Date: Sun, 16 Feb 2014 22:27:48 +0000 (GMT)
From: Bailie Scott <bailiescott@icloud.com>
Subject: A Taste of America in London - 9

A Taste of America in London
Chapter 9

This story is fiction.  Any similarity to any persons living or dead is
merely a coincidence.  If you are not allowed by law to view this material,
please do not do so.  If you are under 18 years of age, please leave now.
This is a love story between two consenting, yet under 18 year old people
set in a secondary school.  If that offends you, I apologise and ask that
you do not read any further.  Otherwise, enjoy.

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When Sim and I got home, dinner was pretty much ready.  My mum told Sim to
wash up quickly and so he ran upstairs for a quick shower, whilst I
reluctantly (because I think I would have enjoyed the view), stayed
downstairs.  I dropped Cody a quick text,

"Mum say's dinner is almost ready".

He replied almost instantaneously with,

"On way.  Will be 2 mins. X"

Hmmm a kiss.  Probably just something he does in all his texts.

I sat down at the table and as my mum and dad bustled around in the kitchen
with saucepans and plates etc, I was telling them about spending time with
Cody and Bobby the night before and today.

"That reminds me... What's this about you going out for dinner last night
with his mum and dad?"

My mum looked at me blankly , "What do you mean what's it about?  We went
out for dinner.  That's all."

"But how do you even know them?"

"We didn't.  I spoke to Lilli on the phone a few nights ago and she invited
your dad and me out for dinner with her and Pat."

I was confused, "Who's Lilli?"

"That would be my mom!"

I spun around in my chair as Cody walked into the dining room followed by
Sim.  Sim must have been walking down stairs when he saw Cody at the door
so let him in.

I jumped up.

"Hey, you made it."

He grinned at me, and there it was... The Wink!

"Hi Cody" my dad said.

My mum walked around the table and when Cody went to shake hands with her,
she grasped him in an embrace and kissed him on the cheek.

"Jesus... Mum!!!" I proclaimed.


"Oh shut up Craig.  I'm just being polite."

"You mean over the top".  She raised her middle finger at me, and Cody and
Sim both laughed.  She then went back to helping my dad with the dinner.

"Take a seat boys.  Dinner will be along right away.  Sim, make yourself
useful and get some drinks from the fridge."

Cody and I took a seat at the table as Sim, on orders from my mum,
collected glasses from the cupboard and soft drink cans from the fridge.
It's normal at my house for my mum and dad to sit at either end of the
table and usually Carlotta and I sat at adjacent sides.  Carlotta not being
there though, Cody and I took seats opposite each other, and when Sim
eventually sat down, he took the seat next to Cody.

My mum said, "I hope you boys are hungry, I cooked too much."

"Mum, Cody has an enormous appetite.  Just pile it on his plate."

I smiled at him, and he raised both eyebrows at me before giving me a sly
grin and saying,

"Well, I'm a growing boy."

I'm not entirely sure whether he was talking about his dick or his person
at that point, but the way he had said it, had just given me an enormous
boner.  Everyone else seemed to have completely missed the innuendo though.
Maybe it was because they weren't wondering what he was packing in those
jeans of his.

My mum and dad bought the plates in and put them at our seats and sat down.
I knew what was coming...  Cody reached down for his fork, stabbed a carrot
and put it in his mouth, just as my mother said,

"Actually, Cody. We like to pray before meals."

Everyone at the table was looking at him as every drop of blood drained
from his face.  He literally went sheet white with shame.  Although it only
lasted a couple of seconds, before my dad started wetting himself laughing

"Oh Dave, you gave in too easily." My mum said to my dad.

Sim and I then started laughing as did my mum.  All of us apart from poor
Cody.  I had to explain,

"Sorry mate, my mum does that every time someone has dinner with us for the
first time.  She's taking the piss"

Slowly the colour returned to his face and he started chewing his carrot
again - looking relieved.

"You got me Mrs Chalker..." He said pointing his fork at my mum and giving
her a smile.  We all then started to dig into our plates whilst my mum and
dad fired questions at Cody about how he was finding school and life in
London.

"Well I have my driving test coming up in a couple of week's time, so I
think I'll enjoy the UK more when I can drive around it a bit." Cody said.

"Oh of course. You're a year older than these two layabouts" my dad said
referring to Sim and I.

"Hold on a second.  Don't you have to have lessons or something before you
can take a test." Sim asked.

"I got my learners permit back in the States when I was 16 and had quite a
few hours of supervised driving there, so I'm feeling pretty confident
about taking the test." said Cody.

"Oh Excellent.  Hear that Craig.  We got a driver to take us about."

Cody laughed,

"Well I have to get a car first."

I was mildly impressed.  Not only good looking, but would soon have the
ultimate freedom.

"What car are you going to get?" I asked

He seemed really engaged talking about cars, I guess a favourite subject of
his.

"I don't really know to be honest.  I know what I'd like, but, have to face
facts, I probably can't afford the Aston Martin, so it'll probably be a
Fiesta or Nova."

I could see in my mum's mind she was imagining us in Cody's car causing a
ruckus in town and so she swiftly changed the subject.

"Anyway.  Cody, your dad was telling me you're going on the ski trip in
December with the school.  Sim and Craig are going to."

He nodded.

"Hold on.  You're going skiing as well?" I asked.

He smiled,

"Well yeah, my dad is supervising so Bobby and I are going along as well.
That's why it's in the States.  Dad managed to persuade the head master
into going further afield than Europe."  "Excellent."  I was pleased.  It
would mean I would get to spend even more time with him, away from home.

"I suppose you'll be sharing a room with Bobby?" Sim asked, looking
slightly hesitantly at me.

"Not sure." He answered, "Probably.  Don't think anyone's thought about it
yet." Cody replied Was that a slight look of the green eyed monster coming
from Sim?  I'd have to ask him about it later.

Sim started speaking to Cody about sports and things and I switched off
from the conversation.  I was imagining Cody, Sim and I skiing together.
Then I was just imagining Cody and I skiing together.  Then I was just
imagining Cody in ski gear.  Then I was just imagining Cody in a pair of
boxer shorts wearing skis.  Of course I would have no idea how that would
look, not having seen him in just his pants, yet, but the idea obviously
was approved by my mind as my dick definitely wasn't getting any harder.

I tuned back into the conversation to hear Cody mention that he was into
NFL and NBA, but didn't like Baseball and didn't really get Rugby or
Football.  Sim offered to take him to a professional game sometime and Cody
was grateful.  I'm not sure if he actually was, or if he was just being
polite.  Either way, that could be another interesting thing to do.

As the four of them chatted, I could see that Sim was beginning to feel
comfortable with Cody as he started to jokingly tease him about the odd
thing he said.  Despite his popularity, Sim's actually quite uneasy around
people he doesn't know and so for him to be able to do that, meant that he
was quite happy with him.  My parents seemed enraptured in everything Cody
said, but then again they were probably just being polite.  All seems good
on the home front then.

As we finished dinner and mum doled out some ice cream for us to dig into,
dad asked Cody about school,

"So are you doing full days every day, or have you got a lot of time off."

"I've got half days on Monday and Friday, otherwise in full time at the
moment.  I'm hoping that may tail off a bit when I get settled a bit and
don't need the extra classes to catch up."

"Well you seem like you've got your head screwed on right.  I'm sure you'll
catch up quickly. "

"I hope so, too."

When we finished the ice cream, mum checked that I had finished my
homework, and she also checked with Sim.  Both having done so, we left the
table and decided to go to my room and play the console for a while.  When
we got to my bedroom, I think Sim was a little surprised that Cody, having
led the way, knew where he was going.

"Wow! Looks like you've been here before?"

Cody laughed, "I borrowed a book from Craig yesterday so came upstairs with
him to get it."

"Ahhhh.  You're a reader like Sausage!"

Cody looked really confused,

"I'm sorry?"

"I meant you like reading?"

"No. But what did you mean about sausage."

This was my turn to laugh, joined in by Sim.

"I call Craig Sausage.  When we were younger Craig was a retard and
couldn't say Simeon, so called me Sausage.  I've never let him forget it."

"Hmmmm. A nickname."

"Well I hear you like to be called Burrito boy?"

Cody looked a bit surprised that I'd told Sim that, but recovered quickly,

"Amongst other things."

"Mmmmmm" was all Sim replied, and that was because I nudged him in the back
to shut up.  What was going on here?  Were they having a pissing contest???

We settled onto my bed and switching on the console took it in turn to play
versus on a racing game.

Sim and I were sitting next to each other cross legged on the foot of the
bed.  Cody was sitting on a bean bag on the floor leaning against the bed.
As Sim and I were playing a best of 3 race, Cody went to the bathroom.
Taking the opportunity to beat the cramp building in my legs I put my legs
down the side of the bed either side of the bean bag and when Cody returned
he took his seat on the bean bag again, only this time I had a leg either
side of him and I was only too aware that the back of his head was right by
my crotch.  I carried on racing but at the back of my head I could feel the
heat from his head against my balls.  I didn't want to get hard and
embarrass myself or draw attention the the effect he was having on me, but
I wasn't sure that I was going to be able to stop anything.  I think I
would have been fine, but Cody seemed to be getting closer and closer to my
leg and eventually he was leaning right against it.  I could feel his
muscles against my calf and his bare arm against my bare foot.

Fuck. It was starting to stiffen again.

I tried to stop it getting hard, but the more I tried to stop it, the
quicker it seemed to get firmer.  It wasn't sticking out like a tent pole
as such, the jeans I was wearing were quite good at hiding it, but I knew
full well that Cody must be able to feel the protrusion on the back of his
head.  Fuck he moved his head slightly and then as if to confirm what he
thought he felt, he did it again.  Whilst still racing I looked down and
could just see the side of his face, and his mouth seemed to be at a smile,
whilst he watched the race on the TV.

Oh my god.  How embarrassing. How was I going to get out of this one?

Sim and I had one race to go.  We had both won one race each, so this would
be the decider.  My mind was at a disadvantage from the beginning though
and he quickly started to beat me.  I was so worried about my dick in the
back of Cody's head that I was obsessed with the fear that he was not
realising what it was and any second would turn around and then call me a
dirty queer and walk out.

HOLD ON A FUCKING SECOND.  I wasn't imagining him rubbing his head against
it.  He really was.  I was shocked.  I had trouble not stealing my eyes
away from the screen, but I did and I clearly saw him rubbing his head
gently and discretely against my bulge.  Discretely, presumably not to get
Sim's attention.

Bollocks! I crashed into the wall.  By the time I turned my car around and
got it back on the track Sim had gone over the line and was congratulating
himself on his win.  Cody turned his head back to cheer him on too, and out
of the corner of his eye, he looked straight at me, and winked.  That
fucking wink!  I was effectively being rubbed by a guy, in a way in which
he could claim ignorance, and here he was winking at me and making it clear
he knew exactly what he was doing.  I passed the controller I was holding
to Cody, and making excuses that I needed to go to the bathroom, lifted my
leg over Cody's head.  I got up and walked into the bathroom closing the
door behind me.  I was hard as a rock and I knew I was leaking precum into
my boxers.  Shit.  I didn't even have time to have a wank - it would be
obvious to Cody what I was doing.  What did it matter though?  He caused
this... And he knew he did.  But, Sim didn't know what was going on.  I
waited a couple of minutes and the boner, whilst still there, had subsided
a little.  I flushed the chain so they would think I had just gone for a
waz, and walked back into the bedroom.  Cody had taken my seat on the bed
and so I'd have to take the bean bag.  Cody had a leg either side of it.
So that's his game.  He turned slightly to me as I walked in and I'm sure
his eyes wandered down to my groin, but before I could notice properly he
had turned back to the screen.  Fine.  He put me off.  I was going to play
him at his own game.

"Excuse me guys, I'm just gonna get changed quickly."

This was a brazen move by me.  They both ignored me, focusing completely on
the game, but I had nothing to be ashamed of, so I pulled my t shirt over
my head leaving me topless and then shucked by jeans so I was standing
there in just my boxers.  My tight boxers.  I had my back to them.  I
didn't want them to see my dick, which now free of the confines of my jeans
was beginning to resemble a totem pole.

I opened my wardrobe door, and as I bent over to pick up a pair of shorts
from the bottom of my wardrobe, I looked in the mirror on the back of the
door.

Cody was staring at me, mouth ajar.  Hands not moving.  He was staring at
my ass - which I imagine must have been quite a picture at that moment, and
with me bent over, my balls would be making quite a bulge too.  He suddenly
caught my eye in the mirror and I saw him gulp and then go straight back to
the game. Making some acknowledgement and excuse for having crashed into a
random wall off the track.  I smiled openly.  I had him.

I put on a pair of shorts and a t shirt and then took swung around closing
the wardrobe behind me and walked towards them. Cody didn't even look at
me.  As I neared them, he lifted his legs off the edge of the bed and
pulled them so he was sitting cross legged.

Bugger.  Had I gone too far?

I sat on the bean bag.  But it was too late.  My distraction had cost Cody
this race, and I hadn't realised that it was the second one he'd lost.  He
must have lost the first one whilst I was in the bathroom.

Sim was, again, congratulating himself.  Cody then made his excuses.

"Well Sim, it was great to meet you.  Hopefully we can hang out again some
time.  Craig, thanks for dinner.  I have to be making tracks.  I promised
to help Bobby out with some stuff."

He didn't even look at me when he said it.  I stood up.

"No worries.  I hope you liked it."

He looked up slightly, but catching my eye he quickly looked down at my
shoes, and said,

"Absolutely.  Your mom's an excellent cook. "

He started to make towards the door.

"Anyway, thanks again.  No need to show me out. You stay up here and play."

He then swiftly left my bedroom.  I heard him walk downstairs, heard him
mumbling what sounded like a thanks to my parents and then I heard the door
open and close.

Oh God! I really had pushed him too far.

"Well that was a bit odd.  Do you think he has a problem losing?" Sim
asked.

Acting like I didn't know what was going on, I replied,

"Maybe.  Who knows?!"

Sim put down his controller and turned his body to face me.

"So then you little love struck teenager.  Let's talk about 'Eye candy'.
You know you're pretty fucking obvious.  You laugh like a little girl every
time he talks to you."

I didn't want to be having this conversation right now.  I might have just
potentially ruined something before it had even started.

"What are you talking about?  I was just being friendly."

"Yeah right.  If I'm ever just that friendly, feel free to shoot me."

Being short, I said,

"Don't worry, I will."

I was really worried.  Had I completely read the situation with Cody wrong.
Was he just being friendly and had I just come on to a straight guy.  Fuck!
What if he told people at school?!?!

Sim detecting that there was something wrong,

"Are you alright?"

I didn't know what to say.  He obviously hadn't noticed the goings on
around him, but then that wasn't much of a surprise since he could quite
easily get absorbed in computer games when he was playing them.

I decided to play it as cool as I could,

"I just don't understand why he left!"

Sim look confused,

"What do you mean?  He just told you. He's going to hang out with his
brother."

"Didn't you think it was odd how he left suddenly, though?"

Sim smirked,

"Sausage... He's American.  God know what's going on in his head."  That
annoyed me.  Why didn't Sim like him?

"Why are you being so rude?  Why don't you like him?"

"Whoa!!!" Sim was looking concerned and stood up off the bed.  He
continued,

"Who said I didn't like him?  I don't know him.  He seems like a nice guy.
What's going on?"

I was really panicking.

"You've been sniping all day?"

Sim tilted his head at me.  I knew that it wasn't really true.

"No I haven't.  I've just been trying to get the lay of the land with
him. Craig... What's wrong?"

I didn't want to talk about this anymore.  I wanted to go and sulk
somewhere.

"Nothing."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

Sim actually looked quite hurt .  "I'm not sure what's just gone on, but
I'm gonna give you a bit of space."

He was looking at me like I was a crazed animal.  I didn't want to be alone
though.

"You don't have to go."

"Yeah, I think I probably should.  I think you need some space."  He walked
towards the door, and as he walked past, patted me on the shoulder.  My
head sunk.  Suddenly I felt him standing directly behind me.  He put his
arms either side of my elbows and bear hugged me in an embrace and put his
head on my shoulder.

"I'm not sure what's got your goat, but you're confused about something."
He patted my head with his.

"When you wanna talk about it, you know where I am. But dude... Chill.  I
love ya buddy."

With that he released me and I immediately missed the warmth of the hug.  I
heard him leave the room and go down stairs.

I skulked over to my bed.  Fuck!  I was falling to pieces.  Not only had I
more than likely just outed myself to someone who was just trying to be a
friend, but I'd pushed away the one person I was closest to.

I laid down on my bed and just put my hands over my face.

I must have been thinking so hard that I fell asleep, because when I woke
up a couple of hours had passed and I had one banging headache.

I decided to occupy my mind by tidying my room and getting my bag ready for
school tomorrow.  There wasn't actually that much to tidy, just throw some
washing in the laundry, move the beanbag bag to the corner of the room,
turn off the console and TV, and remake the bed.  I then went to the very
best thinking place in anyone's life - the toilet.  I'm not sure I actually
needed to go, but something about sitting down always seemed to clear my
mind slightly.

I came to the conclusion that there wasn't very much I could do about Cody,
other than deny what I'd done and try and convince him that he'd read too
much into it.  It was the only way that I could save my reputation at
school.  I was really sad that I'd have lost someone who could have been a
really good friend, but actually, it wasn't really his friendship I was
looking for.

Sim, on the other hand, deserved better from me.  I'd taken out my anger
and frustration on him and I knew that wasn't fair.  I needed to make sure
things were sweet with him.  I reached down to my shorts pocket where my
phone was.  I've never been afraid of making a call whilst I'm on the
crapper, but thought a text was probably more fitting for the situation.  I
turned on the phone and saw I had a text from Cody. It must have come
through when I'd fallen asleep.

I didn't know what to do, but after a couple of seconds of contemplation,
decided that Sim was more important to me at the moment and I had to deal
with him first, so without even reading the message, I opened the message
trail with Sim and tapped away.

"Sorry for being short with you.  Just weirded out by Cody leaving
suddenly, and wondered if I'd done something wrong - shouldn't have taken
it out on you.  Love ya too buddy x"

I pressed send and almost instantaneously saw the symbol to indicate he was
replying - so I waited.  I wanted to read what Cody had sent, but also, by
denying it was there, I could try and convince myself nothing had happened.

My phone beeped,

"Sausage, if ur ok, I'm ok.  U just looked like u needed time 2 think.  U
wanna talk about it?"

I replied,

"Thank you.  Not right now, I'm gonna go to bed shortly, maybe tomorrow
morning?"

Beep,

"I'm in early 2mrw for cricket training and then rugby training after
school so ur on ur own until pm.  Catch up 2mrw night, promise?

"Sure.  Thanks Sim.  Cx"

"Night! ; )"

Sim seemed fine.  I guess he's used to me now and my little sulks - I knew
I owed him.  Now to see what Cody had to say.  I was expecting the worst.
A "keep away from me" kind of message.

I finished up my business, cleaned up and went back to my bed to deal with
this next message.  I reluctantly clicked on it, but click on it I did and
as it opened my first thought - shit, that's a long message.  Jesus, he
must be really pissed.

"Hi Craig.  1st things 1st, my bad for running out earlier.  There was
stuff going on in my head, and I felt a bit claustrophobic.  I'm not
usually so flaky, but been feeling odd this last couple of days.  Really
enjoyed getting to know you, you're a really nice guy and I don't want my
running off to be any reflection on that, or stop us being friends.  Maybe
we can pick up on things again. Cody."

Wow and I thought I had things going on upstairs.  I thought for a bit
about how to reply, and guessed that I needed to be a little diplomatic.

"Hi.  Seriously not a problem, I guessed something was up.  I hope it
wasn't something I did that made you run off, and if it was I'm really
sorry - I didn't mean to upset you.  I'm not going to let whatever it is
stop us being friends.  Craig."

Blimey.  What is it with people sitting with their phones in their hands at
the moment?  Instantly the symbol came up he was writing a reply, which
after a couple of minutes of my heart in my throat came through.

"It was something you did, but I know you were reacting to something I did.
You're not to blame, you just made me think.  I'm pleased I've not freaked
you out."

I didn't want to end the conversation there, I didn't want him to feel bad
for something I'd done.  He might have said for me not to blame myself, but
that was easier said than done.

"Was it because of what I did whilst you were playing the game, and what
you did whilst I was playing the game?  I'm so sorry Cody."

My phone rang.  It was Cody. I was going to let it get through to my
voicemail - it was bound to be an awkward conversation.  But I didn't.  I
owed him to answer it.

"Hello..."  "Hi Craig"

"Hi"

"Sorry for calling" He sounded really troubled and dejected.

"Never have to apologise for calling mate."

"Thought it was easier to talk on the phone than text."

"That's cool"

"In response to your text, yeah it was something to do with that, but dude,
you did absolutely nothing wrong."

He even sounded out the 'absolutely nothing'.

"I just reacted to it, and I shouldn't have.  I guess you just surprised me
is all."

I think I actually laughed out loud here,

"Really?  You're the most confident person I've met in years"

What with the winking, smiling, grinning, flirting and eating, I wasn't
lying.  He really was confident.

"Hmmmm.  I think I probably come across more cocky."

"Cocky's okay.  I've been enjoying it"

"Yeah well... Look... I think I owe you a proper explanation.  Can we talk
in person?"

This was odd.

"Yeah... sure! I guess.  Do you want to meet somewhere?"

"I need to think about what I need to say.  Could we make it tomorrow?"

"Whatever's easier for you, mate.  I don't want you worrying about this. I
know you may not know me well, but I'm pretty good at listening if you need
to talk.  How about, tomorrow morning, on the way to school?"

"I'm in late tomorrow.  How about we walk home after school?"

"I think I can manage that, sure.  Where do you wanna meet?"

"How about by the sixth form centre main door at 3:35?"

"Cool I'll see you then."

"Thanks Craig, I appreciate you giving me the time."

"Ha! That's what friends are for right?"

"Yeah, I guess they are.  Anyway, night dude."

"Night Cody."

And the call ended.  Today was getting stranger and stranger.  Had I
freaked him out that bad that he was going to suggest I keep away.  Did he
think I was some sick faggot?  There was not much I could do about it now -
things would all become clearer tomorrow hopefully.

I went downstairs and said good night to my folks.  Carlotta was back and
sitting at the table doing her homework.  I grunted.  She grunted back.

Then I went upstairs, stripped down to my boxers and climbed into my bed.
I didn't fall asleep quickly, I think I tossed and turned for some time I
had so many different excuses running through my head about how Cody was
going to completely destroy me tomorrow, but when sleep did catch me up. I
was it was heavy.  Unbroken by dream, nightmare or toilet call.