Drummer Boys By Kevin Carson
This story is about my relationship with my friend and, well, much, much more-than-a-jack-off buddy. Yes, it includes gay teen sex stuff. It's based on true experiences but some of the names and places have been changed for privacy. Hey, if this is illegal where you're at or if you're too young to be reading this, then you better not. Getting in trouble isn't cool. All rights reserved. No reproductions permitted without prior permission. Copyright 2009.
Thanks to everyone who has written to me. I really appreciate your comments/feedback and questions about this story. My email is: kc.drummerboy@yahoo.com.
Sincerely, -kevin.
Part 43.
Roosevelt Field Mall is one big-ass shopping center. I mean... it's HUGE! In fact, it's so big, I got lost in there once. I'm sort-of embarrassed about that, because, actually, it wasn't very long ago when that happened. But that's another story for another time. Grandpa says the mall was built on what used to be an airport, back in the day. Keith and I figured that "back in the day" must have been when Dad was a teenager. Dad just laughed and said, no, that, "back in the day" really was when Grandpa was a teenager. Way back then...
Matt dropped me off near the bus stop by Nordstrom, and said he'd see me later at my house for practice. He thanked me again, I guess because he knew he'd been in my thoughts, in the caring way friends think about each other. And that's entirely true. He had been on my mind for quite some time, ever since he was in such a down mood that day at Fire Island. The day he wondered if he'd ever be as happy with someone as Mark and I are with each other. Mark managed to pull him out of his slump that day, but, you know, I have a plan to do my share too! I swear, Matt is one of the most sincere people I know, even if he is a little bit odd sometimes. Haha, speaking about being odd... I sure don't have any room to talk!
Right after Matt drove away, my phone buzzed as I was walking into the mall. It was Nora.
"Heyyyy... where are you?" I teased. "I've been waiting for over an hour!"
"Oh shut up, Kevin. I'm running a little late. Traffic's like at a standstill... there's probably an accident or something. I'll be there as soon as I can."
"Oh, no problem. I was only kidding. I'm just walking in now, so I'll meet you as soon as you get here. Maybe I'll take a nap or something while I'm waiting!"
"Yeah, maybe you should. You're like a zombie these days!" she laughed.
"Hey! Thanks a lot," I shot back, jokingly. "Take your time."
"Gotcha, bud! See you in a few."
I waited at the seating area by Urban Outfitters and H&M, but after a few minutes I noticed this awful smell... like dog shit or something. I can tell you it wasn't coming from me! I checked the bottom of my shoes anyway, just to make sure I hadn't stepped in anything, and sure enough, I was clean. Besides, even if I had stepped in dog poop, it would have been noticeable long before that. And Matt definitely would have said something, too. He's just that way.
Anyhow, it didn't take long to discover where the smell was coming from. A woman with a baby sat down right behind me, and obviously the kid had a dirty diaper. When I say that shit's not for me... I mean it! Literally! Ordinarily, I would have said something to her. Something like... "That's why they have family restrooms... so you can change your baby's shitty diaper and I won't have to suffer." But at that particular moment, I didn't feel very confrontational. Not then, at least. There'd be plenty of time for angry outbursts from me, sooner than I thought.
But, like I said, the mall is a big place, so I decided I'd just move away from that damn full-of-shit baby. I was thirsty, and since Nora wasn't there yet, I ran up to the food court and got something to drink at Sbarro. At least I wasn't around that screaming, smelly kid any longer!
"A large diet cola, please... no ice."
"Sorry, sir. We have to put ice in it." (So now I'm a "sir"??) "Otherwise it's too sweet." I swear, the woman working there had the personality of a lobster. How could a sour puss like her know anything about what's "too sweet"??
"Oh really??" I said sarcastically. I knew she was giving me a line of crap, but whatever. I dunno... I guess all sorts of things were happening that were starting to piss me off.
"So that's all you want... just the soda??" Lobster Lady asked.
"Yep... that's it. Please."
She looked at me with an expression, like, "It's lunch time, you're at a pizza place and you don't order any pizza?" Whatever.
As I was walking down the escalator, my phone buzzed again, and I managed to flip it open, even though I was holding my drink. Without looking to see who it was, I answered, assuming it was Nora again. Boy, was I wrong.
"Now whaddaya want??" I teased.
"Oh... um, Kevin... this is Mr. Lamson calling..."
"Huh?? What?? Uhhh... Mr. Lamson!!??!!" Shit, I don't know if I was more surprised or scared. I almost dropped my soda and tripped getting off the damn escalator.
"Yes, um, you see, Kevin, I wanted to get in touch with you because..."
"Ahhh... Mr. Lamson, I can't talk right now," I interrupted. "It's not a good time. I gotta go!" And I hung up as fast as I could.
My heart was pounding and my mind was racing. I got back to the seats by H&M and Urban Outfitters, where I was supposed to wait for Nora, and luckily, the woman with the stinky baby was gone. I was so damn thirsty I like chugged the entire cup of soda, ice and all. Then I had a brain freeze. Damn it!! And I started to get really angry that Mr. Lamson called me. What the fuck??!! What did he want?? It took a lot of nerve for him to call me. It's a good thing that Dad, Grandpa and I had a conversation about what to do if he did try to get in touch with me. I'm glad I followed their orders and didn't talk to him.
But what went down next really takes the cake. It all happened so fast. I got up to throw the soda cup in the trash, and I happened to glance in Urban Outfitters and who did I see? Of all people... it looked like Marcie and Mrs. Lamson! Jesus! First, Mr. Lamson calls me on my cell, then I think I see Marcie and "Mother," within a matter of seconds??!! Give me a break!! Now I was in high gear, madder than a dog, as Grandpa would say. I just had to do something about this, so, in a flash, I decided to march right in the store and approach them.
"ALRIGHT!! Which one of you bitches ran my brother off the road and caused that accident? Come on, damn it! Tell me!! I know it was one of you!! It had to be! One of you did it and it almost got him and his girlfriend killed. You're not gonna fucking get away with this, no fucking way! Got that?? NO FUCKING WAY!!! If the cops aren't gonna do anything about this, I will. Wait and see. You're both fucked up, and I'm gonna make sure you... Ughhh!!!!!!!"
As the two startled women turned around to face me, I also got the surprise of my life!
"WHAT ON EARTH??!!??" the older one exclaimed. "What's going on here?? Just who do you think you are, talking to us like this??"
"Security!!! SECURITY!!!" yelled the younger sexy-slutty woman with her.
"Oh My God!!! Jeez, I'm sorry... oh Jesus, ma'm... I thought you were someone else... I'm so sorry... Really... Please!! I'm soooo sorry!!!!" I was stunned, to say the least. My imagination was in high gear, because the two women were DEFINITELY NOT Marcie and Mrs. Lamson. They might have looked like it, at first... from a distance and from behind. But let me tell you, it WAS NOT them!!!
"Manager!! Manager!!! Do something!!! This maniac is verbally attacking us!!!"
Jesus, I was so embarrassed. But, for a moment, I really DID think the two women looked EXACTLY like Marcie and "Mother." I don't know what came over me.
The manager approached us and I heard her tell someone in her headset, "We have a situation here..."
"This young man is using such horrible language!!!" Even though I was totally in the wrong, the older one, who I thought was Mrs. Lamson, was a bit of a drama queen. I thought I'd really lose it when she said she was so upset by what I said she couldn't breathe.
"But... ma'm..."
I sorta had a flashback to my very first encounter with Emily DeMarco that day in the cafeteria at school last fall. I was completely innocent then, but not today. I meant well, but I know now I really was in the wrong doing what I did. Stupid me, I guess I didn't learn my lesson from the thing with Emily. Then... I had another surprise... even bigger than before.
"Billy... Billy!!! Don't say another word!!" It was Nora, walking toward me, oh so fast! "I mean it, 'Billy', keep your mouth shut!!!"
Nora was looking straight at me, but I was looking around for someone named 'Billy'!
"Wh...What??" Was she talking to me???
"He's sorry, ma'm. My little brother, 'Billy' here... he didn't take his medicine today!" Nora tried to reassure the two women and the store manager. "Come on 'Billy'... mom and dad have been looking all over for you..." she grabbed my arm, pulling me along, toward the entrance.
"But... I..." I was kind-of dumbfounded, not knowing what in the hell was going on. Obviously my mind was drifting in and out of reality, that's for sure. That's what was going on.
The younger woman was a bit snotty, not unlike the real Marcie. "Your brother's a little punk!" Jeez, I've never been called a punk before. At least not to my face.
"He should be ashamed of himself! The way he spoke to us, it was terrible!! I'm very upset!! I need my inhaler!!!" The older one screamed, with the typical, annoying New York accent.
"I apologize, ma'm, but he's a sick boy," Nora warned with a sympathetic tone. "I'm sure you'll be fine. He didn't mean it. He gets this way when he doesn't take his medication. Now, 'Billy'... we have to go! NOW!! COME ON!!"
As soon as Nora and I got out into the mall and out of sight, I asked her what that was all about. "What the fuck just happened??"
"I don't know... you tell me!"
"I don't know, either... I saw those two women, and I thought it was Mrs. Lamson and Marcie..." I tried to explain. "Never mind... it's a long story. And by the way, who's this 'Billy' guy?"
"No one, dumbass! I made it up... I just didn't want to call you 'Kevin' and have them know your real name, in case there was any serious trouble. 'Billy' is the first generic-sounding guy's name I could think of."
"And what were you saying about me being on medication??? God Nora, what's gotten into you?"
"What's gotten into ME???? Jesus, Kevin! You had a meltdown right there in the middle of Urban Outfitters. You went off on those two strangers! That was the first excuse I could think of to get you out of there! I'm glad I heard it all happen, because if I hadn't you'd still be in there dealing with security."
"Oh God, please."
"Even if you hadn't mistaken those two broads, if it really had been Mrs. Lamson and Marcie... it would have been bad. You can't just confront people like that."
"Yes I can!" I said, defiantly. "What did we even come here for?? Just take me home. I feel like shit now."
"No. It'll be OK. Put it behind you. I'm just glad I got you out of there before it got worse. Come on... you need to buy something. You'll feel better... come on!"
Nora got me to calm down, which she accomplished as we browsed around in a few stores. I finally bought a blue and white-striped polo shirt in American Eagle that she picked out, and decided I'd wear it to the game on Sunday. Haha, I also bought some new boxer briefs, too! Not red... not white... but blue!
Then Nora convinced me to eat something. After lunch, we stopped in the Aveda store so she could buy some hair stuff or whatever, which bored me to death. But she made it quick, though, and then we headed for home. We finally were able to laugh about me talking shit to those women in Urban Outfitters.
"I gotta stop getting in fights with bitchy women, don't I?"
"Umm, yeah!" Nora agreed. "Tell you what, Kev... you better not flip shit at me or I'll kick your ass!"
"Don't worry. I'm afraid of you!" I teased back. Then I sorta changed the subject. "Hey I'm really pumped about the game tomorrow and the party and all."
"Even though you're a die-hard Yankees fan?" Nora laughed. "You know we're all looking forward to your get-together thingy tomorrow night. And we can't wait to hear you guys play. Word on the street is you're pretty good!"
"Umm... I dunno about that," I smiled. "Actually, I guess we are. Especially Mark singing lead. I never knew he could... And it's amazing how his voice is holding up, considering the fact that he just had his tonsils out a few months ago."
"I wanted to ask you, do you need any help with anything? Like setting stuff up or whatever?"
"Actually, Nora... I do, if you don't mind. Maybe you could help me order the food. Mark said we could get everything at his store, and he said he'd help, but I don't want to bother him. If we could stop there now, that'd be great, because I have no idea what to get." I yawned.
"Someone's sleepy! Maybe the reason you wigged out on those women is because you really are sleep deprived. How about I take you home first, then I'll stop at King Kullen and order the stuff for you. I can handle that."
"OK." I didn't argue with that suggestion. I offered Nora money to pay for everything, but she said she'd take care of it and I could pay her back later.
I didn't talk much after that, and in fact I sort-of nodded off to sleep once or twice in the car. But soon we were home, and Nora went inside with me. We talked to Dad for a few minutes, and that's when I learned more people would be at the party than I invited or ever expected.
"Hey Kev, I ran into Bob Kramer at Home Depot this morning and we were talking about your garage band, so I told them to come over tomorrow for the mini-concert. I thought it was only right since Matt and Scott are such an important part of it."
"That's fine, Dad. Mr. and Mrs. Kramer are cool."
"And, Nora... I saw your dad, too, and we were talking about it, so I told him and your mom to come too, and to bring Dylan. I think he'd get a kick out of seeing how the big boys play."
"That's great, Mr. Carson, but we might have to put him in a straight jacket. He'll probably grab the microphone and try to steal the show! Dylan's a loaded gun sometimes... like Kevin!"
"Oh thanks, Nora. Thanks a lot!"
"What did you do now, Kev?"
"Nothing, Dad. I'll tell you later. I gotta get some sleep. Nora's gonna go get the food for tomorrow... Just get whatever you want, except don't get any pizza." Dad told Nora it would be fine to order pizza anyway, that most people love it, and started to give her some money.
"Really, Mr. Carson, it's fine... I'll take care of it."
"Dad, Nora... I said I'd pay for the food," I insisted. "This whole thing is my idea anyway."
"Kevin... we're all just helping you out... it's OK. Let us do it. Now go take that nap!" Dad commanded. "Here you go, Nora," and he handed her the money.
So I thought it was best to just give up, and not argue with Nora or Dad. I went up to my room and jumped on my bed. It would have been great if Mark had been there to jump on it with me, but... I'd have to wait a little while longer for that. I fell into a deep sleep immediately. And there's proof that I must have really needed the rest. When I woke up two hours later, my face was all crusty with dried drool. Believe me, I've had enough crust on other parts of my body... but this was definitely dried drool, not dried "something else."
I hopped in the shower, not because I was dirty or anything, and not because I wanted to jerk off, but because it felt like it was morning. It was 5:30 pm, and the guys were coming over within the hour, and I was missing Mark. After I got cleaned up I called Nora.
"Hey, umm... thanks again. And I really mean it. And I'm sorry for being such a shithead today at the mall."
"No worries, darlin'... Did you get some rest?"
"I sure did. You have a way of straightening me out." There was an awkward moment of silence when I said that, about "straightening me out," because I'm anything but...
"I sorta love it when you're a little bit cranky. I love keeping you in line."
"Did you order all the food and stuff? I trust you, whatever you did. Except for the pizza. You and my Dad are definitely in cahoots about that."
"Yeah, everything's all taken care of! And Mark was a big help, too. Hey I gotta go... see ya tomorrow! Have fun, Kev!"
I don't thank Nora enough. She takes care of me, in different ways than Mark does, and I never want her to think I take her for granted, even though I guess it might seem that way. She evens out my ups and downs. I owe her big time!
Scott, Matt, Eric and Mark all got to my house around 6:30 and our final practice went really well. We actually set everything up outside to sorta do a "soundcheck." I felt like this was some major rock concert, for sure. In my backyard!! We decided to add two more songs that we had also practiced during the week.
At first, I wasn't particularly thrilled about "Believe Me Baby, I Lied," a country-rock song by Trisha Yearwood. But it has a good beat and Scott was getting a bit crazy jumping up and kicking his heels when he yells "HEY!" right before his guitar solo. And we also added "All You Wanted" by Michelle Branch as the next-to-the-last song. Mark did an excellent job of putting his own style on all the tunes, especially the ones that are originally sung by girls. We were tight. Real tight. And we did sound good, if I do say so myself.
We had finished our "dress rehearsal" and put all the equipment back inside, just to be safe, even though there was no way it was gonna rain. The guys stayed until after midnight, and we all just sorta chilled. Mark made us laugh a lot, and Matt was really talkative for a change.
"So, umm, Eric... no hot date tonight with Jen?"
"Uhh... that'd be a 'no'. She's been acting weird."
"Maybe she's pregnant." Matt joked.
"Falsity, Kramer. No way!"
"Well, you never know. The way girls are, with a thousand different moods, fucking your brains out one day and bitching down your throat the next... there's no way I'd ever want a girlfriend!" Matt quipped. Hmmm... I wonder what that meant?
After the guys left, Mark and I stayed up a while longer and talked, and I told him about the situation I got myself into at the mall earlier in the day.
"Did Nora tell you about it?"
"No, she didn't say a word to me. The only thing she said was you bought a few things... a new shirt and something else, and you were gonna catch up on sleep."
I could tell Mark wasn't lying, about if Nora said anything to him about the incident. That's even more proof of what a great friend she is, and how much she can be trusted.
"Yeah, I guess I was pretty delusional, but it would have been a lot worse if it really had been Marcie and her mom. And I'm gonna need to tell my Dad, too. I just haven't done that yet. Whatever."
For once, Mark and I didn't fool around, which I know is hard to believe. We did kiss goodnight, though! For some reason, we both felt satisfied just being together. We're together a lot... all the time some would say. But I know that being apart from him even for a few hours seems like an eternity. And although my day had been wild and upside down, it all ended good. Things were on track for the party. Practice went well... extremely well... and we were pumped about playing. And of course, Mark and I were both excited about meeting Nick and going to the Mets game. It didn't take long for us to fall asleep.
Haha, as usual, I got up first Sunday morning, and quietly sneeked out of my room to go to the bathroom. When I got back, I woke Mark up with a kiss I couldn't resist giving him.
He was sprawled out on his back, legs spread apart, taking up almost the whole bed. He threw back the sheet, uncovering his sleek body. Of course, my eyes went straight for the surprise package waiting for me inside his tight boxer briefs. I kissed and licked my way down his chest and stomach, taking a little time to lip-bite each nipple and to watch the bulge grow inside his underwear. As for me... well, the head of my own stiff dick was peeking through the top of my undies, teasing Mark! I sorta sat up as he grabbed my rod and touched the wet spot by the fly of my boxers. Then I got on top of him and we kissed open mouth, taking turns forcing our tongues all around inside each other's throats. Who cares about morning breath. It didn't matter.
We were both hard as steel, grinding ourselves into one another, until our precum made things quite slippery. I couldn't stand it any longer. I pulled his underwear down with one hand, letting his stiff tool slap against his stomach. I immediately took the whole thing in my mouth and bobbed up and down while playing with his nuts. I licked a finger and touched his hole too, which sent him over the top. I slowed my sucking and Mark began to buck and shoot intensely, filling my mouth with his sweet cream. Now THAT's what I call breakfast in bed! After I gulped his load down, I sniffed all around his pubes and kissed his stomach. Then I swirled my tongue around inside his belly button, which made him wiggle! And giggle!
Mark smiled, and without saying a word, he got on top of me and returned the favor. It didn't take long to get me off, and I sorta remember feeling kinda dizzy, like the room was spinning. I shut my eyes and whimpered a bit as he finished me off by hand... both hands, actually, pumping me into oblivion. I was on my back, but had my legs wrapped around his waist as my own geyser of hot cum erupted. I swear, it was like high voltage running through my entire body, head to toe. I shot a nice creamy load over Mark's fingers, directly on to my lower stomach and in my pubes. He cleaned me up with some kleenexes, as we smiled in silence, and regained consciousness. I was set for the day!
I got Mark a towel and he showered in mine and Keith's bathroom, while I used Dad's. He told me he liked the new shirt I had on, the one Nora picked out, and then he pushed up my hair in the middle and kissed my nose. God, I felt tingly! We went downstairs for breakfast, and for once, my brother, who was already up, was very friendly and talkative.
"Dudes! I was talking to Scott about setting up some lights and stuff on the deck and in the backyard. I know you're not having a full-blown light show or anything, but I bet we could pull something off that'd be really cool. Whaddya think?"
"Hey, yeah! You can use all the Christmas lights from the drum room." I suggested.
Keith also said he was gonna help set up the amps and microphones as well as getting tables and chairs and helping Nora with all the food. I guess I hadn't thought too much about all of those details. I thanked Keith about 80 times for all his help.
"It's almost eleven o'clock, Kev. Think we should go?"
"Yeah, sure. We gotta stop at my Grandpa's on the way and get the tickets."
So we were off! Grandma and Grandpa both came outside to say" hi" to Mark and me, and I thought, what the hell... I might as well invite them to the get-together, too. It was the polite thing to do, since Grandpa scored the Mets tickets for me. I offered to pay him again, but he said "no." Grandma wanted to know what she could bring, but I said nothing. Actually, between you and me... if she made a Texas sheet cake, that'd be fine with me. Since Allie and Nick are from Texas, it would have a special meaning, now wouldn't it?!
"Thanks, Grandpa!" We waved goodbye as Mark backed out of their driveway. "See you guys around 6 o'clock, then!" I shouted. And, just to even things out, I called my other grandparents and invited them as well.
The weather was perfect... I couldn't have asked for anything more. And in spite of the ballgame, traffic on the expressway wasn't too bad for a sunny Sunday afternoon. Next, I called Allie, just to check in.
"Yeah, we're transferring at Grand Central right now, Kev. We're so excited! Ohhh... here it is... the "7" bound for Flushing... stopping at Willets Point/Shea Stadium! That's our train! See you soon!"
I told her we'd meet them at the subway station there, that it's just a short walk to the gates. Even though the subway is above ground in a lot of places outside of Manhattan, it's still called the subway. I was starting to get a little nervous, and my heart was beating fast.
We couldn't have been any more precise with our timing. It was bumper-to-bumper getting into the parking area, but we were lucky to park fairly close to where we were to meet Allie and Nick. I saw the elevated subway train slowing down toward the platform, and within seconds I spotted Allie... then Nick. God, he was hot!
"Allie!! We're over here!" Mark and I waved. She saw us, too, and waved back.
Nick looked to be around Mark's height, about six feet tall, I'd say... and his resemblance to Allie was amazing. He had pin-straight dark brown hair, which partly covered his ears, so you couldn't see his hearing aids. And he had the cutest smile. Not quite as cute as Mark's smile... but damn close! He was wearing tighter-than-tight brown denim skinny-boy jeans and a plain white button-down oxford cloth shirt, partially un-tucked, of course. It was wrinkled a bit, which was sexy as hell, and his sleeves were rolled up almost to his elbows. His aviator shades were resting on top of his head. Definitely preppy! Definitely delicious!
"Hey guys!"
"Hey!!!!!" Mark and I said, in unison.
Nick was quick to introduce himself first. "Hi! I'm Nick Stewart! You must be Kevin!" He extended his arm and we shook hands. "And I bet you're Mark!" They shook hands, too. Although I was nervous as hell, and super-excited, meeting him for the first time was unforgettable. I know I'll never forget the slight stiffness in my pants!
I looked straight at him and spoke. "It's so cool to meet you, Nick! This is fun!"
Mark added, "It seems like we all already know each other."
Allie hugged and thanked us. I could tell she was happy - and relieved. While I know she really liked Mark and me, it was still probably very high anxiety about us meeting Nick, all things considered.
Although Nick didn't say much, I was surprised he spoke so well. I actually didn't know exactly what to expect him to sound like though. His speech is different... very deliberate, almost harsh. While I wouldn't describe it as having a lisp, the "s" sound is more like "th" and the "r" sound is like "aw". And the consonants on the endings of words aren't always well-pronounced. But after a while, it's not even noticeable.
I remembered Allie told me to always look directly at Nick when I wanted to speak to him, so he could read my lips. She was right. It didn't take us long to get used to it. Communicating was a snap. He was amazing.
"Well, we're right on time! We got really good seats, from my grandfather. He's coming to my house tonight, so you'll get to meet him!" I handed everyone their ticket as we walked toward the gate.
"So I know you love baseball, right?" I asked Nick.
"Yahhh!"
"Astros??"
Nick smiled and nodded "yes."
"I really like the Yankees better than the Mets." I told him. Nick nodded and laughed and told me he knew that, because Allie had told him.
"I read where they're gonna tear Shea Stadium down, right?" he wondered. When he spoke, he moved his hands and fingers, using sign language.
"I guess so, in a few years. And Yankee Stadium, too. They're building new ballparks for both teams."
It seemed like Allie and Mark were pals while I sorta hung with Nick. We got to our seats along the 1st base line, and they were fantastic! The first pitch was thrown at precisely 1:10, with John Maine on the mound for the Mets. As soon as the game was underway, the concessionaires started their thing as they strolled through each section:
"COLD BEER HERE!!! CO-O-O-O-LD BEER!!"
"Peeeeea-NUTS!!!!! GET YOUR PEANUTS HERE!!!"
I'm not one for hotdogs, but I gotta admit they really smelled good. Of course they did! They're Nathan's!! Allie and Mark each had one when the guy came past out seats for the third time. Nick and I just looked at each other, wrinkled our noses, and shook our heads "no thanks" and laughed.
In the top of the fourth inning, Mark offered to take Nick on a little tour of Shea Stadium. Haha, better him than me, since he's been there more often and knows stuff I don't know. Allie and I had a chance to talk.
"Kevin, I can't thank you enough for this. It means so much."
"Come on, you've thanked me a million times. I wanted to do this. Nick is awesome. He seems so... together!"
"He is an amazing kid! I'm proud of him."
"ICE COLD PEPSI-COLA!!! ICE COLD PEPSI!!!"
"After the game, I thought we'd drive around our town a bit, and show you where we hang out, go to school, all that stuff. Then my friend Nora ordered a ton of food, and it seems like what started out as just a few friends coming over has turned into a full-blown party! Including parents, grandparents, neighbors, little kids... everyone! Then... our mini-concert!"
"Good! I can't wait to meet your Dad and also to thank your grandfather."
"COTTON CANDY!!! COTTON CANDY HERE!!!"
The guy selling cotton candy was right in my face. "Cotton candy for the lady??" Allie smiled at the guy, and he bent down, handing me a big fluffy pink cloud of cotton candy on one of those paper sticks. I blushed and gave him five dollars. Damn!
Mark and Nick got back to our seats just as the bottom of the fourth started, and Nick showed us the T-shirt he bought at the Mets team shop. Then the game really got revved up, because, in the blink of an eye, the Mets had the bases loaded. José Reyes took the plate and hit a fucking Grand Slam, which sent the crowd into orbit, including Nick! And Allie! And Mark! And even ME!! I swear, not a single soul in all of Shea Stadium was sitting down! Everyone was on their feet. The look on Nick's face was unbelievable as the crowd went crazy! CHEERS!!! FIREWORKS!!! CHAR-R-R-R-RGE!!!
The fourth inning turned out to be quite a good one for the Mets. They scored seven runs in that inning alone. They won the game. Final score: Mets - 8, Phillies - 1.
"Jon said he was going to listen to the game while he's driving back to New York," Allie chuckled. "I hope he's not disappointed."
"I hope he's not too upset to drive!" We all laughed, making light of the fact that old Jon isn't much of a baseball fan.
We walked slowly down the ramps leaving the stadium, taking our time getting to the Jeep. I sat in front with Mark, of course, and Allie and Nick rode in back. Post-game traffic was a bitch, which is to be expected, but we were in no hurry. We eventually made our way out of the parking area and were on the expressway toward home.
Nick seemed to be pretty impressed when we showed him our high school. "It's a big place" he noted. We agreed.
Mark reminded me that the drum squad was supposed to start practices this coming Wednesday. Jesus. Already!
We stopped for ice cream, and I took my time eating mine. I sure didn't want any more brain freezes! Next we drove down Mark's street so they could see his house, but we didn't stop there. Then we showed them some other places in town before heading home.
"This is our train station, where we usually get the Long Island Railroad when we go into the city. Over there's Smarty's Pizza, where we hang out with all our friends sometimes, like after football games and basketball games and plays and stuff... Here's Walgreen's where our friend Nora works. You'll both just love her to pieces. She's awesome! And King Kullen, the grocery store Mark works at, is just down the road..."
"There's Starbucks, where Kevin and I hang out sometimes!!" Mark pointed out, smiling at me. That sexy, killer, heart-stopping smile...
You know, it might be just another ordinary run-of-the-mill Starbucks to everyone else, but not to Mark and me. Even though I was blushing - beet red I'd say - I smiled back at him, and of course neither one of us elaborated about what all we've done in there before! And Mark and I were reading each other's minds. Because, by the grace of God, he avoided showing them the library.
So, yeah, I told you before that Roosevelt Field Mall is a big ass place. And it is. We didn't go there to show Allie and Nick, because, after all, it's just another shopping center. If you've seen one you've seen them all, right? And besides, it was getting late. We'd been in the car long enough and it was finally time to have a party, jam with our friends and play matchmaker with Nick and Matt...
The rest of the way home I thought to myself, for Mark and me, good or bad (mostly good), the things that have happened at Starbucks and the library are bigger than big. And that's not even mentioning all the other stuff, like the Empire State Building and the cabin in the Catskills and losing our best friend this summer. But I know that what's bigger than anything else could ever be... bigger than any shopping center, skyscraper or all the other things put together... is Mark's heart. And Nora's.
(To be continued...)