THE STORY OF US BY: Julien
This story is 100% fictional and is by no means depictive of the life of any person, place or thing. It contains sexual activities between males and should only be read if it is legal to do so in your area. Read at your own risk and enjoy. Comments are welcomed and would be very much appreciated. ENJOY!
There will be many flashback sequences in this story so as not to confuse anyone, when a flashback takes place, there will be an asterisk (*) before the start of that flashback.
Seeing him doing a sound check on the stage of the Apollo reminded me of that first time. That first performance.
- It had been raining that night, heavier than it had been in the last few weeks. We had missed the two last school days of the week because of it but that was all the more time for me to sit and to think about him. My parents noticed the change in me and questioned my brother about it.
"I don't know what his problem is, think he got a B in computer or something."
And being the type of parents that they were, they encouraged me to pray about it. And I did pray, pray that I could find a way to make it out of the house that night without them knowing. They had prayer meetings from six to nine and then they would spend an hour or so with my sick aunt Ruth. That absence would give me the opportunity to sneak out but the real problem would be sneaking back in. If I were to ever get caught, I knew that it would take more than a few Hail Mary's' to save me.
"We're leaving now Richard." My mother called out from downstairs.
I silently threw my hands up in the air for joy and began arranging my clothes for the evening. I had never been to a club before and was more than a little nervous about the impression I would make. The last thing I wanted anyone to see me as was a 'bible kid'. My brother would stroll pass my room ever so often and peer in hoping to get a drift of what I was up to.
"You're sneaking out aren't you?"
"Yeah and you better not tell mom or dad."
"I won't...but only on one condition."
"What?"
"You gotta take me too."
I had stopped dressing and had turned to face him, my face displaying the shock that I felt.
"You can't come! It's not that type of place."
"I don't care. If I can't go then you can't go." And no matter how much begging and praying that I did, I ended up taking him with me.
The line that curled around the side of the club was something that I wasn't prepared for. It seemed that everyone in town was here tonight, a thought that seemed to be lost on my brother.
"What's the big deal?"
"What's the big deal? What if someone sees us and then goes back and tells them."
"No one will see us Richie, you actually think that mom and dad will know anyone that would come to a place like this." And I had to admit that the little rascal had a point.
"Fine but stay alert, you never know."
And with that we had joined the hoards of patrons on the line. It must have been minutes to ten before we got to the front of the line and it only took the bouncer less than that to put us out of it.
"I have money." I weakly stated reaching for the fifty-dollar bill in my pocket.
"Sorry kid but this is a seventeen+ party and neither of yous look seventeen+ so unless you're performing as a duo, you can't get in here."
And I was all but reduced to tears.
"They're with me Sam."
I turned around and saw him standing there dressed to the nines and smiling at me.
"You know the rules Bobby, no kids."
"They're not kids. These are my cousins."
The bouncer looked at both of us then back at Bobby quizzically.
"Your cousins? Says who."
"Says this." And then he slipped him some money. The bouncer smiled then opened the doors to let us in.
"You just have to know how to work them over."
"Yeah."
"I wasn't expecting you to come."
"I said I would."
"And that you did. Well you guys should probably get comfortable, find a table or something. They're about to start soon."
"Do we have to pay for the seats?"
"Never been in a club before huh." He stated. Sheepishly I shook my head.
"Don't worry about it, just find a seat and enjoy the show."
And what a show it had been. I didn't care if I got into trouble anymore because all of this had been worth it. To see so much talent in one place and to experience all this mixture was something that I had never known. And when Bobby took the stage, it was as if everyone around me weren't even there. I had watched his every move and had listened to his every word. He had sung two songs that night. One being 'BEN' by Michael Jackson, a solo performance and the other, 'AFTER THE LOVE IS GONE' by Earth Wind and Fire, a duo he did with another female performer. And to say that he had brought the house down would have only served to do him justice. Many of the patrons had begged for an encore unaware that the contest was still in progress but that did little but to delay the inevitable. He won first place for best male vocalist and his female counterpart won first place for best female vocalist.
"Richie your friend was good!" my brother declared excitedly.
"I know." Was my only response as my eyes followed him around the room, never losing sight.
It was half an hour later before he made a move towards our table.
"Can you believe it! I mean I knew I sounded good but damn, that was hot!" he said, the energy radiating from him.
"You were great!"
"Thanks. I mean I've never sang like that before and then with that duo, it was like I didn't want to stop." And he didn't. We spent the whole night talking about what a great performance he had had. And even though I knew I should have gone home as soon as it was over, I didn't.
"So your folks let you out tonight?"
"No, I sneaked out." He had laughed and had shaken his head.
"Same here. Maybe it's time we both got home. Where do you live?"
"Near Winchester Avenue."
"I'm on the other side of Winchester. Parker's clove, you know it?"
I had heard of the neighborhood, very upscale.
"Yeah."
Needless to say, he walked me and my brother halfway home, then backtracked to catch his bus. I watched him go until he was out of sight but not out of mind.
Surprisingly we arrived home to an empty house.
"I wasn't gonna tell on you Richie, even if you didn't take me."
"Thanks."
"I had fun."
"Me too."
"I like him Richie." Murmured a tired Harry as I tucked him into bed and turned off the light.
"I like him too." I replied as his quiet snores filled the little bedroom.
"We got BET shooting for an up, close and personal interview and of course there's MTV and VH1 but I think you should go with the BET."
My ears perked up as I listened out for Ernie's reasoning behind this decision.
"Didn't we just do something with them two weeks ago?"
"Yeah but they want another one. You're hot stuff now Bobby and they want you plus they're willing to pay almost twice as much as VH1 and I'm sure I can get them to pay you more than MTV."
"I don't know Ernie, the last time I did that interview I felt real uncomfortable with the questioning."
He sighed then continued, "Why you want to support all them white networks is beyond me. BET has been behind you all the way and now you want to turn your back on them like you better than them."
"What the hell is wrong with you today with all this racist shit!"
"Nothing is wrong with me. I just think you need to remember who brought you to where you're at today. It wasn't them white folks you need to be so worried about." And with that he turned to look at me.
Bobby caught his eye and shook his head.
"Just drop it Ernie." Called out Bobby's manager.
"Why? We the ones buying his albums and promoting his shit and he can't even be grateful about it."
"That's not what he said man."
"Well that's how it sounded to me. Guess this white boy been filling his head up with all that shit." And again he turned to glare at me.
"You got something to say man, say it!" Growled Bobby walking up to Ernie. Bobby's manager stepped between them and headed off any fight that was about to take place.
"This is not the time and place for this shit right now Ernie, we got a show in less than twelve hours and we're not even half there yet." And any thoughts of a fight were squashed right there and then.
Ernie walked out the door slamming it behind him and Bobby walked towards me.
"You ok?"
"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"
"You know, all that crap Ernie said." And even though I was hurt I wasn't going to let him know. Wouldn't that further prove to them that I didn't belong?
"I'm cool Bobby. Half the shit that comes out of his mouth I don't even hear."
"Good. I don't know what I would do if I had to choose." And before I could ask him 'choose between what' he walked away from me, picking up where he had left off.
I KNOW THIS CHAPTER IS VERY SHORT BUT I HOPE YOU ENJOY IT ANYWAY. LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU GUYS THINK SO FAR. THE COMMENTS I'VE BEEN GETTING ON THIS STORY ARE MIXED SO I'M AT A CROSSROADS NOW SO EMAIL AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK.