Chapter 2

Eying his friend suspiciously, Tim made a rude noise with his throat. “I’m sure. Which dream date was it tonight? Mark? Danny? Morgan?”

Charlie was taller than Tim, but had the same lithe musculature as him. His red hair set his green eyes and freckles off in a misleadingly innocent manner. Not seeing the usual care free expression on his friend’s face, Tim leaned forward in his seat and listened to his friend speak.

“Had dinner with my Pa tonight.”

“Oh.”

“Says he ain’t gonna help with college next year. Says I’m eighteen now and his responsibilities are finished, financial wise and all else.”

“That’s awful, Charlie.”

“You know, he said something before I stood up and left the nauseatingly overpriced restaurant.”

Tim waited for him to continue.

“Said since I’m that way inclined, I can go find myself a man to support me and to defile myself with.”

“Pete’s sake. And what did your mom say?”

“Same as she always does before breaking down and cuddling me. That I should see now why she divorced him.”

So submerged in his friend’s sad story, Tim only noticed as they turned into Seasons’ lot where they were.

“I’m not really in the mood for Seasons tonight. Let’s head over to The Wagon.”

“Ain’t that too bad, seeing as we’re already here.”

Sighing in frustration and building panic, Tim pleaded with his friend. “Tom and the guys are in there, and I don’t think it will be a good idea if we head in.”

“Why do you think I chose Seasons tonight?”

Meeting his friend’s eye, Tim asked, “You knew they’d be here?”

“James might have mentioned the team was coming here with their girlfriends as I was blowing him in his car before school.”

“Then why’d you bring us here?” Tim snapped.

“Look, Tom needs to come out of that designer wardrobe he’s hiding in. Then we can all start concentrating on what really matters. Me,” Charlie concluded with a smile that always made Tim laugh, but not tonight.

“Well, I am not going in there,” Tim said resolutely.

“Suit yourself, man. Hope you don’t freeze to death in this cold car while I’m burning my tongue on a hot mocha chino. And I think I might have two, so I could be a while.”

Feeling the cold creep into his bones already as Charlie switched off the engine, Tim loosened his seat-belt and said, “You are evil, Charlie Withers.”

“That’s how my men prefer me, dahling.”

Laughing as they entered Seasons, the smile died on Tim’s face at seeing the look on his boyfriend’s face.

* * * *

“Looks like we’ve got competition girls,” Carla Abram immediately remarked as Tim and Charlie made their way past. The entire table burst erupted in laughter, but Tim just and kept on walking, ignoring Tom’s attempt at making eye contact.

“Ladies.” Amanda nodded her head as Tim and Charlie made their way past to an empty table.

“Bitches,” Charlie returned in an equally mock-congenial voice.

Pulling his friend along as three mean-looking guys started to get up, Tim quietly berated his friend as they settled at a table.

“Must you always cause argument wherever you go?” Preparing himself for a smart quip he’d come to expect from his friend, Tim was surprised to hear his response.

“It’s bloody BS! I’ve blown more than half the guys at that table, yet I’m the faggot that gets beaten every day for my trouble.”

Softening toward his friend, Tim said, “Look, I hear you, but getting us both beaten up and banned from Seasons won’t help any of us, will it?”

“It’s still stinks.”

Thinking it wise to change the subject, Tim started talking about the upcoming year end parties.

Brightening up instantly, Charlie got animated as he filled his friend in on all the gossip. Tim smiled at his friend as he went on, but was actually thinking about the very annoyed expression on his boyfriend’s face at that moment.

* * * *

“You didn’t call last night,” Tim said as he reached Tom’s locker.

“Will you keep it down? The whole school doesn’t need to know our business.” Tom said, looking around. “Besides, you looked like you had more than enough company, so I left it.”

“Don’t tell me you’re going to call if you’re not.”

“Don’t tell me you’re too tired for a visit if you if you aren’t.”

Seething, Tim took deep breaths to calm him.

“I thought I told you not to hang with Withers anymore.”

Tim tried to maintain his composure. He knew at times like these he could easily overreact. He saw his boyfriend’s shoulders slump forward as he too realized how deep in it he’d actually stepped and that Tim was truly upset.