Twentieth Avenue High

2. It’s Just Cream Soda

“Attention students,” the voice of the front office came over the P.A. system in the school. “All boys interested in joining the tennis team need to attend the meeting today after school in the small gym.”

Julian sat down at an empty lunch table and began eating the burrito he had bought. He pulled out his math homework and began working on it.

“Do you always do your homework at lunch?” Tyler said sitting in down at the table.

“Guess so,” Julian said as he looked at Tyler.

Tyler was smiling.

“That’s responsible of you I guess,” Tyler said still smiling.

“What?” Julian said, “Do I have something on my face?”

Julian suddenly remembered the last time Tyler asked smiled at him that way.

“You’re not going to kiss me again are you?” He pulled back.

“No,” Tyler laughed. “At least not right now.”

Julian stared.

“So anyways,” Tyler said. “Do you wanna come over right after school?”

“Um,” Julian hesitated.

“Unless,” Tyler’s grin faded. “Unless you don’t want to anymore.”

“No,” Julian smiled. “I still wanna spend the night. I just thought I’d go to the tennis meeting first.”

“You’re going to join tennis?” Tyler said, “That’s pretty cool.”

“Yeah,” Julian said. “It probably won’t last long if you want to wait for me.”

“Nah,” Tyler laughed. “You have to drive your own car anyways. Just come over when it’s done.”

“Alright,” Julian said.
***
After school Julian headed for the small gym. Many boys were already there. Most had already played for the team during previous years.

“Hello everyone,” the coach said. “I am Coach Harrison. Let me explain to you exactly how I will select the tennis team. Starting Monday after school we will start practicing. On Wednesday we will begin matches. Winning will determine the rank you will get on the team. There will be cuts based on your skill, your teamwork in doubles, and you wins versus your losses.”

Everyone stared at the coach.

“Anyways,” he continued. “Don’t stress. Just bring your A-game and a racket on Monday and be ready to give it your all. Sound good?”

Everyone nodded.

“Alright,” he said. “Thanks for coming to the meeting. If you could just pick up a sign up sheet on your way out, then we will be golden.”

Julian headed the line of boys leaving the small gym. He grabbed his sign up sheet and went to his car.
***
Julian rang Tyler’s doorbell after arriving on his porch. A few moments later Tyler answered.

“Hey there,” Tyler said after he opened the door.

“Hey,” Julian said walking into the house.

“How’d your tennis meeting go?” Tyler asked following Julian into the living room.

“Good,” Julian said. “I’m going to have to get all of my old Tennis stuff out of storage, but it should be fun.”

“You know,” Tyler smirked. “I’ve always found tennis players to be rather hot.”

Julian swung around to face Tyler. “Are you hitting on me?” Julian asked.

“Maybe,” Tyler smiled. “So would you like the tour?”

“You know it,” Julian said.

“Well the upstairs is where my parents and sister sleep,” Tyler said. “We don’t really need to go up there. And you’ve already been in the kitchen, living room, and back yard.”

Tyler motioned for Julian to follow him.

“Down here is our guest bedroom,” Tyler said. “There is also this bathroom and our game room.”

“Where’s your room?” Julian asked.

Tyler raised his eyebrow and smirked.

“Down here,” he said opening what appeared to be a closet door. “The basement is my room.”

“The whole basement?” Julian asked.

Down the stairs was Tyler’s room. It had its own living area with a couch and television, a pool table and his own bathroom. There was also his bed and room type stuff.

“Wow,” Julian said. “This is the coolest bedroom I’ve ever been in.”

“Yeah,” Tyler grinned. “I have my own living room, a pool table, and of course, my bed.”

Tyler jumped back onto his bed.

“My bed’s pretty comfortable,” Tyler grinned. “You’re welcome to sit down.”

“On your bed?” Julian asked.

“Wherever,” Tyler said. “Yes on my bed.”

Tyler patted the empty area next to him on his king sized bed. Julian sat down.

“So,” Julian said.

“Yeah,” Tyler let out a nervous laugh. “Now that we’re alone we can talk about well you know.”

“Sure,” Julian said turning to Tyler. “It doesn’t bother me that you did that. Even if you were conscious of what you were doing.”

“You sure?” Tyler asked, “I mean. It would be weird to me. But I don’t know. It just felt like a good idea. Even if it wasn’t.”

“Yeah,” Julian sighed. “Don’t worry about it. I don’t think you did anything wrong. Even though you were conscious of it, you were still drunk.”

“Speaking of that,” Tyler grinned. “I believe we agreed that I would get you drunk tonight.”

“I don’t know,” Julian grinned. “I promised my dad I wouldn’t drink until I turned twenty-one.”

“Fine,” Tyler sighed. “I’ll get you something else then.”

Tyler ran upstairs and poured two glasses of cream soda. He brought them back down to his room.

“Here you go,” Tyler said handing one to Julian.

“Didn’t I just say no beer?” Julian said, “Sorry man I can’t drink. I promised.”

“Julian,” Tyler laughed. “Chill. It’s just cream soda. So drink up.”

Julian chugged his cream soda.

“That was refreshing,” Julian smiled. “Thanks a lot man.”

“Sure,” Tyler said. “So what do you want to do?”

“We can play pool,” Julian said. “We can bet on the game.”

“Bet?” Tyler raised his eyebrow, “What kind of bet?”

“I don’t know,” Julian said. “If I win, well I guess I’ll have to think about it.”

“Whatever,” Tyler said as he set up the pool table.

“What do you want if you win?” Julian asked.

“I think we both know what I want,” Tyler grinned looking over Julian’s body. “If that’s alright with you.”

“I’m not going to have sex with you,” Julian said.

“Aw,” Tyler teased. “Why not?”

“Well,” Julian sighed. “I’m still a virgin and I want to lose it to someone that I’m in love with.”

“Okay,” Tyler smiled. “Don’t worry about it then. I’ll just pick something else to want then. Oo! I know what I want.”

“What’s that?” Julian asked.

“If I win,” Tyler said. “You have to go out with me… On a date.”

“Okay,” Julian said. “But you know, had you just asked I might have just said yes.”

Tyler frowned. “Stop raining on my parade,” Tyler said. “Have you figured out what you want yet?”

“Yep,” Julian said. “How about the loser of this game has to pay for the date we go on? Does that sound good?”

“You bet,” Tyler grinned. “You start.”

Julian picked up a pool stick and shot the white ball towards the triangle. The balls scattered all over the table once the white ball made contact. A solid ball shot into the corner pocket.

“Looks like I’m solids,” Julian grinned. “And you’re stripes.”

Tyler grinned and they continued to play.
***
“Eight ball,” Julian said. “Corner pocket.”

Julian took his shot back and shot the eight ball towards the corner pocket. It fell in.

“That’s game,” Julian grinned. “Looks like you get to pay for the date we go on.”

“Guess so,” Tyler said. “Man I am getting tired. Are you ready for bed?”

“Yeah sure,” Julian said. “Where am I sleeping?”

“Well,” Tyler said. “There’s the couch, the floor, or my bed.”

“All excellent choices,” Julian laughed. “Well besides the floor that is. Your couch is a little small. I might fall off if I roll over. So I guess I’m going to have to share a bed with you.”

“Okay,” Tyler said with a half smile. “Just go ahead and get into your pajamas and hop in.”

Tyler took his shirt and pants off and put on a pair of grey pajama pants. Julian took his shirt and shorts off and put on a pair of green pajama pants. Tyler pulled his covers up and tucked himself under them. Julian did the same. The two laid on their sides towards each other.

“If you’re so tired,” Julian said. “Why don’t you just roll over and fall asleep?”

“I don’t know,” Tyler said. “Suddenly I’m not so tired. I’d rather…”

“Rather what?” Julian raised his eyebrow.

“Rather talk to you,” Tyler said. “Or just stare at you.”

“Why?” Julian asked.

“Because you’re hot,” Tyler said. “And because you’re really cool.”

“Oh,” Julian tried to contain his smile. “Do people know that you are into guys?”

“Who says I am?” Tyler laughed.

“Be serious,” Julian said.

“Okay,” Tyler said. “You really wanna know?”

Julian nodded.

“The one time I told people that I was into guys,” Tyler sighed. “It was at my old school. Before I was adopted by the Davis’.”

“Wait,” Julian said. “You’re adopted?”

“I am,” Tyler said. “Before them I was bounced around from foster home to foster home. But then they adopted me and I moved here. At my old school the people who knew told others about it. I was picked on and made fun of. That was when I was a freshman. I’ve had three years here and now I’ve become the main guy at school. If I told others now, they might do what they did before. And I don’t want that. So to answer your question. I haven’t told anyone.”

“If you don’t want people to know,” Julian said. “Then why did you kiss me that night?”

“I was drunk,” Tyler said. “I figured if you were freaked out, I could use that as an excuse. I really didn’t know that you would be okay with it. You were okay with it right?”

“I was,” Julian said. “A little to okay with it. If my dad ever found out that I was gay, he’d send me strait to boot camp where I’d get counseling for the rest of my life.”

“It will be easier when we don’t live with our parents,” Tyler said. “I mean, our own dorm rooms will make the privacy factor much nicer for us… for me at least. And you. Do you think you and I will make it to college?”

“Don’t you have a full ride or something?” Julian asked, “To Harmon State or something?”

“That’s not what I meant,” Tyler said. “I meant you and I, do you think we’ll be together in college?”

“We aren’t even together now,” Julian said.

“We could be,” Tyler said. “If you want to.”

“I’ll let you know,” Julian said.

“When?” Tyler asked.

“After our date,” Julian said. “Show me a good time and I’ll consider doing it with you more.”

“We could do it now,” Tyler laughed. “Just kidding. Maybe some day.”

“We’ll see,” Julian sighed. “We’ll just have to see.”

Tyler moved his hand over to Julian’s side. Julian squirmed and started laughing.

“Are you ticklish?” Tyler said.

Julian shook his head.

“Liar,” Tyler laughed as he began tickling Julian.

Julian attempted to get free but Tyler persisted. Their squirming continued until Tyler was above Julian. Their faces were nearly touching.

“You really are cute,” Tyler said.

“So are you,” Julian said.

They stared into each other’s eyes.

“If you want to kiss me again,” Julian said. “You can.”

Tyler didn’t waste a second. He moved his head down to Julian’s and fit their lips together. This kiss was soft but passionate. Tyler pulled away.

“You’re a good kisser,” Julian grinned.

“Thanks,” Tyler said. “But it’s because of you.”

“Huh?” Julian raised his eyebrows.

“I think,” Tyler said. “I think that you can only be a good kisser if you are kissing someone you really like.”

Julian smiled and leaned in for another kiss.

The two laid there in each other’s arms until they fell asleep.

TO BE CONTINUED…