I've written this story to show that there is nothing wrong with homosexuality and that it is not "damaging to society" as some like to say. This is Chapter One.
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He drove up the road with his window down, the cool wind streaming through his fairly short, dark brown hair. The radio was playing Rush's "Red Barchetta," and the teen was singing along to it loudly. He then began to gradually slow the ancient, tan, Toyota Cressida to a stop in front of an old, what used to be school, house, where another teen with long, partially bleached hair opened the passenger-side door, got in, and closed it. The driver pulled away.
"So KC, how was the fishing trip on Sunday?" the driver asked his passenger after turning down the radio.
"It was fun, Trip. I caught a couple of decent-sized bass. My family and I ate the biggest one for dinner," the passenger responded.
KC began to tell his story to Trip about how many fish he caught and their various sizes, when Trip realized something, slammed on the brakes, turned the car around, and sped back down the road.
"What's the matter?" KC asked.
"We forgot to pick up Ben!" Trip answered.
"Oh."
"Sorry 'bout that, Ben." Trip said to Ben.
"It's OK, Trip." Ben responded. Ben was very tall and heavy, had a sort of golden-colored hair, and was very well mannered. "I would have been late myself, as I was finishing up a level on my newest video game."
"Oh?" KC asked.
"Yes," Ben responded, "It's the newest game in the Red Alert series. It's a lot of fun and I am hooked on it."
"Sounds neat," Trip responded. "I'm going to have to see it for myself."
"Me too--and three," said KC, making his usual bad puns.
"Well, let's turn the radio back up," Trip said, "as I'm sure John Boy and Billy will be back in a moment. But let me remind you that we have a new person to pick up today."
"I can't wait!" KC and Ben said in unison.
"Jinx!" KC shouted.
The three teens in the '83 Cressida pulled up outside a relatively new looking, white, 2-story house. Trip pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket.
"This is the place, according to the directions," he said. "I guess we should wait a few minutes."
Just then, John Boy and Billy returned with today's Dumb Crook News. After listening for a few minutes, it ended, and the poor car was howling with laughter. Just then, out of the house walked a teenage girl. She had blue eyes and glasses, with blonde, straight, and free hair. As she walked up, Ben reached across the back seat and opened the door for her.
"Thank you," she said in her soft voice.
She got in, and closed the door, and the car pulled away.
"Hi, my name's Erica," she explained. "Our family just moved in from South Carolina. I don't like school buses, so I decided to join your carpool. So, what're your names?"
Trip got in first. "I'm Trip."
"I'm KC," KC said shakily.
"I'm Ben, nice to meet you," Ben said in his normal, cheerful voice.
All Erica could do is smile.
"We'll be at school in about 10 minutes," Trip said to Erica in particular, "so I hope you don't mind if we put the radio on."
"No, of course not," she responded.
So, Trip turned the radio up again in time to hear Jimmi Hendrix's "Foxy Lady."
Ten minutes later, they were walking toward the high school. Trip ran up after parking the car.
He then finished a joke: "And so he said, 'Oh, I'm sorry, it wasn't a bacon-tree, it was a ham-bush."
The four of them burst out laughing. Some other teens looked at the four of them like they were weird. This was quite unusual, since usually other teens were looking at only three of them like they were weird. They reached the door, and had to split up. Trip was in the 10th grade, KC was in 11th grade, and Ben was in 12th grade.
Before they left, Trip asked, "So Erica, which class do you have first?"
Erica pulled a paper out of her pocket. "Umm… it says Advanced World History after 1500 AD."
Trip took the paper. "That's the same class I've got! In fact… you're in 3 of the same classes I'm in: Advanced World History after 1500 AD, Algebra II, and English 10A."
"Cool," was all she said, before they all said their good-byes and went their separate ways.
After school, they all met back at the old car. They got in, except this time, KC sat in the back, and Erica sat in the front.
"So, how was everyone's day?" Trip asked, as he asked every day after school.
Erica went first. "Well, it was OK… but everyone kept looking at me."
"No surprise." KC muttered.
"What?" everyone else in the car asked.
"Oh, umm… great… lunch… fries?"
"Riiight." Trip said sarcastically.
"My day was good!" Ben cut in and began going on and on about his day.
Later that night, KC called Trip on the phone.
"Hello?"
"Hi, Trip!"
"KC! What's up?"
"Not a whole lot. Hey, you know that Erica girl?"
"Erica… Erica… oh, her! Yeah, the one you WOULDN'T SHUT UP ABOUT AFTER SHE GOT OUT OF THE CAR."
"Umm… Yeah. I'm gonna try and ask her out, but… do you think it's too soon? I mean, she just moved in and all…"
"Well KC, this isn't my strong point. You should talk to Dale. But honestly, I think it is just a little bit too soon. Let her get a bit more comfortable in the area. Then you could go after her."
"Thanks."
"No problem. I'm like Homer Simpson, 'I gave that man directions, even though I had no idea how to get there!'"
KC laughed. "Funny, man, funny. Well, I must be off!"
"Bye."
And then he hung up. Trip shook his head and went on the net, just like he always did.
The following day, before first class started, Trip was at his locker.
"Hi Trip."
Trip looked up to see two girls, one was of Indian descent, with dark hair, dark eyes, and glasses. The other was white with blonde hair, brown eyes, and glasses.
"Hi Naomi. Hi Beth." Trip had dated both a while back. (Not at the same time, you fool) With Naomi, she was just not ready. Beth never had time because she was always busy. Even through this, they were still friends. "What's up?"
Beth smiled. Beth was always smiling. If she wasn't smiling, something was wrong. "Not much, we just came to see how you've been doing."
"I'm good. I see you two are looking beautiful as usual."
Both of them smiled. Just then, the bell rang, and the three went to their respective classes.
After school, Ben, KC, and Trip were waiting outside the school for Erica, when Beth walked up to them.
"Hi guys," she said, in a very flirtatious way.
Ben said, "Hi," and continued to read his book.
KC kinda sorta ignored her and just said, "Hey."
Trip, on the other hand, still admired her. "Hi." He looked down. "How are you this afternoon?"
Beth smiled and stepped closer to Trip. "I'm doing pretty well."
Just then KC broke in. "Have you seen Erica?"
Beth though for a moment. "Yes I have. She was talking to Naomi in the hall outside the Drama room. I assume she'll be along in a minute." She looked back at Trip. "So… are you doing anything this weekend?"
"Actually, yes. I'm spending the weekend at Dale's place."
"Oh." Beth looked a little sad, but then brightened up again. "Maybe another time."
"Yeah… sounds good."
Just then, Erica and Naomi walked out of the building.
KC pulled out his keys. "Ready to go, Erica?"
Erica was smiling. "Yep!"
And with that, the four of them split from Naomi and Beth and went home.
On Thursday, this really popular, but really rough guy, Max, wouldn't leave Erica alone.
"Come on, Erica, why won't you go out with me?"
"Because I don't want to."
"How can someone not want to go out with me?
"I don't know, but it's happened."
"Look girl, I'm telling you to go out with me."
"And I'm telling you NO."
"Hasn't your little friend that faggot Trip told you that I'm the most popular guy in school?"
"He's not a faggot!"
"Oh, so he hasn't told you yet? He's a friggin' bi!"
Erica was shocked. "Really?"
"Yeah! Why did you think he was so unpopular?"
Erica paused for a moment. "I STILL don't want to go out with you."
With that, Max stormed off and Erica went to her next class, deep in thought.
Erica stood outside the front of the school after school that day, waiting for Trip, KC, and Ben to come out so she could get home. KC was the first one out.
"Hi Erica."
"Hi."
"So… do you wanna… go out tomorrow night?"
"Ugh! That's the fifth time I've been asked today! Umm--but, no, KC, I'm busy… sorry."
"It's OK."
And that's when Ben and Trip walked out of the building.
"Ready to go?" Trip asked.
KC and Erica nodded. All four walked to the car, got in, and Trip began to drive off.
"Trip, can you drop me off last?" Erica asked.
"Sure. It'll give you a chance to see some more of the area."
So, Trip passed by her house and dropped off first KC, then Ben. After a minute or two of staring at the forest…
"Trip," Erica began, "Max was trying to get me to go out with him today, and he told me something about you."
Trip pulled the car over. "What did he tell you?"
"He told me that… he told me that… you're bisexual."
Trip sighed. "Yeah, it's true. Unfortunately, this is a very intolerant area. I resort to the Internet for friends and help."
"I… I don't know what to say."
"You don’t have to say anything." Trip started the car going again. "You were going to find out eventually. I guess it's better that you found out now anyway."
"But--"
"I don't want to talk any more about it."
They drove in silence all the way back to Erica's house.
"Bye Trip. I'm sorry."
"Sorry for what?"
"For bringing that up…"
"No big deal. Bye!"
"Bye!"
And with that, Trip sped off.
Erica sat in her poorly lit room on her bed. She kept reaching for the phone, but stopping. She just couldn't bring herself to call…
Friday started off as it had on Monday, as Trip picked up KC and Ben and made his way over to Erica's house. She stepped out of her house and got in the car. Trip turned up the radio and drove them to school for this final day before KC took over driving. Ben was sitting in the front, and KC and Erica were in the back.
KC leaned over and said in a low voice, "I need to talk to you when we get out of the car."
"OK."
So, by the time they got to school, everyone in the car was howling with laughter, except Erica who didn't get the joke on the radio. Trip turned the radio off halfway through the song "Sweet Home Alabama" by Lynyrd Skynyrd.
They all said their good-byes, but Erica asked to stay behind a few minutes. So the only ones left were KC and Erica.
"Erica," KC began, "I'm sorry I rushed into it with you… I shouldn't have been so quick to ask you out like that."
"It's okay," she responded.
"So, umm… how about next Friday?"
Erica sighed with frustration. "No, KC, I'm busy then, too."
"I'm sorry."
"It's alright."
And with that, they headed to their respective classes.
"So Trip, can I come over, huh, can I?"
"No, KC. I'm busy tonight."
"Oh?"
"Yeah. I'm spending the night at Dale's place."
"Oh."
Just then, Erica, Ben, and Dale walked from inside the school, to where KC and Trip were already in the long outdated vehicle. Trip drove, with Ben riding in the front seat, and KC sandwiched between Dale and Erica.
Dale was tall and slender with bluish-green eyes and sandy blonde hair.
First, Trip dropped off Erica.
"Have a nice weekend!" KC called.
Erica smiled. "You too. Bye!"
"Bye!" everyone in the car echoed.
After dropping off Ben and KC, Trip proceeded to drive north for about 15 miles, and then turned onto a long driveway. After parking the car at the end, Dale and Trip got out of the car, and walked up to a fairly old-looking house. Dale lifted the welcome mat and pulled out the key. He then opened the door, allowed Trip to walk in, and then came in and closed the door. Unlike the outside, the inside looked relatively new. The whole house was one large room downstairs and a few bedrooms and a bathroom upstairs. In this downstairs room, there was a large-screen TV, a computer, a kitchen area, a large bed, some sofas, and other things.
"So, you say your family's out of town for the weekend?" Trip asked.
"Yep." Dale responded.
"Got any new games?"
"I do, in fact."
They made their way over to the TV and began playing the game.
A few hours later, at a house about 15 miles away, someone else was 'having fun.'
Erica was lying on her bed panting.
"Wow, you're good," she said, looking over.
Back with Trip and Dale…
"Wow, you beat me again!" Trip announced. He then proceeded to pin Dale to the floor before kissing him.
During this time, Ben was, as usual, playing his video games at his home. About 5 miles away was KC, setting off some fireworks.
"Whoa! That's really cool!" KC said.
"Yeah," his cousin Calvin said, "I especially liked the part where you caught on fire!"
"Caught on fire?" KC looked down and noticed that his left pant leg was, indeed, on fire. "Yah! Put it out! Put it OUT!" KC screamed as he ran around in circles. Calvin ran and got the hose and extinguished the fire.
Calvin fell over laughing. KC just stood there, soaked. Suddenly, both heard a rumble, and looked up. A large thunderhead was approaching.
"We'd better go inside," Calvin said, "before you get struck by lightning."
"Ha. Very funny." KC ran inside anyway, with Calvin right behind him.
Within a few minutes, a severe thunderstorm was raging outside the homes of the four. At Dale's place, Dale and Trip were huddled in the upstairs bathroom, with only a lantern on. Thunder crashed outside. Dale hugged Trip closer.
"I wouldn't want to be with anyone else," Dale said.
"Neither would I," Trip responded sleepily.
"I love you," Dale said.
"I do too." Trip said, before falling asleep.
Ben turned off his computer just in time for the power to go out. He decided that he might as well go to bed, and continue in the morning after this storm is over. He clamored into bed, turned off his flashlight, and went to sleep.
Erica smiled as she lie in her bed, with the heat of another human body pressed against her. She smiled again and drifted off to sleep.
"…And then," KC said, with the flashlight under his chin, "the satellite TV went out!"
Calvin screamed. "How can a person live without satellite and the Internet?"
"Well, Trip lives without satellite, and Ben lives without the Internet," KC answered.
"True."
"Well, it's 11:00, and I'm tired. Wanna go to bed?"
"Yeah, might as well."
And with that, KC went to his room and Calvin pulled out the couch. Both quickly fell asleep.
Trip's eyes fluttered open. It was morning, about 8 AM, and light was flooding into the room from outside. He was lying in the large bed downstairs next to the still-sleeping Dale.
'Dale must have carried me down here after the storm,' Trip thought to himself.
He got up, got a glass of milk, and stared out the window.
On the other hand, KC was still fast asleep, as was Calvin. It must be genetic.
A few miles away, Ben was already awake, playing video games.
Erica awoke to find her arm (which, last night, had been wrapped around her lover) was lying on the now otherwise-empty bed. She got up, put on a robe, and went to find her lover.
Trip was now on the Internet, checking the websites he usually checks when he wakes up in the morning. He was also chatting with his pal Gavin, who is in 11th grade, and lives on the other side of the county.
Dale silently got up, walked over to the computer, right behind Trip, and put his hands over Trip's eyes. "Guess who?"
Trip giggled. "Gee, I don't know… KC?"
Dale laughed. "No… close though."
Trip giggled more. "Is it my Dale-san?"
Dale took his hands from over Trip's eyes and kissed him on the forehead. "You're right."
Dale then sat across Trip's lap and wrapped his right arm around Trip's neck, pulling his head close to Trip's.
"You know Trip, I didn't get to thank you last night, before you fell asleep." Dale then pulled Trip in for a loving kiss.
Ben spent the rest of the day playing video games. KC and Calvin played on the computer and on his X-Box most of the day. Erica read books outside in a hammock, accompanied by her lover. Dale and Trip did a few things, such as go fishing, play computer games, Monopoly, strip poker, and each other. All of this was because it was a beautiful sunny day.
By the evening, Erica's lover had left. She was reading on her bed, when the phone rang. It was none other than KC.
"Hi Erica."
"Oh, hi KC."
"Ummm… Erica?"
"Yeah."
"Could I possibly take you out tomorrow afternoon?"
"No, KC, I'm doing something with my parents."
"Oh. Sorry."
"It's ok. You didn't know."
"Well, bye."
"Bye KC."
As the rest of the weekend was relatively uninteresting, we will pick up again on Monday. This time, KC would drive around, get Ben, and then come by to get Trip and Erica. So, KC swung around and followed the route, picking everyone up. Erica, however, was a little late.
"Sorry guys," she said, "I forgot to turn on my alarm and got going late, only to find that I'd lost my makeup."
"It's okay," KC said.
They rode along in silence as Ben read a book, Trip stared out the window, and Erica put on makeup.
All of a sudden, KC leaned over and asked, "Do you want to go out this weekend?"
Erica, who had had a very stressful morning, got very angry. "KC, can you not see that I don't want to go out with you? Can you not see that I have no interest in you? I wasn't planning to tell you people, but you," she pointed at KC, "obviously don't get it. KC, I'm lesbian!"
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To be continued...
- Trip
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Just Us
Chapter One
By: Trip
Chapter One
By: Trip
He drove up the road with his window down, the cool wind streaming through his fairly short, dark brown hair. The radio was playing Rush's "Red Barchetta," and the teen was singing along to it loudly. He then began to gradually slow the ancient, tan, Toyota Cressida to a stop in front of an old, what used to be school, house, where another teen with long, partially bleached hair opened the passenger-side door, got in, and closed it. The driver pulled away.
"So KC, how was the fishing trip on Sunday?" the driver asked his passenger after turning down the radio.
"It was fun, Trip. I caught a couple of decent-sized bass. My family and I ate the biggest one for dinner," the passenger responded.
KC began to tell his story to Trip about how many fish he caught and their various sizes, when Trip realized something, slammed on the brakes, turned the car around, and sped back down the road.
"What's the matter?" KC asked.
"We forgot to pick up Ben!" Trip answered.
"Oh."
"Sorry 'bout that, Ben." Trip said to Ben.
"It's OK, Trip." Ben responded. Ben was very tall and heavy, had a sort of golden-colored hair, and was very well mannered. "I would have been late myself, as I was finishing up a level on my newest video game."
"Oh?" KC asked.
"Yes," Ben responded, "It's the newest game in the Red Alert series. It's a lot of fun and I am hooked on it."
"Sounds neat," Trip responded. "I'm going to have to see it for myself."
"Me too--and three," said KC, making his usual bad puns.
"Well, let's turn the radio back up," Trip said, "as I'm sure John Boy and Billy will be back in a moment. But let me remind you that we have a new person to pick up today."
"I can't wait!" KC and Ben said in unison.
"Jinx!" KC shouted.
The three teens in the '83 Cressida pulled up outside a relatively new looking, white, 2-story house. Trip pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket.
"This is the place, according to the directions," he said. "I guess we should wait a few minutes."
Just then, John Boy and Billy returned with today's Dumb Crook News. After listening for a few minutes, it ended, and the poor car was howling with laughter. Just then, out of the house walked a teenage girl. She had blue eyes and glasses, with blonde, straight, and free hair. As she walked up, Ben reached across the back seat and opened the door for her.
"Thank you," she said in her soft voice.
She got in, and closed the door, and the car pulled away.
"Hi, my name's Erica," she explained. "Our family just moved in from South Carolina. I don't like school buses, so I decided to join your carpool. So, what're your names?"
Trip got in first. "I'm Trip."
"I'm KC," KC said shakily.
"I'm Ben, nice to meet you," Ben said in his normal, cheerful voice.
All Erica could do is smile.
"We'll be at school in about 10 minutes," Trip said to Erica in particular, "so I hope you don't mind if we put the radio on."
"No, of course not," she responded.
So, Trip turned the radio up again in time to hear Jimmi Hendrix's "Foxy Lady."
Ten minutes later, they were walking toward the high school. Trip ran up after parking the car.
He then finished a joke: "And so he said, 'Oh, I'm sorry, it wasn't a bacon-tree, it was a ham-bush."
The four of them burst out laughing. Some other teens looked at the four of them like they were weird. This was quite unusual, since usually other teens were looking at only three of them like they were weird. They reached the door, and had to split up. Trip was in the 10th grade, KC was in 11th grade, and Ben was in 12th grade.
Before they left, Trip asked, "So Erica, which class do you have first?"
Erica pulled a paper out of her pocket. "Umm… it says Advanced World History after 1500 AD."
Trip took the paper. "That's the same class I've got! In fact… you're in 3 of the same classes I'm in: Advanced World History after 1500 AD, Algebra II, and English 10A."
"Cool," was all she said, before they all said their good-byes and went their separate ways.
After school, they all met back at the old car. They got in, except this time, KC sat in the back, and Erica sat in the front.
"So, how was everyone's day?" Trip asked, as he asked every day after school.
Erica went first. "Well, it was OK… but everyone kept looking at me."
"No surprise." KC muttered.
"What?" everyone else in the car asked.
"Oh, umm… great… lunch… fries?"
"Riiight." Trip said sarcastically.
"My day was good!" Ben cut in and began going on and on about his day.
Later that night, KC called Trip on the phone.
"Hello?"
"Hi, Trip!"
"KC! What's up?"
"Not a whole lot. Hey, you know that Erica girl?"
"Erica… Erica… oh, her! Yeah, the one you WOULDN'T SHUT UP ABOUT AFTER SHE GOT OUT OF THE CAR."
"Umm… Yeah. I'm gonna try and ask her out, but… do you think it's too soon? I mean, she just moved in and all…"
"Well KC, this isn't my strong point. You should talk to Dale. But honestly, I think it is just a little bit too soon. Let her get a bit more comfortable in the area. Then you could go after her."
"Thanks."
"No problem. I'm like Homer Simpson, 'I gave that man directions, even though I had no idea how to get there!'"
KC laughed. "Funny, man, funny. Well, I must be off!"
"Bye."
And then he hung up. Trip shook his head and went on the net, just like he always did.
The following day, before first class started, Trip was at his locker.
"Hi Trip."
Trip looked up to see two girls, one was of Indian descent, with dark hair, dark eyes, and glasses. The other was white with blonde hair, brown eyes, and glasses.
"Hi Naomi. Hi Beth." Trip had dated both a while back. (Not at the same time, you fool) With Naomi, she was just not ready. Beth never had time because she was always busy. Even through this, they were still friends. "What's up?"
Beth smiled. Beth was always smiling. If she wasn't smiling, something was wrong. "Not much, we just came to see how you've been doing."
"I'm good. I see you two are looking beautiful as usual."
Both of them smiled. Just then, the bell rang, and the three went to their respective classes.
After school, Ben, KC, and Trip were waiting outside the school for Erica, when Beth walked up to them.
"Hi guys," she said, in a very flirtatious way.
Ben said, "Hi," and continued to read his book.
KC kinda sorta ignored her and just said, "Hey."
Trip, on the other hand, still admired her. "Hi." He looked down. "How are you this afternoon?"
Beth smiled and stepped closer to Trip. "I'm doing pretty well."
Just then KC broke in. "Have you seen Erica?"
Beth though for a moment. "Yes I have. She was talking to Naomi in the hall outside the Drama room. I assume she'll be along in a minute." She looked back at Trip. "So… are you doing anything this weekend?"
"Actually, yes. I'm spending the weekend at Dale's place."
"Oh." Beth looked a little sad, but then brightened up again. "Maybe another time."
"Yeah… sounds good."
Just then, Erica and Naomi walked out of the building.
KC pulled out his keys. "Ready to go, Erica?"
Erica was smiling. "Yep!"
And with that, the four of them split from Naomi and Beth and went home.
On Thursday, this really popular, but really rough guy, Max, wouldn't leave Erica alone.
"Come on, Erica, why won't you go out with me?"
"Because I don't want to."
"How can someone not want to go out with me?
"I don't know, but it's happened."
"Look girl, I'm telling you to go out with me."
"And I'm telling you NO."
"Hasn't your little friend that faggot Trip told you that I'm the most popular guy in school?"
"He's not a faggot!"
"Oh, so he hasn't told you yet? He's a friggin' bi!"
Erica was shocked. "Really?"
"Yeah! Why did you think he was so unpopular?"
Erica paused for a moment. "I STILL don't want to go out with you."
With that, Max stormed off and Erica went to her next class, deep in thought.
Erica stood outside the front of the school after school that day, waiting for Trip, KC, and Ben to come out so she could get home. KC was the first one out.
"Hi Erica."
"Hi."
"So… do you wanna… go out tomorrow night?"
"Ugh! That's the fifth time I've been asked today! Umm--but, no, KC, I'm busy… sorry."
"It's OK."
And that's when Ben and Trip walked out of the building.
"Ready to go?" Trip asked.
KC and Erica nodded. All four walked to the car, got in, and Trip began to drive off.
"Trip, can you drop me off last?" Erica asked.
"Sure. It'll give you a chance to see some more of the area."
So, Trip passed by her house and dropped off first KC, then Ben. After a minute or two of staring at the forest…
"Trip," Erica began, "Max was trying to get me to go out with him today, and he told me something about you."
Trip pulled the car over. "What did he tell you?"
"He told me that… he told me that… you're bisexual."
Trip sighed. "Yeah, it's true. Unfortunately, this is a very intolerant area. I resort to the Internet for friends and help."
"I… I don't know what to say."
"You don’t have to say anything." Trip started the car going again. "You were going to find out eventually. I guess it's better that you found out now anyway."
"But--"
"I don't want to talk any more about it."
They drove in silence all the way back to Erica's house.
"Bye Trip. I'm sorry."
"Sorry for what?"
"For bringing that up…"
"No big deal. Bye!"
"Bye!"
And with that, Trip sped off.
Erica sat in her poorly lit room on her bed. She kept reaching for the phone, but stopping. She just couldn't bring herself to call…
Friday started off as it had on Monday, as Trip picked up KC and Ben and made his way over to Erica's house. She stepped out of her house and got in the car. Trip turned up the radio and drove them to school for this final day before KC took over driving. Ben was sitting in the front, and KC and Erica were in the back.
KC leaned over and said in a low voice, "I need to talk to you when we get out of the car."
"OK."
So, by the time they got to school, everyone in the car was howling with laughter, except Erica who didn't get the joke on the radio. Trip turned the radio off halfway through the song "Sweet Home Alabama" by Lynyrd Skynyrd.
They all said their good-byes, but Erica asked to stay behind a few minutes. So the only ones left were KC and Erica.
"Erica," KC began, "I'm sorry I rushed into it with you… I shouldn't have been so quick to ask you out like that."
"It's okay," she responded.
"So, umm… how about next Friday?"
Erica sighed with frustration. "No, KC, I'm busy then, too."
"I'm sorry."
"It's alright."
And with that, they headed to their respective classes.
"So Trip, can I come over, huh, can I?"
"No, KC. I'm busy tonight."
"Oh?"
"Yeah. I'm spending the night at Dale's place."
"Oh."
Just then, Erica, Ben, and Dale walked from inside the school, to where KC and Trip were already in the long outdated vehicle. Trip drove, with Ben riding in the front seat, and KC sandwiched between Dale and Erica.
Dale was tall and slender with bluish-green eyes and sandy blonde hair.
First, Trip dropped off Erica.
"Have a nice weekend!" KC called.
Erica smiled. "You too. Bye!"
"Bye!" everyone in the car echoed.
After dropping off Ben and KC, Trip proceeded to drive north for about 15 miles, and then turned onto a long driveway. After parking the car at the end, Dale and Trip got out of the car, and walked up to a fairly old-looking house. Dale lifted the welcome mat and pulled out the key. He then opened the door, allowed Trip to walk in, and then came in and closed the door. Unlike the outside, the inside looked relatively new. The whole house was one large room downstairs and a few bedrooms and a bathroom upstairs. In this downstairs room, there was a large-screen TV, a computer, a kitchen area, a large bed, some sofas, and other things.
"So, you say your family's out of town for the weekend?" Trip asked.
"Yep." Dale responded.
"Got any new games?"
"I do, in fact."
They made their way over to the TV and began playing the game.
A few hours later, at a house about 15 miles away, someone else was 'having fun.'
Erica was lying on her bed panting.
"Wow, you're good," she said, looking over.
Back with Trip and Dale…
"Wow, you beat me again!" Trip announced. He then proceeded to pin Dale to the floor before kissing him.
During this time, Ben was, as usual, playing his video games at his home. About 5 miles away was KC, setting off some fireworks.
"Whoa! That's really cool!" KC said.
"Yeah," his cousin Calvin said, "I especially liked the part where you caught on fire!"
"Caught on fire?" KC looked down and noticed that his left pant leg was, indeed, on fire. "Yah! Put it out! Put it OUT!" KC screamed as he ran around in circles. Calvin ran and got the hose and extinguished the fire.
Calvin fell over laughing. KC just stood there, soaked. Suddenly, both heard a rumble, and looked up. A large thunderhead was approaching.
"We'd better go inside," Calvin said, "before you get struck by lightning."
"Ha. Very funny." KC ran inside anyway, with Calvin right behind him.
Within a few minutes, a severe thunderstorm was raging outside the homes of the four. At Dale's place, Dale and Trip were huddled in the upstairs bathroom, with only a lantern on. Thunder crashed outside. Dale hugged Trip closer.
"I wouldn't want to be with anyone else," Dale said.
"Neither would I," Trip responded sleepily.
"I love you," Dale said.
"I do too." Trip said, before falling asleep.
Ben turned off his computer just in time for the power to go out. He decided that he might as well go to bed, and continue in the morning after this storm is over. He clamored into bed, turned off his flashlight, and went to sleep.
Erica smiled as she lie in her bed, with the heat of another human body pressed against her. She smiled again and drifted off to sleep.
"…And then," KC said, with the flashlight under his chin, "the satellite TV went out!"
Calvin screamed. "How can a person live without satellite and the Internet?"
"Well, Trip lives without satellite, and Ben lives without the Internet," KC answered.
"True."
"Well, it's 11:00, and I'm tired. Wanna go to bed?"
"Yeah, might as well."
And with that, KC went to his room and Calvin pulled out the couch. Both quickly fell asleep.
Trip's eyes fluttered open. It was morning, about 8 AM, and light was flooding into the room from outside. He was lying in the large bed downstairs next to the still-sleeping Dale.
'Dale must have carried me down here after the storm,' Trip thought to himself.
He got up, got a glass of milk, and stared out the window.
On the other hand, KC was still fast asleep, as was Calvin. It must be genetic.
A few miles away, Ben was already awake, playing video games.
Erica awoke to find her arm (which, last night, had been wrapped around her lover) was lying on the now otherwise-empty bed. She got up, put on a robe, and went to find her lover.
Trip was now on the Internet, checking the websites he usually checks when he wakes up in the morning. He was also chatting with his pal Gavin, who is in 11th grade, and lives on the other side of the county.
Dale silently got up, walked over to the computer, right behind Trip, and put his hands over Trip's eyes. "Guess who?"
Trip giggled. "Gee, I don't know… KC?"
Dale laughed. "No… close though."
Trip giggled more. "Is it my Dale-san?"
Dale took his hands from over Trip's eyes and kissed him on the forehead. "You're right."
Dale then sat across Trip's lap and wrapped his right arm around Trip's neck, pulling his head close to Trip's.
"You know Trip, I didn't get to thank you last night, before you fell asleep." Dale then pulled Trip in for a loving kiss.
Ben spent the rest of the day playing video games. KC and Calvin played on the computer and on his X-Box most of the day. Erica read books outside in a hammock, accompanied by her lover. Dale and Trip did a few things, such as go fishing, play computer games, Monopoly, strip poker, and each other. All of this was because it was a beautiful sunny day.
By the evening, Erica's lover had left. She was reading on her bed, when the phone rang. It was none other than KC.
"Hi Erica."
"Oh, hi KC."
"Ummm… Erica?"
"Yeah."
"Could I possibly take you out tomorrow afternoon?"
"No, KC, I'm doing something with my parents."
"Oh. Sorry."
"It's ok. You didn't know."
"Well, bye."
"Bye KC."
As the rest of the weekend was relatively uninteresting, we will pick up again on Monday. This time, KC would drive around, get Ben, and then come by to get Trip and Erica. So, KC swung around and followed the route, picking everyone up. Erica, however, was a little late.
"Sorry guys," she said, "I forgot to turn on my alarm and got going late, only to find that I'd lost my makeup."
"It's okay," KC said.
They rode along in silence as Ben read a book, Trip stared out the window, and Erica put on makeup.
All of a sudden, KC leaned over and asked, "Do you want to go out this weekend?"
Erica, who had had a very stressful morning, got very angry. "KC, can you not see that I don't want to go out with you? Can you not see that I have no interest in you? I wasn't planning to tell you people, but you," she pointed at KC, "obviously don't get it. KC, I'm lesbian!"
__________
To be continued...
- Trip