Profile
Name: Wandering In A Sea Of What Not
Author: KyleKamei
Rating: R
Genre: General/Romance
Chapters: 9
Words: 10686
Published: 8/26/01
Updated: 9/23/01
Complete: Yes
Description: DONE! In case you didn't know 'Owari' means finished. Anyway there is violence in ch.8 and the last chapter has a preview of my next fic. In a nut shell, Slash is haveing problems with the new kid
Disclaimer (By Author): I do not own these characters and I am not making anymoney of this story. You will have to give credit where credit is due and that means if you like the characters tell the guys who created snowboard kids.
Story
Chapter 1: And So The Wandering Begins
Why is it that when your parents decide that you need to know about sex you are already 16 (or almost in my case) and already everything you need to know but where afraid to ask? That is the exact reason I am stuck indoors on probably the best snowboarding days of the year with my dad. Now I figure this has happened earlier than expected because my dad is moving, my folks are in the middle of a divorce, and my mom would never have the guts to talk about that sort of thing. Anyway to set up this whole thing, I am on my reading a book ('A Midsummer Nights Dream' to be exact) and my dad was sitting at my desk flipping through my copy of 'Snowboard Weekly'. He didn't seem the least bit comfortable. Partly because of the topic of conversation he was about to ingage me in and partly because I am not necisarly his favorite son (Even though I am his only son). I have never been what my father considered a proper son and for that we never get along. Anyway back to the acctual story.
"Slash, your mother feels that it is about time you learn more about, um well..." my dad was fidgeting trying to get the word out. I decided to help a little.
"About the mechanics of human copulation?" The look my dad gave me was histarical, it was obviouse he didn't know what I was talking about.
"Uh..." nope not a clue.
"Sex, dad, she wan't me to know about sex." He turned red.
"yeah, that. I mean with Linda and all." geez, my parents still think I like her? That was like two years ago.
"Dad, Linda isn't exactly mate material. Besides her dad hates me and I don't like her anymore." Well hopefully that cleared things up. In fact I didn't like any of the girls in this dinky town, or the next one down the mountain, or any town city or country for that matter. But it's not like my dad needs to know that I'm dating the boy next door.
"Well she still thinks you kneed to know all that stuff anyway." I rolled my eyes at him.
"Well its kinda late for that I pretty much know everything." I gave him an innocent smile.
"Like what?" he asked. I told him.
"So am I right?" I had had trouble trying not to laugh as his expression changed during my little speech.
"Um...more or less," his voice acctually cracked. I knew it was a little more than what he figured I should know but I added the extras for fun. Anyway it's not like I'm gonna get with Linda or Nancy. Despite what the tenth page of my current journal says.
"Look dad you don't need to worry, If I need to know anything I'll ask. Besides they teach you pretty much everything in school. It's a class called CAPP." He stood up.
"Ok then I guess I'll leave you to your reading."
"Right can you put that magaziene up with the others on your way out? Between this week and two weeks ago would be just perfect. And make sure the spine is even with the others." I hear him sigh behind me. He knows I'm just trying to get to him but he still does it. I look back to see if he did it right befor pulling out a box from under my bed. Opening the box I pull out my journal and write. Nothing big just what happened. I put the worn book back and get up. checking one last time to see everything was in order I leave closing the door behind me.
***
When I get out side with my snowboard I look left then right and cut across the law to Jam's house. Picking up a pile of snow I toss it at his window. Just as I toss another one he pokes his head out and gets it right in the face. I laugh.
"Sorry," I yell
"Sure you are. What do you want." he gives me to fingure I roll my eyes. He trys so hard to be New Yorkish and none of it works. I know 'cause I've been there. I hold up my board.
"Be down in a minute." The window closes. five minutes later he comes out the front door.
"I thought you said A minute not five?"
"Yeah well, I try." We both head off top speed toward the slopes. About halfway there (which is about half a block later) I spot a moving truck sitting in front of Wendy's old house. She moved when her dad got transfered and aparently some other poor sap got sucked in to moving here.
"I say we check it out," Beside me Jam stops walking and watches the truck.
"Why?" I ask, after all it is probably some newly wed couple that want to raise there family in a small trusting community. Well they couldn't have picked a smaller community if they moved to Spuzzum, but trusting wasn't used to discribe some people in this town.
"Because they might have kids or something." He said rushing forward.
"Yeah, Or something. they probably have one those small yappy dogs that will anoys the hell out'a your family and not mine cause your house is closer." I follow him anyway. When we reacher the driveway my couriosity is piqued when I spy a box being hauled out with and N64 poking out the top. Maybe Jam was right. Two adults about the same age as probably Jam's parents come out the front door, the man starts talking to the moving guys the woman on the other hand walk towards Jam and I.
"Well this its the first sing of life I've seen all day." She says to us with a smile.
"Notice she didn't say intelligent?" I mummble to Jam, He pokes me in the ribs.
"Well it's not a very big town Ma'am." He says politely. I give him and odd look, usually he's not that nice. I guess we have changed places for the day, I do have an urge to tell the lady off.
"I've noticed. So where are you to boys headed?" she gives me an odd look. I hold up my snowboard again.
"Slash would you stop being so anti-social?" Jam glares at me, I glare back.
"I'm not anti-social, I just do like people." I say pointedly. He rolls his eyes at me.
"Were going snowboarding. By the way I'm Jam and this little twit is my friend Slash." He motions towards me.
"Your the twit," I mummble. I hear him say something along the lines of 'right'.
"Well it's nice to meet you, I'm Alicia Harvey, that over there is my Husband David and my son Micheal ran off somewhere. Looking for some form of entertainment." She says.
"Unfourtunatly the only entertainment here other than snow is watching the tourist try and ski during winter break." I inform her. Jam gives me a look that would probably kill me if it could, the woman on the other hand laughs.
"I does seem that way." again she gives me an odd look.
"Ok, what ever it is you wanna know just ask," I say to her, she seems a bit taken back by my bluntness but I don't like people looking at me like that.
"Well it's just, I mean i am trying to figure out..." she trails off, I know exactly what she is talking about however. I roll my eyes, this has happened more than once in my life.
"My mom is Japanese and my dad's Canadian, I'm what is so affectionatly refered to as a Hapa." I tell her.
"Oh, well sorry if I have offened you" I roll my eyes again.
"Trust me Mrs. Harvey I don't offend easily." she laughs.
"OK then, well I should go see that everything is in order, see you boys around and if yousee Micheal tell him to come home would you?"
"Sure," the three of uss head off in our two directions.
"So should we try and find this Micheal kid?" Jam asks me when we reach the top of the slopes. I give him a look.
"No. And what suddenly turned you into the ultimate nice guy?" I say, a little to curtly.
"Probably the samething that has turned you into jackass of the year." He glares at me.
"You mean my dad acctually turned you good?" I ask with feigned shock. He rolls his eyes and heads down the hill. I follow him, about halfway down he turns off the main slope onto a small trail and gets off his board. I do the same and the two of us walk single file down a trail that looks like it's seen better days. Reaching the small ledge we both sit down side by side.
"So what did he do this time?" He gives me a worried look.
"He decided I need to know everything about sex."
"Whats wrong with that?" he asks.
"Other than the fact that I already know more than he does, nothing." I shrug "I'm just not in to good a mood thats all." he nodds. I lean over and rest my head on his shoulder. If someone had told me three months ago that I would fall head over heals in love with another guy I probably woulda given him my best impression of Jackie Chan beating up the enemy. But here I am sitting in the middle of no where cuddling with Jam. I fiddle with his glove some and he just rests his cheek on my head.
"Awww isn't that sweet." the voice makes us both jump. Standing up and standing about as far away from each other as we can in this small space we both glare at the owner of the voice. It was a blond boy about fifteen maybe sixteen with a smug look on his face.
"I always though small towns kicked fairies out?" Jam jumps toward the guy and I step in just in time to stop him from commiting small town murder.
"Fuck off looser." I say. The boy laughs.
"Sorry, didn't think you's take me so seariously. Man you guys are up tight." The blond boy holds out his hand, "I'm Micheal, and you are?" Jam looks at him wearly befor answering.
"Jam," he shakes the other guys hand. Micheal looks at me, I stand up perfectly straight and bow with my arms to my side (Note I don't usually do this but I wanna see how blondie reacts)
"Boku no namae wa Slash" I say. Micheal gives me an odd look. Now it's my turn to laugh. That I must admit is the extent of my Japanese but at least I don't refer to myself as a girl, I learnd it from my obasan.
"My name's Slash," I translate and shake his hand. "by the way we talked to your mom, she wants you home." He winces visibly.
"I guess I oughta go then." he looks around slightly confused for a sec. "Uh, which way is the exit?" he asks.
"The same way you came in," I say, he informs me that he came in lost so I point behind him. He smiles and leaves. Jam gives me an odd look. I look back.
"What?" I ask. He just shakes his head and sits back down. "Come on, you were looking at me wierd so tell me."
"Well.....naw, it's not important." He pulls off his gloves stuffs them in one pocket. I sit down beside him.
"Tell me, now" He laughs, I guess I do sound like a two year old, but still.
"I'm just wondering. Thats all" he picks up some snow and starts making and ice ball (everyone who nows anything about snow knows that a real ice ball has to be made sans gloves).
"Wondering what?" in case you haven't noticed already I hate it when people hide things from me. He holds up his creation in one hand befor hurling it at a tree in front of us. You can hear it break.
"Wondering everything." oh great he is now officially getting philisophical on me, "Wondering why things freez, wondering why snow and ice, despite both being frozen water, have different textures. You know just wondering." I lay back in the snow, cover my face and grone. No chance of any sane conversation now.
"Well, while you were wondering about trivial things, I was wondering more important things, like how'd your folks take it?" Jam had told me not long ago he was thinking about coming out to his parents. He sighed.
"Better than I though, my mom looked like she was about to faint for a bit and all my dad said was 'You? Why not that Slash kid, he's the artsy one!', and I quote. Anyway I told him you weren't artsy just scholarly and we all left it at that." Well not much of a surprise his parent arn't about to disown there 'Merical' child, besides his dad never really liked me.
"What time is it?" I ask.
"About five" he says not even looking at his watch. I grab his arm and check, I do have my own watch but I have never been able to keep track of it. The only thing in the world I loose, well that and my underwear (I swear our washing machine is confused, instead of eating socks it eats underwear and I think it prefers boxers too) he was right about the time though, it was five.
"Gotta go eat now." I stand up but he doesn't answer, " Hello, earth to Jam? You there?"
"Yeah I'm here, you free tomorrow?" He looks up at me.
"Maybe, I wanna see if I can get down to the library befor my books are over due." He nods,"Anyway, see ya."
"See ya." I head out tot he slopes wonder two things A)what's for dinner and
will Linda be willing to drive me into town.
Chapter 2: Background
Ok, someone mind telling my again WHY I was standing on Linda's front stoop (Well it's more of a deck, but considering the size of her house in general it LOOKS more like a stoop) freezing my ass off? Oh, right the library. Anyway while I was freezing, Linda was inside listening (over the intercom I might add) to me promising to let her consider me her personal slave for the day, save the time I spend at the library. Finally she got one of her staff to open the door and escort me in. I have never felt to comfortable in this big house, mine wasn't all that huge, pluse about three years ago my parents felt I needed to see what was beyond this small little 'Hick' town (as Micheal so lovingly put it, even though there probably wasn't a hillbilly in sight) and sent me to live with my aunt in New York Cities ghetto nieghbourhood for a year. Sure, I learned how to fight, but that was about it. Oh well, at least I got to see RENT on broadway, gotta love it. Anyway, as I was saying I was spending my last free weekend befor winter ski season following the towns favorite li'l princess around like a traind dog, and all for an hour in the library.
"Hi, Slash. Just let me get ready and we can go." Linda was still in her night gown, I did a double take and wondered if her parents knew she was walking around the house in langere you's probably see in a skin mag. Not that she's a slut or anything, just has a complete lack of female modesty. I sat in the living room afraid to touch anything (even the couch I was sitting on) for fear it might break, or go missing and I'd be accused of taking it, for an hour befor she was ready. We did manage to leave befor noon, although it took even longer to get down the mountain. it had snowed the night befor and Linda takes her driving very seriously, especially when the roads haven't been cleared.
"So why did you need to get to town again?" SHe asks.
"I need to get to the library," I tell her, she get one of those looks that tell you she's trying to remember something.
"Um where's that agian?" figures, she wouldn't know what a librarby was if she pulled out a dictoinary and looked it up.
"Two blocks from the mall. It's that big building with all the books it it. You know books, they have paper with word that are bound together." she actually take a hand of the wheel to smack me in the arm.
"I know what a library is, I just don't know WHERE it is." She glares at me. I dunno why but Linda has always been fun to tease. I give her the same innocent look I give my parents when I tell them something that I know they don't think I oughta know, like the time I reported that my mom's favorite actor was gay. Of course it's probably the only innocent look I have considering that I am not really all that innocent. spend the rest of the trip wondering why the semi-collon key on a key bord is under your little fingure and the comma key (Which in my opinion is used more often that the other) is on the next key.
***
Okay, so I've decided to spare the torturous detail of that shopping trip so lets skip ahead. Zoom in on me on my bed, about ten new library books on my bookshelf and me wondering how someone who complain the whole five seconds she has to walk to the snowboard shop about how her feet are hurting can spend hours upon hours on her feet in the mall. And now I smack myself in the head for sounding like Mark Cohen. So here I am waiting for the inevitable call to come from the managment of the snowboard shop telling me I now have to work weekends and holidays (including christmas) because skiing is now in season, well here it's in season for ten months out of the year but nobody really needs to know that. Anyway, I have gotten employee of the month award pretty much every month since I started working, my comultion for having to have everything in it's exact place has given me a sixth sense telling me when an item in the store is out of place (Say, like in a customers pocket, or purse and on it way out the door, skipping the register.) Of course the fact that I am the only one working there, might have something to do with it. And when I pointed it out to the head honcho that there is really no use in it he gave me some crap about employee moral. Of course now he doesn't brag about my unusual theif detection talent anymore since I told him I'd quite if he kept doing it and I am the only one willing to work the register. Jam, Tommy or Nancy sometimes will take up jobs instructing people in the lessons so they can have money to buy things, Linda on the other hand goes to 'daddy'. Anyway, the call came, as I had expected and I am now working seven days a week minus the half day off I get to open presents and eat turkey or what every it is this year.
Chapter 3: Micheal, Micheal, Micheal!!!
Because the last day befor any major break, like winter break, the school lets us out an hour and fifteen minutes early I was sitting behind the counter at the snowboard shop. This job isn't exactly the most exciting but I do get to play security guard because it is so small and privatly owned. Anyway, suffice to say I was seated behind the counter, feet up on the counter reading. The little bell above the door rang as three people entered, obviously a family. Mind you that bell gets anoying when the slopes are busy.
"Hullo, what can I do you for?" I ask in a fake and undistiguishable accent. The parent look a little taken back by this, I really don't know why. The daughter on the other hand leans her elbows on the counter, pops her gum and says
"Well it's one fifty for an hour and two fifty for a duce. And I don't turn tricks in an alleyway." she give me a serious look. He parents look like they want to be swallowed up by the floor or something.
"Damn! I only make minimum wage too. That's way too much for me." I make eye contact with the girl for about a nanosecond befor the both of us break out laughing.
"Jillian, do even know what you just said?" the man asks with more than a hint of shock in his voice.
"If I didn't I wouldn't have said it daddy." She tells the man, look at me she speaks again " Anyway, were here for the obvious reasons. I wanna hit the slopes!" She gives a thoughtfull look for a second then finishes "Of course with my talent I mean that litterally, there is no way I'll be able to stay up." I smile at her again.
"Well we do have the best instructors in the town. Well acctiually we have the ONLY instrucktors in the town, but that does make us the best." I smile at her.
"Are you included in that?" she asks.
"Sometimes," I say.
"Then in my opinion they have the cutest ones too," she winks at me. I know she's flirting, I see no reason to not flirt back I mean unless she gets a sex change then she's not my type.
"Well I'd have to say that we also get some of the cutest cusomers on the mountain." I give her the ol' Kamei smile. She giggles and blushes. "You guys renting?" I direct this question to the mom, at least she doesn't look like she want to hurt me.
"Yes," she smiles politely. I reach below the desk and pull out some papers and put them on the desk.
"Fill these out, any questions just ask. Then you can take them to that big guy over there," I point to the other counter where all the reantals are taken care of. The 'big' guy in this case is Tommy, his parents made him get a job so now he is one of my co-workers (ok he's like the only co-worker, but the only reason he got hired was because it's a really busy part of the year and he's always been sweet as hell.) I pull out three pens and put them on the desk.
"And I would appretiat the pens back when your done." I smile.
"Of course." the three head over to a little table just off the counter to finish the forums. Sitting back down I notice Micheal enter. I suddenly get a very bad feeling. I lean back and watch him. Tommy on the other side of the room smiles at blondie and gives me an odd look for the way I am keeping an eye on the new costomer. He wanders around for a few minutes and sighs like he hadn't found what he was looking for. He heads for the door, I clear my throught. He looks back towards me.
"Oh, hey, uh Slash was it." I nodd, " I didn't see you there," he smiles. I motion with one fingure for him to come over. He complies.
"Yeah what is it?" he asks, well he doesn't nervouse. I hold out my hand with out saying a word. "What?" he gives me an odd look. I sigh and lean forward on the counter.
"Micheal, we can do this easy or we can do it hard. Easy and things won't be so bad, hard and you'll be wishing you'd never moved to this town." he gives me a look that I think is supposed to be shock.
"Slash, are you accusing me of taking something? Come on, I'm a friend." I glare at him.
"I really hope you don't think I consider you a friend, it's gonna take more than just a chance meeting in the forrest to win me over. And this," I lean over and pull a pair of those ski sunglasses things (I STILL don't know what there called, even after 15 years), they have the store tag on them, "isn't gonna win you any points. Come with me would you." I lead the other boy into the room just behind the counter. It has a desk and a filling cabnit in it. I motion for him to sit in one of the vinal chairsat the far side of the room, I sit on the desk. I give him an 'explain' look, the same one my mom gives when she sees the kitchen after one of my culinary attempts.
"I was dared ok?" he gives me one of those kicked puppy looks, " By some girl, real cute if you ask me."
"Which girl, there are two in town."
"Um...the blond one." I'm guessing that was just a guess, he probably hasn't even seen Nancy yet.
"Right, and I'm a fairy godmother." he mumbles some that sounds like 'fairy yes, godmother not even.' I glare at him. "Whats your phone number" I ask.
"nine, one, one. " He says, he obviously doesn't take me very seriously. I pick up the phone and dial the police.
Chapter 4: Uh oh!
I was seated on my bed. Jam was pacing back and forth in front of me, he was angry and I mean angry.
"Calm down, it's just a note." my futile attempt to calm my boyfriend failed miserably.
"It's not just a note, Sash." I laid back hanging my head off the edge of the bed.
"Well there's nothing we can acctually do about it unless you want your parents to know everything." I felt him sit on the bed beside me. When I sat up I saw that he had his head in his hands. I looked at the peice of paper I still held in my hand, he was right though it was more than just a note. I unfolded the sheet of paper and read it over, hoping that by some sort of magic the message had changed:
FAIRY GODMOTHER,
YOU OBVIOUSLY DON'T SEEN HOW WRONG YOU WAYS ARE.
YOU AND YOUR 'GIRLFRIEND' NEED TO CHANGE YOUR WAYS
BEFOR YOU REACH HELL!!!! AND IF YOUR NOT CAREFUL IT
WILL BE SOONER THAN YOU EXPECTED.
I crumpled the letter and threw it against the wall. Not much of a release, but I couldn't think of anything else to do. Jam stood up.
"I'm gonna get something to drink, you want anything?" I shake my head. I would normaly go with him, out of politeness, but I didn't feel like it. In stead I curled up on my bed, closed my eyes and wished myself somewhere, anywhere, just not here. I didn't realize Jam had come back up stairs untill I felt someone lay down beside me and a pair of arms wrap themselves around me. I sighed, rolled over and snuggled against Jam.
"It's gonna be ok, we'll deal with this somehow." He pesses his lips against my head. We both already know who wrote the note, but telling anyone would mean my parents would have to be told about our relationship and I wasn't ready for my folks to know. I wrap my own arms around Jam's waist and close my eyes again. I did realize than I had gone to sleep untill I woke up. When I did Jam was no longer in bed with me. I sit up and look around the room, He was no where in sight. Getting up I notice that he had picked up the crumpled peice of paper and put on my desk. I strech and leave the room. Heading down to the kitchen I head my mom and Jam laughing befor I even get there.
"Hey," I say pushing open the door. I smile.
"Hey, Slash your awake." Jam looks up from the news paper, "You should read this it's hillarious." He holds up a page. My mom ruffles my hair on her way to the fridge.
"You must have been exahsted when you got home from work if you fell asleep befor dinner. Usually I can't get you to sit still long enough to eat." I sit beside Jam on one of the bar stools at the counter.
"Yeah, I was pretty tired." I look over at the paper and read the comic Jam had pointed out when I first came in. It was a 'Peanuts' comic. The one where Sally is having trouble writing a christmas card to her teacher because she doesn't know her teacher's name, when her brother asks what she says when called on in class she replies "who, me?". It is pretty funny.
"Jam can I talk to you for a sec, in the den?" My mom gives me an odd look as I drag my friend off to the other room.
"Jam we need to figure out what to do, we can't exactly let him get away with this." Jam look off for a sec.
"We could ask Linda, you always said she's nice than anyone gives her credit for." I glare at him
"Your not helping." I say.
"Well we could tell my folks, they already know about us, we me acctually but that's pretty much the same thing. We could ask them not to say anything to your's untill we give the go ahead." I look at him, well it could help after all and adults view on things might help.
"Fine I'll go get the note." I run upstairs and pick up the crumple and meet Jam at the door.
"MOM! I'm going over to Jam's for a bit befor dinner." befor she can respond I'm out the door.
We get to Jam's place and explain things to his dad, (Who happens to be a cop) his dad of course wants to see the note and then proceeds with the third degree.
"How do you know he's the one who wrote it?" was the first question, I explain what happend yesterday at the shop and the referance to 'Fairy Godmother'. Mr. Kuehnemund asked if anyone else in town knew about us and how he knew. We told him what happend in the forrest. He continued asking questions untill I looked at the clock and realized I was half and hour late for dinner, my mom was going to be late. Just as I was leaving Mr. Kuehnemund stoped me at the door.
"You might want to tall your parents about you and Jam, this could get ugly and in the end they will probably find out through the media, that is not how they would want find out." I nodded and told him I'd think about it. I knew he was right, the news isn't the best place to find out that you son is gay. I was still scared how they would react. The close call I had with my mom, and her reading some of the books Jam had lent me was about as close to them knowing as I wanted at the moment. I started thinking about the what the best way to tell them would be. Letting them find out on there own was easiest but not the best.
"I'm back, sorry I'm late." I walked into the kitchen, the table wasn't even set yet and my mom was sitting at the table looking like she was going to be sick.
"Mom? Whats wrong?" I asked, moving closer to her. I noticed a piece of paper in her hand and got a sick feeling.
"Slash, do you know anything about this?" she handed me the paper. It was another note, another threat. I swallowed hard and sat down beside her. I put my head in my hands and befor I could stop I told her the whole story from start to finnish, I was crying by the time I was done. I looked over to her and saw she was too. I stood up.
"I'll be in my room," I say quietly and leave.
Chapter 5: Why Do Bad Things Keep Happening?
It my mom about and hour to follow me up stairs. I was lying on my bed curled up with my eyes closed when she did. Sitting on the edge of my bed she brushed back my bangs.
"Slash, honey are you ok?" her voice was quiet and I could tell by the sound of it that sh ehad been crying, just like me.
"Fine," I mummble, I don't even know if she understood me. I hear her sigh.
"Your still my little boy you know." I roll onto my back and look up at her, her eyes were red and puffy. I sit up and hug her. She hugs me back.
"We can't this boy get away with this, Jam's father is right this could get ugly. Acctually it probably will." I pull back and sit on the bed beside her.
"I guess this means we gotta tell dad," I say glumly. I really don't want know how he is going to react, he has never been the most accepting person in the world.
"I guess it does. Don't worry everything will be fine." I smile at her, my mom's optimism is probably the reason my parents stayed together so long.
"I hope so." I look at for a second, "Hey, what ever happened to dinner?" I ask, my stomach growls as if to ask the same thing. She laughs.
"Is that all you can think of? Your's is downstair in the oven." I jump off the bed.
"It's all I can think of when I'm hungry." I head down stairs and eat my dinner.
***
My mom insisted on contacting Jam's dad and telling him about the second note that same day. Now the five of us, Mom, me, Jam, and Mr. and Mrs. Kuehnemund were seated in the living room ready to discuss all this, hopefully anyway. Jam's mother looked like she couldn't decided between fainting or crying or both. His dad had a look of determination on his face. My mom still looked like she'd been crying. And Jam and I were seated on the love seat nervious and scared out of our minds. The parents do all the talking, even when Jam or I tried to say something we were ignored. We just sat there not doing anything, it was like watching a tennis match. Mom would say something, Mr. Kuehnemund would say something else then Mrs. Kuehnemund would say another thing. All of them deciding what to do with out acctually consulting those immidiatly effected by the situation. It continued as such well in to the night. By the time the adults where done Jam and I were more or less asleep.
***
When I woke up the next morning it was acctually raining, no snow, just rain. Odd enough in the summer, in the winter it was a natural unseen phinominon. I got out af bed and showerd befor heading down stairs too breakfast. My mom was sitting at the table.
"Your father is comeing for christmas." I nearly choked on my juice.
"Uh...why?" I put my glass down.
"Well we couldn't decide who shold take you for christmas so he decided to come up and visit." The only thing I find wrong with parents is they think that us teen agers are completely incapable of making a decision of our own.
"Why did you guys just ask me?" I push my plate away, the thought of my dad coming to visit when I am currently getting threatend by the kid down the street didn't sit well with my stomach.
"We figured it would put to much stress on you, I mean we just split asking you to choose between us would have been to much." I droped my head to the table, she did make I LITTLE sence, but not enough to make me happy.
"I talked to him this morning," she sipped her coffee, "I figured we should probably explain what has been happening when he gets here." Now I feel like going back to bed.
"I should get to the shop." I stad up and put my dishes in th dish washer.
"Be careful, it's raining cat and dogs out there." I roll my eyes. The only problem with rain is you can't acctually snowboard untill all the ice melts, and from the look of things that is going to be a while.
Chapter 6: Hi! Dad
When my dad showed up he had a bag of cloths in one hand and a bag of gifts in the other. I didn't acctually go down when he got in side, I was feeling a little ill about telling him what was happening. I was scared about what he would think, or do. I was afraid he would agree with Micheal, agree that I should stop feeling what I was about Jam. Unfourtunatly my mom didn't let me stay in my safe haven.
"Slash! Get down here. You father has arrived." I groned and got up from my seat at the window and reluctantly went down stairs.
"Hey, Slash. How've you been, sorry I have called you or anything." I roll my eyes, my dad and I never talked when he actually lived here why would we start talking more now that he lived like a 9 hour drive away.
"No biggy," I shrug. I eye the bag of gift wearly, I suddenly get the feeling that my parents are going to be trying to out do each other this year. The phone rings, I pick it up since it is right next to me.
"Yeah?" my mom glares at me, " Hey!........uh, I guess.......Can it wait? my dad just got hear.........sure, later" I hang up and follow my parents into the kitchen. " I'm gonna head over to Jam's after dinner, he needs help with something." I grab an apple and sit down. The sick feeling in the pit of my stomach gets worse, I know what the next topic of conversation is going to be.
"All right, I have been telling your dad that you have some thing to say to him," I wimper and drop my head to the counter. I knew my mom wasn't going to say it, and if I didn't he would find out from someone else and then he would probably be even madder. I could tell without looking up that dad was sitting there expectantly look at me. I take a deep breath. I once was told the easyest way to do something was jump and let everything else go as it should, kinda like swimming in an unheated pool in late November. Jump and you hit the water and have no choice but to swim. So I jump.
"Dad, I'm gay" now who ever thinks that saying three words is easy need to have there head examind, because that was NOT easy. I stood up and headed to my room, I was to scared to see his reaction.
***
Five minutes was all I had to regain myself befor my dad showed up at the door to my room. I was at my desk, seated in the chair backwards stareing at the wall infront of me when he came knocking.
"Slash?" He called through the door, odd since anyother time and he would of just walked right in.
"It's open," I say, not even sure if he acctually heard me but I didn't care. The door opend, I guess he did.
"You ok?" He asked, stupid question if you ask me. I mean how would you feel if you had no choice but to come out to your folks when you really wern't ready. I nod. I hear him sit on the bed.
"Are you sure?" again I nod, he obviously knew I was lying so why was he even asking. He moves tot he corner closer to me, "You know I'm not mad or anything" I look at him out of the corner of my eye.
"Not like I really care." I say.
"I mean if you really want to choose to be like that it's fine with me. But then I always figured you and Linda...." he never finished, I cut him off.
"You acctually think I chose this?" I ask in disbeliefe, "you acctually think I would choose to be something that is considered to be so wrong by most of the people in this world?" I glare daggers at him. The look of shock on his face tells me he never expected me to react as I am.
"Look Slash, I am a religious man all right. I know god doesn't make mistakes, it is free will that lets people choose who they love." He stands up contimplating whether or not to leave.
"Yeah? Well did you choose to fall in love with mom?" I ask, he gets one of those 'don't turn this around on me' looks. "Look god made me the way I am, and that means he made me gay. And you just said your self, god doesn't make mistakes. Now if your gonna stand there and tell me that I can acctually choose to be who I am then you might as well just leave 'cause you couldn't be more wrong." I am standing now too, and for the first time I realize that I am acctually the same hight as my dad. Why I notice it now is beyond me, but I guess I've always thought of my self as smaller than him. He gives me a hard look befor leaving the room. I sit back down reast my head on my desk and with out even knowing it I fall asleep.
Chapter 7: This Is REALLY Starting To Get Annoying
When I awoke I had the worlds worst kink in my neck. But then that's what you get for falling
asleep at your desk. I check the time, it is seven in the evening. I head down to the kitchen to find my mom and dad just sitting down to dinner.
"A little late to be eating isn't it?" I ask, usually my mom makes dinner earlier. Grab a plate and sit down at the table. I look from my mom to my dad and back. I can tell that they had had a fight. It was just like the old days when my parents where still together. We finished dinner in silence. No one said anything, not even 'pass the potatoes'. It was kind of annoying but things started to feel less foreign to me, after all my parents have only been apart all of two months. My mom finished dinner before either my dad or me, she just got up and left. She didn't even bother to remind me that it was my turn to do the dishes. I finished next, I gathered up my plate and my moms and started to fill the sink.
"Slash, you still mad a me?" my dad had finished now too and was standing beside me, he was now helping put the dishes the dishwasher. I shrugged, I really didn't know if I was still mad or not.
"I really just wish you'd at least try and accept me though," I finally say. I hear him sigh.
"You need to realize how hard this is for me, I grew up being taught that that sort of thing was wrong. I am going to try, but I can't promise you that it will work." He leans against the counter, I look over at him and notice that he looks older than he should. My dad is really only about thirty-two, him and my mom were about sixteen when I was born I guess that's why their marriage lasted so long but was still doomed to fail. Right now though he looks about fifty. Now it's my turn to sigh.
"I guess that's the best I can ask for. Maybe now I can tell Micheal I get enough hassle at home and he'll leave me alone." I mumble the last part hoping my dad wouldn't hear, no such luck.
"You know if you want I can go over there and scare the little brat senseless." I look at my dad out of the corner of my eye and smile.
"Yeah you could but then you'd probably get arrested for harassment." He smiles back.
"Yeah your probably right. What do you say we go put the presents under the tree." I toss my dishcloth in to the sink and race to the door.
"Find but the last one there is a skateboard with no wheels" with that I run to the living room. Of course I get there first, I mean name one kid who gets beaten in a race by their dad and I'll buy you a cookie. And for the first time since me dad arrived we all sit down and act like a family.
When I got to Jam's later that night it was about eight thirty. I had called him just after dinner to explain why I hadn't shown up earlier. He's wasn't to mad, he said it took him and his dad a while to get use to each other after he came out. We where sitting up in his room working on an english essay about why Romeo and Juliet was a tragedy when we hear a crash from down stairs. We both jumped up from our position on the bed (Jam's desk wasn't exactly usable at the moment) and rushed down to see what had happened. I had gotten to the third stair up from ground floor when Jam stopped short. I could just see in the living room and what I did see was a shock. The front window had been smashed and a rock about the size of an orange was lying just in front of the coffee table. Jam's mom was standing just in side the room looking more pissed off that whom ever had thrown the rock had made such a mess than shocked that someone had actually thrown a rock through her front window. Mrs. Kuehnemund bent down to pick up the rock. That was when I noticed a note was strapped to it with a rubber band.
"Well that makes three," I say quietly. Beside me Jam nods.
Everyone in the room is silent.
Chapter 8: Ouch!!!
December 26th, one day after christmas (obviously) and I was out side checking out the snowboard shoes my dad got me for christmas. Well actually 'Santa' got them for me, but due to the fact that I am a little old for that sort of thing I'll just say dad got 'em for me. Besides this year Santa had to different styles of writing. I was sitting in the snow by the ski lift when Linda decided she needed to talk to me and that it was urgent. The only real problem is that with Linda, the mall being closed for christmas was an emergancy.
"Slash, you really need to get Tommy to ask her!" That was the first thing she said to me and as she sat down I was officially confused.
"What are you talking about?" She siged and flopped down beside me.
"You," she pointed at me, "need to get Tommy to ask Nancy to the January New Year school dance that happens to be in just over a week." I sit there stareing at her blinking for a few minutes be for asking the inevitable.
"Why?" again she sighs.
"Because she really wants to go with him." she rolls her eyes as if I have just missed the most obvious thing in the world.
"Well then why doesn't she ask him." I ask.
"Because she's too shy, thats why. Besides Tommy's the man here, he should be the one asking."
"And let me guess, your gonna get married, become a housewife and spend all you time cooking and cleaning," she glares at me," besides Tommy's shy too."
"Just do it," She stood up and walked away, in other words I had absolutly no choice I had to help her set up Tommy and Nancy. I lay back in the snow and stare at the sky hoping that by some mirical I will be in a world where everyone is happy and nobody is scared and Micheal has his head stuck on a stake out side the city gate.
"Hey, Faggot, dreaming about lover boy?" I grone and sit up.
"No actually I'm dreaming about you." I smile innoccently at the blond boy. The look on his face is one of shock then anger. I look back at him and notice that he is not alone either, there are three other boys with him. I recognize the others from school, they have never really been all that nice to me. One of them gives Micheal an odd look, Micheal turnes his glare to that boy.
"Like hell you are." he spits out.
"Come on Mikey, you can't hide forever, sooner or later everyones gonna know how much you really love me." I give him one of those love sick looks. Did I mention I was a pretty good actor? The other boys that had shown up with Micheal give him an odd look.
"What's he talking about Mike?" the biggest one asks. He doesn't look to bright, and everytime I get a glimps of him the word 'skinhead' always pops up.
"Nothin', he's just and asshole trying to freak me out." I give a little pout.
"But honeybunch, I thought you loved me." I figured I had over stepped my boundries on that one. Micheal jumps at me, I manage to step aside in time. He turnes around and glares at me. I give him a small smirk, this makes him mad.
"Hey Mike, if you want we can hold him down for ya," the shortest of the three commrades says, the comment disracts me for a short moment. Unfourtunatly that moment wast a little to long. Pain explodes in my right cheek, spots fill up my vision. I bearly have time to register what happened befor I find my self tackled. Who ever it was was bigger than me, by a lot. Probably the big skinhead guy. I am suddenly unable to breath, I feel pain in my chest as someone kicks me. The next thing I know everything has gone black......
Chapter 9: Owari
When I came too I had no idea where I was. I could tell I wasn't in my room, but it was dark so I didn't know if I was at my house or somewhere else. I also had a nasty head ach, and I felt as if someone had gone over my chest with a steam roller. If wheren't for the smell I probably would have figured it, but whe my mind started working properly I realized that where ever I was it smelled like a hospital, so it probably was. I was still trying my best to get my barings, I knew where but now I needed to know the rest, when someone flipped on the lights. I groned, well sort of, I could really make any noise because my throught was feeling dry and scratchy.
"Oh! You're awake, sorry about that," it was a female voice, and she sounded kind of like an angle at the moment, the light went out. "You can't talk right now, the doctor just removed a tube from you're throught about two hours ago." the lady finally came over to the bed, it hurt to much to move so I just stayed where I was, "I'm Jaquie, I am a nurse here and so we're probably going to be seeing a lot of each other over the next few days. I must admit you had a pretty nasty beating up on that mountain. Do you know what happened?" I tryed to remember, all I could come up with was Linda telling me Tommy had to ask Nancy to the dance. I shook my head, as much as I could anyway.
"Well you try to get some more rest, it's early and the doctor is going to want to check you out in the morning." I heard her move aroung doing different things for about five minuets and then left. I could feel my self slipping away into sleep.
***
I awoke again to the sound of someone opening curtins. The light didn't hurt my eyes as much this time around, and my throught wasn't as sore. I was able to turn my head a little and I saw the nurse working with the IV stand beside me. She looked down at me and smiled.
"Good morning sleepy head, you missed breafast but I might be able to get something sent down." I smiled back, "Welcome to the pediatrics ward of Sandarly General Hospital." I take a deep breath.
"Do you know what all happened?" my voice was scratchy and raw. She walked over to the cupboard that was across the room from my bed.
"Not really, all I know is that you got a nasty beating, your parents insisted on a private room and your dad made sure you were to have a TV in your room." with that she opend the cupboard to reviel a nice sized TV and a VCR. She walked back and handed me the Remote controll. I put it on the bed side table. A tall man with dark hair and glasses who looked Asian came into the room.
"Hello," the nurse smiled at him,"Slash this is Dr. Kido* he's been taking care of you since you got here." The nurse finished checking to see that I was comfortable and left with a smile and a 'see ya'. The doctor waled over to my bed.
"Nice to see your awake, your parents and friends have been really worried. As you have been told I am Dr. Kido, and I jast want to check you over. If you have any questions just ask." He smiled and pulled out a stethiscope.
"Um, do you know when I'll be outta here?" I ask, my voice still sounded somewhat hoars but it was getting better. The doctor put away his stethiscope and when about checking all my movement.
"Well judging by how things are looking right now, you should be on your way home befor the new year. Maybe even tomorrow." I sure hoped I could be out asap. As for the tests, he asked my to push against him with my feet and hands he asked my dumb questions and shone a light in my eyes. When he was satisfied he left and I was alone. I couldn't think of anything to do, I checked to see what was on but couldn't find anything interesting, I explored the room as much as I could from my bed and I was in the middle of counting the tiles on the celling when something landed in my lap.
"Huh?" I looked down to see my copie of King Lear. I looked up to see Jam, "You only brought Lear?" I asked. He gives me a look of mock anger.
"I come all this way to bring you a copie of some dumb play by and old dead dude and thats the thanks I get?" I smile at him.
"Yup, now can I at least have a hug too." He smiles and hugs me.
"I'm relieved that your ok, last night the doctor had some machine breathing for you. I was worried." I reach out and take hold of his hand.
"Don't worry your not going to get rid of me that easily. Besides, I'd miss you too much." He laughs a little and leans over to kiss me on the forehead, I tilt my head back so that he catched me on the mouth instead.
"How are my parents doing?" I ask when he is seated again.
"Your mom's been crazy with worry and your dad wants to go and disembowel Micheal for this, but then again he can't get at Micheal right now." I give him an odd look.
"What do you mean by 'can't get at' him?" Jam sits back and looks at me for a second.
"Well Micheal's been arrested and charged with assult. The ony real problem is no one believes it's a hate crime. I sigh and lay back completely.
"Well at least he's not going to get away with it completely." Jam smiles at me.
***
(Three days later, December 29th)
When I got home from the hospital there was a huge party waiting for me. Everyone was there pretty much, Linda, Tommy, Nancy, Jam, my parents, every one elses parents and to my surprise even Wendy was there. There where hugs all around and everyone was telling my things like 'I'm glad your ok' and 'I'm happy you and Jam found each other'. Everyone was happy and every one was having a good time. I slipped out the back later hoping to get some air, I was still feeling a little groggy from all the medicine I was give in the hospital. Not even Five minutes passed befor my dad came out after me.
"You ok?" he asked. I looked back at him, I could see that he was worried.
"Yeah, I'm fine, the meds are still getting to me though." I turn back to the yard. He comes up beside me.
"You know, when I saw you lying there in the hospital with tube sticking out of you and all that I was really worried." He looked a little uncomfortable saying what he was, but then he never was one for talking about emotions though. "I leared something though,"
"Oh? what?" I looked at him through the corner of my eyes.
"Well I learned what it means to love someone unconditionally. When I saw you there in the hospital I realized that your still my little boy, I realized that how I feel about you doesn't care about who you are. I realized that...I love you, and that I always will." He started to leave.
"Dad!" He stopped and looked at me, "I love you too," I stepped forward and huged him, and he hugged me back.
Name: Wandering In A Sea Of What Not
Author: KyleKamei
Rating: R
Genre: General/Romance
Chapters: 9
Words: 10686
Published: 8/26/01
Updated: 9/23/01
Complete: Yes
Description: DONE! In case you didn't know 'Owari' means finished. Anyway there is violence in ch.8 and the last chapter has a preview of my next fic. In a nut shell, Slash is haveing problems with the new kid
Disclaimer (By Author): I do not own these characters and I am not making anymoney of this story. You will have to give credit where credit is due and that means if you like the characters tell the guys who created snowboard kids.
Story
Chapter 1: And So The Wandering Begins
Why is it that when your parents decide that you need to know about sex you are already 16 (or almost in my case) and already everything you need to know but where afraid to ask? That is the exact reason I am stuck indoors on probably the best snowboarding days of the year with my dad. Now I figure this has happened earlier than expected because my dad is moving, my folks are in the middle of a divorce, and my mom would never have the guts to talk about that sort of thing. Anyway to set up this whole thing, I am on my reading a book ('A Midsummer Nights Dream' to be exact) and my dad was sitting at my desk flipping through my copy of 'Snowboard Weekly'. He didn't seem the least bit comfortable. Partly because of the topic of conversation he was about to ingage me in and partly because I am not necisarly his favorite son (Even though I am his only son). I have never been what my father considered a proper son and for that we never get along. Anyway back to the acctual story.
"Slash, your mother feels that it is about time you learn more about, um well..." my dad was fidgeting trying to get the word out. I decided to help a little.
"About the mechanics of human copulation?" The look my dad gave me was histarical, it was obviouse he didn't know what I was talking about.
"Uh..." nope not a clue.
"Sex, dad, she wan't me to know about sex." He turned red.
"yeah, that. I mean with Linda and all." geez, my parents still think I like her? That was like two years ago.
"Dad, Linda isn't exactly mate material. Besides her dad hates me and I don't like her anymore." Well hopefully that cleared things up. In fact I didn't like any of the girls in this dinky town, or the next one down the mountain, or any town city or country for that matter. But it's not like my dad needs to know that I'm dating the boy next door.
"Well she still thinks you kneed to know all that stuff anyway." I rolled my eyes at him.
"Well its kinda late for that I pretty much know everything." I gave him an innocent smile.
"Like what?" he asked. I told him.
"So am I right?" I had had trouble trying not to laugh as his expression changed during my little speech.
"Um...more or less," his voice acctually cracked. I knew it was a little more than what he figured I should know but I added the extras for fun. Anyway it's not like I'm gonna get with Linda or Nancy. Despite what the tenth page of my current journal says.
"Look dad you don't need to worry, If I need to know anything I'll ask. Besides they teach you pretty much everything in school. It's a class called CAPP." He stood up.
"Ok then I guess I'll leave you to your reading."
"Right can you put that magaziene up with the others on your way out? Between this week and two weeks ago would be just perfect. And make sure the spine is even with the others." I hear him sigh behind me. He knows I'm just trying to get to him but he still does it. I look back to see if he did it right befor pulling out a box from under my bed. Opening the box I pull out my journal and write. Nothing big just what happened. I put the worn book back and get up. checking one last time to see everything was in order I leave closing the door behind me.
***
When I get out side with my snowboard I look left then right and cut across the law to Jam's house. Picking up a pile of snow I toss it at his window. Just as I toss another one he pokes his head out and gets it right in the face. I laugh.
"Sorry," I yell
"Sure you are. What do you want." he gives me to fingure I roll my eyes. He trys so hard to be New Yorkish and none of it works. I know 'cause I've been there. I hold up my board.
"Be down in a minute." The window closes. five minutes later he comes out the front door.
"I thought you said A minute not five?"
"Yeah well, I try." We both head off top speed toward the slopes. About halfway there (which is about half a block later) I spot a moving truck sitting in front of Wendy's old house. She moved when her dad got transfered and aparently some other poor sap got sucked in to moving here.
"I say we check it out," Beside me Jam stops walking and watches the truck.
"Why?" I ask, after all it is probably some newly wed couple that want to raise there family in a small trusting community. Well they couldn't have picked a smaller community if they moved to Spuzzum, but trusting wasn't used to discribe some people in this town.
"Because they might have kids or something." He said rushing forward.
"Yeah, Or something. they probably have one those small yappy dogs that will anoys the hell out'a your family and not mine cause your house is closer." I follow him anyway. When we reacher the driveway my couriosity is piqued when I spy a box being hauled out with and N64 poking out the top. Maybe Jam was right. Two adults about the same age as probably Jam's parents come out the front door, the man starts talking to the moving guys the woman on the other hand walk towards Jam and I.
"Well this its the first sing of life I've seen all day." She says to us with a smile.
"Notice she didn't say intelligent?" I mummble to Jam, He pokes me in the ribs.
"Well it's not a very big town Ma'am." He says politely. I give him and odd look, usually he's not that nice. I guess we have changed places for the day, I do have an urge to tell the lady off.
"I've noticed. So where are you to boys headed?" she gives me an odd look. I hold up my snowboard again.
"Slash would you stop being so anti-social?" Jam glares at me, I glare back.
"I'm not anti-social, I just do like people." I say pointedly. He rolls his eyes at me.
"Were going snowboarding. By the way I'm Jam and this little twit is my friend Slash." He motions towards me.
"Your the twit," I mummble. I hear him say something along the lines of 'right'.
"Well it's nice to meet you, I'm Alicia Harvey, that over there is my Husband David and my son Micheal ran off somewhere. Looking for some form of entertainment." She says.
"Unfourtunatly the only entertainment here other than snow is watching the tourist try and ski during winter break." I inform her. Jam gives me a look that would probably kill me if it could, the woman on the other hand laughs.
"I does seem that way." again she gives me an odd look.
"Ok, what ever it is you wanna know just ask," I say to her, she seems a bit taken back by my bluntness but I don't like people looking at me like that.
"Well it's just, I mean i am trying to figure out..." she trails off, I know exactly what she is talking about however. I roll my eyes, this has happened more than once in my life.
"My mom is Japanese and my dad's Canadian, I'm what is so affectionatly refered to as a Hapa." I tell her.
"Oh, well sorry if I have offened you" I roll my eyes again.
"Trust me Mrs. Harvey I don't offend easily." she laughs.
"OK then, well I should go see that everything is in order, see you boys around and if yousee Micheal tell him to come home would you?"
"Sure," the three of uss head off in our two directions.
"So should we try and find this Micheal kid?" Jam asks me when we reach the top of the slopes. I give him a look.
"No. And what suddenly turned you into the ultimate nice guy?" I say, a little to curtly.
"Probably the samething that has turned you into jackass of the year." He glares at me.
"You mean my dad acctually turned you good?" I ask with feigned shock. He rolls his eyes and heads down the hill. I follow him, about halfway down he turns off the main slope onto a small trail and gets off his board. I do the same and the two of us walk single file down a trail that looks like it's seen better days. Reaching the small ledge we both sit down side by side.
"So what did he do this time?" He gives me a worried look.
"He decided I need to know everything about sex."
"Whats wrong with that?" he asks.
"Other than the fact that I already know more than he does, nothing." I shrug "I'm just not in to good a mood thats all." he nodds. I lean over and rest my head on his shoulder. If someone had told me three months ago that I would fall head over heals in love with another guy I probably woulda given him my best impression of Jackie Chan beating up the enemy. But here I am sitting in the middle of no where cuddling with Jam. I fiddle with his glove some and he just rests his cheek on my head.
"Awww isn't that sweet." the voice makes us both jump. Standing up and standing about as far away from each other as we can in this small space we both glare at the owner of the voice. It was a blond boy about fifteen maybe sixteen with a smug look on his face.
"I always though small towns kicked fairies out?" Jam jumps toward the guy and I step in just in time to stop him from commiting small town murder.
"Fuck off looser." I say. The boy laughs.
"Sorry, didn't think you's take me so seariously. Man you guys are up tight." The blond boy holds out his hand, "I'm Micheal, and you are?" Jam looks at him wearly befor answering.
"Jam," he shakes the other guys hand. Micheal looks at me, I stand up perfectly straight and bow with my arms to my side (Note I don't usually do this but I wanna see how blondie reacts)
"Boku no namae wa Slash" I say. Micheal gives me an odd look. Now it's my turn to laugh. That I must admit is the extent of my Japanese but at least I don't refer to myself as a girl, I learnd it from my obasan.
"My name's Slash," I translate and shake his hand. "by the way we talked to your mom, she wants you home." He winces visibly.
"I guess I oughta go then." he looks around slightly confused for a sec. "Uh, which way is the exit?" he asks.
"The same way you came in," I say, he informs me that he came in lost so I point behind him. He smiles and leaves. Jam gives me an odd look. I look back.
"What?" I ask. He just shakes his head and sits back down. "Come on, you were looking at me wierd so tell me."
"Well.....naw, it's not important." He pulls off his gloves stuffs them in one pocket. I sit down beside him.
"Tell me, now" He laughs, I guess I do sound like a two year old, but still.
"I'm just wondering. Thats all" he picks up some snow and starts making and ice ball (everyone who nows anything about snow knows that a real ice ball has to be made sans gloves).
"Wondering what?" in case you haven't noticed already I hate it when people hide things from me. He holds up his creation in one hand befor hurling it at a tree in front of us. You can hear it break.
"Wondering everything." oh great he is now officially getting philisophical on me, "Wondering why things freez, wondering why snow and ice, despite both being frozen water, have different textures. You know just wondering." I lay back in the snow, cover my face and grone. No chance of any sane conversation now.
"Well, while you were wondering about trivial things, I was wondering more important things, like how'd your folks take it?" Jam had told me not long ago he was thinking about coming out to his parents. He sighed.
"Better than I though, my mom looked like she was about to faint for a bit and all my dad said was 'You? Why not that Slash kid, he's the artsy one!', and I quote. Anyway I told him you weren't artsy just scholarly and we all left it at that." Well not much of a surprise his parent arn't about to disown there 'Merical' child, besides his dad never really liked me.
"What time is it?" I ask.
"About five" he says not even looking at his watch. I grab his arm and check, I do have my own watch but I have never been able to keep track of it. The only thing in the world I loose, well that and my underwear (I swear our washing machine is confused, instead of eating socks it eats underwear and I think it prefers boxers too) he was right about the time though, it was five.
"Gotta go eat now." I stand up but he doesn't answer, " Hello, earth to Jam? You there?"
"Yeah I'm here, you free tomorrow?" He looks up at me.
"Maybe, I wanna see if I can get down to the library befor my books are over due." He nods,"Anyway, see ya."
"See ya." I head out tot he slopes wonder two things A)what's for dinner and
will Linda be willing to drive me into town.Chapter 2: Background
Ok, someone mind telling my again WHY I was standing on Linda's front stoop (Well it's more of a deck, but considering the size of her house in general it LOOKS more like a stoop) freezing my ass off? Oh, right the library. Anyway while I was freezing, Linda was inside listening (over the intercom I might add) to me promising to let her consider me her personal slave for the day, save the time I spend at the library. Finally she got one of her staff to open the door and escort me in. I have never felt to comfortable in this big house, mine wasn't all that huge, pluse about three years ago my parents felt I needed to see what was beyond this small little 'Hick' town (as Micheal so lovingly put it, even though there probably wasn't a hillbilly in sight) and sent me to live with my aunt in New York Cities ghetto nieghbourhood for a year. Sure, I learned how to fight, but that was about it. Oh well, at least I got to see RENT on broadway, gotta love it. Anyway, as I was saying I was spending my last free weekend befor winter ski season following the towns favorite li'l princess around like a traind dog, and all for an hour in the library.
"Hi, Slash. Just let me get ready and we can go." Linda was still in her night gown, I did a double take and wondered if her parents knew she was walking around the house in langere you's probably see in a skin mag. Not that she's a slut or anything, just has a complete lack of female modesty. I sat in the living room afraid to touch anything (even the couch I was sitting on) for fear it might break, or go missing and I'd be accused of taking it, for an hour befor she was ready. We did manage to leave befor noon, although it took even longer to get down the mountain. it had snowed the night befor and Linda takes her driving very seriously, especially when the roads haven't been cleared.
"So why did you need to get to town again?" SHe asks.
"I need to get to the library," I tell her, she get one of those looks that tell you she's trying to remember something.
"Um where's that agian?" figures, she wouldn't know what a librarby was if she pulled out a dictoinary and looked it up.
"Two blocks from the mall. It's that big building with all the books it it. You know books, they have paper with word that are bound together." she actually take a hand of the wheel to smack me in the arm.
"I know what a library is, I just don't know WHERE it is." She glares at me. I dunno why but Linda has always been fun to tease. I give her the same innocent look I give my parents when I tell them something that I know they don't think I oughta know, like the time I reported that my mom's favorite actor was gay. Of course it's probably the only innocent look I have considering that I am not really all that innocent. spend the rest of the trip wondering why the semi-collon key on a key bord is under your little fingure and the comma key (Which in my opinion is used more often that the other) is on the next key.
***
Okay, so I've decided to spare the torturous detail of that shopping trip so lets skip ahead. Zoom in on me on my bed, about ten new library books on my bookshelf and me wondering how someone who complain the whole five seconds she has to walk to the snowboard shop about how her feet are hurting can spend hours upon hours on her feet in the mall. And now I smack myself in the head for sounding like Mark Cohen. So here I am waiting for the inevitable call to come from the managment of the snowboard shop telling me I now have to work weekends and holidays (including christmas) because skiing is now in season, well here it's in season for ten months out of the year but nobody really needs to know that. Anyway, I have gotten employee of the month award pretty much every month since I started working, my comultion for having to have everything in it's exact place has given me a sixth sense telling me when an item in the store is out of place (Say, like in a customers pocket, or purse and on it way out the door, skipping the register.) Of course the fact that I am the only one working there, might have something to do with it. And when I pointed it out to the head honcho that there is really no use in it he gave me some crap about employee moral. Of course now he doesn't brag about my unusual theif detection talent anymore since I told him I'd quite if he kept doing it and I am the only one willing to work the register. Jam, Tommy or Nancy sometimes will take up jobs instructing people in the lessons so they can have money to buy things, Linda on the other hand goes to 'daddy'. Anyway, the call came, as I had expected and I am now working seven days a week minus the half day off I get to open presents and eat turkey or what every it is this year.
Chapter 3: Micheal, Micheal, Micheal!!!
Because the last day befor any major break, like winter break, the school lets us out an hour and fifteen minutes early I was sitting behind the counter at the snowboard shop. This job isn't exactly the most exciting but I do get to play security guard because it is so small and privatly owned. Anyway, suffice to say I was seated behind the counter, feet up on the counter reading. The little bell above the door rang as three people entered, obviously a family. Mind you that bell gets anoying when the slopes are busy.
"Hullo, what can I do you for?" I ask in a fake and undistiguishable accent. The parent look a little taken back by this, I really don't know why. The daughter on the other hand leans her elbows on the counter, pops her gum and says
"Well it's one fifty for an hour and two fifty for a duce. And I don't turn tricks in an alleyway." she give me a serious look. He parents look like they want to be swallowed up by the floor or something.
"Damn! I only make minimum wage too. That's way too much for me." I make eye contact with the girl for about a nanosecond befor the both of us break out laughing.
"Jillian, do even know what you just said?" the man asks with more than a hint of shock in his voice.
"If I didn't I wouldn't have said it daddy." She tells the man, look at me she speaks again " Anyway, were here for the obvious reasons. I wanna hit the slopes!" She gives a thoughtfull look for a second then finishes "Of course with my talent I mean that litterally, there is no way I'll be able to stay up." I smile at her again.
"Well we do have the best instructors in the town. Well acctiually we have the ONLY instrucktors in the town, but that does make us the best." I smile at her.
"Are you included in that?" she asks.
"Sometimes," I say.
"Then in my opinion they have the cutest ones too," she winks at me. I know she's flirting, I see no reason to not flirt back I mean unless she gets a sex change then she's not my type.
"Well I'd have to say that we also get some of the cutest cusomers on the mountain." I give her the ol' Kamei smile. She giggles and blushes. "You guys renting?" I direct this question to the mom, at least she doesn't look like she want to hurt me.
"Yes," she smiles politely. I reach below the desk and pull out some papers and put them on the desk.
"Fill these out, any questions just ask. Then you can take them to that big guy over there," I point to the other counter where all the reantals are taken care of. The 'big' guy in this case is Tommy, his parents made him get a job so now he is one of my co-workers (ok he's like the only co-worker, but the only reason he got hired was because it's a really busy part of the year and he's always been sweet as hell.) I pull out three pens and put them on the desk.
"And I would appretiat the pens back when your done." I smile.
"Of course." the three head over to a little table just off the counter to finish the forums. Sitting back down I notice Micheal enter. I suddenly get a very bad feeling. I lean back and watch him. Tommy on the other side of the room smiles at blondie and gives me an odd look for the way I am keeping an eye on the new costomer. He wanders around for a few minutes and sighs like he hadn't found what he was looking for. He heads for the door, I clear my throught. He looks back towards me.
"Oh, hey, uh Slash was it." I nodd, " I didn't see you there," he smiles. I motion with one fingure for him to come over. He complies.
"Yeah what is it?" he asks, well he doesn't nervouse. I hold out my hand with out saying a word. "What?" he gives me an odd look. I sigh and lean forward on the counter.
"Micheal, we can do this easy or we can do it hard. Easy and things won't be so bad, hard and you'll be wishing you'd never moved to this town." he gives me a look that I think is supposed to be shock.
"Slash, are you accusing me of taking something? Come on, I'm a friend." I glare at him.
"I really hope you don't think I consider you a friend, it's gonna take more than just a chance meeting in the forrest to win me over. And this," I lean over and pull a pair of those ski sunglasses things (I STILL don't know what there called, even after 15 years), they have the store tag on them, "isn't gonna win you any points. Come with me would you." I lead the other boy into the room just behind the counter. It has a desk and a filling cabnit in it. I motion for him to sit in one of the vinal chairsat the far side of the room, I sit on the desk. I give him an 'explain' look, the same one my mom gives when she sees the kitchen after one of my culinary attempts.
"I was dared ok?" he gives me one of those kicked puppy looks, " By some girl, real cute if you ask me."
"Which girl, there are two in town."
"Um...the blond one." I'm guessing that was just a guess, he probably hasn't even seen Nancy yet.
"Right, and I'm a fairy godmother." he mumbles some that sounds like 'fairy yes, godmother not even.' I glare at him. "Whats your phone number" I ask.
"nine, one, one. " He says, he obviously doesn't take me very seriously. I pick up the phone and dial the police.
Chapter 4: Uh oh!
I was seated on my bed. Jam was pacing back and forth in front of me, he was angry and I mean angry.
"Calm down, it's just a note." my futile attempt to calm my boyfriend failed miserably.
"It's not just a note, Sash." I laid back hanging my head off the edge of the bed.
"Well there's nothing we can acctually do about it unless you want your parents to know everything." I felt him sit on the bed beside me. When I sat up I saw that he had his head in his hands. I looked at the peice of paper I still held in my hand, he was right though it was more than just a note. I unfolded the sheet of paper and read it over, hoping that by some sort of magic the message had changed:
FAIRY GODMOTHER,
YOU OBVIOUSLY DON'T SEEN HOW WRONG YOU WAYS ARE.
YOU AND YOUR 'GIRLFRIEND' NEED TO CHANGE YOUR WAYS
BEFOR YOU REACH HELL!!!! AND IF YOUR NOT CAREFUL IT
WILL BE SOONER THAN YOU EXPECTED.
I crumpled the letter and threw it against the wall. Not much of a release, but I couldn't think of anything else to do. Jam stood up.
"I'm gonna get something to drink, you want anything?" I shake my head. I would normaly go with him, out of politeness, but I didn't feel like it. In stead I curled up on my bed, closed my eyes and wished myself somewhere, anywhere, just not here. I didn't realize Jam had come back up stairs untill I felt someone lay down beside me and a pair of arms wrap themselves around me. I sighed, rolled over and snuggled against Jam.
"It's gonna be ok, we'll deal with this somehow." He pesses his lips against my head. We both already know who wrote the note, but telling anyone would mean my parents would have to be told about our relationship and I wasn't ready for my folks to know. I wrap my own arms around Jam's waist and close my eyes again. I did realize than I had gone to sleep untill I woke up. When I did Jam was no longer in bed with me. I sit up and look around the room, He was no where in sight. Getting up I notice that he had picked up the crumpled peice of paper and put on my desk. I strech and leave the room. Heading down to the kitchen I head my mom and Jam laughing befor I even get there.
"Hey," I say pushing open the door. I smile.
"Hey, Slash your awake." Jam looks up from the news paper, "You should read this it's hillarious." He holds up a page. My mom ruffles my hair on her way to the fridge.
"You must have been exahsted when you got home from work if you fell asleep befor dinner. Usually I can't get you to sit still long enough to eat." I sit beside Jam on one of the bar stools at the counter.
"Yeah, I was pretty tired." I look over at the paper and read the comic Jam had pointed out when I first came in. It was a 'Peanuts' comic. The one where Sally is having trouble writing a christmas card to her teacher because she doesn't know her teacher's name, when her brother asks what she says when called on in class she replies "who, me?". It is pretty funny.
"Jam can I talk to you for a sec, in the den?" My mom gives me an odd look as I drag my friend off to the other room.
"Jam we need to figure out what to do, we can't exactly let him get away with this." Jam look off for a sec.
"We could ask Linda, you always said she's nice than anyone gives her credit for." I glare at him
"Your not helping." I say.
"Well we could tell my folks, they already know about us, we me acctually but that's pretty much the same thing. We could ask them not to say anything to your's untill we give the go ahead." I look at him, well it could help after all and adults view on things might help.
"Fine I'll go get the note." I run upstairs and pick up the crumple and meet Jam at the door.
"MOM! I'm going over to Jam's for a bit befor dinner." befor she can respond I'm out the door.
We get to Jam's place and explain things to his dad, (Who happens to be a cop) his dad of course wants to see the note and then proceeds with the third degree.
"How do you know he's the one who wrote it?" was the first question, I explain what happend yesterday at the shop and the referance to 'Fairy Godmother'. Mr. Kuehnemund asked if anyone else in town knew about us and how he knew. We told him what happend in the forrest. He continued asking questions untill I looked at the clock and realized I was half and hour late for dinner, my mom was going to be late. Just as I was leaving Mr. Kuehnemund stoped me at the door.
"You might want to tall your parents about you and Jam, this could get ugly and in the end they will probably find out through the media, that is not how they would want find out." I nodded and told him I'd think about it. I knew he was right, the news isn't the best place to find out that you son is gay. I was still scared how they would react. The close call I had with my mom, and her reading some of the books Jam had lent me was about as close to them knowing as I wanted at the moment. I started thinking about the what the best way to tell them would be. Letting them find out on there own was easiest but not the best.
"I'm back, sorry I'm late." I walked into the kitchen, the table wasn't even set yet and my mom was sitting at the table looking like she was going to be sick.
"Mom? Whats wrong?" I asked, moving closer to her. I noticed a piece of paper in her hand and got a sick feeling.
"Slash, do you know anything about this?" she handed me the paper. It was another note, another threat. I swallowed hard and sat down beside her. I put my head in my hands and befor I could stop I told her the whole story from start to finnish, I was crying by the time I was done. I looked over to her and saw she was too. I stood up.
"I'll be in my room," I say quietly and leave.
Chapter 5: Why Do Bad Things Keep Happening?
It my mom about and hour to follow me up stairs. I was lying on my bed curled up with my eyes closed when she did. Sitting on the edge of my bed she brushed back my bangs.
"Slash, honey are you ok?" her voice was quiet and I could tell by the sound of it that sh ehad been crying, just like me.
"Fine," I mummble, I don't even know if she understood me. I hear her sigh.
"Your still my little boy you know." I roll onto my back and look up at her, her eyes were red and puffy. I sit up and hug her. She hugs me back.
"We can't this boy get away with this, Jam's father is right this could get ugly. Acctually it probably will." I pull back and sit on the bed beside her.
"I guess this means we gotta tell dad," I say glumly. I really don't want know how he is going to react, he has never been the most accepting person in the world.
"I guess it does. Don't worry everything will be fine." I smile at her, my mom's optimism is probably the reason my parents stayed together so long.
"I hope so." I look at for a second, "Hey, what ever happened to dinner?" I ask, my stomach growls as if to ask the same thing. She laughs.
"Is that all you can think of? Your's is downstair in the oven." I jump off the bed.
"It's all I can think of when I'm hungry." I head down stairs and eat my dinner.
***
My mom insisted on contacting Jam's dad and telling him about the second note that same day. Now the five of us, Mom, me, Jam, and Mr. and Mrs. Kuehnemund were seated in the living room ready to discuss all this, hopefully anyway. Jam's mother looked like she couldn't decided between fainting or crying or both. His dad had a look of determination on his face. My mom still looked like she'd been crying. And Jam and I were seated on the love seat nervious and scared out of our minds. The parents do all the talking, even when Jam or I tried to say something we were ignored. We just sat there not doing anything, it was like watching a tennis match. Mom would say something, Mr. Kuehnemund would say something else then Mrs. Kuehnemund would say another thing. All of them deciding what to do with out acctually consulting those immidiatly effected by the situation. It continued as such well in to the night. By the time the adults where done Jam and I were more or less asleep.
***
When I woke up the next morning it was acctually raining, no snow, just rain. Odd enough in the summer, in the winter it was a natural unseen phinominon. I got out af bed and showerd befor heading down stairs too breakfast. My mom was sitting at the table.
"Your father is comeing for christmas." I nearly choked on my juice.
"Uh...why?" I put my glass down.
"Well we couldn't decide who shold take you for christmas so he decided to come up and visit." The only thing I find wrong with parents is they think that us teen agers are completely incapable of making a decision of our own.
"Why did you guys just ask me?" I push my plate away, the thought of my dad coming to visit when I am currently getting threatend by the kid down the street didn't sit well with my stomach.
"We figured it would put to much stress on you, I mean we just split asking you to choose between us would have been to much." I droped my head to the table, she did make I LITTLE sence, but not enough to make me happy.
"I talked to him this morning," she sipped her coffee, "I figured we should probably explain what has been happening when he gets here." Now I feel like going back to bed.
"I should get to the shop." I stad up and put my dishes in th dish washer.
"Be careful, it's raining cat and dogs out there." I roll my eyes. The only problem with rain is you can't acctually snowboard untill all the ice melts, and from the look of things that is going to be a while.
Chapter 6: Hi! Dad
When my dad showed up he had a bag of cloths in one hand and a bag of gifts in the other. I didn't acctually go down when he got in side, I was feeling a little ill about telling him what was happening. I was scared about what he would think, or do. I was afraid he would agree with Micheal, agree that I should stop feeling what I was about Jam. Unfourtunatly my mom didn't let me stay in my safe haven.
"Slash! Get down here. You father has arrived." I groned and got up from my seat at the window and reluctantly went down stairs.
"Hey, Slash. How've you been, sorry I have called you or anything." I roll my eyes, my dad and I never talked when he actually lived here why would we start talking more now that he lived like a 9 hour drive away.
"No biggy," I shrug. I eye the bag of gift wearly, I suddenly get the feeling that my parents are going to be trying to out do each other this year. The phone rings, I pick it up since it is right next to me.
"Yeah?" my mom glares at me, " Hey!........uh, I guess.......Can it wait? my dad just got hear.........sure, later" I hang up and follow my parents into the kitchen. " I'm gonna head over to Jam's after dinner, he needs help with something." I grab an apple and sit down. The sick feeling in the pit of my stomach gets worse, I know what the next topic of conversation is going to be.
"All right, I have been telling your dad that you have some thing to say to him," I wimper and drop my head to the counter. I knew my mom wasn't going to say it, and if I didn't he would find out from someone else and then he would probably be even madder. I could tell without looking up that dad was sitting there expectantly look at me. I take a deep breath. I once was told the easyest way to do something was jump and let everything else go as it should, kinda like swimming in an unheated pool in late November. Jump and you hit the water and have no choice but to swim. So I jump.
"Dad, I'm gay" now who ever thinks that saying three words is easy need to have there head examind, because that was NOT easy. I stood up and headed to my room, I was to scared to see his reaction.
***
Five minutes was all I had to regain myself befor my dad showed up at the door to my room. I was at my desk, seated in the chair backwards stareing at the wall infront of me when he came knocking.
"Slash?" He called through the door, odd since anyother time and he would of just walked right in.
"It's open," I say, not even sure if he acctually heard me but I didn't care. The door opend, I guess he did.
"You ok?" He asked, stupid question if you ask me. I mean how would you feel if you had no choice but to come out to your folks when you really wern't ready. I nod. I hear him sit on the bed.
"Are you sure?" again I nod, he obviously knew I was lying so why was he even asking. He moves tot he corner closer to me, "You know I'm not mad or anything" I look at him out of the corner of my eye.
"Not like I really care." I say.
"I mean if you really want to choose to be like that it's fine with me. But then I always figured you and Linda...." he never finished, I cut him off.
"You acctually think I chose this?" I ask in disbeliefe, "you acctually think I would choose to be something that is considered to be so wrong by most of the people in this world?" I glare daggers at him. The look of shock on his face tells me he never expected me to react as I am.
"Look Slash, I am a religious man all right. I know god doesn't make mistakes, it is free will that lets people choose who they love." He stands up contimplating whether or not to leave.
"Yeah? Well did you choose to fall in love with mom?" I ask, he gets one of those 'don't turn this around on me' looks. "Look god made me the way I am, and that means he made me gay. And you just said your self, god doesn't make mistakes. Now if your gonna stand there and tell me that I can acctually choose to be who I am then you might as well just leave 'cause you couldn't be more wrong." I am standing now too, and for the first time I realize that I am acctually the same hight as my dad. Why I notice it now is beyond me, but I guess I've always thought of my self as smaller than him. He gives me a hard look befor leaving the room. I sit back down reast my head on my desk and with out even knowing it I fall asleep.
Chapter 7: This Is REALLY Starting To Get Annoying
When I awoke I had the worlds worst kink in my neck. But then that's what you get for falling
asleep at your desk. I check the time, it is seven in the evening. I head down to the kitchen to find my mom and dad just sitting down to dinner.
"A little late to be eating isn't it?" I ask, usually my mom makes dinner earlier. Grab a plate and sit down at the table. I look from my mom to my dad and back. I can tell that they had had a fight. It was just like the old days when my parents where still together. We finished dinner in silence. No one said anything, not even 'pass the potatoes'. It was kind of annoying but things started to feel less foreign to me, after all my parents have only been apart all of two months. My mom finished dinner before either my dad or me, she just got up and left. She didn't even bother to remind me that it was my turn to do the dishes. I finished next, I gathered up my plate and my moms and started to fill the sink.
"Slash, you still mad a me?" my dad had finished now too and was standing beside me, he was now helping put the dishes the dishwasher. I shrugged, I really didn't know if I was still mad or not.
"I really just wish you'd at least try and accept me though," I finally say. I hear him sigh.
"You need to realize how hard this is for me, I grew up being taught that that sort of thing was wrong. I am going to try, but I can't promise you that it will work." He leans against the counter, I look over at him and notice that he looks older than he should. My dad is really only about thirty-two, him and my mom were about sixteen when I was born I guess that's why their marriage lasted so long but was still doomed to fail. Right now though he looks about fifty. Now it's my turn to sigh.
"I guess that's the best I can ask for. Maybe now I can tell Micheal I get enough hassle at home and he'll leave me alone." I mumble the last part hoping my dad wouldn't hear, no such luck.
"You know if you want I can go over there and scare the little brat senseless." I look at my dad out of the corner of my eye and smile.
"Yeah you could but then you'd probably get arrested for harassment." He smiles back.
"Yeah your probably right. What do you say we go put the presents under the tree." I toss my dishcloth in to the sink and race to the door.
"Find but the last one there is a skateboard with no wheels" with that I run to the living room. Of course I get there first, I mean name one kid who gets beaten in a race by their dad and I'll buy you a cookie. And for the first time since me dad arrived we all sit down and act like a family.
When I got to Jam's later that night it was about eight thirty. I had called him just after dinner to explain why I hadn't shown up earlier. He's wasn't to mad, he said it took him and his dad a while to get use to each other after he came out. We where sitting up in his room working on an english essay about why Romeo and Juliet was a tragedy when we hear a crash from down stairs. We both jumped up from our position on the bed (Jam's desk wasn't exactly usable at the moment) and rushed down to see what had happened. I had gotten to the third stair up from ground floor when Jam stopped short. I could just see in the living room and what I did see was a shock. The front window had been smashed and a rock about the size of an orange was lying just in front of the coffee table. Jam's mom was standing just in side the room looking more pissed off that whom ever had thrown the rock had made such a mess than shocked that someone had actually thrown a rock through her front window. Mrs. Kuehnemund bent down to pick up the rock. That was when I noticed a note was strapped to it with a rubber band.
"Well that makes three," I say quietly. Beside me Jam nods.
Everyone in the room is silent.
Chapter 8: Ouch!!!
December 26th, one day after christmas (obviously) and I was out side checking out the snowboard shoes my dad got me for christmas. Well actually 'Santa' got them for me, but due to the fact that I am a little old for that sort of thing I'll just say dad got 'em for me. Besides this year Santa had to different styles of writing. I was sitting in the snow by the ski lift when Linda decided she needed to talk to me and that it was urgent. The only real problem is that with Linda, the mall being closed for christmas was an emergancy.
"Slash, you really need to get Tommy to ask her!" That was the first thing she said to me and as she sat down I was officially confused.
"What are you talking about?" She siged and flopped down beside me.
"You," she pointed at me, "need to get Tommy to ask Nancy to the January New Year school dance that happens to be in just over a week." I sit there stareing at her blinking for a few minutes be for asking the inevitable.
"Why?" again she sighs.
"Because she really wants to go with him." she rolls her eyes as if I have just missed the most obvious thing in the world.
"Well then why doesn't she ask him." I ask.
"Because she's too shy, thats why. Besides Tommy's the man here, he should be the one asking."
"And let me guess, your gonna get married, become a housewife and spend all you time cooking and cleaning," she glares at me," besides Tommy's shy too."
"Just do it," She stood up and walked away, in other words I had absolutly no choice I had to help her set up Tommy and Nancy. I lay back in the snow and stare at the sky hoping that by some mirical I will be in a world where everyone is happy and nobody is scared and Micheal has his head stuck on a stake out side the city gate.
"Hey, Faggot, dreaming about lover boy?" I grone and sit up.
"No actually I'm dreaming about you." I smile innoccently at the blond boy. The look on his face is one of shock then anger. I look back at him and notice that he is not alone either, there are three other boys with him. I recognize the others from school, they have never really been all that nice to me. One of them gives Micheal an odd look, Micheal turnes his glare to that boy.
"Like hell you are." he spits out.
"Come on Mikey, you can't hide forever, sooner or later everyones gonna know how much you really love me." I give him one of those love sick looks. Did I mention I was a pretty good actor? The other boys that had shown up with Micheal give him an odd look.
"What's he talking about Mike?" the biggest one asks. He doesn't look to bright, and everytime I get a glimps of him the word 'skinhead' always pops up.
"Nothin', he's just and asshole trying to freak me out." I give a little pout.
"But honeybunch, I thought you loved me." I figured I had over stepped my boundries on that one. Micheal jumps at me, I manage to step aside in time. He turnes around and glares at me. I give him a small smirk, this makes him mad.
"Hey Mike, if you want we can hold him down for ya," the shortest of the three commrades says, the comment disracts me for a short moment. Unfourtunatly that moment wast a little to long. Pain explodes in my right cheek, spots fill up my vision. I bearly have time to register what happened befor I find my self tackled. Who ever it was was bigger than me, by a lot. Probably the big skinhead guy. I am suddenly unable to breath, I feel pain in my chest as someone kicks me. The next thing I know everything has gone black......
Chapter 9: Owari
When I came too I had no idea where I was. I could tell I wasn't in my room, but it was dark so I didn't know if I was at my house or somewhere else. I also had a nasty head ach, and I felt as if someone had gone over my chest with a steam roller. If wheren't for the smell I probably would have figured it, but whe my mind started working properly I realized that where ever I was it smelled like a hospital, so it probably was. I was still trying my best to get my barings, I knew where but now I needed to know the rest, when someone flipped on the lights. I groned, well sort of, I could really make any noise because my throught was feeling dry and scratchy.
"Oh! You're awake, sorry about that," it was a female voice, and she sounded kind of like an angle at the moment, the light went out. "You can't talk right now, the doctor just removed a tube from you're throught about two hours ago." the lady finally came over to the bed, it hurt to much to move so I just stayed where I was, "I'm Jaquie, I am a nurse here and so we're probably going to be seeing a lot of each other over the next few days. I must admit you had a pretty nasty beating up on that mountain. Do you know what happened?" I tryed to remember, all I could come up with was Linda telling me Tommy had to ask Nancy to the dance. I shook my head, as much as I could anyway.
"Well you try to get some more rest, it's early and the doctor is going to want to check you out in the morning." I heard her move aroung doing different things for about five minuets and then left. I could feel my self slipping away into sleep.
***
I awoke again to the sound of someone opening curtins. The light didn't hurt my eyes as much this time around, and my throught wasn't as sore. I was able to turn my head a little and I saw the nurse working with the IV stand beside me. She looked down at me and smiled.
"Good morning sleepy head, you missed breafast but I might be able to get something sent down." I smiled back, "Welcome to the pediatrics ward of Sandarly General Hospital." I take a deep breath.
"Do you know what all happened?" my voice was scratchy and raw. She walked over to the cupboard that was across the room from my bed.
"Not really, all I know is that you got a nasty beating, your parents insisted on a private room and your dad made sure you were to have a TV in your room." with that she opend the cupboard to reviel a nice sized TV and a VCR. She walked back and handed me the Remote controll. I put it on the bed side table. A tall man with dark hair and glasses who looked Asian came into the room.
"Hello," the nurse smiled at him,"Slash this is Dr. Kido* he's been taking care of you since you got here." The nurse finished checking to see that I was comfortable and left with a smile and a 'see ya'. The doctor waled over to my bed.
"Nice to see your awake, your parents and friends have been really worried. As you have been told I am Dr. Kido, and I jast want to check you over. If you have any questions just ask." He smiled and pulled out a stethiscope.
"Um, do you know when I'll be outta here?" I ask, my voice still sounded somewhat hoars but it was getting better. The doctor put away his stethiscope and when about checking all my movement.
"Well judging by how things are looking right now, you should be on your way home befor the new year. Maybe even tomorrow." I sure hoped I could be out asap. As for the tests, he asked my to push against him with my feet and hands he asked my dumb questions and shone a light in my eyes. When he was satisfied he left and I was alone. I couldn't think of anything to do, I checked to see what was on but couldn't find anything interesting, I explored the room as much as I could from my bed and I was in the middle of counting the tiles on the celling when something landed in my lap.
"Huh?" I looked down to see my copie of King Lear. I looked up to see Jam, "You only brought Lear?" I asked. He gives me a look of mock anger.
"I come all this way to bring you a copie of some dumb play by and old dead dude and thats the thanks I get?" I smile at him.
"Yup, now can I at least have a hug too." He smiles and hugs me.
"I'm relieved that your ok, last night the doctor had some machine breathing for you. I was worried." I reach out and take hold of his hand.
"Don't worry your not going to get rid of me that easily. Besides, I'd miss you too much." He laughs a little and leans over to kiss me on the forehead, I tilt my head back so that he catched me on the mouth instead.
"How are my parents doing?" I ask when he is seated again.
"Your mom's been crazy with worry and your dad wants to go and disembowel Micheal for this, but then again he can't get at Micheal right now." I give him an odd look.
"What do you mean by 'can't get at' him?" Jam sits back and looks at me for a second.
"Well Micheal's been arrested and charged with assult. The ony real problem is no one believes it's a hate crime. I sigh and lay back completely.
"Well at least he's not going to get away with it completely." Jam smiles at me.
***
(Three days later, December 29th)
When I got home from the hospital there was a huge party waiting for me. Everyone was there pretty much, Linda, Tommy, Nancy, Jam, my parents, every one elses parents and to my surprise even Wendy was there. There where hugs all around and everyone was telling my things like 'I'm glad your ok' and 'I'm happy you and Jam found each other'. Everyone was happy and every one was having a good time. I slipped out the back later hoping to get some air, I was still feeling a little groggy from all the medicine I was give in the hospital. Not even Five minutes passed befor my dad came out after me.
"You ok?" he asked. I looked back at him, I could see that he was worried.
"Yeah, I'm fine, the meds are still getting to me though." I turn back to the yard. He comes up beside me.
"You know, when I saw you lying there in the hospital with tube sticking out of you and all that I was really worried." He looked a little uncomfortable saying what he was, but then he never was one for talking about emotions though. "I leared something though,"
"Oh? what?" I looked at him through the corner of my eyes.
"Well I learned what it means to love someone unconditionally. When I saw you there in the hospital I realized that your still my little boy, I realized that how I feel about you doesn't care about who you are. I realized that...I love you, and that I always will." He started to leave.
"Dad!" He stopped and looked at me, "I love you too," I stepped forward and huged him, and he hugged me back.
