Date: Sun, 5 Dec 2004 15:07:20 -0800 (PST)
From: Ray Morales <fyiord@yahoo.com>
Subject: Plane Trip 2

Legal Stuff:
The author(me) retains rights to and title to this story.

Note:

This story is fiction and is by no means depictive of the life of any
person, place or thing. It contains no penetrative sexual acts between
males YET and should only be read if it is legal to do so in your area.

Read at your own risk, okay. All names are made up and any similarities are
just dumb luck.

Guys, sorry for the delay. Been busy. No sex yet but bear with me. We'll
get there ;-) sooner or later. Thanks for the emails and keep 'em coming.
Keep me motivated 'coz I'm a lazy writer.

The Plane Trip
Chapter 2
By
Fjord

I didn't tell Zack not to send me off at the airport. What I said was that
my Mom was driving me there. The asshole could have at least offered to
follow us there. My thoughts betray me as I inch towards my seat with
several more people still in front of me. I don't think I'm getting the
happy face award at this moment. He knew about my dream of flying in an
airplane. I told him a gazillion times. Yeah, yeah... he did say goodbye at
my room but as my best friend he should know that I fucking wanted him to
be at the airport too. I am going crazy, I think. Or maybe I already am.

Why? Well, because I've changed my mind. I'm not giving up on Zack
yet. Sure, he wants to be just 'buddy-buddy best friends' with me but I'm
thinking of pushing him right to the edge and see if he's willing to at
least give it a go. He did say that he wouldn't mind me kissing him. I
curse silently as I rue the chance that I had missed. So what if he's not a
virgin penis-wise but the asshole's asshole is still unknown
territory. See, I'm pretty sure I'm crazy now. 100 percent psycho, I
am. What am I thinking? Asshole virgin? Desperado, that's my name.

"Sir, please place your bag in this overhead compartment," the stewardess
says to me as I try to move past her through the narrow aircraft aisle with
my hand luggage held out in front of me. She looks pretty and has a kind
smile. Her hair is cut short making her look like... a pretty boy.

"My seat is at the back... 27C...," I reply with a hint of a smile.

"It's okay... Just place it in this compartment. The back ones are already
full," she says in a friendly way. I think she likes me.

"Oh...," I reply, shrug my shoulders and proceed to push my bag into the
empty overhead compartment. I glance at the adjacent seat location
numbers. "Row 16, remember that," I say to myself quietly.

"I'll remember that for you," a playful voice interrupted my solo
conversation.

I look down and see this guy grinning at me. He looks like a teenage rock
star with his jet black hair spiked in all directions. He's got cute
dimples. I smile at him. I think I am staring at him too much but I can't
help it. It feels like we're the only ones there. His eyes are deep blue
and his lips are red and parched. I think he must be using mascara as his
eyelashes are too thick and curvy. I feel like touching them.

"First flight?" he asks and I am jolted back into the noisy airplane
cabin. I can't stop smiling. I have to say something witty but my brain
just failed me.

"It shows?" I ask. He nods and smiles again. He's showing his front teeth
with white braces. I think he's about eighteen years old like Vinny, my
pasta-eating, salami-loving, cheese-chewing and really big Italian
cousin. Only, this guy is hot. I mean, he's not hot as in everyone would
look at him all the time but it's like when you get real close and really
see him, he's stunning. I mean, look at that gorgeous face. Gosh, he's
looking at me straight in the eyes. I must breathe.

And out of nowhere, I begin to compare him with Zack. I hate it when that
happens.

"Can you move on to your seat, sir? I'll remind you where your bag is,
okay?" the stewardess says me as she pats me kindly on the right
shoulder. Reluctantly, I go forward and then when I reach my seat I stretch
my neck a little to look at the cute guy and all I see is his black spiky
hair. I find him interesting. I think I like him even with the braces. I
sit down with a sigh, ignoring whoever it is sitting next to me and try to
just think about the 'rock star' but Zack just saunters into the picture
and of course, ruins everything. I give up for now. Later, I tell myself.

I am at super-duper seat number 27C. I want to recline my seat but there's
a grumpy man behind me that told me not to. I'm traveling to New York from
Los Angeles for the first time; and getting a good posture lesson along the
way too. It figures.

As I go through all the pre-flight preparations I begin to think of Zachary
again. Why is he not like me? I think of the time we slept next to each
other when we were thirteen and remember him cuddling against me lots of
times and we didn't do anything but that. I remember waking up holding him
in my arms, cheek to cheek. I remember kissing him once while he was
asleep. We never even talked about it. It was like so damn natural. I
didn't even get a real harden then. I should have made my move at that
time, I think, but then it might have ruined everything between us. Anyway,
what I felt then were the intense feeling of having someone who loved me
unconditionally and the love for someone that I would have given my life
for in an instant. I still have that love inside me but now I'm wondering
if it's worth it. I remember when he said that if anyone can turn him gay
it would be me and I smile. But my smile lasted for a second only as I
remember how his blue eyes twinkle naughtily at me when I asked, "Really?"
What a question, eh? I'm gonna try to turn him gay and I'm gonna tell him
tonight. I roll my eyes upwards slightly as the word, "Really...," escapes
from my mouth.

"Excuse me?" the person sitting next to me, whom I was ignoring and was
hoping to ignore me, too, asks. She's probably thinking of getting a new
seat already.

"Sorry... I was just thinking out loud," I offer a lame apology for my lack
of human courtesy without even a glance at her.

"It's okay dear... Is this your first flight?" she asks. I'm wondering if
there is a big sign over my head saying, 'Be kind. It's his first
flight'. I nod politely.

"Don't worry. I've been flying so many times already but I can still
remember my first time. My husband and I were going to Hawaii for our
honeymoon," she continues as I silently curse the ticketing officer that
placed me next to 'Chatty Auntie'.

"I'm sorry, I'm making you feel uncomfortable," she says quickly as my
expression went slack. Then, I begin to feel guilty. She was just trying to
make me feel okay.

"No, no, go on. Tell me what happened. I just feel a bit homesick," I reply
hastily. She smiles and continues to tell me how her first flight returned
abruptly to LAX after one of the engines failed. I try not to show that her
story was not exactly helping. At the back of my mind, I begin to think of
what Zack will do if this flight actually ends up crashing into the Nevada
desert or something. I bet he's gonna find out that he fucking loves me
and...

"Are you okay, dear? You look a bit sick. I shouldn't have told you about
the engine failure," she apologizes. "But in the end we were fine. The
airplane landed safely and we went to Vegas instead. We rented a car... And
my husband never flew again," she continues and suddenly laughs
hysterically. I can't help but grin.

"I don't think your story would help anyone," I say with a smile.

"No, but it made you smile. Wanna know something? If I was any younger I
think I would fancy you," she says and winks at me. And I can't stop the
blood from rushing to the blood vessels and capillaries on my cheeks.

"Look at that," she says, "Some women spends hours in front of the mirror
to get a pretty blush like that." Then she covers her mouth in mock
horror. I'm looking at the magazine docket in front of me trying to figure
out how to fit my body inside it. I'm so damn clueless on handling this
type of situation.

"Oh dear... I've embarrassed you," she says.

"It's okay. I get that a lot from my Mom," I reply but it comes out more
like a hoarse whisper.

"I've really done it this time," she says, but deep inside I know it is not
the end until we touch down at JFK.

"It's okay," I say as I finally look at her eyes.

"You've got such beautiful brown eyes," she says and as I look away
instinctively she grabs my hand and pats it. "I'm sorry dear, I couldn't
help myself." I want to pull my hand away but I don't want to make her feel
bad. I just look at her again and smile bravely. Then, I begin to notice
something funny about the way I was sitting.

"The airplane has taken off, right?" I ask her. She just nods and smiles.

"It took off while I was talking to you, dear," she says. I look past her
outside the airplane window and see clear evening sky and small houses and
really short buildings.

"Wow...," I say softly.

I watch as the city gets smaller and smaller until there is no point in
watching anymore as everything becomes just a flat piece of land. After the
take-off it's just smooth sailing.

I spend most of the trip talking with Mrs. Jameson or more likely she is
talking to me. After a while I begin to feel sleepy and eventually doze off
while trying hard to listen politely to Mrs. Jameson or Jenna as she wants
me to call her.

I wake up later when the first meal is being distributed by the cabin
crew. It is already dark outside. Jenna says she understands when I
apologize for sleeping.

All in all the entire trip is good. I have a good time eating rubbery meals
with a knee massage for my back. Just kidding. It is not as exciting as I
had imagined but nevertheless I try to enjoy every minute of it. Jenna is
good company too.

It is long devirginizing trip but it's worth it.

***

"Can I help you with that?" A familiar voice interrupts my effort to carry
my luggage off the moving carousel. The attractive boy from row 16 doesn't
wait for my reply as he easily helps me do it. His hair is messed up but he
manages to make it look cool to have messed up spiky hair. I almost forget
to say thanks.

"Thanks..." I said breathlessly. "That was like a ton..." My luggage is
heavy but it has wheels, thank God.

"What's in there? A dead body...? Just kiddin'...," the teenage rock star
jokes.

I just smile at him. "Are you from here or from California?" I ask although
I am almost certain he is a Yankee. He has that New York accent and pale
complexion.

"I'm from here. Manhattan." He replies with a smile that makes me want to
put my finger into his dimple. "Where are you goin'?"

"I'm not sure yet. My aunt is coming to get me..." I reply as I remembered
that my aunt is supposed to bring a pink board with my name on it.

"Great... If you need a friend in New York, just call me. Here's my
card..." He says and gives me this white name card with gold colored fancy
looking borders and letters. His name is Joshua Jeffers. I quickly put it
into my front pocket.

"Call me JJ or if you want to risk it, just J is good..." He adds with a
smile. Gosh, those dimples just look so good on him.

"Hi... I wanted to call you No. 16 but I didn't think you'll like it," I
try to crack a lame joke and he actually smiles. "I'm Jimmy Protsky... I
don't have any card, sorry." I say to him and he dismisses it a slight
shrug of the shoulders. I want to quickly add that my grandfather was an
immigrant from Russia when I saw him raise his eyebrows but I decide not
to.

"What's your phone number here in New York?" He asks. 'Is he hitting on
me?' is the first thing on my already feeble mind.

I pause a second, remembering in quick flashbacks of the warnings of not
talking to strangers and not accepting sweets from people in cars with dark
windows etc. before telling him Aunt Megan's phone number without any
further thought.

"Okay, Jimmy... nice to meet you too. I gotta go but call me okay or I'll
call you..." He says and holds out his hand to shake mine. I grab his hand
and feel its warmth in mine. I think I'm blushing as he lets go of my hand
and steps backwards. He winks at me. Is he really flirting with me? Am I
that cute?

"Okay, and thanks again for your help..." I say nervously and he gives me
another smile before turning away, carrying just his knapsack and walking
into the crowd.

"Bye, Just J..." I say softly as I follow his spiky black hair going
further and further away. "Wow, what's my name again? Jimmy, oh yeah," I
say to myself with a smile. Just J really made my day, I think happily to
myself before a middle-aged man in a striped suit bumps into me, bringing
me back down to earth. I say sorry but he never even looks
back. "Yankees..." I swear softly.

****

"Jimmy! Jimmy! Over here...!" My aunt shouts excitedly as she unwittingly
humiliates me in public. I feel that everyone within a square mile is now
extremely interested in finding out who the poor kid with the name Jimmy on
a fluorescent pink card board is. Aaargh... I run quickly towards her just
to stop her from bursting a vein in her excitement to see me.

"Hi Aunt Megan..." I say as I hold out my hand to shake hers. She has long
curly brown hair and a bright smile. I like her smile. She looks a bit like
my Mom but younger.

"I told you on the phone to call me Maggie, kiddo. Remember...?" She
replies as she grabs my offered hand, pulls me towards her and gives me a
crushing hug. I blush as people around us smile, enjoying my ever
increasing predicament. "You're so cute..." I think I am glowing
red. Maggie takes the smaller and lighter bag and gestures for me to follow
her.

We took a yellowcab to get to her home. She talks to me all the way to her
apartment. I tell her about my Mom and our family in L.A. and that my Mom
sends her love. I talk about my bro Kenny. I am feeling really homesick
already.

"You don't remember me, do you?" Maggie asks.

"No, Aunt... I mean Maggie. Sorry..." I reply, still adjusting to calling
her Maggie. She just smiles and ruffles my hair slightly. It reminds me of
how Mom likes to mess my hair up whenever I get home from school. I don't
know why but if Maggie kisses me on the cheek after that I will surely
cry. I am a homesick boy.

I guess Maggie knows what I am feeling as she begins to talk about things
other than home after that. She says that she has been painting for about
ten years ever since she graduated. She decided to stay in New York because
she met someone, another budding artist like her then, and fell in love
with him. Before I even ask, she says that the guy had left her.

"I'm sorry..." I say sadly.

"It was for the best... He wanted a cookie cutter type of life and I wanted
something more adventurous..."

"Like what?"

"Like being able to just leave for several days or weeks or months or years
at a time from my home..."

"Wow, you can do that, really?"

"Yeah... in fact, I would be leaving for Chile soon. But I'll tell you
about that later. Before I go, you need to get used to living in New
York. Once you're ready then I'll leave you to the sharks...," Maggie says
and then laughs out loudly to my distress. My Mom didn't think I was ready
to be staying alone at home in LA let alone in New York. My original plan
is to get a summer job, live off Aunt Megan's income and try my best to
forget about Zack. Or not. I am such a messed-up boy.

"Don't worry Jimmy... You'll be fine. I'll be away for two weeks only and
the neighbors will take care of you." Maggie says cheerfully. I beg to
differ but keep my mouth shut.

"Does Mom know?"

"Nope, but I'll tell her when I'm in Chile," Maggie replies with a wink.

'She's gonna kill you," I say with a grin as I realize how cool my Mom's
sister is. Maggie just laughs in response.

******

"Welcome to your home in New York..." Maggie says as she opens the door to
her apartment. Her eyes twinkle as she smiles at me. I look past her inside
the place and see a large living room with a big plasma TV at the far
end. The off-white walls are decorated with paintings and murals. It's like
a mini gallery.

"You like it?" Maggie asks and I nod excitedly in reply.

"It's... It's like a home magazine layout," I say as I go to the middle of
the living room.

"Wait till you see your room, kiddo," she says and drags me and my luggage
to the hallway next to the living room towards a sky blue door. She opens
the door to a large bedroom with a double bed all ready for my tired body
to sleep in. There's a built-in wardrobe and an attached bathroom with a
bathtub. I am reminded of the lowly bathroom that I share with my brother
Kenny. I miss the little twerp but my room here is well worth the trip.

"Wow..." the words slowly escapes my mouth.

"Glad you like it," Maggie says with a smile.

"Whose room is it?"

"Yours..."

"Sorry, I mean, previously..."

"It was Bryan's, the guy I told you about. Before we became lovers he was
my house mate. It's a long story." Maggie replies cheerfully but I can
sense her reluctance to say any more. She revealed too many details for me
already, I think.

"Oh, okay... His loss my gain," I say and we both share a little laugh.

"Nowadays, this room is for my guests. I've redesigned the whole house a
few times since though." Maggie added. I remember my Mom telling me about
Maggie first trip to see me when I was born. I can't remember any of it
though.

"Anyway, Jimmy, get settled in and take a nap if you like. You need the
rest, kiddo. It was a long journey. I'll wake you up for lunch," she says
and closes the door behind her.

Feeling weary, I take my clothes off slowly and stand naked close to the
bed. Letting my body freefall backwards, I find myself lying naked
spread-eagled on the firm but accommodating mattress.

Yes, I am feeling tired but horny so I'll do it in the shower. Don't want
to make a mess.

*************

Maggie wakes me up for lunch as she promised by knocking on the bedroom
door. She tells me she called my parents to tell them of my safe
arrival. She has this really big grin when I lazily shuffle into the dining
room. She must really like having me here. She must be lonely or something
or whatever. I can't think. We have our lunch and then soon after I start
to nod off at the dining table. Maggie sends me to my room to sleep
again. She says it's jetlag. I think I'm just tired because of that
annoying man's kneecap. I should have just said something to the man but
I'm always too accommodating. That's what my parents and counselors always
told me.

It must have been another three hours before I wake up again. The wall
clock shows 5:30 pm.

As I lay in bed, I look around me and notice there are no windows. Thank
God I'm not claustrophobic, I think to myself. There are a lot mirrors
though and there is centralized air-conditioning. I'm wearing my favorite
cut-off jeans and my favorite red T-shirt (both were Zack's birthday
present for me from 2 years back). I get up off the bed and suddenly see a
slutty looking kid looking back at me from the body-length mirror on the
wardrobe sliding door.

"Did I get up this afternoon and have lunch with Maggie in this outfit?
Man, I must be tripping..." I say to myself as I shake my head from side to
side in astonishment. Obviously, I have outgrown my favorite red T-shirt
and favorite cut-off jeans. A street kid looking for a client is what I
look like. I look sexy though. Too bad, Zack's not here to see what he's
missing.

"Fuck!" I swear loudly as I remember promising to call Zack. Yes, I swear a
lot but not in front of my family or teachers or the police or judges or
little old ladies, so there.

I open the door and notice a note hanging at the door outer handle. Maggie
won't be back till late at night and my dinner is in the fridge ready for
the microwave oven at medium heat for 5 minutes.

I sigh loudly with relief that Maggie isn't around as I'm wearing the sexy
red shirt that rubs against my protruding nipples. I quickly search for the
phone and make the call to Zack's cell phone.

"Hello? Zack here..."

I find myself tongue-tied. I listen to him breathing.

"Hello? Is that you Jimmy?" Zack sounds a little excited.

"Yeah, it's me?"

"You just got there?"

"No, I arrived in the morning but went straight to sleep. Sorry I didn't
call earlier."

"It's alright. I don't know how to say this but I kinda miss you..."

"Errm, I miss you too..." I reply shyly.

"Look, I'm sorry I didn't see you at the airport," Zack says, "I wanted to
but I kinda had a Laci problem. You understand right?"

"I was a little pissed off," I reply,"...but you love Laci and not me, so
what can I do, huh?"

I can't believe I just said that. There is only silence at the other
end. My lord, I can't believe I just said something so mean. He's gonna be
so mad.

"Fuck!" He swears quietly. I love it when he talks dirty but only in my
fantasy. "Jimmy, I thought we worked things out yesterday..."

"Of course we did..." I reply. It is so much easier to talk to Zack on the
phone without getting freaked out of my mind. The vast North American
landscape between us helps too.

"Then what was that thing about I love Laci but not you?" Zack says in
irritation.

"Zack, I still love you and you know that... Of course we are still best
friends. I'm just fucking jealous, that's all..." I pause, "...and I think
I want to try kissing you first before really giving up on you..."

"Yeah, right... Jimmy, you've never even kissed a girl."

"I've got the whole summer to practice..."

"With whom... Your aunt... heheheh..."

"Ha ha... I met someone in the plane and I've got a phone number..."

"Really... Does it start with a 1-900...?"

"That's it I'm gonna hang up now..."

"You really want to kiss me when you get back?"

"Yeah..." I reply boldly.

"Good, then I'll have to practice kissing guys..." Zack replies cheerfully,
"...don't wanna disappoint my best buddy..."

"Okay, okay... that's it... If you want to kiss a guy, I want that first
kiss. Of course, you're so good looking, I'm not sure you haven't been
kissed by a guy already."

"Nope. Not yet. I promise my first boy kiss will be with you..."

"Thanks for the offer but even though I'm... who I am. Shit, I can't even
say it. Anyway, since I don't think I want to do anything with anybody yet,
you might be my first boy kiss too... Wow... That is sooo sad..."

"Don't be so hard on yourself, Jimmy. I'm a real hunk." Zack replies and I
laugh out loud. I can sense Zack smiling on the other side of the phone
line.

"That hunk used to be a scrawny kid wearing glasses." I say.

"You used to be a scrawny kid yourself and you turned out okay. A little
less hunkier than me but girls say you're hot in a mysterious sorta way."

"I met somebody in the plane..." I say to him suddenly. I guess I want him
to be jealous. It's so juvenile of me but I can't help it.

"Wow! You got over me that quick?" Zack cheerfully replies. I detected an
extremely tiny amount of hesitation before his reply but decide it's just
my hopeful fucked-up mind.

"His name's Joshua Jeffers." I turn the jealousy screw even tighter. The
hesitation is there again.

Then he laughs out loud and I am feeling a bit confused.

"What? You don't believe me?" I ask him.

"Of course I believe you."

"Then why did you laugh?"

"I wasn't laughing at you... I was laughing at myself."

"...and why did you?" Zack is beginning to annoy me.

"I was a little jealous, okay?" Zack replies with a chuckle. "When you say
his name, it's like you really like the guy."

"Yeah, I kinda like him. He gave me his card..." I'm beginning to get real
nervous talking to Zack about the guy. It's weird.

"Wow. Really? He must like what he saw." Zack says and pauses for a
second. "Man, we're talking like girls... Ewww."

"You started it, Mr. Macho..." I say with a giggle.

"I know and that's double ewww..." Zack says and we just crack up and laugh
together like we always do.

"Are you sure you're not gay?" I say after our laughter died down.

Zack quietly answers, "Are you sure you are gay?"

"Bastard..." I reply and giggle nervously.

"Hmmm.... I always win..." Zack says with a sigh.

"Because I let you."

"We can go on like this 'til morning..."

"Okay... okay... a truce."

"I win again..."

"Because I fucking let you..."

We both laugh again and then we go silent. Maggie's gonna flip when the
phone bill comes.

"Are you still mad at me?"

"Yeah, a bit... You forced me out, remember..."

"I'm sorry. I thought it was for the best," he replies. In the background,
I can hear his Mom telling him to hang up because she wanted to use the
phone. "Okay, Mom... I'll hang up in a minute. It's Jimmy from New York..."
Zack says to her. "Sorry, Zack, gotta jet. Mom wants to use the phone."

"All right... I'll call you later..." I reply and hang up quickly before
Zack can ask me for my phone number. My little plan to keep him waiting for
my next call begins. Yeah, I gave my phone number to a stranger and not to
my best friend. I'm full of shit, I know.

My next plan is to call Joshua Jeffers. I might even bring him to see Zack
and Zack will be so fucking jealous and... Shit, gotta concentrate. Now,
where's the fucking card...


***********************

"Joshua?" I ask hesitantly as my call was picked up.

"Who the fuck is this?" A deep and rough voice replies.

"Who the fuck is that?" I reply in reflex.

"I'm his manager. Who the fuck are you?"

Shit, I hang up quickly. I sit down at the soft comfortable sofa and think
about the risk I had just taken. I take out the card Just J gave me and
read out the header, 'Spartan Entertainment'.

The phone rings. God, I hope they don't have Caller-ID.

I pick up the phone carefully and in my best falsetto voice reply, "Hello?"

"Maggie, what's wrong with your voice? Are you okay?" It's my Mom. I am not
sure what to do now so I think I will be quiet for a second and take a good
deep breath.

"Mom?" Finally, I say in my real voice.

"Jimmy?"

"..." I am speechless.

"Who was that just now?"

"Me," I reply.

"That was a girl's voice. You have a girl with you there? Where's Maggie?"

"Mom, it's me," I say in falsetto and continue in my normal voice, "I was
just fooling around."

"..." She is speechless.

"Mom?"

"Why were you fooling around with that voice? I was really worried just
now. Is your aunt there?"

"No, she went out. I'm alone here. Just woke up. How're you and Kenny and
Dad?"

"We're okay but Kenny wants to talk to you. And Zack called just now for
your number in New York. Your dad's at the hospital working late again. He
sends his love. Anyway I have this twitching little boy next to me who
wants to talk to you. Love you, Jimmy..."

"Love you too, Mom and send my hugs to Dad," I reply before Mom passes the
phone to Kenny.

"Hi Kenny. How's my little bro doing?"

"Can I come and stay with you in New York?"

"What?" I say with a laugh.

"Mom's making me do laundry and I'm just ten years old," Kenny replies and
giggles as Mom tickles him, I think.

"If you come here, I'll make you do laundry too...," I say and laugh
loudly.

"Not fair..."

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, but I miss you," Kenny replies with a sad voice.

"Miss you too, you little twerp. Look, tell Mom you can sleep in my room if
you want."

"Really? Can I play Halo too?" Kenny is getting over my absence really
quickly.

"Yeah, take good care of the X-box and don't tell Mom, but don't touch my
PC. You're my bro but if you ever come near it, I swear I'll..."

"Okay, okay... I'm not going under your armpit again. You stink," Kenny
replies with laughter. I bet he will succumb to the temptation within three
days but I have encrypted every incriminating movies and photos in the hard
drive so that only the FBI would be able to get to them.

We talk some more and finally Mom takes over and again tells me how much
she loves me before saying goodbye.

I hang up feeling happy and homesick and wondering why Zack decided to get
my number in New York. He wants to call me back probably.

The phone rings. It must be him.

"Hello? Zack, is that you?"

"Nope? It's Joshua Jeffers." Shit, wrong again. But good shit.

"Oh, hi, Joshua. It's me Jimmy Protsky," I reply while mustering as much
cool as possible in my voice. "Do you have caller-ID?"

"Nope, why?"

"Oh, nothing... just wanted to know."

"Do you have one, Jimmy?"

"No," I reply quickly and say in my NY Italian mafia voice, "...just
fogedaboudit..."

"Are you okay?"

"I'm just goofing around, sorry." Shit, I'm messing this up, big time.

"I just wanted to find out if you called me earlier."

"No, I didn't..."

"You can stop the act, Jimmy. We have caller-ID."

"But you just said you didn't and even if you have one I didn't call
you..."

"Talk to my manager..." He replies and I wait anxiously.

"What the fuck..." His manager has taken over the phone. Shit, I'm dead.

"I'm sorry I hung up on you earlier... I... I just wanted to talk to
Joshua... I'm really sorry."

"Gotcha man..." Joshua replies with a chuckle, "That was me... I really got
you there."

I am mad now. I am fucking mad. I am turning red and I am gonna slam the
fucking phone on that lying, cheating, good-for-nothing son of a...

"Jimmy, are you mad at me?"

Mad at him...? Mad at him?? I'm gonna pull every spiky lump of hair out of
his fucking cute head.

"Hello..."

Hello...? Hello my fucking ass. I'm gonna... I'm gonna... Shit, it's so
damn hard for me to stay mad at someone so cute. And it's fucking damn
funny what he did to me but if I get my hands on him... I'm gonna...

"Hey, Jimmy... I'm really sorry I pulled that prank on you... Are you
okay?"

Sorry...? He'll be fucking sorry when I... when I... Shit, when I kiss his
fucking dry lips and touch his fucking thick eyelashes. Shit, I'm getting a
hard on.

"Jimmy, are you okay?"

Okay...? Of course I'm okay. I've got me a cute boy at the other end of the
line and the hard on in my jeans is mine. Hey, that rhymes, but not in a
good way.

"Jimmy, I'm really worried now. Answer me... Please..."

"Joshua, you're gonna have to pay big time for doing that to me..." I say
slowly after a long pause.

"Hahaha... Yesss! JJ one and JP zero..."

"Do you do this to every stranger you give your card to?"

"No... I only do it to the friendly ones... You seemed very friendly and I
took a chance... Hahaha..."

"You still have to pay big time..."

"Okay, then let's meet tomorrow. I'll take you to this great pizza
place... We can hang out or somethin'... I'm pretty free the whole day
tomorrow."

"Oh... Okay, how do we meet?" I reply excitedly.

"On my card, there's an address of where I stay... maybe that would
help..."

"Thank you, but I'm new here, so you come and get me..."

"So where do you live?"

"I... I don't know actually... I just followed my aunt... I can't even
remember how I got here... Aaaargh..."

"Very funny..."

"I really don't know... And Maggie went out... I don't know any of the
neighbors..."

"Is there any mail in there? Look at the mail address or something..."
Joshua suggests. Damn genius, why didn't I think of that?

"Wait there and don't hang up..." I say to him. I can't believe I'm
actually gonna meet the 'rock star' tomorrow. Zack said the girls think I'm
hot. Maybe, Joshua's gay and he thinks I'm hot.

I see some mail and compare the addresses to confirm whether they are the
same and quickly return to the phone. I tell him the address.

"Oh... That's not too far from my place... I know the joint. I've been
there."

"That's great... See you tomorrow..." I say with some worry that he knows
where I'm staying. Things are moving way too fast.

"Hey, Jimmy, what if I come over to your place right now?" Joshua
replies. My heart rate increases and warm blood rushes to my face.

"Erm... Maggie's out and I don't think I should go out yet. I don't even
have the keys."

"I can come over, right?" Joshua insists.

"Erm... I don't think you should do that yet. Maggie might flip out if she
finds out."

"Then tell her..."

"She's not here. Remember...?" I say calmly without any outward sign of the
irritation and uneasiness that I am feeling.

"Right, she's not there... Do you have anything for dinner?"

"Yeah, Maggie left some nukeable food in the fridge."

"Good, I'm hungry. I'm coming over now," Joshua says quickly and hangs
up. I let the cordless phone roll of my hand onto the sofa as I look up the
ceiling in resignation. I cover my face with my hands and close my eyes.

Shit... What am I gonna do? What the fuck am I gonna do? He seems like a
good guy. Now Joshua seems to be a fucking psycho that don't know the
meaning of a polite "No, don't you fucking come over." I'm not ready to
meet anyone. I just had my first love telling me that he didn't love me the
same way and now I have this psycho coming over. He might even be a serial
rapist. Somehow, I don't think he's a criminal. He's so damn cute to be a
murderer.

Wait... Why am I overreacting? Joshua Jeffers might just be a naturally
friendly guy who really wants to make me feel welcome in New York or... he
might be pulling my fucking leg.

I dial his number furiously and wait calmly for him to pick up the fucking
phone.

"Jimmy?"

"Joshua?"

"Gotcha?" Joshua says with a chuckle.

"Yeah, I'm too easy... I know," I reply in relief and resignation.

"At least, I didn't have to call and tell you..."

"I just met you, okay. How would I know you're kidding or not? You're one
weird guy..."

"So, I'll meet you tomorrow..."

"Nope, I don't think so, Joshua... I've had enough of your pranks for
today. I don't think we should meet anymore."

"Good try, Jimmy. I'll see ya tomorrow," Joshua replies quickly and hangs
up.

This Joshua guy is making me feel really mad and yet when I think of him I
think I get this happy feeling... He's cute enough for me. He's got that
curvy eyelashes. What am I thinking? I don't even know if he's gay? I know
he likes me. Somehow, I feel like the girl who gets her ponytail pulled by
this annoying boy who likes her but didn't know how to tell her except by
being annoying.

I smile as I realize that Joshua might like me the same way. I frown as I
also realize that he may be just a juvenile prankster that just met his
most gullible victim in me.

I'm confused and I'm hungry. I better go nuke that dinner and then watch
some TV programs with cute boy actors.

************

"Jimmy... Jimmy... Wake up kiddo. Time to go to bed..." Maggie's voice
wakes me up as I realize that I had slept on the sofa with the TV on.

"Oh, hi Maggie. I'm sorry I slept with the TV on..."

"Shhh... It's alright. Now get to bed..."

I yawn, nod and walk groggily to the bedroom. I walk in, close the bedroom
door and get into bed. As sleep overcomes my conscious mind, I remember the
color red and the feeling of tightness and Maggie's grin.


TBC

If you like this story, please tell me at fyiord@yahoo.com. If you thinks
it's crap then why the hell did you read all the way down here. Seriously
though, if you have any constructive criticism, I'm all ears.

This is my third attempt. The other two are in High School, i.e. Heartache
(completed - Jan 31 2004) and Living In A Box (unfinished - Jul 19 2003) if
you haven't read them yet.