Date: Wed, 12 Nov 2003 05:22:05 -0800 (PST)
From: Mark Head <dalivado@yahoo.com>
Subject: melbourne story part one

don't read this if you're underage.
umm.. yeah, this thing contains offensive content.
but you're on the nifty site anyway, of course there's going to be gay themes.

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spring was nearly at its end and summer was finally on homestretch. for me,
it was the end of high school. it was about november and i had already done
most of my exams.  there was one exam left though, history, but that was in
a couple of days.

i had been reading and stressing heaps over the past few weeks over this
exam, 'cause it was an exam i'd been really wanting to excel in. and i
almost had a chance at full marks if i really had wanted to.

there was only so much of venetian society i could take, i had to get out
of the house.  i called up jack, a friend of mine to go out clubbing with
me. i thought a night out would really do me good. even though i was
underage, it was quite simple for me to go from club to club. most bouncers
knew i was fine, and i even had my name on a couple of guestlists around
town. i also looked like i was at least nineteen, so that helped.  jack
though just turned eighteen, and a month back i promised him i'd take him
out. so tonight was it.

we'd never felt too sexually attracted to eachother, even though we'd kiss
from time to time. but the kisses were only those of friendship.

as i had a shower, i ran though the different topics that could be on the
exam. somewhere between shampooing my hair and conditioning my mind
wandered to the other guys in the exam. there was only one guy that i'd
really been attracted to. actually, i've had a crush on this guy for a
couple years at least. but that didn't stop me from having the occasional
boyfriend.

thomas. his name ran through my head. then his face. scruffy dark brown
hair, brown eyes and such nice skin. he had recently had braces put in, but
it didn't stop his smile from making you all giddy inside. i didn't get
hard thinking about him though. i didn't feel it was right.

i finished showering and as i dried myself, i looked at myself in the
mirror. i'd always liked how my hair'd turn out, whether i tried to style
it or not. my black hair would always come out somewhat scruffy, no matter
how much i'd groom it. my body also was becoming pretty toned. i'd been
running for a while and joined a gym just recently, and was happy to see
that the results were starting to show. my skin was also quite naturally
olive, but spending so much time in the sun during the spring gave me that
little extra kick.

i did my hair, got dressed in a nice tank top and jeans and headed out the
door.

i'd organised to meet jack on commercial road, at one of the cafes along
there. we'd figured we'd have dinner first, then go out to the xchange, and
then the market. which were two popular gay clubs on melbournes gay
strip. when i got to the cafe jack had two other friends with him, two
guys, one which i'd recognised from a house party a while back, the other i
didn't recognise at all.

"tristen, meet justin..." i shook hands with the guy i didn't recognise
"...and justin" and too, i shook hands with the guy i recognised.

"you look familar, i think i remember you from a house party a guy from
school had a while back, about a month ago" i engaged conversation with
aiden

"yeah, i was friends with a few guys from your school. and they'd dragged
me out that night" aiden replied

"ooh okay. all good." i replied.

thoughout dinner, we'd all talked about general chit chat. you know, about
the last episode of queer eye and queer as folk, the new kylie album. all
which didn't really appeal to me for being rivetting conversation, but i
managed to contribute a fair bit of conversation into the night.

after we paid our bill, we walked into the xchange and sat down at a couple
of the lounges they had there. i saw some friends around the place, so i
caught up with them. i'd also bought a couple drinks and my friends did
rounds and stuff, so a couple hours in i was already a little tipsy.

jack, aidan, justin and i thoguht it was about time to leave to head off to
the market.  it was more 'economical' to pay the $8 they had for door
charge rather than the $15 they put on after midnight.

when we walked down to the market, jack was telling me of how some older
dude tried to hit on him earlier that night. naturally, i laughed, and we
walked down. aidan and justin were on their phones, aiden was on his phone
to his boyfriend and we weren't sure of who justin was talking
to. occasionally though i'd here "don't worry about it", "he won't care"
and "just come along".

after a couple minutes of overhearing all this, i just had to ask.

"who are you talking to?"

"you'll see, in a couple minutes." justin replied and returned to his
conversation. we got into line, and slowly, the we made our way closer to
the door. i checked my wallet, to pull out some money. to my disappointment
it was empty.

"i have to go to the atm to get some cash out, i'll be back in a sec" i
jumped over the rope that formed the line, and ran across the road to the
local milk bar.

as i stuffed my money hastily into my wallet, i heard a voice, very
distinguishable.

"well, did you want to go? i mean, its ten minutes away and we can crash
there for the night."  "i'm not sure, how many people will be there?"
"about fifty or so?"  "yeah, sure i'll go"

i turned around, to see who it was.

to my shock.

it was.

tom.

"holy shit dude, how are you?" i blurted. toms face went pale, he was in
full shock to see me.

"are you alright?" i asked. i placed my hand on his arm, to show him i
care.

"umm.... yeah. sorry. you're just someone i didn't expect to see around
here." he stammered.

"oh yeah, i'm clubbing with a few friends" i explained.

"yeah, i'm just passing through. there's a party not too far from here." it
sounded like he was genuine. but he still came off quite embarrassed in his
tone. "well i gotta run, i have to meet up with a friend down the road" he
finished.

"oh okay, that's cool, see ya later" i waved goodbye. then the thought
dawned upon me...  not many straight guys wouldn't be very game to be seen
around commercial road. then, another thought dawned upon me. he probably
thinks i'm gay. i shook the thought off, thinking i'm pretty much out at
school anyway, well was. seeming there was no more official schooling left.

as i walked back to the market, i noticed my mates were out of of the line,
jack had his phone out dialling, and aidan and justin were talking to two
guys i didn't recognise.  it was obvious jack didn't see me 'cause my phone
started to ring. it was him.

"i'm just across the street, have a look" i answered the call.

"hey darling!" jack yelled. he waved from across the street.

"heya!" i kissed jack on the cheek to say hello. i grabbed aiden and
justin's attention to show them that i was back, totally oblivious to the
two guys they were talking to.

"so why are we out of the line guys?" i asked to no-one in particular.

"oh, ryan and tom have a party we can go to?" justin took the groups
attention

"who?" i asked.

"oh tristen, meet tom and ryan" i turned to shake hands and i looked up to
see who i was shaking hands with, i burst out in hysterics! it was tom,
from school! he was shocked for the second time. he was definately lost for
words this time...

to be continued...

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tell me what you think: dalivado@yahoo.com