Crush

Drew met Chay at the door. Andrew was sporting the casual look of a white short-sleeve shirt and dark blue jeans. His feet were bare, and his short blond hair was wet and slightly spiked with either mousse or gel. Chay never used anything besides a herbal moisturizer on his own dark hair. Today he’d wash and dried it, then pulled it back into a simple, long-ponytail. The end hung down to the rise of his backside. Chay was relieved he’d chosen to keep it simple with a striped, blue, red and white shirt, faded jeans, and comfortable leather boots.



Drew’s eyes dipped over Chay’s figure and landed on the flowers in his hand. “Are those for me?” he asked, jokingly.



Chay blushed. “I just thought it would be rude to come to your home empty-handed.”



Drew stepped back from the door to allow Chay to enter. “Not at all, but my mom will love them though. You can go into the kitchen. I’ll be with you in a minute.”



Chay nodded, and headed in the direction Drew pointed as the young man disappeared in the opposite direction. What Chay saw in the kitchen gave him pause. The smells were heavenly and Chay could see a variety of foods laid out on the island in the middle of the kitchen. There was even a basket of homemade biscuits, freshly tossed salad, chicken fried steak (as promised) could be seen keeping warm under a glass dish, and a bowl of rice and corn. Still, with all the food, there was only two place settings. Chay frowned; sure he hadn’t misheard the part about Mrs. Robinson joining them.



Just then, Drew walked into the kitchen carrying a glass vase half-full with water. He set the vase on the counter, accepted the flowers from Chay, and started to arrange them in the vase. Chay stood by him, nervously waiting for him to finish with the flowers before he asked, “Drew, your mother is here, isn’t she?”



Drew gave Chay a grin that was supposed to be sheepish, but instead looked downright mischievous. “I’m sorry Chay. My mother really wanted to be here. She cooked all this food and everything, but at the last minute she got called away to the hospital. She’s a nurse, and on Friday nights the ER is hectic.



“I see.” Chay made a move toward the door. “Tell your mother I said thanks for the invite, but I really think I should—“



Drew moved to block the door with his hands outspread.” No, wait! Don’t leave! I’m not lying about my mother being called in to work. You could stay and help me eat some of this food. My mother will be glad all her efforts haven\'t gone to waste. She’ll also be wanting to know if you liked her cooking.” Drew dropped his hands. “Will you stay? Just a half hour?”



Chay glanced over Drew’s shoulder and got the feeling that he really should be leaving. But his conscience reared its ugly head, and told him he was projecting his own guiltily feelings onto Drew. Drew hadn’t done more than admire his clothes and play class clown since he met him.



Chay had seen Drew a couple of times with his arm tucked around a cheerleader or two. Drew wasn’t into guys. He was just being silly. His stomach took the moment to make itself known, by issuing a low growl.



Finally he nodded. “Yeah, okay.”

**



Surprisingly, the conversation was good. Drew was knowledgeable in a lot of things concerning Native American culture. All he needed was for Chay to clear up a few myths. He also talked Chay into spilling the beans about his life back on the reservation.Chay talked about a variety of things, but never touched the subject of why he’d moved away. He was relieved when Drew didn’t ask the dreaded question. They both ate until their stomachs were straining. Then Chay asked Drew to pass on his compliments and thanks to the chef before he offered to help wash the dishes.



Drew showed Chay how to program the dishwasher, which was a device Chay had never owned before. Chay had to reprogram the washer three times before he got it right and in the end they were on their knees soaping up warm water with sponges.



Drew flicked suds at Chay and laughed as the dark-haired man made a mock savage glare. Chay tossed his sponge, hitting Drew square in the face. Laughter bubbled up from deep in Chay’s gut, making him shake with the force of it. He ignored the water soaking into his pants leg, as he clutched at his sides.



Drew was suddenly looming over him. “You think that’s funny?” Drew grumbled.



Chay laughed harder. “Yeah.”



“Oh, when are you going to stop laughing?”



“S-Soon.”



Drew rolled his eyes but he was smiling. His hand reached behind Chay’s back and sifted through his hair, playfully looping the long black tresses around his fingers. Chay sat up and went to scoot back to put room between him, but the tug on his hair warned him that that was impossible. His laughter died immediately.



“Drew, what—.”



“You have such beautiful hair.” Gazing at the dark strands as he gently sifted through them with his fingers, Drew said, “I’ve heard that long hair in some tribes are a symbol of their religious beliefs, proof of their vitality and longevity in life, and that it is only to be cut while in mourning to symbolize starting over. Is this true?”



Chay had to swallow twice before he could answer. His voice sounded odd to his own ears, muffled as it was by the thundering of his heart. “For some tribes.” It was true for the Cherokee. He had only cut his hair once in his life and that was after the death of his mother. Chay had toyed with the idea of cutting it after the move to Brighton. He wasn’t vain about his hair but the tending of it was so ritualistic to him that he’d be lost without it. It had taken him some time to adjust to a shorter cut after his mother died. He’d missed the heavy weight of it cloaking his back and keeping his head warm in winter.



With a wistful sigh, Drew released his hair, and stood before extending his hand to help Chay up. “Sorry about getting all weird on you. How about that sundae I promised?”



Chay accepted the offered hand, not surprised at all when Drew nearly lifted him to his feet without any effort on his part. The young man was a powerhouse compared to him. As soon as he was on his feet, Chay quickly slipped his hand out of Drew’s and darted a look toward the door. “I should get going.”



“Oh, no, you’re not getting away that easy. Ice cream first, and with that Drew scooped up a handful of bubbles still burbling out of the dishwasher, enveloped Chay in a headlock and smashed the bubbles in his face. Chay howled with indignation and then laughter.



And just that fast the tension dissipated.



Fifteen minutes later found them in front of the Drew’s flat screen curled on the couch with huge bowls of creamy goodness. Drew had run up to his room to grab a DVD, reasoning that there wasn’t anything good on TV to watch so they matter as well check out a movie while they ate dessert.



Chay didn’t see it as a big deal. He’d already spent over an hour at Drew’s, the company was good and, truth be told, he wasn’t in any rush to get back to his empty house.



Tucking into his ice cream with a contented smile, Chay licked the hot fudge from his spoon while Drew set up the DVD player and TV.



When that was done, Drew joined him on the couch with his own big bowl. He gave Chay a suspicious look as he scooped off a dollop of whipped cream.



Chay barely managed to hold his laughter at bay. “What?”



“You haven’t been dipping into my sundae have you?” he asked playfully.



Chay rolled his eyes. “As if I would.”



“Hmmm,” was all Drew said as he began to eat.



Turning his attention to the opening credits of the movie, Chay asked. “What movie is this?”



“The Boy Next Door.”



“Never heard of it,” Chay said, with a shake of his head.



“It’s one of my favorites.” Drew popped the cherry in his mouth.



Chay scrunched up his nose. “That’s against the Ice Cream Rules.”



“What?” Drew asked with much laughter.



“Eating the cherry first. You’re supposed to eat the cherry last.”



“Who told you that? You’re always supposed to eat the cherry right away. That’s why it’s on top.”



“No! It’s the other way around. You’re supposed to leave it until everything else is gone.”



Dialogue from the movie interrupted their friendly argument. They both dropped what they were talking about and looked at the screen.



Twenty minutes in, Chay had confirmed his horrifying suspicion that this was a gay flick. Shirtless chests, double entendres, and side-ways glances tipped him off, but it was the passionate kiss shared by the two main characters the story evolved around that sealed it in Chay’s mind.



With dread Chay realized he was watching this go on with a high school student. His student. Mortified, Chay started flipping through his mental repertoire for a good excuse to get the hell out of dodge.



Darting a glance at Drew, he saw that the seventeen year old appeared completely engrossed in the movie. He didn’t seem affected at all when the two cowboys fell on a bed and started making out.



Suddenly, Drew looked sideways and caught Chay staring. He smiled then and Chay’s heart turned over in his chest. “What’s the matter Chay? You bothered with gay romance?” Drew frowned thoughtfully at him. “You’re not homophobic, are you?”



“NO!” Okay, he’d said that too suddenly and about ten decibels too loud. “I mean, I don’t have a problem with guys…uh, being with guys. I just.” Chay averted his gaze from a shot of one of the hunk’s sculpted backside as they rolled around on the mattress. “I just. This would be highly inappropriate material to watch with one of my students, even if they were a guy and a girl.”



“Really. I don’t think it’s too bad. There’s no frontal nudity. Nothing you wouldn’t see in a thousand chick flicks.” Drew sifted a hand through his blond strands. “This is my favorite movie. I have to hide it though, because mom wouldn’t understand if she found it. No one would.” Slanting a look at Chay from the corner of his eyes Drew finished, “ ‘Cept maybe you.”



“Why me?” Chay flinched away from his own question, realizing he didn’t want the answer to that.



Drew’s smile was pure charm, innocence and sin rolled into one. “Because you’re gay too, right?”



Chay could only blink. What had given him away? He was tempted to jump up and run to the bathroom to check his appearance. Instead he only eased to the edge of the couch. “I have to go.” The men on TV were breathing heavy, groaning and panting into each other’s mouths. Chay studiously looked away. “T-thank you for dinner and dessert.”



Drew reached for him so swiftly that he had Chay’s wrist before the older man could get off the couch. “Wait, I’m sorry if I upset you. I just wanted to share this with someone. I just wanted someone to know the truth about me and I thought you were safe.”



His words held a question that struck at Chay’s heart. Are you safe? Had this boy really confided his sexual orientation in Chay because he thought he was the only one who could understand? Perhaps that was all there was to the movie—just a roundabout way for Drew to confess to someone.



Still firmly in the closet, Chay understood how hard it could be; being afraid to tell someone and risk rejection was a huge burden to bear. He’d been rejected and it hurt like hell. The rejection from his grandparents still tore at his soul. He wasn’t about to subject Drew to the same fate.



Chay took a deep breath and settled back into the couch. “I am safe,” he said.