Disclaimer: The following story is a work of gay fiction. It contains sexual acts between males in high school as well as with males beyond high school age. There are scenes of humiliation, some of them graphic. If this subject matter is offensive to you or if you are too young to be reading it, please exit now. You have been warned. This story is the property of the author under copyright laws, and may not be used elsewhere without written consent. Do not read this if you're a minor or are offended by gay situations.
Even though nifty is free its services are not so before you begin reading please take a few minutes and donate: http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html
There is no sex in this chapter -----
Play Or Be Played: Chapter Four
As I read the message from 1346 again I could feel my world start to crumble again. Just when I thought we had him by the balls we were really playing ourselves. We took our own bait and were caught ourselves. We weren't playing the blackmailer we were being played.
Aaron put his hand on my shoulder. I looked into his eyes and saw despair. There was so much that I wanted to do...that I wanted to say to him. But words just couldn't express what I was feeling.
I glanced over at Chris and Darren and saw 1349's words really take effect on them. I took hold of Aaron's hand and went over to the pair. We guided them to the bed so they could both sit down and process what just happened. I guess it's true what they say that nothing pulls you together like someone else falling apart.
"Who is he?" Chris looked up at me and then over to Aaron looking for some kind of answer, but all we could say was that we didn't know.
"What does he want with you? And now...us?" Darren asked this time.
"We don't know. We were dragged into this a few days ago." Aaron responded.
I took a seat on the floor and Aaron joined me. Chris and Darren joined us after they had collected their thoughts and, more importantly, themselves in general.
We sat there for a few minutes waiting for someone to speak.
"Before we start talking, is everyone's phone off?" I said trying to break the ice. The end was supposed to be a joke, but Chris just glowered at me.
"So..." Darren spoke.
Aaron sighed and waited a few seconds before he said, "yeah..."
"How long have you guys..." I started saying before Chris interrupted me.
"That's our business. Just because you got us into this mess doesn't mean that we're now all buddy-buddy now. This isn't some fucking talk-show, this is real life. Got it?" Chris retorted.
"Yeah, I'm well aware of that fact. I just thought..." I spoke again before Chris interrupted again.
"You thought? Why weren't you thinking when you got that phone call?! Huh?! You ruined all of us!"
"Look, I'm sorry. I really am. I'm in this mess too," I snapped back.
"Guys, we need to calm down." Aaron spoke trying to cool us down.
"No, don't tell me to calm down! This fucker right here," Chris said gesturing towards me, "ruined my life! Who doesn't look at their phone when they get a call?! God you're so fucking stupid!"
"Yeah well at least I didn't leave the door unlocked so anyone could come in and see that I was blowing my boyfriend!" I shot back.
No sooner had I finished that sentence then Chris had lunged across with his fist and hit me across the face. We were soon wrestling (or should I say he was trying to attack me again and I was trying to get the hell out of there). Chris had got in a few more hits before I felt his weight being lifted off of me.
I looked up and there was Aaron in a massive bear hug and Chris' arms were still flailing. Aaron asked me if I was ok which, for the moment, I couldn't really feel anything because I was still in a state of shock so I just said I was fine. Then Aaron took him out into the hall and left me alone with Darren.
This whole time Darren hadn't said anything. He did try to help get Chris off of me, but Chris weighed more so it was a little unfair. He now was sitting back down with his head still looking at the door where our two lovers had left. He lowered his head when he saw me try to make eye contact with him.
"Dar, I really am sorry. I didn't mean for any of this to happen." Darren just nodded his head in response. He breathed in and exhaled. His breathing sounded like he was fighting back tears. "D, talk to me," I said as I moved beside him and put my hand on his shoulder.
"I can't...I mean it's just so..." Darren's thoughts were so convoluted that he couldn't even form a sentence.
"Breathe, it's ok. It'll be ok," I spoke as I rubbed his shoulder.
"How did this happen?...This isn't what was supposed to happen...I don't know what to do!...B, what's going on?" Darren turned to me as a tear rolled down his face. He was looking for answers. Unfortunately, I wasn't the answer to those prayers.
"I'm sorry...I'm so sssorrrry," I said getting choked up.
Darren leaned his head on my shoulder as we both cried. He then put his arms around his legs and began rocking himself. I kept my arm on his shoulder and began rubbing it.
I could hear Aaron and Chris out in the hall and judging by their voices they were having quite a different therapy session than we were.
I pulled Darren closer trying to block out the sounds of the shouting. I just wanted it all to end. Not just the shouting, but to be free of 1346. To finally be done with this whole thing.
"What does he want with us? We're just four teens!" Darren sobbed. "We haven't done anything!"
"I know...I know..."
After about half an hour of Darren and I crying and Aaron and Chris arguing we had all reached our wits end. We were done. Aaron and Chris returned to the room and sat down beside us.
"I'm sorry, Brad," Chris said.
"I'm sorry as well." I spoke.
"So," Darren said looking at Aaron and I, "how long have you guys been together?"
"Well we're not together," Aaron said, "but the first time we did anything was the day that we were caught."
I let Aaron's words sink in. True, we weren't together' and we hadn't really discussed us,' but I definitely felt something more than just being friends. Was Aaron not on the same page that I was?
"How `bout you guys?" Aaron asked back.
"Well," Chris began, "On the night that you guys had your combined party a few weeks ago I helped Darren back to his place since he was in no state to drive. And, well, I had a few beers too, but I wasn't as bad as him. And before I knew it we just started fooling around."
We sat there just processing it all. I noted that neither Chris nor Darren corrected Aaron when he asked how long they'd been together. Was this actually something more than friends with benefits? But, then again, they had just been doing stuff for a few weeks. And then I looked over at Aaron trying to see what he thought of all this. Was I just a guy he wanted to mess around with? Or was there something more?
"So..." Chris spoke and we all turned towards him. "What are we going to do about this?" Chris said as he held up his phone.
"We thought we should just pay him off," I said.
"How much does he want?" Chris asked.
"We don't know. It was just a suggestion. We don't really know what else to do."
Darren lifted his head and said in a hushed tone, "does he want sex?" We all turned to him when he'd said it. "I mean that's what I thought he was hinting at when he said `what to do with us.'"
Aaron's face stiffened then softened and then he said, "that's what I was thinking too."
I turned towards Aaron and said, "you were?" Aaron slowly nodded in response.
"Well there's no fucking way..." Chris started ranting again.
"Chris, settle down. Nothing's happened yet," Darren said.
"Why don't we just email him and find out," I suggested.
After what we had decided on saying, Aaron sent an emailing that the four of us would either pay him or have sex to get us out from under his wrath.
"And now we wait..." Aaron said.
"And now we wait." Darren replied.
The four of us just chatted for the next half hour about random things hoping that the blackmailer would email us back soon. All of us were getting tired and a little antsy just waiting so Aaron and I said our goodbyes and left. We told Darren and Chris that we'd text them if we heard anything.
When Aaron and I got back to my place my Dad welcomed us and told us he'd set a place already for Aaron at the table. We told him great and said we needed to wash up. He told us to take our time as dinner still had twenty minutes left.
Just as Aaron was about to deck into the main floor bathroom I gestured to him to follow me upstairs. When we reached my room he followed me in and I closed the door behind us.
"Did you get an email?" Aaron asked me.
"No...I uh...I just wanted to ask you something," I stammered.
"What is it?"
"Look I know we've only `fooled around'" I said using the air quotes, "but I want to know if you just see me as a fuck buddy or something else."
"B, where's this coming from?"
I took a deep breath and said, "when we were over at Chris' you said that we `weren't together.'"
"Well that's true. We're not together. You're my best friend, Brad. I guess I don't want all of this to screw it up."
I lead Aaron over to the edge of the bed and we sat down beside each other. "I know. You're my best friend too. But I also really like you," I said going in for a kiss.
Aaron moved his head. My heart died a little as I realized that Aaron's actions did speak louder than his words.
"Look, I'm not ready to come out either," I said. "Hell I don't even know if I'm bi or gay." And then I laid it all out on the table for Aaron: "but what I do know is that I can no longer deny the feelings I have for you."
"Don't make me do this, Brad," Aaron whispered.
"I'm ready to jump. I'm all in," I said taking Aaron's hand in mine.
Aaron let go of my hand and started to say, "I can't do this..." before tearing up.
"What about all those things you said before? At Chris' place! About sex and..." I trailed off searching for answers.
"I don't know! I'm so confused! I have a father who's pressuring me to play college football and get married. And that's with a wife! Besides sex is sex!"
I took a deep breath before I said, "do you really feel that way?"
Aaron was getting worked up and before he could say anything my Dad shouted that dinner would be in a few minutes.
"Tell your Dad thanks for dinner, but I'm not staying. I have to go," Aaron said as he left me. I just hoped that his leaving was only temporary, not permanent.
As Dad and I sat down for dinner he mentioned that Aaron left in a hurry. He then asked if we were ok. I said we were and that he forgot he promised his folks he'd eat there tonight.
"Look Brad, I may be older, but I've been around the block a few times. I know something's the matter with you, what's wrong?"
"We just...got into a fight, that's all," I said trying not to tear up.
"Over what...?"
My Dad and I have a really close relationship, but even then there are a few things that I wouldn't share with him (such as telling him that someone saw his son getting a blowjob from a star football player).
I was trying to think of a good cover story when Dad said something shocking: "is Aaron afraid to tell his parents he's gay?"
I looked over at him trying to judge where he was going with this. Dad had never hinted that he was homophobic at all, but even then the ones that are near and dear to us often hurt us the most.
My eyes suddenly welled up and I began crying. My Dad got out of his seat and hugged me. I just cried like a baby the whole time. He just kept saying `it's okay' over and over again as he hugged me tighter. My Dad patted my shoulder as I continued blubbering. He then told me that nothing I could do would make him love me less.
After a few minutes I had calmed back down and I finally told him that I was bi or maybe gay.
"I'm so proud of you, son." Dad said as he hugged me again. "It takes a lot of courage to do that. Just remember I love you no matter what (well maybe not as much if you become an evil dictator)." We laughed at that. "I still want you to be safe though. I just want you to know that you are loved because there's a lot of hate and discrimination out there."
I nodded my head that I understood and then told him I loved him. I then asked, "how did you become so cool about all this? Did you do some experimenting in college?"
"Hey now that's for me to know," he joked. "No, you remember my brother, Luke. The last time you saw him would be three years ago now." I told him that I vaguely remembered him. "Well he's gay as well. But he came out when there was even more hatred and discrimination. He moved to California after a few incidences in town and he's never been better. He's been with Isaac for, oh god, I think 17 years or so now."
"Why hasn't he come back to visit?" I asked.
"I'm sure we can work something out. Last time he mentioned that we should visit him and we could stay there."
"Yeah we should!" I said getting excited at the idea. There would be plenty of hot guys out west. But then I felt guilty remembering that Aaron and whatever we were (or weren't) was still here. God, why was I still allowing Aaron to dictate how I should feel here?
"After you're finished high school though, mister," Dad teased.
"Deal! And I'm holding you to that promise." I told him. I started to collect our plates then said, "and Dad," he looked up at me, "thank you for being so cool and understanding with all of this."
"Of course." Dad said to me. "I just want you to be happy. Take your time and figure it out. You don't have to know right away if you're gay or bi. Hell, it took Luke more years than you to figure it out."
"Thanks again Dad, for...for everything." I said setting down the plates and hugging him.
Dad and I chit-chatted a bit more and loaded the dishwasher. I asked him how his travel plans were coming along since today was already Thursday and he told me everything was pretty much set for him to leave tomorrow.
"And I think you'll be ok by yourself," Dad told me. "You're obviously mature enough you can handle it. And you're going away to school in the fall and I have to learn to let you go."
"Thanks Dad."
No if I could only learn to let Aaron go...
The next morning I still hadn't heard from the blackmailer or Aaron so I texted Darren if he had. He replied he hadn't. I debated texted Aaron asking if he had heard anything, but for now I just let sleeping dogs lie. And I realized that hopefully I wasn't lying to myself when it came to my relationship with Aaron.
After breakfast Dad and I hugged and said our goodbyes since he would be flying out when I was at school. He took a cab to work so I could have the car for the time that he was gone.
I got a little sad after my Dad left. This was supposed to be one of the happiest and horniest times of my life! Then we fucked it up. And here I was all alone. This is when Aaron would be over, but that wasn't an option anymore. I guess it's true what they say: one really is the loneliest number.
I got out my phone and did what any horny, irrational teen would do. I sent a text saying that my Dad had left and that I didn't want to be by myself tonight and asked if he wanted to stay over.
The same time that I was sending my message I was getting one from none other than 1349: "Hello boys, missed me? I'm sure you have. I'll bet you're wondering what I've decided on. Well let's just say that you should be in the boys' locker room tomorrow at 11am sharp. Oh, and make sure your asses are nice and clean. We wouldn't want the janitorial staff to get suspicious now would we? Until then, XOXO"
I got a reply to the text I sent earlier: "I'll see you after school. Then we can strategize about tomorrow." And then some, I thought as I replied back to Darren.
If Aaron doesn't want me then I'll go for my lacrosse buddy (I know he has a great `stick' as well). Besides, he and Chris hadn't technically confirmed that they were together. And I really didn't want to be alone anyways. No man is an island after all. And I was hoping that my virgin territory was going to be explored tonight.
Thank you again for all of the feedback! Comments are always welcome: davidgaingridge@gmail.com