Kissing Practice - Part 4
Enjoy - please help out nifty with a contribution if you can. This story is about a budding mm relationship - proceed if you want.
Saturday Night - The Strand
The 4 senior boys walked through the entry way, each sporting the white wrist band decorated with cat faces signifying that they were under 21 and had paid the cover charge. In order to get into the other side, they'd have to be wearing colored wrist band. The color changed nightly over there. On this side, the band was always white, albeit with a different decoration on it. The underage side was Cloud 9 (hence the white wrist bands). The adult side was called Prism.
Even though it was only a little before 8:00, Cloud 9 was fairly crowded. Many of the students who hung out had curfews ranging from 10:00 to midnight. Aaron found the four of them a long six-person table with bench seats that was empty and sat down as Andrew offered to buy a picture of pop for the group. He came back moments later with a pitcher and some glasses.
No sooner had Ian poured himself some pop, then a couple of girls wandered over to the table, both fellow seniors. Jen Caleb was in his homeroom and Calculus class. Tina Rey was in his English class.
"Hey Ian," Jen greeted him. Jen was about Keith's height. She was average in size, not model thin, but certainly not robust. Jen and Ian sat next to each other in both classes and enjoyed chatting back and forth, a habit that had gotten both of them in trouble a time or two. Jen had shoulder length sandy brown hair, with light brown eyes to match. Typical of her, she was wearing a Huskers T-shirt and a pair of cut of jeans. She gave off a very farm girl air, which she was, having lived in rural Nebraska until she moved here to White Sands Beach after 6th grade. They'd actually had been in the same math classed every year, having both been in the accelerated program.
"Hi Jen," Keith butted in with a greeting. "Ian's not the only one here." The grin on his face told that he wasn't bothered by the omission of greeting. He had a strong suspicion that Jen had the hots for his friend. Jen and Tina often ate with Keith and Ian's Lunch group. She always managed to sit next to him. The two of them would jabber at each other the whole time. Of course, Tina usually ended up next to him, now that he thought about it. He realized that the two of them often bantered back and forth, just as much as his friend and Jen.
As soon as Keith thought of Tina, he looked at her. She blushed slightly, and with a small smile said, "Hey Keith." Tina was the more subdued of the pair. Tina was in many way's Jen's compliment. Jen was energetic, Tina was calm. Jen was a farm girl/tom boy, Tina was a book worm. Jen had light colored hair and was a bit buxom, Tina was petite and dark haired. Jen was light complected from here Norwegian heritage. Tina had an almost olive Mediterranean cast to her skin.
"Oh, hi Keith ... Arron ... Andrew," Jen greeted belatedly. "Sorry, but Tina and I saw you walking in and we had to get the gritty details of last night."
"You know about me and Lisa?" Ian asked with a slight groan.
"More like you and Karen," Tina offered. Tina sat down next to Keith, as Jen pushed in next to Ian.
"Hello," Andrew waved on the other side of the table. "There's room over here!"
Jen looked up and simply said, "No, we're fine," already turning her head back to Ian. "Did you really tell Karen to ... F off?" She said the last part in a near whisper.
True to form, Ian blushed and answered sheepishly, "umm ... yeah."
"Nice one," Jen affirmed.
Just then, the DJ started up a fast, upbeat tune. Jen grabbed Ian's arm and simply commanded, "Let's dance."
Ian didn't resist.
Tina, still looking at Keith, said simply, "Shall we?"
Keith answered by sliding off the bench and leading her by the hand to the dance floor.
"Hey, what about us?" Aaron called out.
Jen turned back. "There's plenty of girls on the dance floor, feel free to come out."
For the next hour, the boys danced out on the floor. Jen and Tina danced close to Ian and Keith, usually right in front of them. The obvious signal that these two boys were claimed. Aaron and Andrew roamed around, joining one group or another. When the music slowed, the group would take a break and grab some pop or water to drink, making small talk about school or sports or the latest TV show.
As it approached 10:00, and the music turned slow again, Jen stopped Ian from leaving the dance floor. "This is one of my favorite songs. Let's dance." She grabbed his hand and moved in close, resting her head on his shoulders while they slowly swayed to the music.
Ian noticed that Tina had kept Keith on the floor as well. As the music quieted, their motions slowed and the words stopped, Ian's mind began to take in what was happening. He realized he was really enjoying himself. This was totally different from the previous night. Hanging with Jen now was like math class. He felt he could be himself and so could she. He felt comfortable with her.
He looked up and saw Keith slow dancing with Tina. An odd feeling shot through him. It took him a moment to figure it out - it was the tinges of worry. Keith had a slight smile on his face. He looked content and happy dancing with Tina. The thought that went through Ian's mind was that if Keith started dating Tina, their time together would be drastically reduced.
Ian never gave it a thought that Keith might be thinking the same thing.
As the song was about to end, Ian felt Jen raise her head off his shoulder. She was staring at something by the entrance. Before he could turn his head to see what had caught her eye, she turned her face to his ... and kissed him.
It wasn't just a simple kiss either. The hand that had just been holding him around his lower back raised up to the back of his head and pulled him into her. Her mouth opened and her tongue sought out his. Ian gave into the kiss. Several seconds later, she drew back slightly and whispered into his ear, "Let's go somewhere a little more private." She said it a little breathily.
Whether it was the words or the way she said it, Ian's blood instantly traveled south.
Jen did not fail to notice. With a small, almost embarrassed laugh, she whispered, "whoa fella - I just want to talk ... I guess the rumors aren't true."
As the words sank in, Ian realized what 'rumors' she was talking about and felt his blood reverse course, this time causing his other head to blush and heat up.
Jen just laughed again and pulled him towards the exit. As they approached, Ian saw what (or rather who) had caught Jen's attention: Lisa and Karen. He hastened out the door after Jen recognizing that if looks could kill, he'd be six feet under right then.
The night air had turned crisp, but not unpleasant. The sky was clear and the air was still. The night was filled with the tranquil rhythm of the waves crashing on the beach. They walked down the strand outside the Strand until they found a semi-secluded bench on which to sit.
They sat quietly for a time enjoying the night sounds. This is what Ian liked about Jen. It was comfortable and there were no expectations.
Until she asked the question.
"Do you want to go out?" She said it casually, like the answer didn't matter.
Ian wasn't fooled. The problem was he instantly knew his answer. He just wasn't sure how to say it. He loved talking to Jen. Aside from Keith, there was no one with whom he liked to hang out with. Lunch and math would be so lame without her. But ... he didn't think of her romantically. Actually, that thought churned his stomach.
Why did she have to ruin it? was the thought that went through his head.
He realized he had to answer her ... And then realized his delay had already answered the question. He turned to her, expecting disappointment or a spurned look ... but instead ... she was smiling!
She could see his confusion on his. "You dork - I have no desire to go out with you! That'd be like dating my brother."
"Then why'd you ask?"
"Well..." she suddenly became hesitant. With a deep breath, she continued. "First, I had to know for sure..."
"Know what?"
"Well ..." she began again, "If maybe you did like me in that way. I didn't think you did, but then you gave me that not so subtle poke."
Ian blushed again ... damn he hated that he did that all the time. "Sorry," he muttered sheepishly, "but you'd just given me that soul sucking kiss and then seemed to be offering to ... umm ... you know... I wasn't exactly thinking with my head."
"Well not this head, at least," she quipped as she buffed him just above his neck.
Ian laughed. "Sorry," he repeated. Jen joined in with a giggle.
She quieted down and became serious again. After another pause, she seemed to steel herself and asked the next question. She was so soft, Ian had to strain a bit to hear her. "So ... are the rumors true?"
From anyone else the question would have irked Ian, possibly even made him irate. But from Jen, he sensed she really needed to know for some reason. He also realized he could trust her with whatever he said.
"You mean the rumors that I ... umm ... like sausage instead of fish?"
Jen looked at him with that look women give men when they can't fathom how they think. "Sausage instead of fish? Really? That's how you'd describe it? But, yes ... that's what I'm asking."
Without hesitation, Ian answered with an emphatic, "No."
"You sure?"
The question hit Ian like a brick. He realized Jen really thought that he WAS gay. "Jen, how long have you known me? How can you ask that?"
She was quiet for a minute. She looked in his at his face, probably trying to figure out his emotions. "Do you trust me? Are you angry with me?"
Ian felt like he was in a whirlwind. Her questions were like a shotgun shot - pellets scattered everywhere.
"Yeah, I," he had started to answer her first question, and then heard her second question. Wanting to clarify, he started over. "Jen, I trust you ... and I'm not angry with you. What's this about?"
She changed directions again. "Do you know what you look like when Keith sits down at the lunch table?"
"What?" He was beginning to know what it felt like to be in a blender - he felt himself spinning around inside trying to get a grip on where the discussion was going.
Jen continued, "Keith often shows up 3-4 minutes after we sit down. Before he comes, you're your happy go lucky self. But the moment he arrives, everything ratchets up a notch. You're more happy, you're more go lucky. There's this light that seems to come our of you. When Keith is around, you become more you."
Jen was quiet again. Ian let her words sink in. His mind began to replay to kisses. First was the most recent. His kiss with Jen had been wet and passionate and ... and ... well ... nothing. Then the memory of his kiss with Keith. Just the memory caused his whole body to flush and his pulse to quicken a bit.
He coughed and shifted a bit uncomfortably.
The sound moved Jen to continue. "I wasn't the only one to notice. Actually, I think most of the class has noticed. Truth be told, I think that's why Lisa got you to ask her to the Prom - to see if it was true. As far as she's concerned, I think she believes she proved they were."
"Is that why you kissed me?" Ian asked with sudden clarity, "To see for yourself?" He couldn't keep a hint of anger out of his voice.
"What?" Jen asked with shock. "No, of course not. I kissed you to prove her wrong. I figured if she saw that, she'd have to second guess herself."
It was Ian's turn to be quiet for a time. Finally he whispered, "Maybe she wasn't." The partial admission felt like a sucker punch to his gut. He didn't want to be that ... but ... the kiss ... and how Keith made him feel. Now that Jen had pointed it out, he realized the truth of it .. Or at least a shade of the truth.
Jen saw the tear leak from his eye. She turned his face towards her and said, "Ian I don't care that you might be gay."
Hearing her say the words caused the single tear to become a fountain. She pulled him into her chest and let the tide of his emotions run its course.
When she finally spoke, Ian was once again confused. "So, do you want to go out with me?"
The strange question did the trick of knocking Ian out of his melancholy from his sudden revelation. "What? I thought we had the answer to that."
"Ian, I'm sorry for doing this to you. I'm being selfish,"
Apparently the whirlwind sensations were not yet over for the night. "Again, what?"
"Let me talk for a bit. Let me try and explain. First of all - I'm not sure the jury is out yet about which team you really play for, but I think at the very least you're open to switching teams."
Ian thought about that for a second. Could he be gay? Bi? Somewhere in between? It didn't seem as scary a thought as a couple of moments before.
Jen continued. "Second - I think I'm in the same boat as you."
The statement hung between them. Suddenly Ian's eyes went wide. "Wait." He began, "you and Tina?"
Jen simply nodded her head.
Ian wasn't in the accelerated courses because he was dumb. Pieces started to fall into place about what Jen was after. She and Tina .... And she suspected him and Keith ... The light bulb went on. "So you want us to go out ... to cover for each other? If we go out, people might suspect, but then just figure they were wrong."
Again Jen nodded.
A slight pause and the final piece fell in place. Tina dancing with Keith. Tina leaving with Keith. "And Tina's having this discussion with Keith right now?"
"I told you, I'm .. We're .. being selfish."
Ian stared at her for a moment. He let the idea swim around his mind for awhile. Finally, He smiled, leaned in and kissed her chastely on the lips. "Does this mean you want to wear my letterman jacket?"
Just then a noise caused them both to look up. Tina and Keith were walking down the strand towards them hand in hand.
"Guess they agreed too," Jen observed.
As Ian watched Keith approach, he suddenly felt all giddy. His stomach felt like it was filled with butterflies. And the only thought that entered his mind was ... Keith and I will be alone in my bedroom all night. His blood drained south for the second time that hour. He still wasn't sure he which team he played for ... but he did realize, he was interested in seeing if Keith might be up for a new sport.
More to come. Jasper - redwolf94@protonmail.com