I'm back! Read this unless bla bla. And now - complete silence please, for:
The Cherry Trees
by Attemptatinger
"Yeah, what the fuck is that?" Jeremy yelled, standing up. "That's mine, isn't it?" "Yours?" Archie asked, bewildered. "What, you mean.. you?" "Yeah, have you got a problem with that?" Jeremy stared at Archie, who shook his head. "Not you too, man," Danny sighed. "Fuck." "Yeah, that's what I thought," Jay piped up. "You stole Jeremy's picture? But why?" Neil frowned. "Pictures, Neil. Plural. 'Cause I assume you took the others as well, Jay?" Jay nodded slightly. He looked like a caged animal searching for a way out. "You're not getting away before you explain," Jeremy said, crossing his arms. Danny covered his face in his hands. "Fuck, this is too much. Why do you all have to be queer? I don't get it." Nobody answered, of course. Danny didn't expect a reply. Apart from being genuinely puzzled he was stating his own manhood. "I just.. I just don't want all this, so I just.. took them," Jay mumbled, cryptically. Jeremy smiled, but it wasn't a pleasant smile. "Is that supposed to mean you think I won't be gay if you remove my pictures?" His tone was patronizing, something Jay picked up immediately. He blushed fiercely. "I guess.. I don't know." "You hadn't thought about it." "No." Jay swallowed. "I'm sorry." Neil smiled at Tommy, but in stead of sharing Neil's amusement Tommy looked worried. Neil bent over and whispered in his ear: "What's wrong?" "Don't you see? Jay is obviously not taking all this well. He doesn't seem to be able to deal with it." Tommy shook his head. Neil frowned. Now the absurdity of it all didn't seem as funny to him. "You're right," he said. Jeremy was grabbing Jay's bag when Neil turned around. He was obviously trying to retrieve the rest of the pictures. Jay didn't resist. "Jay, I think we need to talk," Neil said. Jay shook his head. "Nothing to talk about." He wouldn't look Neil in the eyes. "I think there is." Neil got up from his chair. "Why don't you come over today? We'll talk then - we've attracted too much attention to do it here." Jay nodded. He wanted Neil to be the leader he had always been, so he was going to do what Neil said. He usually did.
"Jay?" Sarah asked. "Oh, he's a hottie you know. Sorry Tommy, but a girl has to move on. I still think you're sexy as hell." She sipped her coffee, a habit she had acquired from her father. Tommy blushed, but smiled. He didn't say anything, but he was obviously pleased that Sarah was falling out of love with him. If she was. "Don't tease Tommy, Sarah," Neil smiled. "That's no way to talk to your brother's boyfriend." "Oh, didn't know there were rules for talking to brothers' boyfriends. So when is he coming over?" "Any time. You won't be here." "Yeah, I will. I know him too. He's just a year over us," she indicated herself and Tommy. "I've known him as long as you have. He stole my bunny when I was 7, remember? Why are you looking so smug? I know you guys made him do it. I'm still mad at you." Tommy smiled. "You made him do that, Neil? You're so evil!" "Yeah," Neil replied, subdued. "Hey," Tommy whispered. He looked into Neil's eyes and kissed the older boy. "Not any longer." Neil caressed Tommy's blonde head. He got the fuzzy feeling in his stomach again, big time. "Cute," Sarah said, a bit sharply. "But not the best way to start things off with Jay. He's here." She got up and went to the door to let Jay in. "Oh, hi Sarah," he said. Then he went into the living room with Sarah behind him. She licked her lips, meaning she liked what she saw. Jay was wearing a T-shirt and shorts. "Stop that, Sarah," Neil said, noticing her blush with considerable pleasure. Jay just looked at her strangely. "So, what did you want to talk about?" Jay said in an off-hand tone. "Jay, don't you think there's plenty to talk about?" "No." Jay shrugged. "I said I was okay with.. all of it." "Yeah, but you're obviously not, that's the problem. Look, this isn't an interrogation or anything like that. If you want, Sarah can leave so we won't be so many." Sarah narrowed her eyes furiously, but Jay shook his head. "No, that's okay." He looked at Neil for the first time. "At least she's normal." "Uh, no, far from it," Neil smiled, but Jay didn't laugh. Sarah sipped her coffee. "Jay, are you gay?" "What?! No, of course not!" He looked at her angrily. "Are you afraid we will think you are?" Neil rolled his eyes at Sarah's homemade psychology, but Jay seemed to take her question seriously. He looked down at his hands. "No," he finally said, unconvincingly. Sarah smiled. "Sure?" "Well, maybe some of the guys from the team. I don't know." "Did they say anything?" Jay hesitated. Then he cleared his throat. "Just.. a little. They know I.. I.." "You look up to Neil?" "Well, kind of. I do. I did. I do.." He sighed, confused. "They said I must be his boy. Your boy." He looked at Neil. "But you're not, are you?" Sarah smiled. "We all know you're a ladies man, Jay." "I'm not." He blushed. "You are. The way you look at the girls you have to be!" "I don't.. I'm not.. I never looked at you." He blushed deeper. Neil, who was sitting next to Tommy on the couch just listening, frowned. Could it be..? He looked at Tommy, who smiled knowingly and nodded slightly. Jay was in love with Sarah. "I'm not saying you did," Sarah said. "But then - what about this morning?" "What - no - I'm, no." He shut up. Tommy giggled. "You can do better than that, can't you?" he asked Jay. Jay looked at him and smiled despite himself. Then he became serious. "You know, my father says gays are sick. He says it's unnatural. Nature's mistake." Neil sighed. "I don't think he's right. I know my father isn't always right" - but damn close, unfortunately - "so why should yours be?" Jay frowned but said nothing. "You be the judge," Tommy said. "Give us a chance - a fair chance - and then decide if we're sick." "I don't know, guys. It does seem kind of sick to me. I mean, two guys. That's gross. It's - yuck. Gross." "No," Sarah said shaking her head. "Only in your head." Jay looked skeptically at her. "I think Neil and Tommy are good for each other. That's not gross. Give them a chance. Give us all a chance, will you?" Jay sniffed. "I don't know. I'll try. I'm a bit.. confused, okay?" "Okay," Neil said. "But if you do have a problem, take it out on me, okay? Leave Jeremy alone." "Why?" "I can take it." Jay frowned confused. "But Jeremy can take anything. I mean.." "I'm not so sure, Jay. Just.. don't mess with him, okay?" Jay shrugged. "Okay, if you say so."
"Well, that went well," Sarah said, looking regretfully at her empty mug. "Yeah," Neil replied slightly surprised. His respect for Sarah had grown. "Lucky he likes you." "Crazy about you more likely," Tommy interjected, smiling. "Yeah, I noticed," Sarah said. "I'm thinking about asking him out. What do you think?" "Why not. At least he's normal," Neil remarked bitterly. Tommy took his hand. "Come on Neil, you don't agree with him, do you?" "No. I just get so angry! Who does his father think he is? Passing judgement over others. He doesn't know what he's talking about." "I'll ask him out and soften him up," Sarah said. "You just want him for his body." Sarah didn't deny it. "But he's sweet as well." "Yeah, real sweet." Neil smiled, still angry. Tommy seemed far away. "What's wrong, baby?" Neil asked. Tommy smiled apologetically. "I was just thinking how much easier your life would be if I wasn't in it." Neil drew him close. "Nonsense. I'm happy with you. I wasn't before." "I know it's silly," Tommy mumbled, "but your life is changing so fast, and mine isn't really. I feel kind of bad about that." "Forget it," Neil whispered in his ear. "My life needed to change." He kissed Tommy soundly. The blond boy's arms locked round Neil's neck. Neil became aware of Sarah at the table, leafing through a magazine. "Hey, do you mind?" "Don't worry about me," she replied without looking up. "I stopped listening when you called him baby. I'm still processing that one." Neil forgave her, because her comment made Tommy giggle, and Neil enjoyed hearing that so much. Unfortunately, that made him kiss Tommy again. And as always, disaster was just waiting to strike. When Neil's parents walked through the door Neil's tongue was tickling Tommy's tonsils. Neil's mother stopped dead and then walked up the stairs, leaving her husband behind. Neil's father shook his head. "Not the best move, Neily boy. Why aren't you at Tommy's doing that?" He patted the boys on their backs to soften up his words. "Because.. long story," Neil said, his voice shaking. "Dad.. do you think she's stopped loving me?" "No." He smiled a little. "Never. She'll always love you. You're her son. Her first born. Give her time, okay? Is there any more coffee?" "But it's already been.." "I know, but be patient. Rose is a good woman, I said that before. I have faith in her. She'll come around. Although today didn't help." He looked sternly at the boys over his glasses. "I think you should go to Tommy's when you need to do what I'm not too old to know boys do." Neil blushed and looked at Sarah. She was smiling cheekily at him. "Don't know what you mean," Neil mumbled, but Sarah just laughed. Neil shook his head and grabbed Tommy's hand. "Let's go." "Yeah." Tommy giggled, even more embarrassed than Neil.
Of course, disaster is a strong word. Sometimes what seems like a disaster is not. It can be a blessing in disguise. At other times, it is every bit the disaster it seems. There was a knock on the door. Neil was getting ready for bed and wasn't wearing any clothes, so he got under the blanket before saying "come in." His mother entered. She looked old and tired. Neil could hardly bring himself to look at her, because he knew it was his fault she looked like that. Rose Richardson sat down on the bed. She reached out and caressed Neil's cheek. "How are you feeling, sweetheart?" Neil was so happy he could cry. She hadn't spoken to him for such a long time. "I'm okay. How are you?" "I've been better." She sighed. "Norman has been telling me I'm being stupid. I guess he's right. Now he tells me you don't think I love you any more. Neil, I couldn't bear to hear that. I love you very, very much." "I love you too, mom," Neil said. His voice broke. Mrs. Richardson drew her son close. She just held him while he cried. She cried too. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you, Neil. I.. I'll be okay with.. it. I just need a little more time. But I love you more than ever, my boy." Neil didn't reply. He was overcome by a great sense of relief. He was sure it would all be okay now. That was the effect his mother had always had on him, ever since he was a little kid. "I'm sorry I've disappointed you, mom," he sniffed. "I've disappointed myself, Neil. You haven't." He kissed him on the forehead. "I don't think we should talk about it any more right now. You need to sleep." "Yeah." Neil smiled weakly. "I'm sorry you had to see me and Tommy.. in the kitchen today." She cleared her throat. "No, don't say that. I saw clearly that you love him. That makes it easier, somehow. And he is a nice boy. I said so even when you were kids and you teased him." Neil sighed. "Yeah, you were right. Well, good night." "Good night, honey."
Chapter 15:
Well, Neil slept soundly after that. So did Tommy, even if he missed Neil. Others, however, did not sleep well. Sleep doesn't come easy if you can't live with the status quo but don't know how to change it. "How are you this morning?" Neil asked cheerfully, but Jeremy didn't answer. He looked exhausted, but he was smiling as always. "Is something wrong?" Tommy asked. He was at Neil's side, yearning to take his hand, but he didn't. There was no need to be that obvious, even if all the people around them probably knew they were a couple. "No, no." Jeremy shook his head. Neil looked skeptical. "Okay," Jeremy whispered, looking round to see if anyone could overhear. "My father hit me again last night." There was something very frightening about the way he said it. He wasn't crying or frowning or anything like that. He was smiling. A shiver ran down Neil's spine. "You can't stay with them anymore," Neil said. "Isn't there somewhere you can go?" "Like where? We have no family. Besides, my mother needs me there." He shrugged. "I'll be fine. Just don't pat me on the back today." "How bad is it?" Neil lifted Jeremy's shirt. Jeremy was blue, black yellow and everything in between in a band the width of a hand across his back. "Oh my God! What did he do?" "He pushed me into a chair. Do you mind? It's chilly." He pushed down his shirt. "Come on, we have class now. See you later, Tommy." On their way to class Neil bumped into Brad Johnson. He growled at Neil. "Don't you ever get enough?" Neil said exasperated. "Just stay away from me, queer boy," Johnson sneered and turned around to talk to his friends - the few there were. Jeremy looked at Neil and lifted his eyebrows. Neil shrugged. "Maybe he did get enough." "Do you think he is getting civil?" They laughed all the way to class.
That's it for now. No cliffhanger. I think it's unfair to keep you hanging as long as I have this time, and I don't know when I'll be back, so... I have an exam in mid December. If I have time I'll update the story before then, but I can't promise. As always, comments are more than welcome at Acol@groenjord.dk Don't be shy just because I am!