Date: Mon, 14 Aug 2000 02:24:14 -0400
From: vader5 <vader5@gateway.net>
Subject: Oliver and I: installment#2 (gay / highschool)

	Hi all.  I'd like to begin by thanking all of you for such an
overwhelming response to my story.  This will be the second of many more
installments for this story.  A few of you asked me to say a little more
about myself, so for those of you who don't care, skip the next paragraph.
For the rest of you, here it is.
	Well, as I said before, I just turned 18 recently. I'm 6'5" tall at
210 lbs. with a light complexion, dirty blond hair, and icy blue eyes.  I
have a pretty good build from working on the farm I live on in Ohio.
Though I began noticing other guys my freshman year, I hadn't really
decided I was gay until, of course, I met Oliver.  I was never the most
popular kid in school, mainly because I kept to myself and my studies.  So
I really only had a few good friends.  I'm pretty smart, and have managed
to stay on the honor roll.  I've always loved art.  I can paint, draw, or
sculpt just about anything.  I have won several awards for my work, and
received scholarships for various art colleges-one of which I will be
attending in the fall.  As you already know I'm also a huge Sci-Fi fan, and
spend some of my time making replicas of movie props.  I'm also what you
might call an outdoorsman.  I enjoy everything from hiking, to rock
climbing, to kayaking.  Well, that's me in a nutshell.  The rest you'll
find out by reading this series. On to the story!


Oliver and I
Installment #2:

	I slowly opened my eyes and awoke from my sleep.  I could feel the
cool air of the room envelope my naked body as I strained to adjust my
eyes.  The room was mainly dark, and only thin streaks of sunlight pierced
the blinds over the giant windows.  I looked down and smiled as I recalled
where I was and whom I was with.  Oliver lay asleep with his head on my
shoulder and his arm wrapped around my chest.  I moved my left hand from
around his side to stroke his short brown hair.  He looked so peaceful, so
innocent, and so cute lying there asleep.  I moved my head down and kissed
his forehead softly.  'What an angel,' I thought to myself.  I looked over
to the clock at the bedside.  It was 6:00 AM.  I'd grown rather accustomed
to waking up so early in the morning.  Between school and work, it had
become a routine.  I never did get much sleep, even on school nights.
Always too much on my mind I guess.
	Oliver moved a little bit, but quickly settled back down into my
arms.  I was really careful not to wake him.  After all, he came all the
way from Germany, so he needed every last bit of sleep he could get.
Despite the coldness of the room, I could feel Oliver's heat radiating from
his beautiful body.  I had never felt so comfortable with another person in
my life.  I was in heaven.  For a long time I just stared at him, thinking
about the day before.  He was such a great guy, and we had lots of fun with
each other.  After a while Oliver stirred again, but this time he woke up.
	"Good morning," I whispered.
	"Hi," he responded with a big smile as he looked up at me.  He
definitely wasn't fully awake yet.
	"Sleep well?" I asked.
	"Sure did."  He yawned and set his head back on my shoulder.  "What
time is it?"
	"Almost 7:00," I said.
	"How long have you been up?"
	"About an hour.  Habit I guess."  I sighed as I continued to stroke
his soft hair.
	"God I'm so tired."
	"Well, we don't need to suit up till 10:00 AM, so we have some time
yet.  If it's all the same to you, I'm going to go use the bathroom.  Then
maybe I can get us some breakfast."  "Sure," he yawned again.  Then he
rolled over so that I could get up out of bed.  After doing my business I
walked out and put on a pair of shorts and a tank top.  It was way too hot
outside for boxers.  After I found my wallet and shoes I looked over to the
bed.  Oliver had drifted back off to sleep, and I smiled as I looked at him
once more before heading out.  I could feel the humidity as I stepped off
the elevator into the hotel lobby.  It was virtually empty, save for a few
employees and people just arriving.  I quickly made my way over to the
escalator that led down a few levels to the food court.  When I got there
only a few places were open for business, so I went to the one my wallet
would accommodate.  Food, like everything else in Atlanta, was really
expensive compared to what I was used to back home.
	"Good mornin'," said the person behind the counter.  She was an
older black woman, probably about sixty years old, and was pretty hefty.
She wore a chef's hat and a friendly smile on her face.
	"Good morning," I said, giving her a smile.
	"What can I do fo ya sir?"
	"I'd like to place two breakfast orders," I began.  "What have you
got?"
	After she had rattled off the menu and explained to me what most of
it was, I was more than ready to order.  "I'll have eggs, bacon, and a
biscuit.  And double that order please."
	"Yes sir.  So how you enjoyin' your stay here in Atlanta?" she
asked while dishing the food into two containers.
	"Really well actually.  Is it that obvious I'm a tourist?" I asked
with a grin.
	"It sho is honey!" she said laughing.  "But when you been here as
long as long as I been, you get to noticin' people mo.  Don't y'all worry
now, we got so many visitors you'll blend right in."
	"Thanks," I said with a faint blush.
	After I paid her for the food I made my way back upstairs.  When I
got back to the room it was about 7:30 AM.  'Made it in plenty of time,' I
thought.  I set the food on a small end table in the hall as I searched my
pockets for the key card.  I found it and opened the door with breakfast in
tow.  I let out a sigh as I felt the wall of cool air hit me.  Oliver had
put on a pair of shorts and was watching TV when I walked in.
	"Hey big guy," he said as I made my over to the bed.
	"Hi stud," I whispered as I gave him a small kiss on the forehead.
"Hope you're hungry."
	"Sure am.  I love breakfast in bed."  He reached over and took the
food container that I handed to him.
	After I kicked off my shoes I sat down on the bed beside him and
opened my container.  We were both really hungry, and since we knew it this
would be our last meal for a while, we wasted no time.  I had to admit it
was worth what I paid for it.  As we ate the two of us made small talk.
	"What's on the agenda for today?" Oliver asked.
	"Well from 10:00 AM to about 5:00 PM we have costume duty.  After
that we're free for the evening.  Tomorrow nothing's going on, so we can
just wander for the day."
	"Cool."  Oliver had just finished eating so he slid over and put
his arms around me from behind, resting his chin on my shoulder as I
finished my breakfast.  I could feel his warm breath on my neck and I let
my eyes fall half shut.  His touch made me feel so good.  When I finished I
turned around and pulled him closer as we laid back into the pillows.
	"God I love you," I said softly as our blue eyes met in a friendly
stare.  His thin lips pulled into a feint smile as the words escaped my dry
mouth.  I meant every syllable of that statement, with all my heart.  I
know, I know.  Love at first sight.  Like it really happens, right?  Well,
it did.  We had known each other for only two days, but I could feel
something special between us-something inseparable.
	"I love you too," he said.  "And I'm glad we met.  More than you'll
ever know."  My heart skipped a beat as I was overcome with joy.  I hadn't
been crazy-we both felt the same.  Just then we moved in and gave each
other a long, passionate kiss.  Our tongues reached deep inside each
other's mouths.  The kiss lasted about a minute or so before we pulled
away.  I looked at my watch.
	"It's only 8:00.  What do want to do for the next hour or so?" I
asked.
	"Just hold me," he said.  That German accent of his drove me wild
and I couldn't refuse.  I lay behind him as he fell back into my strong
arms.  He put his arms over mine, holding them around him so I couldn't let
go.  The warmth of his body felt great against me.  I could feel his
heartbeat and his chest rise and fall with his breathing.  "Thanks, I
really like it when you hold me like this.  I feel so safe with you."
	"That's what I'm here for," I replied softly.  "And I'll be here
for you whenever you need me."  A twinge of hurt hit me when I said that
second part, because I knew in about three days we would be parting from
each other.  That thought sent chills up my spine so I tried not to think
about it.  However, I had absolutely no intention of this being our last
few days together, and I was determined to make it so that we didn't part
for very long.  After all, he was going to be here in the U.S. for almost 2
years.  Oh the possibilities!
	We laid like that for the next hour and a half-not saying a word,
just taking in the silence.  When 9:30 came, we both got up and grabbed our
costumes.  Oliver was in his first and quickly came over to help me out
with mine.  You know, some people think that Vader is so strong and
imposing-and on screen it's true-but let me tell you, if someone had bumped
into me too hard while wearing that thing, I would have fallen over.
Almost all of your joints are restricted from movement.  The helmet
provided another problem-restricted vision.  This is where Oliver came in
handy.  He was always there to turn me around and point me in the right
direction.  And since I couldn't see my feet it was like leading the blind
for him.
	"You ready in there?" Oliver said with a smile as he knocked on my
helmet.
	I fumbled for the speaker switch under my armor.  "Yeah, lets go."
	Now that we were ready to go we stepped out into the hallway and
waited for the elevator.  I looked over and saw Oliver staring a hole
through me.
	"What?" I asked, tilting my head a little.
	"It's funny.  I always envisioned a knight in shining armor, and
look what I end up with."
	"Hey!" I said as I gave him a playful shove.  Then I moved in and
put him in a headlock.
	"I'm kidding, I'm kidding!" he yelled as he broke free and put his
hands up in defeat.  He laughed uncontrollably, enjoying every moment of
it.
	"I'll take care of you later," I replied with a small laugh as the
elevator doors slid open.  His laughter was infectious, and I couldn't help
joining in.
	The elevator reached the lobby in no time, and the two of us strode
proudly out into the open as we got into character.  A handful of guys from
our group were already suited up and waiting by the front doors.  They
spotted us and waved us over.  It was about 10:00 now, and we were all
waiting for Bob to show up with our list of duties.  He made an appearance
10 minutes later.  Always fashionably late-that's Bob for you.
	"Okay everyone, here's the schedule for today," Bob began.  He
briefed us in a few minutes and we were ready to go.  Today was the hottest
day so far in Atlanta, and boy did we feel it.  Just as the day before, we
were required to make trips back and forth across the streets from building
to building.  The heat proved too much for us and I could tell that by the
way most of us who wore helmets were walking that their goggles had fogged
up.  Despite the raging humidity and the uneven ground we could barely see
beneath our feet, we pressed on-and believe it or not we had fun.  Who else
but a die-hard fan would do this for an entire weekend without pay?  I'm
sure your thinking about that last statement and saying to yourselves 'What
a bunch of lunatics!'  Well, what can I say, we're all a bunch of geeks I
guess.
	It wasn't until about 1:30 PM that I was able to remove my helmet
and take in a breath of fresh air.  I immediately found a refreshment
station in the building we were in and got something to drink for Oliver
and I.  I had to be careful about how much I drank since I was going to be
in this thing for four more hours and it was not bathroom friendly, if you
know what I mean.  As we took our 30-minute break Oliver and began talking
a little more with some of the guys we met yesterday.  Some were probably
twice our age, but the age difference didn't seem to make any difference.
We were like kids in a candy store.  We spent a good part of the time
complementing each other's costumes and discussing how we put them
together.  To some people this kind of conversation would seem boring, but
we thrived on this stuff.  All of us really got along well, like we'd known
each other forever.
	Eventually Bob reappeared and knowing what was coming I put my
helmet back on.  The rest of the gang did the same and lined up for the
next event.  We got a chance to meet with a few of our favorite actors
throughout the rest of the day, which brightened our spirits some.  On top
of that plenty of people took pictures of the group, struck poses with us,
and engaged us in friendly conversation.  We were a hit, and when 5:00 PM
came we were beat!  After saying our good-byes for the evening, we all went
our separate ways.  Though some remained in costume for pictures, the
majority of us went back to our rooms to change.  Oliver and I did the
latter.
	It wasn't long after we walked into our room that I began shedding
the armor I wore.  I was a walking oven.  When Oliver and I were finally
out of our costumes I walked over and turned up the air conditioner so that
we would cool off quicker.  We both removed our shirts and sat on the floor
with our backs against the vent.
	"What a day!" I exclaimed with a long sigh.
	"Yeah, It's a good thing we don't have to do anything tomorrow."
Oliver had his head tilted back with his eyes shut.  I could see beads of
sweat rolling down the soft flesh of his chest and torso and onto the
waistband of his shorts.  He looked incredible as he sat there beside me,
the feint sunlight bouncing off his warm features.  Then I looked down at
my own body, which was thoroughly soaked in sweat.
	"Well, I'd better shower.  I feel like something the cat dragged
in."
	"Mind if I join you?" Oliver asked with a hopeful look on his face.
	"You didn't actually think I was going alone did you?" I said with
a smile as I grabbed his hand and pulled him up off the floor.  Normally I
would have been shy about it, but I felt that we had nothing to hide from
each other, no matter what it was.  Once I got the water running we both
removed our shorts and hopped into the shower.  We stood there hugging for
a few minutes as the warm water poured over our bodies.  We smiled at each
other, glad that we were finally alone.  I finally reached over, grabbed
the bar of soap and turned him around.
	"Could I ask you something?" he asked as I began soaping up his
back and shoulders.
	"Sure," I said, "anything you want."
	"How long have you known you were...you know..."
	"Gay?" I finished for him.
	"Yeah."
	"Well to be perfectly truthful, not until yesterday."
	"Really?"
	"Really.  I mean sure I've thought about it for a few years, but I
was never really sure of my feelings.  When I met you, and got to know you
a little, I fell in love.  It was just...I don't know, something inside me
told me this is what I really wanted.  When I held you in my arms it felt
so comfortable, so right.  What about you?  How long have you known?"
	"I've known it for almost a year.  I always knew I was different
from most guys in some way, but it wasn't until last year that I realized
what it was.  I never did have a girlfriend or anything.  The older I got,
the more I started noticing guys at school, and I was always afraid one of
them would find out and that they would beat me for it.  People in my
country aren't very kind to people like us, so I never told a soul about
how I really felt-except for you.  I've never met anyone like you before."
	"I feel the same way." I said.  There was a long pause, and only
the running water could be heard.  "Well we had better finish our shower,"
I said, breaking the silence.  "There won't be enough left for the fish."
Oliver turned and smiled at me as I continued washing him down.  I did it
slowly, making sure I covered every spot on his body.  I took extra care of
his privates, pulling back his foreskin to wash every inch of his sensitive
manhood.  This made him hard fast.  I managed to finish and he let the
running water rinse away the suds on his body.
	"Now it's your turn," Oliver said, taking the bar of soap from my
hand.  With that he turned me around and began to lather up my back.  He
slowly moved down over my ass, into my crack, and down the back of my legs
before spinning me around to face him.  I was now sporting a full woody and
I blushed as Oliver grinned at me.  He spread soap all over my chest and
torso, moving down over my legs and then up into my crotch.  With a hand
full of suds he cupped and massaged my balls, while taking his other hand
to my shaft.  I let out a soft moan as he slid his hand over my dick a few
times to cover it with soap.  When he was done I rinsed myself off and
turned off the water.  Within moments we were toweling each other off.
	After we were completely dry we put on our boxers and walked over
to the bed.  We lay down on our sides so that we were facing each other.
For a long moment there was silence as we stared-and then Oliver spoke up.
	"After what's happened between us the last 2 days, do you think
we're moving too fast?"  I could tell his tone was serious, and knew that
he had a lot on his mind.
	"Too fast?  Well, I don't know.  I've never been in love with
someone before."
	"Me neither.  It was in the back of my mind and I wanted to know
how you felt about it.  I didn't want to rush you into anything.  I mean,
I'd really like for us to know more about each other."
	"I agree.  I'd like to know more about you as well, and there are
so many things I'd like to share with you about myself.  You're the first
person I've met in a long time that I could open up to.  I know it seems
we're moving kind of quick-the thought had crossed my mind yesterday-but
something inside told me everything would be fine."
	"I just wish we had more time," Oliver said as his gaze moved down
away from my face.  His face saddened when he said that, so I reached out
and put a hand on his arm.
	"Look, I finally met a great guy who I can share anything with, who
I feel comfortable with, and who feels the same way about me.  There is no
way I'm going to let that go.  We're still young, and have our whole lives
ahead of us.  You're gonna be here for almost 2 years, and I intend to make
your stay here a memorable one."
	"But what about when I go back to Germany, then what?"  His voice
was a bit shaky and I could see tears forming in his eyes.
	"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," I said, not wanting
to think about it.  "Long distance relationships never work out, and I
don't want to lose you."
	I let out a sigh, trying hard not to break down with him.
	"If that last part were true I might not have been born."
	"What do you mean?" he asked sniffling.  "Let me tell you a story.
My grandparents met here in America over 50 years ago.  They hadn't known
each other for more than a few months when WW2 broke out and my grandfather
was called for duty overseas.  But before he left, he and my grandmother
got married."  Oliver looked at me as he listened to every word.  "That's
right, even though there was a good chance my grandfather would never come
home from the war, they took the risk anyway-they were in love.  They
didn't see one another for four years, and kept in touch by writing.  They
remained happily married for 56 years before my grandfather passed away."
"I guess what I'm trying to say is, no one said love was easy.  We're damn
lucky.  We're not in a war, and we have thousands more ways to keep in
touch.  If we feel for each other that greatly, we'll find a way to make it
work."  "Now I know why I like you so much," Oliver said.  "What's that?"
"You know how to make me feel better and bring a smile to my face."  Oliver
grinned and gave me a hug.  "Thanks buddy, you're the best."  "Don't you
worry man, I'll always be here for ya.  Now enough of this mushy stuff!" I
said in an attempt to lighten the mood.  "We've got a whole day with
nothing to do tomorrow, so we'd better make plans."  "It's only 7:00, so
how about we discuss it over dinner?  My treat."  "You're on buddy!"  I
smiled widely, happy that our minds would be elsewhere for the time being.
"I saw a really cool place across the street."  "Lead the way," I said.
"Not like this we aren't."  Then I realized that we weren't wearing any
shirts.  "Oops!  Better finish dressing huh?" I said as we put on our
shirts and shoes.  "Not that I'm complaining, or anything," Oliver chimed
in with a devilish grin.  I smiled and grabbed his ass as we made our way
out of the room.  Well, after we made our way downstairs and outside of the
hotel Oliver pointed to a spot across the street about a block over from
where we stood.  I followed his gaze and saw the big neon sign for Planet
Hollywood shining brightly.  As much as I wanted to hold his hand when we
walked down the street I didn't.  We had agreed to be careful about how we
acted in public for fear of being found out.  And having to deal with our
families and friends about us being gay wasn't something either of us
needed at the moment.  We both hated the idea, but thought it would be
best.  After about a five-minute walk to the restaurant we went inside.
Oliver had a big smile on his face as he looked around.  "How many?" the
hostess asked.  "Two please.  Non smoking," I answered, seeing that Oliver
was too excited about the place to answer.  "Right this way," she said.
Oliver and I got a booth in the corner where we had a great view of the
place.  After we sat down across from one another, a second girl walked
over with the menus.  "Good evening guys, my name is Cindy and I'll be your
waitress tonight.  What would you like to drink?"  She was a really nice
girl, probably about 20 years old, with pretty blond hair and a warm smile.
"Just water for me, thanks," I said.  "I'll have a coke," chimed in Oliver.
"Okay I'll be right back."  With that Cindy walked out of sight.  "Man this
place is really cool!  There's nothing like this back home," he said, still
smiling.  I could tell that he was really excited.  The place was filled
with showcases containing various props and costumes from movies and all
sorts of memorabilia.  I myself had never been here, but I had been to
Hardrock Caf‚ in Toronto before and it was pretty much the same.  The
food was not something spectacular.  It really came down to being just a
hyped up burger joint, but I wasn't about to spoil his fun.  I wanted him
to enjoy himself as much as possible, and that would make me plenty happy.
"Yeah, it is pretty cool huh?" I said as I began to look over the menu.
"I've never seen anything like it."  He looked down at the menu as well.
"Wow," he began, "I never knew you could fix a hamburger so in so many
different ways."  I smiled and let out a small chuckle.  "Amazing isn't
it?"  "Are you guys ready to order?"  "Wha?  Oh."  I snapped out of my
momentary gaze and looked up to see Cindy standing in front of us with a
pencil and pad in her hands.  "Sure," I said.  After we ordered what we
wanted Cindy took the menus and disappeared again into the crowded
atmosphere.  "Do have a place like this in Ohio?" asked Oliver, who was now
looking up at me.  "In Ohio?" I said in amusement.  "No, I'm afraid not.
Other than a few major cities like Cleveland, Cincinnati, and Columbus most
of Ohio is farmland and suburbs."  "Really? Do you have a big farm out
where you are?"  "No, a small one.  Since my mom walked out on us, we
haven't really farmed much other than for ourselves.  My dad's a teacher at
a catholic high school so the wages aren't all that great.  I like our
place though.  It's far enough away from the cramped cities, and there's
plenty of forest and fields to wander around in."  "Sounds nice out there."
"It is."  "I wish I could see it."  "Maybe you will," I said with a smile.
"How about your place?  I've only heard about Germany from relatives who've
been there.  "It's okay.  I live in the suburbs and don't have nearly that
much land.  Maybe a few acres.  My parents don't make much money, but we're
not poor or anything.  I got a job about a year ago and saved every penny I
could to come here.  I wanted to get a chance to tour the various states
and go to a few other conventions while I'm here.  Have you been to many
states here?  "No.  Other than Florida this is as far as I've ever been.  I
don't get out of state much and this is the first vacation my family has
taken is almost 6 years.  Last time it was North Carolina."  "I know what
you mean.  What do you like to do in your free time?  You know, aside from
work and science fiction stuff."  "Well when I do have some time on my
hands-which is rare between school, my two jobs, and chores at home-I spend
as much time as I can outside.  I love to hike, camp, rock climb, go
kayaking, and occasionally like to fish.  There are a few good state parks
I spend time at.  When I can't do any of than I'm either at the movies,
playing video games with my younger brother, sitting at my computer, or
working on art projects."  "I've never been out in a boat before.  Is it
fun?"  "Never?"  I was really surprised that he never had the opportunity
to go out on a boat before.  "It's one of the greatest things in the world!
There's nothing like being out on the lake on a sunny day, paddling across
the swells of water around you.  It makes me feel so free to be out in the
open like that.  That's it, I'm gonna make sure you come with me next
time."
	"It's a date.  You paint too?"
	"Yeah, sure do.  Art is my most favorite thing to do.  I want to
make a career out of it someday."
	"You're really good then?
	"I think I am, I've won quite a few awards for my stuff.  But if
there's one thing I've learned, it's that there's always someone better at
it than I am out there.  It's a competitive and expensive hobby."  I really
hated talking about myself to other people.  I always felt like I was
boring them or coming off as being full of myself, but Oliver didn't seem
to mind.  Still, I wanted to change the subject.  "Enough about me.  What
about you?  What do you do to stay occupied?"
	"Well, I do various things.  I love this costuming group.  I'm not
really very social, but I do go to the movies once in a while.  I love
skiing though, and there's plenty of snow in Germany during the winter to
enjoy."
	"I tried downhill skiing a few times, but I never was much good at
it."
	"I'll bet if you came to ski with me I could turn you into a pro,"
he said with a grin.
	"If you say so," I replied, rolling my eyes.  "I'd be willing to
give it another try.  So what else do you do over there?"
	"I've had a few jobs during school and summer.  I worked at a
grocery store for a while, and at a restaurant as a busboy.  Nothing
spectacular.  I have a fairly large family as far as aunts, cousins, and
uncles go, but I'm an only child myself.  Just my parents and I.  Your dad
reminds me a lot of mine.  If you don't mind me asking, what ever happened
to your mother?"" He was real careful about how he asked, searching my
facial expressions for a reaction.  "I'm sorry, it's none of my business.
I shouldn't have asked," he said as he saw my face fall a little when he
brought it up.  I must have turned white or something, because Oliver had a
concerned look on his face and reached over to touch my hand.
	"N...No, it's okay...really," I said, trying not to remember.
"I'll tell you about it later maybe."
	"I'm sorry if I upset you.  I didn't mean..."
	"It's fine.  Don't worry I'll be okay."  There was silence as I
stared down at the tabletop.  He had struck a nerve, and brought up
something I wanted to forget, but I would talk to him about it later if he
still cared to know.  I didn't want to hide anything, but here was not the
best place.  At least I knew there was someone I could talk to.
	"Here's your stuff guys, enjoy," said Cindy as she returned with a
tray of food.  Oliver and I both thanked her and she left.  I was glad she
came when she did.
	"Let's dig in," I said, trying to put my mind on something else.
	"Good idea."
	For the next 40 minutes or so we ate our dinner and talked about
what we could do the following day.  We had a whole day to do whatever we
wished, and there were plenty of things to keep us busy.  When we finished
our meal, Oliver paid the bill.  I had argued with him that I would pitch
in, but the most he allowed me to do was leave a tip for the waitress, so I
didn't take it any further.  With that done we walked back out into the
street and made our way back to the hotel.  We made it into our room around
8:30 PM and plopped down on the bed beside each other.
	"Thanks for dinner," I said.  "I really appreciate it."
	"No problem.  I really had fun tonight."  Oliver turned on his side
so that he was facing in my direction.  I looked over at him and could tell
that he was curious about my reaction back at the restaurant, so I decided
that this would be the best time to answer his earlier question.
	"I'm sorry about how I reacted when you asked me about my mom
earlier," I finally spoke up.
	"No, it was my fault, I shouldn't have said anything."  Oliver
began apologizing again.
	"No, it's not.  You just struck a raw nerve that's all.  I wasn't
expecting it to come up."
	"Did she pass away?" he asked softly and sincerely.
	"No, but she may as well have," I sighed with a twinge of hurt in
my voice.  Oliver came closer and took my hand in his.
	"It's okay," he said, looking into my blue eyes.
	"It was about 8 months ago, and I had an after school job with the
school janitor taking out trash and sweeping the floors.  It was about
5:00, an hour before my shift ended, when my mom swung by to drop my
brother off for football practice.  He was still in grade school and had
practice at my high school.  After she left I swung by my dad's classroom
to see what he was up to.  When I came in he began to stare at me with
teary eyes.  I asked him what was wrong and that's when he sat me down.  My
mom had told him that she wanted a divorce.  They were married for 21
years, and my dad was at a loss for words.  He was as shocked as I was.  I
just sat there.  I couldn't believe what my father was telling me.  The
tears came, and I collapsed in my father's arms.  My brother didn't know
yet, and was about to find out soon.  My mom worked the midnight shift at
the hospital, so she wouldn't come home till morning.  That night I cried
myself to sleep.  Family had always been so important.  I had many friends
with single parents, and I always considered myself lucky to have to
parents who loved me.  Now I'm nothing more than a statistic."  My eyes
began to blur with moisture and Oliver engulfed me into a hug.  "When my
mom came home the next morning I pleaded with her to work things out.  She
refused.  And what bothered me the most about her reply was her tone.  It
was so cold and heartless, like she didn't care.  I never even got a reason
for why she was doing this.  She turned me away.  A month later she moved
out for good, around Christmas, with my little 6 year old sister."  A
sarcastic smile crept over my face as I thought about the time of year she
left.  How ironic I thought.  I felt betrayed by one of the only people I
could trust in my life.  The mother I knew and loved was gone, and I felt
abandoned.  She lied to me, and used my trust like it meant nothing.  I've
had a hard time trusting people ever since.  I did my best to go on, and
was somehow able to keep my grades up by the skin of my teeth.  If not for
my dad I wouldn't have gotten this far."
	"I'm so sorry," Oliver whispered into my ear as he held me close to
him.  "It's okay, let it all out."  The tears came, and I felt like a wound
was reopened in my chest-but I was glad that Oliver was there with me.
	"Thanks," I sobbed.  "You're the only person I've been able to talk
to about this other than my dad.  I'm really glad you're here.
	"I'm glad you can confide in me.  It means a lot.  If there's
anything you ever need to talk about I'm always here."  I dried my tears on
my shirt and was finally able to start to relax again.  I let myself go
limp in his arms, enjoying his soft touch.
	After a while I decided that I was okay and sat up in the bed with
Oliver.  We walked over to the window and watched what little of the sunset
remained in the darkening sky.  I stood there with my arm around Oliver as
we watched the stars replace the last rays of sunshine in the sky.  Nothing
was said.  We just enjoyed each other's company.  When it was finally dark
we returned from the window and removed our shirts and shorts so that only
our boxer's remained before getting into bed.  I lay on my back as Oliver
snuggled close to rest his head on my shoulder like the night before.  I
brought my arm up around him and pulled him close against me.
	"Good night," I said as I kissed his forehead.  Then he brought his
head up and planted one on my mouth.  I returned the kiss and held him even
tighter.
	"Goodnight Albert.  Love ya."
	"Right back at ya," I said with a smile.
	We lay still like that for a while.  He was the first to fall
asleep, and I could feel his heartbeat against my chest as he slept.  I
felt like the luckiest guy in the world.  I finally had someone I could put
my trust in, and someone to share my life with.  Thinking of that, I
drifted off to sleep.


I hope you enjoyed this 2nd installment.  There will be more to come very
soon. Please make comments at vader5@gateway.net.