Page 17 of Behind the Lights

“Here,” he said as I pulled away, handing me the box. “Why don’t you hang on to these for me? I think our chores can wait for another day.” He kissed the top of my head.

As he walked away I saw his hand go up to his face, I knew he too was attempting to wipe away the tears he’d been suppressing. Maybe, just maybe, this was a cleansing of sorts for both of us. Time to break free and release the haunting demons of our past.

I ran up to my room, plopped down on my bed and started rummaging through the pictures. Pictures of my parent’s past, and Ricky’s parent’s as well. In a sense, my past. Pictures that never adorned our walls as memories did in Ricky’s house, and I cried. I cried until I could cry no more and fell asleep among the relics from a time that seemed so long ago.

Chapter

Five

January 2006

It was second semester of our junior year, and we’d just returned to classes from Christmas break. I was sitting in Econ class when a new student was being escorted in. The secretary for the front office was talking to our teacher, Mr. Reed, but I was too busy staring at the new face. His eyes scanned the room and when they met mine, something inside me shifted and I found I couldn’t look away. After a few seconds, our trance was broken by our teacher’s voice.

“Students, can I have your attention please. I’d like to introduce a new student who just transferred to our school. His name is Lucas Shane. Welcome Lucas, please take the empty seat in the center row.”

Lucas Shane.

I was drawn to the blond, faux hawk who just lit something inside of me that had never burned before. When he turned and caught my staring eye, I homed in on the most stunning pair of blue eyes I’d ever seen. He winked, dabbing at the corners of his mouth with his pinky.

Fuck, is he wearing lip gloss?

My face flushed and for the first time in my sixteen years of existence, my dick stirred at the sight of another person.Ugh, not the time or the place for this.

Unfortunately, that was the time our teacher decided to pick me to answer a question I’d not heard him ask.

“Mr. Hayes, could you please come to the board and finish what I’ve written?” he asked, zapping me from the hypnotic trance those eyes held me in.

The class turned, all eyes were on me including Lucas’s.

“Um, nah I’m good.” I tried to play it off, like I was cool which right now, I was nowhere near being.

“Maybe a trip to the Principal’s office will wipe that smug look off your face,” he said, with a hall pass in hand.

I adjusted myself as casually as I could, tucked my notebook in front of my lap before getting up and walking to the front. After taking the pass from him, I exited without glancing back. Once I reached the hall, I leaned against the lockers, releasing the breath I’d held on the way out as my heart pounded furiously inside my chest.

What the fuck did I just do?I’ve never been in trouble a day in my life and my dad will not be happy if they call him.

Since this was the last class of the day, instead of going to the office I headed straight home. Too embarrassed to face any one and I knew my dad would still be at work.What the fuck was that all about? I’ve never ever sported wood thinking about someone else. What does that say about me? Hell, I can’t even remember when the last time was that I found someone attractive let alone thought about them in a sexual nature. Although, there was that morning Stoli and I woke up together on the couch…

I speed walked home, slamming the door shut behind me as I ran up to my room to hide. About an hour later, someone started pounding on the front door.

It was no surprise to find Stoli on the other side when I answered it. “Dude what happened? I heard you got sent to the principal’s office but when you weren’t by our lockers after school, I headed straight here.”

“It was so fucking embarrassing.” I covered my face with my hands as I plopped down in my dad’s recliner. “My dad’s gonna blow a gasket when he finds out I skipped school.”

“Chill, he may not find out since it was your last class of the day,” he informed me, taking a seat on the couch. “Now, tell me what happened.”

“It’s just…ugh. I’m afraid you’ll hate me if I tell you.” I couldn’t even look at him right now, I was beyond confused and embarrassed.

“I can’t think of anything you could say that would make me hate you. Spill it.” He leaned forward, putting his hands on his knees and stared me down.

“Fine, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.” I turned, glaring at him. Why, I didn’t know, but I hated feeling pressured into anything.

“Consider me warned. Now go.”

“We got a new kid in class today. Lucas Shane.” I stared off and he cleared his throat. “Well, he’s um. He’s. Fuck. I popped a boner staring at him and now I’m afraid I might be gay.”

He didn’t say anything for a long time, just stared at me before swallowing hard enough that I saw his Adam’s apple bob up and down. “See dude, now you hate me.” I ran my hands through my hair, pulling it straight up.

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