Date: Sat, 2 Nov 2002 15:09:19 -0500
From: C. E. Jordan <c.e._jordan@mailandnews.com>
Subject: "JOHNNY CAKE & JACK - part 3" (b/b)

Johnny Cake and Jack
c.e._jordan@mailandnews.com


>From last episode:

     Johnny frowned and drew closer to the mirror, **'Jack actually kissed me,
'* he thought, **'right there.'* Bemused, he touched his sensitive mouth with
two fingers and slowly traced the contours of his slightly parted  lips,
**'and it felt so right...so good.... I wanted him to do it again...what the
fuck's wrong with me?*

     "Johnny? Are you still in there?" His mom was knocking on the bathroom
door. "It's alright mom, you can come in, I'm just leaving...

     He quickly wrapped a towel around his waist, dodged past his mother and
headed for his room.

________________________________________________



JOHNNY CAKE AND JACK - Pt. 3


Copyright c.e. jordan


     Across an expanse of garden, a small pool, plus a clump of trees on
Johnny's side of the fence, Jack sat at the edge of his bed trying to read
Harry Potter's latest adventure. But he couldn't concentrate. He willed
himself not to get up and stare over at Johnny's window. Only a wooden fence
and the trees divided their backyards. Finally, he tossed the book to the
floor and began walking restlessly around the room touching things. But he
avoided Bry's bed, which he'd asked to be put in his room when they moved
here. It was comforting to look over and see it there--at first. But now,
looking at it just made him even more lonely and miserable. His brother's big
old brown teddy bear they used to call `Bearly' was the only one who sat on it
these days. It was like the teddy was waiting for Bryan to walk into the room
at any moment.

     At the old house Bry could have had his own room if he wanted, but the
boys always liked being together. Jack could never understand why most of the
guys he knew were always arguing and fighting with their little brothers. He
picked up a small, framed, picture from his desk. His dad had snapped it the
year before while he and Bry were roughhousing at the park in their old
neighborhood. Jack was the dark-haired boy in a blue t-shirt grinning stupidly
into the camera as he sat triumphantly on his brother who lay conquered on the
ground. Bry's eyes were closed and his head was thrown back as he laughed out
loud. Bry's wild red hair provided a vibrant contrast as it curled into the
bright green grass. Jack brought the little photograph closer to his eyes and
peered at it. His hand shook slightly and he nearly dropped the photo. How
come he'd never noticed how much Johnny K looked like Bry? They were just
about the same size and age, and had the same wild red hair. The only thing
different, Bry's eyes were blue, not Johnny's liquid hazel-green...

     His mind almost blank, Jack finally wandered over to his window. It was
dark now, and a light went on in Johnny's room. As Jack gazed into his
neighbor's wide-open windows tears ran slowly down his cheek...

*******

     Johnny K switched on the light in his room and without thinking about it
tossed the towel from around his waist onto the bed. He was naked. First, he
clicked the mouse on the music play list and his computer filled the room with
the rhythmic sounds he loved. He grabbed a white t-shirt and a clean, but
ragged blue jeans. Holding the garments to his body like a floppy dancing
partner, he pranced happily around the room with them. He spun around once,
twice, and was suddenly aware of Jack's open window across the way. He halted
self-consciously; there was someone at that window watching him. Jack.

     Johnny froze in place for a moment with the clothing clutched against his
nude body. Then, still in full view of the pale-faced little figure at Jack's
window, he deliberately dropped the T and jeans to the floor. He moved closer
to the window and waved. The figure at the other window seemed to hesitate for
a moment, and then waved back. Johnny quickly backed away out of view and
plopped onto his bed. **Now, why the hell did I do that?* he wondered. "I must
be nuts," he said aloud. But he was smiling to himself, and for some strange
reason, he was quite hard.

(to be continued...)