Best Friends Means you Pull the Trigger

Chapter Eight

(5th draft)


“We went swimming in freezing cold water last night.” Ray was picking up Gerald from work, he had decided than when ever his class schedule allowed it he would give Gerald a ride to and from work. “You are coming to my cousin’s party with me.”

“I’m in work cloths.”

“We have time for you to go home and change.” Gerald pouted.

“I won’t know anyone.”

“You know me and my cousin goes to your school.”

‘Whoopee’ Gerald thought, that was no incentive.

“Please, Gerald?” Ray gave him a pleading look, Gerald didn’t have the heart to say no again.

-

“Why are we going to this stupid party again?” May inspected her nails again.

“Jay is my friend and he invited us.” Michael tried to keep his cool, but he had been hearing about this all day.

May moved towards Michael, she let the spaghetti strap of her shirt fall off her shoulder. Her lips hovered closely to his neck, her words whispered warmly into his ear.

“I can think of several other things, that would be…” she moaned rubbing her breast against his shoulder, “much more fun.”

Now Michael wasn’t dumb and it was still early. He took her by the waist and wasted no time in claiming her lips. His fingers moved over her body and soon her shirt was removed.

May was naked next to Michael her hand running over his flat stomach. He drew her into his arms pulling her tight against him before kissing her forehead.

“We need to get dressed” She looked confused. “Well be late for the party.”

“Ass hole!” She yelled climbing out of the bed and picking her cloths off the floor. “Go to the fucking freaks party alone.” She dressed and left.

Michael sighed still in bed, he thought he should probably go after her, but he didn’t want to.

-

“Hey! Where’s your girl?” Jay greeted him by the door. Michael shrugged; he didn’t know if he should tell the truth or somehow excuse her. “Oh, well. Frank’s in the back”

Michael nodded patting Jay in the back before making his way through the house. This was one of the few parties where truthfully everyone was invited to them. The house was full but almost everyone had gathered in the backyard.

“Wow I didn’t think I’d see you here!” Gerald looked down as his feet and then behind him hoping Jay was talking to Ray, but Ray was still on his phone. When they had arrived they’d both started walking towards the house, but halfway to the front door Ray’s cell had gone off.

“Yeah” Gerald attempted to smile.

“Michael arrived like three seconds ago. I’m sure he will be happy to see you.” Jay was just a good guy; there was no other way to describe him. He liked and accepted everyone. He never understood why so many of his team mates had a problem with Gerald and Michael being friends, sure May’s jealousy fueled it, but he thought they’d be a bit smarter.

Gerald nodded trying to think of a good excuse to leave. He was about to turn around and just make a run for it when he felt an arm over his shoulder.

“See, you also know my cousins boyfriend.” He shook hands with Jay. “Where is Sandy?”

“She is…” Jay looked around, spotting Sandra by the kitchen door. “Right there,” he said pointing at her.

“Happy birthday!” Ray said pulling his cousin into a hug.

“Finally you’re here. Mom and dad would not leave thinking my ‘chaperone’ wasn’t going to arrive.”

“Yeah, I know they just called my cell. Sorry but we had to stop so Gerald could change.” Gerald was standing maybe a step from the front door and tried to hide behind the open door.

“Oh, you have new boyfriend?” Sandra said turning to look for who ever was behind Ray.

“Not a boyfriend, just a friend.” Sandra scowled at the bit of disappointment ringing in Ray’s voice. “He is too young.”

Ray walked to where Gerald was attempting to hide. Sandra broke into a grin when she saw who was being dragged towards her.

“Gerald,” she said. “I’m so happy you came.” Gerald and Sandra had art together she was one of the ‘admirers’ Gerald didn’t know he had. He always seemed too closed up; it made them nervous to approach him.

“You two know each other?” Ray gave Gerald a cocky smile. Gerald attempted to hide behind Ray.

“We have the same art class. Anyone who is into art at my school knows of Gerald. Oh Ray you should see this beautiful picture he made out of flower petals.” Ray continued to smile, but from a cocky smile it turned to a surprised happy smile. He pulled Gerald out from behind him.

“You never told me you were an artist.”

“I’m not.” Gerald’s voice was so quiet that Sandra didn’t even notice he had spoken, and so continued to gush and describe many of Gerald’s pieces.

Out back Michael sat next to Frank and some other guys from the team, a cold beer in his hands.

“This party is pretty good. I don’t see why the girls made such a big deal about coming.”

“Eh.” Frank shrugged, gulping down the last bit of his beer. “They are jealous.”

The party continued with out problems. Michael and Gerald unaware of each other’s presence until near the end of the night.

Few kids where left and they were either helping clean up, or too drunk to drive. Sandra and Kells --her best friend, where cleaning the kitchen. Jay and Michael had large garbage bags and where picking up all the empty cups and other junk from around the house. Gerald and Ray were upstairs cleaning up the bathroom as well as making sure Sandy’s parent’s room was clean.

Ray asked Gerald to run downstairs to get something they could use to scrub some gum of the tile floor in the bathroom. Gerald feeling much more comfortable around Jay, Sandy and Kells, jogged down the stairs with little care.

Michael was coming out of the dining room when he saw Gerald walking into the kitchen. Michael stepped back. He went back out to the backyard and grabbed another beer. He finished it in a single gulp and before he even put down the empty bottle he had a second one in his hand.

By the time Jay came out he had his fourth one in his hand and his third one down to half.

“Hey Dude, slow down there.” Jay took the next beer out of Michael’s hands.

“He’s here.” Michael said a soft slur to his words.

“Yes, but dude don’t you think it’s time you guys made up?” Michael nodded. He felt the liquor reaching his head and his balance falter a bit. “Be cool ok? I don’t want trouble.”

Jay helped Michael back into the house. Inside everything was practically done. In the living room the rest of the cleaning crew was sitting.

Gerald was very tired and he lay down on the couch with his head resting over Ray’s legs. Ray ran his hand over Gerald head giving his scalp a relaxing massage. Gerald’s eyelids slowly grew heavy.

Sandra, Kells and Ray were in one of Sandy’s favorite discussions, boys kissing boys.

“I just don’t see your man kissing someone, sorry Sandy”

“Stop calling me Sandy. Yes he does and I think it is so hot. If you weren’t my cousin I’d ask him to kiss you.”

“Kiss who?” Jay asked having just stepped into the room.

“Ray” Kells said. Jay’s nose scrunched a bit.

“You’d like to see me kiss your cousin?” Michael was leaning against Jay and quietly taking in the scene before him, a tinge of jealousy clouded his already foggy mind.

“No,” Sandra said. “He doesn’t believe me you would kiss a guy for me. I said that if he weren’t my cousin I’d ask you to kiss him.”

“I’ll kiss him,” Michael said, his eyes focused on Gerald. Gerald’s eyes snapped open, he recognized the voice. He looked up just in time to see Michael take Jay’s head into his hands and then bring their lips together. Jay was surprised and stiffened up a bit. They kissed slowly, just lip contact. Michael looked to the side, blue eyes focusing on tired brown. He opened his lips pushing Jay’s head closer to his own.

Jay’s lips danced expertly over his, his tongue gladly taking the invitation to glide into Michael’s mouth.

Gerald was stunned.

Ray could feel Gerald’s discomfort. He recognized the blonde kissing his cousins boyfriend as the boy who seemed to always upset his young friend. He stood up blocking Gerald’s view of the still making out boys.

“Let’s go,” he said pulling Gerald up by his hand. Gerald fell like a paper doll into Ray’s arms. Sandra and Kells were too hypnotized by the show the two jocks were providing to even notice the other two boys.

Gerald in his shocked-half-asleep state stumbled with his own feet falling back onto the couch. From behind them to Michael’s drunken mind it seemed as though Ray had pushed Gerald onto the couch.

“Don’t touch him!” he yelled breaking roughly from the kiss he would never admit to have enjoyed.

Ray turned towards the blonde. “Calm down.” He icily said. “Let’s go,” he repeated taking Gerald’s hand once more. Michael had his eyes set on Gerald. The small boy was stunned still by the intensity of Michael’s eyes. Ray tugged on his arm trying to bring him back to reality.

Michael pushed Ray away from Gerald, standing between them. His mind was quick to create a story. He’d seen it. Ray had yanked Gerald off the couch, demanding they left. When Gerald had declined; the older boy pushed him back onto the couch. This ‘boyfriend’ Gerald had, was jealous of the way they had been looking at each other and once again had tried to force Gerald to leave.

Michael wouldn’t have it. He had not been there to help Gerald the day this idiot had made his face a map of black and blue, but he was here today and he would make it up to Gee.

“Kid you are drunk,” Ray said trying to move around Michael to reach Gerald.

“I won’t let you hurt him again.” Michael growled.

“Hurt him?” the other five in the room asked.

“Ray would never hurt anyone,” Sandra said jumping to her cousin’s defense. Gerald was still trying to figure out what was going on. He had woken up to find Michael and Jay kissing and now here was Michael yelling at Ray about touching him.

Ray shook his head. He offered his hand to Gerald, but before Gerald could take his hand Michael smacked it away.

“Watch it,” Ray warned.

“Michael you’re drunk. I don’t know what you thought you saw, but Ray wasn’t hurting Gerald.” Jay said moving next to the blonde. “Come on, I’ll make you some coffee.” He tried to move Michael towards the kitchen.

Michael turned towards Gerald. “He was the one, that day at the beach. He was the one, right?”

Gerald didn’t know what Michael was talking about.

“I don’t know what you are talking about.” Michael looked around everyone’s eyes were on him.

“Come,” he said, reaching for Gerald’s hands. “We’ll talk in the kitchen.” Ray tried to stop them but Gerald signaled him that it was ok.

Michael paced around the kitchen. He wobbled a bit from time to time, but didn’t stop ‘til he managed to get what he wanted to say right in his head.

“I never should have pushed you, I’m sorry” He stood in front of the stunned teen.

Gerald shrugged, and then moved to sit on a counter. Michael followed him and settled between his knees. He needed to feel Gerald. Michael rested his head against Gerald’s shoulder and fought to keep down the tears he didn’t understand why threaten to fall.

“You don’t have to leave with him.” He turned his face so that his nose was touching Gerald’s neck. “I’m here, I’ll keep you safe.”

Gerald was stiff trying hard not to move, trying to ignore the tickle that Michael’s breathe send down his spine as he talked so close to his sensitive skin.

“You don’t need to keep me safe. I can take care of myself.”

“Why do you allow him to hurt you? Why are you still close to him?”

“He doesn’t hurt me. He has been a very good friend; he is always there for me.”

“So am I” Michael said, wrapping his arms tighter around Gerald.

‘No, you are not,’ Gerald thought, but knew better than to voice. “It’s different. We have grown apart.” Michael tightens his hold even more.

“We are best friends for life.”

“You have other friends” Gerald wondered why it felt as though he was breaking up with Michael, when he would never want to do that. “You’re hurting me.” Michael held on stronger. He never wanted to let go. “Please…” Gerald tried to push him away.

Michael let go. “I won’t let you leave here with him. I know he hurt you, I know it was him not Frank.”

Gerald felt the anger boiling in his stomach. He kept it down, it was better for it to eat away at his insides than to lash out and then have regret flooding through his senses.

“You can’t stop me.” He jumped off the counter.

“Why did you have to lie to me? Why do you protect him?” Nothing made sense to Michael, why would Gerald pull away from him? Why would he go to the person who was hurting him? He’d seen it.

“I’ve never lied to you,” Gerald growled.

“You have time for him, but not for me.”

“He makes time for me, when he says he will be there he is there. Want to know something?” Michael nodded. “I’ve never heard him say “I’ll make it up to you” he has no need for it.”

“Fuck.” Michael turned around, his hands fisting his blond hair. “We are fighting like boyfriends. Gerald, shit why must being your friendship be so complicated?”

“I love you,” Gerald blurted out. He had nothing to loose and Michael had been kissing a boy.

“I love you too” Gerald’s eyes lit up. Never did he imagine Michael would feel the same. “You’re like a brother to me. Brothers fight, but they always make up, at least Sean and me do.”

“Not like that” Gerald said his eyes set on the floor. Had he looked up he would have seen how happy Michaels eyes seemed, instead all he heard were the words.

“That… I’m not like that. I…I…kissed Jay as a joke, I’m cool with you being, but … you can’t.” He gently moved Gerald aside. “I’ve got to go.”

____________


Thank you for reviewing and sorry for the wait. If there are any good news about how long I've taken to update is that I've written up to chp....twentysomething.

I hope to update in less than a year next time. :)