Date: Fri, 14 Jun 2002 15:13:26 -0400
From: Rory M <st_rory@hotmail.com>
Subject: Bailey chapter 13

Bailey
Chapter 13
By Rory M.

It was raining the next morning, not that it mattered.  Bailey didn't sleep
well, and almost wanted Drew back as a roommate.  Wake up itself was
drama-free.  The small alarm clock Caleb had brought went off at 6, and he
quietly left the room with his shower kit, only making eye contact with
Bailey briefly.  It was enough to make Bailey feel miserable; leaving him in
his current state of depression, shame, and guilt that set the tone for his
mood. He didn't dislike Caleb, but the shame that he had given him last
night and the no doubt continuing disappointment and stunted friendship left
him wanting to stay in bed, as he had done many days over the past few
months.

His arms hurt more than they had the night before.  When he tried to get up
after several moments of failed attempts, he realized how stiff and sore
they were under their bandages.  Getting dressed, he realized, was going to
be a bitch.

He managed his t-shirt with much cursing and a few painful trials, the
boxers were easier, though he scrambled to get a clean pair on, which he
needed a break after wards, because he was pretty sure he opened his left
elbow. Caleb came back as he started his second round; trying to put his
khaki's on.  His face reddened, Caleb got a bird's eye view of him trying to
put shorts on without bending his arms, meaning he had one foot on the
ground, another out in the air, and the rest of him bending into a
quasi-pretzel on the bed trying to manage the pain.

Caleb's once stern posture and bad mood lifted, giving a small chuckle at
Bailey, who a moment before was almost ready to walk to the nurse's cabin in
his underwear.  Now the pain from his arms and the sense of uneasiness had
left Bailey, replaced by a deep shade of red on his face in complete
embarrassment.

"Do you need help?" Cal offered as he continued into the room.

"NO, I don't need help. Shit," at that moment Bailey managed to get his
right leg and his left in the same pant leg, causing Caleb to laugh, again.

"You're arm is bleeding again, come on, let me help," he said it, but it
wasn't a question. He stepped over to Bailey and removed his shorts, helping
him glide them back on and up to his waist.  IT was quick and mechanical,
but if Bailey had been left to do it he would have been there a lot longer.
As Cal helped him he felt relieved, but still embarrassed.  Nonetheless, a
twinge of relief prevailed that Cal would even look at him again, let alone
help him.  Still, he mumbled out his gratitude as he turned to put on his
shirt, "Do you need help with that, too?"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Thanks," Bailey said as they made there way to the nurses station.  The
bandage on his left elbow needed to be replaced, and both probably needed to
be cleaned out.

"No, it's ok.  I feel bad about last night, so I thought I kind of owed
yah," they were talking quietly, barely above a murmur.  They were sharing
the same umbrella, walking close together to the small cabin up the path.
The early quiet, and dreary morning gave both of them a sedated feeling.
The rain heightened the effect, making the air feel heavy with it's dampness
and quiet drizzle.

"Why do you feel bad? You were right."

"No, I shouldn't have been such an asshole.  Don't get me wrong; I'm pissed
off at you about Liz, and you gotta knock that shit off, but I shouldn't
have snapped at you for not telling me.  I guess I get pissed off when
people hide themselves; I guess I just have this notion that everyone should
do things like I do.  It was hard for me to come out, but I did it, and it
was hard after.  I don't know, to see you afraid to even tell me got me
pissed off. Not at you, really, just that people would make it so hard for
you just to say who you are, you know?  I guess I directed that at you, and
I'm sorry man.   I can't say being out is the right way, no more than you
can say being in the closet is the right way.  But whatever, I got your
back, Bail."

"It's ok, I should have told you. I just for some reason didn't know how. I
understand what you're saying, and I'm working on coming out, it's just hard
for me.  I'm not like you; people don't like me as it is.  I've just, never
really been able to clique with people, you know?  I don't think throwing me
being gay into the mix will help me," he looked up to Cal, timidly.  He was
nervous for a reaction from the other, but when they made eye contact
Caleb's face wasn't stern or disapproving.  He looked down on the smaller
boy with a look of understanding, and probably sympathy.  The blue umbrella
cast a soft tone down on his face, muting the color of his eyes, but making
them seem softer. Bailey sighed and looked away abruptly, realizing he was
staring at Caleb.  The moment remained somewhat awkward, for they both were
huddled together under the umbrella, which magnified the brief silence,  "I
can't tell Liz, though. But I'll stop the flirting crap."

"That's going to upset her even more, but do what you've got to, man,"
Bailey sighed once again in relief.  The last thing he wanted to do was come
out to anyone else.  He knew Cal was as safe as it would probably get, and
the last thing he needed was Drew to have any more reason to beat the shit
out of him.

"So, are we cool?" Bailey said shyly, not able to look the other in the
face.

"Yeah, we're cool," he gave a friendly punch in the shoulder, forgetting
that Bailey's arms were in pain as it was.  With several apologies and an
awkward silence later, Caleb dropped Bailey off at the nurse's lodge, and
headed for the dining hall, albeit a little early for this rainy morning.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Shit!"

"Young man..." Nurse Jenkins' gave a light warning, but for the most part
let the slip of the tongue slide.  She liked Bailey.  He was polite,
sincere, and one of her better patient's thus far.  Plus, she had just bent
his arm in a jerk, so that it would be less painful (she tried to explain it
was quicker to get it over with, but forgot to mention it would still hurt
like hell).

By sleeping with his arms outstretched over his head, Bailey was most
comfortable sleeping. Unfortunately, by doing so, the blood flow to his arms
was depleted throughout the night, and when he woke his elbows were scabbed
over tightly and swollen. Not to mention the fact that his arms were asleep
for a good 15 minutes, which didn't help with the getting dressed calamity.
Bailey was embarrassed, but at the same time grateful and even slightly
turned on by Caleb's help.  His fear and awkwardness for the boy the night
before had vanished, returning his mood to something somewhat pleasant, and
his feelings from a slight crush to a steadily growing infatuation.

The nurse jerked his other elbow forward and brought him back to reality
with a yelp that even biting his lip couldn't suppress. She redressed each
elbow, and told him to keep his arms bent as much as possible, or she'd have
to splint them up.  After meds, he opted to eat quietly with the nurse and a
girl with really bad poison ivy, which bought her a ticket home, but not
until later in the day would she be picked up.

The rest of Bailey's week went quietly and pleasantly like this.  He spent
his mornings with the nurse either watching TV or helping her with paper
work or her rummy game.  He also got the added benefit of taking showers
there, which was completely private, unlike the ones at the lodge.

He had mentioned to Liz that he didn't really feel comfortable with how
close they were getting, and he thought the flirting was getting to be a bit
much, but it wasn't personal.  It was a cop out, but it appeased her and
made Cal happy, and no one thought anything more of it. Leaving Bailey no
worries, at least for the rest of this week.  He spent his days lounging and
bonding with the group that he was becoming comfortable enough with to call
friends.  He had rarely seen his brother, and his arms by the second day
were manageable.  Drew left him alone, and so did his crony's.

But Unfortunately, scabs fall off and elbows bend, and Bailey's had done
both by the end of the week.  Which meant...back to morning activities.  He
had bitched about evening workgroups and afternoon arts & crafts, but now he
realized that was the easy life.  The Tuesday he was allowed back was the
same day that the senior group started their swim training and qualifying
training.  Bailey is not a good swimmer.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"If I don't want to swim for the rest of the summer, do I have to take
lesson's?"

"Yes.  All campers have to pass the swimming test.  If not, you can't even
be on the docks or go in the boats, which a lot of our activities center on
for the rest of the summer.  It's not so bad, Bailey, just get it over
with."

"But I hate swimming, I'm not going to pass the test anyway."

"That's why you get a weeks worth of professional swimming lessons," Jerry
gave him a sweet smile, which in turn made Bailey wince, and Cal, who had up
to this point been silent, laugh, "Which shouldn't be so bad, you've had a
week's worth of rest, and you got to stay out of the sun for softball week.
No buck up, or I'll throw you in."
	They had arrived at the docks.  On the few previous nights that the group
came down here for group discussion after bonfire, it was a very nice place
to hang out.  It was a large, square dock, with benches along the inside of
the square that opened up on the small pool it made before the beach of the
lake.  The outside square itself was quite wide, maybe 4 yards, which fit
many people comfortably, as long as they weren't shoved into the water or
the boats that were docked on the outside square.  About 100 yards out into
the lake there was another dock anchored to the bottom, which served as the
restriction point for swimming, as well as a racing point for those playing
and in lessons.  If a camper couldn't swim between the shore dock and the
anchored dock in the designated time for their age group, they had to take
the test or swimming all over again, or they wouldn't be permitted to swim,
let alone be on the docks.

Bailey squinted out onto the lake, and then to the path that led along the
tree line.  He thought that if he could fall back two steps he could dodge
for the trail and lose them pretty quickly, because Jerry would give up as
soon as he ducked into the woods and Cal, as much as he was a musician, was
not a runner.  Then he realized he wasn't much of a runner himself, however,
and scrapped the idea, knowing that Jerry would flag him down before he made
it to the path.

"I'm umm.... allergic to the sun."

"We've got sunscreen, and no you're not going in with your t-shirt on,
what's the big deal, you're not secretly fat, are you?" Jerry was getting
tired of the conversation and the complaining from most of the campers.  She
was starting to get snippy.

"I don't know, Jer.  He is pretty white," Trina chided as she inspected
Bailey's...pigment.  Suddenly his pallor complexion turned a deep crimson.

"All the more reason for him to take that shirt off and get some color."

"You heard the woman, Bailey," just then two hands came up Bailey's back and
pulled the white t-shirt he had on over his head before he could really
fight them off.  By the time he had whipped around, Cal was giving him the
'too sexy' whistle while twirling the shirt around his finger.  Bailey
scowled at him and took the shirt back, though it was too late to put it
back on, half the group was already in the water.

	Bailey's skin was white... in every sense of the word.  His Irish heritage
didn't fail him, and the only coloring he had on his chest and back was the
smattering of freckles, especially those across his shoulders. His dark,
curly hair set even more of a contrast against his skin, and at this point
in time, his upper body looked even more ashen, due to the deep blush that
covered his cheeks.

"Isn't it cute when he blushes?" Liz stepped up and gave him a hug of
comfort. Well, it was guised as comfort, until she took both of them into
the lake.

	Once in the water, Bailey forgot about how much he hated swimming, and the
fact that it was going to take an act of God for him to pass the swimming
test in the next week.  3 hours in the water went by quickly.  With all the
laps and different swimming styles they went over, there was also plenty of
time in-between for horseplay and sabotage games in the murky water of the
lake.  The other campers in the group drifted in and out of their games and
likewise with them.  Bailey had since developed a familiarity with the other
campers, but had acclimated himself to the obvious group that he seemed to
accompany.  Since the softball incident, most people had actually been
friendlier towards Bailey, and more fed up with Drew's bullshit.  Which made
Cal and Trina happy, and Bailey relieved.

	At one point, after 2 laps of pathetic breast strokes by most of the out of
practice swimmers, the 6-pack, as they had become known, treaded water near
the corner of the dock, where they successfully avoided the direct look of
the two swim instructors barking from the dock.

"Jared, you gonna go for another one and make us all look like chumps
again?" Trina hated swimming; she was seriously annoyed by his over
achieving during the swims.

"No, that's alright.  But if you want me to look better than you treading
water, it can be arranged as well," he stuck his nose into the air and
kicked her from under the water.

"You bastard!"  Within a second Trina had dunked Jared in a slashing, spray
fight, kicking both Amy and Bailey out of the way.  Everyone was highly
amused.

	Liz managed to come up behind Bailey and wrap her hands over his shoulders,
forming a half piggyback in the water.  At first Bailey thought nothing of
it, but then noticed the death stare coming from Caleb.  With a wink, Bailey
dunked himself under the water and swam back, taking himself under her body,
and flipping her into the water.  She was pissed, and somewhat embarrassed,
but got over it quickly when Cal lifted Bailey up from the back of his
trunks and flung him three feet ahead into the water.

"All fun and games," swimming was for once fun for Bailey.  In fact, he was
downright comfortable around these people, and in all things a swimsuit
nonetheless.  He started to feel like he wanted to be there, around these
people.  He truly considered them his friends, which besides Rich and a few
acquaintances, he never really had before.   His shy persona had been pushed
to the backburner once he arrived, the environment simply wouldn't allow it.
  He had to participate and talk to these people, and it was actually
enjoyable to him.  When Bailey recovered from his splash out, he didn't feel
bullied.  He smiled, and joined right back in.

	Swimming was over at 11:30, in time for an hour of showers and then lunch.
Bailey, unlike the other campers, didn't go to shower at the lodge or the
cabin-shower houses along the lake, but instead to the Nurse's lodge for a
private shower.  The nurse had grown quite attached to him, and offered him
the shower whenever he liked.  The other campers would probably resent him
for it, but the private shower was worth it. Not so much for the privacy
itself, though that mattered extremely, but because it was clean.  The other
campers didn't like this, but the light animosity and fun was worth the
great showers.

	Unfortunately, he dozed in the shower, and wound up being late for lunch.
By the time he walked into the mess hall, the seniors had gotten food, and
the junior campers were in line now.  He didn't hesitate to jump in line; it
wasn't as if he looked too out of place anyway.

	It just so happened, that Shane stood maybe 3 people up the line from him.
As was quasi-normal since they had been at the camp, Shane had just about
ignored his older brother every time they chanced to meet.  This time,
however, they were too close not to.

"Shane, what's up, bro?"
"Uh...nothing, Bail," he looked around, somewhat embarrassed, that this
scrawny runt of a guy just addressed him.  He quickly moved to the back
where Bailey was waiting. Doing so that his friends were out of earshot on
the brief family encounter, "What's up man, you want something?"

"No, I was just saying hi," Bailey gave a questioning smile at his brother,
who was obviously playing too cool.

"Hey Shane, is this your brother?" a girl that was probably half the mass
Shane's over developed body came over to the brothers, resting her hand on
Shane's forearm.

"Uhh, yeah Cindy.  This is Bailey, my big.... older brother," Bail rolled
his eyes at them, he was hungry and didn't need to see his brother getting a
feel from this pre-bimbo.

"I thought so!" she said proudly, "You can tell, you know.  You both have
the same nose and shaped face."

"Thanks...the line is moving, you might want to follow it," Bailey wanted to
laugh; it was all he could say to distract them.  Cindy moved along,
oblivious, while Shane shot Bailey a questioning look.

"Hey, what's gotten into you?"

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know, you're kind of, I don't know, talking," Shane had also
noticed the smile that crossed his brother's face when he came up, and in
fact every time he saw him.

"I do talk, I just rarely have anything to say.  Have you written mom and
dad yet?"

"No, have you?"

"Yeah, 3 days ago. They said they wanted letters, remember?"

"It's so corny, though.  Now you're gonna make me look bad."

"Good," Bailey chided Shane as he stepped in front of him in the line.

"HEY!!"

"Hey what? You can cut your brother some slack, jerk off.  I should tell mom
and dad in my next letter how much you ignore me," he no longer wanted to
hear any shit from his little brother.  For the past few months he had taken
it, but now that they were in public, and Bailey was finally growing a
backbone, things were different.

	Five minutes later Bailey was seated next to Caleb at the end of the table.
  The soggy grilled cheese didn't look all that appetizing, but most of them
were starving after the morning swim.

"Bail, did you have sunscreen on this morning?" Amy asked politely, as she
usually did.

"Yeah, I guess it wore off in the water after a while, though.  I've had
worse," which was true, but he could already feel the warmth and tightness
of the skin on his cheeks.

Jared laughed through a mouthful of sandwich.  "What SPF are you using,
exactly?"

"15.  Jerry gave it to me, I can't find mine," all of them started to
chuckle.

"I've got some 45 in my bunk that I don't really need.  My mother just
thinks I'm gonna get skin cancer.  I'll give it to you when we go back to
the bunks," Trina offered,  at the same time  showing off her decent tan, to
reiterate the fact that she wouldn't need it.

"Thanks," he grumbled into his own sandwich.

"How was you shower, princess?"  Cal caught the icy stare of death and a
bread crust between the eyes.

"IT was great.... how was scum towers?" the nickname given to the boy's
shower cabin.

"Great, except Drew never dropped the soap, it was so...disappointing," the
eye roll was a bit too exaggerated.

"Ewwww," Trina and Liz both dropped what they were eating in mock disgust as
all of them broke out into laughter.

	Lunch went on like this.  Pleasant banter back and forth until they were
dismissed.  The rest of the afternoon was more leisurely than the morning,
and for most days at the camp.  The seniors group went to arts and crafts,
which was actually the painting of old wooden chairs that they had been
donated to the camp.  Each chair had three campers painting it, which made
for interesting designs.  But, anything was better than making pillows with
felt and yarn, so they made the most of it, especially Bailey.  He never was
much for painting at home; the art classes he took were very regimented and
conservative at the Catholic School.  But he enjoyed painting the yellow and
black design they had made onto the chair. It required no artistic ability
at all, which was always a plus in his book.

	He was working with Trina and Cal on the chair project, which he couldn't
have been happier with.  Though after the slip up at lunch, Bailey was
somewhat angry with Caleb for his "Princess" remark.  The boy has an ego,
what do you want?   The painting was done lazily, with more getting on each
other than the actual chair.  Bailey for the first five minutes of the
workshop tried to maintain a pissed-off exterior towards Cal, but caved to
the other boys playful chitchat and fell back into their routine of
friendliness.

	Ever since the previous week the two had become closer friends.  They had
talked and joked for many nights after lights out about other campers, and
Cal told him stories of summers before.  They also talked about their lives
at home, and how very similar and different they both were.  Bailey didn't
know if Cal had caught onto his crush, but for now he didn't want that
awkwardness.  It would be great if he could have something with him, but he
liked the friendship they had, and he didn't really know what he would do if
they did like each other.  He had obviously never been close to a
relationship situation before.

	Bailey broke from his train of thought when he felt Cal's hand guide his
own to the chair, "You paint here...not the air, space cadet," both he and
Trina chuckled.  Bailey was too distracted by the hand that had been lightly
placed over his, and that was still resting over it, guiding his paintbrush.

"I know how to paint, jerkass," he jerked his hand away and they continued
on with the project without anymore contact.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Finally free at last, free at last," Caleb flopped onto his bed in
exhaustion. They were both tired after the nightly group meeting, so instead
of chilling for the last half hour of lights out, they decided to head in
early, like many of the other campers, "You're so lucky you get to leave for
the nurse 10 minute early.  That stupid evening prayer shit is getting to
me."

"If you want to go take my meds for me, be my guest."

"SURE!!!  Hey, what kind of meds are you on, anyway? Are you sick or do you
just need special vitamins or something?" Bail looked away from Caleb,
placing his shoes to the side of the bed and then his wallet on the dresser.

"They're for my allergies, mostly,"

"You got em' real bad, huh?"

"You could say that," he faked a smile.  They both started to get ready for
bed, turning their backs on each other as they disrobed. Bailey left his
shirt off, though.

"Err...do you want some Aloe for your back? I've got a supply," Cal grimaced
at the site of Bailey's enflamed back and shoulders.

"It's ok.... I've actually got my own.  But thanks," being so fair had
taught him to worship aloe cream since he was very young.  It wasn't that he
was never careful in the sun, but sun block doesn't even help, sometimes.

	After lathering his arms, face, neck and upper chest Bailey was starting to
feel relieved, if not somewhat sticky.  What he didn't realize was Caleb
watching him carefully apply the soothing lotion to his bright skin.  If he
had, he no doubt would have stopped and turned a deeper crimson.  He started
to reach over his shoulders, but found it difficult and painful.

	Cal cleared his throat, "Do...do you want me to help you out, with your
back and all?"

"...It's ok, I got it," he struggled with it some more, giving up after he
caught Cal's smile from across the room, "Could you? I'd appreciate it," he
was embarrassed, but knew he needed the help.

"Sure, it's my pleasure to help the needy.  I'm always to the rescue," for
that, he caught the bird.

	Bailey slowly turned to sit Indian style on his bed, facing up towards his
pillow, as Cal sat behind him with the aloe tube.  His entire back,
especially his shoulders, were red, the skin was hot to the touch.  Cal
grimaced once again at the site of it, thinking how painful it had to be,
and how much more it would be tomorrow.  He started to dab the lotion onto
Bailey's shoulders, but stopped when the burnt boy yelled from the pressure
of his fingers and the coldness of the liquid aloe.

"I'm sorry..." He tried again, this time very lightly smearing the cream
into the red flesh, leaving white trail marks behind, still, "Is that
better."

	Bailey bit back his lip and managed a meek, "Yeah" not letting on how much
his shoulders were beginning to bother him.   Caleb continued his delicate
massage down the thin back.  The farther down he went, the better it felt,
because the burn got lighter as it got closer to his waist.  Caleb placed a
final glob of lotion into his palm and rubbed it between his hands, applying
it to Bail's lower back.  This time, however, it wasn't the light touch of
swift finger tips, Caleb placed the full palm of his hands on Bailey's lower
back, and gently started to circulate the cool aloe into his skin.
	As the hands slid down Bailey's sides to his hips, he felt more than just
Cal's hands moving.

"Umm, that's fine, thank you," He turned back to take the bottle of aloe,
and then lay down on his stomach to place it on the night
stand...conveniently.

"Feel any better?" Cal was also a bit nervous.  He had zoned out on the
small of the other's back, and he feared that his touching was a bit
inappropriate.

"Yeah, a lot.  Maybe you can do that for me in the morning if I can't move,
I knew you were good for something," he gave a rye smile to the other, "Can
you hit the light, since you're up?" to get up now would be a very, very bad
thing.

"Yeah, sure man. G'night."

	Both boys retired into an abnormal silence between them.  They both felt
awkward, and each was lost in an entanglement of different thoughts.  Bailey
forgot about the pain in his back, and instead longed for the privacy of his
bed at home.  Where no one would bother him, and he could go about
his...business.  A time like this made him miss it even more.