Bobby came over later. I wanted to get him alone in my room, but Aunt Janice had cornered him, /they were deep into a discussion about a science fiction author. I sat around impatiently while they talked. I kept getting up and going into the kitchen. I’d look over at Bobby and give him a disgusted look. He didn’t even notice.
“I think you’d better go with Mark now,” my aunt said as I returned to the living room. “He’s getting upset that you’re talking with this old woman.” Suddenly, I felt bad. I realized just how selfish I was. They were having a pleasant conversation and all I wanted to do was get Bobby alone and make out.
“No, really. It’s all right. I don’t mind.” I sat down and tried to understand what they were talking about. I just didn’t get into science fiction. I have seen all the Star War movies and enjoyed them. But they were talking about books I’d never heard of. If I was going to try and keep Bobby interested, I realized I was going to have to read more.
I fell asleep briefly on the couch when the doorbell rang. It startled me. Bobby giggled when he saw me almost fall off the couch. I walked over and opened it. Richard was standing with a shy look.
“Hey, Richard,” I smiled.
“Have I come at a bad time?” he asked. I started laughing.
“You have no idea how happy I am to see you.” I grabbed his arm and pulled him into the house. At least with him here, Bobby and my aunt would finally end their conversation. Bobby looked over and gave me a puzzled look. I know he was wondering why Richard was here again.
I introduced him to my aunt and then led him up to my bedroom. We had no sooner sat down when Bobby came walking into the room. He had an angry look on his face. It was cute. I think he was jealous of Richard.
We sat and talked for a while. Bobby was uncomfortable at first but then seemed to quickly enjoy Richard‘s company. They began playing a video game. For the second time tonight, I felt that I was being shunned. I closed my eyes and could hear them screaming as they played the game. It was my turn now to feel jealous. Bobby was having too good a time with Richard.
I felt the bed sink and opened my eyes to see Bobby smiling at me.
“You all right? He asked. I looked over and saw Richard sitting at my desk watching us.
“Yes. Just tired I guess.” Bobby looked at me and frowned. By now he could read me like a book. He knew that I was upset because we had not been able to spend any time together. Besides, I wanted to do something. We hadn’t been together for four nights.
Richard got up and walked over and sat down on the bed with us.
“What are we going to do about Scott?” he asked. “That’s why I came over tonight. It seems like the posters you guys put up around school didn’t work. He’s more popular now than ever.”
“I know,” I said. “He’s like some hero. Everyone thinks he’s the son of a gangster.”
“We’re going to have to do something to him before he does something to us,” Richard suggested. “But what?”
“Let’s kidnap him and take him out to the lake and drown him,” I said.
“They’d just arrest us for polluting the water,” laughed Richard.
“I have an idea,” Bobby said. I watched as an evil grin crept across his face.
“What?” Richard asked.
“Aren’t you in his sixth period computer science class?” he asked me.
“Yeah,” I said.
“What station does he sit at?” he asked.
“27,” I smiled. I knew what he was thinking.
“I don’t get it.” Richard seemed puzzled. “What does that have to do with doing something to him?”
Bobby spent the next few minutes explaining how he could monitor his activity on his computer. He told him how he was a library aide and could easily have access to the main computer which would allow him to see what he was doing.
“You can do that?” Richard seemed shocked.
“All schools have a main computer that allows them to watch what each computer in the building is accessing on the internet,” he explained.
Richard’s face began to pale. “Oh, no. I was looking at some pictures in the library yesterday. I found a really neat site.”
“I know,” Bobby laughed. “The librarian was furious when she got a call from the central office telling her about it. They really got on her for not monitoring students better.”
“Jesus. I didn’t know,” Richard sounded very worried. “Does she know it was me?”
“No. She couldn’t remember who was sitting there,” he reassured him. “But don’t do it again. She’ll catch you the next time.”
“I thought only the president was watching what people were doing,” he laughed.
“Dude. You’re being watched everywhere,” Bobby grinned “Mark even has his room wired with a camera. You’re being taped as we speak.”
“Really?” He got up and began looking around the room for the camera. Bobby and I started rolling around on the bed laughing.
“He’s messing with you, Richard,” I laughed. He started blushing and then sat back down.
“So what’s your plan?” he asked Bobby.
“Can’t really say,” he responded. “I’m going to monitor his computer and see what he does. I’m hoping I can catch him doing something.”
“This is unbelievable,” he said in awe. “I gotta be more careful.”
“Yeah.” I laughed. “You’ll have to watch your porn on your computer at home.”
“I can’t. My parents have all sorts of blocks on my computer. I can’t even do some of my homework assignments because it blocks out almost everything,” he frowned.
“Watch it on Mark’s,” Bobby giggled. “He’s always looking at porn.”
“Yeah, right. Like you don’t do it all the time too,” Richard started laughing as Bobby blushed.
“Not me,” Bobby giggled again. “I'm an innocent boy."
“Yeah, right.” I leaned over and pulled Bobby down on the bed and started wrestling with him. I got on top of him and held him down. “Admit it. Tell us you do it.” We both began laughing.
“Never!” Bobby screamed as he tried to get away from me.
“Grab his legs, Richard.” He leaned over and held Bobby’s legs down. Bobby began thrashing around on the bed, laughing hysterically.
“Hey!” he squealed. “He grabbed me!”
I looked down and saw Bobby grinning. I mouthed the words, ‘Let’s get him.’ Bobby nodded. I jumped up and turned around and pulled Richard down. He started screaming and tried to get away. I sat on top of him while Bobby went around behind me and sat on his legs. I dug my hands in his side and started tickling him.
“Let me up!” he screamed. I looked down and he was smiling. He seemed to be enjoying our little wrestling match.
“Ow!” he shouted. "That hurts.” I turned around and saw Bobby grabbing Richard through his shorts. I was beginning to feel that this game may have gone too far. I didn’t want Richard to think that Bobby and I were trying to force him into doing something.
We soon found out that Richard was willing to do something with us. I was willing, but I wasn't sure that Bobby was. When I looked at him, he smiled and nodded his head. For the next thirty minutes, we made a new best friend.
"That was fun.” He looked at us and grinned.
“Yeah,” Bobby and I said in unison.
“Guess we’re really friends now,” he smiled.
“Yeah, I said. Friends with benefits." We all lay back and started laughing.
Richard rolled over and stared at me and Bobby. I could tell he wanted to ask us something but didn’t know how.
“Um. I kinda thought you guys were a couple,” he said shyly.
“We are.” I was surprised when Bobby responded.
“It didn’t bother you doing what we did?” He seemed genuinely interested.
“We’re together, but we don’t own each other.” I looked over at Bobby. This was the first time he had tried to explain our relationship.
“We really care about each other, but we’re only sixteen,” he explained. “We both feel we’re too young to be tied down. Maybe someday we’ll commit to a relationship with each other, but right now we’re best friends.” He looked over at me. I could tell he was worried about my reaction. I nodded my approval and smiled. He reached over and pulled me into a hug.
“I hope I find someday what you guys have got,” Richard said.
“You will,” Bobby assured him. “A guy as hot as you won’t be single long.”
“You think I’m hot?” he asked in amazement.
“Yeah!” Bobby and I said at the same time
“Anytime you want to do this again, just say so. This was fun.” He rose and said he had to go home. I walked him to the door and watched him walk away. I then returned to my bedroom.
“You all right with what happened?” I’d wanted to ask that question since we’d had sex with Richard. I knew what he told Richard, but I wasn’t sure he believed it himself.
“Like I told him, we know how we feel about each other. I love you, but we are too young to get involved in a deep relationship. We’ll only end up with all kinds of hang-ups and soon we’ll hate each other.” He stared into my eyes looking for understanding.
“How did you get so smart?” I said as I kissed him on his nose.
“Good gene pool,” he laughed. He leaned in and we kissed. It was gentle, but it spoke exactly how we felt about each other.
“Did you just say you love me?” I smiled, realizing what he had said.
“Yes.” He kissed me again.
“Me too,” I replied as I returned his kiss.
The next day at school went by as usual. Scott would glare at me every time he walked in the classroom. He was being careful not to say too much to me because Dr. Johnson seemed to be following him around and watching his actions.
My mother had told me that Dr. Johnson and her husband had come into the restaurant the other night and she told my mother that she was looking for a reason to put Scott out of school. She was tired of dealing with his bullying of other students. Bobby and I were not the only ones he was harassing.
Something interesting happened at lunch. The usual gang was there. We were in a heated discussion about who had the best music video when Randall walked up to the table. He seemed nervous. He asked if we minded if he could join us. I think every eye in the cafeteria was on him when he took a seat. The star basketball player was sitting at the nerd table. You could hear a buzzing of activity going on throughout the cafeteria.
“Thanks Mark,” Randall looked at me and smiled. “I usually eat alone in the gym. I thought I’d join you guys today.”
“No problem, Randall,” I said. “But aren’t you afraid people will talk about you?” I was confused by the fact he decided to eat with us.
“Do you really think I care what these people say?” he said angrily. “They’re going to talk about you no matter what you do. I don’t have time for that.”
I introduced him to everyone at the table. Casper was tongue-tied. He sounded as bad as Jim stuttering. He was completely awe-struck. I’d heard him and Richard talking about the upcoming basketball season. Randall was a hero to him. He couldn’t believe he was sitting with us.
I noticed that Randall kept making eye contact with Richard. They had this little thing going. I don’t know if anyone else noticed it, but I did. It seemed that Randall was directing most of his conversation at Richard.
Randall talked about having trouble in his geometry class and Kristi volunteered to tutor him after school. I even told him I’d help, even though math isn’t my best subject. He seemed to be really appreciative. He’d been worried that he might have trouble being eligible to play. We assured him he’d have no problems with Kristi, Bobby and me helping him.
Scott walked by and was going to bump into me, but Randall gave him a warning look. Randall is a really great guy, but his size is intimidating. He also has a cold stare which sent chills through my body even though it wasn’t even directed at me. It seemed to work with Scott, because he walked away and left the cafeteria without saying a word.
When the bell rang I said goodbye to Bobby and then headed to the gym with Randall. He put his arm around my shoulder as we walked. I don’t think I’d ever received so many stares from people in my life. Randall towered over me with a protective arm around me. I guess it was his way of telling people to leave me alone.
When we got to the locker room, Randall took the locker next to mine. Again, everyone stared at us. I started to head to the door, but he asked me to wait. He seemed nervous about something.
“Um, Mark,” he hesitated. “What can you tell me about Richard?” I wasn’t expecting him to ask me that.
“What do you want to know?” I asked. I knew what he was trying to find out, but I really didn’t think it was my place to say anything.
“Is he, you know, gay?” he stammered.
“I really can’t say, Randal,” I said. “No more than I would tell him if you were. But why don’t you ask him yourself.”
“I don’t know,” he said dejectedly. “It’s just I’ve had the biggest crush on him since last year. When I saw him eating with you today, I figured it’d be my chance to talk to him.”
“Richard’s a good guy,” I assured him. “Talk to him, you won’t be disappointed. That’s all I’m going to say.” Randall looked down at me and grinned.
“Gotcha,” he smiled and winked. “Let’s get to the gym before coach makes us do extra laps for being late.” He put his arm around me, and we headed for the door.
Class went by without any problems. Scott came up behind me a few times and said some things, but he always did it when Randall was on the other side of the court. I also noticed that a few other guys began to treat me differently. They actually talked to me. I guess being friends with one of the school’s top athletes put me higher up on the social scale.
Scott ignored me during sixth period. I looked over at him a few times, but he seemed to be busy typing at his computer. He must not have wanted anyone to see what he was doing because he was sitting very close to his screen, as if he was trying to block others from reading what he was doing. I was hoping he was looking at porn, and a warning would go off and he’d be caught.
On the way to my locker after school, Richard came running up to me.
“Mark, you’re not going to believe this!” he said excitedly.
“What?” I asked.
“Randall asked me out this weekend!” He was almost dancing in the hallways. “I’m going out with Randall Thompson!”
“Dude, that is so great.” I looked at him and returned the wide smile he was giving me. “Where are you going?”
“He said something about going to the movies,” he giggled. “I don’t remember. After he said, ‘You want to go out with me,’ I forgot anything else he said.”
“I gotta go.” He turned to leave. “I got a date with Randall Thompson!” I laughed as I watched him trot down the hall.
Bobby was waiting for me when I arrived at my locker. He had a wide grin on his face. This was the second person in the last few minutes that seemed exceptionally happy. I hoped his news was as good as Richard’s.
“We’ve got him,” he said happily.
“Who?” I asked.
“Scott,” he laughed. “You won’t believe what I found on his computer last period!”