Date: Mon, 14 Mar 2005 01:46:29 +0000
From: Darren C <daryncolemane@hotmail.com>
Subject: Life Starts Again Chapter 3

Please, If you are not of legal age to be viewing this material, or have
a problem with homosexual relations, leave...and seek therapy for being
so closed minded. This is the trid installment to my story, and I would
like to thank everyone who wrote me, you greatly influenced this chapter.
I am always open to critique, comments or questions about my story, so
please email me if you have any of the afore mentioned.

_________________________________________________


Chapter Three: Perspectives

            Drew couldn't get the images out of his head; they flooded
his mind throughout his dreams. The moment Matt had shown him the
pictures Justin had drawn. Each piece had a caption, and notes about each
person drawn; some were detailed while others were vague. He couldn't
believe what he was seeing, Justin was gay and had never told him; but
why? They were supposed to be friends and this is what he got for it?
"Was I not trustworthy?" Drew thought. He glanced at Matt who had the
suggest look on his face, a smirk of deceit, proud of what he was doing.
"How did you get these?" Drew demanded.

"What does it matter? That little faggot lied to us..." He retorted
angrily.

"Answer my question. Now!" Drew yelled.

"I stole them from his folder, what does it matter?"

"You did what? You looked through someone else's personal things?"

"Yeah, so what?" Matt's anger was growing, things weren't working out
as he had planned.

"Listen, and listen good. If you ever so much as go through anyone's
things again without permission, I'll break your hands." Drew had his
fist clenched by his side, resisting his urge to punch Matt. He was so
angry, not just with Matt for stealing, and invading someone's privacy,
but at Justin as well, he felt betrayed that his friend wouldn't come
forward and be honest with him about something so trivial as sexuality.
At least if Drew had known, he could have avoided any uncomfortable
situations... and he was mad at himself for not picking up on it.

"Whatever dude, that fag's getting what he deserves"

That was the last straw for Drew, He couldn't handle Matt's attitude
towards other peoples sexuality any longer, and with one swift move, he
smashed his fist into Matt's right eyes, knocking him backwards.

"Leave Justin alone... now if you'll excuse me, I have to go talk with
him" Drew's voice sank into an emotionless tone as he walked out of the
school.

It was still raining outside, But drew didn't care anymore, he was too
angry to worry about staying dry, he needed to talk to Justin. Drew just
couldn't understand it, why couldn't Justin have been forward about
this? Why couldn't he put some trust in his new friends? Why? Why? Why?
That question killed him inside as he thought about it more and more.
Drew didn't really care about people's sexuality, he had a gay uncle
and lesbian cousin, it didn't change who they were.

It was a long walk to Justin's house, a very long walk, and with the
rain and the wind smashing at his body relentlessly, it seemed like an
eternity. He stood at the door to Justin's home for about ten minutes,
debating the idea of actually talking with him, he was so angry that he
figured he'd lash out at him, probably say things he really didn't
mean. But he had to talk to Justin now as well; he knew what he wanted to
say and now was the best time as any, while it was fresh in his mind.

He took his hand and slowly brought it up to the door, his hand once
again in a fist and gently tapped on the door. He took a deep breath, and
knocked again, harder this time. As the door opened slowly, he saw Justin
standing there, he look tired, drained... sad. Drew wanted to ask how he
was, but kept up his stern posture.

"Drew, c-come in...what are you doing out in the rain like this?" Justin
said voicing his concern.

`I'm here to talk to you' he thought to himself, his anger forcing its
way to the surface, its unrelenting force driving him to be cruel, but
shoving that little annoying voice of hatred into the recesses of his
mind he was able to regain control and speak,  "Two reasons, the first
being; I don't break promises. And the second being, we need to talk"
and yet, his voice still echoed hatred...

"Alright, fair enough. But before you do anything...strip."

"Excuse me?" Drew thought.

" I'm not kidding."

"I gathered that" His thoughts continuing along as Justin spoke.

 "Come with me to the laundry room and take off all of you wet clothes,
grab a towel and we'll take a look and see what I have that might fit
you, got it?"

It was just then that he realized just how wet he was, his shirt was
stuck so tightly to his body that you could see his muscle definition,
hesitantly he walked into the house as Justin took him by the arm,
pulling him to the laundry room. He was shoved inside and began to strip
off his clothes.

"It must be really important if you needed to walk in the rain" He
heard Justin say from outside the door.

Drew sighed, making sure he knew what he was going to say, and how to say
it, he wouldn't be rude this time, "Believe me, it is..."

Drew stepped out of the laundry room wrapped in a towel and proceeded to
head upstairs to Justin's room, not saying one word to his friend. What
did he have to say at this point? What was the reason he had come here?
He had almost forgotten, seeing Justin in that saddened state made him
feel bad about being here, about being mad, but yet, he couldn't help
feel the way he did.

He stepped into Justin room and headed over to the window, looking out
into the dismal horizon that was shrouded in a blanket of gray. The image
before him was suiting, he felt dark, cold, and empty. He wanted to cry,
he wanted to yell, throw something, hold someone; he was torn inside, for
reason he had always kept to himself. Drew heard the door shut quietly
and Justin stride across the floor to the dresser. He was rummaging
through his things, looking for something to lend to Drew to wear, not
that much would, Drew being bigger then Justin.

"Hmm, well, here's a package of boxer briefs, they're unopened so you
can have the pair you take... now lets see... I have a tee here you might
fit into, its two-times to large for me so it should fit you fine... But I
don't have any pants that'll fit you... way too tight." Justin said,
giving a little chuckle.

"You'd like that wouldn't you? Actually you're probably enjoying this
sight right now, me in nothing but a towel... when were you going to tell
me?" He turned about to face Justin, who was in shock, a lump forming in
his throat so he couldn't respond. It came down to this, he would either
admit it or deny it, and both could irreparably damage the relationship
they had. "When were you going to tell me that you were gay?"

In that one moment, both guy's felt Justin's world collapse. It crashed
and burned with a righteous fury that no one could control. It was his
only safety net that held him up, kept him going from day to day.

"Joanne Told---" Justin began.

"Joanne? She has nothing to do with this. Matt showed me the pictures
you drew, you know, the gay couples, naked men, etc. Granted I'm equally
mad at him for doing that, but you betrayed my trust by lying to me"

"To...To be fair. You never asked." Justin spat out. "And the reason I
didn't tell you is because I was afraid that what happened to me at my
last school would happen all over again, if not with you, then with Matt
or Ryan or someone else! I'm tried of people calling me faggot, or
getting beat up over something I can't control! I didn't tell you cause
I didn't want to ruin our friendship! Don't you get it!?" Justin was
overcome with anger and sadness at the same time, tears now pouring down
his cheeks. "I just wanted to feel the slightest bit normal for once in
my life... but you can't understand that, can you? I'm sorry I didn't
tell you, but I had my reasons..."

It was at that moment that Drew realized that he never did truly take
into consideration why Justin would keep something like this to himself.
He never knew what Justin had gone through at his old school, and how it
affected him; he even realized that maybe the reason they moved here was
for his benefit.

"You were afraid of me hating you? I don't hate you, I just... I just
don't like people keeping things from me." He walked over to Justin and
gave him a hug, a tight embracing hug. Justin shivered at the cold damp
skin he was pressed against. "Promise that from now on you'll tell me
everything?"

Drew meant this with all his heart, had he thought about this through
more, he may have realized that there are some things people just cant
say, some demons we just keep buried in an attempt to keep our lives
peaceful.

"I promise...."Justin buried his face in Drew's chest, "and yes, I do
like you in a towel" He said weakly, his voice cracking for a moment.

Drew laughed and hugged a little tighter before releasing Justin and
looking at him, his face pale and exhausted, as if the years of torment,
all the pain he ever suffered had rushed back to claim him. "See, was it
that hard to say?"

"No, not really. Not now that I know you are ok with it. But you'd like
to hear the story wouldn't you?"

"Yes, but you can do that in your own time... when you are ready, ok?"
Justin just nodded, still afraid that this was too good to be true. Was
this just a set up, a plot to make him suffer more? No. He had to shake
that thought and begin to put more trust in people; after all, it wasn't
Joanne who had done this, so his trust wasn't misplaced.

"Now about that folder, lets see what else you have in there, `cause
boy you have talent. Come on; show me what you've drawn. Please?"
Justin couldn't resist the slight charm Drew had and nodded in
agreement, taking him over to the bed where his drawings lay.

Matt lay on his bed nursing his wound with an ice pack. He may have
gotten beaten for what he did, but he knew that Drew would take his rage
out on Justin too. That thought gave him comfort, he enjoyed ruining
people's lives, the way he had Katie's when she was dating Drew. Drew
would never find out that he was the reason she broke it off. She really
did love him, but he loved her more. Matt hated Drew on so many levels,
he was always popular, always the one the girls went too, and even after
Katie broke up with him they still managed to be friends, and Drew
protected her more, but they weren't dating, and that's what really got
to him. That bitch didn't deserve him.

"God she pisses me off," He said out loud. "She always gets what she
wants... and she takes everything for everyone, fuck."

He laid there a little longer, still thinking about his wonderful idea,
"Justin is no better, serves him right for trying to fit in with us... he
had no place sitting with us... he shouldn't even be allowed to go to
school."

Matt had been friends with Drew for a long time now, about seven or eight
years now, the first time they met, he remembered that Drew was cute.
Very cute, and that annoyed him, he was able to get away most anything
just by putting on a puppy-dog face. He could get girls no problem; he
was smart too.

He would stop it nothing until it was just Drew and Matt, friends again,
and just them. Matt didn't figure himself as obsessed, he figured that
that's how it was meant to be.

Beth had heard the entire conversation between Drew and Justin that night
as she stood outside the doorway. She didn't mean to pry, but she also
felt a need to find out how everything would go, she wanted to be sure
that Drew wouldn't abandon her son like so many others did. And she was
pleased to find out that Drew was as good a man as she thought he was,
not only did he accept Justin, he took interest in Justin's life and
work. She would wait awhile before telling them dinner would be ready
soon and that Drew's clothes were almost done.

Beth stood at the counter with the telephone at her ear; she had called
her husband to tell him what was going on as he was once again away from
home. Thought he was away often, he always made up for that time with
Justin in anyway possible, to show that he still very-much loved his son,
and would be there for him.

"Robert?" She said in a soft voice.

"Yes hunny?" He replied in an exhausted voice.

"Drew knows. You remember that friend of Justin's I told you about? He
found out Justin's gay"

"Really? How did he react?"

"Well. They're still friends, I can say that much. He was mad at first,
but after Justin explained everything, they just... forgave each other for
what they had both done"

"Oh god, I'm glad to hear that. Justin really needs a good friend; Drew
seems like a great person too. I just wish our son could be more open
about his sexuality...he knows we accept it... I don't understand why he
cant"

"Hunny, I don't think its that he cant accept it, its that other people
cant, and they make his life living hell"

"I suppose your right" Robert yawned for a moment the returned to his
conversation.



"I don't want to sound presumptuous but... I think Drew may be gay too.
He may not even realize he is..."

"Beth..." He said, giving her that tone she knew all too well.

"I'm just saying..."

"Please keep it that way... I'm sorry hunny, I have to go for now, I'll
call back in an hour or so"

"Talk to you later sweetie" She said, "I love you." Beth made a
smacking sound and blew a fake kiss through the phone to her husband.

"I love you too." He slowly put down the phone and went back to work.
He too had a feeling that Drew was gay, he had since the first time Beth
had described him, and Justin, and he never smiled so much since he was
with Morgan. She was his best friend in the entire world, staying by his
side... the only one who did. Fourteen years of friendship, Robert only
hoped Justin had that same chance with Drew. He just wanted his son to be
happy for once.

______________________________

When I got a few emails suggesting that I expand on the second chapter, I
too realized that it was a good idea, after re-reading that chapter I
hadnt really put a lot of my soul into the characters, however, I knew
that I could create a chapter that let you know what most of the
characters were feeling while still maintaining the story, and I think I
did a good job of that.

Please continue to give me feedback about my story, I love hearing from
all of you,
Darren