Westpoint Tales - Entangled Tales, 88 - Happy Birthday, Sweet Sixteen

The days of summer rolled on, long, hot, lazy days. Justin and Billy bought two surf-skis and paddles, but the first day they used them, Justin fell off his one.

He was trying to spin around the end of the wharf, out of the river and into the lagoon and he slid off and into the water. It was then that Billy realised that Justin really couldn’t swim at all – he was hopeless! He barely managed to keep his head above water, with lots of kicking and splashing, until Billy came over so that he could grab hold of his ski.

Billy was quiet and tight-lipped while he paddled across to where Justin could walk up out of the water and then he went back to retrieve the other ski and paddle. He pushed them back to the water’s edge.

Still quiet, he came up to where Justin was grinning at him.

“Whoah! That was fun my Sunny-One. You saved me, Billy. You’re my hero, my Superboy!”

“FUN??” Billy exploded at him. “That was fun was it? You’re a fucking idiot, Justin Reynolds!”

“Whoah, Billy, don’t be like that. I just fell off, no big deal.”

“No big deal?” he yelled at him. “No big deal? You could have fucking drowned, Justin. What were you doing out on the water when you can’t swim?”

“Don’t be mad, Billy. I just fell off, it won’t happen again.”

“Damm right, it won’t happen again! You’re not getting back on that thing, not until you’ve learnt to swim. How could you be so fucking stupid? You could have drowned, Justin. You could have drowned! And where would I be? I’ll tell you where I’d be – I‘d be the stupid fucking jerk who let Superboy drown. That’s where I’d be. Is that what you want?”

“No. Billy, please don’t.” Justin caught hold of him and they stood embracing on the edge of the lagoon while Billy cried on his shoulder.

“You could’ve drowned, Justin. You could’ve died!”

“No Billy. Please don’t cry. It’s okay, you saved me. You’re right, I won’t get on it again. I’ll learn to swim. Can you teach me?”

“I wouldn’t know how to.” Billy calmed down. “But Lucas could. He’s a champion swimmer and he teaches little kids’ Learn to swim classes. Lucas could teach you.”

“’Kay, I’ll ask Lucas then. It’ll be a bit embarrassing, getting in the pool with the little kids though.”

“You don’t have to do that,” Billy grinned. “Lucas will make a time for you, and I’ll come with you too.”

“But you can already swim, can’t you?”

“Yes, of course I can. But I’ll come anyway, Lucas might need a hand to control you. Besides – Superboy in Speedos, I’m not missing out on that! You’re a bloody idiot, Reynolds.”

“I am, aren’t I? But you still love me, don’t you?”

“Of course I love you.”

“Cool, because I love you, sunny.”

“Well don’t go drowning yourself then. Come on, we’re walking home now.”

“Walking? With the boards? Bugger that. Can’t we just paddle back upriver? I’ll be careful.”

“No way. We are walking. We’ll leave the boards here and go and get the car.”

“So you’re actually going to blow the cobwebs off the car? Great!”

“Shut up, Justin.”

Jonathan and Claudette caused a scandal in the town when they announced that she was pregnant, but nowhere near as much as when Jonathan and Lana came back the next day and said that she was pregnant too!

Justin congratulated both girls in their turns, but when he got Jonathan alone – he went right off at him.

“You fucking idiot, Jonathan Reynolds! How could you?”

“Just keeping up the family average, Gay-boy,” He grinned back.

“You think it’s funny, do you? Well, it’s not. You’re 15 and you’ve got two girls pregnant. Think you’re a big man do you? What about Claudette and Lana? You’ve fucked their lives up. And what about the babies? You can’t just walk away from them. What were you doing in all those Sex Education classes? Sleeping?”

“Settle down, Brother. I hate rubbers. We knew the risk we were taking and we didn’t care – none of us. I’m not walking away, how could you even think that after what happened to us? I wouldn’t do that. I’m going to be a father, Justin, and that’s cool. I want to have these babies. We’re nearly 16 too.”

“Well, whether you want to or not, you’ve done it now. They’ll be around for a long time.”

“I want them, Justin, it’s cool and I’ll be around for them. I can afford to support them, no problems.”

“That’s another thing; I hadn’t thought of that. You’ll need more than $500 a week, much more. You’d better start keeping your share of the R&R money.”

“It’s not a problem – really not. The business is doing great. We’ll just bump our share up a bit. Money is never going to be a problem.”

“All right. But you just remember, if you don’t do right by these kids, then you’re going to have a major problem. These babies will have an uncle who will make damm sure that you’re there for them!”

“Uncle Superboy? That’s cool.”

“Uncle Justin, and don’t you forget it.”

“Okay, Uncle Justin. Everything will be sweet. Aren’t you going to congratulate me?”

“No. I’ll congratulate you when they’re 21, if you’re still around.”

“I’ll be there. You can bank on that. Do I get a hug now?”

“You don’t bloody deserve it, but – okay.”

They hugged and Jonathan said over his shoulder, “Thanks, Brother. I really am happy to have these babies. I want them. Kids of our own to raise properly, not like happened to us.”

“Okay, Brother. Enjoy them. But I meant what I said too. Do it right or I’ll kick your arse.”

“I will. I love you, Justin.”

“I love you too, but I’ll still boot your backside if I have to.”

“Shut up, Justin.”

The tongues of the gossips had barely settled down when the next news came out. When the expectant mothers had scans, they were both carrying twins! Three boys and one girl. Jonathan was ecstatic. Even Justin and the grandparents were delighted, after they’d got over the shock.

When they were alone, after hearing the news of the twins, Billy said, “Just as well we can’t have babies, Sweetcheeks. With the twins in your family and the twins in mine, we’d probably have a litter.”

“We would, but they’d be so cute – a litter of little carrot-tops!

Shut up, Justin.”

The long days of summer rolled on. There was sun and surf on the beaches, beach barbeques after dark with plenty of music, and kisses and fun. Life was good, for most of them.

Crispian was busy, so busy that he barely noticed that it was summer. He’d established a new record label for Whozzat’s music – a small, independent label, with a capital ‘I’ for independent.

The CD’s would actually be made by one of the bigger companies, but only ‘on behalf of’, Crispian and Whozzat had complete control. As well as Whozzat, he intended recording Time Out and another couple of local singers, but the first record issued – Westpoint Records’ CD no. 001 – was actually by someone else.

Billy had approached Peter about recording a song for Justin’s 16th birthday. Peter played the initial recording to Crispian and they insisted on making a proper record and recording with Whozzat.

Billy was reluctant, but they were insistent and so the record was made and released. Whozzat featuring Billy M. singing ‘I Only Want To Be With You’ and also ‘Something Good’, from the Sound of Music, as a ‘B’ side. They were also featured on Whozzat’s internet down-load site.

‘Something Good’ was slow, quiet and sweet, like something that Oliver would have sung, but ‘I Only Want To Be With You’ was upbeat and powerful. It was a good song – two good songs.

Billy, somehow, managed to keep it secret from Justin and the first time he heard it was on the afternoon of his birthday. At the pre-arranged time, Billy led the mystified Justin into the TV lounge, where Jonathan, Claudette and Lana and the Grandparents were waiting.

“Hey Guys. What’s everyone doing in here? What are you up to, Sunny?”

“You’ll see. Sit down and shut up and listen and I hope you like it.” He turned on the radio, catching the end of the Sports News, and then –

“This is Robbie Keenan on West FM, your local radio. Now we’ve got something special. First of all, happy birthday to the Reynolds twins. Justin and Jonathan Reynolds are sweet 16 today. So, happy birthday to the Iceman and Superboy, this is especially for you, and it’s our hit-pic for this week too. The first ever record by our first ever local record company – on Westpoint Records, CD no.001, we have, (Ta Daah!), a song by Whozzat with guest artist Billy M., ‘I Only Want To Be With You.’

They sat quietly and listened to the sound of Billy singing.

“I don’t know what it is that makes me love you so.
I only know I never want to let you go.
‘Cause you’ve started something, and can’t you see,
And ever since we met you had this hold on me
It happens to be true – I only want to be with you. . .’

The music crashed to an end and Robbie returned. “Wow! Now that’s what I call music! I’ll tell you what, there’s a second song on this disc, let’s hear that too – a twin spin for the twin’s birthday. Once again, Whozzat with Billy M., singing ‘Something Good.’”

“Perhaps I had a wicked childhood. Perhaps I had a miserable youth,
But somewhere in my wicked miserable past, there must have been a moment of truth.
For here you are, standing there, loving me. Whether or not you should.
So somewhere in my youth or childhood, I must have done something good. . .”

The music stopped, Billy lifted the remote and switched off the radio. The eyes in the room all went to see Justin’s reaction. He sat quietly looking straight ahead at the framed print on the wall ahead of him.

Lana, tired of waiting, said, “Well, Birthday Boy, what did you think?”

They were all, even Billy, expecting him to burst into tears which was his normal reaction in moments of stress and emotion, but he didn’t. In a flat, quiet voice he said, “Right. Excuse me.” He got up and walked out of the room.

Billy just sat there, stunned. He knew that he couldn’t hope to equal Justin’s singing, but it wasn’t that bad was it? He’d wanted to do something special for Justin’s birthday and he’d done the best he could; but it looked like he’d stuffed that one up.

It was Kathleen who broke the silence. “That was beautiful, Billy. It really was, thank you. I think you’d better go and find him now.”

Billy went up to their room and, nervously, tapped on the door, opened it and looked in. Justin was sitting at the computer. He gulped, “J. . Justin?”

Without looking around, he got up from the computer chair and waved at it with one hand while he continued on the keyboard. “Sit down here, Billy. This will just take a minute.”

Billy sat down, with his hands clasped on his knees and nervously waited while Justin stood to the side and continued whatever it was that he was doing. Finally, he reached over and clicked on the mouse.

“Right. Watch this.”

He went and sat on the end of the bed behind them.

Corny instrumental music played as a video began on the screen. A boy came dancing and gyrating across the screen – a young boy, a very young boy – it was Justin!

The young Justin danced around the room and stood wriggling his little butt seductively in front of a faceless man sitting watching him. The smile on the young face faded as a large hand reached out and ripped his shirt open.

Billy sat, shocked, watching as the young boy was roughly stripped naked and thrown down on the bed. He struggled, ineffectually, but after a couple of smacks to the head, he lay back and grinned and wriggled his now naked butt.

Billy swung away from the screen and tears filled his eyes. “Justin, turn it off.”

Justin snapped at him. “Watch it! Turn around and watch it. People pay money to see this.”

Billy turned back and tried to watch the brutalization of the little Justin on the screen, but he couldn’t. His eyes were full of tears and it was just too horrible anyway. He sat hanging his head and studying his knees until the clip finished.

“Nice wasn’t it?” Justin sighed. “You want to see more? There’s lots more, hours of it. There’s fucking years of it!”

“Justin, it’s not you.”

“Of course it was me! Are you blind? That was me, getting fucked. Forced and fucked, over and over and over. You think that didn’t affect me? Well, it did! Twisted, scarred, screwed-up – that is what you got, Billy. A used and damaged fuck-up.”

“It’s not you, Justin.”

“It is!” he yelled. “I’m sorry, Billy. I’m really sorry. I should have stayed the hell away from you. You’re totally beautiful and you are perfect – almost perfect. The only thing wrong with you is the stupid fuck-up that has attached himself to you.”

“Oh, Fuck, Justin!” he cried. “You really can be stupid, can’t you? You must be screwed up! Come here and look at this – really look at this.”

He pulled him up from the bed and dragged him across to the mirror on the wall by the door. “Look at him. At them. That’s us, Justin. That was then,” he waved his hand back at the computer screen. “That was then but this is now. If anyone’s perfect around here, it’s you, Justin Reynolds. It’s certainly not me. You were forced into all that shit. I wasn’t, I went into it willingly. I did it because I was manipulated by a creep who I thought I loved. I wasn’t even raped, I did it because I was told to. I was never a porn star, I wasn’t good enough. I was just a fuck – a cheap, quick, dumb fuck!”

“Billy, don’t say that.”

“It’s true, Justin. It’s true. I’m the screwed up trash, but I love you. I really love you and I’ll always be here for you as long as you want me. I only want to be with you. I love you.”

Now the tears did flow – bigtime! Justin dropped to his knees, clutched Billy’s legs and buried his face in his waist. “Billy, oh Billy. I love you so much! I love you, Billy. I must have done something really good somewhere.”

Billy pushed down on to the floor with him and they kissed and cried all over each other. Their clothes stayed on but they pushed together and bonded closer than they ever had before.

They could have, would have, stayed there all day, but Jonathan was having none of that!

He shoved his way into the room where the two happy, teary, teens were lying wrapped together on the floor. “Come on, you two. Get up. Talk about getting down and dirty! You’ve got to come downstairs, Guys. The old place is filling up with people. Ma Carver has just arrived with all her tribe, and the Lewis’ are there too.”

“Oh no,” Justin groaned. “Tell everyone thanks but go away. We’re busy.”

“Yeah,” Billy grinned. “Tell them to leave the presents and piss off. We’re busy here.”

“Right! I can see how busy you are. Well, if you won’t come down I’m going to send everyone up here. It’ll be crowded, but this is my birthday too – our 16th and our first one together and you’re not getting out of that! You can get cleaned up and come downstairs – you’ve got 5 minutes – or the party moves up here. You’ve got all the rest of your lives to get busy. Bloody good songs, by the way, Billy. You’re awesome dude.”

Jonathan left and Justin sat up and grinned down at Billy. “Bossy Beggar, isn’t he? Comes from being the oldest I suppose. He’s right though, you are awesome dude – simply the best. Thank you for the songs, I’ll treasure them always.”

“You will? Oh good! I thought you didn’t like them. I’m not as good as you.”

“Don’t talk crap, Sunny. You’re better than I am in every way. I love the songs and I love you. But, come on, we’d better get cleaned up and get down there. We’ll get busy later.”

“We will,” Billy beamed. “Busy as bees with bums full of honey.”

“Whoah! Hold on to that thought. We’ll get back to it later. C’mon Kid, let’s go party.”

They partied until late at night. The old Adelphi Hotel was full and overflowing – literally. Lights were set up outside and the car park out the back became a dance floor. The crowd also filled the burger bar, next door, and the sidewalks under the verandahs along the front.

Whozzat set up and played for hours, while Crispian filmed, but everyone agreed that the high point of the night was when Justin and Jonathan stood up and sang to each other. They alternated, taking turns with each phrase, and then smilingly chimed in together each time on the song title – “Happy Birthday, Sweet Sixteen.”

After the night was over, Jonathan was in his own room, in bed alone, when Billy came and climbed into the bed with him.

“Whoah! Billy, what are you doing?”

“I’ve got one more birthday present for you, Jonathan.”

“What are you talking about? We’re not! I’m not gay, Billy.”

“I know that, Doofus. Go and sleep with your brother, he needs you tonight.”

“Really? Great! Thanks.”

Jonathan leapt out of bed, but then came back and hugged him hard. “Thanks Billy. You’re the greatest and I love you too.”

“Sure you do. Now go away and let me get some sleep.”

Jonathan left happily to go and cuddle-up and sleep with his twin.

Westpoint Tales - Entangled Tales, 87 - Jinks & Toddy

(Jinks' House)

(Toddy's House) (Hey Lloyd!)

The school year began and summer rolled on, long, hot, lazy days. On Wednesday Jinks was late for school. It was Barney's fault, sort of. It was their usual habit to meet at the corner of Cobham and Romney Streets, they'd done that every morning for years now, every school morning. But on this day, Barney didn't show up.

Jinks stood waiting for him and catching up on a bit of overdue reading of his English novel. Standing in the warm sunshine and engrossed in the book, he forgot the time. When he snapped out of it and checked his watch, it was after 9 o'clock. There was still no sign of Toddy, so he hurried off to school alone.

He was late already. Buggerit. He hated being late. Where was Toddy then? He was never late either. He couldn't be sick? No. Barney was never sick. Jinks was occasionally, but Toddy never was. He was disgustingly healthy really. Jinks couldn't remember him ever being sick. The worst he ever got was a cold, or a hangover. He'd never missed a day of school in his life, apart from wagging occasionally and they hadn't done that in ages.

He got through the locker room in a hurry, so that was a bonus. There was no-one there, but he was already late. He got a dirty look from the teacher when he quietly slunk into his first class. But that was all, so that was okay. He'd be out of here soon enough anyway. Toddy was not there. Where the hell could he be?

On the way to his next class, he caught up to the Guitar Man, he might know something. He and Toddy weren't doing it anymore, but they were still friends, and he and Tones lived just across the road from Toddy. Daniel hadn't heard from Toddy, or seen him around. Perhaps he was sick?

Going into the classroom, Jinks noticed a small group of girls standing around, whispering and giggling. They all shut up and stared at him as he walked past, then they started whispering again. What was that about?

At recess, Jinks was standing outside talking to Jonathan and Lana, when two girls came past - Linda Deans and Alison Martin - nasty little baggages, the pair of them.

"Hiiiii Jiiiinks," Alison sang at him. "Where's your friend today?"

"Toddy, you mean? I dunno. I haven't seen him today."

"Oh well. Perhaps he's got the rags in then?" They both laughed and walked away giggling.

"What the hell?" Jinks wondered aloud. "Bloody girls, they're all mad."

"Well, thank you very much, Mr. Jenkins," said Lana. "I'm a girl too you know."

"Yeah. Sure you are, Lana. Maybe not every girl's crazy but those two are."

"I wouldn't argue with that. You haven't heard from Toddy then?"

"No, not a word. I don't know where he is. Toddy's never sick."

"Maybe he's in hiding then."

"What would he be hiding for? Do you know something I don't, Lana?"

"I know lots of things that you don't, Jinks. But, yeah, there's a story going around that Toddy is another gayboy."

"Well that's old news. He's not anyway. A bit "bi" maybe, but definitely not gay."

"That's not what Sherry's saying."

"Sherry? Sherry Coombs? But she's Toddy's girl."

"Was his girl. It's all off again apparently."

The bell rang and Lana looked around. "Uh oh, gotta go. C'mon, Jonathan."

"Lana, wait up. Is Sherry saying that Toddy's gay? What would she say that for?"

"I don't know, Jinks. That's all I heard. You'd better ask her yourself. See you."

"Yeah, I will. Later Lana - Jonathan."

He looked for Sherry at lunchtime, but couldn't find her anywhere. Then, after school, he saw her over by the buses talking to David Jackson, and fluttering her false eyelashes at him. Jinks waited until Jackson got on his bus, then walked over to tackle Sherry.

"Hey Sherry."

"Hi Jinks."

"Do you know what's up with Toddy? He hasn't been in school all day."

"Well I'm sure I don't know, Jinks. He's your boyfriend not mine."

("What??') "I don't know what you mean, Sherry. Toddy's not my boyfriend, we're just friends. Toddy's not gay."

"You think ? Could've bloody fooled me."

"Toddy's not gay - he isn't. I would know, wouldn't I?"

"Oh Jinks. You're a sweet thing, you really are. Trust me. Your friend's gay and he's got the hots for you. I think that he might even be in love with you."

"No. He's been dating you, not me. Toddy really likes you, Sherry."

"Aww, crap Jinks. We were dating, yes, but his mind's never off you - you're all he bloody talks about. "Jinks says this, Jinks says that." It was like dating two people, for both of us, I think. And, as for the sex - forget it. He's a soft cock and when he does get it up, it's just wham-bam-thank you ma'am, like something he had to do and get it over with. No, he's just not into it. Toddy's gay at heart. I can do better than that.Hell, Jinks, you're better than that."

('If only you knew.') "I, umm, I don't know what to say, Sherry. I'm just his friend, his oldest friend. We've been friends forever - hell, we used to share a play-pen."

"Well maybe that's how you see it, Jinks. I'd watch my arse if I was you. Anyway - look at the Guitar Man and Tones, they were friends from babies too, and look at them now. They're sharing more than a play-pen now aren't they ?"

"Yeah. Maybe. I don't know. Well, thanks Sherry. I'd better go and sort this out I suppose."

"You do that, Jinks, but keep your back to the wall - unless you're interested too of course."

"Fuck, Sherry. You kiss your mother with that mouth?"

"Among others, yeah," she grinned. "Catch you later, Jinks."

"Yeah. Later Sherry." Jinks shuddered as he walked away. What a slapper. No wonder Toddy wasn't into it, but that didn't mean he was gay, did it? The Golden Boy couldn't really be in love with him, could he? No. Not in this world.

He left the school, feeling really bemused and he walked the couple of blocks around to the Todd's house. He was really nervous too, that was stupid, he'd been there a million times before.
Grant Todd and John Peters were outside in the street, throwing a ball backwards and forwards, playing piggy-in-the-middle with Toddy's younger sister. Appropiate really. Mavis Todd was out the back, unpegging and folding washing from the clothesline.

"Hey, Mrs. Todd. Barney here?"

"Oh, Hi Jinks. Yes, he's in his room, claims that he's sick. He's got the bloody door locked again. Kick it down if you have to."

"Okay. Thanks Mrs. Todd." He went inside and knocked on Toddy's bedroom door.

There was no reply, so he tried the handle. Sure enough, it was locked, so he knocked again and called out. "Toddy, it's me - Jinks. C'mon Toddy, open the door."

Still no reply, so he knocked loudly. "You awake Toddy? C'mon Barney, let me in!"

No reply. He kept banging. "Toddy! You must be awake by now. Open the door. Don't do this to me. Well, bugger you then, Barney Todd. I'm going now, I'm going home. Ah, Dammit Toddy!"

He walked away, defeated. On the way out he passed Mavis out the back"No joy then, Jinks? I don't know what's up with him. He's been in there all day."

"He won't even talk to me. Stuff him anyway. If he comes out, Mrs. Todd, would you tell him that I want to see him. I'll be around at the course with the horses for a couple of hours. Tell him to ring me, I've got my cell."

"Sure, Jinks. I'll tell him that, if we see him."

"Okay. Thanks Mrs. Todd. Later."

"Yes, "later", Jinks."

He went around to the racecourse to work the horses for a couple of hours. While riding around in the sulkey, he tried ringing Toddy's cellphone. It was switched off, of course. He thought about leaving a text, but decided, "Bugger'im. I've been crawling to Toddy all my life. Well I'm not any more, he can bloody come to me. Bugger'im, I've got other friends. (Not like him though.)"

Jinks had a sleepless night, tossing and turning. (Not like that!) He lay there staring and glaring at the cellphone beside him. He was worried, what was up with Toddy? He was pissed too. How dare he just not talk to him. He'd never done that before. Something must be wrong.

Well, it was about time this worm turned. No more crawling, Barney Bloody Todd. They could go on like this forever.

Next morning he was standing back at their corner, waiting. He was tired and grumpy now. Barney Todd was going to get a piece of his mind when he saw him. If he saw him. Nine o'clock came and went and there was still no sign of Toddy. "Fuckim."

He headed off for school, late again, but then decided. "No. Buggerit. He's not doing this again."

He turned and stalked angrily back to the Todd's house. Mavis was out the back, hanging out washing again. ('How many clothes do they go through, anyway?')

"Hi Jinks. Back again. He's still in there. What's going on, Kevin? Do you know what's up with Barney?"

"No, I don't, Mrs. Todd. But I'm bloody going to find out."

"Good for you, Jinks. Smash his door down if you have to. I mean that, I don't like him having a lock on his door anyway."

He went in and knocked on the door. "Toddy? I'm back - Jinks - let me in Toddy, I want to see you."

There was no reply. He didn't really expect one. He knocked again, loudly. "Open the door, Toddy!"

Still no reply, and he got really mad now. Banging on the door, he yelled. "Is this all sixteen years means to you? Sixteen fucking years, Man. You open this fucking door, Barney Todd!"

He stood back and glared at the door, willing it to open. He could break it down, get the axe and smash it open. Mavis said that he could. But, no. Fuckim. He didn't need this. He could stay in there and rot.

"Go to hell, Todd!"

Jinks turned to walk away, but then he heard a 'click', and the bedroom door opened. He stopped, turned back, and nudged it open just in time to see Toddy climbing back into his bed.

Barney looked over at the doorway. "Well? It's open. You coming in then?"

"I don't know if I want to now. What did you lock me out for?"

"C'mon Jinks. It's not just you, I don't want to see anybody."

"It's a waste of my time being here then, isn't it? I'm going to school."

"Jinks. Jinks, don't go. Come in, we've got to talk. Come and sit down, Jinks."

Still pissed, he glared at him, then sighed. "What's the magic word then?"

"The old magic word? Please. Please Jinks, come and talk to me."

Jinks came in, leaving the door open, and sat on the end of the bed.Toddy gave him a small, sad smile. "Sixteen years, Man."

"Yeah, sixteen years."

"It's a long time."

"It's a bloody long time."

"When did you get to be so bossy?"

"Maybe I should have a long time ago."

"Yeah, maybe you should have."

They sat in silence for a couple of minutes, Jinks looking at the floor, Toddy looking at the ceiling. Where to start this?

Finally, Toddy said, shyly, "What did you want to see me for?"

"I...umm...I was worried. What do you want to talk about?"

"I don't really, but we have to - about us."

"Us?"

They were interrupted by Mavis coming in and handing them both mugs of coffee.

"Sugar, no milk, that's right isn't it, Jinks?"

She leant over and flicked the drapes open. "About time you surfaced, Sonny Boy. Well done, Jinks, thank you. I want that lock gone from the door, Barney."

"Aw, Damn Mum, I need some privacy."

"You always do, Barney. You want some breakfast? Have you eaten, Jinks?"

"Yeah, thanks Mrs. Todd."

"No. Mum, look, bugger off. We've got to talk."

"Okay, I'm going. Teenage dramas eh? I remember them well. Well, I've got to go uptown anyway. Feed yourself when you're hungry. See you later, Guys. Thanks again, Jinks."

When she'd gone. "She likes you, Jinks."

"She loves you, Toddy."

"Yeah, of course she does. That's her job. I'm pleased that someone does though. What're they saying about me at school?"

"They're saying, 'Where the hell is Barney Todd? Why isn't he at school?"

"Is that all? What about Sherry?"

"What about Sherry? I don't know why you ever bothered with her, Toddy. You're way too good for Sherry Coombs. She's been through half the bloody school already. I think she's got her hooks into David Jackson now."

"That didn't take long. David Jackson eh? Poor bugger. But what has Sherry been saying about me? She said she was going to."

"I don't know if you want to hear it."

"Ah, shit, Jinks. What has she been saying?"

"It's all over school by now. She says that you're gay and that you've got the hots for me."
"Ah, Shit!" He lifted the sheet up to hide his head. "Big mouth Bitch!"

"Come on, Toddy. It's not that bad. Everyone knows that Sherry's a big drama queen, and a slapper. Even if it was true, so what?"

"So what?" He dropped the sheet to look Jinks in the eye. "I'll tell you so what. It is true, Jinks. That's so what. I'm gay and I'm in love with my best friend. There, I've said it." He lay back on the pillows.

"You're not gay, Toddy."

"I think I'd know, Jinks. I'm gay all right. Ask Daniel. Ask Tones."

"Yeah well, lots of people fool around. What about Sherry then?"

"What about her? That was fooling around, I was just putting on an act, Iknow that now. I'm definitely gay, Jinks, and ...."

He reached for the framed photograph on his bedside cabinet and laid it down on the bed between them. Jinks looked down and saw that it was a photo of the two of them together, taken years ago - two tanned, blond boys, arms around each other's shoulders, shirtless and smiling at the camera. He had a copy of the same photo, in an album not beside his bed.

"That's us," he smiled. "Good photo."

"Yeah. Good friends. I love you, Jinks."

"Sure you do, Toddy. I love you too. I always have, ever since we were little kids."

"I know you did." he moved down the bed towards him. "But we're not little kids now. We're men, Jinks, well almost, and I'm in love with you."

His mouth, his warm, red, and luscious mouth, lunged towards Jinks' own, but he jerked back and got up off the bed.

"Whoah, Toddy. We're not getting into that."
"But Jinks. You love me too. I know you do."

"No. I love you, Toddy, I do. You're my oldest friend, my best friend and, maybe I have got those feelings too. But we're not going there. We can't Toddy."

"But, well why not then? If you've got those feelings, and I know that I have, I really have, why can't we get together, Jinks?"

"Because we can't, Barney. Not like that. I don't want to be just another notch on the headboard on your bed."

"There's no notches on my headboard."

"Isn't there? Daniel, Tony, Sherry, Cody, Max I think. Who knows who else? I'm not going to be just one more on your list, Toddy."

"You're not, Jinks. You'll always be my number-one really."

"Still a number though, isn't it? We're not doing that, Barney. To tell you the truth, I'd like to, I'd like to bang your brains out, but I know what would happen then. You'd move on to another conquest and I'd be left with nothing. I don't want to lose my best friend, Toddy."

He stood looking down at him with tear-filled eyes.

Barney got up and stood, miserably, in front of him. "I wouldn't, Kevin. I'd never move on. I wouldn't know how to live without my best friend, without you. I love you, Jinks."

"We can't, Barney. We just can't!"

Now they just flowed together, embraced tightly, and stood crying quietly. Barney pulled back and looked at him. He kissed him, briefly, on the lips. Jinks just stood and didn't respond, then Barney moved back into the hug.

"I fucked up, Jinks. I really fucked up. It should never have been anyone but you. I'm sorry, Jinks - Kevin. You've got no idea how sorry I am. I've always loved you, I was just too stupid to see it. And. Now. I've fucked it up!"

Now he melted. He loved this kid. Jinks reached up, took a big handful of those glorious, golden curls, pulled his head back and he kissed him, long. They broke apart and grinned through their tears.

"Maybe we're not that fucked. Maybe. We'll see. I do love you Toddy."

"I love you, Kevin. I really do. I'll do whatever - whatever it takes, whatever you say."

"Whatever? Well you can start by putting some bloody clothes on, Barney Todd. Standing here in your underwear in the middle of the day! Then we'll go and get something to eat while your mum's not here. When was the last time you ate?"

"Yesterday." He scrambled around for his clothes, grinning up at him. "So, can we start again?"

Jinks just grinned and held out his right hand. "Kevin Jenkins, pleased to meet you."

Toddy grinned back as he took his hand. "Yeah, nice to meet you Mr. Jenkins. Just call me Toddy."

"Hey,Toddy."

"Hi, Jinks."

Westpoint Tales - Entangled Tales, 86 - Justin & Billy

(North Beach)


Justin and Billy left the school and walked down to the beach to talk. Jonathan went to class waving his copies of the suspensions.

They walked out on to the beach and sat on a huge old log that had been deposited there recently by the battling surf.

“What are you thinking, Sunny?”

“I’m thinking, ‘Fuck ‘em!’ Fuck the lot of them, Justin. There’s twelve people on that committee, so at least seven of them voted to chuck us out of their school. They finally found a way to cut Superboy down to size.

I’m sorry that I was the way they found to get at you. Now you know a little bit about what it’s like to be a Carver in this town.”

“Billy don’t! Don’t be sorry and don’t blame yourself. I don’t care. I don’t care what they do; as long as we are together, nothing else matters. The whole world can go take a running jump into hell for all I care. I just want to be with you. I need to be with you.”

He put a hand on Billy’s shoulder and squeezed gently. “Okay?”

Billy bent his head to rub his cheek on the back of Justin’s hand.

“Okay,” he agreed. “I love you, that’s what matters.”

“Hey!’ Justin grinned. “Don’t you start any lewd and immoral behaviour on the beach or we’ll get kicked out of here too!”

“Let them. Fuck’em, Justin, let’s chuck it. Let’s chuck it all and just walk away. I know you love this town, but it’s got a real nasty side and that’s the side I’ve seen all my life.”

“Okay, if that’s what you want, we’ll do it. We’ll walk away together and go and find a new life somewhere else.”

“Yeah. Let’s do that. We could go and live in a city, get an apartment and get jobs somewhere. You can be yourself in a city, people mind their own business and there’s no old biddies gossiping over the back fences.

Let’s go and live in a city – not Christchurch though. We could go to Wellington.”

“That’s a plan – we’ll do that. We’ll go back and tell Mrs. Lowry and Mrs. Lewis thanks but no thanks. That was a really big thing they were doing, putting their jobs on the line like that, but if we just go anyway, they can rip the resignations up and there’ll be no harm done.”

“Yeah, I suppose they will. There’s no point in their resigning if we’re going anyway. We’ll go back to the school and tell them.”

They started walking back towards the town. Justin said, “Do you think we should do what Mrs. Lowry said and tell Ma and Grandmother what the school board has done?”

“We’ll have to tell them that we’re going, but there’s no point in upsetting them about what the bastard school board has done. There’s nothing they could do anyway. What about ‘Billy’s Burgers’ though?”

“Your mum can have that, she’s running it anyway. The business has started, they don’t need us anymore. We’ll start a new life with no baggage from the past.”

“Yeah. A clean start. What about the others though? Jonathan, Peter, Jay, Daniel, Tony, Claire, Lucas – the list goes on and on. Dee, Ross, John, everybody?”

“That’ll be hard, yes. Hard to leave everybody, but we don’t have to say goodbye. When we’ve got somewhere to live, we’ll tell them where and they can come and see us if they want to.”

“They’ll come. We’d better get a bloody big house then.”

“We will. We’ll get a bloody big house in the city and we’ll be as lewd and immoral as we want to.”

“Yeah, fuck’em!”

Justin stopped walking, picked up a handful of stones from the side of the graveled road, and stood tossing them into the water of the estuary beside them. “What about your education, Billy?”

“What about it?” Billy joined him in throwing stones.

“You haven’t finished. I think that I should get a job to support us while you go back to school somewhere.”

“No way, Justin. I’m not sitting around while you’re working.”

“You won’t be sitting around, you’ll be at school. You need to finish your education and get some qualifications. You’ve got a fine brain, Billy. “It would be a crime to let that go to waste.”

“I’ve got a fine brain? Look, Sweetcheeks, I don’t need no education. I can read and write and I’ve got a computer to tell me anything I need to know.”

“You’ve got a computer? Where?”

“I’ve got the world’s best computer. It knows most everything and what it doesn’t know it can find out. It’s user-friendly, a great calculator, and I can play games with it. Great games – sex games even.”

“Oh? Where is this computer then? I’ve never seen it.”

Billy took hold of Justin’s head, pulled it forward and kissed him on the hair-line. “My computer’s right here, Doofus, in your head.”

“Oh!” Justin grinned back. “Pretty crappy computer you’ve got then.”

“It is not. It’s the world’s finest – simply the best. I don’t own it though, I just rent it. It costs me kisses to rent it.”

“Does it now? I think the rent’s due.”

“Yeah, I think it’s overdue actually.”

“You want to play some games with your computer? Sex games?”

“Oh yes. Let’s go home and I’ll show you what I can make it do.”

They walked back up the beach road, hand in hand and giggling happily.

“Computer bytes!”

“Cookies.”

“CD ram”

“I’ll ram you!”

“Oh, yes!”

“Mr. Justin Jonathan Reynolds, you are the best thing that’s ever happened in my life. I love you.”

“Mr. William Robert Mathieson, ditto. I love you totally.”

“We’d better hurry home. I can feel some sex games coming on.”

As they came out from the beach road and started up Derby Street, a car tooted as it went past them. They let go of each other’s hands and jumped apart, guiltily, but when they looked back, the driver was waving to them. A few steps further on, a second car passed and the lady driver also tooted and waved.

“You’ve got a lot of friends around here, Sweetcheeks, a lot of friends.”

“Yeah, but a year ago, I had none. We’ll make new friends.”

“We will. You’ll make friends wherever you go.”

In the distance, up the road, they could see a large crowd, mostly students, milling around outside the Highschool.

“What do you think’s going on there? There must be a fire or something.”

“There’s no smoke. It’s probably just another fire-drill. Or, maybe Jonathan’s done what Mrs. Lowry suggested, and started a strike.”

“A strike? What would they do that for?”

“For you of course, what else?”

“They wouldn’t would they? I suppose no-one wants to be back in school anyway.”

“Well, I certainly don’t. C’mon Justin, let’s go this way and avoid the crowds. We’ll ring Mrs. Lowry from home.”

They crossed the road and ran up on to the old railway embankment. At the far end of the track, they decided that they didn’t want to face the crowds up the main street either, so they went over to the wharves and wandered along there, going home along the river-side.

Although there was a cement company boat and a large coal barge in the port, there didn’t seem to be anybody around. It was quieter than a Sunday. They slowly made their way along to the end of the wharf, crossed over the quiet railway yard and it was mid-afternoon by the time they went in through the back-door of the hotel.

Kathleen called from the kitchen. “Justin? Billy? Is that you? Where the hell have you been?”

“It’s us, Grandmother. We’ve just been walking.” Justin looked into the kitchen. “Oh. Hello Ma, Mrs. M. What’s everyone doing here? We’ve been kicked out of school.”

“We know that, Superboy,” Ma replied. “That’s why we’re here of course. Come in and sit down. You too, Billy. We need to talk.”

They walked in and looked around. Bob and Connors, Jonathan, Lana, Butch Carver and Paul Jamieson were all standing there looking at them. Justin scanned around the angry, grim looking faces and he took hold of Billy’s hand.

“We don’t care!” Billy burst out. “They can shove their school and their town. We’re leaving and we’re going to go and live somewhere else.”

“You are not,” his mother said. “You’re not going anywhere, either of you. This is where you belong and this is where you are staying.”

“I’m sorry, Mrs. M,’ said Justin. “But we are going. We’ve decided and we’re leaving. We don’t want to stay here where we’re not wanted.”

“What are you on about, Dimwit?” Jonathan exclaimed. “Of course you’re wanted here.”

“By some people, maybe,” Justin agreed. “But the School Board, the town – we have to go.”

“Wait a minute, Boy,” Bob took hold of Justin’s elbow. “Come here with me, you need to see this.”

He led them through the hotel, through the (closed?) front door and out into the street, with everyone from the kitchen following. They walked out into the middle of the street and it was empty – totally empty. The normally busy daytime street was completely deserted, there was nobody in sight anywhere – no cars and no pedestrians at all. Nobody.

“But. . Grandfather, I don’t understand. What happened? Has there been an emergency? Is the town in trouble?”

“Bloody town’s in trouble all right!” Ma Carver hobbled out to join them. “Everyone’s down-tooled and gone home. The whole town’s on strike.”

“But why? What happened?”

“Fuck, Justin! Sometimes you’re so bloody thick!” Jonathan yelled at him. “Westpoint’s on strike because of you – both of you.”

“Because of us? What have we done now?”

“You got kicked out of school, that’s what. Superboy and his best friend have been ordered out of the school so the town’s out on strike until somebody fixes it!”

They stood looking down the deserted street, in shock almost. “But why? They can’t. The whole town wouldn’t do that, would they?”

“They have, Justin”, his grandfather smiled. “That’s exactly what they’ve done. This town loves you, Boy. You’re our very own Superboy. So, you see, you can’t leave – not after this.”

“But I’m not!”

Tears started flowing and Justin sank down and sat, overcome and crying in the middle of the street. Billy knelt down and held him but he was crying too.

Jonathan whipped out his cell and took a photo of the pair of them – one sitting in the middle of the empty main street, the other kneeling and holding him and both of them crying. There was no newspaper that night, the Westpoint News was on strike, but the Editor, Bryce Hartigan, put Jonathan’s photo on the following day’s front page under the bold headline, “Westpoint, Thank You.”

Page three of the paper also had a bold type headline, “Superboy, Thank You” and there was a montage of photos from the paper’s files – Justin and Billy onstage with Oliver, Justin on crutches and photos of the coal-truck and Tom Craddock’s granddaughter, photos of him unconscious and bloody after the shooting at the school and of him, dressed up and singing at Jeremy Carver’s funeral. There were photos of the crumpled rubbish-tin at the Square, of the R&R shop and factory and of Billy’s Burgers and the party in the Square, along with one of the crowd cleaning up the next day.

The following morning, Mrs. Lewis came to the Adelphi and found them. Justin was busy cleaning, Billy was next-door in the burger bar. She waited while they changed clothes and then took them to the school.

Mrs. Lowry met them and led them out on to the stage in the hall where the entire school was assembled. When the applause faded, she read to them, and to the school, the apology from the entire Board of trustees – the EX- board of Trustees, they had all resigned and there would be an election for a new board.

She announced that she would be nominating Justin as the student’s representative on the Board, but he declined and asked her to nominate Jonathan instead. Red-faced and embarrassed, Justin and Billy stood up before the school and thanked them and told them not to do it again!

Justin finished by grinning and saying, “We’ve got a bloody great school here! Anytime anyone is in trouble, don’t look at us – ask your friends for help.”

Westpoint Tales - Entangled Tales, 85 - Justin & Billy

(Highschool - Main Entrance.)

Billy was awakened by a gentle kiss. He flicked his eyes open to look straight into Justin’s.

“Good Morning, my Sunny One.”

“Mmmm. Do that again.”

“Do what again? You mean this?”

He kissed him again, but when Billy began kissing in earnest, he backed off and grinned.

“Whoah! Not good to get so excited first thing in the morning. We can’t cut school on the first day back.”

“Fuck school. Come to bed.”

“No way, Boy. Here, I brought you this.”

He picked up a breakfast tray from the floor and held it while Billy shuffled into a sitting position.

“Cool. Breakfast in bed. Thanks, Sweetcheeks.”

“All part of the service, Milord.” He picked up another tray for himself and sat cross-legged at the end of the bed, smiling at his delighted mate.

Billy smiled back at him, sipped the hot coffee and studied the tray – a large glass of OJ, on a paper napkin, in the corner, two fancy plate-covers with ornate silver handles, and, between them, a glass vase containing one single rosebud.

“Where’d you get the rose?”

“I pinched it; from the gardens around at the Square. I left a $2 coin to pay for it though.”

“Anyone else would’ve just pinched it. Hey! This is a yellow rose.”

“Yeah, sure it is - yellow for friendship.”

“Friendship? Don’t you love me anymore?”

“Don’t be silly, Billy. Of course I love you; but you’re my friend too – my best friend ever.”

“You’ll have me crying again in a minute. You’re the best friend I’ve ever had too. So, what have we here? You didn’t cook this breakfast did you?”

“I didn’t cook it. I don’t want to poison you. Well, aren’t you going to look?”

Billy lifted the covers and grinned. “Burgers for breakfast?”

“Yeah, burgers.” Justin took the covers off his own. “Billy’s Burgers – simply the best. There’s this great little burger-bar right next-door and they’re doing breakfasts now.”

“This is so cool, Sweetcheeks. Thank you. One day I’ll have to get up early and take you out for breakfast.”

“Great! It’s a date. Where will we go then?”

“There’s this great little burger-bar right next-door.”

“Cheapskate.”

“Arse’ole.”

“Arse’ole.”

“Love you.”

“Love you more.”

As they walked to school, Justin was thinking, what a contrast to the first time he’d walked there last year. Then, as now, it was a dull overcast day – where had Summer gone? There were kids all over the town, heading towards the various schools, some in cars, some on bikes, but mostly on foot and in groups and pairs.

That was where the similarity ended. Last year he’d walked alone and lonely; now he was in the midst of a friendly crowd that was growing larger all the time. Best of all, he was walking between his twin and his best-friend, both of whom he loved dearly. Life was good.

It didn’t stay good for long though. As soon as they got to school, it started. Mrs. Lewis was standing waiting for them, by the main doors.

“Good morning, Boys. Ah – where is Billy, Justin?”

“Good morning, Mrs. Lewis. He’s not far away – went to see his cousins I think.”

“Oh. Justin, would you come with me please – Mrs. Lowry wants a word with you, and with Billy too. Jonathan, would you go and find him please and tell him to come to the principal’s office right now.”

“Okay, sure. But what does she want?”

“I don’t know, she didn’t say. But she wants to see both of you and me too. Shall we go?”

Jonathan ran off to find Billy and Justin and Mrs. Lewis walked around to the office. She knocked on the door and opened it when told to ‘enter’.

Mrs. Lowry looked up. “Ah, Emily. Thank you. Come in, both of you. Where’s the other one?”

“He shouldn’t be long. I’ve sent Justin’s brother to find him.”

“Good, good. Well, you’d better sit down while we wait for him.”

“What’s this about, Mrs. Lowry?”

“All in good time, Justin. We’ll just wait for Billy. I’d rather not have to go through this twice.”

“Go through what twice?”

“What we have to discuss. We’ll just wait.”

They sat making small-talk about the weather and about Billy’s burgers for a few minutes. All three were relieved at the knock on the door. Mrs. Lowry looked up.

“Enter.”

The door opened and Jonathan appeared. “Morning, Mrs. Lowry. You wanted to see Billy? Here he is.”

“Thank you, Mr. – ah – Reynolds now isn’t it? Send him in and wait outside please. No. On second thoughts, I think you should come in too, Jonathan.”

They both came in and sat on the chairs indicated.

“Thank you all for coming so promptly. I have asked Mrs. Lewis to be here as a support person for you as I understand that she is your friend. However, she is also a teacher, so, if you prefer, we can wait until your guardians can get here.

Jonathan is here purely as a witness. You have no part in this, Jonathan. Do you understand?”

“Okay, Mrs. Lowry. I’m a witness.”

Justin said, “Mrs. Lewis, I’m proud to be your friend and we’re happy for you to be our support person as long as it doesn’t compromise you. You are on the school staff.”

“Thanks, Justin. I’m not sure what this is about but, if it is what I think it is, I may not be on the staff much longer anyway.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Lewis,” said the Principal. “Boys, please understand that this is nothing personal. I am just doing my job. Sometimes I hate my job. I have notices here addressed to you both – notices of suspension.”

“You what?” Jonathan snapped.

“Please, Mr. Reynolds, you have no voice in these proceedings. Don’t make this harder than it already is – just watch and listen. I think it will be best if I read these notices out loud. They are both the same, one is addressed to Mr. Justin Jonathan Reynolds and the other to Mr. William Robert Mathieson.

“At the inaugural meeting of the newly constituted Board of Trustees of Westpoint High-school, Monday 29 January, the following matter was brought to the Board’s attention. Article 17 of the constitution and charter of Westpoint High-school reads as follows:

‘It is recognized that the school has a responsibility to protect the moral sensibilities of all students currently in its care. Therefore, any persons known to engage in lewd and immoral conduct shall be liable to immediate expulsion.’

The Board has therefore resolved that you shall be suspended forthwith and you are invited to speak to the next meeting of the Board, on Wednesday 31 January, where your permanent expulsion from this school will be discussed.

The notices are signed by Mr. Colin Stephens, Chairman. Mr. Stephens is the father of Bradley, the boy who was shot last year, so I think that we can guess what the motivation behind this was.”

Jonathan snorted from his corner. “Where’s mine, Mrs. Lowry?”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Where’s my notice of suspension for lewd and immoral behaviour? If Justin and Billy are guilty of that, then so am I. So are most of the kids in this school, and probably half the staff too if the truth is known. Are you going to suspend the lot of us?”

“Mrs. Lowry?” Justin spoke up. “Mr. Stephens has a grudge against me. If he has found a way to expel me, well, rules are rules I suppose. But there’s no need for Billy to be involved. Couldn’t you let him stay on if I just leave quietly? I’m in year 12 but Billy is only year 11.”

“Shut up, Justin,” Billy interrupted. “If you’re guilty of this garbage, then so am I.”

“So am I,” Jonathan agreed.

Mrs. Lewis said, “Mrs. Lowry, may I have a pen and paper please?”

She passed over a writing-pad and a pen. Mrs. Lewis quickly wrote on it and passed it back. Mrs. Lowry looked down and read it.

“Really, Emily? Are you sure?”

“As sure as I’ve ever been about anything in my life. I stood in the teacher’s lounge, last year, when this boy spoke to the staff after Jeremy Carver died. He told us that Jeremy was killed by the bullying in this school and I was thoroughly ashamed.

I am not going to be ashamed again. If this ridiculous charade is going to be played out, then I am resigning from my position. I don’t want to be associated with this school any longer.”

“Mrs. Lewis, you can’t do that! Please don’t resign, it’s not your problem.”

“Shut up, Justin. I can, I have. I’d be ashamed to stay here.”

“I appreciate where you are coming from, Emily,” Mrs. Lowry removed the page, ripped it up and dropped it into the waste-paper basket. “However, I cannot accept this. We can do much better than that.”

She picked up the pen and started writing, speaking aloud as she did.

“To Mr. Colin Stephens, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Westpoint High-school. We, the undersigned, hereby give notice of our intention to resign from positions held by us at Westpoint High-school. Such resignations to take effect from 8.0am, on Thursday 1 February, unless the suspensions of Mr. Justin Jonathan Reynolds and Mr. William Robert Mathieson are rescinded and suitable, written and public, apologies are forthcoming from your committee for your actions. Signed, Julia P. Lowry, Principal.”

She passed the pen and pad to Mrs. Lewis who smiled and signed as well. “Thank you, Mrs. Lowry.”

“Thank you, Emily. I will not be ashamed by this school either.”

“Mrs. Lowry, Mrs. Lewis, thank you but you can’t do this. This is your careers here, your incomes.”

“Justin, be quiet!” Mrs. Lowry smiled. “We won’t work for a school that we can have no pride in, and, Young Man, don’t presume to tell your friends what they can or cannot do.”

“But. . .but. . . thank you, Ladies. But this is a really big thing – you can’t!”

“We can, Justin,” said Mrs. Lewis. “The way Mrs. Lowry has worded it, it is not a resignation, it is notice of intention to resign. They won’t accept it, they won’t be able to, not after all the rest of the staff have signed it.”

“But how do you know that they will sign it?”

Mrs. Lowry said, “Superboy, off-hand, I can’t think of anyone who will not want to sign it.”

Jonathan spoke up. “Mrs. Lowry, Mrs. Lewis, thank you. You’re both bigger than I thought. But, could you do one more thing? Could you send copies of the suspensions and your responses to the Westpoint News?”

“Excellent idea. I will speak to the staff and then I will deliver copies there myself. You can expect to see them in tonight’s paper.”

“Thanks, Ladies. Thanks especially for Billy. He really doesn’t need to be tipped out of school just yet.”

“Justin, it doesn’t matter. We’ve already got a job and if you’re going then so am I.”

“Gentlemen, apart from justice for this mean and spiteful little act, I really think that you have no idea how much this school and this town owe to you.”

“Owe? Nobody owes us. We’ve done nothing.”

“Justin, before you came here, this school was full of bullies. Now there’s none and it is a much safer and more pleasant place to be. Who do you think is responsible for that?

Now, go home, Boys. You are still suspended, at the moment. We can’t do anything about that. I suggest that you both go and tell your grandmothers what has happened. That should stir things up! Jonathan, it is time that you went to your classes. As principal, I couldn’t suggest anything, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there wasn’t a mass walk-out of the students in protest at these outrageous suspensions. Especially if, as you say, most of them are guilty of lewd and immoral behaviour as well. It’s going to be a nice day out there too.”

They took their notices of suspension and left. Jonathan borrowed them and got Mrs. Burston to make copies on the office photocopier before he left.

Westpoint Tales - Entangled Tales, 84 - Family

(Early evening on the tiphead).

Monday was a ‘teachers only’ day at school, which made for one last day of the holidays for everyone else. Back up in their room after breakfast, Justin got on the phone and rang Claire.

“Morning Gorgeous. Still love me?”

“Of course I do, Sweetcheeks. When are you going to dump that red-head and come courting me?”

“Not in this life. I love you dearly but I’m in love with my Sunny-boy.”

“What a waste! I hope he appreciates you.”

“Not a problem. I’ve got him fooled, he thinks that I’m worth loving too.”

“That’s not fooling him – you are! Did you want something, Sweetcheeks?”

“Of course I do, I always do. Needy, that’s me. Is Peter there today?”

“No, he’s at Jay’s, as usual. I’m not sure if I’ve gained a brother or lost the one I had.”

“I think you’ve lost him, but, don’t worry, I’ll be your brother, and Billy too of course. We’ll go around to Jay’s then See you later, Girl.”

“’Kay, Sweetie, see you later. You’re probably a bit early though, those two are not early risers you know. ‘Bye Justin.”

He hung up the phone and looked at Billy who was grinning at him.

“What?”

“He thinks I’m worth loving? I don’t think it – I know it. You are totally worth it and I love you lots.”

“You just keep on thinking that, Sunny.”

He got up and wrapped his arms around Billy, standing quietly and holding him close. Their bodies pressed gently together and his face was by the shorter boy’s ear. Billy hugged him back and they stood quietly, feeling each other’s heartbeats.

“Thanks Sunny. I love you.”

“Oh Justin! If you were 1/10^th the person that you are, I’d still love you totally. You’re all my dreams come true – don’t you ever pinch me!”

“If pinching you meant that I was going to lose you, I’d cut all my fingers off. Now, let’s go and see Peter and Jay, I’ve got a proposition for them.”

“A proposition? You’re not going to put the hard word on them are you? I don’t want a four-way.”

“Neither do I, Silly-Billy. I only want you; but I want them in our lives too. We’re never going to have children, you and I. That’s one thing I can’t give you. So we need to build a family in a different way.”

“A family? We’ve got a family. You’ve got a family and so do I. Why do we need more than that?”

“Because we do. We can share our families, but your family will always put you first and mine will always put me first – I think. That’s the way it should be; but we need to build a group who are not mine and not yours, but ours.

It’s like ‘Friends’ – you know, that programme that used to be on TV. They were a family even though they weren’t related – most of them. It’s called an Urban Grouping, or something like that. That’s what we need.”

“I don’t follow you, Justin. You’re getting too deep for me, again. I’ll just go with the flow. It’s easier that way and you’re usually right.”

“Sure I am, and if I’m not, you’ll tell me.”

“That’s my job, isn’t it?”

“Sure it is.”

So, they went to Jay’s. Justin wanted to take the car, but Billy insisted on walking.

“It’s only a few blocks. If we keep driving everywhere we go, we’ll be getting soft and flabby. A bit of walking’s good for you.”

“But we’ve got a car now. We don’t have to walk.”

“You’re not listening. Maybe you don’t need to walk but I do. We’re walking, Justin. What’s with Peter anyway? You’re always on about him. I’m not going to lose you to Peter Lewis am I?”

“Of course not! Peter’s my brother but you are my partner. There’s no competition because there’s no comparison. You are my love, Billy. Just you, always.”

“Cool. You too – Just Justin – forever.”

At Jay’s home, they met Mr. Kynnersley backing out of the drive. He wound his car window down and smiled out at them.

“Good Morning Superboy, Billy. You looking for Jay and Peter? They’re probably still asleep. You know where Jay’s room is? In back of the garage? Good. See you later boys.?”

“Good Morning, Sleepyheads! Rise and shine.” Justin pushed open the bedroom door and walked in. “Oh. I see that you are up. Well, Peter is anyway.”

Two naked boys lay on the bed. Jay was on his back with his bent knees up in the air and Peter was between his spread legs, obviously buried within him.

“Justin!!” Peter pulled out and slumped down on Jay, covering him with his own body. He turned his bright-red face away, towards the wall.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Jay yelled at him as he covered Peter’s head with his arms. “Fuck off, Reynolds! Get the fuck out of my room! Haven’t you ever heard of knocking? Pervert!”

“Hey! Don’t be like that, Jay. We just came to see you. Didn’t think we’d be seeing this much though,” Justin grinned.

Billy picked up the crumpled sheet from the floor and spread it over the two on the bed. Jay just glared at him as he pulled it over Peter’s head.

“You deaf or something? I said, Fuck off. Get the fuck out of here and don’t come back. You’re not welcome here any more, not after that. Fuck off the pair of you.”

“Nope. Can’t do that. If we leave now, I lose two of my best friends and I’m not going to do that.”

“It’s a bit late now. You’ve got no fucking friends here, Reynolds. Get out. I hate you!”

“No you don’t, Jay. Don’t be like this. Look, you’re just pissed because we saw your pee-pee. Well -” Justin dropped his trousers and boxers to the floor and stood there holding his shirt up. “Now you’ve seen mine, okay? I’m sorry, Jay, really sorry. Please don’t hate me. I love Peter and I love you too. I can’t afford to lose you guys, I need you in my life.

I’m sorry. Do you want to see Billy’s pee-pee too?”

“Piss off, Reynolds. We don’t want to see that thing and we don’t want to see your faggot girlfriend’s cock either!”

Now, the smile fell from Justin’s face and his eyes hardened. He dropped the shirt and pulled up his pants. “Enough, Kynnersley!” He snarled. “You can say what you like to me, I stuffed up, but Billy did nothing. You start on him and I’ll do you. You’ll be dancing with your drumsticks shoved up your arse because you’ll have no hands to hold them!”

“Justin, don’t!” Peter struggled out from under the sheet and sat up. “Don’t do this. Just go away. Piss off until everyone calms down. We’ll talk later.”

“Piss off yourself!” Justin snapped at him. “We don’t need you either. Come on Billy, we’re outta here.”

Billy looked around at the three angry, red, faces. He sighed and then he took control. He stopped Justin from walking out by wrapping his arms around him and stood silently holding him in his embrace.

Justin stood rigid, but he slowly relaxed as Billy held him. “I’m sorry, Sunny. I’m sorry, but nobody speaks to you like that!”

“It’s okay, Sweetcheeks. It’s okay, just cool it. Jay, Peter, I’m sorry. Justin’s sorry. If we go now, he won’t ever come back. Is that what you want?”

“Bloody right, that’s what we want! Fuck off then.”

“No, Jay. That’s not what I want. That’s not what I want at all!” Peter fought his way up out of the bed and came, naked, across to the pair in the doorway. Even soft as it was, his cock was an impressive sight dangling from his small body. “Justin?”

Billy released Justin and gave him a small shove towards Peter. He closed on him and they embraced tightly.

“I love you, Justin Reynolds. One stuff-up doesn’t make for a divorce. Besides, who’s going to record your beautiful music? I’m sorry if you don’t like it, Jay, but this is Superboy here. He’s the nearest thing I’ve got to a brother, and I need him.”

Billy looked at the pair standing beside him, standing there bonding together, and then he looked across at the still-angry boy on the bed. “Right then,” he sighed and he started stripping off his clothes.

“Billy? What are you doing?”

“Shut up, Justin.’ He kicked his shoes off and removed his trousers, and then walked naked across to the bed.

“What are you? You’re NOT getting in here, Mathieson!”

“Shut up, Jay. Move over.” Billy lay on the big bed and pulled the edge of the sheet over. “Peter, get back into bed with your mate. Justin, get your clothes off and come in here with me.”

They all looked aghast at him, and then did what they were told. The three watched Justin strip off and come over to climb into the bed next to Billy. Jay released his side of the sheet and Justin pulled it across. Four naked teens lay side by side – Jay, Peter, Billy then Justin.

Peter, finally, broke the awkward silence. “Billy? What are we doing here?”

“Fixing things. Bonding together and fixing things. You’re okay, Peter. Justin’s getting there. I don’t know about Jay though?”

“Yeah, I’m okay,” Jay sighed. “Sorry Guys.”

“Jay?” Justin sat up to look at him. “I really am sorry. I love you, you know. I just see red when anyone disses my boy.”

“I know, Superboy. I feel exactly the same way about my Elf. I do love you too. Friends?”

He reached a hand across Peter and Billy and Justin grasped it and squeezed.

“Friends,” he smiled. “No, not friends – brothers, okay.”

“Yeah, okay, brothers,” Jay grinned back. “I’d hug you now, but some people might get the wrong idea.”

“Right,” Billy agreed. “You two just stay where you are. This is as close as we need to get.”

“Speaking of getting the wrong idea.” Justin got out and went over and locked the door. He came back to the bed. “We don’t want anyone walking in here do we?”

“All right!” said Billy. “Now we’re getting there. We came here for a purpose, Guys. I didn’t really get what Justin was on about for a start, but now I think I do. This meeting had a bad start but it’s turning out okay now.”

“And, this is how you hold a meeting?”

“Today it is – a family meeting. Justin, I think the floor is yours; start talking.”

“Okay, Boss. Jay, Peter, Billy - I want us to be a family, like real brothers and not just friends. Not lovers and no sex involved, but closer than brothers. I’ve got my brother, Jonathan, Peter’s got his sister and Billy’s got heaps of both. Jay’s got none, but. . .”

“Hold on a minute, Superboy. I’ve got some too; two sisters and a brother. They don’t live here anymore and they’re all years older than me, but I have got siblings.”

“Okay, sorry. I didn’t know that. That shows something too. We need to find out more about each other. I want to know everything about you guys. I want us to last forever, or, for the rest of our lives anyway.

We, gentlemen, are gay – or, I am anyway. We’re never going to get married, have kids and build a family like our siblings will. I’m pretty sure that Jonathan’s going to be a daddy soon. Claude has got that look about her – we’ll see.”

“Wait up, Justin,” Peter grinned. “Who says we can’t get married? Jay and I are already married.”

“You are? When did that happen?”

Jay agreed. “Yeah, we’re married, Peter and I. Married together for life. It happened a while ago, it just happened but we know it’s real.”

“Cool. That’s great! Congratulations. I hope you’ll be happy.”

“Oh, we are and we will be.”

“Justin,” said Peter. “I’m with you and I want what you want too. There’s an old saying that home is where, when you have to go there, they have to let you in. Families are like that. I want it so that you have to let me in, even when you don’t want to – even when I’m being a dipshit and pissing you off.”

“Peter, you don’t piss me off – ever. I don’t think you could. But, if you do, I’ll still let you in because I love you.”

“Thanks.” Peter leant across Billy and kissed Justin. “I’ll always welcome you in too.”

“Hey,” Billy protested. “No sex, remember?”

“Shut up, Billy. This is not sexual.” Peter kissed him as well. “Just brothers, okay?”

“Okay, Brother.” Billy sat up and looked down at Jay. “Brothers?” he queried.

Jay grinned and pulled him down and kissed him. “Brothers,” he agreed. “Closer than brothers, better than best friends.”

“All right!” Justin beamed. “This is what we need. Jay, I need to kiss you now.”

Jay sat up and they leaned across the others to kiss briefly.

“Now,” Justin continued. “The way I see it, we can only build this by spending time together, at least one evening every week, weekends away together sometimes and a family holiday at least once a year; just us four, doing things together.”

“Yeah!” Peter agreed. “That will be time well spent. We need to be comfortable with each other, to know that we can just walk in anytime, anywhere.”

“ANYtime?” Billy grinned.

“Yeah, anytime,” Jay sighed. “But try to keep it decent, Guys. Leave us with some privacy.”

“You’ve got it, Jay,” Justin said. “I’ll knock next time.”

“One more thing,” said Jay. “We need to look after each other – to know that if one’s in trouble then we’ll all be there – like the Carvers would.”

“That goes without saying,” Billy nodded. “All for one, one for all.”

“That’s good,” Peter said. “But there’s one more thing I want – well, two more things actually.”

“What do you want, Little Brother?” Justin grinned. “and, the answer’s “yes” by the way.”

“Thanks, Superboy. I’d like Daniel and Tony to be part of this too. They’re just like us and they need a family as well.”

“That’s no problem. I was already thinking about them too; as long as they want to. Is everyone agreed?”

“Agreed.”

“Yes, Agreed.”

“Billy?”

“Yes, of course I agree, Justin.”

“Great. Thank you, my Family. Now we should put some clothes on and we’ll go and find the Guitar-man and his Tones. One more thing - stop calling me ‘Superboy’. Billy already has, he knows that I’m not.”

“We know that you are, but – okay, if you really don’t like it.”

“I don’t, Jay. Thanks.”

They went and found Daniel and Tony, at the Union Hall, took them for a walk down by the lagoon, and proposed to them. It took a while, Tony was scared that they really wanted orgies. But, when they got the message across, Daniel and Tony were only too happy to be in the family as well.

In the evening, after a light and early dinner, Justin and Billy went for a run out to the North Beach. They were joined by Daniel and Tony, and the four ran quietly out to and along the long gray beach.

There were a lot of people along the beach, for once. It was the last day of the holidays and there was a brilliant flaming red and orange sunset as if to celebrate. It was not the end of the summer, barely the beginning really, but, tomorrow it was back to school.

They ran out to the end of the tiphead and Justin made Billy pose against the sunset sky while he sat on the ground before him, framing his fingers and “making memories.” Billy protested that there was no need for him to do that; he was going nowhere.

They sat together on the rocks, watching the sunset fade into night, and then slowly ran back home in the twilight. They left Daniel and Tony, with brotherly hugs, and carried on through the streets of the town.

On the way back up Paddington Street, there was a noisy, screaming, row going on in a house across the road. A body came flying out, backwards, through the open front-door, bounced on the verandah and rolled down the front steps, to sprawl out on the path. Justin stopped and looked over with a “Whoah!”

Billy grabbed his arm. “Stay out of it, Justin. That’s Graeme Johnson and he deserves whatever he gets.”

A big man came roaring out of the house and started kicking the boy on the ground.

“No, Sunny. Nobody deserves that.”

Justin ran across the road, hurdled the low front fence, and stood astride the figure on the ground, with his hands up in a defensive stance and glaring at the red-faced, angry man who stepped back.

“Back off!” Justin snarled.

“Back off yourself!” The man yelled at him. “Fuck off and mind your own business. I knew you were a bloody wuss, Boy. Fancy needing a fucking Fairy to do your fighting for you!”

Justin took one step towards him. He backed off, and then went back inside, slamming the door after him. Justin turned to look at the youth, now on his knees and gagging into the flower-bed. He knelt beside him.

“You all right, Graeme?”

“Yeah,” he said, wiping his mouth with the back off his hand. “I’m all right. What the fuck did you do that for?”

“I don’t like seeing anyone getting a beating. Not even you.”

“Not even me? Piss off, Reynolds. I don’t need you to look after me.”

“Okay. You sure that you’re all right?”

“I’m all right.” He got up and walked up on to the verandah. “Just another fight with my father. Go home. I can handle it.”

“Oh – kay.” He walked back to the front gate. “As long as you’re sure.”

“I’m sure. Piss off. Superboy’s not needed here.”

Justin went out the gate, closing it behind him, and walked back over to where Billy was standing. Johnson called out after him. “Reynolds!”

He looked back. The boy raised one hand, grinned and said, “Thanks.”

“Anytime.”

They ran off up the street. Graeme Johnson stood and watched them go – as did his father from inside the house. He wasn’t going to admit it, but he was worried that he’d be on Superboy’s shit-list from now on.

Graeme didn’t know what to think. He was pissed and pleased, grateful, embarrassed – amazed.

Justin and Billy ran on, matching strides and glancing at each other.

“I’m sorry, Billy. I couldn’t just watch that.”

“No, you couldn’t, could you? It’s okay, Justin. You did the right thing. I wouldn’t have, but I’m not Superboy.”

Justin stopped. Billy stopped and looked back.

“Don’t say that, Billy. You know that I’m not Superboy.”

“I’m not too sure, Sweetcheeks. Sometimes you look pretty damm super to me.”

“I’m just me, Billy.”

“I know. But you’re really something Justin. You really are you know.”

“You’re the Super-kid, Billy.”

“Am not!”

“Are so!”

“Arse-‘ole.”

“Arse’ole?!”

They grinned happily at each other and ran on home.

Moving House

We're going to be migrating to CRVboy -Please check out the Link.

I'll keep the blog going until CRVboy has caught up & we don't need it anymore.

cheers

Westpoint Tales - Entangled Tales, 83 - John and Brian

(John Peters)

(Grandstand in the Square).

(Willows on the Riverbank).

So, you guys like your brother’s burgers do you?” Grant sat down on the grandstand seat next to the, eating, red-heads.

“What? Oh, Hey, Grant. Yeah, we like them.”

“Hey Diane. They’re great burgers, aren’t they?”

“We think so.”

“We do too. Sit down, John. You’re making the place look untidy. The chips and coleslaw are great too, but they didn’t make them, did they? These are just bought chips.”

“They are and they aren’t,” Brian grinned across at them. “They bought a truck-load of chips, from the factory down by Timaru, but then they soaked them in the oil and baked them themselves. They’ve got some sort of rock-salt on them too.”

“Oil? I thought all this stuff was healthy food?”

“Yes, oil – canola oil. At least they’re not cooked in fat. Taste good too.”

“Anything tastes good if it’s free,” Grant snorted. “Did they make the coleslaw too? This really is good stuff.”

“They did actually,” Dianne said.

“They’ve been bloody busy then,” Grant nodded. “Look at all these people here. Everyone’s eating. That’s an awful lot of burgers and stuff.”

“They had a lot of helpers,” Dianne said. “And they’re really keen.”

“Really keen on each other too, aren’t they? What do you guys think about your big brother leaving home and moving in with a boy?”

“Justin’s not just a boy,” said Dianne. “He’s Superboy.”

“And, everybody loves Superboy. Right?”

“Damm right they do!” Brian said. “Especially Billy.”

John was looking with new eyes at this red-haired kid. (‘He’s got no problem with that?’)

“What if he wasn’t? What if Justin wasn’t Superboy, but just another kid? Would you still be all right with your brother being with him? What would the Carvers think?”

Brian stood up. “I suppose it’d be all right, as long as we liked him, and Billy liked him too of course. The Carvers would probably kill him though, for screwing with Ma’s no.1 grandson.”

“Oh?” said John, feeling strangely disappointed.

“No, not really. The Carvers are not monsters. They’re just people like everyone else. Well, maybe not quite like everyone else. We’re just going over to the Dodgems. You guys want to come and check them out?”

“Yeah, why not? Come on, John-Boy.”

There was a huge crowd waiting on the Dodgems, so they went on the Ferris wheel instead. Grant and Dianne took a seat together, leaving John and Brian to get the next one. As they got in and fastened the safety-bar across their knees, John looked up at where Grant and Dianne were happily swinging their seat vigorously.

“Don’t you start doing that, Kid, or I’m out of here!”

The wheel started with a jerk and Brian asked, “How would you get out anyway?”

“First I’d puke everywhere and then the guy would stop the wheel and throw us out.”

“I’d better not do that then. Bit nervous are you, John-Boy? Bit of a wuss?”

“I’m not a wuss. I just don’t like heights, that’s all.”

“Yeah. I know you’re not a wuss. I saw you scrapping that day, over there, where Superboy smashed the rubbish-tin. You were going for it. That one was just sitting on the ground, crying, wasn’t he?”

“Well, yeah. But Grant was hurt. I thought they’d broken his arm – bastards! I was going to go down, but then Superboy came to the rescue.”

“Yeah. Justin’s great, isn’t he?”

“He sure is. Simply the best. Your brother’s lucky to have him.”

“You think so? Really? I think Billy’s lucky too.”

John glanced at this good-looking kid beside him and wondered what he meant by that. Could it be that he was like his brother, in more than just good looks? He didn’t know what to say, but he had to say something.

“Yes, really.”

“Wow! Look at that, Man. I can see right over the roof of the frigging grandstand! To tell the truth, I’m not that keen on heights either. So, why did those bullies attack you guys that day anyway?”

“They just . . umm. They saw us with our arms around each other’s shoulders and started calling us faggots.”

“Oh? And were they right? Are you guys gay?”

Now John was stuck. How was he going to answer that? He couldn’t just say that he was. But, he was attracted to this kid. He’d never really looked at him before, but, close-up, he was beautiful! All fiery hair, smooth milky-white skin, intense blue eyes and a glorious smile! Thick red lips.

And, if he said he wasn’t - ? He looked down at the pair ahead of them. Still rocking away, Grant and Dianne were laughing and cuddled up together now.

“What do you think? Does that look to you like my friend’s gay?”

“No, that doesn’t look like it. Your cousin’s gay though, isn’t he? The Guitar-man.”

“Yeah, Daniel’s definitely gay, when it comes to Tony he is.”

“And what about you, John-Boy?”

John turned and looked at the intense blue eyes looking back at him, and gulped nervously.

“I. . . dunno. Are you gay?”

“I dunno either. Maybe.”

(‘Maybe? That’s not a no!’) John grinned, “Maybe? Yeah, maybe me too.”

“Cool.”

They rode in silence for a while, and then Brian spoke up again. “So, do you want to kiss me and find out?”

Boom! Butterflies and cold sweats!

“Umm. No, I don’t want to kiss you. Not here where the whole frigging world can see us.”

The kid looked crushed, and he sank down in the seat. He’d taken a chance and he’d been shot down. John felt so sorry for him. He liked this kid and, yes, he was attracted to him. So he took a chance himself. He reached over and took the boy’s hand off the safety-rail and dropped their clasped hands to rest on the seat between them.

Brian sat quietly, beamed his sunny smile and squeezed his hand. John squeezed back. They rode on in sedate silence for a while, sitting there, holding hands discretely.

Brian said, quietly, “We could go and do it in the men’s toilets down behind the grandstand. The whole world couldn’t see us in there.”

“Uh, uh. Those old loos are disgusting and they stink. We’re not going in there.”

“Where then?”

“Dunno. You know anywhere?”

“Not around here. No, dammit.”

“Yeah, dammit.”

“Are you sure we couldn’t try the loos, just for a minute?”

“I’m sure. People are dumping in there. We could go for a walk somewhere. The rest of the town must be empty.”

“Yeah, I reckon. Let’s go down by the river.”

“’Kay, we’ll do that. Tell the man that we want to get off.”

“Don’t think so. We’ll just wait.”

It seemed ages, but their ride eventually came to an end. The wheel stopped and started as each seat was cleared and refilled with eager new passengers. They sat waiting, impatiently, just a few feet up in the air, while Grant and Dianne were released, then they sank down to the platform for their turn out.

Now John was worrying about how they were going to get away from the others, but it turned out not to be a problem. As he came off the ramp, Grant grabbed his arm.

“Listen, John-Boy, we’re just going to go off somewhere. Will you be all right if I just leave you to hang with the kid?’

John smiled, delighted. “Sure. You go and do your thing. Don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine.”

“Thanks, John-Boy. You’re a bloody great friend you know.”

“Course I am. You’re not so bad yourself. Catch you later, Grant.”

He watched Grant and Dianne disappear into the crowd, and then turned back to his new friend. “Okay, that’s cool. You still want to . . .go for a walk somewhere. . . down by the river?”

“Yeah. You still want to?”

“You’d better believe it! Come on.”

They walked away from the park, across the road and around the corner, heading for the river.

“You’ve been friends with Grant Todd for a long time?”

“Well, yeah. All our lives really.”

“That’s cool. I’ve never really had a friend – not a best friend anyway.”

“Really? Why the hell not? Great kid like you, I thought you’d have lots of friends.”

“No. I’m a Carver remember. Carver kids only get to hang out with each other – with our brothers and cousins. No-one ever wanted to know us. Not until recently, that is, that’s all changed now. We’re actually allowed to be part of things now that Superboy’s our friend.”

“Well, Kid,” John said nervously. “I’m no Superboy, but I’d like to be your friend too.”

“Cool. I’d really like a friend. And, you are a Superboy you know – junior version maybe.”

John felt pleased about that, but embarrassed as well. It wasn’t true anyway.

“Naah. Wipe your chin, Kid. Now you’re talking shite.”

They walked along Brigham Street and across the main street. It was quiet but it was far from empty; not everyone was around at the Square eating Billy’s burgers. They went over the railways station platform and crossed the multiple tracks of the railway yard to reach the river-side wharf.

They looked down along the wharves towards the river-mouth. There was a cement company boat tied up by the tall bulk cement silos, but there didn’t seem to be much activity about.

The other way, upriver, there was a tangled mass of willow trees extending along the banks after the wharf ended, so they walked back up that way. They followed the narrow track along the bank, crossed over the tidal creek onto ‘the island’ and diverged off to climb around the masses of roots and tangled tree trunks.

John found a spot where a trunk lay, more or less, parallel to the ground, a few feet up from the black-mud surface. He scrambled up there, sat down, and then offered a hand back to the other boy to help him up.

Brian grabbed the hand, pulled himself up and sat down next to him. They sat quietly for a minute, side by side, feet dangling off the tree trunk and still holding hands.

“This is nice,” said John, trying to find a way to break the silence.

“Yeah, pretty cool. Private anyway. You still going to kiss me?”

“You still want me too?”

Their eyes were locked together now and both stomachs were fluttering.

“Oh, yes,” Brian sighed and leaned forward.

Their lips met and pressed together. They held still for a short time and then John put one hand behind the other’s head, parted his lips slightly and began kissing him in earnest. The tip of his tongue parted Brian’s lips and slid into his mouth, probing around, exploring and enjoying the essence of the boy.

Brian grabbed his shoulders and responded. When they broke apart, he breathed, “Wow! If that’s what it’s like to kiss a boy, I like it!”

“You think you might be gay then?”

“Dunno. Maybe. Maybe we’d better try it again.”

“Yeah, maybe we’d better!”

Later, they sat there face to face, with their legs hanging astride the trunk. They both had obvious boners tenting their trousers.

“You’re really good at this, John-Boy.”

“I’ve been practicing with Grant. Just practicing for when I could find someone of my own. You’re not so bad yourself, Kid. I like it too!”

Brian blushed. “I’ve never done this with anyone. You want to practice with me from now on?”

“I’d love to practice with you. We can practice until we’re perfect.”

“Oh yeah! Sounds good. You want to be boyfriends then?”

“Boyfriends? I don’t know. I hope so. Maybe we should start as friends, close friends, and see where we go from there.”

“That sounds cool. I’d really like a boyfriend though and not just someone to have sex with.”

“That’s great! That’s just what I want. I don’t know anything about you, apart from the fact that you’re hot and I like what I see.”

“I like what I see too. What do you want to know about me?”

“Well, everything. For a start, what the hell is your name?”

“You don’t know? It’s Brian – Brian James Mathieson.”

“Really? Cool. My name is John James Peters, so we’ve got that in common.”

“Yeah, that too. I think we’ve got lots in common, John James.”

“I think so too, Brian James.”

How old are you, John James? And what class will you be in this year?”

“I’m fourteen, well almost, and I’ll be in year 10. What about you?”

“I’ll be in year 9 – first year of Highschool at last. I’m twelve.”

“You’re what?” John pulled back from him. “You’re twelve? Shit, you’re just a fucking kid!”

“I am not! I’m nearly 13. You’re only one year older. Superboy’s a year older than Billy. Us Carvers, we grow up fast. I’m not a fucking kid. Maybe I’d like to be though – fucking, I mean.”

“Fuck, Brian. I don’t know. You’re so young!”

“So are you, John BOY. What’s a year?”

“Well, okay. We’ll see how it goes. I do SO want to be your friend. We’ll take it slow and easy.”

“Cool. We’ll be, like, kissing friends then?”

“Yeah! Kiss me quick.”