Kayden
by Ryan Keith
Chapter 2 - Gifts
I walked quickly to lunch. Because of the number of students at our school, there are three forty-five minute lunch periods. Each class period is an hour and thirty minutes. While many students go to lunch, others go to class for half a period, then break for lunch, and continue the period after lunch. The students who have last lunch are stuck in class for three full periods before getting to eat, but after lunch they have only one more class. They say it makes the day seem shorter. I have first lunch this semester.
When I walked in, I saw many people I know. Not really close friends like Jett and Shin, but friends like Maya. Maya was on this lunch, and so was Scott. He was in the servery flirting with the old women who work there. They're really kind, and often give you extra if you know them and talk with them. He stepped out smiling proudly at his extra-cheesy, gravy-loaded poutine, a French-Canadian concoction of French fries, gravy, and cheese curds. It's quite popular at our school, and supposedly tastes better with more cheese and gravy. I wasn't in for that. I usually buy the salad and occasionally a sub or sandwich.
Scott saw me and waved me over. We sat together at a small round table intended for two. I figured Jett wasn't on our lunch. “Hey man, my schedule is so messed up. This semester is going to be hard.” Scott stuffed his mouth with fries and handed me his schedule.
He was right. He has science first period, followed by math, lunch, history, and English. We have the same history class, so that'll be cool.
Scott looked curiously at me. “You're not going to eat?”
“Nah, I don't have the stomach for it.” That was actually half true. I felt all weird and tingly in my stomach.
We talked for a bit about our plans for Toronto and mentioned the fact that we have the same history class. I watched as Scott's face lit up. He was scheming something. I told him about Kade, leaving out why I thought he was amazing. He nodded his head, telling me he had heard about the guy. Some of the people in Scott's last class were already almost idolizing Kade. So was I.
“I don't like new kids. They come out of nowhere and steal the spotlight,” Scott complained, as he stuffed his face. I guess he was a bit jealous. He is usually common talk among the girls, but now that Kade has shown up, he's probably pushed back to about number four.
“Quit bitching,” I said, half-heartedly. “Look around you, man. Notice anything? Half the girls here are looking our way.”
He did look around, and he smiled knowingly. He is cute. I guess I had liked him a bit when I first met him. But sometimes his attitude just puts me off.
“Yeah, it helps when the best-looking guy in our grade sits at a table with me,” he grinned. “Or did you forget that you're the fantasy of every girl in this school? Shit… I mean, I'm even sure some of the senior girls think you're hot.”
I didn't expect a reaction like that from him and I felt my face grow hot. I hate it when I blush. Everyone notices it. People point and say I look cute, making me get even redder.
“Whatever,” I said, feeling restless. “You done yet? We can go around back and get some fresh air. I think I need it.”
He stuffed the rest of the gooey, cheese-filled poutine into his mouth and then got up, throwing his garbage away as we headed out the doors. I felt a number of eyes gazing at me, but I ignored it. As much as I like being watched, sometimes I get tired of the attention. I wouldn't mind being the kid no one notices, once in a while.
Scott and I went around to the back while talking about things teens talk about; girls, sports, etc. We spotted some other kids around our age running towards the forest behind the school. It's fenced off, but kids can easily scale the fence. Most of the ones who do are kids who smoke up. Quite often, teachers get suspicious, but they never accuse the students.
While we sat in the hot sun of the late morning, I spotted some new students venturing around behind the building. They were probably grade 9 students. Soon after I noticed them, Scott saw them as well. I turned to look at him and watched his lips curve into that evil smile. Hot, but evil. I know that smile well: it's always like he knows something the rest of the world doesn't. There was a smirk, a hint of mischief, and a glint of excitement in his eyes. It was only for a moment, and then he settled back to his normal state. He does that often, I guess to hide the fact he's up to something. He looked at me and grinned.
“I'll be right back,” he said, leaving me at the stone benches as he headed towards the new students. By now, I knew they were grade niners. The girls had their kilts way too low, wearing them past their knees when they should be ten centimetres above the knee. The guys wore their pants half falling off, the backs hanging on their butts. It's a style that's being overused and killed. You could see their boxers, for crying out loud. They looked so small, somewhat taken by what was all around them. Another thing that screamed `grade nine' was the fact that their shirts were tucked in. As tucked as any shirt can be. Tucked inside their boxers. It was a riot and a half.
I watched as Scott approached them.
“What the hell do you punks think you're doing out here?” Scott shouted at them, his voice full of anger. I almost jumped. I couldn't see his face but I've seen and heard Scott mad. It's enough to make anyone younger than him cry. The group of seven kids froze in their spot like they were caught stealing from a store.
One of the kids started, “W- we were just looking around the school and… what the fuck? We aren't doing anything wrong. So fuck you!”
Scott turned to him, “What was that, punk? You talking back to a Student Patrol Officer?” I started laughing. The kids didn't see me, but it was too much. Student Patrol Officer? What the hell is that?
The eyes of the kid opened wide in shock and fear. Scott's not a big guy, but his facial expression and voice were enough to make him seem intimidating to those kids. Not that he's weak. He's a pretty vicious fighter.
“I bet you're all skipping, on the first day, too,” he said angrily at them. I could see the worry spread across their faces. “You shits are in for it. Just being out here on the lunch break could land you a detention. And if you are up to anything I can also have you suspended.”
“Sir, our homeroom teacher said for us to get acquainted with our surroundings, so we just wanted to look around. We never knew we weren't allowed outside.” That little girl had a good strong voice. It didn't quiver, but there was a hint of nervousness.
“Did I ask for an explanation?” Scott roared as he turned to the girl. “You were all probably gonna go to the forest and smoke up, weren't you? Trafficking weed at school can get you suspended and even get you in trouble with the authorities.”
“We wouldn't …” said another kid, his voice raised.
Scott was already on him. “You won't speak unless spoken to! You look like delinquents to me.” He pointed to the girl's kilt and yelled; “Your kilt is too low, so that means you're not wearing the standard uniform.” He then turned to the guys. “Unless you want to become someone's bitch for the next four years, I suggest you cover your asses.” The boys immediately pulled their pants up to standard height.
The kids looked around, possibly for some help, exchanging nervous and fearful glances. Some of them looked like they were ready to run.
I thought they had had enough of this. I remember in grade nine how the older students teased a lot of us. Scott must have been waiting for this all summer. He had had it bad last year. The seniors were tough on him, mostly because his cousin was a senior. I got up and walked over to them. The kids looked at me, and their faces brightened. I guess I didn't look like a threat.
“Scott, haven't you had enough? These kids are gonna piss themselves,” I said in a joking tone. “Don't mind him. Scott likes to bullshit. He just wanted to give you guys a hard time.” The relief on their faces was priceless. I literally heard each one of them let out a sigh. I took a peek at Scott, watching his hardened features ease into a grin.
“Dude, you messed up my fun.” Seeing that the new kids were still a bit afraid of him, he showed a huge smile and said, “Sorry guys, I was just messing around… you know, new-blood fun.”
“Geez, they were fucking scared, man, you didn't have to yell at them like that,” I said, somewhat angry, but not really too concerned.
Scott let out a genuine laugh, looking at the students. He bowed his head a little and apologized. Finally, some of the kids were easing up.
I took that moment to introduce myself.
“My name's Zac. The asshole here is one of my best buds, Scott. Don't worry, he's no threat.” I watched as the kids looked at me, giving each other little whispers. The girls giggled, and one of them eyed me all over, biting her bottom lip like she was trying to hold back from consuming me. “Now, if anyone gives you trouble, you come right to me, and we'll fix it straight with them. Just don't be picking fights, got it?” I said in a serious tone.
The guys looked like they were trying too hard to act natural, yet at the same time, cool.
“Thanks, man,” one of them said. Geez, these guys were just too much. The girls just giggled and blushed. Dammit, not now, I don't want any schoolgirl crushes this year.
“Anyways, we'll see you around,” I said, pulling Scott with me.
He freed himself from my grip and shouted to the kids, “And if I see you out here again, you're all suspended.” They all laughed and waved. We made our way back inside.
“That was too much, you scared the shit out of them,” I accused.
“Yeah, but it was all for fun. You know, make their first day a memorable one.”
“Shitting your pants the first day… how memorable,” I said, sarcastically.
We joked for a bit and then headed off to history, where we were given a small worksheet of Canada's government structure. When I had pretty much all of it done, Scott sat back and copied my work.
Damn, it's going to be like this all semester.
The bell rang and I headed towards the gym. Last period gym is the best, because you go all out until you're exhausted. It can also be pretty bad. Three periods of sitting and doing work can take a lot out of a guy. I didn't care. I was just overjoyed that Jett was in my class, and so was Kade. YES!!!! Kade looked like he was doing okay. Some kids were talking to him, and he was smiling wildly and laughing with them. When he saw me, his eyes softened and he waved. He left his crowd to come and greet me. Jett approached me at the same time. I could tell he was happy I was in this class.
As they came closer, they noticed each other and I could see small smiles on their faces, like they knew they were both going to greet the same person.
I walk towards them and introduced them to each other. Jett mentioned we're best friends. I didn't see why he emphasized `best' so strongly; it wasn't like I would replace him with Kade.
Kade stood there, all smiles, his ocean-blue eyes holding a comforting gaze between him and me.
Our teacher came out and explained what we're going to do this semester. It's pretty much the same. Beginning of the semester we determine our maximum number of pushups and crunches, our endurance level during a speed test, the maximum we can bench press, and finally our body mass index based on our height and weight.
We were going to start the next day, so we had the rest of the class to just talk. Jett, Kade, and I just stood around. We joked around a bit and it looked like Jett was finally loosening up. He isn't scared of anyone, but for a while he took on a defensive approach. I think Kade's easy-going attitude threw him off.
“So, where are you originally from, Kade?” I asked. I wanted to know everything about him. He seems interesting and fun to be around. Maybe he can join our little group of close friends.
The smile on Kade's face vanished. He looked around worriedly and dropped his eyes to the ground. There was an awkward silence. I looked at Jett, who was staring intently at Kade. Jett turned to me and shook his head, like he was telling me not to ask. For a second I wished I could just disappear. I didn't want to push him away. If something had happened at his old school he wanted to forget, then I shouldn't have asked.
Kade looked up, a weak smile forming on his lips.
“Sorry, Zac, but I don't really like talking about what I left behind. It makes me a bit sad, remembering.”
NO! I made him sad. He doesn't want to remember where he came from or all the friends he left behind. Someone like Kade would have been popular with everyone. He's at a new school, with people he's never seen before, because he was forced to come here. Don't make him remember what he had to give up.
I noticed his eyes, then. They weren't the bright blue that I loved. They were a pale grey, and I saw pain in them. They still captivated me, but in a sad way. I wanted to reach out for him and hold him tight. I never knew I could be so insensitive.
“I… I'm sorry, Kade.” I could feel my emotions building. “I didn't mean….”
Kade's blue eyes returned, as well as his killer smile. “It's just a bunch of stuff that's better off forgotten. Don't worry, it's really not a big deal, no need to apologize.” He gave me a reassuring smile.
Jett smirked and let out a quiet laugh. “Don't worry about him, Kade, he's like that. Probably why everyone looks up to him. For a kid this young, he sure is a wiseass.” I felt my cheeks flush, which got another laugh from Jett. “He's arrogant, smart, but sensitive, all packed together. And it's that modest look he gives that makes me want to pound his ass sometimes.” They both started laughing, making my tomato state even worse. It was all good. As long as Kade was smiling again.
We talked for a bit more, about our plans for the week and how cool our semester is going to be. I know how great mine's going to be, anyways. Kade's in three of my classes, and as far as I can tell, I'm the closest person to him right now.
Things at home were pretty eventful. Dad was home early. Despite his wanting me to make my own arrangements for Toronto, he was on the phone with the hotel.
With just the two of us, we usually have small dinners. Dad doesn't like to eat much at night, and I usually don't want to eat a lot because I want to stay in shape. I made some sandwiches, including an extra one for me, since I hadn't eaten at school.
I didn't have any homework, being the first day, so Dad and I decided to watch some television. He sat with his legs propped up, while I leaned on his shoulder with his arm around me. Yeah, I know I'm too old to cuddle with my dad, but I feel comfortable and safe that way. If only Kade would hold me like this.
I smiled to myself and tried to hide the red that I felt creeping into my cheeks, but Dad caught it.
“So, has a handsome gentleman taken my only son yet?” he questioned casually.
I couldn't hold it in any longer. I blurted out everything I knew about Kade and what I thought about him, and that perhaps he liked me too.
Of course CNN took that perfect moment to inform us of a teen who was killed in Manitoba by bullies at school. Apparently, the kid was gay. I watched the screen in horror. I was afraid to look at my father's face. I felt his arm grip me tighter as he pulled me closer to him. I looked up and saw his eyes filling with tears.
My throat felt dry but I managed to choke words out. “Dad, I'll be safe. I won't put myself in danger; plus, I'm a big boy.” I offered a weak smile, hoping to convince him. “I won't do anything stupid, so don't look at me like that.” The last part shocked me as much as it did him. I could read the look he gave me. It was like he thought I was dying, or I was going to leave him, forever.
“It's not like that, Zac. Dammit it's not like that. I'm just angry at this world, not you. I'm pissed that you have to hide who you are just so you feel safe. It shouldn't be like that. You shouldn't have to hide who you are from your friends because of what they might think or do.” He looked at the television, his voice choking with emotion. “You shouldn't have to always look behind your back, fearing someone might know your secret. It shouldn't be like this, yet… it is.”
This time he gave me a weak smile, while more tears streamed down his face. I felt a distinct wetness on my face. I was crying.
“It doesn't matter that we have progressed so much in technology. We have faster computers and devices to make living easier, but we fail to progress in humanity. I'm scared that I won't be there when you need me most, and I'm afraid that you might have to face tough things alone.”
That struck me like lightning. My dad isn't going to be here forever. He was right. But I don't want him to worry about me.
“It'll be okay. There are other people like me. I just need to find them. And not everyone hates gays. You're living proof of that. I'll be okay, Dad. I'm a strong kid.”
Dad just stared at me for a while, and let out a soft laugh. “Yeah, you are a strong kid. And you're right, not everyone hates gays. But you need to be careful who you trust. This Kade sounds like a nice kid, but be careful. You just met him, so it might be that you're just infatuated with him.”
“Dad…”
“I'm serious, Zac.”
He was serious, and I was too.
“You need to be careful, son. You make the decisions in your life, but be careful who you trust.”
“I know,” I replied quietly.
A weird silence briefly paused our serious conversation.
“So,” I said, half smiling, “how about you? Any female co-workers making the moves on you?”
Dad gave me a playful grin. “You know they are. Can't get any work done there.”
Hearing him say that got a laugh outta me. Then again, he's only thirty-one, and he could pass as twenty-five.
“They always seem to find it hot around me and unbutton their blouses. They say it's to let the central air cool them down.”
I couldn't breathe; hearing my dad talk like he was a player was hilarious.
“I mean, a co-worker has already asked me out, but they're all kinda older than me… like thirty-six, you know?”
An image popped into my head, and for a second I felt a bit of jealousy. Then I felt like I was the biggest jerk in the world. But I had to ask, “Dad, would you ever, umm… marry?”
His grin faded into a warm, reassuring smile. “I never thought about it… I have the best son, and a great job. Maybe I haven't found anyone I could possibly love… again”.
His last word was hesitant. I know he had loved my mother a lot, with all his being. It sucks knowing someone like him got a bitch like her.
He seemed to sense my insecurity. “Hey, I would never let any woman come between you and me. If I fall in love with some girl and she doesn't like you, then that's her loss. It won't work. You have to love her too. I mean, I'm not going to see someone you don't approve of. That'll save me some heartbreak.” And he grinned.
“Hey, don't let me stop you, you need someone too. Must be hard for a young father to hold in all that sexual frustration,” I joked.
His eyes grew with surprise, but then he coolly retorted, “It's not too bad. I have my right hand for all those lonely nights. It's quite satisfying. And don't look at me like that; I know you do it too. I was a teen not so long ago. If you aren't doing it, then there is something seriously wrong with you.”
“That is… is so wrong! Geez, I'm your son! You don't tell me those things. That's almost like catching your parents in the act. Gross!” I tried gagging, but it didn't work. Dad got the message, though, and gave me a soft blow to the ribs.
“Don't blame me, I'm just telling it as it is. I know what it's like to be a teen. If I didn't, I would have busted your balls for smoking up with your friends a few weeks ago. And wipe that look innocent off your face. Who wouldn't know? The back stunk of weed so bad I was spraying air freshener through my bedroom window. Geez, what's with kids these days? You don't smoke up in the backyard… especially when parents are home. I'm just glad you guys took one puff, hacked and coughed, and bummed it out. I don't want you getting involved with drugs. You know better. Weed is bad enough. Don't even think of going to school high.”
By the time he was done, my face was burning with embarrassment, while at the same time, I was thinking how cool my dad is. I bet if I asked to have a house party next year he would pack his bags and leave me for three days, with five hundred dollars.
“You don't think bad of Jett, do you? He got it from his sister's boyfriend. We agreed to never touch that crap again. He's not into that.”
“Calm down, Zac. I know, and I'm fine with it. Your friends are good people, and I know you won't ever disappoint me. You make good choices, but when you don't, I'll be there to help pick up the broken pieces.” Dad grabbed me into a reassuring hug and then pulled me even closer.
“You've been best friends with Jett, Scott, and Shin for a while now. Why haven't you told them?” I guess he's talking about my little secret. “At least Jett. He isn't capable of hate and he'd never, ever hurt you. I'm glad he's your friend.”
I smiled with some pride, knowing that Dad approves of Jett being my best friend. “Scott's a rough spot, but when it comes to friendships, he's reliable. He might be hard to convince, but he'd stick by your side in a losing war. You know that.”
Again I smiled proudly. Scott is an ass, but he's fun, and when he needs to be, he's reliable.
“And don't let me get started on Shin. That kid wouldn't care if you dressed up in a pink tutu and danced around town. He wouldn't care! He knows who you are and likes who you are. Sometimes I think that kid knows more than he lets on.”
The last part stumped me, but I didn't care. As sleep began to overtake me, I felt dad loosen his grip and rest his head on mine.
The next day was cool: a few more chats with Kade, homework finished at school, and fooling around with my three best buds. Last period was really interesting. We formed groups of threes and found out how many pushups and crunches we could do, the maximum we could bench press, and did the speed test. I did average; thirty-four pushups, a hundred and thirty-nine crunches, and got through level 8 on the speed test. I was probably third best in the class. Kade was doing excellent, and so was Jett. He seemed to be competing with Kade, without Kade knowing it. Jett did seventy-eight pushups and a hundred and thirteen crunches. Holy shit. Not bad. Kade made it to fifty pushups and about a hundred and fifty crunches. Bench pressing was different for everyone. I managed to do 95% of my body weight. We were finding the heaviest amount we could press one time, with no reps. Jett benched his weight, about 190 pounds, and Kade benched his weight, as well. I was impressed.
The speed competition between Jett and Kade was interesting. After level eight, they were the only two left. In the speed test we ran in groups, from one end of the gym to the other. We had to make three full trips in a certain length of time, which ended with the blaring of a loud, recorded siren. As the level increased, the time interval between the siren blasts decreased.
By level eleven our teacher was wide-eyed and shocked. The other kids cheered Kade and Jett on. Both were sweating and breathing hard. They both collapsed at the end of level thirteen. The teacher rushed to give them big bottles of water. They gulped the water down with no problems. The teacher gave them pep talks about keeping up the good work but not overstraining themselves. From the look of it both of them got along fine. They looked up at me, smiled, and turned and gave each other props. Whatever hostilities Jett had towards Kade were gone.
The rest if the week passed without incident until Friday, when I had an interesting encounter with Kade.
After school, I found Kade waiting for me, all smiles. It seemed like the flowers bloomed around him and his warm, killer smile.
“Hey, Zac, what's up?” he said casually, his voice smooth.
I took a moment to admire his perfect form and the way his hair was moving slightly with the wind despite being gelled, those blue eyes, the way he was standing, his backpack and binder under his arm, and one hand in a pocket. He looked like a model in a clothing catalogue.
“Not much. Why are you still here? Did you miss the bus?”
“Nah, I'm waiting for another bus, going to the mall. I have some things to pick up,” he said, his eyes staring straight into mine. “Oh, and can I have your number?” he asked as casually as asking to borrow a pen. “You know, in case we have homework I might have forgotten to write down. I forgot what pages to read for our religion class the other day and ended up reading more than I had to.” His voice held a mixture of eagerness and excitement. It was cute.
It took me a moment to find my voice. “Sure, man, if you need anything, I'm just a phone call away.”
He nodded and opened up his religion textbook. “I'll just write your number in here and copy it when I get home.”
I smiled and gave him my number. I also gave him my e-mail, cell number, and pager, in exchange for his home number, cell number, and his e-mail. After a few more minutes of small talk, he ran towards the waiting area for the public buses. He sure has a fine ass.
That night I made final plans for my little birthday field trip with the gang. I debated whether or not to invite Kade. I decided I should invite him to go with me to a movie or two before asking him to go on an overnight trip. The thought of sleeping in the same room with him got me hot. I kept thinking about how things might accidentally progress.
The doorbell ringing interrupted those exciting thoughts. I walked down in just shorts and a tank top.
Probably some kid selling chocolate or newspaper subscriptions. WRONG!
It was Kade, and I noticed a brief but different look come over his face. His eyes scanned me head to toe, but quickly shot back to make eye contact with me.
“Hey, Kade, what's up?” I said, trying to act casual, but truthfully I was extremely happy to see him.
“Not much, can I come in?” How does he do it? He says it like it's an everyday occurrence.
“Shit, sorry about that. Come on in. Sorry, I'm not being much of a host,” I said, slightly embarrassed.
“Don't worry about it. I just wanted to talk to you about some school work.” He quietly took off his shoes, placing them neatly together against the wall. He doesn't have huge feet, nor are they tiny. They're perfect.
A sudden realization hit me. “If it's about school work, why didn't you just call? I could have saved you the trip, man.” I don't know where he lives, but he can't drive yet. Meaning he biked here, or walked. Wait, how does he know where I live?
His face looked puzzled for a second. Perhaps he didn't hear me. Before I could repeat myself, he said, “Yeah, I know, but I lost your number.”
“Dude,” I said, surprised, “you lost your religion text book? Those things cost like forty bucks. What are you going to do?”
His face turned bright red, like a parent was scolding him.
Idiot, maybe he wanted to see you. Nice way to make him feel comfortable. He builds up the balls to come over, and you interrogate him.
He started to stammer, “Ah, I already copied the number… and so I erased it from the text book… but then I lost the slip of paper.” He sounded a bit strained. It was cute.
I didn't care what his reasons were, I was just happy to see him. “Whatever, man. It's all good. Take a seat and I'll just grab my work and be down in a sec,” I said, walking up the stairs. I noticed Kade looking around our family room. There's a nice piano, some artwork, a very nice coffee table, and a shelf with some books, pictures and frames.
I rummaged through my desk, searching for the homework.
Damn messy room… my hands are shaking, they're icy, too. Why the hell am I so nervous?
The answering machine indicator was blinking, probably a message left while I was on the phone.
Beep. “Hey Zac, some of the guys are running more tests tonight and I'm going to be babysitting them. I'll be home late, but don't you stay up too late. You're old enough to know when you're tired. See ya later, bud.” Beep.
Wicked, cool. Alone with the hottest dude in the world in my house.
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So this is where Zac lives. A pretty cool house and it even has a pool and stuff. Wonder if we're all by ourselves. Why am I here? I can't answer that. Zac seems to be a cool guy, and something about him just draws me closer and closer to him. Who is he? Why does he have this hold on me, like I can't breathe when he stares into my eyes? And those eyes… mysterious deep brown eyes. I noticed them the first time I talked to him. I thought they were brown, but close up, they seem so much deeper, and give off a yellow tint, a golden tint. There's something about him. If I stay close to him, perhaps I'll discover what it is, or perhaps discover who I really am. I've shrugged off the chains to my past.
________________________________________________________________
Grabbing my work and making my way down, I noticed Kade holding one of the picture frames that had a picture of Dad and me when I was about ten.
“It must be real cool to have a brother like this. You two seem very close, but I don't see any photos of your parents.”
I almost laughed at his innocent remark. I knew better: that would just be rude. Instead, I giggled; something I rarely do.
“He's my dad, not by brother.” I watched as Kade's bright blue eyes grew with surprise and amazement. “My parents had me at a very young age, so he's only thirty-one, and he's really cool.”
“Must be awesome having a young dad like that. He probably lets you get away with drinking with your friends.” I never really thought of that. Dad probably would let me drink his stuff if I asked. He's never told me not to, but he's told me the consequences of letting it control your life. Dad never hides anything from me. Instead of saying no, he lets me try things that I want to do. I've never really liked alcohol anyways; maybe it's an acquired taste. To me it tastes like crap.
“Probably, but I don't drink. I think beer and other alcohol tastes like shit.” I squeezed my face like I was eating something sour. I don't see why so many kids get excited over alcohol.
“I agree; beer is shit. But some other drinks aren't too bad. There's Baileys, Smirnoff Ice, Southern Comfort. All those are really good.” He listed off drinks I'd never heard of.
“Not that I drink a lot. I only did occasionally when I used to hang with my…” Kade's expression froze. I thought I saw his eyes moisten before he lowered his head and clamped him eyes shut. For a moment there was silence. I wanted to reach out for him. I know something bothers him. Something he was about to say might have revealed what's tormenting him.
“Kade, you okay man?” My voice shook. I felt really sad for him. I didn't know what was hurting him, yet I felt for him just the same.
Kade hastily rubbed his eyes. “Yeah, just got some dust in my eyes. Can I use your bathroom for a second?”
Without saying anything more, I showed him to the bathroom.
I decided to do some reading. The unit we just started is an introduction to world religions and the different ones we'll be studying.
Within a few minutes, Kade returned, his eyes slightly red, like he'd been crying and was holding back more tears. I suddenly cooked up a plan.
“Hey, why don't we do our religion reading separately, and do our paper together? Mr. Sergeant said we can work in pairs. I planned on writing a paper on my own, but if we work on it together we can probably finish it sooner.” I could see the gears working in his head while he debated whether to accept my proposition.
“My dad is coming home late. If you stay, I'll make you dinner.” I was half kidding, but that seemed to get his attention.
“Hmm, should I pass up an opportunity to taste your cooking, and do the assignment by myself? Think I'll extend my stay, if you don't mind.” He gave me a sly grin. I swear he looked so sexy like that. Like he was thinking… things… about me.
“Great! You can call your parents from the phone in the kitchen if you want. I'll try to see what we can eat,” I said, making my way to the fridge.
“Don't worry. I don't live with my parents,” Kade spat, with a touch of anger in his voice. That was quickly masked by a smile. I stopped. He doesn't live with his parents?
“Well, you probably should tell your guardian that you'll be eating here. They might worry about you,” I tried again.
He just giggled, “Don't worry. I live alone; it's fine. I was just going to grab something, but now that you've offered, I can't decline.”
WOW, he lives on his own. That's so great. He's really independent. I wonder why he lives away from his parents; they couldn't have abandoned him. There's no way he can work, go to school, and make enough to support himself.
“Okay, that's cool. How does spaghetti sound?” I asked, spinning a large spoon in my hands.
“Perfect.”
We worked on the assignment while I cooked our dinner. While I cooked, I watched Kade writing out a section of our assignment. He looked like he was really in deep thought. I think he was even sweating a bit. Whatever he was writing, it must have been pretty damn good. I could already see the perfect grade we're going to get.
We finished the work by the time our supper was done. Dinner was simple. We talked about school and which clubs we could join. Kade said he really wasn't interested in joining any clubs, but he wouldn't mind watching my swim meets.
I felt an urge to feed him. He looked so cute eating his pasta. Slurping it like a kid. His face was messy after he was done, and I wanted to just wipe him clean, maybe with my tongue. Holy shit, what am I thinking? Damn teenage hormones. Get down!
We played some computer games before he had to go home. It was nearly ten p.m.
“Dude, if you want, you could stay the night. I don't mind. You biked here, right? It's pretty dark to bike home. Plus it's pretty chilly out.” Wow, already I'm asking him to spend the night.
“Thanks, Zac, but I think I'll go home tonight. I have to wake up early. I have an… engagement, to attend to.” His voice suddenly sounded as cold as steel. It wasn't rough, but it was cold. The warmth vanished. As quickly as it disappeared, it returned. He smiled at me. “Thanks for dinner, Zac. It was delicious. Maybe I can cook for you next time?”
“I look forward to it.” We gave each other props and he headed out the front door. Something seemed to be telling me that the young, handsome, funny, and mysterious Kade is going to change my life forever.
I headed back to the kitchen to clean some pots. When I passed the dining room, something shiny on the table caught my eye. I saw a piece of paper and a small silver cardboard box. Did Kade forget this? Apparently not; the piece of paper was a note.
Hey Zac,
By now you may have realized I didn't come over for the homework. Something about you draws me in. I don't know how to explain it. You probably think I'm weird. For the first time, I feel like I want to get to know someone. If you let me, I wouldn't mind being your friend. In the box I left is a precious stone my father left to me. I'm not trying to buy your friendship. I don't really know why I'm giving you this. I feel as though this is the right thing to do. All I ask you is to watch it for me. Keep it safe. You don't need to if you don't want to. You can simply return it to me on Monday. I'll understand. This is the first time I ever wanted to be someone's friend. Just don't sell it, okay?
I'll see ya later!
Kayden Pierce
I couldn't believe what I was reading. I carefully picked up the little box. Whatever it was, it was pretty heavy for something so small. I lifted the cover and almost dropped the box.
Inside was a stone; a gem. It was an amazing blue colour. It looked like a giant teardrop. It was finely etched and seemed to give off a bluish glow. The colour reminded me of Kade's eyes. The same deep, vast ocean that I find in his eyes, I now held in a small box. I didn't know the value of the stone, but by the weight I could tell it was something important.
If he wants me to watch it, I'll do my best to protect it. I quietly covered the gem and took it to my room.
Who is Kade? I know who he is, but I know nothing about him. If we're going to be friends, I should know more about him. Good or bad, I'll be his friend.
I gazed out the window. A perfect night; not a cloud in the sky. The stars shone brilliantly in the otherwise dark void of the night.
END OF CHAPTER 2
Thank you so much for the replies. I was simply overwhelmed with how many people enjoyed the first chapter. This story will be ongoing, until I find a great ending. Chapters might be a bit behind. I'm in university now, and I might be very busy. I'll try to write whenever I can. Thank you so much to those who e-mailed me. And special thanks to Dewey for editing my work, and Eddie and Janet who took time out of their lives to help me with my work. All comments and suggestions can be sent to Ryan_Kayden@yahoo.ca. And if you want to read great stories, visit www.Deweywriter.com. That man inspired me to write. His stories are amazing.
Copyright © 2003 Ryan Keith