Date: Sat, 19 Jun 2010 00:31:51 -0400
From: Barry Mattison <stories@barrymattison.com>
Subject: Friends or What?

Friends or What?-Chapter I
Gay Male/High School
AUTHOR: Barry Mattison
19 June 2010

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INTRODUCTION:

This is a fictional story about how two young guys grew up as friends since
3rd grade and are now in their Junior year ready to end the year, planning
summer vacation. One likes the other and has had a crush on him for some
time, but doesn't really know what that means, the other has a girlfriend
and doesn't really see anything beyond his childhood friend other than
their friendship. The characters in "Friends or What?" are all fictional
and any semblance to real persons--living or deceased--is purely
coincidental.

DISCLAIMER:

This fictional story is written for the gay reader in particular and
describes scenes of male nudity and sexual acts between two or more guys
that some readers may find inappropriate and/or unsuitable for their
reading. Please do not read any further if you find such reading offensive
or if it may become property of anyone under the age of 21. "Friends or
What?" is copyrighted by Barry Mattison under the trademark Foxstories with
permission to publish given to the Nifty Alliance Archive. Copying,
distribution or re-publication of this writing in any other web site,
private or otherwise, is a violation of local, national and international
copyright laws and will be pursued to the fullest extent allowable by law.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Jason and Todd have been friends since second grade. Jason is the rough and
tumble type of kid whilst Todd is quite reserved and manages to stay out of
the way as much as possible. But somehow this combination of traits seemed
to weave a tangled web of friendship between them that would carry them
into their last years at the local high school, at least at this point.

Jason was now the quarterback of the local, small town high school foot
ball team, All-Star Team player four years, pitched on the school baseball
team, The Tigers, was Center on the school soccer team...just about every
sport the school sponsored, Jason was the best. He had always had all the
cheerleaders after him since reaching puberty, and even a few of the boys
could be seen sneaking glances in the locker room after PE class or after
games. I was the guy that got pushed around a lot, called names like dweeb
and stupid, and spent hours in my locker before Jason found me and let me
out. I couldn't wait to get out of school, but I was determined not to let
the bullies scare me out of school.

Finally it was last semester of our Junior year. The Tulips had died off,
the grass had been mowed several times, the leaves were almost all exploded
in full size on the trees -- it was almost summer. Summer after summer we
had always been made to go off with our separate families for the summer
vacation to visit family here and there. The last several summers Jason had
been able to invite a few different girls and friends along on the shorter
trips...or shall we say his "mother" had invited them for friends, but I
had never been invited.

Right now there was one girl at school he really liked and spent a lot of
time with the last few years. Her name was Linda. She was by far the
prettiest looking girl in the school; Head cheerleader, best this, best
that... and when they began "hanging out" everybody pretty much gave up on
both of them, figuring there was no chance of ever getting a date with
either of them. Even Jason and I saw each other less and less, although he
was never too busy to unlock my locker for me before I turned blue.

I had always spent my summers, until now, at my grandma's old family farm
upstate. She was wonderful to me and although I hated to part friends with
Jason for the whole summer, he had his new girlfriend to keep him busy...I
was jealous.

My parents had divorced when I was eight years old. My mother had raised me
until she got into trouble with the law over some drugs and got thrown into
jail. Being an only child I was sent to a foster home, or two, or three
before finding my place with some people who treated me real nice. I had
another brother about my age and two sisters, one older and one about four
years younger. George...I sometimes called him Georgie... and I shared a
small bedroom with bunk beds and a small desk to do homework on. We were
about the same size, skinny, medium height, light hair and green eyes that
were just slightly different. Mine tended to get real dark green when I was
either mad or upset while George's would turn light outside to an almost
blue-green. It took us a long time to become what you might call
friends. We had both come from broken homes, had been tossed around foster
homes, and George had even had to change schools several times. Whenever I
asked him about it he would start to get angry, so I never pushed him. But
other than that, we got along pretty good.

The two girls were hell on wheels. Adrianna, the older one was always in
trouble and came home with the cops about two or three times a week. She
had an inner hatred for everything and everybody and had no problem in
displaying it. She also had more tattoo's than I had zit's. Black hair,
white eyes and face, always black and white...like she was dead or
something. Everybody at school knew she was into drugs, drinking and boys,
so she was real popular. Except at home. She could let out a line of curse
words without taking a breath that would've made her a great
free-diver. But in the end she was heading nowhere and probably not going
to last very long once shew was out of the home, so Georgie and I just
avoided her at all times. I think she was one of the bullies at school that
was always putting me in my locker with her little gang, but I would be the
one to get into trouble if I said anything...so I just took it.

It was different with George and I, until lately. We had at least been able
to talk about some things, including the first time we wanked off together
behind the barn out back of old man Fosters place down the road. That was
the difference between our friendship and my friendship with Jason.

Finals were just around the corner and Jason and I were talking out on the
side lawn on the school. There was only three days of school left and then
we would be going our separate ways for the summer.

"So Jason, where are you going this summer? Same 'ol sailboat trips around
the world, dinner in Paris, Denmark...where?

"You numbskull, always the same place. Out to Southern California to visit
family and then south to Mexico for the rest of the summer. I hate summers
and always have but my parents won't let me stay here alone. As far as
they're concerned, I'll never be old enough."

"Are they going to let Linda come along with you this time?"

As soon as that question came out of my mouth something in the pit of my
stomach was making me sick. We'd had Mexican mush for lunch that day and I
wasn't feeling very good I guess.

"I haven't asked them yet, but I'm going to tonight at dinner."

I looked down at the ground and then away for a moment. Still looking away,
and not knowing why, I asked him something else.

"Do you guys love each other...I mean do you like...uh...have you...what I
mean is...oh shit.." I jumped up and ran towards home, about two miles,
with tears in my eyes. What in the hell was wrong with me anyway. I should
be happy for Jason. He and Linda made a nice couple, and he was still my
best friend in the whole world. I just had these confusing feelings
bouncing around inside my head and a rock rolling around inside my
stomach. I ran as fast as I could to get home so Jason wouldn't find me. I
didn't want to talk right now.

Every time he drove by looking for me I would duck behind the bushes until
he was gone and then take a shortcut through the woods. Finally I made it
home, but before trying to go in I checked out front to see if his car was
there. Whew! It wasn't.

I ran upstairs as quietly as possible, shut the door and jumped up on the
top bunk and hunkered down under the covers. My thoughts were all jumbled
up...I didn't know what to do.

What I had failed to notice was that Georgie was in his bunk below.

"What's up bro?"

I didn't respond, I couldn't.

"You asleep... already? You can't be."

I could hear the sounds of his boxers against the cool sheets as he slide
out of his bunk and stood up beside the bed.

"Hey bro, what's the matter? Slowly shaking me by the shoulder, he seemed
relentless in finding out what was wrong. C'mon, you can tell me, there's
not much I haven't been through you know, that's how I ended up I this
place. In fact, if it hadn't been for you I'd have left long ago."

I waited for a minute. I wasn't sure how to react to his rather brazen
attempt to show so much concern about me. He and I had never really been
that close before. Other than sharing the same room, bunk bed and seeing
each other in our boxers...and the wanking thing... there had been no big
intellectual conversations between us before, nor had he shown this much
interest in my welfare. Just as he was starting to drop down out of sight I
rolled over and said, "what did you say about leaving?"

He stood back up again and rested his arms and elbows on the edge of my
bunk. "I said, if it wasn't fer you I would've jumped this place months
ago. What is there here? There's a little rug rat running around writing on
the walls driving "mom and dad" crazy. Then there's the Goth in training
with her group of witches and their long colored nails scaring everybody
they can at school, including you. She's in jail for a few days by the way
for dealing, downstairs don't know yet so don't say anything. This place is
freaky. You're the only near normal one here. The only one that's kept me
grounded, as much as I can possibly be, given the circumstances.

"Gee, I had no idea. I thought I was all alone here too. Did Justin stop by
recently?"

"Yeah, he was here just before you flew in, why?"

I had no reason not to tell him what happened. He knew that Jason and I had
practically grown up together as friends and were close. So I told him
about our conversation, then how I felt when I asked him about Linda and
how confused I was and that I couldn't understand why I felt so
confused...everything. By then I was starting to cry again so I rolled over
and faced the wall.

I felt a hand start to rub my shoulder and work its way down to my neck. It
felt comforting...and good.

"It's ok bro, you've had a pretty tough life too, but I think you've missed
a few of life's little tests along the way."

"Huh"

"Hang on up there and let's talk if, you feel like it."

"Okay, I'd like to. Otherwise I'll just lay here and be miserable, not even
knowing why."

George snapped the door lock on his way up to the top bunk like lightning
and was lying with his back to the wall, facing me in just a couple of
seconds.

"Whoa...that was fast. What's up?"

"Trust me, I can't talk to you, me having to stand there and you all
comfortable in bed. Nothing's goin'ta happen. Promise. Ok?"

"Okay, I trust you."

"Listen, when you and Jason used to spend lots of time together growing up,
were there times when you'd look up at him and it would feel like there
were like, little butterflies in your stomach?"

"Ummmm....there were a few times that I would look at him and feel funny,
or I would be doing something, then look up and catch him staring at me. It
still happens. Yeah, why, what does that mean?"

"What about the locker room and taking showers?"

"Oh, I rarely ever take showers if I can get away with it. I get
embarrassed easily, but when I do have to get in with the other guys I just
get in and out and make sure I get my boxers on right away. But I do
sometimes like to look at some of the other guys without their towels
on. Their muscles, flat chests and..."

"You don't have to say any more. You are, and always have been, in love
with Jason. That's why you were so confused today when he started talking
about Linda going with him for the summer. You don't understand and know
how to handle these feelings that you've always had, but are now just
coming to the surface. Maybe you went through puberty late or something, I
don't know much about that, but lots of hormones are running around your
body, driving you crazy; you don't know if you like girls or boys or both,
so you're feeling like someone else is taking your most treasured thing in
the whole world away from you and there's nothing you can do about it, and
he either is in the same position, or is straight and doesn't have the same
feelings about you that you have for him. I suspect that he might though
because nobody has talked much about them sleeping over or him shagging
her."

I was looking up at the ceiling and listening to Georgie as he
talked. Somehow all this was starting to make sense finally. All the name
calling, the bullying, the funny looks from the soccer jocks, and the
especially the sensitive way Jason always seemed to come up behind me and
rub my shoulders when nobody was looking.

I turned my head and looked at George. "This means I'm gay?

"I would say it's leaning that way. You might be what some call 'bi', which
means you could like guys and girls. Have you ever been interested in
having sex with a girl...yet?"

"Ewww...no."

"I guess that pretty much settles that then. Now listen. I have to tell you
something as well. I'm gay too. That's part of the reason that I always get
into trouble. I get angry and lose my temper when people call me fag and
names like that. It's also the reason I've been in so many group homes. But
when you first came here, I had a feeling you were gay, but I didn't want
to say anything since I didn't know you at all, plus I didn't want to get
kicked out of another home so quick."

"You gett'n a better handle on this now? You know we're born this way. It's
not a choice or a decision and don't ever let anyone try to tell you
different. You're the same person now as you were years ago when you and
Jason played together on the swing set after school somewhere or played
soldiers in the rain. We are who we are. We just have to learn how to
accept it and make the adjustments with the friends that stay with you and
those that leave and weren't friends at all."

"I get that part, but I don't want to lose Jason and every time I see him
with Linda I start to get jealous now. It's like I want to be her and have
his arms around me."

"I'm sorry that you had to go through such hurt today. But on the positive
side, you've got a better handle on who you are now. But don't fool
yourself either. It's a cruel world out there for people who are different
like us. You need to be careful who you tell and really be careful how you
act so that you don't attract all the assholes at school who have no brain
of their own, but in a group can really do some damage. Promise me you'll
be careful?"

"I promise."

"Good...and I've got your back."

"What do I do about Jason and this summer?"

"I've been thinking about that. Here's a suggestion that's going ta' take a
lot of guts on your part. But at least you'll know one way or the other how
he feels about you. Track him down, just you 'n him, and just say that this
is the last summer you guys will have together before college to do
something together. You were wondering if he would like to come with you to
your Grandmothers farm on the lake and just spend the summer in one place,
just the two of you. Tell him you could do some camping, hunting, hiking,
fishing, whatever you feel like doing. If he says yes, then you have one
answer...if he says no, then depending on his reasoning, you may have his
answer on his feelings about you. Those then become his problem . It'll be
hard on you if he says no because you'll feel very hurt, but you have to
know how he feels about you to move further in your life."

"You're right. I need to know. But if he says no I'm going to be a total
wreck."

"I said I've got your back bro. I'll be here for you."

George snuggled up closer, laid his arm over my chest and laying his head
beside mine, promptly fell asleep. I swung my other arm over him, pulling
him tighter to me and fell asleep myself.

Sometime in the middle of the night I thought I awoke in a foggy sleep and
could feel something on my leg. But it was more like a dream than anything
else and I faded out again, snuggling in tighter against the warm
covers. Meanwhile George's hand was slowly creeping up the inside leg of my
boxers, caressing the inside of my leg as he inched his way closer and
closer to my balls. Soon he had his hand on my cock and was rubbing it up
and down. This action had me stirring a little as my cock started to get
hard. At sixteen years old I was embarrassed with my six and a half inch
hard on in the gym class compared to some of the other guys, but all of it
was standing at attention now as I opened my eyes and lay quietly as he
continued slowly massaging my rod. Slowly, so he would think I was still
asleep, I groaned just a little and opened my legs a little as if getting
comfortable. He stopped and only resumed his manipulation after a minute or
so when he thought I was asleep. After a few minutes of this I couldn't
help but start to move my hips up and down involuntarily, giving away the
fact that I was now awake.

"You like the feeling?" George asked, continuing his rotating manipulation
around the swollen head of my dick.

"Yes, it feels good...don't stop please." Nobody has ever had their hand on
my dick before except me.

"Does it bother you that a guy is doing it?"

"No...in fact, it excites me even more. Let's take our boxers off. I want
to touch you. I've never touched another guy, if you don't mind. I want to
explore every inch of your body...to touch it, see it, lick it, explore it,
everything."

"That sounds good to me...we can explore together. I'm not very experienced
either, I just know that I'm gay and like guys."

With that they both stripped, climbed down to the bottom bunk and began to
tenderly run their fingers over each others bodies as if anything too rough
and an arm or leg might fall off by mistake.

"Lay down George, I want to massage your feet and feel your toes, your
ankles, your smooth legs and all the way up to your mouth to kiss you."

Already George's cock, a little thicker than mine, and slightly longer, was
laying on his chest and starting to grow at the thought of what I had just
said. I began at George's feet, licking each toe, in and out between each
toe, gently moving aside each toe as he moved from one to another, then
hopping to the other foot and starting all over. From there I licked the
smooth shins of both of smooth legs, not missing a sensitive spot on the
way to his lean thighs, now moving around in sync with the groans coming
from his vocal chords. What I really wanted to lick was almost in front of
me now and I couldn't wait to lap at the space under his balls with my
slicked up tongue, sliding up one side of the firm, round balls, then using
his other hand to pull them aside as I slid my wet tongue up the other side
and around the top.

Without touching George's dripping pre-cum head, I slowly started licking
his way up the treasure trail to first one tender nipple, where I sucked
hard and harder, then moved across the hairless chest to the other light
brown nipple. After tasting and teasing his other nipple, I looked up into
his eyes and slowly climbed onto him, cock to cock. Our mouths met with a
tentative kiss at first, but as the sexual tension took hold of our bodies,
we dove into each others mouths with tongues out, fighting for dominance
over the right to do what generations of guys before us had done...enjoy
the pleasures of sex!

George rolled them over and copied everything I had done to him, avoiding
my swollen, aching cock. Just as I was about to come I asked if I could
suck his dick.

Georgie said, "even better, we can do it to each other. Face each other,
your head down there and mine up here and go at it."

I had never sucked another guys cock and didn't know about teeth...things
like that, but I was a quick learner. As soon as I figured out what George
was doing to me I copied it the same way until the both of us had worked
ourselves into such a frenzy that our balls were drawn up tight, our
swollen cocks were even bigger and fire blazed in our loins.

I gasped, "I'm going to cum."

"George said, "me too, keep sucking."

Within a few seconds we both arched our backs and exploded into each others
mouths with equal loads of teenage cum -- load after load -- until we were
both so exhausted we fell back, pooped, but happy.

Later, as we got up to shower for school, George asked me if I was okay
with what happened between us. I just smiled and said, "and to think I've
been missing this all along and didn't even know it."

"I've decided to do what you suggested, about asking Jason about this
summer. It has to be today because finals are almost over and he'll be gone
before I get the chance. I don't want that girlfriend of his that hangs
around with him just because he's the school stud to be stealing him from
me. He's my stud.

"Just don't set your hopes too high in case he says no, okay? If he doesn't
give you the right answer call me and I'll find 'ya, we'll hang out for a
while."

"Okay, I'll call you either way."

"Good luck sexy."

That morning at school, after an unusually crucifying math final, I caught
up with Jason and Linda out on the lawn, near where they were the day
before. Already the butterflies were fluttering around my stomach in
anticipation of asking him "the question." I'd been sweating all day so far
about confronting Jason, and now Linda was even there. Maybe I should just
forget it, they probably had plans already anyway. What if he does say no,
how could I handle the rejection, I really didn't feel up for another run
and dodge home again.

Slowly I started to walk up to the two of them as they sat side by side on
the lawn.

"Hi Jason, Linda. Nice day huh."

"Sure is bud, what's up?" I noticed the scowl from Linda as I set about
trying to figure out how to pop the question.

"I was wondering about this summer, what your plans were and all that
and..."

Linda, with her bright red lipstick and gum-smacking pops piped in with an
instant retort before Jason could reply.

"We don't know what we're doing yet. My parents haven't told me what their
plans are. Maybe Jason and I'll just stay here for the summer and get to
know each other better.  Well anyway, since we're going steady now you're
really not part of the picture anyway."

"Oh, okay then, I just wanted to...well...Jason and I haven't
ever...er...oh shit...here I go again. You guys have a nice summer. Fuck!"

That's how you get rid of them I overheard Linda say, loud enough so I
could hear as I started running, again, towards home. I guess I had my
answer and it wasn't the one I wanted, but at least Jason could have told
me, not that bitch. Now my Senior year will be hell. This time I didn't
even care whether I hid or not, I just kept running, running hard because I
didn't care anymore.

About halfway home I heard this screech of tires behind me as a car started
sliding off the road. I headed for the brush to avoid getting hit. Instead
of an out-of-control car, it was Jason...alone.

He opened the passenger door and called to me, "get in here you fool, I
have to talk to you about something."

I slowly crawled up the grassy bank and stood at the open window of his
car.

"Where are you going?" he said. "Every time you start to ask me a question
lately you end up running off and I can't find you. What's going on with
you lately?"

I slowly got in the car and asked him for a ride home.

"I was just thinking that this will be our last summer to do something
together. We've grown up together and been through a lot, but we never get
to spend any time together, just you and I, doing things on our own without
Linda dragging along or half the soccer, basketball or baseball teams
coming along. I guess that's bound to happen, but I really miss you. I
don't have the friends that you do."

I looked down at my feet and already was wiggling in my seat with my hands
under my skinny legs. I was only five foot ten, maybe one hundred thirty
pounds wet. Nervous didn't begin to describe how I felt. I knew I couldn't
just come out and tell my best friend friend that I was almost out of the
closet. What if he beat me up or pushed me out of the car or something. I
couldn't take the chance.

"All I wanted to ask was if you would like to go to the lake with me this
summer, for however long you wanted, so we could spend some time together
and do some of the old things we used to do. Like canoeing, or hiking,
camping, just whatever. But I guess Linda probably has plans all made for
the two of you already so I shouldn't expect you to say yes. Stop here and
let me out, I can walk the rest of the way, I just want to be alone."

"No, I'm taking you home first of all, and second, what is all this about?
Are you jealous of Linda spending time with me? I'll tell you something, as
he pulled over to the side of the road, Linda and I are just friends. I
know how she would like it, but I'm really not interested in getting into
her pants."

"But you spend all your time with her, she holds your hand, everybody says
you guys are dating. I don't understand."

"I don't want to spend the summer with her, but she has made all these
plans for trips with parents to parade me in front of all her relatives and
friends, drag me to social events, all the stuff that makes my spine
shiver. I hate that type of pretense. I like people who are themselves all
the time, no show, no backstabbing, just nice. So now I'm stuck and don't
know what to do."

"Can't you just tell her what you want to do for the summer?"

"That might be a problem."

"Why's that?"

"Because I...well. because...you wouldn't understand"

"Try me. we're best friends."

I was still looking down at the floor to avoid eye contact when I felt a
hand against my cheek. I turned and looked at Jason, only inches from my
faced. There had to be some amount of surprise on my face, but I didn't
move, just kept shaking. I thought,this can't be happening, after all these
years and after all those nights of wanking off thinking about my best
friend.

"Todd,"..."uh huh"..."can I kiss you?"..."uh huh"

Jason gently placed his lips against mine and kissed me, pulled back as I
opened my eyes, then we both met in the middle, mouths open and kissed for
a long time -- a long, long time.

"Todd, can I come to the lake with you this summer? We can play like we
used to, go canoeing, jump off the big rock, make love?"

"Jason, you can do anything you want, as long as it's with me."

"Uh huh..."

I have 9 chapters written already of this story, so they will be coming out
fairly rapidly. This is a great story as the members of my club have
attested to.

Enjoy and please send any comments to the address at the beginning of the
story.