad for the afternoon before I take them to the airport.”

“Are things going well there?”

“If you mean between me and my father, the answer’s yes.” Deon shrugged. “I’ve decided to start afresh with him, so I’m going to save up and fly up to Sydney after the football season’s finished. He and Marcus must be spending a small fortune coming down here, so I thought I’d return the favour.” He grinned. “Minus the small fortune part. They’ve got a spare room, so I’m hoping they’ll let me stay with them.”

“I’ve heard that Sydney’s an expensive place to live in, so it’s good that you have options. I’d be surprised if they say no.” Karen paused while she made Deon’s coffee. “I wonder what Ty’s got planned for after the end of the season. Isn’t some sort of end-of-year trip common for football teams?”

Deon smiled. “I don’t really know if the Leopards do anything; I’ll have to ask. But if you’re going to push him to do something for just the two of you, I’m hoping you’ll only have October and November to do so. The draft’s in November, and I really hope he finds himself with something else to do in December.”

Karen pulled a face. “Late October to the middle of November is exam time. I won’t be able to get away.” She brought over his cup and put it down in front of him. “When exactly is the draft?”

Deon lifted his coffee in a salute. “Thanks.” He took a sip. “Late November. I can’t remember the precise date, but it’s in the last week.”

Karen pursed her lips as she thought. “Okay, that’ll mean I’ll have a week or two spare after my last exam.” She grinned. “I’ll see what I can organise.” She paused. “Do you really think he’s got a chance of being drafted?”

“I really don’t know. I don’t think there’s any doubt he’s the standout player in the team, but Dad’s the one who got an invite from an AFL club to visit next weekend.” Deon shrugged. “I suspect that’s some sort of publicity stunt, to wave some gay-friendly credentials, but I don’t know. I’m glad he’s taking Ty, though, because if the brat gets a chance to show what he’s capable of, it’ll hopefully be enough to make them sit up and take notice.”

Karen sighed. “I don’t know if I want that to happen or not.” She caught Deon’s surprised look and smiled. “I want what’s best for Ty, but if he makes them interested and then they still don’t draft him…he’ll be devastated.”

“Yeah, I know.” Deon shrugged. “Nothing we can do about it. As I said, I think this offer to Dad is a publicity stunt. Whether anything else comes of it…well…we’ll just have to wait and see.”

* * *

Paul glanced up at the kitchen clock and raised an eyebrow. “You’re up early. I didn’t expect to see you until lunchtime.”

Neil shrugged as he trudged towards the kettle. “I had trouble sleeping. Too much going through my mind.”

Paul put down his morning coffee and stood up. “Have a seat, and I’ll make you breakfast.” He smiled. “Consider it a late birthday present from me. I’m sorry I couldn’t be there last night; from what I’ve heard, I missed a great party.”

Neil gave him an appreciative smile and dropped into the nearest chair. “You were working. Thanks for the cake, by the way. Todd told me you organised that.”

Paul chuckled. “I was more just the courier. The chef did it as a labour of love. He really enjoyed the challenge, and he told me he had a lot fun in the process. You had a good time, I hope?”

Neil grinned. “Yeah, an absolutely fantastic time. Some of it was strange, though.”

“Your first kiss.” When Neil’s head snapped up, Paul grinned. “At least that’s what Ollie said when he sent me a photo.”

Neil buried his head in his hands. His body shook.

Paul abandoned what he was doing and rushed over. He pulled up the adjacent chair so he could sit next to Neil while putting an arm around the younger guy. “What’s wrong?”

Neil took a deep breath and then straightened. “Sorry. It just gets a bit much sometimes.” He sighed as he stared vacantly into the distance. “I don’t know what to think. I’ve hated him for so long that I still have trouble getting my head around the way he’s changed. He likes me. He likes me a lot, but I’m not sure how I feel about him. I want a boyfriend, but I’m scared. How am I supposed to know if Liam’s the one for me?”

“Give it time. You don’t have to decide anything at the moment. Go on a few dates and see what happens.” Paul paused to make sure Neil was coping before standing up and returning to the task of making Neil some breakfast.

“It might only be a short-term thing with Liam. Something else happened that means I mightn’t see him again after this year.” Neil refocused his gaze and looked up at Paul with a wry smile. “I don’t have to rush, but I’m going to need to make a decision by early December about what I’m doing next year. I got an offer that I still have trouble believing.”

“Oh?” While he waited for the kettle to boil, Paul prepared a bowl of Neil’s usual cereal. His plan was to then cook some bacon and eggs while Neil ate the first course of his breakfast.

“Deon’s dad has offered me a place to stay while I go to uni. The only problem is it’s in Sydney.” Neil screwed up his face. “I’ve only recently found some friends. I don’t want to leave them all and move interstate. But if I don’t, I won’t be able to become an engineer!”

Paul chuckled. When Neil threw him a quizzical look, Paul grinned. “Think back a couple of months, Neil. How much has changed in that time? Now think about how long it is between now and the end of the year. You don’t have to make any decisions immediately, and a lot can happen between now and then. Don’t worry about it.”

Neil dropped his head. “Yeah, I know. But if get myself a boyfriend, it’ll be even harder to leave Melbourne. Can I afford to give up my future for someone who may not last?”

Paul grimaced at the reminder of his own painful situation. “Life’s full of tough decisions, Neil. I’d like to be able to offer some pearls of wisdom, but I can’t. My own life’s on hold while I sort out the mess I made of it by not choosing wisely. All I can suggest is to not rush into anything. You’ve got the time; take it. Don’t make any commitments you don’t have to and wait to see what happens between now and the end of the year.”

* * *

“…and that’s our decision.” Bruce Bellweather narrowed his eyes as he finished his monologue. “You’re being very quiet. Do you have anything to say, because now would be a good time.”

Liam shrugged. Despite the situation and despite being tired from a general lack of sleep, he was feeling relaxed as he sat in the lounge room chair while his parents stood over him. “I don’t see that I have any say in the matter. You’ve made up your minds without talking to me, so opening my mouth would be a waste of breath.”

“Liam, dear, that’s not true. We do listen, but your behaviour didn’t leave us many choices.” Beth gave her son a warm smile. “You might’ve had the best intentions, but you not only deliberately disobeyed us, but you lied about it, too. What were we supposed to do?”

“What you’ve done. I think you’ve gone over the top, but I can’t say that it’s unjustified.” Liam grinned as he stood up, believing the lecture was over. “It was worth it, though. Neil and I finally connected.”

Beth’s eyebrows rose. “What happened?”

Liam’s grin widened. “We danced; we talked; we kissed. He’s willing to give me a chance.”

“That’s wonderful!” Beth stepped forward and gave him a hug. “I hope it all works out.”

Bruce frowned. “I hope it works out, too, but that doesn’t change the situation. You’re still going to be under tight supervision as well as being grounded.”

“I understand. Say, can I ask a question?”

His father narrowed his eyes. “Go ahead, but don’t expect too much. You’re still on thin ice.”

“I was wondering about next year. I want to go to the same uni as Neil, but that may mean moving out of home. Would you support me if I had live elsewhere?”

Liam took a small pleasure in his parents’ startled reactions.

“What do you mean?” Beth glanced at her husband before returning her puzzled gaze to Liam. “Where’s Neil intending to study?”

“Neil doesn’t know yet, but he needs a place to stay. Unless you’re going to allow him to stay here, which I doubt, he’ll probably be in Sydney.”

“Sydney!” Liam’s father’s brow was wrinkled. “Are you playing some sort of game? Why would he be going to Sydney?”

Liam shrugged. “Because he doesn’t have anywhere else to go. He can’t afford to go to uni without a place to stay. One of his birthday presents was free accommodation in Sydney while he studies. He’d be a fool to turn it down.” Liam grimaced. “I don’t want him to go, but if does, I’m going to follow. How, I don’t know yet, but I’ll be going. That’s not negotiable. All I want to know is if you’ll help me or if I’ll have to support myself while I’m there.”

“I think we need to discuss this some more,” his father said. “It sounds like you’re making another rash decision.”

Liam scowled as his eyes refocused. “What you mean is that you’re going to tell me what to do again, without trying to listen to me.”

His mother broke in. “We are listening to you, Liam. But we’re also concerned for you. This is all very sudden. Are you sure you’ve thought it through properly?”

Liam formed his lips into a hard line before responding. “Yes, I have. I didn’t get much sleep because I’ve been thinking about this all night. If I want a long-term relationship, if I want something like what you and Dad have, I can’t let him leave me for four years. I have to go where he goes. If that’s Sydney, then that’s where I’ll be, too.” Liam closed his eyes as the fears of Neil leaving him surfaced. “I have to do this. I can’t afford not to.”

* * *

“Paul, can I ask for a favour?” Neil shuffled slightly while avoiding eye contact with his large housemate.

“What is it?”

“Can you take me over to Liam’s house? He’s been grounded, but he thought I should be able to visit. Todd’s still at Lorraine’s, Ollie and Helena haven’t resurfaced, so that leaves you or taking the train.” Neil looked up and gave Paul a sheepish smile. “I can catch the train if I have to, but it’ll be quicker if you drive me.”

Paul chuckled. “We won’t see Ollie for another couple of hours, at least. Sure, I’ll take you.” He paused as a thought struck him. “Unless you’d like to drive?”

Neil shook his head while staring down at the carpet. “I don’t have a license.”

“Not even your learner’s?” Paul was having trouble getting his head around the concept of someone Neil’s age who didn’t have at least their learner’s permit.

Neil pulled a face. “I never had anywhere I wanted to drive, so I never bothered. I was going to wait until I had a reason to learn.”

“Are you going to fix that now?” Paul asked as he picked up his car keys. “Getting your hours up is going to be a challenge, so the sooner you start, the better off you’ll be.”

Neil shrugged. “Something to think about. I still don’t know what I’m going to be doing next year, and there’s no way I can afford a car at the moment. There are too many other things to spend the money on.”

“If you’d like my opinion, get your learner’s now and start working on your 120 hours. By the time you’ve reached that goal and got your license, you might have a reason to want to drive somewhere.” He grinned. “Like maybe a romantic getaway for you and your boyfriend.”

Neil cringed. “I don’t have a boyfriend. Just someone who might…maybe…”

“You might have one by then.” Paul smiled and tilted his head in the direction of the front door. “Let’s go.”

Twenty minutes later, Neil was wiping his hands on his jeans as he stared at Liam’s front door.

“Go ahead,” Paul said. “I’ll be right behind you.”

Neil glanced back. “What if he got what he wanted last night and won’t want to see me again?”

Paul frowned. “Did you two have sex at your party?”

“No!” Neil looked shocked. “I wasn’t…he didn’t…”

Paul chuckled sheepishly. “Sorry, but when you said he got what he wanted, I assumed…” Paul ran a hand through his hair. “Go ring the doorbell, and let’s find out. If he doesn’t want to see you, we can head back home.”

Neil swallowed and then nodded his head. He marched up to the front door and pushed the small black button on the side. They could both hear the ringing of chimes from inside the house.

A middle-aged woman answered the door. “Yes?”

Neil glanced back at Paul before smiling at the woman. “Hi, I’m Neil. Is Liam available?”

Her eyes widened. “Neil?” She peered for a moment and then smiled as she stepped to the side. “Come on in, and I’ll go get him. How are you settling in at your new home?”

Neil wiped his feet before entering. “Really well. Everyone’s been so helpful.”

Paul smiled as he followed Neil. “Hi, I’m Paul, one of Neil’s housemates.”

“Pleased to meet you. I’m Beth, Liam’s mother.” She waved a hand towards the lounge room on their right. “Take a seat, and I’ll go get Liam.”

Paul settled onto the couch, while Neil perched on the edge of one of the chairs. Paul noticed that Neil was biting his lower lip. “Relax, mate. It’ll be fine.”

Neil’s return smile had more than a hint of nervousness in it. “I’ve never done anything like this before. I don’t really know what I’m supposed to do.”

Liam rushed through the door and slid to a stop near Neil. He started to reach out to Neil, but stopped, clearly uncertain. “Hi.”

Neil stood up. “Hi.” Neil’s tentative greeting was an echo of Liam’s. The two stared at each other, neither sure of who was to make the first move.

Beth smiled as she arrived several seconds after Liam. “Liam, on the assumption that you’ve finished tidying it, why don’t you show Neil your room?”

Liam grinned as he grabbed Neil’s hand. “Come on. I’ll show you around.” He didn’t quite drag Neil away, but it was clear that he was the more enthusiastic of the two.

Beth chuckled before turned to Paul. “Would you like a tea or coffee, Paul? I suspect those two will be gone for awhile.”

Paul grinned. “I think you might be right. Thank you, that’ll be great. A cup of tea would be fine.”

Paul sighed as Liam’s mother disappeared. He stared in the direction that Neil and Liam had left as he thought about what he’d just seen. He’d been through what the two guys were experiencing—the giddy rush of emotions during the tentative exploration of a hopeful new relationship—and he prayed that they would have more luck than he had with Rochelle.

* * *

Neil and Liam were sitting side by side on Liam’s bed, Neil’s left hand intertwined with Liam’s right.

“Can I ask you a question?” Neil asked.

“Anything. I don’t want to keep secrets from you, Neil.” Liam pulled a face. “I’ve got a lot to make up for.”

“Who’s Alf? Was he some made-up personality that you used to make me interested?”

Liam sighed. “No, but I don’t know how to convince you of that. Alf was me…just with a different name. After I found out you’re gay, I saw past the caricature of Four-Dork, and I was amazed with what I discovered. I found someone I wanted to know better, but I knew you wouldn’t look past the bully of the last five years. I couldn’t find a way around that until Doug had the idea of giving you a secret admirer.”

Neil stiffened. “Doug?”

Liam chuckled. “Yes, Doug. He doesn’t want me to go out with you, but despite that he’s been helping me whenever I’ve asked. He’s the one who came up with that particular idea. He’s also the one who found a way for me to slip off to your party. He’s the one who sat on Rod to make sure he didn’t say anything after we found out you’re gay and told Helena to stay quiet so you wouldn’t stress out. He’s my best friend, and he’s never stopped showing it.”

Neil scowled. “I hate him.”

“He doesn’t like you, either, but that hasn’t stopped him from helping me.” Liam smiled. “He keeps putting my feelings ahead of his own. Eventually, I hope he’ll see past Four-Dork to the real Neil, but I’m not holding my breath.”

“You never mentioned any of this in those emails you sent me.” Neil’s tone had a suspicious edge.

“Because those emails were about us, not him.” Liam closed his eyes for a moment. “Doug’s been pushed aside in my priority list and replaced by you. Despite that, he’s not jealous.” Liam chuckled as he smiled at Neil. “He’s disappointed, but only because he thinks I can do better. I politely disagree.”

“You could do better. You’re fit, good looking, and popular. Clarissa told me that you’d make someone a great boyfriend one day. Why settle for me?”

Liam leant over to give Neil a kiss. Neil edged away for a moment before leaning back and meeting Liam halfway. The kiss was light and soft and didn’t last very long but only because Liam pulled back and smiled. “Why you? Because.”

“Because, what?”

“Because you’re you. I’m still learning who Neil Rosewood is and who he may become. So far I haven’t found anything to convince me he’s not someone who is highly desirable or who won’t make a fantastic boyfriend. If anything, the opposite is true. Neil Rosewood is an impressive guy with hidden strengths of character that I never saw before.”

Neil stared down at the faded beige carpet on Liam’s bedroom floor. “You’re making that up. You’re after something, and once you’ve got it, you’ll dump me.”

Liam let go of Neil’s hand and slipped an arm around Neil’s waist. He shuffled across until their hips were touching, and he held Neil firmly against him.

“I can’t promise anything for the future, Neil, especially since what’s going to happen next year is so uncertain. I also can’t say anything that will convince you that I’m not only after one thing, that I’m actually looking for someone I can love long term. I know I’ve found someone—you—but words won’t show that. Only actions will, and that’s what I’m going to do.”

Neil stared, apparently searching for something. Liam willed for Neil to understand, because he knew there was nothing else he could say that would make a difference.

“What happens next?” Neil asked.

“First things first. Will you be my boyfriend?” When Neil gave him a quizzical look, Liam smiled. “Last night you said you were only giving me a chance. I’m asking if you’ll go out with me.”

Neil didn’t respond immediately. Instead he looked away. Several seconds later, he turned back and slipped his arm around Liam’s waist in a mirror of what Liam was doing. “I’m not your boyfriend, not yet, but I’ll go out with you. We’ll see where things go from there.” A shy smile appeared on his face.

Liam took the opportunity to give Neil another kiss. This one was longer and stronger than the last, and both guys were breathing heavily when it ended. “Thank you. For giving me a chance, I mean.”

“I’m still not sure I can trust you, but I’m willing to take that risk.” Neil rested his head on Liam’s shoulder. “So what happens now?”

Liam chuckled. “I really don’t know. I’d love to take you out to a movie or to a party, but I’m grounded indefinitely. To be honest, I’m surprised Mum let me see you today. I think we’ll be restricted to before, during, and after school. I’ll keep pushing to be allowed to go on a date with you one weekend, but Dad’s pretty definite that I’m not allowed out of the house without good reason.”

There was a knock on the door. “Liam?” Mrs. Bellweather called out. “You’ve got work to do.”

“Just a sec!” Liam gave Neil a sad half-smile. “I think it’s time for me to get back to my chores. Thanks for coming around, Neil.”

Neil leant over and gave Liam a quick kiss on the lips. “I don’t know what we’re doing, but I’m happy to give it a go. I’ll see you tomorrow morning at school.”

Five minutes later, Liam was standing at the front door, staring at the driveway where Paul’s car had been. His mother came up behind him.

“Give it time, Liam. You went out and did what you had to do. Now you have to pay the price. If he’s the right one, he’ll still be there when you’re finally allowed to go out on a date.”

Liam sighed and turned back into the house. “I know. I’m just afraid he’ll find someone else in the meantime.”

* * *

Tony grinned at Jim as they walked across the car park. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I think I should organise our next date, just so we go somewhere different.”

Jim chuckled. “Okay, but can you make it after next weekend? I’m trying my best to be ready for when I go to Carlton for that training session.” He swiped his access card, pulled open the door to the Leopards building, and then stood to the side to let Tony enter first.

“No problem. Are you still sure you don’t want me to come, too? I know that they have spectators at their training sessions. Maybe not a lot, but they have some.” Tony dropped his bag onto one of the benches in the change room and started to strip off his tracksuit.

Jim followed suit. “No, I’m not sure. I’d love for you to be there, but I’m conscious that they said I could bring one teammate. If I don’t put my foot down, I’d have half the team showing up to watch, and I don’t think that would create a good impression. It’d be like I wanted all the focus to be on me when it’s a training session for Carlton’s AFL team, and they probably wouldn’t appreciate any distractions. Having a stranger joining them is going to be enough of a disturbance; I don’t want them to blame me if the players can’t concentrate.”

“Okay, but I’m going to want to know all the details afterwards.” Tony grinned as he stood up and waved a hand towards the other door. “Ready for our date?”

Jim laughed as he pushed first his bag and then Tony’s into his locker. “Yeah. Time to get hot and sweaty.”

As the two headed to the gym, Tony grinned. “You know that getting hot and sweaty usually occurs at the end of a date, not the start.”

Jim shrugged. “We’re different. Why do things the traditional way?”

Tony glanced around. The hallway was empty apart from the two of them, so he pushed Jim against the wall and attacked Jim’s lips with his own. After a short time, he stepped back and winked. “Since we’re being different, that was a down payment on your end-of-date goodnight kiss. Expect further instalments at random intervals.”

Jim grinned. “I can live with that.” He glanced down Tony’s body. “But I think we’d better get started before we embarrass ourselves.”

“I thought we had started.”

“Exercising.” Jim rolled his eyes when Tony leered. “Not that sort of exercising. Me, getting ready for football training with an AFL team. That sort of exercising.”

“If you say so, but my idea would be a lot more fun.” Tony winked. “Time to blame Alex again? He’s a bad influence on both of us.”

Jim and Tony were both grinned broadly as they entered the gym.

Disclaimer: Some public figures have been included in this story for effect. This is fiction, and the words and actions of those characters are mine and not those of the real person. All other individuals depicted are fictional, and any resemblance to real persons is purely coincidental.

I would like to thank trebs, C James and MikeL for the advice they gave on early versions and rec for editing this story for me. A special thank you to ricky for that crucial final review before publication.

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