New Kid at City High, Chapter 6
On the following Tuesday, karate club met. Benji found himself in the company of several seniors who appeared to be as open and friendly as Harrison was.
Being one of the novices, Benji was in a small group which included Gio and three freshmen boys. They might have felt out of place as newbies, but Vin, as their teacher, made them all welcome. He knew from experience what it was like to be insecure, and he was going to make sure that no one had to suffer like he did back at the beginning of his 9th grade year.
With the extra attention he gave his students, they made a lot of progress right off the bat.
"We should go cool off in our pool again," Sawyer said to Gio and Benji when they walked to the parking lot after practice.
"I'm not sure how much homework we have to do," Benji said, looking for an excuse not to go.
"Look, if you're worried about how Travis is gonna act, don't be. We had a heart to heart talk, and I think he understands."
"Hey, talk about me like I'm not here, why don't you?" Travis grumbled.
"Sorry," Sawyer murmured, "but that's the truth."
"I guess we can do it. It's up to you, Gio."
"I'm in. Don't pout, Travis. We understand about getting horny and we love you," Gio smiled as he put his right arm around Travis's waist.
Travis's expression changed to his usual bright smile. These guys truly liked him despite his sometimes-rash behavior. He guessed he could tone it down if he had to. He didn't want to spoil their friendship.
This time, Sawyer informed his mother in advance that he was shutting off the backyard security camera, so he didn't get a call from her. She suspected there might be more going on than simply trying to even out his tan, but she was enough of a realist to accept that her gay son might be engaged in some kind of erotic behavior, and she didn't want any record of it.
Actually, the boys didn't do anything inappropriate. They stayed focused on playing in the water and enjoying the sun. But for their lack of bathing suits, they could have done the same things at a public pool.
Benji was thankful that Travis hadn't done anything that made him uncomfortable. He really was a good kid – just a little unsettled sometimes.
Once begun, fall term moved along rapidly with homework and activities. Almost before they were ready, it was homecoming time. A major event was the football game which was the highlight of October. Attendance was high.
The half-time show featured the marching band. There was a big audience of students, parents, and townspeople to appreciate the music and choreography they'd spent hours practicing. Some alumni were in the stands as well. Gio was really pumped about that.
Of course, the homecoming king and queen were crowned after their performance. To the boys' surprise, Harrison was chosen king and Sophia queen. Usually, it was someone like the captain of the football team and his girlfriend who was a cheerleader. Evidently, Harrison's popularity had soared after he'd become a champion of kids who were vulnerable. Gio thought it was a good sign of things to come; Travis declared it "awesome!"
Originally, they were going to forgo the dance, but Benji and Gio decided to attend as a couple. Since Travis and Sawyer were doing the same, they wouldn't stand out as the only same-sex pair at the event. Besides, there would be a number of kids going stag.
They danced with some of the girls Gio knew and they didn't get harassed. Part of the reason for that, no doubt, was Harrison's presence. Anyone who might have bullied them didn't want to tangle with the senior who had a reputation of being tough as well as compassionate.
Thanksgiving would be the first holiday Benji would spend without any family around but his father. Ben had purchased a capon to cook instead of a turkey because the two of them wouldn't eat much of it, and he didn't like the idea of having leftovers forever. However, the bird ended up staying in the freezer, destined to be served at a later date because Gio's mother insisted that they join her family for their holiday dinner. She called Ben a couple of days prior to extend the invitation.
"Hello Ben, can I persuade you to spend your Thanksgiving Day with us? Part of my family backed out, and I'm filling their spots with friends."
"I should probably check with my son before accepting, but he's not around, and I suspect he won't be unhappy to spend the day with Gio."
"He's here at our house, and from the way he's nodding his head, I suspect you're correct."
"Okay, when and where, and what may I bring?"
"We're holding it at the restaurant which will be closed to customers. It's an ideal venue because there's plenty of parking, lots of room, all the dishes and pans are there, and with the commercial dishwasher, there won't be a problem with cleanup. We'll serve dinner at 1:00 but come earlier for drinks and conversation.
"My parents and my sister and husband opted out due to their attitude about Gio's orientation. I'll be pleased to have someone to help eat the mountain of food, so there's no need to bring anything but your appetites."
"Okay. Sorry about the family problems. Did my son have anything to do with their decision? If so, I'm sorry!"
"No, it's not his doing. Personally, I'm pleased Gio has Benji as a boyfriend. He's much happier now. I'm not saying they'll necessarily grow old together, but I do think it's a good relationship, and I hope it lasts.
"Are you familiar with the old saying that goes something like `the devil gives us relatives; thank God we can choose our friends?' It's definitely true in our case. By the way, we're inviting Sophia's boyfriend and his mother. Harrison has become the self-appointed defender of the gay kids, and he's been a good influence on my daughter as well. I know this sounds chauvinistic, but the girl needs a strong hand to tame her."
"Thanks for the invitation, Gloria. I'm sure we'll have a great time. It will be nice to meet Harrison too. The boys have said good things about him. I saw him crowned at the homecoming game but I've never had the chance to talk with him."
Gloria's dinner turned out to be a great occasion, not only for the excellent food she'd prepared, along with her husband John and father, Giovani, but also for the congenial group assembled. Those relatives who did attend were open-minded and great conversationalists. The people who weren't related to the family felt almost as if they were a part of it.
When dinner was over, everyone was invited to watch their favorite team on one of the large TV's conveniently located on several walls of the restaurant. Giovani had them tuned in so the ones on different channels were separated enough to prevent the audio portion from interfering with each other.
Some of the teens got antsy and wanted to play video games rather than watch sports. Ben said they were welcome to go with Benji and Gio to his house. Several did. Gio's twin cousins, Matthew and Michael, who were close to him in age, jumped at the chance.
Harrison and Sophia went to her house instead, supposedly to watch something else on TV. Gio figured they wanted a private place to make out.
Harrison's mother stayed because she enjoyed being with a new group of people. Through the years, her husband had insisted that they shouldn't mix with outsiders. She was becoming more outgoing since his demise.
Gloria invited them all to reconvene at the restaurant later for leftovers and turkey soup. Everyone took her up on the offer.
When it was time to leave, Benji wanted to know if Gio could come to his house to sleep since there was an overflow at the Thompson household with all the relatives who had come in from other places, and he'd be bunking on the floor.
Finding that Gio's two cousins were going to be sleeping on an old sofa bed in the basement, Ben offered the use of his guest room.
"We finally have decent furniture in there, and I haven't had the chance to put it to use. There're twin beds, so that should be ideal for twin guys," he joked.
"That's really kind of you," Gloria exclaimed. I know the guys would prefer to be with kids their own age. You can send them all to the restaurant for breakfast."
"Nope, I'll be happy to feed them. I know Benji and Gio will pitch in to help. I'm not as good a cook as you are, but they won't starve."
Benji was proud of his father and was pleased to have Gio's cousins as their guests. Matt and Mike were a lot of fun.
The boys had a video game tournament lasting a little past their usual bedtime. Ben fixed his fallback snack of popcorn which all seemed to enjoy.
When it was time to retire for the night, the twins shared the bathroom first, and Benji and Gio went second. Then, they spent a few more minutes sitting around in boxers shooting the bull in Benji's room. Benji thought he'd heard the shower run only once when the twins were in there, but he didn't think it would be polite to ask if Matt and Mike had shared it. It wasn't any of his business what they did, and he supposed twins had little modesty around each other.
As Benji and Gio snuggled together naked in Benji's bed, Gio wondered aloud if the twins were sleeping raw too. He remarked that they tended to be very casual and seemed to have no shame. They'd been natural nudists since the day they were born.
Gio's mother called after breakfast to insist that Ben and Benji, along with their houseguests, meet them for lunch at the restaurant. She promised not to have anything remotely related to turkey on the menu. The eatery would be open to the public again; however, business was likely to be light. Some people would be out shopping on Black Friday, others would be too lethargic to leave the house, and the university wasn't in session.
Matt and Mike would be leaving with their parents later in the afternoon and Gio wanted to spend the time with them. He also wanted his boyfriend to be there. So, after lunch, Ben went home alone and Gio promised to deliver Benji in time for dinner.
Ben's work obligations were rather sparse for Thanksgiving week, but he still had a few things to do. So, he immersed himself in his job while Benji was out of the house. It was a productive time. Whatever he could do ahead would allow him to relax more over the next holiday break.
After he'd done all he could for his job at present, he searched the `net for holiday travel packages. He was toying with the idea of spending a few days somewhere warm right after Christmas. A vacation for the two of them wouldn't be a problem but taking Benji away from his new love interest might be. Perhaps he could figure out something to do which would include Gio. That would certainly please his son. If he did take Gio along, they'd probably have to go by car and head straight south to Texas. Going by air would be more convenient, but three roundtrip tickets would cost more than he'd like to spend.
Soon, he'd be faced with several other options for a getaway.
"Dad, I just checked my old email account. You know the one I had when we lived in Chicago. I hadn't looked at it in months because I've been trying to make a clean break from the past," Benji said on Saturday.
"Well, anyway, there's a message from Mother written a week ago. I wasn't going to read it, but my curiosity got the better of me. She says she's sorry about how things worked out and she'd like to see me over the Christmas holiday. I've been trying to decide how to answer her. What should I do?"
"What you do is entirely up to you. I don't think I should influence your decision."
"But what if I make the wrong one? I honestly don't want to see her, at least not yet – maybe a few years from now, but my emotions are still too raw. I suppose that's selfish of me, and I may live to regret it."
"If you want my opinion on that, I'll say you should go with your gut feeling. We can't predict the future, and we're never likely to know for sure if our decisions are exactly correct. We need to learn to accept that we can make a mistake without its messing up our whole lives in the process.
"Here's an example. Had I known how my marriage to your mother would turn out, I probably wouldn't have proposed to her. In hindsight, that could have saved some heartache and stress. However, had we not married; I wouldn't have you as my son. I might have a son, but it wouldn't be you. So, despite the unhappiness I've gone through from the relationship, in the end, I have a prize that's worth every tough moment, and more!"
"Wow! I feel so loved!"
"You are. Never forget that."
The two stood for several minutes locked in an embrace which served to further cement the tie between them. Benji had never doubted his father's love for him, but he'd not considered the depth of it before.
"Thanks, Dad. I know what I'm gonna say to her. I'll be polite, but I'm not interested in seeing her at present. You're the only parent I need.
"Um, if I get pissy with you sometimes, promise me you'll kick my butt."
"I might do it verbally, but you're too big to take on physically. I'd lose for sure, especially since you're taking marshal arts. Besides, you know that wouldn't be my style.
"It's only natural in growing up that fathers and sons don't always see eye to eye. It's part of becoming your own person. I have no doubt that the person you develop into will be a good one, based on what I've seen so far."
"Thanks! I haven't done it all on my own. I have a great role-model."
Ben couldn't hide the happy tears in his eyes, nor did it attempt to.
It was only a couple of days after Benji's reply to his mother declining her invitation that Ben received an email from Patrice and Lloyd Weston inviting the two of them to Chicago right after Christmas. The families had been neighbors, but hadn't been particularly close, though the two women liked to do things together.
Both Ben and Benji were suspicious, especially when Patrice said her son, Tony, was eager to catch up with Benji.
"Tony and I never had anything in common! He was a royal pain in the ass. When he wasn't questioning my masculinity, he ignored me completely. Something doesn't feel right."
"Hmm, I wonder if Annette set this up. The invitation came so close after you told her you weren't interested in coming to see her, it does look suspicious."
It was Ben's turn to write a polite note saying that they had other plans.
Grandpa Ted, Ben's father, made the next offer, phoning to see if they would be interested in visiting him in sunny Arizona.
"I heard from your ex that you've made plans to go away after Christmas. She called me to check if you were coming here, and I told a little fib. I said you were. Now, if you'll accept two plane tickets, I won't be a liar!"
"Dad, that's a kind offer. We might take you up on it. I'll have to check with Benji first. He's in a relationship with another boy and he'll probably hate to leave him. However, it might not hurt him to learn that life doesn't always work the way you want it to."
"I'm not sure high school romances last, but I'll extend the offer to include his beau, if the boy's parents give their permission."
"That's gonna cost a lot!"
"Well, I'm not exactly hurting, and I found a great bargain on fares. You might all have to sit separately, but I'll bet the boys could be apart a few hours on a plane if it meant being together for several days in a place warmer than Iowa. Let me know as soon as possible or I'll miss the window on these prices."
Ben called Gloria immediately to see if Gio would be able to go with them. Her response was positive, so he phoned his father minutes later to set the plan in motion.
"I can't believe Grandpa's doing this! I haven't been all that good about emailing him since our move," Benji admitted.
"He understands that guys your age text instead. He said he's going to have us go with him to get a new model to replace his old flip-phone. He's promising to join the 21st century."
"Wow! I'd love to keep in better contact. I'm gonna email him right away and attach a picture of Gio and me so he knows what to expect."
With the anticipation of their after-Christmas vacation, the two teens nearly missed the importance of the holiday. They did go to the Christmas Eve service, and they did exchange gifts. Like a number of other kids their age, they chose matching earrings to signify their relationship. They didn't care if anyone guessed about the meaning of their new bling. Being out and proud had its advantages.
Gio's family was invited to his uncle's house for Christmas dinner, so Ben and Benji had their own little celebration together. The capon finally got used. It turned out to be quite delicious.
Author's notes: Thanks to all who responded since last posting. I heard from the following: Paul F, John L, Walter S, Tony C, Bill T, Gordon, Joe W, Bill K, Charles G, Tim T, Tom K, Ray M, Mendy D, Billy M, Jim W, Dennis L, Ott H, (17) Richie W, and Johnathan R.
Thanks to David for editing and thanks to Nifty for providing this free venue.
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If you enjoyed this tale, I'd love to hear from you. Please write to me at: dlee169@hotmail.commailto:dlee169@hotmail.com
Think Spring!
Davd