Date: Tue, 07 May 2002 00:43:29 -0400
From: W. E. <wereallmadhere@hotmail.com>
Subject: That's Life Chapter 4 (section: college)

THAT'S LIFE

Revised author's note (by popular demand):

Hello, this is my first time posting a story. Email me with any feedback,
comments, criticisms anything. Email: wereallmadhere@hotmail.com

THANK YOU to those who have written in to me. Your interest is what makes
me continue on with writing the story.

First off, if you are under age or it is illegal for you to be reading such
"filth", please leave. This material contains crude language (gosh!), and
homosexuality (oh my!), so if you are offended, then, yes....goodbye!

This story is purely fictional. So, any similarity to anyone or anything is
purely coincidental.

I would like to thank my editor, Jay Alexander, for taking the time to go
through my work and make it presentable. Phew. (I got an editor.how
professional is that?!)

This is not a stroke piece. (Apparently, it was pointed out to me that if I
say this, it attracts more readers than it deters.so HEY!).

ATTENTION!!!! ATTENTION!!!! This is NOT A STROKE PIECE!!!

It is a story of self-discovery and the trials and tribulations of a young
man dealing with life, being gay, falling in love, etc.etc.etc. Just read
the story and find out. If you want to put this story somewhere else,
distribute it, whatever, please ask me first. Thanks!

CHAPTER 4

I think Thane saw the panic in my face, "Hey, you could crash at my place
too if it is too late to go back to your Rez, I know how anal roommates can
be."

"You don't live on Rez?" I tried to concentrate on the situation and on
standing up straight but I soon realized I was leaning a bit into
Thane. Shit, but to hell with it. I was too piss drunk to care.

"Naw man, I got my own apartment. You could crash on the couch. No
roommates."  He saw my hesitation.

"I promise not to get freaky-deaky with your ass." I looked up, shocked. He
was smirking again. Dude was playing with me.

I laughed. I guess I didn't have much choice.  "Ya, sure, let's go."

As we exited the bar, I saw him steer us towards this sleek silver Porsche
9-11. Sweet.

"Nice wheels, bro." I said.

"Thanks, gift from the `rents for attending University." He laughed. I was
stunned. My parents would never in a million and one years think to give me
a gift for University. I knew this dude was loaded.

"Sweet deal, ain't it....?" He asked me.

I was focusing on the car. "Huh?"

"Parents...they're a sweet deal, huh?"

"Nah, not mine anyway." I guess I hesitated a bit too long. He looked over
at me, while we pulled out of the parking lot. He didn't bother asking me
to elaborate.

I was still a bit light-headed from the alcohol but I soon lost all my cool
when we rounded the corner and came face to face with this motherfucker of
an apartment complex. It was bitchin! I mean, this was what made money
talk.

"Close your mouth bro, a fly might get in." Thane laughed at me. I was in
total shock and I tried as hard as I could to not let it show, but it was
hard. I mean, no one could blame me, if they'd just seen this place. It
looked like a freaking Five Star hotel with a door man and all. I was
floored.

"Wow" was all I could mutter. We rode up the elevator to the 5th floor and
I couldn't help myself from repeating, "wow, wow" over and over again.

Then I was pretty much knocked into unconsciousness when we went into his
pad. I won't even try describing it, it was just too phenomenal. I headed
straight for the balcony.  Wow, what a view. I knew there were rich areas
in this stupid-ass city. Now, I was in the hub-bub of it. The guy's family
was seriously well-off. I suddenly felt self-conscious. I felt like a kid
at a museum...afraid to touch anything, lest I ruin it.

Thane gave me a tour of his apartment. He had a jacuzzi in his bathroom and
his bedroom was marvelous. It was done in dark green with the furniture in
dark wood. So male. He had a queen-sized bed.  I also saw a lone figure at
one of the tables in his bedroom, it was a replica of the statue of
"David". I thought that tidbit of fact to be...interesting, shall we
say. But, didn't dwell on it much. Wow. My dick was instantly hard after
seeing his bedroom.

The decor was posh. When I asked him about it, he said he did it all. Of
course, I would expect no less. After all, he was an art student, but it
made me realize how good he actually was at it.  We went back to the living
room and I just stood there, afraid to mess anything up.

"Sit down dude, I'll make us a drink. B52?" Thane spoke finally after
letting me just gawk at the place for 10 minutes or so, after he gave his
tour. He knew I liked the drink at the bar. What a thoughtful guy.

"Wha..? Ya, sure, that's fine."

"Great." He went to make us a drink and I just sat down on the couch. I was
so worn-out.  The alcohol was getting to me. I rubbed my eyes, and tried
not to think about Kenny, because that only made me depressed.

Thane soon brought out my shot. He had made himself the same thing. He
looked into my eyes. I was caught. It was so intense. After what seemed
like eternity, he spoke, "To new friends," and we clinked our glasses and I
gulped down the shot like my life depended on it. That moment was
powerful. Something was going on, but I was definitely not sober enough to
figure it out. I looked over at Thane and he had a smirk on his face.

"Be right back," he said. I didn't know what the hell was going on, but I
soon found out, when the he brought out a motherfucker of a bong. "Light it
up!" He said and laughed with glee.

I couldn't help it, I was gone too. I started going into hysterics along
with him. We each took turns puffing from the bong. I was so fucked up. I
tried really hard to keep my cool but everything that happened, we found it
funny and soon, we were rolling on the floor in laughter. I tried to get
back my composure and started to pick myself up with the help of the glass
coffee table.

Big Mistake.

I guess I put too much weight on the coffee table, and it fell with a thud,
right on the marble floor. Into pieces. I fell with it. I was horrified. It
probably cost more than my life savings

"Are you ok?" Thane asked, voice sounding concerned. For the coffee table
or for me? I looked over at him. I guess the fear showed on my face. "Hey,
Galen, don't worry about it, it's a stupid coffee table. Are you ok
though?"

"Ya...ya...I think so." I said with shakiness. Thane held my gaze again and
without knowing why, he gently took my right hand into his and looked
down. I looked down as well and it seemed that a piece of glass had cut my
right hand.

"There's blood." He stated and looked back up at me.

"So there is." I was too drunk and out-of-it. Things were all happening at
once. The ganga, the alcohol, Thane's euphoric presence. It was getting to
my head. I gave him a lopsided grin. "Sorry, I guess I will work my ass off
to pay you for the table, k?"  Thane was freaking me out. He just kept on
staring at me, all the while holding my hand.  I tried to tug my hand back,
but he had a firm grip.

"Th-thane?" I asked.

He kept on looking at me, and then back down at my hand.

Just like that, he put my hand to his face and stuck out his tongue, and
lapped up a stray drip of blood. He looked back up at me, as if asking for
permission. I sat on that floor, broken glass all around, confused,
frightened, excited...waiting.

That was all the permission he needed. He started sucking on my wound in
earnest and then he took one of my fingers in his mouth and started sucking
on it, while rolling his tongue seductively around it. I moaned in
appreciation.

Thane stopped what he was doing and chuckled. I was so embarrassed. I
didn't know the etiquette of gay foreplay. Hell, I've never had any
experiences like this before.  I started fumbling for words to make up for
my naivete. "Sorry...I..I..."

"Shut up." and with that he kissed me on the lips, hard. Taking my fucking
breath away.  He was demanding, letting me know he was a man. All man. His
tongue demanded to be let into my mouth. I gladly opened for him, my mouth,
myself. His tongue shot in like a bullet and started fucking my mouth,
brutally, intensely. I was lost in that moment. I let myself give in to the
kiss, to enjoy my first kiss from a man. It was historic.

After the kiss ended, I felt like I was on cloud nine. I had a shit-eating
grin on my face. I looked over at Thane. He cracked up.

"Sorry, that was my first time."

"So it was Galen, so it was. How was it?" He smirked. Like he didn't know.

"Um..." I paused. "Ok..." Two can play at this game.

"Ok?! Ok?!" Thane screamed and jumped on me, pinning me down. I started
laughing. It all felt so wonderful. No wonder people were so keen on
getting hooked up.  Having a lover definitely had its perks.  We fooled
around on the couch for a while until we were both out of breath.

"Sorry...again..for the table. I swear...I'll pay you back." I panted.  He
gave me a mischievous grin and winked, "I already have the payment
arrangements in mind."

"Dirty, dirty boy." I playfully smacked his ass. I looked at him. I don't
know how I got so lucky. He truly was an Adonis and he was mine. Or so I
thought.

"Hey Thane, does this mean...?" I couldn't finish. I didn't know what to
call it.  Relationship? The word stuck to the roof of my mouth like peanut
butter. It wasn't a very natural thing. It felt awkward.

"That you are gay? Yes. That I am gay? Yes. That we could be in a
relationship? I hope so..." He looked at me questioningly.

I cringed. No one has ever uttered those words to me, especially with me in
the context.  My dad and brother called me derogatory names, but not
knowing that I was really gay.  So, I was gay. Gay. Faggot. Poofta. Ouch!

It definitely was gonna take some getting used to. I mean, here I was: a
gay closeted guy.  Actually, that's not even correct. I was so far in the
fucking closet that it might as well have been a fucking house. A closet
wasn't big enough. I hid myself that much. I lowered my head. My world was
spinning out of control. I know my libido wanted this, wanted Thane...but I
don't know if I wanted it.

I guess Thane picked up on my hesitation. He moved away from me and sat at
the end of the couch.

"Look Galen, let me tell you something. I'm not preaching here, so please
don't take it like that. You have to get comfortable about the whole "gay"
thing. If you want to be in denial: fine. But, when you're ready. I am
here. I won't push you." He got up from the couch. He was leaving. My
rational brain said, "No dofus, it's his house," but it seemed that he was
leaving me, leaving us.

"Wait, Thane..." I persisted. I didn't know what I wanted or how I wanted
my life to go, but I knew I was not willing to give up on Thane.

"Yes....?" He drawled it out, giving me time to think, time to back out.
"I want you." I rushed up to him and kissed him, hoping that whatever doubt
he had about my sincerity could be washed away, for I gave everything and a
bit more to that kiss.

He smiled his sexy ass smile, "Good," then as an afterthought, he
continued, "you know Galen, you can talk to me about any problem. I have
already gone through the whole 'dealing with being gay' so I am an
expert. Or something close to it."

He was being nice, but he couldn't help me. "Thanks, but you wouldn't
understand. It's not as easy as yours. My family is....different."

Thane sighed. "Galen, sit...." We took a seat on the couch. I curled up
into him and he put his arm around me. It was so nice. So right. He finally
spoke. His voice was so sad, "Do you know what I wouldn't give to have a
family again?"

"Huh?"

"All this, it came with a price Galen." I looked up at him again. Silent
tears dripped down his perfectly chiseled cheeks. "My father....," He took
a deep breath. This must be some heavy shit. I felt awkward, but
sadistically happy, that he was willing to share all this with me, that he
trusted me so much in such a short time. It took me years to trust
someone. Hell, I didn't even trust Kenny yet - not this much. Otherwise he
would know I was gay.  "We all have so many skeletons in our past," I
thought with bitterness. I turned my attention back to him and gave him a
tight squeeze. That was all he needed to continue.

Thane cleared his throat. "As I was saying, my father is a very influential
businessman and into politics. He is very conservative. My mother died when
I was little. I have a step-brother from my dad's marriage to this
bitch. She serves his purpose well enough, as a trophy wife. They are
shallow. Very shallow. When I came out to my father, he calmly told me that
I had disgraced him and the family. He wanted to never see me again. I was
so hurt. I stormed out and didn't come back home for months. I got into
heavy shit: drugs, sex, you name it." Thane looked at me, looking for
approval? I smiled at him.

He continued, "Ya, so I came back to him, demanding money. I was fucked up,
Galen. I threatened to expose myself to the community. He pretty much paid
me to keep my mouth shut. Now he has only one son, his step-son, the
bastard. He's told everyone that I have run away. Ah well......so you see
Galen. All this?" He spread his hand all around his apartment, gesturing,
"This is to keep me happy, and sedated, and to keep my mouth shut.  I gain
all these, and lose a family." He was openly crying now. I was so
shocked. I guess I wasn't the only one with problems. Suddenly I felt
horrible about being envious of him, his wealth. It came with a price -
everything came with a price.

"I know, it's hypocritical of me to keep this money, Galen. It's blood
money. But, dammit, I deserve it....every cent I waste of that bastard's,
it's a reflection of what he did to me. I feel glee....I'm sorry." Thane
was still sobbing.

I kissed him. No words would have sufficed. I felt closer to Thane. I
secretly thanked him for letting me into his life in such a short time. He
was brave enough.  Maybe one day, I will have the courage to do the
same. We sat there for God knows how long, lost in our own thought, holding
each other. Two lost souls forced to face reality. It was a sobering
thought.