Date: Wed, 9 Apr 2008 20:31:16 -0700 From: David Courson Subject: Quarterback with the Emerald Eyes - Part 10 This story is fiction. Any similarity to any persons living or dead is merely a coincidence. If you are not allowed by law to view this material, please do not do so. If you are under 18 years of age, please leave now. This is a love story between two barely under the age of 18, year old boys in high school. If that offends you, I apologize and ask that you not read any further. Otherwise, enjoy. Check out the Quarterback Yahoo group. There are photos of guys who you might think Blake or Todd looks like. Submit a picture of how you see the boys or just post your own picture in the members section. There are polls and just general messages. Please check it out at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Quarterback_with_the_Emerald_Eyes/ Quarterback with the Emerald Eyes -- Part 10 Sunday morning was the best. It started with me slowly coming out of a deep sleep to the sweet kisses of Todd on my lips. I realized what was happening and the more conscious I became; the more I felt his soft lips caress mine. He would lightly kiss my lips then whisper for me to get up or to wake up or rise and shine. I just laid there; adoring the feeling he was giving me, still pretending to be asleep. "C'mon, Blake," he whispered, "My lips are getting tired." I couldn't hold back and I smiled. "Ahhh. I knew you were awake." I slowly fluttered my eyes open to look at him. "You didn't know I was awake," I said, still smiling. "I did too," he said, sitting up. "You're breathing changed. I knew I was having an affect on you." "I must say, waking with your lips on mine was clever. How long you been kissing me?" "About two minutes. You're mind works fast," he said, raising his eyebrows in unison. "Yeah, well, it's only because my conscious doesn't want my unconscious to have all the fun." Taking in a deep whiff of something, I asked, "What smells so good?" "I brought you some coffee," he said, as he leaned over and grabbed a mug. I scooted myself up and took the cup from him. Taking a sip, I said, "Just like I like it." Leaning in, he said, "I know," then he kissed me again, fully. He broke the kiss, he said, "You enjoy your coffee. I'm gonna get a shower." "Why? I thought we were gonna stay in and talk." "We can talk, but let's just go somewhere. I don't want to be stuck in this room all day." "What's the weather supposed to be like?" "I think it's sunny and mid seventies." I pleaded with my eyes and asked, "Can we go to the park. Just hang out there and lounge?" "Sure, if that's what you want to do." "Thanks," I said and took another sip while he headed to the bathroom. After my shower, we were both ready to go and headed down stairs. "Mornin' mom," Todd said. Mrs. Blyth was sitting on the couch reading the paper while sipping her coffee. When she heard Todd, she looked up and said, "Morning, boys. Whatcha up to today?" "We're going to Piedmont Park. Talk, lounge, just hang out. Not much else." "So, just a lazy day, huh?" "Yes, ma'am. Just the two of us," I said and looked at Todd with a smile. "That sounds like fun. Ya'll have a good time." "Thanks, mom. By the way, where's dad?" "He had to show a house to someone from out of town. He should be back in an hour or so." "Ya'll have any plans today?" "We're gonna have our own lazy day here at home." "Cool," Todd said and headed towards the door. Before I moved, I needed to ask Mrs. Blyth a question to clear my head. "Mrs. Blyth, can I ask you an embarrassing question?" Todd stopped walking towards the door and Mrs. Blyth looked up from her paper. "Sure, honey, go ahead." "It's not everyday that you come across a situation like the one all of us are in. You and Don have invited me to be a part of this family, which I graciously accepted, but I don't want to make you or him feel uncomfortable about anything. Does it bother either of you for Todd and I sleep together?" Mrs. Blyth put the paper down on the couch and reached over and set her cup on the coffee table. She had a look as if she was contemplating the question. After a few moments silence, she looked up at me. "Strangely enough, it doesn't bother me. I can't explain why, but it doesn't. You'd think that having your own son's boyfriend living with you might be out of the ordinary, but sleeping together would seem out of the question. But for some reason, it doesn't bother me." She paused for a moment, then added, "But, all I ask is that there won't be any . . . How should I put this? Activities," she said with air quotes. I looked down with a little shame as Todd called out, "Mom!" in that `you're embarrassing me' tone of voice again. "What?" she asked. "It's not an unreasonable request to ask that some things aren't done. Look, Blake's seventeen and you're eighteen. You're still too young to be doing that." "Jeez, mom. Not that it's any of your business, but we haven't gotten to that stage in the relationship." "Well, that's good to know." Feeling embarrassed, Todd reached out and grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the door. Once he reached it, he looked back and asked, "Just out of curiosity, at what age it is okay? To do it, I mean?" His mother smiled and said, "Is thirty too old?" He looked at me and said, "Sometimes, there's no talking to that woman." He opened the door and Mrs. Blyth called for us to have a good time. "Thanks," I said, looking through the closing door as I pulled it to. Getting into the Honda, I asked, "Why did you tell her we haven't done it yet?" "I don't want my mom thinking about you and me having sex. That's just too weird." "Don't you picture them having sex?" "Would you stop? Now I gotta real bad image in my head." He gave a full body shudder at the though of his parents in the act then started the car. As he backed out the driveway, he asked, "Why'd you ask that question?" "I don't know. Maybe so I wouldn't feel guilty. It's not like I'm sleeping over anymore. I live here now and for some reason, I wanted to make sure it was okay with them." "What would you have done if she did have a problem with it?" "We would've slept alone. It's their house, gotta be their way." "I wouldn't have like that," he said, putting the shifter in drive and pulling off. "Me neither, but I just wanted to be sure. I just didn't want to take advantage of the situation." Smiling at me, he picked up speed and headed towards Midtown. We found a place to park along the side of the park on Piedmont Ave. We got out and started towards the main entrance located at the end of 14th street. As we walked through the wrought iron gates, we saw lots of people enjoying their Sunday. Just up ahead, there was a black statue of what looked to be a winged man with his left hand outstretched, offering olive branches to the visitors. The path went both ways round the statue and Todd and I took the left trail. As we walked, we made some small talk and eventually, I grabbed his hand and held it in mine. We passed the Botanical Gardens and eventually ended up at a building with a sign reading Magnolia Hall. We took a right and headed past the tennis courts and eventually ended up on the shore of Clara Meer Lake. We followed the shore line and found a group of trees with enough of a clearing to allow us a nice spot to sit and watch the ducks on the water. We got comfortable on a grassy clearing, under the covering of branches that provided us shade. Todd, with his back up against a tree and I, on my stomach watching the water. I was in arms length and Todd reached over and placed his hand on my back. We sat in silence for a while watching the ducks and the people pass along the other shore. I put my head down atop my hands and closed my eyes and took in the sounds and smells of everything around me. I was so relaxed and the weather was perfect enough to sleep the lazy day away. Before I could fall asleep, I turned my head and looked back at Todd to see his eyes closed, head leaning against the tree and his legs pulled up with his right arm resting on his knees. After a few moments, he opened his eyes and pulled his head upright and caught me staring. He smiled and asked, "What?" I smiled back. "Nothing." Our eyes continued to stare at each other and our smiles never left. Todd lifted my shirt, slightly, to allow his hand to touch my bare skin under the fabric. Slowly, Todd's smile faded and he looked down between his legs at the grass. Wondering what changed his mood so quickly; I turned towards Todd and rested my head on my left arm. "What's wrong?" Giving me a quick glance and a small smile, he answered, "Just thinking about everything that happened." I put my right hand along his denim covered thigh. Lowering his legs, he continued. "I just wasn't thinking. I got scared that I might be showing signs of how I felt about you and I didn't want anyone to know." "Ashamed to be seen with the geek, huh?" I asked, jokingly. "C'mon. That's not funny. I wasn't ashamed to be seen with you. I guess I was ashamed that I was finally accepting who I was and didn't know how anyone would react. Like your apprehension towards Kelly. I didn't want to loose my friends if they found out. Still don't but . . . It's not right to keep lying to them. Not my best friends." "Who are your best friends? I don't think I even know." "There are eight guys from the team. Four seniors and four juniors. We've been on the team for three and four years together. I've known a couple of `em since I was in fifth grade." "Yeah? Who?" "Bobby Wright and Derik Spalding." "Derik I know, but I don't think I know Bobby." "Yeah, you do. He's the one that called you that name." "Oh, him," I said, pulling my hand away and sitting up. Getting in a cross-legged position next to Todd, I said, "I don't like him too much." "Blake, you don't really know him." "From the attitude he gives out, I don't want to." "He really is a good guy once you get to know him. He's just strange that way. He tries to give off this macho attitude so people won't fuck with `em." I didn't say anything. I reached down and started to pull some grass and pick through it with my fingers. "I just think I need to tell them." "Why?" I asked, still picking the grass. "I just want them to know the real me. Some of us are going away to college next year and I might never see them again. I just want them to know who I am, that's all." "So, if you do never see them again, it's gonna make you feel better that they know your gay?" "Not so much that I'm gay, just who I really am." "But being gay is who you really are." "I know. Damn, I'm so confused." Running his fingers through his bangs, he asked, "Why did you want to tell Kelly?" Before I could answer, I knew exactly what he was trying to say. "You want to tell your friends because they're your best friends and you want to stop lying to them. You want to give them the chance to get to know the real you if they want. Right?" "Exactly," he said, with a smile. "Cool," I said with a nod. "And, I want them to meet you." "What? You want to out me? I've still got another year to go; I don't want my senior year to be hell." "They junior guys will protect you, if they accept me, of course." Turning to look him square in the face, I said, "I don't want to be protected. I can stand up for myself. I don't need bodyguards because you think I can't handle myself." "Blake, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way," he said with his hands up against his shoulders, palms out, in surrender. I calmed, realizing I attacked him. I lowered my head and let my body relax saying I was sorry. Reaching over, he put his hand on the back of my neck and said, "Don't worry about it. I didn't mean you couldn't handle yourself in a fight, it's just, I don't want anything to happen to you." "Nothing's gonna happen to me," I said, defiantly. "Really? Have you ever been in a fight before?" "Does arguing count?" He got a kick out of that and laughed a bit. I smiled. "No, it doesn't count." Looking at me, he asked me to lift my shirt. I did and he asked how much I weighed and how tall I was. "Six foot one, about 160 or so, last time I checked. Why?" "'Cause, you're a skinny guy. If you got into a fight, especially with someone with muscle, I don't know if you could hold your own." "If I know I'm out numbered, then I can always run." "Until when? The next time he comes after you again?" "I don't like fighting," I said, lowering my shirt. "I don't either, but you gotta know how to or at least look like you know how to." "Have you been in a fight before?" "A few. I won some, but also, lost some. I held my own, though." "Lift your shirt for me," I asked. He did and I saw his hard pecs staring at me. The washboard abs flexing to show the muscle underneath his perfect skin. "Would you still like me if I looked like you?" "Hell, yeah. You'd probably be sexier than you are now." "How can I get like that?" "With some training and working out. You've got a great frame to start with, now we'd only have to build muscle." "How?" "Well, you could start going with me to my workouts. Start jogging with me in the mornings. Eat healthy. By next year, we could probably pack on some major muscle." "Let's wait till the first day of summer vacation." "Why?" "Cause, if I am gonna look anything close to what your body looks like, I can only imagine the workouts are gonna be grueling." "They're tough, but you get used to them after a while. This took me three years to get and I still have to work on it to keep it tight." I sat there, quiet, then got a thought and a smile. "What about if I grew taller than I am now? Would you still like me?" "Don't rub it in." Smiling, I said, "If I grew any taller, I'd probably make you look like a midget." "I'm warning you," he said in a playful voice. Getting on my knees, I said, "That would be some shit. I'd have to bend down further to kiss you." "Now, you're gonna get it." I jumped to my feet and took off. He was close behind me, reaching, but I seemed to pull away just in the nick of time. I was bobbing one way then weaving the other, laughing the whole time. "Come back here, you little shit," he was yelling at me. He chased me for a few more minutes before we ended back at our original place and I collapsed. He fell on top of me, straddling my hips and grabbed my hands and pinned them above my head. We were both laughing. But my laughter was out of fear he was going to start tickling me. I tried to pull my hands down to cover my sides, but he had them pinned tight to the earth. After looking at each other for a minute, our laughter subsided and he slowly leaned down and kissed me. His hands let go of my wrists and were moved next to my head to hold himself up. Breaking the kiss, he pulled away, slightly, and said, "God, you're so hot to me." "Likewise," I said, doing a double raise of my eyebrows. He leaned in to kiss me once more. When he broke the kiss, he walked on his knees back to the tree and sat. I turned on my side and watched him until he was settled. We couldn't take our eyes off each other. I roamed all over his body from head to toe wanting to memorize every crevice, curve or bulge my eyes found. After a few minutes, I asked, "What were you thinking?" He gave me a look of not understanding. I repeated my question, adding, "The first time I told you I loved you." His smile quickly faded and he looked down while bringing his knees to his chest. Folding his arms, he placed them on top of his knees and his chin on his arms. Breathing deeply, he answered. "I can't remember the exact thought when you told me, but then I started thinking of something I tried to forget a long time ago. I knew I loved you when you told me, but I just didn't know if I could say it. I had all these emotions building in me and when I finally understood they were love, I freaked. "I didn't know how much I loved you until I hurt you, like I said before, but I knew I loved you. Even before your birthday. But I was scared." "Of your parents and the team and all, I know." "That wasn't the main reason, Blake. I was scared of my parents. Still worried about the team, or at least the ones I care about, but my biggest fear still haunts me." "What's that?" I asked. "Last time I told someone I loved them, they left me." "You've been in love before?" I asked, sitting up and concentrating on his story. "No. You're the first person I've ever been in love with, but I did love someone else, just as much. The last thing I told him was that I loved him and about half an hour later, he died." The conversations just took a complete plunge down a mountain side. I wasn't expecting anything like that. I just stared, wanting to know every detail, but was too afraid to say anything. Todd closed his eyes and sighed. "The very last thing I told my brother was that I loved him and he died." My chin practically hit the ground. "I was afraid if I told you, something bad would happen. I didn't want to take that chance." "You had a brother?" I asked, closing my lips. Opening his eyes, I could see the rims turn red with emotions. "I was five and he was twelve. He had cancer and he did all that he had to do for the treatments, but he didn't make it. Mom and dad knew the time was close and they brought me to his bed in the hospital. He joked around with me as much as he could, but he was so weak. He tried to make me smile. Finally, mom told me it was time to go and I looked at his pale face and told him I loved him. `I love you, too, little bro', is what he said to me and I never saw him again." As I watched, tears had started to fall down my own cheeks, mimicking Todd's. "After that, I would never tell mom and dad I loved them and she finally asked me why. I broke down and cried and told her. She and dad tried to tell me it wasn't my fault, but try explaining that to a five year old. All I knew then was that it was the last thing I told him." Todd brought his hand up to cover his eyes and I could see his body shudder with his cries. I went to his side and put my arm across his chest and my other arm around the back of his neck and pulled him close to me. "I know it wasn't my fault," he said through his tears, "But it scared me so much back then." "Shhh," I said. "Don't worry about it. Please, Todd." I pulled him tighter against my chest and slowly rocked us back and forth. I lifted my hand over his head and wiped my still falling tears off my cheek. For the next ten minutes, his bawls became soft cries then finally, they stopped all together. I continued my rocking of our bodies while holding him tight against me. Pulling away, he said, "I'm sorry bout that." Sitting back on my feet, I said, "There's nothing to apologize for. I never knew. I'm sorry I asked." I reached up and brushed his bangs away from his eyes. "Since that day, I've never told anyone I loved them. Not even my parents. They understood after I explained things to them. They know I love them, but they just don't hear it." Todd looked at me and gestured for me to turn around and sit against him. I did as I was instructed and had my back against his side with his left arm over my shoulder and chest. Picking the grass again, I asked, "Then why did you tell me?" There was only a short silence before he answered. "Because I knew if I didn't, I was gonna loose you forever. I just couldn't take that chance." I dropped the grass and reached, with my right arm, to place it on top of his. I leaned my head against his bicep and kept quite, thinking. "Blake, just know that I love you with all my heart and I'll never do anything to hurt you." "I know, Puppy. I love you, too." "Puppy?" he asked with surprise. "Yeah. That's my new nickname for you." "Why puppy?" "Well, I always wanted one to play with; to run around with, to love on. To grab his little cheeks and kiss his forehead. But I got stuck with you instead." "Why you little shit," he said and started tickling me. "No!!!!" I screamed and laughed. Before I knew it, he was straddling me again with his hands attacking my sides. After a few minutes, he asked if I wanted to get some lunch. When I was able to breathe again, I said yes and we headed to the Kroger on Monroe and went to the deli. Looking around, he decided on some ham and roast beef for us, knowing I liked both, and I chose a potato salad for our side. After receiving our order, he walked to the refrigerated shelves and looked through a few containers and asked, "Do you like fruit salad?" "Apples, bananas, grapes, yes. I don't like cantaloupe or honey dew." "Well, I can eat those." He reached in and grabbed one of the containers and we headed up to the checkout. Grabbing two big bottles of water, he pulled out his wallet. "Nope, not this time," I said, pulling out a twenty. "Blake, I got it," he said, trying to push my hand away. "Todd, let me pay. You pay for everything." "You don't have a lot of money. I can take care of it, really." "I still have some money left and I got a little saved in my checking account. Please," I pleaded with my eyes and voice. "Let me do this." Finally relenting, he replaced his wallet and I handed over the money. "Thank you," I said to him. He just smiled and as I got my change, he lifted the bag and we headed back to the park. As we walked, we saw a few couples enjoying the sun while they talked. Saw a few kids running around with their fathers and dogs while their moms laughed and held the cameras. Saw a few people just holding hands while reading. When we arrived back at our spot, it was still vacant, so Todd sat against the tree and spread his legs wider than before. He motioned for me to sit between them and I did. I leaned back against him and he handed the bag to me. I reached in and uncapped the containers while he grabbed the meats and unwrapped them. Placing them to his side, he grabbed our waters and popped the top. He put mine on the left and his on the right. We made small talk while we ate. We realized we forgot any forks so we had to dig into the fruit and potato salads with our fingers. A few times, he picked up a grape and would feed it to me. I tried to do the same with some honey dew, but since I couldn't see his mouth, ended up hitting his nose. We laughed for a moment, then he grabbed my hand and put his lips over the melon taking my fingers in his mouth. Slowly, he sucked the juice off each finger before I could get my hand back. Unfortunately, little me wanted some attention and started to stand, but I shifted to keep things from happening. After lunch, I started to wind down and relax a little more. We cleaned up the site a little and I scooted down and used his stomach for a pillow while I stretched along the ground. We sat there silently listening to the birds chirping, the wind blowing through the new leaves and the ducks quacking on the water. Behind us came laughter from adults and kids. Todd broke the silence asking, "Do you want kids?" I thought for a moment and said, "I never really thought about it. Why, do you?" "Yeah. I would love to have a kid. Teach him football, soccer, baseball. Teach him to be a man." "What if you have a girl?" "Well, I guess I could still teacher her those things, but I don't know anything about being a girl." "I can imagine her growing up and at thirty, still being a tom boy." "It might just turn out that way if I ever have a girl. I wouldn't know where to begin." "Well, you always got your mom, but for now, let's not even worry about it." "Why, you wanna do something?" "Nah, just want to lay here with you." Todd brought his hand up and started stroking my hair back against my head. When one hand finished its stroke, he started with the other. Finally, he lowered his hands on my chest and just stopped moving. We just continued to sit in silence and before long; I could hear the familiar rhythm of Todd's breathing as he drifted off in a nap. It wasn't long before I was following in his footsteps. We woke about twenty minutes later with a few ducks inspecting the lifeless creatures before them. When I opened my eyes, I jumped and scared them away quacking. "You didn't have to be so mean," Todd said, laughing. "I wasn't mean. They scared me." He started laughing harder. My head was bouncing with every laugh he made. His laughter over took him so that he fell to one side, hitting the ground with his palm. "What the hell is so funny?" I said, trying to hide my own laughter. He tried to talk, but couldn't get the words out. He continued to slap the ground and soon, his foot was doing the same. A few more minutes, he finally caught his breath enough to say, "The ducks . . . they scared you . . . you screamed like a girl." His laughing fit started again and I looked at him in mock anger. "I did not!!!!!" I yelled. He couldn't answer but his head was nodding that I did. Instead of trying to argue with the unarguable, I turned on my knees and started tickling him. His laughter became louder and he tried to fight. In doing so, he ended up flat on his back and I ended up sitting on his groin like he had done me so many times before. I kept tickling and before I knew it, his face was turning read and he started coughing. When I got like that, I couldn't breathe, so I stopped so that he could catch his breath. When he did, I looked down and said, "I did not scream." Coughing again, he said, "It sure sounded like it to me." "That was the duck, you fuck." His giggling fits started again and it started to turn into full fledge laughter. I threw my hands up in the air and let them fall, thinking, `what'd I do now?' I stared at him and he started to calm. I ended up moving my legs between his and lowered myself down to lay atop him. When I did, he wrapped his arms around me and his laughter subsided. My head was lying directly under his chin where I could hear his heartbeat. It was faster than normal, but given the laughter, it was understandable. I just listened as it returned to normal as well as his breathing. Breaking a fifteen minute or so silence, I asked, "Is it that important for you to come out to your friends?" "Yeah. Probably just as important for you to come out to Kelly." "You gonna do it tomorrow?" "I was thinking about it." "When?" "Right after fifth period. We all have sixth free so we usually leave at the same time. I figured I would tell them before we did." "In the parking lot?" I asked. "Yeah, probably." "I'll be there. Kelly and I park near you anyway, so if you want to introduce me, I'll be there." "Are you sure? You don't have to if you don't want to." "I know, but I want to do this for you. You wanted to introduce me, so I want to." His arms got tighter around me and he said, "Thanks." "Yeah, yeah, yeah." "I love you." "I know," I said, not moving. I felt him smooth my hair back, then kiss my temple. We spent the rest of the day light hours pretty much talking, touching or kissing. By the time the night was over, it was probably the most perfect day I had ever had. I could feel endorphins running all through out my body with what I felt for Todd. When we arrived back home, we sat with the parents for about an hour before we both decided to turn in. Once we were in bed and just about to doze off, Todd asked one final question of the night. Lifting his head, he looked at me and asked, "Does today count as a date?" I smiled, knowing where this was going. "Only two more to go, mister." He lowered his head back on the pillow and pulled me into him in our usual position, saying he loved me. The next day went about as good as could be expected, considering what was bound to happen later in the afternoon. Kelly noticed something was bothering me and asked. "Todd's coming out to his friends today." "Really, where?" she asked, excited for him. "Here at school . . . after fifth . . . in the parking lot." "The side lot? The one we park in?" "The very same. And get this, I told him he could introduce me and I'm nervous as hell." "Why?" she asked. "Well, look at me. I'm a geek about to meet half the football team. I don't want to embarrass him." "Would you stop? You won't embarrass him. He wants to introduce you because you're going out. He's not worried about your looks; he loves you for who you are." "But what if I say something stupid?" "You won't. You're the smartest guy I know." "Yeah, but remember how I told you I couldn't talk when Todd and I met?" "Yeah, but you were flustered, not nervous." "Isn't it the same thing?" "Not when emotions are involved. You seem a little too nervous just to be meeting his friends, though." Looking at her, I said, "I'm more nervous they won't accept him, but he wants to tell them." "Then don't worry about it. He'll deal with it. If they don't accept him for who he is, then they were never really a friend in the first place. Probably just wanted to be around him to get popular." "He's known two since fifth grade, two since ninth grade and four since tenth. They didn't just want to be cool or popular. They are all on the team. They've seen each other naked. What if they start to freak out about that?" "Let them freak out about it. It's gonna be their loss if they can't accept Todd." "You're right, but I'm still nervous." "Don't be. Look at it this way, he wants to show you off," she said with a big smile. I shot back and nervous smile in return. When the bell rang to end fifth period, I took a deep breath and got my bag. "Ready?" she asked me. "No, but do I have a choice?" "You can always say `April Fools'." Looking at her, it didn't dawn on me that today was April first. "Oh, shit," I said. "What?" she asked as we walked out of the class. "That's what they're gonna think. It's a joke." "Stop worrying." "I can't help it." When we got to the end of the hall, Kelly pushed opened the doors to the parking lot and I followed. When my eyes adjusted, I saw Todd talking, very animated, with his hands. Kelly and I walked over and she said hello and asked how things were. "Since I forgot what day it was, these guys won't take me seriously." "About what? You being gay?" she asked. "Yeah. They think it's a joke." Not knowing what to do, but knowing it was important to Todd, I walked up behind him and draped myself across his back and put my right arm across his shoulder and my left, under his arm on his stomach. "It's true, fellas." "See?" he said, exasperated. "Oh, my God. No way. You got the fag involved in your little joke," said the red headed Bobby, laughing. I can't tell you exactly what happened, but I felt the smallest movement from Todd and his book bag landed on the ground at his feet from his shoulder. As he started forward, I tightened my grip and dug my feet in the ground as hard as possible, and said, "Todd, it's not worth it. We only have a few weeks left. You don't want to get in trouble now. Just let it go." Bobby's expression turned more serious when he realized that I basically saved him from getting his ass kicked. "Dude, you really need to end the joke. It's not funny anymore." His other friends actually took a step back when Todd made his move for fear of what might happen. "Bobby, how many times to I have to tell you, it's not a joke. I forgot it was April first. I'm trying to tell you that I am gay. It's no joke." Bobby's face still made no sign that it was, indeed, not a joke. Finally frustrated beyond comprehension, Todd grabbed my left arm with his right hand and pulled me around to face him. When I did, he planted a big wet one on me. I was shocked and my eyes flew open in horror. I just knew that any moment, these guys were going to start attacking us. For a minute, I just about forgot about our surroundings and was about to let myself fall into the kiss, but just as I was about to, Todd pulled away. "Is that enough proof?" he asked, looking at Bobby. The look Bobby gave was of utter disgust. "I can't fucking believe this. Dude, you're a fag?" Seeing Todd's face flush with anger, again, I immediately grabbed his wrist to hold him back. I looked at Bobby and said, "Bobby, I know you don't know me, but if you don't want to fight, I wouldn't use that word anymore. Next time, I won't stop him." He looked at me and realized that everything that just happened and was just said was very true. Calming a little, Todd said, "Of everyone, I thought you would be more understanding, Bobby. We've known each other for over ten years." Bobby made no comment. He picked his bag up off the ground, threw it over his shoulder and walked away. Todd watched him for a minute then turned to the seven that were left. "Any more of you want to leave, now's the time." No one made a move. "How long have you known?" asked the husky guy in the back, which I would later be introduced to as Howard. Howie for short. "I just realized it this year," Todd said, his voice almost a whisper." "Like, before the season started?" Howie continued. "Yeah," Todd affirmed. "You showered with us. Did you look at anything?" Another guy hit Howie on his chest and called his name. "What? I wanna know?" "I looked, but don't worry, Howie. You're not my type." There was silence for a minute and, again, Howie broke it with a question. "Why not?" Everyone looked at him, including Todd and smiled. "Cause, you're dick ain't big enough." The group laughed and after a minute, so did Howie. "Actually, cause by that time, I had already been dating Blake," he said, turning to look at me. "Guys, this is Blake Moore. Blake, this is the guys." Starting from the left, he introduced them. "Ryan Baldwin, Ari Shields, Jessie Price, Derik Spalding, Howie Patterson, Ray Stewart and Jason Joiner." I shook each of their hands as they were introduced to me. After the introductions were made, I also introduced Kelly. "Hi, guys," she said and gave a small wave. "Anybody else wanna come out?" All the guys looked at each other then shook their head. "Good," she said. "Now, any of you single?" She smiled big, trying to break the tension. All the boys laughed, except Howie. "I am," he said, raising a finger. The guys laughed a little harder and Kelly said, "Good to know," then threw him a wink. I looked at Todd and said, "We've gotta go. We're probably already gonna be late for math." "Cool. See you at home later," he said and then leaned in for a quick kiss. The guys groaned a little, but when Todd turned to look, they all smiled. "Good to meet you guys," I said. "You too," they called in their own time. As Kelly walked pasted the group, she said, "Bye, Howie." He was so flustered, he couldn't speak, but he blushed a red that could challenge a fire truck. Again, everyone laughed. When we were almost out of ear shot, we heard Howie ask if they thought she was serious. Again, more laughter. I looked at her and she shrugged her shoulders, and said, "It's a possibility." To be continued . . . Emails welcomed at dsc110875@hotmail.com Don't forget to check out the Quarterback Yahoo group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Quarterback_with_the_Emerald_Eyes/