Westpoint Tales - Entangled Tales, 82 - Party time!

(The Main Street - Uptown, Downtown, Right-side Up, Right-side Down).

Two and a bit weeks later, Saturday morning – the last Saturday before school went back – the bedroom door flew open and Justin burst in.

“Rise and shine, my Sunny One! The sun is shining, the birds are singing and it’s a beautiful day.”

“Fuck off, Justin!” Billy pulled the duvet over his head and burrowed down in the bed. “It’s too early. Why can’t you just sleep in the mornings?”

“Billy, come on. It’s after 7 o’clock already – less than 5 hours to blast off. Wake up, my Friend. Today’s the day that you start making millions!”

“Oh, yes!” Billy sat up in the bed. “Millions of burgers. Come and give me a kiss for luck.”

“You don’t need the luck, but I’m not saying no to that.”

Five minutes later, Billy was pushing him off. “Okay, okay – that’s it! Go away, Sweetcheeks. We’ll finish this tonight when we’re celebrating.”

“We’ll celebrate all night, but we’ve got time to finish something first.”

“We have not. Get off me, you randy bugger! Go and have your shower, Justin.”

“Sure that you don’t want to come with me?” Justin tilted his head to one side, winking furiously.

“Absolutely sure. That could take all day. Today is D-day.”

“Make that B-day, Billy’s Burgers’ day.”

Justin disappeared into their small shower; Billy stretched then lay back, thinking. Today was the day all right. It was finally here – B-day. After years of dreaming, months of planning and two weeks of sheer bloody hard work, (and lots of money spent), Billy’s Burgers finally went on sale today. Well, not on sale actually. They were going to give them away today, from 12 midday until late.

Their sparkling new “Billy’s Burger Bar”, was all set up and ready to go, in the old Adelphi Milk Bar and Tearooms building. Almost all set up – the vending machines hadn’t arrived. Apart from that it was all complete and ready for business.

They wouldn’t be using the shop today anyway, except as a kitchen. His mum had even arranged for extra microwaves, ovens and grills to be set up just for today.

The food was to be taken, in hampers, around to the Square where it would be handed out from the temporary Burger Bar set up in the old club-rooms underneath the Grandstand. Burgers and fries, coleslaw and OJ, free all day long.

The staff wouldn’t be free though, most of them. This whole business today was costing a bloody fortune! But, Justin said they could afford it and Billy’s Burgers was going to be launched in style with heaps of publicity.

The radio – West FM – had been pushing it all week and they were going to be broadcasting live from the Square. Robbie Keenan was going to be the on-air DJ and also the compere for the all-day, free, concert featuring mostly Whozzat but also Time Out and other acts.

It was open to anyone who wanted to give it a go and a lot were, including some of the cast of ‘Oliver’. Justin and Jonathan were both going to sing and Billy was as well. The concert was gong to be on the stage set up on the back of Kadie’s father’s longest truck and trailer. Crispian was filming for footage to be used in Whozzat’s movie.

The Square was already ringed by the Ferris wheel, roundabouts, dodgems and sideshow-alley of Spreydon’s amusements, from Nelson, and the stalls of the regular, monthly, market had been set up there as well.

As soon as Justin came out of the shower, Billy dashed in there and was washed off and out again before Justin had even finished dressing. He also dressed quickly and they went downstairs to start working.

Supplies of the OJ and the coleslaw were already around at the Square. The ovens there were loaded up with the paper bags of chips by 11am, and then they started sending the hampers of burgers around there as well.

Promptly, at 12 noon, two small planes took off from the airport and they crossed the river to fly, low, over the town. One was streaming dark-blue smoke and the other trailed light-blue. A long banner unfurled from one – it bore the double ‘B’ logo with the cartoon of Billy’s smile and the text read “Billy’s Burgers.” It was closely followed by the second plane, whose banner proclaimed, “Simply the Best.”

Robbie Keenan, with West FM’s outside broadcast unit, described the scene in the Square as the lights went up on the stage and Whozzat began the first song of the day. It was, of course, “Simply the Best.” The two planes flew off on a circuit around the town, trailing their banners and the coloured smoke behind them.

Another huge banner unrolled from the grandstand roof. (All of the banners, logos, and other artwork had been done by two local kids, Jordan Taylor and Jason McDonald, who were both gifted artists). The long queue in front of the grandstand surged forward as the doors were opened and helpers began passing out the supplies.

Whozzat’s second song was ‘North’n West Coast Sun’, which was enthusiastically welcomed by the local crowd, but no-one enjoyed it more than the slender blond-haired singer up on the stage. Song followed song as Whozzat sang and played up a storm.

When they took a break, the entrants in the children’s fancy-dress competition paraded across the stage. The judging was soon completed and the winners announced by Tom Craddock, the Mayor of Westpoint. Billy went up on the stage, in a corny , white, cook’s jacket and hat, and he handed out prizes to the winners and Billy’s Burgers’ vouchers to everyone who had entered.

The Mayor made a short speech, welcoming Billy’s Burgers to town and Billy responded with thanks and a promise of value for money and speed and efficiency of service.

“Next week sees the opening of our next burger bar, in Brownsville and in Hoki, Riverston and Rosstown in the following weeks. Westpoint comes first, but – look out world. You ain’t seen nothing yet! Our promise will always be – Billy’s Burgers – simply the best.”

The new group on the stage behind him, ‘Time Out’, began their version of the theme song as the crowd applauded. Billy and Tom Craddock came down from the stage and the party continued as Time Out played for the next hour.

They were joined by the members of Whozzat and all the musicians of both groups, including Tony on an extra keyboard, played together as Justin Reynolds, with his battered old guitar, crafted a masterpiece in music. “A song for Westpoint – ‘Over the Rainbow.’” All movement around the Square stopped as they stood and watched and listened to his angelic voice.

At the fading of the applause, he started again, acapella at first then joined, crashingly, by the combined bands, as he sang and danced his way through ‘Avenues and Alleyways”. To Daniel’s amazement, Justin’s dancing was every bit as good as Tones’. Finished this song, he waved and then leapt from the stage and returned to his work in the grandstand.

Whozzat played a couple more songs, and then they were joined by Claire ‘Nancy’ Lewis and other cast members from Oliver, all in costume, and they did a medley of songs from their show. These included ‘Food, Glorious Food’, which would turn out to be the front-page headline in Monday’s edition of the Westpoint News.

In the late afternoon, Whozzat took an extended break and just wandered around, being kids in the crowd, while the Westpoint Country Music Club held the stage. A hilarious, and fun, impromptu line-dance spread around the Square.

When the mike was open to all-comers, a group of little kids from the North School came out and Robbie asked the crowd to welcome ‘The Next Generation’ in their first-ever public performance.

Ross and Robert Mathieson, on twin guitars and vocals, led them and another boy and two cute little girls made up the group of five. Excited and extremely nervous, they stumbled their way through a country classic – ‘Cotton Eyed Joe’. People were patient and applauded politely, the kids were cute.

A red-faced Robert announced their next song – ‘West of South’, the West Coast children’s song. They began but froze with nerves as it all got too much for them. The kids were packing up and fleeing the stage, weeping and embarrassed, when Justin and Jonathan went up to save them.

Jonathan called them all back and they both encouraged them to give it another try. Justin and Jonathan stood beside Ross and Robert and, smiling, played air-guitars as the Next Generation started up again. They spun out the introduction as the singers kept delaying starting, so Jonathan sang the first line.

“This land that bears a world-known name,”

Robert grinned shyly and sang the second.

“‘tho but a little spot.”

Jonathan pointed at Justin who, with an encouraging hand on his shoulder, sang along with Ross.

“Is first up in our Hall of Fame
& who shall say it’s not.”

As they continued the song, Jonathan and Justin sung less and less and Ross and Roberts sung more confidently until, by the end they were meshing together well and enjoying them selves.

“This land that bears a world-known name,
‘tho but a little spot.
Is first up in our Hall of Fame
And who shall say it’s not.
It’s first up in our Hall of Fame
And who shall say it’s not ot ot.

Ha Ha! We’re in West of South
Ha Ha! We’re in West of South
Ha Ha! We are. Ha Ha! We are.

The beauty, peace, camaraderie
The wild coast so free,
God’s crazy thing – the Tasman Sea
Right here for you and me
God’s crazy thing the Tasman Sea
Right here for you and me.

Ha Ha! We’re in West of South
Ha Ha! We’re in West of South
Ha Ha! We are, Ha Ha! We are.

And as we gather here today
A grand and hearty crowd
We love the West Coast come what may
We’ve joined together proud
We love the West Coast come what may
We’ve joined together proud.

Ha Ha! We’re in West of South
Ha Ha! We’re in West of South
Ha Ha! We are, Ha Ha! We are.”

(Words and music by Kath Payne – thanks Kathy).

Justin and Jonathan left the stage and stood out the front while the kids carried on with a third and a fourth song.

Afterwards, Cecily brought Ross and Robert into the grandstand rooms to thank Justin for helping them. They had already seen Jonathan outside.

“Hey, no problem. It was fun. Friends should help each other, right?”

Robert agreed and thanked him, shaking his hand, and then he left, with his mother, but Ross hung back until they’d gone.

“I don’t want you to be my friend, Superboy.”

“You don’t? Why not then?”

“I want you to be my brother.”

“That’s very, very cool, Ross. I’d love to be your brother, but don’t call me Superboy. Please call me Justin.”

Ross flung his small arms around Justin’s waist and hugged him. “Thanks, Justin. I love you, you know.”

“Whoah! I love you too, Little Brother. Now, bugger off – I’m busy here.”

Ross ran off to join his twin and Cecily came back from where she had been watching that exchange. “Thanks Justin. You really are a Superboy, you know. That boy just worships you.”

“Well he shouldn’t. I’m no Superboy. Hopefully, he’ll grow out of it.”

“I don’t know about that. He’s picked a great role model anyway. Thank you for everything, Superboy! ‘Bye Justin.”

The afternoon rolled on into the night. Jonathan returned to the stage, with a guitar, and, backed by Time Out, he sang a medley of Roy Orbison songs – Falling and Pretty Woman – which were interspersed by bits of ‘Lana” (L,a,n,a – aa,aa; L,a,n,a – aa, aa), and ‘Claudette’, (“Pretty little pet, Claudette.”)

When Whozzat returned, Justin went up and sang another of the ‘Big O’s songs – ‘Running Scared’. Most of the locals knew what he was saying. Billy certainly did. (“Then, all at once, he was standing there. So sure of himself, his head in the air – my heart was aching, which one would it be? You turned around and walked away with me!”)

At 10 o’clock, Billy went back up on the stage and announced that the kitchens were closed. And, as soon as the burgers on hand were gone, that would be it.

“No more until you come and buy some already!”

He thanked everyone who had helped to make the day a success – the workers, the entertainers, the crowds and, especially, Justin. “This one is for you.”

He sang, with Whozzat, the old Scaffold song – ‘Thank you Very Much’.

He finished, saying, “Okay, the food has nearly gone, but the amusements are still going. The music will continue until we’re all too pooped to party and there’s fireworks coming soon, so don’t go away.”

He jumped off the stage. Justin caught him and hugged him briefly, then, holding his hand, towed him over to their car which was parked at the end of the grandstand.

“Justin, what are we doing? I’ve just told everyone not to go away and you’re dragging me off.”

“Come on Sunny – drive. We’ve got to go somewhere, we’ll come back later.”

They got in the car; Billy started it and reversed out into the street. “You’ll have to tell me where we’re going if I’m driving.”

“Out of town – up to the Lover’s Lane in the gravel pit up on the hill.”

“Okay, sure. But, why?” He started off up the road.

“To watch the fireworks over the town, of course. C’mon Sunny, we’ll be late.”

But they weren’t. They got to the gravel pit in plenty of time and turned around to face, looking back, across the river and at the town. Justin turned on the car-radio and they sat listening to Robbie’s countdown to the fireworks.

“10,9,8. . . 3, 2, 1”. Whozzat’s music started and Tony growled the opening words of Simply the Best as the first rockets streaked up and exploded above the town.

Justin and Billy sat cuddled together in the dark, enjoying the music and the distant display over their town. They savoured the end of one of the busiest and most exciting days of their lives. Billy kissed him and squeezed him tight.

“Thank you, Justin. Thanks for everything. This whole day has been bloody brilliant!”

“It has, hasn’t it? And it was worth it too. All for you, Sunny. You and your bloody brilliant burgers. You think that people will remember them tomorrow?”

“They’d bloody better! This whole day must have cost a fortune.”

“Yeah, probably. But it was worth every cent. We’re going to make millions, Billy.”

“I hope so. I really hope so. We’re going to have to sell a lot of burgers to pay for all that. We’re not going to have a party in every town we open in, are we?”

“No, not again. We’ll just have a free day for burgers and maybe a Whozzat concert in each new town. We’ll give them a free concert in the afternoon and they can pay to see them perform at night and they can sell their CD’s and stuff.”

“I hope you’ve got this right, Justin. What if it doesn’t work? What if it all goes belly-up and we don’t make any money? We could lose everything.”

“We won’t, it will work. Even if it doesn’t, even if we did lose everything, I’ll still be rich as long as I have you.”

“We will be rich. No matter what happens, we’ll always be rich. We can always sweep the streets together.”

“Yeah, together! I love you, Billy.”

“I know you do. Do you know that I love you?”

“I know.”

Rockets exploded coloured balls above the lights of Westpoint.



Sunday morning, 7am, Justin was back at the Square. He couldn’t continue his run though. He’d grown to love this place. The Square was great for sports and socializing, but today it was a mess!

The birds, seagulls, pigeons and sparrows, were busily cleaning up the dropped chips and food scraps, but there was also a sea of paper bags and wrappings along with drinks containers and straws. They were not going to eat them.

With a sigh, he abandoned his running plans and went back to the Adelphi to borrow some of his grandmother’s rubbish bags. Returning to the Square, he began picking up the mess. He wasn’t resentful – he didn’t have that in him – but as he worked, he resolved to have plenty of rubbish bins around next time, and, big signs saying, “Please!”

He started cleaning along the track towards the grandstand, and was immediately joined by people of all ages stopping and helping. The crowd grew, as crowds do, and even though it was early in the day, by the time he’d worked along in front of the grandstand there were people everywhere and a massive community clean-up was underway.

Although he had trouble believing it, and couldn’t understand it, Justin really was well-loved by the people of this town. If he ever ran for Mayor, he’d win by a landslide. Besides, this was their park too and what better way to say thank you for yesterday’s party?

A council truck arrived and they emptied their bags and containers into it. They continued working until the whole area, right out into the surrounding streets, was cleaned up. The whole job was finished in no time at all and Claire, Lucas and Dee all came back to the Adelphi for breakfast.

The dragon-lady growled at them when they came in, as they had feared, but, on being told by her grandson to, “Be nice, Grandmother”, she fed them cheerfully enough.

Billy came stumbling in, wrapped in a dressing-gown, his hair all awry, rubbing his eyes and frowning around the room as he headed for the coffee pot. Bob grinned and said, “are you absolutely sure that that one is not your grandson, Kathy?”

Kathleen frowned at him, and then smiled at Billy and patted his shoulder. “He’s as good as, aren’t you, my Lovely Boy?”

“Hey, Grandmother!” Justin protested. “That’s MY Lovely Boy!”

Billy sat down next to him. “Shut up, Justin.”

“Good morning to you too, my Lovely Boy.” Justin hugged his shoulders and kissed his cheek.

Billy blushed and sipped his coffee. “Damm, Justin!”

“It’s okay, Billy,” said Lucas. “We’ve all been embarrassed by Justin’s loving. It’s only natural that you’re going to get it the worst. He loves you the most.”

“Well, Duh! Lucas. But I love you too.”

“Shut up Justin.”

Westpoint Tales - Entangled Tales - 81 Justin & Billy

(In a huge hurry)

“Now, let’s talk burgers,” Billy continued. “We’re going to run really simple burger bars – just burgers, fries, coleslaw and orange juice. If the people want fish, they can go to a fish shop. If they want chicken, they can go to KFC. If they want the best burgers in town, they’ll come to us. Billy’s Burgers, Simply the Best. That’s going to be our slogan too, and our theme song – Simply the Best, as sung by Whozzat.

Our burgers will be nutritious and very low-fat and the fries will be healthy too – chunky potato chips marinated in canola oil and oven-baked. The only drinks will be OJ, naturally sweetened and carbonated.

If we can’t find a supply of OJ as we want it, we’ll bottle it ourselves. We probably will anyway, once we get into production.

There’ll only be one size of burgers, fries and drinks – medium only. If they want ‘large’, they can buy two and if they want ‘small’, they don’t have to eat it all.

We’ll sell them over the counter, eat in or takeaways, and drive-throughs and there’ll be coin and card operated machines to dispense them 24/7. We’re going to have caravans too, to sell burgers at special events like race-meetings and shows and stuff.

What else? Oh, yeah! The containers, which we’ll make here in Westpoint, will be all paper and cardboard – no plastic. We’re going to be environmentally friendly and bio-degradable, nutritious, delicious, affordable and fast – Billy’s Burgers, Simply the Best. Any questions?”

“Any questions? I’ll probably have a thousand questions, but can’t think of any right now. It sounds like you’ve really thought this through.”

“Yeah, we have. Or, Justin has mostly.”

“I’ve always known that you could do something with your burgers, Billy. But I never dreamed that it could be this big. Looks like you just needed the last important ingredient – Justin. Thank you Justin.”

She came around the table and hugged him where he was sitting.

“You, my boy, are the best thing that has ever happened to my son and to this family and the whole town too. Thank you, Sweetheart.”

He was bright-red now, and he turned to hug Billy, burying his face on his shoulder.

“This is the best thing that has happened to me, Ma’am. Simply the best.”

“Likewise,” Billy grinned. “Oh, yeah! We’re going to have our own factory, here in town, making all the coleslaw and the fries and we’ll buy the buns from the Westpoint bakers and use local carriers and couriers to distribute everything. We’ll use the Westpoint printers for all the advertising stuff and the containers too, or do it ourselves if they’re too dear.”

“Wow. Between all this and the R&R business, you’ll finish up with half the town working for you.”

“That’s the plan,” Justin nodded. “Whatever’s best for Westpoint. We’ll have a training-school here too. Billy can teach the trainers and then all the cooks and staff for the new businesses can come here to be taught. They can stay in Granddad’s hotel, but he’ll probably need to buy some motels as well. Good business for Granddad too.”

“Good business for everyone. They’ll be crowning you King of Westpoint, Justin.”

“Not me, Ma’am. It’s Billy’s Burgers. Billy’s name and face are going to be on everything. He’s going to be famous as well as rich. I’ll just be in the background, as his partner.”

“Yeah!” Billy beamed. “My sleeping partner.”

“Whoah! Enough of that. Thank you, Boys, for the job and thank you, Justin, for your faith in Billy’s burgers. I think we can let the kids out now and tell them the good news.”

“We need you for the job, Ma’am, and I have total faith in Billy. I have to because my life is his now. There’s one more thing, opening days for each new business. We’ll give everything away for free on the first day and, hopefully, have Whozzat playing at a free street-party in each new town we start in.

They’ll need a mobile stage – they can use Kadie’s father’s truck, and they’ll need all the gear. But that’s their problem. Good promotion for us and for them too. Simply the Best. They can sell CD’s and stuff too.”

“This could be the start of something big. No, something HUGE! We’ll bury the rest of the fast-food industry. Or, make them pull their socks up anyway. Okay, I’ll come to town and see you tomorrow morning, say 9am. Billy, let the mob out now please.”

The family burst into the room and received the news with great excitement. Then, they passed the evening sitting around talking. Robert dragged Billy off to see what they’d done to his old rooms and before long there was just Justin, Mrs. M., and Ross left in the kitchen while Billy caught up with his siblings.

Nine year old, tow-headed, Ross never left Justin’s side and he was apparently smitten with hero-worship. Justin was starting to feel a bit uncomfortable, but he was still grateful for the company.

Eventually, even Cecily left them; there was something that she wanted to see on TV. Justin said to go ahead and don’t treat him like a visitor here. She left and he turned to the boy at his side.

“So, Ross, now there’s just you and me.”

“Yeah, alone at last,” he grinned. “Superboy, where did you learn to fight like you do?

“Oh, lots of places. Videos, books, watching people.”

“Could you teach me to fight?”

“You? You’re just a kid. What do you want to fight for?”

“I don’t. But sometimes you have to. It’s not just the High school that’s got bullies you know.”

“You can’t fight like I do. You’d need to be full of fear and rage; and I don’t think you’ve got that.”

“But you’re not scared of anyone.”

“Oh, but I am and I need your big brother to look after me.”

“Billy doesn’t look after you – you look after him.”

“No. I would if I had to, but Billy looks after me everyday. Anyway, you should start running. Do lots of running, it makes you strong and fast. And, I can give you this.”

He took hold of the small boy’s head, with both hands, turned it around and kissed his forehead.

“Eww! What was that for?” Ross screwed his face up as he sat back rubbing his forehead.

“Now you’ve got my mark on you. That means that you’re my friend, Ross. If any bullies give you a hard time, come and tell me and I’ll sort them out.”

“You will? Cool! You’d better put your mark there again; I think I rubbed it off.”

“Once it’s there, my mark doesn’t rub off, ever! However . . . “ He bent and kissed the smaller boy’s head again.

He looked up and blushed furiously when he saw Cecily standing in the doorway looking at them.

“Mrs. M! I’m sorry. It’s not what you think!

She just smiled at them. “I don’t think anything, Justin. I heard what you were saying and thank you.”

“Oh good. I meant it anyway. Nobody messes with my friends.”

“You’re a good kid, Justin. A bloody good kid. I knew your mother you know. We were never friends – stuck-up little cow she was – but we were in the same class at school. I hope that one day she finds out what she’s missing in you. Before Ma kills her for what she did, that is.”

“What? What’s Ma going to kill Justin’s mother for? What did she do?”

“Nothing you need worry about, my Friend,” Justin replied, still blushing.

Ross bobbed up and kissed Justin’s forehead. Now you’ve got my mark on you too. If your mother messes with you again, well she’s messing with me too!”

“Thanks, Ross. I . . .” Justin’s voice caught in his throat. “Thank you.”

“Okay. Where’s that Robert gone anyway?” Ross ran out the back door.

Cecily came over to Justin and put a hand on his shoulder. “For what it’s worth - ” She kissed his forehead. “My mark won’t ever rub off either.”

He stood up and faced her, and then dropped his head and looked at the floor as the tears began to flow. “Thanks, Mrs. M. I . . I. . .”

She opened her arms and he fell against her, holding on tight as he sobbed over her shoulder.

“Mum? Justin? What the hell? I can’t leave you alone for 5 minutes!” Billy came in with the twins trailing behind him. He put a hand on his back and Justin turned and hugged him tightly, still sobbing.

“What’s the matter? You okay, Justin?”

“Oh, yes,” he sighed as he backed off and wiped his eyes with the back of his hand.

“Everything’s fine, Sunny. I just got a bit over come, I’m all right. I really love your family, Billy.”

“Hey!” Billy smiled and he sung, “After some consideration, we can say – consider yourself, one of us.” Then he kissed him – a brief peck on the lips, but it was a kiss and right there in front of his family.

“Thanks, Sunny. I love you, you know.”

“Yeah, I know. I love you too.”

“Billy, I may have the worst mother in the world, but you’ve got the best one.”

“Yeah, you may be right. You’re welcome to share; you’re part of this family now. Right Mum?”

“Damm right, Billy! You are Justin. I’ll never be your mother, but I’ll be proud to be your mother-in-law and your friend if you want.”

“Damm right, Mrs. M! I love you too, I always have ever since you made me that first cup of tea. Any chance of another one?”

“Damm right!”

“No. Scrub that, Mum. No more tea for us. You’ll be peeing all night, Justin. It’s time we were going home anyway. Oh, Damm! Who’s this coming?”

A car came down the drive and stopped outside.

“That will be Lucas, bringing Margaret home – right on time, as usual. He’s a good boy that Lucas.”

Justin’s eyes lit up as he exclaimed, “Lucas!” He rushed out the door to greet him. Billy went to follow, but his mother grabbed his arm and stopped him.

“Billy, stay here a minute. I want a word with you.”

“Oh? Sounds serious.”

“It is, I think.” She looked out of the door. “Justin really loves Lucas, doesn’t he?”

“He does. Justin loves everybody but Lucas is special to him. He calls him his first friend.”

“And, who is his best friend?”

“That’d be Claire, or maybe me – I’m not sure.”

“Justin is a very special person. He’s Superboy and all that, but I think that he’s got a really soft heart as well. You see that you look after him, Billy. I think that he needs looking after.”

“Mum, that’s my job! He’s an innocent, I’m a cynic; so I have to protect him from the world and from himself sometimes.”

“And why do you ‘have’ to? Why is that your job, Son?”

“Because I love him. He’s my mate and I love him.”

“Good answer. Don’t you ever forget it.”

Billy grinned and kissed her cheek. “He’s right you know, you are the best mother ever.”

“Justin’s always right. But, thanks.”

On the way back into town, Billy kept glancing across at the boy sitting quietly, huddled in the corner and gazing pensively out his side window. He pulled into the old gravel-pit to the side of the road where it came sweeping down the hill to the river and the bridge into town. He stopped the car and turned the lights off. They sat there, in the dark, looking out at the lights of Westpoint spread out before them.

“What’s the matter, Justin?”

“Mmm? Oh, nothing. Nothing’s wrong.”

“Yes there is. I can tell when something’s bugging you. You’re all quiet and withdrawn and your smile’s been switched off. So, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I, umm. . .I don’t know why you bother with me, Billy. I’m a bad person. I’m just an arsehole really.”

“What?? Bloody nonsense! You’re not a bad person – you’re about the ‘goodest’ person I know.”
“I’m not. Not at all. Look. . . I was watching you with your family and I got jealous. That’s not good, that’s sick. They’re your own family. I’m sorry, Billy.”

“That’s . . ummm. . You don’t have to be jealous of my family, they love you too. You’re part of us now – part of the family.”

“No, that’s not it. I was jealous, not of you but of them. I was pissed because they took you away from me. That’s sick. It was only for a few minutes and they are your own family, but I just want you all to myself, all the time.

I need you so much, I hate every minute that I’m not with you. That is sick. I don’t want to smother you, Billy, but I love you so much! I really can’t afford to lose you, but if I don’t give you some breathing space, I’m scared that I will.”

“You’re not going to lose me – no way! Listen, Genius, I know what your problem is. I know that you love me, Justin, but you don’t know – really know – how much I love you!”

They sat there looking at each other. Justin made no reply, so Billy continued. “I love you, Justin Reynolds. I love you, I cherish you, I adore you – hell, I even like you too! Everything you feel for me, I feel for you and more, much more. You’re everything to me and if I ever lost you, I’d go and sleep with Jeremy – seriously, I would.”

“Don’t say that, Billy! Don’t even think that – ever! My heart, my life is in your hands and if you go away then you’ll take my life with you.”

“I’m not going away, Doofus. Not ever. My life is in your hands too. I want you to smother me. I want you to hold me, possess me, love me because I really, really love you. Why the fuck won’t you believe that, Justin?”

“Billy! Oh my Love. I try, I do, I will. I just love you, Sunny.”

“I love you and I’ll keep on telling you that until you get it through your thick head. I love you, I love you, I love you. Kiss me, Sweetcheeks. I need you – now!”

He undid the buckle and shrugged his seat belt off, slid across and over Justin and kissed him. Their lips met, hungrily, as they kissed long and hard. Billy opened his mouth and sucked on Justin’s questing tongue. He broke away, took off his sneakers and slid his pants down.

“Billy? What are you doing?”

“I love you, Justin. I love you and I want you in me – NOW!”

“Wait, we’ll go home – go to bed. We can’t do this here.”

“Fucking can! C’mon Dude, this is the local ‘Lover’s Lane’, what better place? And I want you right now.”

He was naked from the waist down and he started undoing Justin’s clothes and sliding them down as well.

“Billy, we can’t! What if someone sees us?”

“They won’t. It’s dark and this is Lovers’ Lane. Everyone comes here for the same thing.”

“Maybe boy-girl couples, but not two boys together.”

“Lovers, Justin – lovers.”

He got the pants below Justin’s knees, undid the seat-belt and fondled his dick and balls.

“Besides, if anyone did see us, I don’t care. I’m not flashing it, but I don’t care if anyone sees me with you. Everyone knows that we’re boyfriends anyway and I’m proud of that.”

He squirmed around and took Justin’s hard dick in his mouth, swirling his tongue around the head and wetting it with his spit.

“Oh, Fuck! Billy!” Justin clutched his fiery hair and thrust his hips forward.

“Yes, exactly! You’re going to fuck Billy right now.”

Billy came up and climbed over Justin, kissing him again as he settled, kneeling, astride his legs. He reached over and pulled the button to push the seat back as far as it would go. He spat on his fingers and rubbed it into his crack. Wriggling his butt around, he maneuvered Justin’s dick into his hole and settled down on him with a sigh. The dick slid easily into his shaft.

Justin’s open hands cupped around Billy’s butt-cheeks and held him as he slid up and down. Their eyes remained locked together and broad grins spread across their faces.

He suddenly thrust his hips up and forward as his body arced and every muscle in him clenched tight. His butt lifted clear of the seat, his head whipped from side to side and he screamed a silent scream as his cum geysered into the boy above him.

Billy’s frenzied movements slowed to a circular wriggling and working of his muscles as he milked every drop from him. His head hung low, watching the movements of their bellies.

“We’re getting good at this,” he grinned as he raised his head to look into Justin’s eyes.

“I’m getting good at this,” Justin corrected him. “You’re already perfect. Change places with me now, so I can finish you off.”

“You don’t have to do that, Sweetcheeks.”

“I do. I want to. You made me cum. Boy! Did you make me cum! It’s not fair to leave you half-finished.”

“No. I mean, you really don’t have to do that.” Billy reached down around his own dick, and then rubbed his fingertips across Justin’s lips.

“You already came!”

“Bigtime,” Billy grinned and kissed him.

Afterwards, dressed again, they sat together, side by side, slumped low on the seat, arms around each other and heads touching. Soft music played on the radio and the lights before them made Westpoint look like an enchanted town.

“I can’t believe you did that, Sunny.”

“Did what? We’ve made love a thousand times.”

“Maybe – I haven’t been counting. But we’ve never done it like that before – out in a public place where anyone could see us.”

“We couldn’t be seen – not easily, and, like I said, I don’t care. I’m proud to be with you. I love being with you and if anyone has a problem with that – I don’t care. So long as you don’t have a problem, then nothing else matters. If you want to do it out in public, we’ll do it anywhere you like. We could do it in the middle of the Square, or in the main street if you like.”

“I don’t think that will be happening somehow.”

“Neither do I, but I would if you wanted to.”

“I don’t, but thanks. This is nice, isn’t it?”

“What’s nice?”

“Sitting here like this with Westpoint out there. All the lights and the reflections in the river and cuddling here with you – it’s all good.”

“Yeah, it’s good.”

“Billy, if Westpoint is my land over the rainbow, then you must be the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.”

“That’s cool. Not true, but pretty cool. I would gladly live my whole shitty life all over again – all the bad stuff, all the horrible times – if I knew that it would bring me back here with you.”

Justin pulled away and knelt, backwards, on the seat to look at Billy.

“Is that true? Do you really think that?”

“It’s true, I really would.”

“Can you read my mind, Billy?”

“No, of course not. Why?”

“Because that’s what I think. Everyday I think that my whole shitty life was worth it because it brought me here with you.”

“Honestly? You’re not just saying that?”

“I’m not just saying that. Maybe not every single day, but often. I often think that my whole life’s been worth suffering through because it’s brought me here.”

“You know what that means, Justin? It means that you’re happy now and that you love me.”

“Of course it does! That’s exactly what it means.”

“Well, just remember that I said it first. That means that I love you.”

“It does, doesn’t it? But I love you more.”

“Shut up. Justin.”

cheers

Westpoint Tales - Entangled Tales, 80 - Justin & Billy

They showered again, dressed and went downstairs. On the way out, through the kitchen, Justin said, “We won’t be here for dinner tonight, Grandmother. We’re going out to see Billy’s mum and family.”

“That’s good, Boys. Drive safely, Billy. You’ve got a precious cargo.”

“I know that, Ma’am.”

“Yes, of course you do. Go and have a nice time, Boys.’

“Thanks, Grandmother. We will. See you later.”

“’Bye, Ma’am.”

“’Bye, Sweetcheeks and Company.”

Buckling-up in the car, Justin nudged Billy. “My grandmother loves you, Sunny.”

“You think?”

“I know.”

“Yeah, well, my grandmother loves you too, Sweetcheeks.”

“You think?”

“I know.”

At the Mathieson’s, they were welcomed by the family, they all ate around the huge table and then they all had to go out to admire the new car – new old, used, car.

“It must be so cool, having your own wheels,” Dianne sighed. “Whose car is it anyway? Superboy’s or Billy’s?”

“It’s our car,” Justin replied. “We bought, Billy drives it.”

“So it’s more Billy’s car then?” Robert asked.

“No,” Billy said. “It’s our car. Now you kids can all bugger off. We’ve got to talk to Mum.”

“Oh? Coming out are you?” Brian grinned. “Are you going to tell Mum that you’re straight now?”

“No. I’m not and I’m not. Go away, Bugs.”

The family went back to the TV leaving Cecily, Justin and Billy in the kitchen. She started making them a drink.

“Still drinking tea are we, Billy?”

“Only sometimes. Don’t worry, I’m not drinking beer - Justin wouldn’t like that. Usually we have coke or OJ.”

“Pleased to hear that. You keep him on the straight and narrow, Justin. Or, gay and narrow I suppose that should be. It’s about time that you came out to see us, we’ve been missing you. Are you happy, Boys - being together and all?”

“Sure we are, Mum. We’re really, really, really happy – it’s great!”

“Justin, how about you?”

Justin looked at Billy and smiled. He picked up Billy’s hand from the table and held it up. “This is my life, Mrs. M. My life, my love and my best friend. None of this would have happened if it hadn’t been for you. Thank you.”

“I’m sure it would’ve happened anyway. You two belong together.”

“It wouldn’t have happened if I wasn’t here and I would not have been if not for you and Ma.”

“And then where would our boy have been? I’m just pleased that you’re happy, Boys, and I hope it stays that way. Now, what did you want to talk about?”

“We need help, Mrs. M.”

“Oh? Well, whatever you need, it’s yours. I haven’t got much money – haven’t got any actually, but Ma’s got plenty if that’s what you want.”

“No Mum, it’s not money, it’s . . . oh. Sorry, Justin. I’ll shut up, you keep talking.”

“Well, Mrs. M., It’s about Billy’s Burgers. That’s what we’re going to call our company and our burger bars.”

“Billy’s Burgers? I like it, it is short and sharp and it’s got a good ring to it.”

“Yeah! And we’ve got a logo too – a big, capital B in dark blue with a lighter blue B inside it and a cartoon of my face one top – red-hair and all. Ronald MacDonald, eat your heart out!”

“Shut up, Sunny. I’m talking to your mum. One more outburst and we’ll tape your mouth shut.”

“You wouldn’t dare!”

“Don’t dare me, or I will. Got any duct tape, Mrs. M?”

She frowned at the pair of them. “You’re not serious, are you?”

“No, of course not. I couldn’t do that.”

“Okay then. Good for you. I could though. Shut up, Billy and let Justin speak.”

“Anyway, we’ve been talking and thinking and planning, now it’s about time we got started doing. We want you to come and work for us. Billy said that you’ve got a degree in business administration.”

“It’s not a degree, it’s just a certificate from the Open Polytechnic. I did it by correspondence, finished early this year. It was just something to keep my mind active while I’m at home raising all these kids and, hopefully, to get a job once they’ve all grown and gone.”

Billy was jiggling in his seat. “I’m sorry, Justin, I’ve got to say something or I’ll burst.”

“You’d better say it then. Bursting would be messy.”

“Right! One thing and then I’ll shut up. Mum, you’ve finished your certificate. The kids are growing up – the twins are nine now and you’ve got plenty of built-in baby-sitters. It’s time that you started working. You said that you’ve got no money and we’ll pay you heaps. You could do a lot of the work from home anyway, so you won’t be away all of the time.”

“Hang on a minute. What do you mean, I could work from home? You’re surely not thinking of opening your burger bar out here are you? In case you haven’t noticed, we have not got a lot of neighbours around here.”

“Of course not, Doofus! Oops. Sorry, Mum. The burger bar is going to be in town.”

“How can I work at home then? Do you mean preparing the ingredients? That sort of thing?”

“You won’t be the cook, Mrs. M. We’ll hire other people for that, or rather, you will. We need you to do the hiring and firing and all of the administration details – arranging contracts, paying rents and wages and purchasing ingredients and stuff. We just want to start this off and then hand it over to you to run and to hire staff to do all of the work. We could set up an office out here, with all the latest computer equipment and stuff. The kids could use it too when you’re not working.

“Hang on another minute! This sounds all very well, Boys, but you can’t run a business like that, you’ll be broke in no time. Westpoint’s only a small town and one little burger bar can’t support a whole office set-up.”

“We’re still at cross-purposes here. We’re not talking about one little burger bar. We’re planning on dozens, maybe hundreds of burger bars, some little, some big; everything from 24 hour vending machines to major sit-down restaurants in the cities.

We plan on starting with one in Westpoint, which will also be a training school for the staff in the others, and then opening more around the country and moving further and further away. We figure that, once it gets going, we could open a new business every week.”

“Now you’re getting into Fantasyland. Where’s the money going to come from to open a new burger bar every week?”

“Every cent of the profits will go back into the business for at least 3 years. By then there should be enough money coming in to keep on growing on it’s own.”

“3 years, 156 burger bars. That could work, but where’s the money going to come from to get them started? You’re talking big money here, thousands, maybe millions, of dollars.”

“We’ve got some loans promised to us and Crispian and Whozzat are going to invest their income with us. They’re making a movie which will probably make millions. To get started, Ma said that she will lend us $20,000. When Granddad heard that, he said that he and Grandmother will match whatever Ma lends us dollar for dollar. So we went back to Ma and she’s going to lend us $45,000. So, that’s $90,000 to get started. Plus, we and Jonathan will invest the profits from our R&R business, which is big and getting bigger all the time.”

“This is starting to sound feasible. You’ve got a very successful business going there. I’ve already paid for 2 R&R systems myself. How much profit do you think there will be from there?”

“About $9,000 per week, and growing.”

“Fucking hell, that’s a lot of money! Whoops. Sorry, Boys, but it is – truckloads of money. With that sort of seed money, this could really work. It will work. Okay, I’m in if you want me. I’d love to be involved in something like this. You’ve just hired your first employee.”

“Great. Thanks, Mrs. M. You’ll make millions and we’ll make mega-millions.”

“Well, I don’t know about that, but, we’ll see. One question, how do you propose dividing your personal profits, when you get some?”

“When we get some, it will be 50/50 of course – equal shares in everything.”

“You’re not going to like this, but it has to be thought about. What would happen if you two split up?”

“Not going to happen.”

“I really hope you’re right, but it could happen. You are both still very young and relationships fail all of the time. In 5 or 10 years, who knows where you’ll be? What would happen to the profits?”

“It is not going to happen, Mum,” Billy spoke up. “We’re never going to split up, but if Justin dumped me or something the business arrangements would still stay the same forever.”

“That could work. I hope that you never have to worry about it anyway. What are you going to live on in the meantime. By the time three years is up you’ll both be out of school. What if you want to get a flat or something?”

“We’re okay at the moment, Granddad supports us and he pays us to do cleaning. If we need more money then we’ll get jobs like anybody else does. We could even work for you, maybe?”

“Only if you’re good enough’” she smiled. “That all sounds good. You’ll be rich eventually. In the meantime, it won’t hurt you to work for your money. So, when do I start work?”

“Ten minutes ago. Tomorrow you could start purchasing equipment for an office and setting up a system to pay yourself wages.”

“Right! This is going to be great, starting everything from scratch. Have you got the premises for your first burger bar yet? You talked about the empty shop next to the Adelphi.”

“No, we haven’t done that yet. We could ask the Council who owns it and then you could make an offer to buy it.”

“Umm. No. I already know who owns it, you don’t have to ask the council. I think that in this case, you’d better do the negotiating, Justin. I’ll arrange the purchase or lease of any future premises, but not this time. And, I’ll tell you now, you won’t be able to buy this shop. It won’t ever be for sale as it is an old family business premises, but you will probably be able to lease it – at good terms too. You will have a tough old landlord though.”

“There’s something you’re not telling us. Who owns this building?”

“Years ago, that used to be the Adelphi Milk Bar and Tearooms. It has been closed down and shut-up for years now, but it was owned by the Adams family.”

“The Adams Family?” Billy grinned. “Sounds like a monster movie.”

“Some people might say that, but be very careful. The Adams family parents died years ago. They only had the one daughter. She married Bob Reynolds.”

“Bob Reynolds?” Justin squawked. “So my grandmother owns the building that we want?”

“Indeed she does. That’s probably why it’s still empty. Everyone’s scared of your Gran, she’d be a tough landlady.”

“Go on, Mrs. M. My grandmother is a pussycat.”

“To you maybe. To everyone else she’s a tiger – or a dragon.”

“That’s great. There’ll be no problem at all then. We’ll go and talk to Grandmother tomorrow – not first thing in the morning though.”

“Yeah,” Billy agreed. “No problems, Mum. Justin’s a tiger-tamer. He can tame any fierce old ladies – look at Ma, look at you too.”

“Enough cheek out of you Young Man. Maybe Justin can tame tigers, but that doesn’t mean that you can.”

Justin smiled and put his hand on Billy’s shoulder. “Ah, but, Billy has tamed the tiger-tamer.”

“And that he has!” Billy said. “Now, let’s talk burgers.”

Westpoint Tales

(Midnight in Westpoint. lol. Well, i thought it was funny!)



IOMFATS is back in business - Yay!


http://iomfats.org

cheers

Westpoint Tales - Entangled Tales 79 - Justin & Billy

(1. James Hargreaves Williamson. 2. Adelphi Hotel - well, kind of.)

Billy bought a razor; a packet of them actually, disposable safety razors and a can of shaving foam. For some time now he’d been plucking out the odd stray hair sprouting from his face and, lately, scraping them off with an old lady-razor of his mum’s. But now his top-lip, his sideburns and odd patches around his chin had begun growing hairs in earnest, it was time to start shaving. Billy was becoming a man.

Justin had recently applied his patented hair-removal cream to permanently remove all traces of hair from Billy’s legs, thighs and up around his arse-crack. He’d also used it to shape Billy’s dark-red pubes into a neat little triangle and to keep his dick and balls completely hairless.

He’d wanted to use it on his face too, to remove any trace of whiskers or moustache, as he had already done to his own, but Billy refused. He quite fancied the idea of growing a beard one day.

A beard was, in Billy’s view, the mark of a man. Or, the potential to grow one was anyway and he didn’t want to surrender that. This stuff of Justin’s was permanent, there was no going back after it had been used. Justin said that he could always glue a false beard on, but that wasn’t the same.

So now, freshly out of the shower, he stood before the mirror in the small en-suite bathroom and studied the instructions on the can of foam. He was barefoot and naked, apart from the thick, white, towel around his waist. His flawless skin glowed pinkly from the warmth of the shower.

In the mirror, he saw Justin come back in from his solitary morning run. He grinned at Billy, and then untied and kicked his shoes off and quickly stripped off all of his clothes. He came, naked, into the small bathroom.

Billy assumed that he was going to have a shower, but he stopped behind him, pressed his naked chest up against Billy’s bare back and he began nuzzling his neck.

“Good morning Superboy. How’s your day been so far?”

“Great! Couldn’t be better. The sun is shining, the birds are singing and the most beautiful boy in the world is standing, naked in our bathroom.”

As he said the words, his hands slid around Billy’s belly, released the towel and let it fall in a pool at his feet.

“Oh, Billy. My beautiful, beautiful, Sunny-Boy. Everyday I love you more.”

Justin’s arms crossed over on Billy’s chest, holding their bodies tightly together, and his open palms caressed the rock-hard little nipples.

“Mmmm. I love you too,” Billy sighed as he leaned back against him. But, then he flinched as he felt the hard, upright, dick pressed against his butt-cheeks.

The hands uncrossed as they slid down to hold Billy’s pelvis on either side of his soft dick. Justin’s cock nestled in the crevice of the butt-crack and began sliding up and down as he started humping him from behind.

“Oh no you don’t! Damm Justin! Cut it out, Man. Can’t you see I’m busy here?”

He tried to wriggle away but Justin held him, as tightly as a vice, and he kept on humping - vigorously now.

“Justin, stop it already! Bloody hell, get out of it!” He angrily wrenched himself away and he whirled around.

“You’re as randy as a fucking old billy-goat! There’s no time for that now. Get out of here, Justin. Go on, fuck off and leave me alone!”

He did feel a momentary regret at the crestfallen look on Justin’s face, but he was busy. So he shoved him out of the bathroom and slammed the door.

“Piss off, Superboy!”

Ten minutes later, shaving completed with just one small cut, Billy came out and looked around the bedroom. Justin had gone. While he was getting dressed, he noted that Justin’s running clothes had gone from the floor. He opened the laundry basket, to drop the towel in, and the running gear wasn’t in there either.

“He must’ve put them back on and gone back to the Square.” He shrugged. “I’ll go find him if he’s not back for breakfast.”

Down in the kitchen, Connors was sitting at the table with her ever-present coffee. Billy helped himself to coffee and porridge and sat down opposite her.

“Morning, Connors.”

“Good morning to you too, Sunshine. Where’s your other half then?”

“Justin? I think he’s gone out for a run.”

“Late today isn’t he? He’s usually back by now.”

“Yeah. He did come back before, but I think he’s gone again.”

“Ah well. Nice day for it I suppose.”

Finished eating, he checked back in their room, then walked around to the Square to see if Justin was there. He wasn’t. Lucas, Daniel and Tony paused in their running around the track.

“Hey Guys. Have you seen Justin?”

“Lost Superboy have you?” Lucas grinned. “They’ll take him off you if you can’t take better care of him than that.”

“Fucking will not! But, yeah, I think I might have lost him – temporarily. I think I upset him.”

“He was here”, Daniel said. “Just left a few minutes ago. He was running like the clappers and not talking to anyone, that must be why.”

“Damm. He is upset. Why does he have to make such a production out of everything? I’d better find him. Which way did he go?”

Lucas said, “He shot off up Brigham Street. He’ll be going to the cemetery if you’ve upset him. He likes to tell his troubles to Jeremy and Carl.”

“Bugger it! I’ll go and get the car then. I’m not walking all the way out there. See you, Guys.”

“See you, Billy. Go find Superboy. You’re not the only one who needs him around.”

A little worried now, (‘Thanks Lucas’), Billy went back to the Adelphi for the car and he drove out to the cemetery. The place was deserted as he drove in and over to the section where Jeremy and Carl’s graves were. There was no sign of Justin.

He was turning around to leave when he spotted a splash of colour under the over-grown hedgerow. Bright, electric blue – the colour of Justin’s running gear. He drove over closer, and then got out and walked across.

Justin was sitting there underneath the trees. He sat on the ground with his arms around his drawn-up knees. His head was down and his face hidden in the curtain of his long hair.

“Justin? Justin are you all right?” Billy dropped to his knees in front of him. There was no answer.

Louder now, Billy said, “Justin, what’s the matter? Look at me will you!”

He raised his head and looked at him. Billy thought he’d never seen a more miserable face. “Justin?”

He put his hands on his shoulders and, worriedly, looked into his eyes. “Oh, Sweetcheeks. What’s wrong? Is it me? Is it because I told you to fuck off out of the bathroom?”

“I’m sorry, Billy. I’m so sorry. Will you be moving back to your mother’s now?”

“Moving back to Mum’s? What would I do that for?”

“You’re not? But. . .I stuffed up, Billy. I’m sorry. I try, I try so hard, but I’m so stupid.’

“Shit Superboy, if you’re stupid then the rest of us are really in trouble! You’re not stupid, Justin, and you haven’t stuffed anything up.”

“But I raped you. I love you and I raped you. I’m not just stupid, I’m a fucking monster! I’m really, really sorry, Billy.”

Billy shuffled forward on his knees and held him while Justin sobbed over his shoulder. When he quietened down, Billy pushed back and looked into his eyes.

“Now you listen to me, Justin Reynolds. You’re not a monster, you’re a kid – a teenager, and horny with it. What happened back there was not rape. That’s just silly. You wanted sex, I didn’t – not at that moment. You tried to push it, I said no and you stopped. No way is that rape.

You haven’t stuffed anything up. You made a mistake, a little mistake, and then you were sorry so that’s the end of it – it’s finished. I made a mistake too. I shouldn’t have yelled at you like I did, and I’m sorry. Okay?

I love you, Justin Jonathan Reynolds, and if you don’t know that by now then maybe you are a bit stupid. I love you and I only want to be with you, all the way and always. Now wipe your nose and kiss me and then we’ll go home and have all the sex you want.”

He did wipe his nose and kiss him, and then Justin beamed. “Thank you, Sunny. You’re great! You’re fantastic and you’ll never know just how much I love you. And, you so dammed sexy it’s hard to control myself. But I will, I won’t do anything like that again.”

“It’s not a big deal. Don’t control yourself too much, I love it when you want me – just pick your time, okay? Let’s go home.”

There was something different in their love-making that day. Billy was on top as they slid and thrust and groaned together, but that was not it – they always took turns at being ‘top’. Now, he really did feel that he was the top partner and that Justin needed him.

Afterwards, as he held the sleeping Justin, Billy lay there thinking. Who was he really, this, amazing, beautiful, loving boy in his arms?

He was the grandson of Bob and Kathleen Reynolds, the identical, (but very different), twin-brother of Jonathan, and he was the one – the one person that Billy knew he would love for the rest of his life, no matter what.

Justin could run like the wind and sing like an angel. He had a memory like an elephant and he was a walking, talking calculator when it came to maths. He could fight like a fury – bullies, rugby teams, packs of dogs, nothing and nobody could match Justin in a scrap. But, he was so gentle he could pick up an ant in his fingers and not damage it.

He was fiercely loyal to anyone he loved and he loved almost everyone he met. He loved openly, totally and unreservedly, and everyone he knew loved him back. The Carvers, the cops, grumpy old George Green out at the cemetery, the dragon-lady of the Adelphi Hotel, school staff, hospital staff, the Mayor and the people of Westpoint – everybody loved Superboy. Even his grandmother, the fearsome Ma carver, was in love with him. But, who was he really?

Everyone, even the TV News people, called him Superboy. Billy called him that himself, but was he? He couldn’t fly or leap tall buildings. He couldn’t play cricket, or football, or tennis, or any games involving a ball. Couldn’t play any games at all really. He couldn’t swim, or cook, or drive a car. He was hopeless with a computer – he barely knew how to turn one on. But, admittedly with his brother’s help, he had cured an incurable disease and discovered the R&R stuff and all the rest of it.

He was shy, modest and unassuming, and he was an ex-porn star and prostitute. And yet, he was a real innocent, he never wanted to believe bad of anybody, even when they were spitting in his face – he just wanted to love them.

He was stubborn. He was so stubborn that bullets couldn’t stop him, or policemen, or coal-trucks. Not even Kathleen Reynolds could stop him when he was on a mission, and yet, he was so soft that he cried at soppy movies.

He never claimed to be anything special, he always said that he was, “just me”. He was Superboy, a hero and an innocent. He was complex, but he was simple.

That was who he was! It struck him like a bolt from the blue. He was simply Justin – what you saw was who he was, there were no hidden agendas, he was just Justin.

‘That’s who you are – you’re Justin and you’re mine because I love you.”

Justin stirred and woke. He didn’t lift his head, just lay and snuggled closer, clinging on tight. Billy kissed the top of his head. “Justin?”

“Mmm?”

“I know who you are.”

Now he did lift his head to look at him.

“Who I am?”

“Yes. You’re not Superboy. You’re not a hero, or a genius – you’re just you. You are Justin and I love you.”

He put his head down on Billy’s chest, and he didn’t say a word. Billy felt a tear drop onto his bare skin.

“Justin? Are you all right?”

He looked up again and grinned widely. “Oh yes! Thank you, Billy. At last – you’re the only one who knows me. Thank you, Sunny, I love you and I need you.”

“I know you do. I love you and I need you too – my Gestalt.”

“Yes! My Gestalt!”

Westpoint Tales - Entangled Tales - 78 Peter & Jay

(Whoops! Still learning here. 1. Blackwater River, 2. Bulls River, 3. Bulls River Gorge)

In the morning, Jay was woken up by the sounds of someone yelling and splashing around outside. He felt a burst of – not fear exactly, but alarm. He scurried around and out of the tent, the sleeping bag peeling off him as he stood up.

He relaxed and grinned – nothing to worry about.

Peter was standing knee-deep halfway out in the small river. His face was beaming, he was grinning from ear to ear as he proudly held up a fish – a fine specimen of a large brown trout.

“Hey Jay. I got the bugger!”

He splashed across to the bank, clinging to the still-flapping fish.

“I did it, Big Guy – I caught it. First fish I’ve ever hooked on a line. It nearly got away, but it didn’t. I got him! He’s a beauty, isn’t he, Jay?” He laid the fish at Jay’s feet.

Jay knelt and killed it with a blow with the axe. “It is a beauty, Elf. Well done!”

“Yeah!” Peter beamed proudly. “I was going to catch and cook your breakfast before you woke up.”

“I’m awake now. I don’t think there’ll be any more fish either, not after all that splashing around.”

“We can cook it though, can’t we?”

“We can cook it. It’s a great fish, Peter. It’s plenty big enough for the two of us. You can gut it; I’ll get the foil to wrap it in. We’ll cook it in the fire. Has the fire been going all night?”

“No, of course not. It was dead, I got it going again. I’ve been up for ages, I was starting to think that you were never going to wake up.”

“Yeah, well. I think I need more sleep than you do.”

“You think? I worked that out months ago. Anyway, you’d better get some clothes on. I’m not complaining about the view, but others might. This is a public walkway through here.”

Jay dressed and tidied up the tent while Peter gutted and cleaned the fish. They wrapped it in foil and buried it in the ashes at the side of the fire. They got towels and the bug spray and went back for a soak in the hot pool while waiting for their breakfast to cook.

They both shed their clothes and adjusted the temperature again, while slapping sandflies, and, blissfully, sank into the warm water. They lay back, Peter in his usual position between Jay’s legs, and relaxed.

In a few minutes, Jay sat upright, pushing Peter forward as he did.

“Hey! Watch it!”

“Shush, Peter. Listen. What’s that noise?”

A babbling, murmuring sound was getting louder as it came towards them. Then they appeared, walking up the track out of the trees – boy scouts, dozens of them!

Peter and Jay sat in the hot water, naked and embarrassed as they were surrounded by a crowd of grinning faces. They were scouts, mostly boys about 10 to 12 years old, but there were a few girls amongst them too. There were about 30 of them, from several different troops by the look of their uniforms.

One of the four troop-leaders was a woman – it was a teacher from their school, Mrs. McElwee. One of these little monsters must be hers. Another teacher, Mr. Squires, was there too. They both looked odd in their over-grown scouts’ uniforms, but not half as odd As Peter and Jay felt in their exposed skin. They kept their arms and legs crossed, covering up the naughty bits, as the scouts grinned at them.

“Hey Kynnersley, Hey Lewis. Forget your swimming togs, did you?”

“Show us your bum!”

“Bugger off! Cheeky little sods.”

“Hello Peter, Jay,” Mrs. McElwee smiled at them. “Fancy seeing you here! Move along, Scouts, nothing to see here.”

“There would be if they stood up!”

“Quiet, Calvin,” Mr. Squires grinned. “It’s perfectly normal to soak in hot pools naked. The sulphur rots bathing togs. Move along now, Boys. We’ve got a long way to go.”

They sat and watched them go, yearning now to get out of the water. “I’m bloody cooking in here now. I thought they were never going. Cheeky little sods!”

“Yeah, well, they’re boys, Jay, most of them. You were a scout once yourself, we both were.”

“Yeah, I was for a while, until I figured that I’d rather sleep on a Saturday morning. I don’t remember seeing you in the scouts, Peter.”

“I was there. I was standing down the back, probably. I remember you there. I think that I had a crush on you even then.”

“You did? I wish you’d told me.”

“You probably would have laughed at me. You were cute though – still are actually.”

“Shut up, Elf. Be quiet or I’ll kiss you.”

“Promises! Next time we’re in here, I’m keeping the towel where I can reach it.”

They got out, scooped up their clothes and ran, naked, back to dry by the fire.

Peter scraped the ashes and embers away and carefully extracted the foil-wrapped fish from the fire. He laid it on a flat rock and delicately opened the foil. Jay joined him with knives, forks, bread and butter and a lemon. They squatted side-by-side in front of the rock to eat their hot fish breakfast.

The skin peeled off easily – so easily that it almost fell off, and the soft white flesh lifted off the bones in bite-sized chunks.

They’d both eaten hundreds of fish meals in their short lives – fish was cheap and plentiful in Westpoint, a small town with a relatively large and industrious fishing fleet. Peter’s dad was a fisherman and he was always bringing sea-food home from his boat. However, it wasn’t so often that they got fresh-water fish for breakfast, and this was brilliant! Freshly caught and cooked in foil in a wood fire and eaten in the fresh air and the great outdoors. Just brilliant! The best breakfast ever.

They finished eating and Jay poured two OJ’s, topping them off with boiling water from the pot on the fire. He handed one to Peter as he sat down again. “All right, Elf?”

“No, it’s not. It’s not all right – it’s fucking perfect. Everything’s perfect – the food, the place, the company – everything! Thanks.”

“Thanks? Thank you, you caught the fish.”

“Yeah, I did, didn’t I?” he grinned proudly. “But it’s more than that. The best thing that I’ve ever caught was you, Jay. I’ll never need any more than this.”

“Ah! You’re too much. Thanks, Peter. I love you too.”

“You really do, don’t you? Thanks, Big Guy, that’s so cool. My life can’t get any better. I love you – yesterday, today and always. I wish we could just stay here like this forever.”

“Well, we can’t. You wouldn’t want to really, you’d get bored eventually and start missing our friends and family and everything. Variety is the spice of life, or so they say. But this is really cool. We’ll do this again – often.”

“We will. I’d love to have a house out in a place like this.”

“Maybe you can someday. Crispian says that we’re going to be rich.”

“I’m already rich, Big Guy – I’ve got you.”

“You have. I’m rich too, even richer than you are because I’ve got you.”

“Sweet-talker.”

“Thank you, I try. What do you want to do, Peter?”

“Do? I don’t want to do anything. I just want to lie back here like this and do nothing all day. There is one thing that could make it better though.”

He scooted around so that he could lie on an angle, with his head on Jay’s chest.

“There, now it’s perfect. Let’s do nothing.”

Jay raised one hand and lazily stroked Peter’s spiky hair. “This is cool, but I didn’t mean just today. What do you want to do with the rest of your life, I mean.”

“This, Jay. Just this.”

“Right! I’m being serious, Elf. Where do you see yourself in 10 or 20 years time?”

“Twenty years? That’s a long time. I hope that I’m still right here. No? Okay, seriously, what I’d like is to live in Westpoint. I’d like to have a business, a shop in the main street, selling music – Cd’s and stuff, whatever they’ve got in 20 years time. – I-pods or MP3’s or whatever. I’d like to sell instruments and music equipment, stereos, and computers too, probably.

I don’t want anything huge, just enough for a comfortable living and a laid-back sort of lifestyle. I’d like to be like Crispian and have a bunch of kids to hang out and make music with. I’d teach them everything I know.”

“That won’t take long.”

“Shut it, Jay, we’re being serious. What else? I’d like to have a flat to live in, up above the shop. That’d be cool. No lawns or gardens or anything. I hate lawns, hate mowing them. It’s just a lot of work and next week you have to do it all over again.

A flat upstairs, a shop downstairs, and maybe a recording studio out the back. It’d be good to be involved with Crispian’s record business, if it’s still going. He’ll be retired by then and I’ll be the wise old guy.”

“It’s not Crispian’s you know. It’s our business – Whozzat’s.”

“I know, we all own it, but it’s Crispian’s first. Plus, I’d like to have a holiday home, somewhere like this or down the Coast Road somewhere out in the middle of nowhere. But, not far away from town and with a road up to the back-door. Bugger tramping every weekend.

I’d like to have good friends about, like Superboy and his Billy, and I’d like to have enough for regular holidays overseas. That’s about it really. What do you want with your life?”

“I dunno, I haven’t worked it out. But, there’s one thing you haven’t mentioned. You don’t want to be just like Crispian do you? He goes back to an empty home every night – just him and no-one to share it with.”

“What?? No! Of course I don’t want that. How could you even ask me that? I don’t ever want to live on my own. Don’t want to and I don’t intend to either!”

“Who do you intend to live with then?”

“Again, what??” He sat up and glared down at Jay. “What a question! You’re cruising for a bruising Jacob Francis Kynnersley! I’ll be living with you, of course. I may never have a shop or anything else, but I WILL be living with you – that much I know.”

“I don’t get a choice in this.”

“No, you don’t. You’re stuck with me, I told you that.”

“That’s cool. I wouldn’t want it any other way. You and me Kid, together forever.”

“Bloody right, Big Guy. Forever!”

The end of their wilderness weekend came around all too quickly. Sunday afternoon, they were back in the carpark at the side of the road, by the Blackwater River bridge. They hadn’t walked half as far as they had planned, but it was far enough and it was a great weekend.

They perched together on a big rock at the side, idly tossing stones into the water below them.

“What do they call it the Blackwater River for? It’s not black – it’s brown.”

“Probably just because it’s dark-coloured water. Or, maybe a Mr. Black discovered it.”

“Discovered it? That wouldn’t be hard to do. All you have to do is to look down from the bridge and there it is.”

“Shut up, Peter. You Dork! The bridge wasn’t here then.”

“You think? Actually, it would’ve been hard country to get through before the roads were built. They used to row boats up the big river, didn’t they?”

“Something like that. I think it was canoes though.”

“Sounds like a lot of hard work to me. I’m glad we’re living now and not back then.”

“Yeah. Roads are good. I’m getting a car as soon as Crispian lets some of the money go.”

“That’ll be great. Do you think that you’ll have room for a passenger – a small passenger?”

“Sure I will, if he’s nice to me.”

“I’m always nice to you, Big Guy.”

“You are! Thank you, my Elf. I love you, Peter Lewis.”

“You do? I love you too. Thanks for the weekend, Jay. It’s been great, but every weekend with you is great.”

“Thank you, Elf. Peter, what would you do if you could choose between Superboy and me?”

“What?? Are you kidding me?”

“No, seriously. Say that Justin and Billy were to split up – it could happen, it has before. But say they really did split for good and say he was to come around and tell you that he was in love with you. What would you do?”

“Well, I guess that I’d hug him and kiss him and tell him that I love him, and then I’d tell him to get lost because I’m in love with Jay Kynnersley. You are my mate, JFK. You are the only one that I want to be with. You are what they claim that Billy’s burgers are – simply the best. No-one, not even Superboy compares to you.

What about you? Why are you thinking about Justin anyway? Got a secret crush on him, have you?”

“No, of course not. You are the best, Peter and you’re the one – the one I love. It’s just that – well it could happen, Elf. Superboy’s happy with his Carver Kid now, but they could finish. They’re both as stubborn as mules and he does love you, you know.”

“I know he does. Buggered if I know why, but he does. There’s nothing for you to worry about, you’re the one for me and Justin loves me like a brother. He said that he doesn’t come on to his brothers.”

“I wish he’d come on to me.”

“Jay!! Why?”

“So that I could turn him down and tell him that I love my Elf.”

“Cool. You’re an idiot, but I still love you.”

Jay’s dad arrived to collect them and they drove back to Westpoint. By the time they arrived back in the town it was raining. It was coming down in bucketfuls. Mr. K commented.

“Wow! Talk about good timing. Did you have any rain in the weekend?”

“No Dad. None at all. The weather was great – couldn’t have been better.”

“Someone up there likes you guys.”

“Sure does, Mr. K. Life is sweet.”

“Yeah, Elf. Sweet.’

“The hot springs are still going are they? I camped up there a few times when I was a kid.”

“They’re still bubbling away, Dad. Guess they’ve been going forever then?”

“Careful, Jacob, I’m not that old. I can still remember what it was like to be a teenager. Believe it or not, I was 16 once too. I never had a friend like Peter though. You’re a lucky kid, Jay. Don’t stuff it up.”

“I try not to, and Dad?”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks Dad.”

“You’re welcome, Son. Be happy Boys, both of you. That’s all I want for you.”

“Mr. K?”

“Peter?”

“Thanks, Mr. K. I really love Jay, you know.”

“I know you do, Son. That’s good. So do I.”

WestpointTales - Entangled Tales - 77 Peter and Jay

(These are much better - Thanks to Jim.)

(Blackwater River)

Peter raised his head to look at him. “You all right, Big Guy? Bloody idiot! You’re not a pack-horse you know.”

“No, I’m not, am I? I guess that you were the straw that broke the donkey’s back.”

“That’s the camel’s back, you Dork.” Peter darted forward and he kissed Jay on the side of his mouth. “I love you, you know.”

“I know. I love you too. Now, get off! I can’t get up.”

Peter disentangled himself, stood and offered a hand to help Jay to his feet. He kept one foot firmly placed on his own backpack to keep it away from him.

Jay glanced down and grinned. “Stubborn little bugger aren’t you? Come on, Elf.” He walked on.

Peter picked up his pack and followed. They walked about 200 meters upstream until they came to a spot where rings of fire-blackened stones showed where previous campers had stayed. They dropped their packs and lay back in the late afternoon sunshine.

“Whoah!”

“Whoah is right. Pretty cool isn’t it, Elf?”

Peter sat up, looking around at the heavy bush-clad hills around their valley, the river flowing busily past them and a couple of small birds darting around over the other side.

“This is just beautiful. A whole new world just a couple of hours away from home. It’s a pity that there’s no road into here.”

Jay sat up behind Peter and draped his arms around him. “A road would spoil it. Then there’d be people and noise and trash and everything.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right. Can we stay here, Jay? Forget about walking on any further. I don’t want to see the top-hut and everything. Let’s just hang around here, I’ve done enough tramping.”

“But we were going tramping for the weekend. There’s lots more to see yet. But . . . yeah, okay, let’s just stay here. We’ll go up to the top-hut some other time.”

“Great! Thanks. I’ve done enough tramping for today and for tomorrow too.”

“Yeah. Don’t want to wear you out too soon, or me either come to think of it. We’ll need some energy for the making love bit.”

“Yeah. We’ll need that for sure. Come on and I’ll show you how to put the tent up. Ow! Bloody sandflies! They’ve followed us.”

“No they haven’t. It’s just their cousins. This is foreign territory to the ones back by the pool. Some bug spray will keep them away.”

A spray with the can from the side-pocket of Jay’s pack drove the insects off, and then they pulled the two-man hiking tent out and erected it. Peter unpacked their food and cooking gear. He laid out the bed-rolls and the double sleeping bag in the tent. While he was busy sorting their accommodation, Jay busied himself collecting firewood from around the area. A couple of small, dead, trees were easily smashed up by pulling them over and stomping on them.

When their campsite was all tidied and organized and the fireplace was loaded up and ready to go, they took towels and the bug spray and went back to the hot-springs pool. They took their boots and jeans off, (spraying their legs carefully), and waded into the water to open up the rock-wall and let the river water flow through to cool the pool.

When Peter was finally satisfied with the temperature, they repaired the wall, stripped off the rest of their clothes and gingerly lowered themselves into the warm water.

“Great, Big Guy. Really great, this is fantastic. Who would have thought it? – a rock-lined pool in the middle of nowhere and it’s sheer luxury!”

“Sure is. Stinks though, doesn’t it? It smells like Mother Nature farted.”

“It stinks – rotten eggs and fart smells, but it’s not that bad. It’s just natural, all hot springs smell like this. Have you ever been to Rotorua? That stinks at first but you soon get used to it.”

“I’ve never been there. Maybe you could take me one day.”

“Okay, sure.”

“Why do they stink, Elf? It’s the sulphur or something isn’t it?”

“Yeah, it’s sulphur. I’m not sure why. Something to do with fire and brimstone and volcanoes and cracks in the earth – something like that.”

“That’d be why the water’s hot then – coming up from a crack in the earth.”

“Yeah, something like that. And the gas too – there’s bubbles if you look. That’s what stinks.”

“I guess we’ll be smelling like it too then.”

“That’s all right, as long as we both smell the same.”

“Oh yes! Between this and the bug spray, we’ll be smelling great! Get out of it! You blood-sucking Mothers!”

Peter took a deep breath and deliberately sunk below the water, lying flat on the bottom, to get away from the sandflies. Jay reached over and lifted his head and shoulders back up out of the water.

“Hey! I was just drowning the sandflies.”

“You don’t do that, Elf. Don’t ever put your head under in a hot pool.”

“Why not then?”

“It’s dangerous. There’s some sort of bug that lives in hot pools, if it gets up your nose it could make you sick or kill you even.”

“You serious? Who told you that?”

“I’m serious. Dad told me – when we came up here last time.”

“That was when you were what, 10 or something? It sounds like a story that you tell little kids to scare them.”

“It’s real, Peter. I’ve read about it too. Don’t take the risk anyway. Keep your head out of the water.”

“Oh – kay. I’ll believe you, thousands wouldn’t.”

“Peter, I’m serious.”

“I know you are. I won’t do it anyway, just to keep you happy.”

“Good! I don’t want you getting sick. Not now, not ever.”

“Yeah, I love you too. Keep your own head out of the water, Jay.”

The sun disappeared behind the hills and the valley was swathed in shadows. They came out of the pool, dried off and started getting dressed.

“You think we should plunge into the river now?”

“Not bloody likely! It’s cold in there.”

They sprayed each other’s exposed skin and then went back to their campsite. Peter got the fire going while Jay cut and trimmed some sticks for fishing-poles.

There were no fish, or, they weren’t biting anyway. After an hour of dangling their bait in the water to no avail, they gave up and cooked sausages for their tea. It was nothing fancy, just half-burnt sausages wrapped in bread with billy-tea and biscuits to follow.

Afterwards, they sat by the fire sharing the headphones to listen to music on Peter’s old Walkman, and watched the moon come up from behind the hill. The whole valley was bathed in silver light and super-black shadows.

“Now that looks good – really good.”

“Yeah, it’s pretty cool. It’s like our own magic kingdom.”

“Or Queendom.”

“Don’t, Peter, there’s no queens here. There’s just you and me – a pair of kings maybe but no queens.”

“You’re a king, Jay. I’m a queen.”

“You are not! Don’t think like that. You’re not a queen, you’re a boy – a beautiful boy and I love you very much.”

He turned around from his spot between Jay’s legs, kissed him briefly and then buried his face below Jay’s chin and hugged him fiercely.

“I love you so much, Jay. You are my every dream come true.”

“Oh, my Elf! Sometimes I’m scared that it’s all going to come crashing down. My life just can’t be this good. But it is, every day is better and I love you more every single day!”

Peter quietly disengaged, got up, went around the fire and sat facing him from the other side.

“What’re you doing, Elf? Come back here.”

“In a minute, Jay. I just want to look at you for a while.”

“From away over here?” (It was all of 2 meters away). “Come back and sit with me.”

“In a minute, Jay. I heard you talking to Dad before.”

“And?”

“And it’s right, what he said. You weren’t my first boyfriend.”

“I know that. I don’t care – I’ll be your last.”

“You will. There’ll never be another after you, no matter what happens.”

“Nothing’s going to happen. Come and sit with me.”

“Soon, Jay. I need to tell you about it – about what happened and what went wrong.”

“Peter, I don’t care. All that matters is you and me, here, now and for always.”

“It does matter. I need to tell you.”

“Okay then. If you have to, I’ll listen, but nothing’s going to change the way I feel about you.”

“I hope so, Jay, I really hope so. But you’ve got to know.”

Jay sat quietly, watching Peter’s face in the flickering firelight as he poured out his story.

“When I was a kid, I was pretty ordinary – just one of the dozens of boys around town. I did all the normal things that kids do. I went to Play Centre, went to school, joined the Boy scouts and played sports – when I had to. I had friends and had enemies too.

They weren’t really serious enemies, just rivals really – kids from other areas of town. My friends were mostly people my own age from close to my home. Relationships grew from being close in age and location.

Sometimes my enemies became friends and sometimes friends became enemies. Nothing was really serious – there were no deadly enemies and no really close friends either. It was all quite casual and superficial – childish, I suppose.

As we grew older, I started to realise that I wasn’t really just another boy; I was a bit different to the rest. For one thing, I was smaller than most kids my age, but that didn’t worry me – there was nothing I could do about it. It was just the way it was.

Then, from about age 10 or 11, other boys started to take an interest in girls and sex. Everyone except me – I only wanted to be with the boys. Girls didn’t interest me at all, no more than horses did. Gradually, I started to lose what friends I had as our interests grew further and further apart.

By age 12, I had pretty much figured out that I was gay. I never told anyone, but by searching on the net, I’d learnt all about gays and came to realise that I was one. I thought that I was the only gayboy in Westpoint.

I knew the statistics, that 1 in 9 people are gay, but it didn’t seem to apply around here. There was no-one else like me that I could see. Then, I found one. On the day I started Highschool, I knew that we’d be joined by lots of new kids from the country schools. I was eager to check them out and, hopefully, find someone like me. And, I did.

On the first day, in the very first class, I was looking around the room, checking out the new kids, and I saw him. It was like that song – “You may see a stranger across a crowded room, and suddenly you’ll know.”

I did see a stranger, a really cute blond boy and he was looking straight back at me. Our eyes met and I knew – I knew that he was just like me. I smiled at him and he smiled at me and we made a connection without ever having said a word.

I went and found him at the recess and, sure enough, he was just as eager to know me as I was to know him. Over the next couple of weeks, we got to know each other really well. He, Dwyane, pushed the sex thing faster than I would have liked, but it was good. I did want to try out all the things I’d read about.

Within 2 weeks we were going all the way. Or, rather, Dwyane was. He was fucking me every chance we got, and we found plenty of chances. The only trouble was that he was treating me like a girl. Sometimes he’d jack me off, but usually it was just me doing him and he fucked me, regularly, but he’d never let me fuck him.

The most I got was when we were rubbing together – fronting – but usually, he’d cut that short once he was all excited and he’d flip my legs up and start fucking. It was definitely not the mutual loving relationship that I was looking for, but it was all that I had and it was better than nothing at all.

By then, I had no trouble accepting that I was gay, but Dwyane never did. As far as he was concerned, he was just fucking. That’s probably why he always had to be the top. If, even once, he’d let me do him then he’d have to admit that he was maybe gay as well.

My parents had a pretty good idea what was going on. They never said anything at the time, but they told me later that they thought that we were having sex. Then, after just a couple of weeks, not even one school term, it all went to hell.

Dwyane came to stay for a weekend. We slept together Friday night, then, Saturday afternoon, we went out to the North Beach for a swim. I wasn’t keen, with the salt and the sand and everything, but he was horny and insistent, so we went into the bushes at the back of the beach.

It was Dwyane’s fault. If he’d just kept quiet, no-one would have known that we were there, but he was always very vocal when screwing, if he had the chance. Anyway, he was roaring and we got caught . . and . .”

Peter’s voice faded away, he dropped his head down and there was silence. Jay was concerned now.

“Elf? Peter, are you okay?”

“No. No I’m not okay!”

Jay jumped up and went around to sit with him. Peter turned and sobbed into Jay’s chest.

“Hold me, Jay. Please hold me. Don’t let go.”

Jay wrapped his long arms around his friend and held on tight. “I’ve got you, Elf. I won’t EVER let go! Never!”

“Oh Jay! I love you so much! I can’t do it, I’m sorry, I just can’t. I wanted to tell you what happened that day, but I can’t do it.”

Jay rocked him and kissed his hair as he held him. “It doesn’t matter, Peter. I know, roughly, what happened to you and I’m sorry for you, but it doesn’t matter, not any more. We’re here now, you’re with me and you’re safe. I would die before I’d let anything like that happen to you again.”

Peter burrowed his face into him and clung on as he cried. Calming down, he sat back, wiped his own tears and then wiped Jay’s. “Thanks. Thank you, Jay. I’m glad all that shit happened to me. I’m glad it happened because it brought me here, with you, and I don’t ever want to be anywhere else.”

“I love you, Peter.”

“I know you do. I don’t know why, but I know that you do. Thank you. I love you, Jacob Francis Kynnersley, and I always will. Always!”