Disclaimer: This story is a work of pure fiction and is not intended to imply that Hayden Christensen is gay.

If it is illegal for you to be reading this story in your city, state or country, or you are offended by homosexual activity, then leave now.

The story's time frame is about March/April 2002, the time when Hayden was in the west-end starring in "This is Our Youth". Remember, this is fiction, nothing more.

Constructive feedback, good or bad, is much appreciated. I am a novice writer, so I need to hear this shit. E-mail me, leave messages on the forum. I will respond.

IS THIS OUR YOUTH?

Chapter 3

"Hold on, Hayden. Let me get some more coffee, and I'll be right back."

Hayden took his seat. He thought that Joe would have to wait ages to be served. The crowd of customers had gotten worse within the five minutes in which they had their surreal meeting. But Joe managed to be back before Hayden could even bite into his sandwich.

"That was amazingly quick. I had to wait ten minutes to be served in this place."

"It helps if you know the owner and all his employees," explained Joe. He was feeling quite smug about his connections. "If you want, I can give a good word to the man on top."

"I don't think that will be necessary." Hayden peered down his coffee cup, and stirred in some sugar. He wanted to ask Joe something, but he knew that if the answer didn't match what he needed to hear, then it would all blow up in his face. "What the hell," he thought to himself. He had been taking emotional risks all day. Rightly noted, they where just small ones, but a big one could pay off nicely. "Um, Joe..."

"Yeah?" asked Joe.

"You have a girlfriend, right?" Shit. Hayden's mind had decided to take the long route without him checking.

"What makes you think that I would have a girlfriend?"

"Oh, I don't know, a fine looking guy I you...your bound to be attached to some chick."

The conversation was getting uncomfortable. One thing that Joe couldn't stand had to be talking about "girlfriends", especially to new people that came into his life. He preferred to be totally honest with them. Start with all the right information. That way, if they didn't agree with who he is, then he could discard them before he got too attached.

"Hayden, I'm gay.... And I thought you knew that already." Joe's temper was rising, but he kept it under control. He didn't like being led on. "What is this all about anyway? Why would a straight guy, a "soon to be famous" actor no less, have any business wanting to strike a conversation with an absolute stranger."

"What if that said actor didn't know if he was straight?"

This had gotten to Joe. His temper was now in retreat, and understanding was now the overriding emotion. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gotten so defensive like that." Joe had no idea what to say. He had no one to talk to when he was figuring out if he was straight or gay. He couldn't talk to Tom about it. At the time, they were only thirteen, and it would have probably freaked him out. But now, someone needed his help, and he had to respond. "Um..how long have you felt this way?"

"About three years now. Up until I was seventeen I dated girls. Then things changed. Or I became aware that I wasn't as into them as I thought I was. My parents were surprised when they found out I dumped my last girlfriend. They thought we would be together for a while."

"Have you tried anything to find out? Read stuff about it, or meeting people?"

Hayden felt apprehensive about answering that question, but Joe's reassuring manner encouraged him to continue. "I have tried it with a guy. Once..last year, back in Canada. He was a member of the crew on a film I did, but still wasn't sure."

This one glimpse of Hayden and the other guy flashed in Joe's mind. It was only a flash, but it was enough. "Um..did you like it?" Joe wished he hadn't said that. He thought it would make Hayden uncomfortable. I didn't.

"Yeah..I liked it a lot. But like I said, I was still unsure. I think it's because it was sex, and not much more."

"People are different. I haven't done anything with anyone, but I know for certain I'm gay." Joe didn't mind giving up that information. It was a truth that meant that he was totally inexperienced, but also meant that he would be sharing a lot of "first times" with someone he cared for. He had maturity on his side, something that a lot of teenagers lacked when they started early sexually.

This had shocked Hayden. "But you're twenty."

"Nineteen. And there is plenty of time for all that. So what if I haven't lost my virginity, or even kissed a girl or a guy!"

"You haven't kissed anyone?"

"No," Joe said, flatly. "And there is plenty of time to do all that."

Hayden still couldn't believe a word Joe was saying. "I don't believe a word you're saying. You must have had opportunities to experiment. You're gorgeous."

"Ah.Thanks," replied Joe, becoming increasingly red. Hayden found it adorable just how fast Joe blushed. "By the way, you make sex sound frivolous. It's not."

"No, I totally agree. But part of growing up, part of being a teenager even, is exploring your sexuality."

"But I figured it out without being a slave to my hormones. I just have to find someone right to share these experiences with." Joe smiled. These were his principles and there was no way he was going to bend them. There was nothing else to say about this topic.

They continued to talk for hours; nothing personal, or about their past, but mostly about their interests and their views on world events. The kind of conversations you have on great first-dates. Time flew by so fast, but they were engrossed in their own world; one in which they only concentrated on each other. It was only when Hayden had a quick glimpse out the window and saw how dark it was getting did he realize that he had to get going.

"Its 6:30. I was supposed to be at the Garrick Theatre half an hour ago. I have to rehearse with Jake's understudy. Mr. Gyllenhaal is very sickly after getting caught out in your city's fine weather."

"So I take it you don't like London."

"Not at all, the climate is much like my own home town... Listen, I want to see you again. Tonight, maybe," Hayden was getting slightly nervous. "I've got some tickets for tonight's evening show. The company gives a number of tickets to the actors each week to give to who ever... I know you've seen it already. But maybe you can get some of your friends to come..."

"That sounds great."

They left the caf^Â soon after. Before rushing back to the Garrick Theatre, Hayden handed Joe four VIP tickets that could be used on any day during the current run. They agreed to meet up after the performance. Hayden wanted to meet more of Joe's friends, the people he chose to surround himself with. They had to be worthwhile if Joe liked them. They walked down Charing Cross Road, where Hayden hopped on a Double Decker bus. He didn't need to. The Theatre was only two stops away.

There wasn't a need for them to say good-bye. They were going to see each other in an hour.

Shit. Joe had only an hour to gather three of his troops. Tom would still be close by. Joe took out his mobile.

"Rogue 1, come in rogue 1."

"Rogue 1 coming in loud and clear."

One of their games, it never gets old for them.

"Plan A is a go. I repeat Plan A is a go."

"Not fully understanding, Bravo Leader. Please clarify."

"Operation `VIP TICKETS' has been green lighted. I am requesting two other troops to complete the mission."

"Understood. Await contact for confirmation," Tom replied before disconnecting the call.

And with that, Joe knew that Tom would get it all sorted and on time. He also knew that Tom would choose the right people for the occasion. Oh sure, any combination of Joe and Tom's close friends would do for the night, but when army talk was used between them, military precision was demanded. Balance was a necessity.

Joe had only been sitting on the steps of St Martin-in-the- fields Church for a minute when the first confirmation came through.

"Asian Hawk awaiting orders." It was Kelly.

"Asian Hawk, Rendezvous with squadron at the P.G. in 15 minutes."

"So that's the Photographer's Gallery in 15 minutes, got it. You're lucky I just finished work." She broke off Army Talk. Joe was a bit disappointed. He wanted to play AT all the way through the conversation. But he couldn't blame her; she was still new to it.

"Just get here as soon as possible."

"Don't worry, over, and out."

Joe met Kelly in Camberwell Art College the year before while they were both studying for their Art Foundation. They were both specialising in photography and film, and so they spent quite a lot of time talking while working on their projects in the darkroom or on location. They became very close in a very short amount of time. When Joe introduced her to the other important people in his life, she became important to them too. They all would joke that if Joe was a girl, he would be Kelly. They share a lot of the same qualities, and even look similar. Kelly's half Asian and English, and is amazingly beautiful. Tom had a thing for her, but didn't do anything about it due to his problems with the real love-of-his-life, Emma. But that's another story.

Not long after, the second confirmation came. It was from Tom.

"So what's going on?" There was no need for AT. Joe wanted to here it straight.

"I got Aidan to come. We'll meet you and Kelly outside the Garrick Theatre before the play starts."

"Aidan. Good choice."

"Like there was any doubt."

"Okay. Bye."

There was nothing left to do for Joe but go to the Photographer's Gallery and wait for Kelly to show up.

For those of you who haven't been to the Photographer's Gallery in London, It's actually two galleries separated by a small theatre between them. One of them has a caf^Â in it. Kelly and Joe hang out there quite often. There is something about caf^Âs that Joe really loves, but he can never pinpoint what it was. This place combined that interest and his love for photographic art.

Joe had taken a place on the long beach wood table and took a gulp of his fruit smoothie. He had way too much caffeine in his system. It was making him very anxious. He kept feeling that something wrong was going to happen. The smoothie calmed him down considerably. It wasn't long till he saw that unmistakeable scarlet red long coat coming through the door. He waved for Kelly to come over and join him, but she held up her hand, indicating that she was going to the bar first. She came back with a triple shot espresso. Joe gave her a worrying glance.

"Don't give me that look. I've had a very long and tiring day, and you expect me to stay awake through a play without a bit of caffeine...your nuts if you think that." She took off her coat and sat down, placing the coat on the seat next to her. She then leaned over to give Joe a kiss on the lips. "So dear, how are you?"

"I met someone," Joe replied.

"And I bet Tom had to give you the push."

"Only a little nudge. I did most of it by myself. I'm quite proud of that fact."

"So who is this man that stole my boyfriend's heart? And should I be worried?" Kelly joked, giving Joe a light slap on the cheek.

"Yes you should. I like him very much. He's in the play we're going to see."

"Wait! Tom said we're going to watch `This Is Our Youth'. It's not Jake Gyllenhaal is it?"

"No."

"Oh, is it Anna Paquin? Have you been hiding something from me Joe? `Cause if you have, then let me tell you now, your wasting your time. I'm right in front of you, babe!"

"Your hilarious...no really, you are!" Joe gave her a deadly serious look.

"Alright..I'll stop with the fag hag routine." Kelly's expression became genuine. "You know I love you for you, and not for me. I thought that now would be the perfect time to resume that old joke of ours; now that you've moved on and forgotten about."

"Don't say his name!" Joe interrupted. "I almost did forget but.."

"I'm sorry. I should have known better than to have brought it up."

Joe looked back up to meet her eyes, and smiled. "Don't worry about it. We better get going. The play is going to start in thirty minutes, and we still got to meet up with Tom and Aidan."

They left the gallery soon after Kelly finished her espresso. She was so revved up on the way to the theatre that she kept jumping on Joe's back for a piggy back ride, a favour that Joe was happy to reciprocate.

They had to wait ten minutes in the cold for Tom to appear on the horizon. When he got closer they realised that Aidan wasn't with him. Instead, Tom seemed to be talking to someone slightly behind him. That someone remained out of view till Tom was a few feet away. Joe and Kelly were stunned. No way in hell did they expect that person to show up.

"And how is everyone tonight?" asked the newcomer.

"Not too bad, Alex... You?" replied Joe, trying desperately to hide his anxiety.

"All's good."

Kelly leaned over to whisper in Joe's ear. "Stay in control. Don't worry; Tom and I are here for you. Just relax."

With that in his mind, he looked to Tom for support. Tom gave it with a nod. All Joe could do was smile and continue with tonight's plans.

"Okay, let's do this, shall we?"

TO BE CONTINUED