Take Me From This Pain, Kevin's story

“So, you’re all ready for Harvard then?” Jason asked as he and Trent finished another game. This time Trent had trounced him, though he had a feeling Jason deliberately threw the game.

“As ready as I’ll ever be.”

“You don’t sound happy about it,” Kevin piped in from his place on the couch.

“I am.”

“But?”

Trust the small blonde to see right through him, Trent thought grimly. He frowned as he helped Jason put the game away. He didn’t want to put a damper on their last night for a while, but he couldn’t help feeling melancholy that he was leaving three of his best friends behind and going off to college.

“But you, Jay and Joey won’t be there,” he sighed. “It’s like closeting myself up all over again.”

“It’s not forever and we can always visit each other a lot,” Jason said. “Speaking of Joey, when’s he getting here?”

“Yeah, I’m starved.”

“For such a little guy, you sure eat a lot,” Trent teased. “He should be off work and on his way over by now.”

“I’m hoping I’m still growing,” Kevin grinned. “Anyway, you’re not going to be far from my brother and Matt, so at least you’ll have them to hang with.”

“I got the feeling Matt didn’t really like me when we met.”

“You were after Brian then,” Jason smiled. “I wouldn’t have been thrilled with you either.”

“I backed off as soon as I found out they were together.”

“Matt likes you,” Kevin assured him. “If he didn’t you wouldn’t have to rely on a feeling.”

“His bullying days are behind him, Kev,” Jason said with a warning glance.

“I guess.”

“Kev.”

“All right,” the small blonde huffed. “I know they are. It’s just taken me a long time to really come to terms with it.”

“Anyway,” Jason grinned again. “Matt will probably be looking for another jock-type friend since Ryan’s coming to Connecticut for college.”

“Who’s Ryan?”

“Matt’s best friend,” Kevin shrugged. “I didn’t like him either, but Brian tells me he’s been really good to him.”

“Does he know Matt and Brian are dating?”

“That’s a good question,” Jason mused as a knock sounded at the door and he went over to answer it. “I’m not even sure he knows Matt’s gay.”

“And they’re best friends?”

“That’s what they tell us,” Kevin nodded.

“Well, if he doesn’t know, they aren’t as close as they think they are.”

“Just because you’ve got such a cool and understanding best friend, doesn’t mean that everybody does,” Joey smirked as he plopped down next to Trent. “Who are we talking about?”

“Matt and his best friend Ryan,” the brunette grinned at him. “These two aren’t sure Ryan knows Matt’s seeing Brian.”

“Oh, unless he’s completely clueless, he HAS to know,” Joey said.

“How do you figure?”

“When they were here, Matt never stopped looking at Brian like he was some sort of valuable, but breakable, treasure. It’s all in the eyes. Just before the kid announced to you that Matt was his boyfriend, I already figured it.”

“You did?”

“Like I said, it’s all in the eyes.

Trent thought about that for a minute. He hadn’t really paid Matt any attention when he was meeting him and Brian for the first time, focusing only on the small blonde who looked so much like Kevin. But Joey could be right. He was better at reading people than Trent was.


“Well, at any rate,” he turned back to his best friend. “These two also think I should try to become friends with Matt since Ryan’s coming here and we’ll both be missing our football buddies.”

“Not a bad idea,” Joey grinned. “As long as I’m not being replaced.”

“Like that could ever happen,” Trent snorted.

-------------------------------------------------

“So, I was hoping I could talk to you,” Joey said pulling Jason aside while Kevin and Trent were up at the counter debating pizza toppings.

“Sure, what’s up?”

“I was wondering if you were going to keep ‘seeing’ Cindy when school starts.”

That was an odd question, and one Jason hadn’t been prepared for. He regarded the football player warily as he marshaled his thoughts.

“I guess that’s up to her.”

Joey took on a frustrated look for a second and looked over his shoulder. The other two were still weighing the benefits of pepperoni versus sausage, so he figured he still had some time.

“Actually, I was hoping to play that part myself,” he said to Jason. “For real.”

“Joey, I don’t know . . .”

“Look, I really like her,” Joey said rubbing his short crew cut. “I just want to ask her out and if she says no, no harm, no foul. Okay?”

Jason smiled for a second then dropped it, as he didn’t want the other boy to think he was making fun of him. But he was amused that Joey thought he needed his permission to ask Cindy out.

“Like I said, it’s up to her. Why don’t you ask her what she thinks about it when she gets here?”

“Really?” Joey smiled. “Thanks, Jay!”

“What do you guys think of a large half-pepperoni half-sausage pie for us and a small veggie lover’s pizza for the girls,” Kevin asked as he joined them.

“Great!” Joey exclaimed walking over to the counter. “I’ll go help Trent order.”

“Okay,” Kevin murmured then turned back to his boyfriend. “What was that about?”

“Nothing major,” Jason smiled. “If Cindy says yes, she’s going to upgrade her boyfriend from me to a football player.”

“Ah,” the small blonde smiled then frowned. “Wait. What about Marly?”

“Well, she was never the one Tanya was after anyway,” Jason pointed out. “But if you’re worried, you can still ‘date’ her.”

“No, he can’t,” Trent interrupted as he and Joey came back to the table. “Randy already asked her out this morning.”

“Nice of her to tell ME that,” Kevin looked annoyed.

Jason smiled at him and was secretly throwing a party inside. This meant they’d both be free of the public displays of affection they had to contend with last year to keep Tanya from torturing their friends.

“She’s probably going to tell you tonight,” Joey shrugged. “You’re not mad or anything, are you?”

“No,” Kevin smiled. “I’m actually relieved I don’t have to keep playing the attentive boyfriend anymore.”

“Me too,” Jason playfully frowned.

“Oh, were you worried Marly was going to steal your boy away from you?” Joey looked scandalized. “She would NEVER!”

“Damn right, she’d never!” Jason whooped. “This is a one-man boy we’re talking about here.”

“If you don’t stop calling me the girl, I’m sleeping in my own bed tonight!” Kevin seethed.

“Aw, don’t be pouty,” Joey teased. “Jaysey Waysey was just kidding around.”

“And YOU!” Kevin turned on him. “You still have another year with me before you get to escape to college. I’d advise against making me angry.” He suddenly assumed a devious expression. “You really wouldn’t like to deal with me when I’m angry.”

“Why? Are you the Incredible Hulk?”

“No, but he does turn green from time to time,” Jason smiled.

“Only when you make me eat McDonald’s,” Kevin huffed. “I don’t know what they use in their hamburgers, but it’s not beef. I’d swear to it.”

“It is so,” Trent argued. “They couldn’t put 100 Beef on the wrappers if it wasn’t.”

“Oh, like they’d be the first company to lie about their products,” Kevin rolled his eyes. “Just like Martha Stewart is the first celebrity to use insider trading.”

“Martha’s innocent!” Joey cried in mock outrage. “How DARE you, sir!” He took a paper napkin out of the holder on the table and hit across Kevin’s cheek. “Pistols at dawn, blondie. And I expect your second to furnish them.”

“Bring water pistols,” Jason wrote down on another napkin. “Gotcha!”

“Yep, playing around as usual,” Cindy laughed as she and Marly approached the table. “What started it this time?”

“Kevin’s girl is two-timing him!” Joey replied. “That’s what started it.”

“I was going to tell you tonight!” Marly exclaimed as her face reddened. “Who told you?”

“Trent!” Kevin replied with a smirk.

“Hey, you can’t get mad at me on our last night together!”

“Oh, yes I can!” Marly screeched but she couldn’t quite hide her smile.

Marly began to lightly hit the tall jock with her purse as he attempted to hide behind Kevin for protection.

“Hey!” Kevin giggled. “You’re leaving me for a football player?”

“As a matter of fact she is,” Randy grinned as he sidled up to Marly. “She told me you were only protecting her from Tanya anyway. Why? Want to fight me for her?”

“Nah,” Kevin grinned.

“Yeah, he’s already taken,” Jason grinned.

Cindy looked closely at the both of them for a minute then shrieked.

“No WAY! I knew you were both gay, but with EACH OTHER? You’re stepbrothers!”

“No, they aren’t!” Trent laughed. “Kevin’s been on the run from his real stepfather. Jason was his friend in California.”

“Is that true?” Marly asked Kevin.

“Yeah,” he smiled awkwardly.

Jason sighed then smiled. They had to come out at some point, didn’t they? And who better to than their friends.

“And that guy you said was your cousin?” Cindy prompted.

“Was my real brother, Brian,” Kevin explained. “He was over 18 and could legally leave. I wasn’t.”

“So Jason and you?” Randy asked.

“Yeah,” Joey said defensively. “That a problem?”

“No, no!” Randy put his hands up in a placating gesture. “Not at all. In fact, it’s about time you came out.”

“Huh?” both Kevin and Jason said at the same time.

“If you care about each other, you shouldn’t have to hide it,” Randy shrugged. “Especially from your friends.”

Kevin and Jason exchanged looks then smiled at their table of friends. It looked like they would have all the support they needed right here. Kevin still felt bad for Trent, though. No matter how accepting everyone was, he would be too afraid to come out because of his family, and that was really sad.