Date: Sun, 23 Mar 2014 18:26:06 -0400
From: Ronyx <ronyx@woh.rr.com>
Subject: Birds Don't Sing Before a Storm   Chapter 21

The following is a work of fiction. Any similarities to anyone are purely
coincidental. The story is intended for a mature audience. It may contain
profanity and references to gay sex. If this offends you, please leave and
find something more suitable to read. The author maintains all rights to
the story. Do not copy or use without written permission. Write
ronyx@themustardjar.com with your comments. Ronyx is a prolific Nifty
author. Visit my personal website at www.themustardjar.com for more
stories.


Birds Don't Sing Before a Storm     Chapter 21


Shade and I sat in the car and waited while Rodney went inside to meet
Megan's parents. Before exiting, he held up his arm and smelled his
armpit. He looked over at me with a worried look, extended his arm toward
me and asked, "Do I smell?" When I laughed and pushed his arm away, he
said, "I'd rather nail my nuts to my knee than meet a girl's parents for
the first time."

Shade and I laughed as he walked up the sidewalk and knocked on the
door. He looked back at us pleadingly when Megan's father came to the door
and invited him in.

I asked Shade, "What are her parents like?"

"They're pretty cool," he replied. "Her dad likes to joke around a lot, so
it's hard to tell what he'll do."

Minutes later, Megan and Rodney came out of the house. Megan looked
stunning. She was wearing a black silk blouse and designer jeans. I giggled
when she stepped ahead of Rodney. He looked down at her ass, looked over at
me and wiggled his eyebrows.

I got out of the front seat so Megan could sit beside Rodney. Shade grinned
and grabbed my hand when I slid into the back. Megan turned and warned,
"Now you boys behave back there."

I was embarrassed when Shade leaned in and kissed me. Rodney was looking in
the rearview mirror at us. I had a feeling it was the first time he ever
saw two boys kiss each other. So far, he had seemed to accept the fact that
Shade and I were dating. He also didn't seem to be bothered by us holding
hands. Kissing, though, might make him uncomfortable.

When we got to the mall, we strolled around as if we had been friends
forever. Rodney had a comical side to him I had never seen. As we roamed
around various stores, he would put on a woman's hat, pose and ask Megan
how she liked it. Another time, a little girl was crying beside one of the
kiosks that lined the mall. Rodney knelt down and made funny faces at her
until the girl started laughing. Her mother gave him a hug before she
headed off with the giggling child. We ate at an Arby's in the food
court. Rodney insisted on paying for all our meals. I whispered and asked
him where he got the money since he didn't work. "Mom gives me an
allowance."

"For doing what?"

He grinned and replied, "Being me." He laughed when I rolled my eyes.

After eating, we strolled around for about a half hour before the movie
began. It saddened me when Megan wrapped her arm around Rodney's as they
walked. The best that Shade and I could do was let our hands touch
occasionally. I wondered if there would ever come a day when two men could
walk hand and hand through a mall and no one would mind. I was beginning to
see more and more affection being displayed on television. Gay characters
were becoming more normal. `Perhaps, one day,' I thought to myself as I let
my hand brush gently against Shade's. For a few seconds, he wrapped his
pinkie around mine as we walked behind Megan and Rodney.

Since it was the first date for all of us, we watched the movie more as
four friends. Shade was to my left, and Rodney was to my right with Megan
sitting beside him. I could tell Rodney was nervous because he kept
fidgeting in his seat. He spent most of the night pressed up against my
shoulder rather than Megan's.

It was almost midnight when we got out. Rodney suggested that we find a
late night restaurant, but Megan insisted she had to go home. "I'm
Cinderella," she joked. "If I don't get home by midnight, Rodney will turn
into a pumpkin." Even though the car was dark, I could see Rodney's
embarrassed face.

Shade and I sat in the backseat and watched as Rodney walked Megan up the
steps. "I bet you he kisses her," I laughed.

"Not a chance," replied Shade. "I know Megan. She never kisses a guy on the
first date."

Rodney fumbled nervously with his keys as they stood on the porch and
talked. A light overhead made it possible for us to watch them. Suddenly,
the light went out.

"I bet Megan's little sister turned out the light," giggled
Shade. Suddenly, he muttered, "Dammit." I looked at Megan and Rodney as
they stood facing each other on the darkened porch. Megan leaned in and
gave Rodney a quick kiss before heading inside.

I said excitedly, "I won!"

"Damn," replied Shade. "She must really like Rodney." I smiled hoping that
was true. They did make a cute couple.

Rodney whistled all the way home. He kept looking at me in the rearview
mirror and smiling. When we arrived, I expected him to go inside and leave
us alone. Instead, he leaned up against the car and grinned at me.

I asked, "What?"

"Your turn," he smiled.

"My turn?"

"Yeah," he laughed. "I want to see you tell Shade goodbye."

"You're not going to leave us alone?"

"Nope," he replied. "You didn't leave me and Megan alone."

"We were sitting in the car!" I said excitedly.

Rodney said, "Don't care." He folded his arms and pretended to wait. I
sighed and followed Shade over to his car.

"Guess I'll see you Monday," I said sadly.

Shade looked over at Rodney and asked, "What's he doing? Ain't he going
inside?"

"Nope," I replied. "He wants to watch us say goodbye."

An evil grin appeared on Shade's face. He looked back at Rodney and then
said, "Okay. Let's give him a show he'll never forget."

I started to respond by saying, "I don't think that's...." But suddenly,
Shade pressed his lips to mine and kissed me passionately. When he
finished, I was gasping for air. He looked back over at Rodney. "That
should do it." He then leaned in and kissed me quickly before getting in
his car and pulling off.

Rodney had a surprised look on his face as I approached. Even though Shade
thought it would be cool to kiss me openly in front of him, I was too
embarrassed to look him in the eyes.

As we walked toward the house, Rodney remarked, "That was hot as hell. I've
never seen two guys making out before."

I laughed and responded, "Well, don't get any ideas. I'm not kissing you."

"Aw," he laughed as he tried to grab my arm to stop me. "Come on, Casey,
just one little kiss." When he approached and puckered his lips, I pushed
him away.

He continued to chase me. He grabbed my arm and once again tried to get me
to kiss him. "Come on," he laughed. "Just one little smooch."

When he puckered his lips and leaned in toward me, I stuck my tongue into
his mouth. "Aw, Fuck!" he shouted as he began scrubbing his mouth with his
coat sleeve. "You're fucking gross!"

I laughed and replied, "You said you wanted a kiss."

"I didn't say anything about tongue," he mumbled as he continued to wipe
his mouth.

After thanking Rodney for a fun evening in the foyer, I headed downstairs
as he went to his bedroom. I took a shower; and as Lane says, I made the
white stuff. As the water cascaded down my body, I thought about Shade. I
really wanted to make love to him, but I knew I had to do it at his pace. I
think his mother also knew that he wasn't ready to be involved in a serious
relationship. Just knowing that he felt about me the same way I felt about
him was enough for now. I just hoped that I wouldn't have to wait too long.

I was sleeping soundly until I was suddenly I was awakened by a noise in
the family room. My alarm clock read 2:39. It was too late for anyone to be
watching television.

I cautiously looked out my door to see Curtis stumbling out of the
bathroom. He made it across the room before running into my father's
recliner and falling to the floor. When he tried to get up, he stumbled and
fell again, this time hitting his head on the coffee table.

"Son of a bitch," he moaned as he tried to sit up. He started to crawl
across the room to the stairs. I ran out and stopped him.

"What are you doing, Curtis?" I knelt down beside him and placed my hand on
his shoulder.

"Leaf me alone," he mumbled as he grabbed my hand and removed it. "I don't
need your help." He tried to get to his feet, but he fell back against
me. I steadied him as he tried to regain his balance.

I stood and tried to help him to his feet, but he fell back onto the
floor. "We gotta get you up," I said as I tried to help him once more to
his feet.

He teetered as I tried to keep him balanced. He reeked of alcohol, and his
clothes were disheveled. It was difficult for him to focus his eyes as he
stood and looked at me.

"Leaf me alone," he muttered again as he tried to slap my hand away from
his arm. "I got this." He took a deep breath, and then he tried to walk
toward the steps. He lost his balance, and I grabbed him around the waist
to keep him from falling.

"Let's get you to my room," I suggested as I attempted to drag his heavy
body across the room. It didn't help that he was resisting every step we
took.

I was finally able to get him inside my room, and I dropped him onto my
bed. He lifted his body up and looked around the room. "Where am I?" he
asked through half-open eyes.

"You're in my room," I said. I lifted his body and tried to remove his
jacket. "Leaf me alone," he said as he fought to keep it on. He opened his
eyes and looked at me. "Hey," he muttered. "What are you trying to do to
me?"

"Would you shut up," I spat. I attempted once more to pull his jacket
off. This time, he didn't resist.

Curtis opened his eyes, and then shut them again. He warned, "You better
not touch me." Instinctively, he covered his crotch with his hands.

"I'm not going to touch you," I assured him. "You're drunk and you need
some sleep."

He opened his eyes and looked up at me. "I'm not drumph," he muttered
before closing his eyes.

"Sure you're not," I replied sarcastically as I pulled off his shoes and
covered him with the blanket.

As I was getting up, he reached out and grabbed my arm. "Why, Casey?" he
asked in a pleading voice.

Before I could ask him what he was talking about, he closed his eyes and
fell asleep. I took his bare arm and placed it under the blanket before
getting up and turning out the light. I then went out and lay down on the
sofa. I managed to eventually fall asleep.

I woke up a little after seven. The house was still quiet, and it appeared
that no one was yet up. I knew it wouldn't be long until Lane would come
bounding down the stairs to watch cartoons. He usually did on Sundays
before my father, Rodney and Curtis spent the rest of the day watching
football.

I crept over to my room and opened the door. Curtis was sprawled atop my
bed. By the appearance of blanket, it looked as if he had been fighting all
night. I walked over and poked him gently in the shoulder. He stirred
slightly, but he didn't wake up.

"Curtis," I said as poked him again. He mumbled something incoherent, and
then he opened his eyes. "What?" He looked around the room, and then up at
me. "Where am I?"

"You're in my room," I informed him as he sat up and rubbed his eyes.

He looked around again and asked, "What am I doing here?"

I told him, "You came in drunk last night. I brought you to my room."

He stood up and brushed his clothes. He lifted his hand to him mouth and
blew into it to see if his breath still smelled. "Jesus," he muttered as he
did it again.

He looked at me and asked, "Did Mom see me come in?"

I shook my head. "No. No one saw you."

He gave me a concerned look and asked, "Did I say anything?" He gave out a
sigh of relief when I shook my head.

I suggested, "Maybe you better go to your room before anyone gets up. It's
after seven."

He ran his hands over his hair. "Yeah, maybe I better," he said.

"Stop by my bathroom and gargle with Listerine," I suggested. "Your breath
stinks."

He blew into this hand and frowned. "Yeah." He left the room and headed to
the bathroom. I went out into the family room to straighten the sofa so no
one would notice that I had been asleep on it.

When Curtis emerged from the bathroom, he stopped on the way to the
stairs. I turned when he said, "Casey."

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for looking out." I nodded and he hurried up the stairs.

I turned on a boring movie that I had seen before so I could fall back
asleep. It didn't do any good because Lane came downstairs around 8:30
carrying two bowls of cereal. He didn't say anything as he handed me a bowl
of Fruit Loops. He still looked sleepy. After he finished eating his
cereal, he lay down on the sofa, put his head in my lap and fell back
asleep.

My father came down about a half hour later carrying a cup of coffee and
the Sunday paper. He mumbled, "Hello, Casey," and then he opened the paper
and read for the next half hour without looking up.

Karen came down with a cup of coffee. She was wearing a blue robe and pink
bunny slippers. She rolled her eyes when I giggled at her as she sat down
on the other end of the sofa. She took Lane's feet and placed them in her
lap to make room for her to sit.

It surprised me when Curtis came down carrying a plate with several pieces
of toast and a glass of milk. He grabbed the remote and turned it to ESPN
before sitting across the room.

Karen asked him, "What time did you come home last night? You weren't in
your room when I went to bed."

Curtis looked quickly at me. "I..um...got in around twelve thirty."

"Twelve thirty?" She frowned and said, "You know your curfew is midnight."

"Yes, Ma'am," he replied as he took a bite of toast. "I'll remember next
time." He glanced at me once again.

"Well," admonished Karen. "You better, or next time you'll be on grounded
for a week."

Curtis simply replied with a soft, "Yes, Ma'am."

The rest of the day was pretty typical at the Crawford house on a
Sunday. My father, Rodney and Curtis spent the day watching the NFL on
television. Karen went to the living room and read a book she had put off
for several weeks. Lane and I spent most of the afternoon in his bedroom
playing video games. Shade was at work, so I didn't get a chance to talk to
him.

At six, Lane and I fixed a quick dinner of hot dogs, baked beans and potato
chips. It seemed like a fitting meal for watching football. I later went to
my room to work on my homework. I did manage to talk to Shade around
nine. However, he was tired from working so we only talked for about
fifteen minutes.

I was surprised the next morning when Rodney came downstairs and peeked in
my room. "Better hurry up," he ordered. When I asked why, he said, "I'm
giving you a lift to school."

"What about Lane? He can't walk by himself."

"He's going too," he replied as he reminded me to hurry.

When I went upstairs, Lane had a bowl of Fruit Loops waiting for me. Rodney
was eating a banana, and Curtis was heating up a Pop Tart in the
microwave. Rodney looked up at the clock and told us it was time to go.

Curtis gave him a questioning look. "Are they riding with us?"

"Yeah," replied Rodney challengingly. "You got a problem with that?" Curtis
didn't reply. He picked up his gym bag by the door and stormed out of the
house.

As soon as we pulled out of the driveway, Rodney began talking about his
date with Megan. Curtis asked, "You went on a date with her?" Rodney
nodded, and Curtis asked, "Is she hot?"

Rodney cooed, "Is she ever." He looked at me in the rearview
mirror. "Thanks again, Casey for hooking me up with her." Curtis glanced
back and gave me an angry look.

Lane was excited about riding to school in Rodney's car. He grinned when
Rodney told him that he and I were going to ride with him every morning.
"I can't take you home though," he said apologetically. "Not unless you
want to wait until baseball practice is over."

I laughed, looked over at Lane and responded, "We'll walk home."

Curtis shook his head, looked out the window and muttered, "I don't get
it." So much for the bonding I felt the morning before.

I'm glad I finished my history report. When half the class didn't turn
theirs in, Mrs. Bedlaw became irate. She made each student who hadn't
turned one in to write a note to their parents explaining why they were
receiving a failing grade in class. When two students objected to do it,
she sent them to the office. They returned ten minutes later with
Mr. Snyder behind them. He stood at the door as they wrote the note and
then had Mrs. Bedlaw sign it.

When they finished, he stood before the class and warned those students who
failed to bring back the note signed by their parents that they would
receive three days of in-school suspension. I was glad I had finished mine.

Shade was waiting outside the theater door when I arrived. "Hey," he smiled
as he took my hand and started leading me down the hall.

I asked, "Where are we going?"

"Megan wants us to go get Lane and Tiffany," he explained. On the way to
their room, we stopped by the restroom and kissed. Shade pressed his back
to the door just in case another student decided to enter. I was surprised
when he didn't object to me running my hand over his crotch. When it
started to stiffen, he giggled and said we had better leave. "We don't want
to start anything we can't finish."

"I can finish," I replied as I kissed him again.

He pushed me back, laughed and said, "I'm sure you can."

He playfully slapped my cock before rushing from the room. "Ball tag," he
laughed.

"Hey!" I shouted, "That's not fair." He turned and stuck his tongue out at
me.

Lane was excited to see us. He jumped up from his seat and rushed over to
hug us. I had to suppress a laugh when his teacher told him to take his
seat, and he was to raise his hand before getting up. His face reddened as
he did as she asked. When she told him he could leave, he skipped over and
held my hand.

On the way back to the theater, Shade asked Lane, "Why do you skip so
much?"

Lane smiled and replied, "Because I like to. It's fun." He grabbed Shade's
hand and they skipped together down the hall. I walked behind them and
laughed.

Lorenzo came over and took Lane and Tiffany backstage with him. Megan then
rushed over to us with a broad grin on her face. "I've found my Captain Von
Trapp!" she announced excitedly.

Shade asked, "Who?"

"You know Joshua Lyons, right?" Shade nodded his head.

"The sophomore who is working on lighting?"

"Yes," she replied. "He was backstage singing one of the songs from the
show," she explained. "I don't think he was even aware he was doing it."

Shaded asked, "And?"

"I pulled him out onto the stage and called for Max," she said. "We
auditioned him on the spot. He's great!"

Shade shook his head. "Isn't he too young looking for the part?"

"That's your job," reminded Megan. "Have make-up make him look older."

"They're not miracle workers," replied Shade. "Besides, he's too short for
the part. Captain Von Trapp is a tall gentleman."

"I don't care," huffed Megan. "He has a wonderful voice, and I want to cast
him for the part."

Just then, I noticed a beautiful blond-haired boy approaching. He tossed
back his hair, and looked over at me. He had the most beautiful blue eyes I
had ever seen on anyone. They literally sparkled under the overhead lights.

Megan rushed over and grabbed his arm. "Joshua!" she exclaimed. She pulled
him over to Shade. "I want you to meet Shade, the stage manager." When he
extended his hand to Shade to shake, he flirtatiously scanned his body.

"Shade," he replied as he held his hand. "I've been dying to meet you." He
then glanced over at me with a sinister grin.

* * * * * *

This story is completed at my website: www.themustardjar.com

Send comments to: ronyx@themustardjar.com

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