Date: Fri, 11 Mar 2011 13:59:03 -0800 (PST)
From: John McDonald <madmax212542007@yahoo.com>
Subject: Chapter 1- The Neighbor

I was thinking this fits best in "awakenings" since several characters will
be unleashing repressed sexuality.

*******************************************************************************

The Neighbor: some background information

Characters:

Todd Masters- 17- high school senior and swim team anchor.  5'10 175
blue/blonde

Carlos Pendarakis- 28- ex-con Greekarican 5'11 190 ice blue eyes/ black
hair paroled from an armed robbery conviction after 10 years in state
prison

Carol Masters- 42- Todd's widowed mother- very attractive- she owns a
4-family complex with an empty 1-bedroom apartment on the ground floor

Dan Robinson- 44- Carol's brother.  He is a parole officer and Carlos is
one of his cases.  Dan gets Carlos a UPS job through a district supervisor
friend


Carlos is determined to be a law-abiding person who makes a better life for
himself.  While incarcerated, Carlos explored a side of himself he denied
in his teens.  Carlos is gay and he not only accepts it but embraces it.
When he moves into the 1-bedroom apartment, he is attracted to Todd but
realizes the youth is underage and could be his ticket back to prison.

Todd has been fatherless since he was 6.  He loved his father deeply and
was devastated by the man's accidental death.  Todd is popular at school,
but has no interest in dating girls.  He uses academics and sports as an
excuse to avoid socializing with the many young ladies who all think he's
hot.  Todd represses gay impulses because he doesn't want to disappoint his
mother.  However, he has confided in his best friend.

Richard "Ricky" Nelson- 17- multi-racial (black father/ white mother;
awesome looks) and Todd's best friend.  They've been pals since
kindergarten and enjoy full confidence with each other.  Ricky suspected
early in junior high that Todd was probably gay.  Ricky is straight, but
loves his friend like a brother.

Brian Abrams- 27- Carlos' match physically except for dark brown eyes, very
long lashes and a little less muscular- Brian is a lonely, divorced
mechanic with stomach problems who meets Carlos at the local fitness center

Connie Maxwell- 23- an assistant at the fitness center who flirts with
Carlos and Brian

Edie Kent- 17- classmate and pal to Todd and Ricky


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The Neighbor- Chapter 1

Todd Masters, 17-year old swimming phenomenon of James Madison High School,
sat transfixed on the divers from the competing schools.  Todd had felt an
attraction to other well-built guys since about the 8th grade.  He
frequently looked, but never touched.  He never approached anybody; he
mostly kept to himself and his small circle of friends.

Todd was certain of one thing, other than his gayness; he didn't want to
add to the load his widowed mother carried.  Carol Masters worked full-time
as part-owner of a women's accessory boutique.  She owned and managed the
4-plex where she lived with her son.  They occupied one of the two
3-bedroom apartments.  The other two units were each a single bedroom; one
unit was currently unoccupied- a fallout of the recession.

Todd suddenly felt an elbow poke his ribs.

"Earth to Todd.  Quit staring at that guy's ass."

Todd put his head in his hands. "Thanks for being my lookout, Ricky.  One
of these days I'm going to get myself busted."

"In what way?"

Todd put his hand to his mouth to stifle a loud laugh.  Ricky smiled and
laughed at him.

"You know what I mean.......although one of these days I'll probably give
it up."

"Give WHAT up?"

Todd returned the elbow jab and just rolled his eyes at his friend and
confidant of many years.  For the remainder of the meet, Todd put all his
concentration on the spirit of the competition and tried to ignore the
flesh.  This was not easy for him.

After the meet, Ricky and Todd drove to a Sonic on the way home.  They
ordered burgers and chocolate shakes, and they sat talking in Ricky's
Mustang as they ate.  Ricky spoke first.

"Todd, let me ask you something."

"Okay."

"Do you think you'll EVER come out of your closet?"

"Yeah.....probably after I go off to college."

"Hmmm...it must be tough holding back.  I know how horny I get around my
girlfriend.  Do gays have hormone overload too?"

"At our age? Big time!  I just have to work at keeping mine under control."

"You're gonna screw up your insides.  Did you know that repressive behavior
is one of the leading causes of stomach ailments?"

"Rick, you're such a doctor, man."

"Yep, Dr. Nelson, M.D. Has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?  I just wish you
didn't have to be in school forEVER before practicing medicine.  A couple
of hundred years ago, I could have been working under a doctor and learning
the trade that way."

"Well, if some genius invents a time machine next week, maybe you could do
that."

"Nah. I'd have to give up my I-pod, my I-pad, my car......nope, wouldn't do
it."

The guys munched the rest of their burgers and fries and then set out for
Todd's place.  Ricky pulled into the driveway that led to 4 garages.  Todd
got out, thanked his bud, and ran upstairs 2 steps at a time to the
apartment.  When he walked in the door, he was surprised to see his mother
sitting at the kitchen table.

"Hey Mom; you're home early."

"It was a little slow at the shop, so I left Brandy and Amy in charge.
I'll go back later to balance the register and make a night deposit.  Todd,
I need to talk to you about something."

"Sure, Mom.  What's up?"

"Your Uncle Dan asked me to do him a favor, and I want your input."

 "What's the deal?"

"One of his clients needs a place to stay, and you know that downstairs
apartment has been vacant for several months now."

"One of his clients?  But Uncle Dan's a parole officer."

"That's right."

"Please tell me we're not getting a mass murderer for a new neighbor."

"Oh my stars, no.  Dan says this young man was paroled with high praise
coming from the warden and the parole board.  He was involved in an armed
robbery when he was a little older than you are now. Being in prison 10
years has changed him for the better.  Dan has gotten him a job, and just
needs a place for him to live.  He'll pay the rent we were asking, so it
sure will help with the monthly payment on the complex."

"I don't think Uncle Dan would ask you to do this if he had any doubts
about the guy.  I'm all for it."

Carol Masters hugged her son and led him downstairs to check out the
condition of the vacant apartment.  They noted that the adjoining door to
the garage was stuck.  Todd was pretty handy, so he told his mother he
would get the door fixed while she was back at the boutique.  Carol left,
and Todd grabbed a toolbox from the front closet.  Using a hammer and
flathead screwdriver, he took the pins out of the door hinges.  Next he
removed the door and carried it into the empty garage.  He got his plane
out of the toolbox and shaved about 3/32s of an inch off the top of the
door. After rubbing a bar of Ivory Soap on the planed part of the door, he
returned the door to its hinges and knocked the pins back into place.  Then
he wandered through the apartment, thinking out loud.

"I wonder what this guy will be like.  Mom said he went to prison for 10
years at about my age.  That would make him.....what.....27 or 28?  I
wonder if he'll talk much about life inside the Big House."

Todd grinned to himself, but also felt a stirring in his jeans as he
considered those things he'd read about guys in prison.  He knew some guys
went in and became "bitches" to older, tougher guys.  He wondered if some
guys probably went in straight and came out changed.  He remembered a
prison rape from one of the books he'd read.  It was strangely arousing to
him.  Then he got to wondering what the new neighbor might look like.  Was
he white?  Was he black? Was he hispanic? A combination of races?

"Dang, I should have asked Mom what his name is; that might have given me a
clue."

****************************************************************************

Carlos Pendarakis was the son of a Greek father and a Puerto Rican mother.
Carlos' father was killed during a hold-up at his restaurant, and his young
son became somewhat of a lost soul at age 9.  In his early teens, Carlos
fell in with a wild and pretty lawless crowd.  He met some of them at
school, and he began hanging with them in their neighborhood.  Several days
before his 18th birthday, Carlos agreed to drive getaway for an armed
robbery plan.  They got caught; they all got convicted, and Carlos spent
his next 10 years regretting the decision that created such a turn in his
life.

Carlos had inherited striking good looks from both sides of his family.
His ice-blue eyes, olive skin and jet black hair were the first things
anyone would notice.  In jail, Carlos concentrated on building his body. He
was now very muscular in a way that could make both sexes drop their
jaws. The first year, he'd been taken under the wing of a con in his 30s.
Jeff offered Carlos protection in exchange for sex.  In a demented way,
Jeff became a father-figure for Carlos.  The youthful con wanted to be like
his protector, hence the intensive body-building.  After 5 years, Carlos
acquired his own admirer.  The rush of enjoying sex with his fledgling was
equal to that of being taken by Jeff.  Carlos completely embraced the
notion of being versatile.  He figured why ignore any possibilities of
having a great time in the sack?

It took several years to successfully petition the parole board for early
release.  Carlos' hand in stemming a prison riot left the warden beholden
to him.  With the warden's recommendation, Carlos was granted parole just
after his 28th birthday.  He'd already made a connection with Dan Robinson
through his lawyer.  Dan was a top notch parole officer who went the extra
mile for his cases; he had a 98% success rate with his clients.

"Carlos, you did great at that interview with the UPS guy.  I had to call
in a big favor to get that meeting set for you.  Don't disappoint me."

"Mr. Robinson, you have my word that I'm going to do good.  My freedom
means everything to me.  You've helped me with a job and you've found a
place for me to live.  I can't even begin to tell you how grateful I am.
My actions will speak for me."

"The apartment is in a complex my sister owns.  We'll go see her this
afternoon to finalize the lease and put down the security deposit."

Several hours later, Carlos stood in his new place to live that was in
walking distance to the UPS depot.  He'd be in the warehouse for awhile,
but he hoped to eventually be a driver.  He had great legs and wanted to
show them off in the driver uniform he'd eventually wear.  Carlos looked at
the bare apartment and made a mental note of things he'd need.  Dan
Robinson would be around with a truck to help him haul some furniture from
the local Salvation Army.  Even well-used furniture was a giant step up
from what he'd had for the last 10 years. As he thought of beds, sofas,
tables, lamps and window coverings, there was a knock on the front door.
He opened it and beheld a stunning young blonde guy with a typical
swimmer's build.

"Can I help you?"

"I'm Todd; I live upstairs and I was fixing a door down here earlier.  I
think I left a hammer in the garage."

"I have a garage?"

"Yeah, right through the door in the utility room."

"I don't own a car, so I'll have to think about what I'll use the space
for."

"You don't have any wheels?  Bummer.  I guess you could use the bus 2
blocks over."

"Yeah, or I could walk to wherever.  I might put some exercise stuff in the
garage as soon as I can afford it."

"You look like you work out a lot."

"And you look like you swim a lot."

Todd blushed slightly, realizing he'd been checked out, and both felt a
stirring in their respective loins.  This set off an alarm in Carlos' head.
He knew Todd was his parole officer's nephew.  He could NOT get involved
with this kid......no matter how attractive he was.

Todd was thinking how hot the new neighbor looked.  He also thought of how
this apartment was too close to home; his mother might catch on; he didn't
know this new guy- he could be some sort of sex-crazed maniac (which
actually made Todd smile to himself) or a snitch who'd complain to the
landlady about her horny kid coming on to him.

"Um....yeah, I'm on the swim team at school, and I have practice later on
so I'd better get going.  Uh.......nice meeting you Carlos.  Later, man."

"Yeah, later."  Carlos watched Todd exit the apartment.  The youth's tight
jeans hugged his muscular butt in a way that caused an additional stir in
the ex-con's pants.  "Oh man, he's so fine but I know I can't.........."
Without thinking about it, Carlos rubbed himself to a full erection and
retreated to the bathroom to relieve the intensity he was feeling.

*****************************************************************************

"You stupid bitch.  The divorce was final 3 months ago and you were
supposed to hand over the credit cards to your lawyer.... No, I don't care
what you do; I've already cancelled all of them.  My lawyer says the bills
are yours, so I'm giving the credit card companies your name and your
address......You're churning my stomach as usual, so I'm hanging up now.

Brian shut his phone and reached for the container of Rolaids.  He'd begun
having severe acid stomach issues 3 months into a marriage that lasted
nearly 2 years.  He'd known he was fighting nature when he married Evie,
but he thought he could give a hetero relationship a try for the sake of
family and work friends.  Evie seemed nice; the sex wasn't unpleasant, but
he knew he was missing something. As time wore on, Brian regretted his
decision to marry and found himself excessively aggravated by every aspect
of his life with Evie.  Brian's acid reflux issues were to the point of his
needing a surgical repair on his esophagus.  His new meds seemed to help,
but extreme stress would still win out. The greatest stress reliever was an
intense physical workout at the fitness center in town.  He had an annual
membership, but wasn't taking advantage of it.  That needed to change.

Across town in his new apartment, Carlos was having the same thought about
needing a workout.  If there was time to do so after hauling furniture with
his parole officer, he'd check out the fitness center.

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This is my second attempt at writing for this website.  My story in
progress under the category of "celebrity" is called "Justin and Alan".

Any and all feedback is welcome.  I so enjoy writing, especially when it
reflects back on paths not taken.

madmax212542007@yahoo.com