Date: Fri, 2 Jun 2000 14:38:59 -0500
From: Willy B <haztech@email.msn.com>
Subject: Mile High pt8

Mile High
Part 8

        Chris wanted to keep the pace easy this morning. It had been a
while since Kelvin had last run his usual route to school. The only thing
that bothered him was, with both of them out here, how they would get back
to Kel's house after school. He figured they could just jog back, but
didn't know how he would feel after practice that afternoon. He hoped Kel
would be willing to wait for him if he couldn't get a ride with one of
their friends.
        "Hey slow poke! Pick it up!" Kel smiled back over his shoulder as
they ran.
        Chris grinned and drew back alongside his boyfriend. He kept
falling back as they ran, he couldn't help it. He loved watching the
muscles of Kel's legs and ass working hard like they were now. His dad had
always called himself a `breast man' because that was the part he loved
most. Chris figured he would have to call himself a leg man, as long as
they belonged to Kelvin, who he loved most.
        He was suddenly brought out of his thoughts when he noticed Steve
and a couple of others waiting for them, a pile of backpacks and other bags
around their feet, at the locker door when they arrived and slowed their
approach.
        "What are you guys doing here?" Chris asked, looking at the others
shivering in the cold morning air. Steve and the others had obviously been
running themselves, their bodies steaming slightly with each blast of the
north breeze.
        "I heard you two were running today," Steve's voice chattered with
his teeth. "I thought you were going to use the track, so we came out to
join you."
        "We thought you stood us up!" Mike added with a smile. "Hey Chris,
how you planning on getting home?"
        "Yeah, next time use the track like us," Steve picked it up without
a break. "Then you'll have your car here when you want it, stupid! Hey, I'm
freezing out here. You got your key, Kelvin?"
        Kel grabbed his keys and fumbled for the lock. `Stood them up?
Stood them up?' he thought, how could they stand anybody up? He thought
only he and Chris knew they were running this morning. Besides, it wasn't a
date or anything like it. He had to stop and smile as he pushed the door
open and stepped out of the way before he was trampled in the rush to get
out of the cold. `Yeah, right! Chris and I on a date with all these
straight boys.' Mike sure had a crazy way of putting things.
        Kelvin stepped through and stopped suddenly, 'Oh, no. The showers!'
Chris would be there. He was sure he'd be sporting a hard-on when they
showered. Chris just seemed to have that effect on him and, to be honest,
he'd been looking forward to it. He and Chris both saying `fuck you' to the
school as they fooled around that morning. But now? Now the others were
there. They wouldn't understand one of their number obviously showing more
than casual interest in another naked male. Sure, they knew about how he
and Chris loved each other, but this would be going way too far. It wasn't
as if Jenny was here to shower with Steve, although Kel figured the others
would enjoy `that show'. Maybe he should just go run a few more laps until
the others were gone.
        "Kel, come on!" Chris appeared and pulled him into the room. "We've
got to get ready." Chris saw the fear - no, not really fear, concern - in
Kel's face. "Don't worry, the guys won't care. Just don't try to rape any
of them; I'd be pissed." He smiled in a lopsided exaggerated grin. "If
you're as scared as I was when I first started doing this, `it' probably
won't work anyway."
        "Com'on, guys, hurry up! I need something to eat before class
starts!" Mike yelled from the other end of the room. "Don't worry, Kelvin,
we won't look," he continued, seeming to misunderstand Kel's shyness. "We
have our own to play with, we don't need yours!"
        Kel looked up as he cautiously undressed, to see Mike wiggling his
penis at everybody in the room as Steve flipped him off and, with a quick
"Asshole!", shoved him into the showers. If everybody in school thought he
was crazy, they should see Mike. Mike was the `head-case', not him!
        Kel thankfully didn't get hard as he had feared. The others mostly
seemed to ignore him as he cleaned up, following the unwritten shower
etiquette.
        He did blush furiously when Steve directed a wolf whistle his way
when he entered and made him promise that he would stay away from
Jenny. Chris came to his rescue by reminding Steve in a joking manner that
he was taken. Mike stayed quiet but had a wicked gleam in his eyes the
whole time. Kel didn't want to think about what else Mike was planning. He
hoped he wasn't going to be the target.

        Snap! Crack! "Hey!". Kel glanced up quickly while he finished
drying himself and backed himself out of the way as Mike ran past with the
wrapped towel still in his hand.
        "You fucked with the wrong man now!"  Steve was charging after
Mike, grinning like a predator about to make its first kill in days.
        The room was too small for Mike's greater speed to be of any
help. Steve quickly caught him near the exit to the main hall and tried to
drag him to it as the others in the room caught on and yelled for Steve to
throw Mike through it. Kel was trying to decide which side he should be on,
if it came to that, until he noticed the red welt on Steve's bare flank.
        "Com'on, guys! Help me!" Steve yelled when Mike twisted out of his
grip and, with his own "Left ball in the corner pocket!" yell, flipped his
towel at Steve, barely missing his groin.
        Chris and the other three team members in the room jumped at the
chance. They'd all, on at least one occasion, been on the receiving
end. The problem was that when they'd tried to retaliate in kind, Mike was
just too good at it and somehow his towel always stayed wound tighter than
theirs.
        Kelvin watched as it took all five to get control of Mike and start
carrying him toward the doors. He followed close behind, amazed at how
these guys were acting. What would their girlfriends think of this? And
what did he think of Chris? He shook his head. He really shouldn't have
been surprised. He didn't think he and Chris acted `gay' the way he'd grown
up thinking gays acted before he was forced to accept the fact he was
one. He guiltily realized he'd unconsciously placed everybody into
stereotypes himself. His `stereotypes' had certainly been shattered
forever! He was also a little envious at the way these guys, Chris
included, could just let go like this. Kel made up his mind, watching, as
Chris and the others tried unsuccessfully to once again push Mike through
the doors.
        The others finally grew tired of the fight Mike was putting up and
carried him through the doors. Kel immediately jumped at his chance and,
shoving Steve clear, slammed the doors closed behind them all. He started
to giggle as he threw the lock and waited for the others to realize what he
had done. The doors jiggled briefly, then shook hard. When he heard the
others start yelling from the other side, he lost it completely. He was
laughing so hard he hurt. But it felt good too. He'd had so little to laugh
about, he missed it. He knew they'd be OK in the hall. They had to have,
what, maybe two towels and Chris's boxers to keep the six of them company?
        "You know, of course, this means war!" Kelvin heard Mike yell at
him! "Paybacks are hell! Hey! Give that back!"
        Kel wiped the laugh-tears from his eyes as he quickly dressed and
made his successful escape outside.

        Kelvin ducked his head as Chris, Steve, and Mike wandered into the
classroom, fully dressed, to the applause of the other students.
        "Well, I thought you'd like to know that the coach wasn't too
pissed at us this morning," Chris began as he sat down. Actually the coach
had told them and Mrs. Lee that he would make sure they had all the
activity they could handle, on the track during practice that afternoon.
        "No, in fact he was delighted," Mike continued. He and Steve stood
over Kel's desk, grinning like Cheshire cats. They were obviously going to
enjoy this brief detour on the way to their own classes.
        "Especially when we told him that you wanted to try out for the
team!" Steve finished for them. "And we all know how you don't want to
disappoint him!"
        Kel looked at each of them in turn, mouth hanging open. "You
didn't," he finally said when he regained control of his jaw.
        "Of course we did!" Mike said as the two of them turned to
leave. "See ya this afternoon, smartass!" He and Steve high-fived each
other on the way out.
        Kelvin turned back to his shaking boyfriend. Chris was snorting as
he tried to hold back his laughter.
        "You couldn't have...." Kel began to realize they probably had.
        "Oh, we did!" Chris loved the idea. It would be something they
could share. Besides, Kel had done it to him! "You'd better not `dog it',
either. I've seen what you can do and, believe me, we all want you where we
can keep an eye on you!" Chris leaned back in the desk, stretching to his
full length. It had taken all three of them to do it, but Kelvin was
definitely speechless. In their friendly competition of `last word' they'd
played since they were ten years old, he had finally won. This kind of
payback wasn't hell, it was great!

_________________________________________________________________________________________

        "You can't be serious, Mr. Stamford." Mrs. Lee looked at the school
board member with disbelief. "He hasn't done anything!"
        "Oh? You call that terrorist threat he made 'nothing'?"
Mr. Stamford wanted the kid out of the school, permanently, if possible,
and wasn't going to put up with a mere school principal saying otherwise.
        "We looked into that matter very closely." Mrs. Lee's blood was
up. This was her school too. She was the one responsible. "Kelvin's brother
had just died, and we feel he was provoked and responded. He's not a threat
to anyone. Besides, we were told what he said, word for word, from the
students who were there, and it wasn't a terrorist threat! Ask the police;
they agree!"
        "Regardless, the boy is a continuing disruption." His daughter had
told him as much. "He has to go."
        "When?" Mrs. Lee rocked back in her chair. They had already decided
the issue. She was sure of it. "Won't you even talk to the young man, get
his side of it?"
        "No, I...We don't think he would have anything to add." The thought
of being in the same room with the little fag disgusted him. "His kind
can't be trusted anyway, neither him or the Bauchamp kid." He blew out a
breath in frustration. He'd hoped for her support in this but would accept
her obedience. "The disciplinary committee will vote on Mr. Stuart in
executive session on Thursday and Mr. Bauchamp the next week. You will be
prepared to enforce the order Friday morning concerning the Stuart
kid. That fa...boy is not to enter the school after that date. We owe it to
the other students for them not to be subjected to him." He looked at the
rebellion building in her face. Maybe they'd have another vote soon. "Until
Friday, you will not, I repeat, will not say a word of this to
anybody. Understood?"
        "Yes, I understand." She smiled at her superior through her
clenched teeth. "I imagine it's for the best, after all."
        She shook as he left her office. She had her orders, but rebelled
at the whole idea that these people would wield such arbitrary power. She
had been concerned about what Kelvin had said, but knew he was no threat to
anyone unless he was attacked again. Why couldn't these people just leave
the poor boy alone? If they bothered to try to know him, they would see
that he was just a kid trying to get along as best as possible, just like
all the others in her care. He was different in his own way, not the
homicidal pervert Mr. Stamford would undoubtedly try to paint him as. No
one who had seen the incredible display he did for his brother could think
ill of him. But then, none of the school board members had been there.
        She kept telling herself not to make any decisions while she was
angry and to think it through. She soon lost that battle. Hands shaking,
she reached for the phone and dialed The Stuarts. She knew Kelvin wasn't a
threat to anyone. She hoped his dad, with his war record over the Gulf,
would be!

        James hung up the phone after thanking Mrs. Lee. He sat in shock
over what she had said. `Why are we still living here?' he thought to
himself. `We should move.' He felt his anger build rapidly, replacing his
earlier thoughts. He hadn't risked his life, purposely making himself a
target of Saddam's missiles so he could shoot them, just to run and hide
with his family now! He didn't let it all hang out for these people's
supposed values. He had always thought the mother was the most dangerous
when the family was threatened, at least until he found his own
threatened. These people had declared war on his family, and he knew how to
fight wars. He couldn't bomb or shoot them, but he knew about the principle
of applying overwhelming force. He knew how to win.
        He keyed the office intercom, "Maggie, I need to see Frank from
legal, and get me the number for Mr. Goldman." Mr. Goldman was his
godfather and a World War II vet who was senior partner at the best law
firm he knew of. He also knew how to win! Besides, the old man was gay!
James smiled grimly. "Take em down!" he repeated the old `Wild Weasel'
motto.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

        "Well, what did the coach say?" Chris leaned wearily back against
Steve's small Ford pick-up and smiled at Kelvin's stiff posture. The coach
had certainly done his best to curb their `youthful exuberance', as he
called it.
        "Oh, he couldn't be happier." Kel grimaced as he examined one of
his arms, wondering what it would look like covered with yellow and black
paint. He had thought about dogging it, but found when he got out there, he
just didn't have it in him to do that. The coach was overjoyed. He had his
teams for the rest of the year all set. Kel's only hope of getting out of
this without hurting everybody, he thought, was for a faster runner to move
into town. `Oh well, maybe he'd give it a chance. It could be fun after
all.' "So, when does the rest happen?" he asked.
        Steve grinned as they all squeezed into his truck. "Wouldn't you
like to know!" He looked at Chris, "Trust us, you'll know after it
happens. Until then?" He shrugged his shoulders.
        Kel sat calmly between Chris and Steve as they drove back to his
house. OK, he knew that they would try something like had been done to
Chris. They'd sure make him stew about it for a while, like Chris, before
they finally struck.
        Anyway, he wasn't Chris. He'd just calmly go about his daily
routine and face his friends when he had to. Besides if Chris was in on the
planning, he'd probably be able to anticipate what the others would do. He
felt he knew how his boyfriend's mind worked. No, He wouldn't let them get
to him.
        "Wha...Wha...." Kel jumped twice as Chris, then Steve, placed their
arms around his shoulders. OK, so maybe he would be a little jumpy!
        "Glad to have you with us," Steve said as they pulled down the
driveway. "I'll see you tomorrow!"
        "Yeah, maybe I'll drive the next time we all wan'a go someplace,"
Chris smiled back at Steve as they untangled to leave. "When you gon'a get
a real car?"
        "Hey, next time you can walk!" Steve yelled back with a mock hurt
look on his face. "I didn't hear any complaints when we started! Besides,
at least mine has paint!"
        "Of course we couldn't complain," Chris shot back, not ready to
give up, "We couldn't breathe with your fat ass taking up all the space!"
        Steve waved with his middle finger as he pulled back to leave; none
of them had any fat to speak of. It was just a small Ranger truck, after
all.

        "Kelvin, could you come here?" James called to his son from the
front door where he'd been watching the goings on. He much preferred to see
his youngest's beautiful smile. He used to smile all the time, but with all
that had happened to him, it had become rare. "You too, Christopher. This
concerns the both of you." He saw his son's smile fade as quickly as it
came, and cursed the world again.
        "Kelvin, Christopher, this is Mr. Goldman, and these are his
associates." Kelvin shook the hand of the elderly gray-bearded man who met
him as the rest of the introductions were made. The man was richly dressed,
with a vigorous manner, but what was unsettling to Kel was the cold fire
that seemed to burn behind the otherwise compassionate eyes.
        Mr. Goldman cast an appraising eye at the two curious and
apprehensive young men he was presented with. He was glad they had each
other. Their attitude around each other reminded him of himself and his
love when they'd first met fifty seven years in the past.
        "I am sorry about Brian. I wish I could have gotten away to come to
the funeral." He saw the darkness cloud Kels's features and regretted
bringing it up. He'd been preparing a death penalty appeal and couldn't be
there. "I'm an old friend of your father's. In fact, I'm his Godfather. No,
not that kind of Godfather."  He held up a restraining hand.
        "I'm a lawyer with Goldman, Renaud, and a dozen other names that
don't mean anything right now. A situation has come up about you two that
your father felt we could help with." He saw the tall one, Christopher he
remembered, place his arms protectively around Kel as the boy swallowed
hard. "I want you to relax and tell us everything that has happened at
school from the time you were beaten. We will ask some questions, but don't
be afraid, I am gay too. I've been one since `gay' just meant `happy'." He
smiled, hoping to alleviate the tension. "Just tell us the truth about
everything. We have a tape recorder and other essentials in the dining
room. Let's get started and I'll tell you why we're here."

        "I don't believe it." Chris stated again as he and Kel sat in the
dark of Kel's bedroom. They'd excused themselves as the adults upstairs
continued planning their offensive and defensive moves.
        "Well, believe it! It's just like Julie's dad to do something like
this." Kel shook his head. "Where do you think she gets it from?"
        "Yeah, I know, but what did we do to them?" Chris didn't know what
he would do if the board was successful. It wasn't as if he could afford
private school. Besides, leaving Kel wasn't an option. They were both too
young for them to join the military, but that wasn't an option either; they
wouldn't want them anyway. Chris let out a deep breath. He supposed he
would try to go full time at work.
        "What did we do to them?" Kel bitterly repeated the question as he
held his own bleak thoughts. "We're alive and we're here. That's what we
did."
        "I guess we'll just have to go along with what the old man wants us
to do." Chris did like the elderly man and agreed with the plan, although
it would be hard to act like they didn't know anything was going on.
        "Yeah, I know." Kel looked at his boyfriend. "Although, after our
run tomorrow, I want to do what I was planning. Now more than ever!"
        "What was that?" Chris cautiously asked. He knew how Kels's plans
could mean trouble.
        "I wan'a do to you....," Kel couldn't help but smile, "...what you
did to me the first time we showered together."
        "At school?" Chris's eyes widened. "That's crazy! We could get
caught!"
        "I know." Kel wasn't going to be put off. "But can you think of a
better way to show what we really think of the place?"
        "But nobody else will know." Chris felt his resistance crumbling,
even though if they were caught it would be the end of the case the old man
was making.
        "But we will!" Kel's eyes were gleaming in the dim light cast by
the radio on his night stand.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

        "You're sure you want to do this?" Chris reached down for his
bag. "I just don't think it's a good idea." They had finished their run, if
you could call it that, early and alone. Actually it had been more of a
series of sprints as each tried to run off the nervous energy they felt
coursing through their bodies.
        "OK, we don't have to." Kel smiled wistfully and unlocked the
door. "I just thought it'd be fun. I guess you'll never know,"
        "I wan'a know, all right, just not here." Chris cast a furtive
glance around the room, trying to bury the absurd notion they would be
seen. He couldn't see any security cameras here. They wouldn't be allowed
anyway. He smiled to himself; those school board weenies who were out for
them would never risk the scandal of being accused of spying on naked
students. But he just couldn't shake the feeling of dread at doing
something above being naked here as he shed everything.
        "Hey, no hard feelings?" Chris stepped under the warm spray and
adjusted it hotter to banish the effects of the cold air. He couldn't
`read' his boyfriend; Kel had his back to him.
        "No, I'm fine." Kel cast a quick glance over his shoulder as Chris
quickly soaped his face and hair. (None of them usually took the time to
bother with shampoo. There wasn't any place to put it anyway.) Kel grinned,
`there is more than one way to skin a `Tigger''.
        Chris started suddenly when he felt the hands circle his waist and
turn him away from the wall. "Kel? What are you doing?" He hoped it was
Kel, he thought they were still alone, but couldn't see. Thankfully he'd
managed to keep his eyes shut against the soap when he'd been surprised.
        "Who else would it be, dummy?" Kel looked at his boyfriend's soap
streaked face and knelt to provide what he hoped would be a better
answer. He nervously leaned in and wrapped his lips around his
boyfriend. He hoped he did this right or the risk he was taking would be
for nothing.
        "I don't..." Chris found Kel's head and halfheartedly tried to pull
away. "...Oh God! That's not fair..." He leaned back against the cold
tiles, letting the water finally wash the soap out of his eyes. "...When do
I get to play?"
        "I'll let you play later." Kel briefly pulled off before going back
to work. "I want to return the favor." Gauged by Chris's reaction, he
figured he must be doing something right. He was a little disappointed that
all he could taste was the Ivory soap Chris used, but he enjoyed it
anyway. Chris sure was, and that was enough for Kel at that moment.
        Chris was lasting longer than he thought he would. He marveled
again at the difference there was between getting blown by someone he'd
just wanted to get his rocks off with, and this! This was so much more!
        "Ugh, Ugh, Kel, I think I'm gon'a shoot!" He barely managed to call
out his warning as his tight stomach involuntarily constricted to the point
he thought his belly button scraped his backbone. When he came and Kel took
him, he didn't collapse like Kelvin had, but he thought his knees would
stay locked and rigid forever.
        "That was incredible." He pulled Kel upright, away from his now
overly sensitive organ. He didn't even want the spray of water anywhere
near him. "Where did you learn how to do that?"
        "From you." Kelvin smiled up at Chris. He could be so dense
sometimes. He pulled Chris's face to his. He wanted to share the lingering
salty taste with him. Let the school board see them now!

        "Kelvin? Chris? You in here?" The two boys scrambled for their
towels, almost forgetting to shut off the water in their haste. They were
confused; the voice was female. Chris peeked out and was amazed to see
Sharon nervously standing in the boys' locker. "I always wanted to know
what it was like in here."
        "Yeah, well you can go away now!" Chris wrapped his towel
protectively around himself and stayed hidden. "Why didn't you send Joel to
find us?"
        "Oh, he's being a candy ass this morning. He thought you two might
be up to something in here." She saw the two wet outraged red faces looking
back at her. "So, were you?"
        "That's none of your business!" Kel yelled from behind Chris, his
hard-on rapidly deflated. `Damn it all to hell!' He wasn't finished
yet. Sharon was going out of her way to give him blue balls! "What do you
want?"
        "Oh yeah." She batted her eyelashes at them. Her suspicions were
confirmed. They had been doing something. She was sure of it! "Hurry up and
get dressed. We want to know why we got calls from some lawyers last
night. We'll be in the auditorium."
        "Well, we'd be a lot fucking faster if you weren't here," Chris
growled.
        "Touchy, touchy." She turned to leave, message delivered, before
anyone else found out where she was. "Hey, Kel, Nice towel!" She laughed as
she saw him jump completely out of sight. Boys! One minute they were
walking hard-ons and the next they were monks. She sighed, remembering the
times, even after they'd had sex, she'd had to practically pry Joel's jeans
off of him.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

        Kelvin sat, nervously glancing at Chris and the others who had come
with him to the Board meeting for support. The Board was still handling
regular business as far as he could tell. Mr. Goldman had told them all to
stay where they were until he called for them. He was dying to know the
reaction of the Board and the audience to the old man and his seven
associates as they sat at the back of the room. He figured their curiosity
had to be as bad as his own.
        "Will you stop that!" Steve said, directing everybody's attention
to Mike, who had started another trek up the hall to work off his
nervousness. Mike was fidgeting more than any of them for some reason they
couldn't fathom.
        Mike just smiled and upended himself, walking the short distance
back on his hands, giving everybody a beautiful view of his abdomen and
individual ribs as his shirt pooled around his arms and head. He probably
would have made it all the way back to his chair if he could have seen
where he was going. "OOPS, sorry!" He rolled himself upright. "I just can't
stand the waiting."
        "No problem." Chris rubbed his chest where the impact had
occurred. "Where did you learn to do that anyway?"
        "Flip's mom tought me," Mike said. "We used to spend a lot of time
at her gym."
        "Flip?" Steve looked confused. He thought he knew everybody Mike
did. "Who's Flip?"
        "You remember...," Mike continued, settling back into his place,
"...Philip, Philip Nevins. His mom had that girls' gymnastics school in
Midland until they moved." Mike turned wistful. "The last time I talked to
him last year, he told me all his new friends called him 'Flip' now."
        "Last year?" Chris looked at Mike suspiciously. He had the
reputation around school of wanting to screw everything walking on two legs
and probably on four legs as well. He could also be one of the best people
Chris had ever known, when he actually tried to be serious, that is.
        "Yeah, he's got a whole new life now," Mike whispered back to
him. "We just kind'a lost touch with each other. Oh well!" Mike smiled and
went back to fidgeting along with everybody else.
        Chris guiltily smiled back at Mike. He hadn't even contacted his
old friends in Houston either.
        "Kelvin?" Mr. Goldman stuck his head out the door, "Come on, let's
get this over with."

        "Without objection, I move we go to executive session." Mr. Goldman
smiled to himself at the self-important pronouncement made by
Mr. Stamford. "We object! As the representative of the concerned party, we
wish this case heard in open session." He was satisfied by the
consternation on the board members' faces. Their plans were crumbling. It
was also obvious that their parliamentarian didn't have near the grasp of
`Robert's Rules' as he thought he did. Mr. Goldman had a lot of room to
bluff here.
        "OK, have it your way," Mr. Stamford snarled. He was furious to see
that `boy' there with the other one, and their friends who would regret
being there very soon. "You want it out in the open? So be it!"
        Mr. Goldman and his associates were disappointed. These fools
didn't have anything to present in the way of proof about anything. They'd
obviously been so sure of their plans to do it in secret that they didn't
prepare. He watched with satisfaction as each supposed charge was
completely destroyed by his associates. They had police investigative
reports and school reports to use.
        Kel watched in fascination. These people were probably going to
vote against him anyway, but now everybody would know it. Their turn to
speak had come. They had agreed to let his friends go first and he would
close, followed by whatever surprise Mr. Goldman had planned. He hoped he
would be up to it, he'd hated speaking in class, much less in public. Maybe
he wouldn't have to. He watched as Mike shakily got to his feet. Mike was
following Sharon. He dearly hoped Mike wouldn't try to make a joke out of
this, but Mr. Goldman had insisted he be included.
        "I'd just like to say that what you are trying to do is wrong!"
Mike's voice was almost shaking as badly as he was. "Kelvin has done
nothing wrong! We have!...."
        Kel was surprised by the heart Mike put into his statements, even
though he had to be scared to death about speaking in front of these
people, for him to be shaking like he was.
        Mike was scared to death as he spoke. He'd had a long talk with
Kel's lawyer, but to actually do this was impossibly hard. He wanted to
break and run so badly, he didn't think it would help if he was nailed to
the floor. He was getting to the end of his remarks and couldn't turn back
now. "...In closing, I'd like to say that if you kick him out of school..."
- deep breath - "...you might as well kick me out too. I'm G..." 'Com'on,'
he told himself. It's just three letters. "...aaa...", he cast a quick
glance at his dad, trying to read his expression, "...yy t,t,too." He felt
he would have collapsed if Mr. Goldman hadn't led him back to his seat
where Kel, Chris, and the others sat in stunned silence. He took in a
shuddering breath and dared a glance at the others and tried to smile
through his fear. "So, anybody for a threesome?" he whispered under his
breath, knowing that his attempt to resume his old persona fell flat as he
said it. He needed a drink!

        "I ask you again!" Mr. Goldman's voice boomed out in the stillness
that followed Mike. "Are these children what you are afraid of?"

End part 8

If you're interested, The adventure story of Mr. Goldman's youth during
WWII has been started and can be found under the name "Flak Bait" in the
`Historical' section.