Date: Thu, 03 Nov 2005 15:09:50 -0500
From: S N <sum1plezzcall_911@hotmail.com>
Subject: Heavens_Just_A_Sin_Away, Chapter27

Disclaimer: This is a FICTIONAL story describing the love triangle of a
teenage boy. If you are not over 18 years of age, or if you find this type
of story offensive, or viewing this material is illegal where you are, then
refrain from reading it. The story consists of lust, passion, teenage
romance, interracial, love and all the rest of the good stuff in that
order... Prepare for sin.

                    Chapter 27: Keep Waitin', Satan
/~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~////~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~////~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~////~~~~~

What's it going to be?

I looked at Sampson.  His mouth moved a little bit like he was going to
give an answer, but then he stopped as though he had actually realized the
depth of the question.  He looked humiliated and confused.  The question
that Byron asked was who did he like better between Byron and I.  I guess
he realized that was a really serious question.

"You can't even answer that can you?" Byron asked.

Sampson didn't even get out a word.  The two of them were looking at each
other like we were in some kind of Danielle Steel novel.  They all were so
serious (except me) in this lonely gaze as Byron set forth his dramatic
ultimatum.  I stared smiling at the mess I put myself in this time.

Sampson looked at Byron and started to explain, "I like Syn, but you are
more of the type to be in a relationship with."

I laughed a little.  I mean; it was funny shit to hear.  I didn't know how
to exactly take it.  It felt like a slap in the face actually.  I looked at
Byron and saw the tension ease off his face a little.  That felt even
worse.  It was almost like he felt good hearing that I was just a 'thing'
while Sampson really wanted to be in a relationship with Byron.

"What are you laughing at?"  Byron asked, with this irked tone.

"You two are so dramatic to me," I explained and then turned away, "Sampson
doesn't have to pick me.  You two deserve one another."

"Fuck you!" Byron shouted at me.

I couldn't believe Byron had screamed at me that loudly.  He hadn't only
screamed at me, but he'd taken a few steps toward me as though he was going
to swing at me.  I backed away trying not to laugh.  I mean, not too long
ago this guy was stalking me and now he was trying to fight me off.

"Fuck me?" I asked, turning my head as though wondering if he was really
talking to me, "Listen once again, I'm not going to chase your boyfriend.
Clearly I'm not his ideal relationship partner."

Sampson quickly defended himself, "Damn, Syn.  I didn't mean it like that "

"Whatever.  That isn't the point," I argued and then continued, "The best
thing is lets all get over ourselves.  I mean; we are all young attractive
males.  We don't need to be carrying all these heavy emotions, do we?"

"Fuck you!"  Byron continued to hiss.

I could see he got louder.  I didn't understand what parts of my words were
making him so angry.  I guess it was because maybe he was really in love
with Sampson and felt like I was downplaying the strength of his
affections.  Maybe Byron was just insecure that I was right in thinking he
was overreacting to this.

I crossed my eyes, "See I was trying to be nice "

"Fuck you!"

"Fuck you too!"

Byron took a step towards me.  He pushed me hard!  I stumbled backward a
little surprised that this emotional wreck had just pushed me.  Byron was
crying as he did so.  I rushed back toward him and was immediately wrestled
by Sampson into a tight bear hug so that I couldn't get near Byron.

"I'm sick of you, Syn!"  Byron cried out, "You always have to fuck things
up!  Sampson and I were in love! Why did you have to fuck that up?"

I guess he could see it that way.  I was always fucking things up just like
how Mercedes did.  The difference was that I had reasoning.  Mercedes
didn't.  I wasn't good and I wasn't evil.  I was that little line in
between them that wasn't supposed to be there.

Sampson was still holding me as though trying to restrain me even though I
wasn't struggling.  I knew that he probably thought that doing that would
make Byron calm down a little, but it wasn't.  Byron was crying recklessly.
All his pain and his sins were resurfacing.

"Do you really love Sampson?" I asked Byron.

He grimaced at the question.  Sampson's eyes caught mine as well, but with
a confused appearance.  I didn't want this to be an emotional moment, but
to hell with it.  If Byron wanted to call me out then I would call him out
as well.

"Fuck you!"

"Ok, I get it Byron.  Fuck me, but can you please answer the question?" I
asked.

Byron upper lip raised in anger, "Of course I love him.  I told him that I
loved him.  Sampson, you know I love you, right?"

     "Don't ask him," I interrupted before Sampson could answer, "I know
Sampson loves you to some extent.  I don't deny that.  I don't believe that
you love Sampson, but I believe you love the idea of Sampson."

"Come on now, what the fuck do you know about love?" Byron asked.

I laughed, "Hell just as little as you, but the difference is that you
don't see me going around waving it to any guy that I can."

Sampson pulled off of me a little, "Syn, lets just fix this mess instead of
making it worse."

     I could see what Sampson meant.  It would have made a little sense
just to end this and try to keep what little friendship we could preserve.
Still, the mere idea of Byron was really ticking me off.  It was almost
like no one seemed to realize who he was.  Byron didn't even realize who he
was.

     "Sampson, no, Byron doesn't love you," I stated, "Byron said he loved
me back when we first met.  Truthfully I think Byron loves anyone that can
make him forget about his past."

     "Oh Mr. Know It All," Byron mocked, trying to laugh in the midst of
tears, "How the hell do you know my past?"

     "I don't," I admitted, "You once told me that you sold your body
because you wanted to know how it felt like to love.  It was just an
experiment.  It seems like your relationship with Sampson is just an
experiment as well.  Its not really love.  I know your boyfriend more then
you do.  You throw around the concept of love like its nothing."

     There was silence.  I felt as though Byron's emotions were just based
on the fact that he didn't really understand love.  He looked at me with
this lost confusion.  Either he didn't understand love or he didn't
understand me.  I remembered when Sampson was in the hospital and Byron was
outside the waiting room flirting with a guy.

     I returned his stare, "Then again maybe I am wrong."

     Maybe I wasn't, but maybe I was.  He was looking at me like he was
confused.  I turned my head to see Sampson's expression.  It was kind of
blank.  I guess he wasn't really listening or maybe he was listening so
much that he was absorbed in thought and forgot to show facial expressions.

     I crossed my arms watching Byron's stare.  His look of confusion
transformed into a look of anger and resentment.  It was almost hilarious
to me.

     "What? Shut up!  Fuck you!"

     "You two are not that serious," I said and then turned away, "Stop
trying to act like you guys are some married couple.  How long was this
relationship anyway?  I'm not going to stick around and let you treat me
like I'm Monica Lewinsky.  I didn't break up some serious commitment here."

     I turned around and then I felt it.  He struck me hard on the back of
my neck!

     I fell forward and almost fell over!  I lost my breath immediately!  I
struggled quickly to catch my balance.  My neck burned and I could tell he
had punched me.  He punched me!  I couldn't believe he actually hit me on
the back of my neck.  My mouth dropped open in disbelief and I turned
around to look at Byron.

     Byron was staring at me with this angry stare.  He almost wanted me to
do something about it.  I took a step forward toward him.  My fists were
balled up and I was extremely pissed.  I was ready to fight.

     "Syn," Sampson cautioned using his body as an obstacle, "Just walk
away."

     "Me!  That asshole just hit me!"  I said and then rose my hands up,
"You know what?  I'll be the bigger man in this situation."

     I turned away.  I realized that the only reason I was walking away was
because Sampson had asked me.  I was just so pissed.  I couldn't believe
Byron would actually hit me.  He had gone totally crazy.  It was almost
like he had forgotten about our friendship completely and didn't care.

     I walked out towards the hall and started to descend the stairs.  I
heard something behind me and I looked back to see Sampson trying to
restrain Byron.  Byron was frenzied and it was starting to make him look
foolish.

     "Fuck you Syn, I'm going to beat your ass!"  Byron screamed out.

     I looked back.  Byron was a bigger guy than I was, but he wasn't the
most masculine of men.  I never pictured Byron as the fighting type and it
made this whole situation a little more odd.

     "Yeah right," I said and smiled, "Just take your shit and get out of
my house."

     "Byron, shut up please," Sampson tried to calm him down, "Syn, you
just keep walking."

     "Fuck that!  He's just jealous of me!"

     I turned around, "Jealous?"

     I laughed and stopped, even though I wanted to listen to Sampson and
keep walking because it was clear Byron let his emotion's get the best of
him.  I realized Byron was really trying to get past Sampson to me and that
was just making me more irritated.  The size difference between Byron and
Sampson wasn't much.

     "Syn, what are you doing?  Just go!"  Sampson said, while confining
Byron to the railing.

     Sampson had wrestled Byron to the railing and pinned him there.  Byron
looked like he was already getting tired just from trying to work past
Sampson.  He continued to struggle through, trying to reach one arm out of
Sampson's grasp so that he could push past him.  He was putting everything
into his attempt to get at me.

     "Syn, you are shit!"  Byron cursed loudly, "You are just a bitter
asshole who notices the problems of everyone, but doesn't see that you are
shit too!"

     "I never denied it," I argued, "I'm shit.  You happy now?"

     "Fuck you!"  Byron said, as though getting madder at my patience with
him, "I'll be happy when I break your fucking arm, you dumb slut!"

     "Slut?" I said and laughed, "Byron um you shouldn't talk.  You were an
escort."

     "Can you two just STOP!" Sampson said.

     Sampson seemed to be a little disappointed.  I didn't get it.  I would
have been a little flattered to have two guys fighting over me.  He didn't
seem like he cared all that much though.  He was really trying to stop us.

     "Get off," Byron said, "I'm not going to touch that envious pussy.  He
isn't worth it."

     I opened my mouth.  I wasn't as shocked that he called me an envious
pussy but I was more shocked that I didn't say anything back.  Hell, I knew
that I was wrong.  I also knew that Byron was overreacting in this
emotional foolishness.  Normally I would have just lit his ass up with an
assault of curse words and insults.

     "I'm not going to let you go till Syn leaves," Sampson said.

     "You might as well let him go," I said and then crossed my arms, "I'm
not leaving.  This is my house.  We are grown ass men.  How old is Byron?
Like 20? He needs to learn to control himself."

     He was like 20 but he acted like he was like 12.  It was weird.  I was
the youngest.  I was the only one left in the house that was still 17.  I
didn't act like I was the youngest though.  Shit.  Yolanda was 18 but she
definitely acted like a little ass kid too.  It seemed these people never
let go of their childhood.

     Sampson let go of him, "Alright, let's just keep the peace though."

     Byron got up and dusted himself off probably because Sampson had
pinned him for so long.  I leaned up against the wall as I prepared for
Byron to walk past me.  I didn't want to just keep running away from me.
He already thought I was 'a pussy'.  He probably believed that I was
somehow scared of him.  I couldn't have that.  I did have some pride left
at least.

     Byron looked at me in my eyes as he walked past me on the stairs.  I
could see his eyes burning with hatred.  I kept my eye contact with him.  I
wasn't scared of him at all and definitely wasn't going to give him the
honor of thinking that he somehow hurt me.  I saw the back of his head as
he walked past me silently.

     I felt a sharp wind!  Immediately I felt him swing his fist at me!

     "BITCH!"  I yelled.

     I didn't even have time to finish screaming at him before he grabbed
me.  He grappled me in his arms and I felt him trying to slam me on the
railing!  I panicked and started to elbow him.  At first he didn't seem to
feel the elbows but then Byron started to plunge and collapse.

     I tried to push him down even more but he just grappled onto me in a
quick reaction.  The two of us went falling down the stairs almost
immediately together.

     "Syn!"

     It was Sampson's voice that was calling for me as though surprised at
what had happened.  I was a little grateful that he even managed to notice
me through his boyfriend's rage, but not overjoyed at all.

     I fell to the bottom of the stairs and my head hit the wall hard.  I
could still feel Byron's arm grabbing onto my shoulder.  My throat felt dry
and I immediately doubted trying to be confrontational on the stairs.  My
head thumped hard and I wondered if it was bleeding while I lay up against
the wall.

     "Get the fuck up, bitch!"  Byron screamed.

     I hadn't even realized that he had gotten up, but immediately I
realized that he had pulled me up as well.  Luckily I had gotten over the
pain of my head hitting the wall at that time and was fast enough to dodge
the punch that he threw at me at that moment.

     My quickest reaction was to punch Byron's stomach.  I hit him with all
the force that I could and hoped that he would go down.  He didn't go down
exactly.  He squirmed a little and made a loud noise, but didn't exactly go
down.

     "What's going on in here?"  A voice said.

     I realized that the voice was from T-Boy.  His voice was very distinct
even though at the time I was more concerned about Byron attacking me.  I
managed to spot him in my peripheral vision and see Lamont entering the
room as well.

     "Break them up!"  Sampson was yelling.

     I didn't see exactly where Sampson was, but I figured he was trying to
grab Byron from the back or something. Byron threw another punch at me.  I
dodged this one as well.  Either Byron was a slow puncher or I had good
instincts on when he was going to try to hit me.

     At that moment I realized that Byron was just swinging wildly in my
direction.  Sampson tried to pull Byron back, but Byron immediately grabbed
onto my shirt and pulled me with him.

     "Let go of me!" I panicked.

     He didn't let go and I found myself tripping on the floor! I banged my
arm on the floor!  I was screaming at the top of my lungs with loud curses.
Oddly enough, Byron 'somehow' got enough strength to break away from
Sampson as soon as I fell on the floor.  He even sent Sampson flying across
the room.

     "Call the cops!"  I heard Yolanda scream.

     I hadn't even realized she was in the room.  There were a lot of other
voices around.  Everyone that was standing outside had finally got the show
that they came to the house to see.  Big Rob, Erica and all the others were
crowded around us.  They weren't really trying to break us up.  Shit they
were actually crowding close to make it harder for Sampson.

     Byron was over me now thrashing his fists into my face.  I covered my
face with my arms and he just continued to pound on my arms.  The pain was
so unbearable.  I almost wanted to move my arms so that he could pound on
my face since it was getting numb.

     "He's crazy!"

     I knew it had to be someone stupid who said, "He's crazy."  They were
saying how crazy Byron was, but no one was stopping him from hitting me.
They were basically just letting this guy thrash the shit out of me.

     It wasn't that long before I realized that I was actually losing this
fight.  I was looking like a victim in front of all these people.

     "Get off me!"  I yelled back at him and raised my hand.

     I hit him in his face and he backed off a little.  I couldn't believe
that I was actually losing to Byron.  I felt tired after I hit him and he
fell back but I couldn't even get him completely off.  I pushed him as hard
as I could and he fell off holding his face.  I staggered to my feet.

     I tried to back up, but Byron immediately punched me in my stomach.  I
tried to back up again but there was no way.  I had bent over in pain and
saw Byron trying to hit me once again.  He had raised his hand up and
everything, but I guess Sampson had grabbed it because he didn't strike me.

     T-Boy was cursing.  I wasn't sure whom he was cursing at, but then I
spotted him going between Byron and I.  He had chosen to go in between us
at the exact same time that Byron's hand was finally coming down on me!

     "Ah! You retard!"  T-Boy squirmed in pain as Byron hit him, "You broke
my nose!"

     He fell over and I saw blood gushing from his nose.  At that moment I
realized that Yolanda was also in the room.  She had let out a short shriek
as she tried to help T-Boy clean up his nose.  The blood looked nasty.  It
had gotten onto the carpet and just seemed nauseating.

     Yolanda went over and pushed Byron, "You broke his nose!"

     "Fuck, I didn't mean to," Byron defended himself, backing up away from
her, "He got in the way.  He's trying to protect his precious Syn just like
Sampson always does."

     Byron had stopped hitting me. I looked over at T-Boy.  I would have
gone over to help him, but my body was in pain as well.  I definitely had
no idea Byron had such viciousness in him.

     "I wasn't just trying to protect Syn," Sampson argued, "I'm trying to
protect both of you."

     I couldn't believe they were still trying to repair their dumb ass
relationship with me in pain and T-Boy clutching his nose while going on a
cursing marathon.  T-Boy was cursing up a storm and some of his curses
hadn't even been conceived yet.  I think he called Byron the word for
'punk' in Japanese.

     Lamont had come over to me and had this icepack.  I hadn't even
realized that my eye was swelling until he brought me the icepack.  I could
feel a lump forming right under my left eye.  Lamont began to press it on
my eye and I took the pack away from him since it was so cold.

     "I got it," I said, taking the icepack, "Thanks though."

     "I called the cops," Lamont told me, while letting go of the icepack.

     "You called the cops!"  Byron roared.

     Sampson got up and went over to Lamont as though wanting to speak for
Byron, "What the hell is wrong with you, idiot! Why would you call the
cops?"

     "He should have called the cops," I argued, "Don't scream at him
because he's quiet.  If you want to scream at someone then scream at me!"

     I was still pissed as hell that Byron had basically just fought me
over Sampson.  Now Sampson didn't want to call the cops?  It was so clear
that Sampson was protecting Byron.  It made me so mad that Sampson was
trying to cover up for Byron even though Byron was stupid enough to make
the choice of letting actions control his emotions.

     Sampson's voice softened when he turned to me, "Ok, lets just all calm
down.  I'll take Byron over to my house.  Can you just not tell the cops
where we are?  Byron is over 18.  He'll be arrested."

     He should of thought about that shit before he chose to fight me.  I
looked over at Byron.  He didn't even look like he was sorry about it.  If
he weren't embarrassed about hitting T-Boy, then he would probably still be
trying to hit me.

     "No, its over between us!"  Byron said and then turned away, "I'm
leaving alone."

     Sampson reached out and started saying, "Byron, wait "

     Byron didn't wait though.  He just went upstairs to get his shit.  I
watched Sampson follow him upstairs.  I really didn't care though.  Sampson
was just slowly making me dislike him.  I respected his loyalty to Byron
but it was also getting irritating.  How long can you try to force someone
to forgive you?

     I kept icing my swelling eye and tried to help T-Boy out with his
nose.
  I felt extra bad now since T-Boy was injured on behalf of my one mistake
with Sampson.

     Byron came down the stairs a little later.  He walked into the hall.
Sampson was behind him, but he wasn't following him anymore.  I guess Byron
had said something upstairs that had made Sampson give up.  Sampson just
looked like he was totally scowling.  Byron looked at me and left the
house.

~~~~~~~~~~///~~~~~~~~~~~~///~~~~~~~~~~~~~~///~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~///~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~///~~~~~~

     "Are you ok?"

     Sampson had come over to me when Byron had left.  He had some new ice
in his hand and he handed it to me.  I was reluctant to take it from him at
first, but then I just did because the other ice pack was melting.

     I hated the fact that the 'mistress' was always the one that was
hated.
  I didn't get it.  I was not the one in a commitment with Byron.  I was
single.  I could sleep with whomever I felt like.  Byron should have really
been mad at Sampson and instead of fighting me; he should have taken out
all that anger on Sampson.

     "Yeah I'm great," I said, sarcastically, "First, you say that I'm not
worth being in a relationship.  Then, I get beat up by your boyfriend in
front of everyone.  To top all that off, you try to defend him and that was
all in one day.  It's the best day ever."

     "Syn, I never meant to hurt you or Byron or anyone," Sampson griped,
uncomfortably, "I'm just trying to make everyone happy."

     "Well that makes you a player doesn't it?"  I asked.

     "You think I played you?"  Sampson said, as though being frustrated by
the idea.

     "Sampson you jump from relationship to relationship.  I was stupid for
knowing how promiscuous you are and still actually wanting to be with you."

     "What? You never said you wanted to be with me?"

     "Why else would I have "

     I stopped and noticed how my voice echoed in silence.  I looked
around.
  Everyone was watching.  T-Boy was even listening.  I definitely thought
that maybe Sampson should have been put on blast for his ways, but I didn't
want to go into this whole complex confrontation.

     " What the hell are all of you still doing here?" I asked getting up,
"Get the hell out of my house."

     I was pretty mad that the majority of them had seen Byron and I
fighting but none of them had broken the whole brawl up.  Big Rob could
have taken half a second and tossed Byron off of me like a toy but he just
stood there watching along with the rest of his friends like we were on
Pay-Per-View.

     They all stared at me with the same blank look that they had used when
I had kicked them out of my house a little while back.  They all were in
disbelief like I had actually welcomed them into my house in the first
place.

     "You guys heard him," Yolanda said, "I think it'd be best if you guys
just leave."

     I crossed my arms and stared her down, "I want you out too."

     She looked confused at first and then the longer she looked at me; the
more I think she began to realize why I was actually demanding that she
leave as well.

     "Syn, you can't just kick me out?"  Yolanda said.

     A couple of people laughed, including T-Boy.  I rolled my eyes at how
innocent she was suddenly trying to portray herself to be.  It was so much
like Yolanda to act like everything was terrific after she had completely
fucked me over again.

     "I can't kick you out?"  I asked a little surprised at her phrasing,
"You want to put money on that?"

     Yolanda looked over at Sampson as though he had any say about who
stayed in my house and who left.  Sampson didn't even live in the house.
Sampson didn't seem very supportive of her anyway.  She had a lot to do
with why his boyfriend was basically gone.  She looked like she was almost
panicking about the entire situation.

     "Is this about the dressing room situation?"  Yolanda asked with
bubbly eyes, "I can explain about that.  See, it actually slipped this one
time."

     "It didn't slip," somebody ratted, "You meant to tell us."

     Yolanda glanced around the room as though looking for the person who
said that.  I didn't know who had said it, but I was sure that it had to be
someone who didn't like Yolanda (which didn't narrow the options too much).

     "Syn please I'm sorry.  This is the last time. I swear I "

     "Uh be quiet," I hushed her, "I don't really care what you have to
say.
  I really don't even want to hear it.  This is an overall fucked up day."

     "I HAVE NO WHERE TO GO!"

     "Go to you dad," I commented, "I'm sure he'll be glad to take you in."

     Yolanda continued to whine about an hour more.  All of the visitors
left (including Sampson), but she stayed there trying to avoid getting
kicked out.  I definitely got support in the house though.  T-Boy was never
a fan of Yolanda and Lamont well Lamont seemed to want her out because I
wanted her out.

     Yolanda ended up going home at the end of that night.  She was
extremely heartbreaking.  I had almost come to the point that I wanted to
forgive her.  The fact that she just constantly lied got on my nerves
though.  Anyone in that position would have been stupid to allow her to
stay.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~///~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~///~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~///~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~///~~~~~~~~~~~

     It was the week of Shane's funeral.  Shane's mother had never stopped
crying for her son.  I hadn't seen a moment where her eyes were dry or her
voice expressing closure.  I wanted to help her, but Shane's grandmother
was a very overprotective character.  I think that in some way she blamed
Shane's friendship with me, T-Boy and Sampson as the reason for his death.

     "Byron didn't even show up," T-Boy whispered to me as the burial took
place.

     The funeral had been a long one and we had all driven up to the
cemetery to bury my best friend.  I was with Lamont and T-Boy but many
other faces we recognized.  One face that we did not recognize was Byron's
face.  I hadn't seen him since the night that we had the fight and that was
almost a week ago.  He just disappeared.

     "Yeah, I know," I acknowledged, not wanting to talk too much at a
funeral.

     I looked towards where Sampson was sitting.  He was sitting with Ms.
Nicole actually.  The two were both tearing up.  I kept staring at Sampson
at the entire funeral.  He had given me a wave in the very beginning, but
that was it.  He hadn't talked to me ever since the night I fought Byron
either.

     "I never liked Byron," T-Boy explained, "He'll get what he deserves
one day."

     T-Boy looked real serious as he said that.  I could understand why he
didn't like Byron.  Byron had busted his nose and he was wearing this patch
on it.  It wasn't that serious of a wound, but I could still see why T-Boy
had a little reluctance towards him.  Truth was T-Boy didn't like a lot of
people besides his normal popular crew of friends (and me of course).
T-Boy didn't even like Shane when he was alive.

     I laughed, "Shit.  We are all sinners.  We'll all get ours.  God
probably is rehearsing how he is going to fuck me over on Judgment Day
right about now."

     "Syn, you shouldn't say that," Lamont said.

     "Shut up, Lamont," I said laughing a little, "I was just joking."

     "Sorry." Lamont immediately said.

     He shut up too.  It was weird.  T-Boy gave him a weird look as well.
I just didn't get it.  Lamont had definitely been acting funny ever since I
found out about Little Isaac.  It was so crazy that someone who was already
weird started acting even weirder.  Lamont just seemed so helpful and
obedient all the time.

     "Lamont, you know you didn't really have to be quiet right?" I asked
and smiled, "I was just joking.  You just need to lighten up."

He smiled as though not really caring.  I smiled back.  Maybe it was just
my imagination.

     "Sure I'll do anything you want."

     T-Boy gave Lamont one of his signature, "You are a weird little
inferior boy" stare and then stared at me as though pointing out Lamont's
weird behavior.  I didn't return his stare because I knew T-Boy was just
trying to point out how weird my friends were.

     The preacher started to say some other things about Shane.  Shane's
cousin had come up to talk about him.  I was always with Shane and I never
even heard him mention anything about this cousin.  The cousin was up there
talking like he knew everything about Shane.  I didn't mind, but it was
just weird.  I had my mind on something else.

     I kept staring across the funeral hall at where Sampson was.  He was
talking to Ms. Nicole at the moment about something.  She noticed me
staring their way and waved a little.  I immediately turned my head.  The
bitch knew how to put a spotlight on someone.  Sampson probably realized
that I had been staring his way now.

     The funeral ended later that day Shane, Lamont and I escaped the
procession to go home.  Someone had mentioned their being an after
recession but I chose not to go because I knew Sampson was going to be
there.  I just didn't feel like being around him at the moment.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~///~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~///~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~///~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~///~~~~~~~

     "Hey, why don't you come watch T.V with us?"  T-Boy said.

     He had been watching television with Lamont in our living room.  I
knew that it was probably real awkward for him because Lamont probably
didn't say a word to him the entire time so he came into the kitchen where
I was waiting.

     "I don't know I just been thinking."

     I was kind of thinking, but mostly I was waiting by the phone for
Sampson to call.  I felt like there was never an official 'closing' to
whatever happened between us.  I just needed to talk to him about it.  I
wanted to make sure there wasn't any tension, but I was too proud to call
him, so I was just waiting.

     T-Boy touched me on my arm, "What you need to do is have some fun.
You been stressing lately."

     He was right.  It seemed like everything was getting real stressful.
I finally had gotten Yolanda away from me and Byron had disappeared.  I
guess I should have been glad.  I mean; they weren't exactly the best type
of people for me to be around.

     "How am I going to do that?"

     T-Boy looked at me, "Well, maybe we can go out sometime."

     "Can Lamont come?"

     T-Boy gave me this stare.  It was actually funny.  I could tell he
really didn't like Lamont.  T-Boy didn't like Yolanda, Byron or Shane.
T-Boy didn't like Sampson either.  It was like T-Boy didn't like any of my
friends.

     "Maybe we can just hang out with the normal people," T-Boy said
suddenly.

     "Normal?  What do you mean by normal?"

     T-Boy looked around, "Well aren't you tired of hanging out with the
Byrons, Lamonts and Yolandas of this world?  It just seems like you choose
to surround yourself with that type of person."

     I didn't want to get insulted but it was actually hard not to.  It
felt almost like T-Boy had wanted to make me feel embarrassed about the
people who I chose as my friends.

     "What type of person are you talking about?" I asked.

     "They are weird!" T-Boy explained, "You know that.  Come on now.  Its
like you go out trying to find the weirdest people and choose to be friends
with them."

     "By weird do you mean the quiet people, the gay people and everyone
else outcast from your little social group?"

     T-Boy probably thought his popular crew of Monica, Erica and Big Rob
were the best crowd around, but they were only popular because they were
all the same.

     "Well yeah I mean.  Take Yolanda for example.  She acts like a 5 year
old.  She does anything to get a little attention.  You brought her in the
house."

     "Wait she doesn't count.  I never really liked her."

     "Well what about Lamont?  That kid only talks to you and no one else.
He does whatever you say."

     I shook my head disagreeing; "He doesn't count either because Sydney
does the exact same thing for you."

     "Ok, but what about Sampson?  He changes his girlfriends all the
time," T-Boy said, "He is the most confused person I know.  He doesn't know
what he wants. He is weird.  He is my foster brother and I never even hung
out with that loser."

     Damn I began to notice he was definitely right.  I did surround myself
with the weirdest people.  I couldn't even make any more excuses about it.

     "Ok but Shane was normal."

     "He was your only normal friend though," T-Boy said and thought, "Now
you hang out with male sluts, mute guys and bi-polar girls."

     I shook off my humiliation, "Oh well I like diversity."

     T-Boy laughed, "You like it?  Look where it got you now?  Your friend
Byron fought you.  Your friend Sampson is playing you.  Your friend Yolanda
betrayed you.  Lamont well he's probably going to find a way to fuck things
up with you too."

     "So maybe I should hang out with the normal people, huh?" I asked,
"You trying to say I should hang with Big Rob and them?"

     He looked at me and then leaned into me.  T-Boy was dressed in this
black wife-beater shirt that stuck up to his muscles making them budge out.
He seemed to dress really sexy and erotic around the house.  I wondered if
he really just wore so few clothes regularly or if he was trying to impress
me.

I knew he was going for a kiss and I tried to pull back immediately.  He
didn't let me though.  His hand went around my head and he pulled me in.
His lips met mine and puckered close.  He then pulled back and smiled.

"You should hang with me," T-Boy said, "I promise I won't hurt you like
those weirdoes did.  There is a reason why they are unpopular.  Maybe you
just got to admit that you are above that."

I left the room after he said that.

I thought about it as I made my way upstairs to my room.  I definitely
chose some weird friends and it just so happened that the majority of them
had fucked me over.  T-Boy made sense.
  His truth actually was scary.

There was always sexual tension whenever T-Boy was around.  I think he
noticed it too.  He wanted the sexual tension to be there.  He wanted me to
feel tempted around him.  I knew if I had it his way, I would be going back
out with him and trying to imitate straight couples with him while his
popular friends crowded around us.

Me going back out with T-Boy and being friends with his friends would
probably mean happiness.  It would probably mean an unproblematic life.  I
didn't want it though.  It was weird.  I was probably stupid.  I was
probably an idiot, but I wanted to be with different people.  I wanted to
be with people who would probably cause problems and stupid drama.

I was different myself.

The phone was ringing and interrupting my thoughts.  I picked it up and
heard Sampson's voice.

<Hello. >

I was about to answer Sampson but then I heard the voice of T-Boy on the
other line of the phone.  The two phones we had in the house shared the
same line and I guess T-Boy had got to the phone downstairs first.

<Hey. >

     <T-Boy?  Is Syn there? >

     T-Boy grunted a little as though he wasn't all that happy about the
fact that Sampson was asking about me.  I blushed a little.  I knew Sampson
would actually call back to talk to me.

     T-Boy paused, <Hold on I'll call him for you >

     Sampson answered, <No, don't call him.  Don't tell him I called.  I
just wanted to know if he was cool since you guys left the funeral so
quickly.  I don't need to talk to him, plus he probably hates me anyway. >

     I wasn't sure how I felt about Sampson.  I knew I didn't want a
relationship with someone who just defined our connection as a 'thing'.  I
was still attracted though, even though I knew it would lead nowhere.  I
guess the 'thing' was still there.

     <Well.  He's fine.  The black eye your boyfriend gave him is gone now.
 >

     <Ex-boyfriend now, but that's good news.  Well, I actually wanted to
talk to you about something else. >

     <Aw man, can you hurry up?  I got shit to do. >

     T-Boy's agenda included going to slump in front of the television for
a couple more hours while looking sexy every time I walked into the room.
He had nothing else to do.  T-Boy just didn't seem to like Sampson.

     <Listen.  Ma is really getting involved with Zion.  She likes him.
She likes his money at least.  You know Ma.  He is like giving her an
internship or something. >

     It was weird that Sampson and T-Boy both recognized Ms. Nicole as a
greedy bitch.  It was almost like they had accepted it.  It was like they
didn't even see how weird it was that this old lady did almost everything
for money.

     <Oh, that's good news then. >

     <No it's not!  We know what Ma's motive for communicating is.  She
likes money.  What is Zion's motive? >

     <I don't know.  I don't know Zion.  He and Syn talk sometimes
though. >

     T-Boy didn't really seem like he cared about it anyway.  Sampson was
more caring about his mother then T-Boy was.  T-Boy was the regular 'oh
well' teen who couldn't have cared less what his mother was doing as long
as his mother was out of his business.

     <T-Boy, do me a favor.  Can you talk to Syn and Ma?  Tell them to stay
away from Zion.  I don't trust that guy. >

     T-Boy paused a little like he wasn't convinced of the whole thing.

     <You tell them yourself. >

     <They will listen to you.  Ma thinks I am trying to sabotage her after
I started hiding the mortgage money during her bingo nights.  Syn probably
hates me too much to even talk to me anymore.  You have to do it. >

     What was Sampson's reasoning for convicting Zion every other minute?
It was funny that Sampson thought that I didn't even want to talk to him.

     <No >

     <T-Boy! I know we don't have the best history, but I know Zion is up
to something.  You just have to buy me some time to figure out what it
is. >

     <All right man, I'll try, but I don't know if they will listen. >

     <Thanks T-Boy.  I really appreciate it. >

     <Bye Sampson. >

     <Bye. >

     It was weird.  Sampson and T-Boy had come together for something.  It
seemed like some kind of small miracle that T-Boy had agreed to this.  That
fact that Sampson distrusted someone more then he distrusted T-Boy was
amazing as well.

     I hung up the phone after they said bye.  I walked into the hallway
and saw T-Boy coming up the stairs.  I knew he was most likely coming to
talk to me about the issue with Zion.

     "You heard what Sampson said right?" T-Boy asked as he soon as he saw
me.

     "What?  You knew that I was on the phone?" I asked..

     "Yeah, I heard you breathing," T-Boy answered, but didn't seem so mad
that I was eavesdropping, "I guess I don't have to repeat it.  Just try to
stay away from Zion, ok?"

     "No "

     T-Boy shrugged his shoulders, "Oh well.  If he asks, tell him I
tried."

     T-Boy left.  He looked like he was more interested in watching
television and being lazy anyway.  He didn't even look a little interested
in what was happening with that situation.

     I went to the bathroom.  I wondered why Sampson just couldn't like
Zion.  It didn't seem like such a hard thing to do.  Zion was a cool
person.  He was real nice.  It kind of looked suspicious that Zion was so
nice to me and now nice to Ms. Nicole as well.  I didn't see it as a
problem though.  Zion hardly talked about Sampson when he was with me.  It
wasn't like he was trying to turn us against Sampson or something.  I was
against Sampson on my own.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~///~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~///~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~///~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~///~~~~~~~~~~
     I took a hot shower.  The heat rolled down my broad shoulders and
droplets landed on my shoulders.  I realized that as I was thinking about
Sampson, I started to picture him as well.  The picture in my head was
beginning to turn me on.  The feeling began to bother me immediately.  I
stopped the water and opened the door to get out.  The bathroom was hot and
steamy and it didn't help much with my problem.

     I definitely had tension and I felt my piece getting hard as soon as I
stepped out.  I reached out for the towel and realized my reflection in the
mirror.

     My body looked great surrounded with all that steam.  The moisture
leaked around my body.  A droplet of liquid rolled down from the back of my
neck down my back.  It made me shiver as it went to the crack of my round
ass and disappeared.  My dick had immediately gotten hard.  It stood erect
at almost 7 or 7 and a half inches.  The head was round and looked so tasty
that if I could, I would lick it.  A small stream of pre-cum shot out of it
as my dick began to enlarge.

     I began to touch my nipples and stroke my body over and over.  I
brought my hand from underneath my ball sack and through my damp pubic
hair.  I began to run my hands from the top of my hard 6-pack abs to the
shaft of my dick and then back again.  The pressure made me feel as though
someone else was making me do it.  The steam of the bathroom must have been
making me light headed.

     I took a towel and placed it on the floor.  I sat on top of the towel.
It was a really thick towel.  It belonged to T-Boy.  He had bought it
because it was good to soak up all his sweat when he ran track.  It
provided nice cushioning for my ass when I sat on it.  I started to stroke
my dick.

     Images of T-Boy came into my head.

     Images of Sampson popped into my head or was it Zion?  I wasn't sure.

     Shit I was so horny that I began to imagine how Byron looked naked.
He was a little too pretty boy and too emotional, but he still had a nice
body.  He probably had the tightest ass out of all of them too, which
explained why he'd been trying to have anal sex with Sampson for so long
but still failed.

     I started to taste the kiss that T-Boy had given me.

     I started to feel Sampson's dick against my lips again.

     My hand grabbed from the base of my dick and made its way up.  The
pre-cum oozed from the round bullet-shaped head of my penis almost like I
was really ejaculating.  I had never seen so much pre-cum before.  The
sperm blended into my hand and helped give this extra lubricant (besides
the shower water) on my dick.  The feeling was so intense because my palm
slid freely up and down the shaft jacking my dick off.

     I pictured Byron's ass again.

     I didn't know what got into me.  It was probably the fact that Byron
had beat me up so badly and the chance of him ever having sex with me had
become non-existent.  I guess I was attracted to him because I knew there
was no chance of us being together.

     I turned over and held myself over the towel like I was doing a push
up.  I began to grind my dick up against the towel while all the while
picturing his ass.  Byron had a tight ass.  It didn't have a lot of
roundness to it, but it seemed like one of those Asses that you would just
clench at your dick.  He sort of had an ass like Lamont.  I imagined that
type of ass and began to hump the towel underneath me.

     My dick ran up against the towel and I lay flat on it.  My dick was
grinding between my abs and the towel.  The feeling was different.  I
closed my eyes tightly and I heard felt the orgasm coming on.

     "Aw fuck!" I said immediately.

     I felt the cum squirting all over T-Boy's favorite towel as I finished
grinding up against it.  It sprayed even off of the towel and onto the
kitchen floor.

     By now the bathroom had gotten cold and the steam was gone.  I felt a
little relieved and sick at the same time.  How could I not have felt sick
knowing that I had been fantasizing about T-Boy, Byron, Sampson and Lamont?
T-Boy was understandable.  Sampson was understandable a little.  Lamont was
excusable.  Byron, however, was just sickening.  The guy had given me a
black eye for god sakes.

     I cleaned up the bathroom and tried to clean T-Boy's towel.  I didn't
know how clean it could get so I just threw it in the laundry hamper.  I
definitely had to wash it before he found out that I came all over his
favorite towel.  Well then again maybe T-Boy would like some shit like
that.

     I wrapped myself in a different towel and walked out to my room.

     It definitely felt like all the tension was off of me as I made my way
to my room and looked over to my bed.  My mouth completely dropped open as
I saw Lamont lying on my sheets.

     "What what are you doing?" I panicked, immediately asking him.

     Lamont wasn't just on my bed.  He didn't have a shirt on, either.
Shit he didn't even have pants on.  He had a pair of boxers but they
weren't exactly on.  They were covering his package but that was it.

     I prayed that my dick wouldn't get hard in front of him.  His body
looked so good.  If I hadn't just jacked off in the bathroom, I definitely
wouldn't have wasted anytime to be all over him.  Lamont kind of looked
like some kind of perfect specimen lying in the bed.  He was slim and tall.
His body was more like Shane's was (except his skin tone was lighter) and
he just had natural muscle.  He really didn't seem like he worked out at
all, but he was still looking nice.  The most erotic thing was that Lamont
had a few wrapped condoms littered on his abs.

     I could almost see how easy it would be to remove the small piece of
fabric from his dick.

     "This isn't pleasing to you?" he asked.

     The way that Lamont asked it made me worry.  He didn't say it in an
erotic way.  He said it almost in a submissive way.  It was like I had
somehow forced him to come in my room or had somehow demanded this from
him.  It didn't feel like this was something he wanted to do.

     "I mean, you look great," I explained, trying hard not to pounce on
him and fuck him just like I did that rug, "But, Lamont, where did all this
come from?"

     I couldn't believe I wasn't fucking him.  I was standing on the other
side of the room talking.  A guy was lying in my bed waiting for me to come
fuck him.  He even had condoms!  Why was I hesitating?  Why did it feel so
wrong for me to do this?

     "I I just want to make you happy."

This was wrong.

     "Make me happy?" I asked and then turned, "Lamont you are straight.  I
know you are. "

     "I know but "

     "Lamont, no, get dressed," I said and went to sit down in a desk chair
that was beside my bed.

     Lamont looked embarrassed all of a sudden.  He grabbed his boxers and
started to put them on.  I got a glimpse of his dick and ass while he did
so.  God this was so hard!  This decision was hard and so was my dick.
That was the reason that I had sat down.  I didn't want him to see how hard
I was getting because he probably would know that my mind and my dick were
not exactly agreeing on whether he should stay or go.

     "I'm damn, I'm sorry!" Lamont said as he grabbed his stuff, "I just
kind of figured that since I was staying here for free then I'd have to
give you something in return."

     "Lamont, you are my friend," I explained looking at him, "I'm not
Little Isaac.  I'm didn't ask you to stay here because I wanted to fuck
you.  You are really my friend."

     Lamont looked at me as though they were the strangest words I ever
said.  I guess he wasn't used to people liking him through friendship.  I
felt so bad.  I looked and saw how he was pouting his eyes up at the moment
he got his boxers on.  He buried his hands in his palms again and started
crying.

     "Damn I'm crying again." Lamont said, "I'm such a fucking pussy.  I'm
sorry."

     He tried to cover it, probably wanting preserve any pride he had left.
Lamont definitely was someone that I felt bad for.  I couldn't help it.  I
knew that my motto was "Get over it", but Lamont seemed so sad.  I went
over to him and rubbed his back.

     "Listen Lamont," I comforted him, while rubbed his back, "You don't
have to give your body to people for them to appreciate you.  What Little
Isaac did was wrong.  He was a sick pervert.  You got to make your own
decisions now.  The time where Little Isaac forced you to do things is
over."

     I was trying to make him stop, but it seemed like my words just made
him cry a little more.  He tried to move away from me but stopped when I
held on tightly.

     "I just got so used to it," Lamont said, "I'm sorry.  I figured it was
the reason you were helping me.  I thought you wanted me.

I rolled my eyes, "Just cause I'm gay doesn't mean I became friends with
you just to get in your pants.  I am not trying to replace Little Isaac as
your abuser.  That wasn't the reason I took you in.  I took you in because
you are my friend."

"Thank you," Lamont said.

"Yeah, its cool," I said and then nodded towards the door, "Now stop crying
like a little girl and don't tell T-Boy or anyone else that I was so nice
to you before they think that I'm getting soft."

He laughed a little, "Cool. Oh and Syn you are the best thing that has ever
happened to me."

He left the room leaving the bomb behind with him.  I definitely felt like
Mother Theresa.  I guess after I failed at saving Byron and failed at
saving Yolanda, I had finally found someone who appreciated my efforts.

He said that I was the best thing that ever happened to him.  That was big.
I had done a GOOD thing!  After being the cause of why Byron and Sampson
broke up, it was almost like I redeemed myself.  You just don't say that.
People in long relationships never said that and now I got a guy who is
just my friend saying that.  It definitely seemed like I was no longer on
the devil's list.  I guess I had some hope of being a good guy after all.

Keep waiting, Satan.  Shane probably wasn't the only decent person left in
Brunswick.  Maybe I was as well.  Well nah, but still, I had just taken two
steps away from hell.