I've mentioned this in a few emails but not sure if I've said it in a header yet but I apologize for lack of editing. I don't have a lot of time to write during the week so these are 95% written on Sundays. Due to this I just don't have enough time to put the story down and come back with a good eye while reading over them. Sorry for that and sorry for the fact that they aren't as good as they could possibly could be but I feel if I spent too much time editing I'd still be on chapter 1 haha!
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Chapter 4
Michelle -
Michelle sat in the library attempting to read her world history book. She loved the library. Every time she came it was as if she was stepping into her own private study. It felt that way partly because no one else seemed to use it and also partly because the smell of the place allowed her to focus like nothing else. Michelle had always been a scholar at heart, knowledge being something she craved, everything seemed to interest her. As a result, her mind always seemed to be abuzz. Yet, the library stilled that, focused her. Today was different though. Today she couldn't seem to focus on anything but what had happened the previous weekend.
It had been almost five days since recruitment, and consequently, five days since she had heard from Josh. She knew he was fine, at least physically, because he had been showing up to first period. He hadn't so much as looked at her though. But could she blame him? She had lured him there, hadn't she? Michelle had tried to tell herself that it was out of her control, that she had no idea what would happen, but she knew that wasn't true. She knew something was going to happen and even that that something was going to involve Josh.
"Do you think boys ever truly fall in love?" Jenn asked, pulling Michelle from her thoughts.
"Where did that come from?"
"I don't know..." Jenn was flipping through some magazine smacking her gum as they waited for the librarian to return. The two were only here to speak with the woman about Michelle's tutoring assignment. It was usual at this point in the year to be paired with one of the elementary students having trouble with their grammar or multiplication tables. She had been volunteering with the peer tutoring program since she was a sophomore at the behest of her mother. At first she had hated it, there were so many other things she'd have rather been doing after school. But when little Sarah had come to show her that she had made an A+ on her first math test it changed Michelle. She loved that she was able to help kids achieve.
"I've just been talking to Ricky Robins, you know that senior at Central, he's on Jake's team." Jenn continued, never looking up from her magazine as she spoke.
"Well anyway, we've been talking and I just don't know if boys are capable of love. I just question everything that comes out of that boys mouth. Like, he says the sweetest things, but then I wonder 'are you really being sweet or do you just want in my pants?' y'know?"
"Kind of like saying you want someone to come to a party only to beat the shit out of them?" Michelle hadn't really forgiven any of her friends for what they had done.
"Oh gosh, you're not still on about that are you?" She had slammed the magazine shut now and was looking directly at Michelle.
"I don't know Jenn, I just feel horrible about the whole thing... what we did was wrong." They were speaking in hushed voices even though no one else was in the room.
"Please... Rob barely put a scratch on him. I've never seen him go that easy on someone before! Josh overreacted! We were just seeing if he was any good. It was all in fun Michelle."
"You didn't see him afterwards Jenn. He was pissed, and he had every right to be, but there was something else there too. What Logan and Evan said to him set him off. Plus, their on the football team with him. Can you imagine how they must be treating each other?" Michelle had held all this back since the night of the party and as she talked about it her emotions became more raw.
"Well you aren't going to like what Sam told me Monday then..."
"What?"
"Josh joined Luke Gallows roster."
"So he'll be fighting?"
"Looks that way... and next Friday is the first match. Gallow's team versus team four. He picked up some good recruits this year too. Probably because they came in second last year and Rob and Evan didn't hardly take anyone on Friday." Jenn was speaking as if Michelle cared about such details. The brawls were something she saw as rediculous. She only went because, if Rob or Evan were to be hurt during one of the matches, she would never forgive herself for not being their to help. As stubborn as they both were, she figured they'd probably keep fighting with a broken rib or arm and then refuse to go to the hospital afterwards. Yet she just couldn't believe the news about Josh. He didn't seem like the type to involve himself in such things. He wasn't prideful like Evan or hell bent on being the best like Rob, so why?
"I bet its for revenge honestly. I mean, he was embarassed for getting his ass handed to him;and not only that but he got his ass handed to him without even landing a punch on Rob. He's probably pissed that Rob took pity on him. I would be." Jenn was back reading her magazine again. Her words resonated with Michelle. Could that be it? Was Josh the type? She choked back the fact that she really had no idea who Josh was at all.
"Ms. Heart" The librarian spoke to Michelle from behind the desk, "I just got off the phone with your mother who requested that you be paired with one of her students. He seems to be in her freshman alegbra class and the tutor we had for him had to quit. She just got into a course at the local college for dual enrollement which overlapped with our study hall time."
"That's fine. I've never worked with an older student before so I bet it will be fun!" Michelle's smile was completely fake. She had no interested in working with a freshman student.
"Good, he's actually someone in your grade, Josh Holt. I think he's new? Not sure why he is in Algebra. You'll probably have your work cut out for you." Michelle felt her hand immediately move to her face. She wondered how on earth she seemed to get into such messes, as she pressed her thumb and forefinger to the bridge of her nose, massaging the skin there.
"Something wrong Michelle?"
"Oh no ma'am! She's just been feeling a little off this afternoon." Jenn said, snickering behind Michelle, "Well if thats everything!"
"You'll start monday!" The librarian yelled to them as Michelle felt Jenn pushing her out the door.
"Seriously?" Michelle said, looking at Jenn.
"Well just look at it this way, now you have a chance to fix that guilty conscience of yours!" Jenn said, laughing.
"Great... stuck with a guy who hates me, because of you all I might add, for the rest of the year."
"Well good luck!" Jenn couldn't stop laughing, "let's go shopping to get your mind off of it? Since you're going to be tied up the rest of the year with this for seventh. And I was so excited to hang out every afternoon too!"
Michelle followed Jenn outside to their cars wondering what exactly she would say to Josh on Monday.
Josh-
"Fuck you dude" Josh was staring holes through Logan from across the locker room.
"You'd probably like that too much" Josh couldn't even get angry due to how lame Logan's comeback was. It had been like this all week. Every day before practice, while everyone was suiting up, Logan would come over to dish out some smartass comment. Josh had ignored it up until today.
"Is that the best you can do? God you're a dumbass..." Josh said, lacing up his shoes, amused more than angry at Logan.
"That's not how you get to Josh, Logan" He heard a voice from the locker rooms entrance speak. Everyone turned to see Rob waltz through the door. He was shirtless wearing only a pair of running shorts and tennis shoes. Sweat clung to his smooth skin, his cheeks heated with a red hue, he'd finished his run early. Josh had noticed during practice for the last week that Rob would be running around the track lining the football field.
"You've got to get under his skin if you want to do any damage. He's too smart to be drawn in by idiotic name calling." Josh wasn't sure if he was being called out or if Rob was defending him. The dude was always so fucking complex, making him feel as if he were walking on pins and needles around him. He guessed that was how most felt around Rob which was why they all treated him like royalty.
"Are you always such an arrogant prick?" Josh said, watching Rob take a seat to remove his shoes.
"I think what you meant to say just then was 'thank you Rob for not beating my face in the other night" Rob said, never looking up from unlacing his shoes. The other guys laughed and Josh felt again as if Rob was talking down to him.
"You see Logan? It's more in the way you say things to him than it is what you say. He doesn't like to be talked down to. It's obvious by his reactions."
"Oh fuck you Tilton and your smug ass look. I can't wait till your out there in the real world where nobody gives a god damn about that last name of yours" Luke Gallow said coming to Josh's aid. He gave him a wink as he grinned at Josh. Up until now Luke had let Josh handle himself when it came to the locker room. He must have sensed that Josh was losing his cool. A wave of embarassment flooded over him at the realization, how did Rob seem to do that to him every time?
"Ah Luke how are you? Bein good I see. No violent run in's with any middle schoolers or women I hear. Awesome job keeping that temper of yours in check. Therapy must be doin you some good." Rob's face was nothing but stone with every word he spoke. He looked so sad, as if he were just passing through life and not actively participating, it made Josh feel uneasy. He couldn't pen down whether he dislike Rob or whether he felt sorry for him when he looked that way.
"Tilton I'm this close to kicking your ass right here, right now" Luke was the one getting fired up now.
"Like you did last year at victors night? We all saw how good you did back then." Rob said, cutting Luke off, Josh could tell that despite his expression Rob was enjoying this. He liked all eyes being on him.
"Well thats changing this year" Josh said, having regained his composure, smiling at Rob.
"Oh?"
"Alright boys! Asses out on the field!" They heard the coach yell from his office doorway. "Tilton, I told you you could use the showers... not harass my players, got it?"
"Yes sir" Rob said, smiling at the coach. Josh wondered if that smile was ever used because Rob was genuinely happy.
"You've got to be shitting me..." He said, looking down at the girl staring up at him.
"Well hello to you too" Michelle said
"Well this is already shaping up to be a hell of a week" Josh said, slumping into the seat next to her, "Is it you and your amigos mission to make my life miserable? Actually, don't tell me! I bet even my mom being hired by his mom's company was just some plot to get me here so ya'll could make my life a living hell, right?" It was sarcasm, but it wasn't the first time he'd given the idea some thought.
"How is training going?" She said, fidgeting slightly, she seemed nervous.
"Oh just peachy, the locker room is great being in there with all of Rob's lackies who seem to have it out for me for some strange reason. They think that I think their lord and saviour mister titlon is a twat, which just so happens to be true, but that apparently makes me the bad guy. Even though it was him who kicked my ass in front of the whole damn school and then some. But I've learned that that is pretty routine around here so..." Josh shrugged his shoulders.
"I meant the other training, but I'm sorry to hear all that... I can, I can talk to Rob" Michelle wasn't meeting his eyes.
"No thanks, I don't think I'll be trusting any of ya'll with anything... I try to learn my lessons the first time through. And its going great, can't wait to knock that damn look right off of your guy's faces at victors night." He was trying to keep his tone light and to the point, "so are we going to study? Like, isn't that what I'm here for?"
He felt as if he had cut her off. Looking at her expression he knew this hadn't turned out the way that she had wanted it too. He hated how angry he'd become, but at the same time he felt betrayed. Michelle had been his first friend and somehow he blamed her in a round about way for everything that happened that first day. Everyone was still talking about how he'd got his ass handed too him, how it had been so stupid for him to challenge Rob, how they hoped he played football better than he threw a punch. The talk had gone on and on. Literally the only people that would talk to him were the guys on his roster. He was thankful for them. They may have been a rougher bunch but they had his back.
Training really had been going well despite the tone he'd used with Michelle. He was learning a lot from Luke and the other guys, most of which were Rockshire students, and was even starting to get to a point where he felt comfortable in the ring. He figured he would be ready for his first match Friday. Luke was slowly pushing him into what he knew would be the best shape of his life soon. His academics were suffering though. Rockshire was the toughest thing he'd ever experienced and his grades showed it. He had his first round of tests coming up the next week and he wasn't ready at all. He knew he needed Michelle's help in Algebra and possibly a few other subjects as well. He just wished it could have been someone else, why did it have to be her?
"Let's just start out with what will be on the test for ya'll next week" Michelle said, looking down at a piece of paper with several different problems on it.
"You know whats going to be on the test?"
"My mom is your teacher, so I asked her where she would be stoping for the test, these are the types of problems up to that chapter."
"Your mom is Mrs. Heart?"
"Yes, you're going to need paper and a pencil"
Her whole demeanor changed as they began working through some of the problems. It was as if before she had been a ball of nerves and then suddenly became a natural born teacher. He guessed maybe the teacher mentality was hereditary. She helped him understand each problem that they had gone over as a class the previous week fully and they even had time to learn a few of the newer problems on Michelle's list. It was nice to finally understand, at least somewhat.
They continued meeting throughout the week. It was nice, compared to his football practices and classes. They never really spoke about anything other than the subject at hand but it was still comforting to know that he had pure work to look forward too. As they were finishing up Thursday afternoon Josh began to pack his things away and head to football practice when Michelle looked at him and said, "I'm truly sorry Josh. I really hope you can forgive me."
He looked at her unsuprised by her words, yet, still confused. He believed that Michelle really meant what she was saying. But that didn't mean he could trust her. She was still on of Rob's friends, Rob's girl really, if he wanted to get down to it. Rob's girl... he was disgusted by the fact that the thought still made him slightly jealous, metaphysically of course, but the emotion was still there nonetheless.
"You don't have to say anything... I just wanted you to know." Josh nodded at her words as he silently turned to head out of the library.
"And Josh! I hope you can forgive Rob too... I know it doesn't seem like it but I promise there is more to him then what he lets everyone see." He had stopped to hear what she had to say without turning around.
He made his way across the campus to the football field, where he spied Rob running the track as usual. The strange thing was, he already knew what Michelle had said about him, he knew Rob was more than he seemed. If he was honest with himself, he was fascinated by him just as much as he was frustrated by him. Josh wanted to know why he looked so sad, why he seemed so disinterested in everything, and why no one seemed to notice or rather, pay it any attention. He simply wanted to know him. If only he didn't act like such a little shit. Josh watched him for a little while longer, running with perfect form, graceful and determined. Everything the boy did was perfectly executed effortlessly, as if he had worked his whole life to perfect that one moment that Josh was watching, but to Rob it wasn't Josh watching, the world was watching. Josh knew enough of Rob to know that that was his mentality, all eyes were on him, and he intended to deliver.
Practice was grueling. It was hotter than usual that day and Josh simply seemed to be exhausted. He figured it was the Sunday training that Luke had subjected the team to the day before. The practices were good but they were utterly draining. Somehow though he seemed to make it through them each night, just as he made it through football practice each day. It was getting to the point though that he would zone out, as if his body were on auto-pilot, his mind wandering elsewhere. He couldn't exactly recall what it was he would think about, different things, his homework, his mother, even how his father's family was doing back in Texas. Sometimes though, whatever it was he had thought about, would leave him with a lonely feeling. He'd look up to the stands to see his teammates girlfriends sitting, watching the practice, cheering them all on. He wondered if he'd ever have someone so dedicated to him.
The lonely feeling continued to eat at him. Even as the rest of the field left him alone on the field to shower and head home. His strategy on most days was to spend extra time "stretching" post-practice, which basically meant stalling, till Logan and the other lug heads had head out. No one ever seemed to notice that he was out there, staring up at the sky, wondering why he couldn't be like everyone else. Why didn't he feel anything for the pretty girls who came to watch them play? Why did staring at Rob's chest bounce tightly up and down with each step drive him wild? He just didn't understand. It was odd, he'd never really had these thoughts at his old school, he guessed because he was popular he'd never worried about it. He had had friends, distractions and football but here, alone, he had desires like he'd never had. He wanted to hold someone, wanted to tell them that he was there for them and hear it in return. As he sat, thinking about his predicament, the time slipped away and his usual ten minute stall turned into a half hour one.
"What the hell boy! You napping out there?" He heard the couch yell from across the field snapping him out of his pity party.
"Sorry sir! Was just taking a breather"
"Well get on in here I've got to head out!"
Josh jogged back to the locker room finding it all but abandoned. It was chillingly quiet as he stripped out of his uniform. He smelled, the scent wafting up from his pits was ripe, he knew he needed a shower considering the one request his mother had made before making arrangments to carpool with a friend to work was: please don't bring my car back smelling like a locker room. He chuckled at the thought as he grabbed his towel and head towards the shower room. Considering no one else was around he simply threw the towel over his shoulder and slipped on his flops letting his dick and balls swing freely as he walked. As he approached the archway into the showers he noticed that someone had left one running. He rolled his eyes knowing that the water would probably be freezing having run for a half hour non-stop. But as he rounded the corner his eyes almost pop'd from his head, there was a figure standing under the spray. He was against the wall with his arm bracing him for support. Josh had a perfect view of the guys ass and side view of his equipment. The thing that shocked him though was the fact that whoever it was had their left arm bobing up and down feriously. They were jerking off. Josh immediately ducked behind the corner, unsure of what to do. The whole action took less than a second.
As he sat behind the corner, safely out of the strangers view, he wondered what he should do. He could quietly go back and head home to shower. He could also stroll in and see the reaction of the guy which would be funny as hell. Or, he could take another quick peek, just to see. He opted for the later as he slowly moved to all fours and angled his head with just enough exposed to spy around the corner. It wasn't completely out of view of the guy if he were to turn around but Josh was willing to take that risk.
As he stared, he noticed the golden skin, smooth as silk with nary a flaw on it. The blonde whispy hairs on the strangers legs and arms and his almost buzzed hair of the same color let him know exactly who the figure was. It was Rob, right here in front of his eyes, jerking off in the showers. It was beautiful, he could easily go in and embarass the shit out of the dude. But Josh couldn't move. He was fascinated by the scene, unable to look away, as he felt the cool air hit his puckered hole as he leaned in further to get a better look.
It was better than any porn he'd ever seen, even if he couldn't see Rob's dick, the way his ass cheeks tightly squeezed and back muscles swelled. It was like art, as if god himself had taken pure gold and bronze and crafted Rob from the toes up. Josh felt himself get hard as he continued to watch Rob thrust into the air. He knew he was close because he was beginning to moan. The sound hit Josh's ear and he went rigid. He began to stroke himself as he watched, leaking precum all over the floor beneath him.
Josh's head began to swim as Rob continued to moan louder and louder as he stroked his dick. But Josh nearly came as he spied Rob stand up off of the wall, placing his middle finger from his right hand in his mouth, sucking it in to the knuckle. Slowly he removed it, letting it trail down his chest and around to his ass. He worked it in to the joint easily and began to groan as he bounced on the finger slowly. Josh had to get a better look as he moved his head even further out so he could watch the scene with both eyes. He knew it was stupid, but honestly, he was so fucking hot off the scene unfolding before his eyes that he just didn't give a shit. Even if Rob was his enemy, it didn't change the fact that he'd been jerking off to him since he met the dude. He continued to watch and stroke himself, wishing that he was positioned in a way that would allow him free range of his own hole.
"Fuck! Jo... God Damn... Josh" Rob grunted out as he turned around to let the cum fly toward the drain. Josh came immediately listening to Rob groan out his own name but his heart pounded as their eyes locked on one anothers. Josh didn't know what to do, he knew the pleasure was apparent on his own face, but Rob had yelled his name hadn't he? Hadn't he? Or had Josh made that up? Oh fuck, he might have...
The face Rob made wasn't one of anger, or embarassment or even pleasure. It was one of pure shock. His mouth hanging open just a bit as if wanting to speak but being unable to form words. They simply stared, holding their softening dicks, watching Robs cum circle down the drain.
"Jos..." Rob stared at him as he spoke. He looked like a god, pure and beautiful.
"Fuck! I'm sorry!" Josh was so embarassed. He wanted to crawl into a hole and never see the light of day again. What had he been thinking? Rob would have a field day with this one, or rather, Rob would tell his buddies and they would end up having a field day with it. How would he ever be able to go into the locker room again?
"Hey boys! I'm closing up shop. Time to head home. 5 minutes." Coaches voice resonated off of the walls causing Josh to jump up in a flash as he sprinted away from the showers grabbing a pair of gym shorts from his locker, along with his bag as he head for the door. He thanked god for he and his moms car arrangement as he ran full on to the vehicle.
What the fuck was he going to do? He was pretty sure his shitty life here at Rockshire was about to get a hell of a lot worse...