Date: Sun, 20 Apr 2003 07:51:11 -0700 (PDT)
From: Brad Wiley <newbie2k79@yahoo.com>
Subject: to-the-end2

This is my first attempt at writing a story to Nifty.  After reading quite
a few, I feel ready to take on one of my own.  If you are not old enough to
read this, go away.  Flames will be taken into consideration, but not
necessarily heeded.  ;) I claim all rights to this story, so leave it be.

     I surprised myself by calmly walking out of the house.  At the
sidewalk, I turned right.  That's when the tears overflowed and ran down my
cheeks.  I heard Peter calling for me, but it was a distant sound.  Sorta
like he was calling me from the moon.
     I nearly jumped out of my skin when a hand grabbed my shoulder.  I
stopped and just stood there.  I couldn't face whoever was behind me.  I
didn't feel like explaining anything right now.  Somehow, I got the tears
under control as I realized who was behind me.
     "Hey, man.  What's wrong?"  Peter's voice gave away his concern.  "Are
you all right?"
     "No, Peter, I'm not." I sniffled.  "Just don't ask me to explain right
now.  Maybe one of these days I will.  Maybe..."
     "If it's about you having a crush on Jason, I already know."
     I turned and looked at Peter for a minute.  As his words sunk in, I
started to panic.  I nearly tripped over my own feet as I started running.
I didn't know where I was going, but anywhere was better than right there.
     I wasn't afraid of Peter catching up to me.  I've always been the
fastest of the three of us.  By the time I calmed down and looked around, I
was deep in the forest behind our neighborhood.  I stopped and leaned
against a tree to catch my breath.  Unbidden images flooded my mind.
     Jason was suddenly standing in front of me.  I gazed at his chocolate
eyes, pleadingly.  He smiled and shook his head.  His sandy colored hair,
always short, flowed around his head.  He held his arms out to me and
walked toward me.
     As I reached for him, he faded out of sight.  I dropped my arms and
sighed.  One of these days, I'm going to get my overactive imagination
under control.  I turned and slowly walked in the direction of home.
     As I walked in, my mom called to me from the kitchen.  "Brent, is that
you?"
     "Yeah, mom." I yelled.
     She walked around the corner.  "Are you all right?  Peter called about
half an hour ago looking for you."
     "What did he say?"  The panic was returning.  I forced myself to
breathe normally.
     "He just wondered if I'd seen you recently.  He sounded worried."
     "Oh.  Well, everything's fine then.  I'll be in my room until supper."
     I walked past mom and up to my room.  Just as I was flopping down on
my bed, my phone rang.  I just looked at it for a moment.  Then I reached
over and slowly picked it up.
     "Hello?"
     "Brent, where have you been?"  Peter still sounded concerned.
     "I had to go for a run."
     "Are you all right?  Do you want to talk about it?"
     "No, not really.  You've already guessed my secret, so what's there to
talk about?"
     "Plenty!  For starters, you can explain why you ran off like you did."
     "Peter, let's drop it, ok?  I refuse to incriminate myself and lose my
two best friends."
     "Well, ok, if you say so.  But I don't see how you would lose us."
     "Oh, come on.  Do you remember the story of Matthew Shepherd?  I don't
want that happening to me."
     "Why would it?  Oh.  OH?  Dude, I thought you were messing with me.
You mean you really DO have a crush on Jason?"
     I slammed the phone down.  I wanted to scream, but I didn't want to
alarm mom.  Besides, I heard the front door open.  Dad must be home.  I
went to the bathroom and washed my hands.  Then I walked downstairs.
     As I rounded the corner, dad looked up.  I saw him get that look on
his face, so I ducked away and entered the kitchen.  Mom looked at me with
concern, but didn't say anything.
     "Need any help with supper, mom?"
     Mom slowly turned to look at me.  "Brent, what's bothering you?"
     "Nothing, mom.  I just wanted to help."
     "I appreciate that, but you also look like you just lost your best
friend."
     Before I had a chance to think of an answer, the doorbell rang.
Relieved, I ran to answer the door.  I was mildly surprised to see Peter
standing there.  He grabbed my arm and dragged me outside, closing the
door.
     "I don't appreciate being hung up on."
     "Sorry, Peter." I mumbled.  "I didn't think before I reacted."
     "Under the circumstances, I understand.  I apologize for saying what I
did."
     "No, don't apologize.  I knew it would come sooner or later.  Just do
me a favor and don't tell Jason, ok?"
     "Don't tell me what?"
     I turned in horror to see Jason walking up to us.  Suddenly, the world
turned black.  The next thing I know, I'm lying on my bed.  Without having
to open my eyes, I can tell that someone was sitting next to me.  I finally
decided to open my eyes.
     "Finally decided to join the land of the living?" Peter asked with a
smile.
     "What happened?"  I was still a bit groggy, but I tried to sit up.
     Peter held me down, but that wasn't hard to do.  "Basically, you
passed out.  You got a strange look on your face, then dropped like a sack
of potatoes."
     Suddenly, our conversation came back to me.  This time, I managed to
sit up.  "Where's Jason?" I cried out.
     "Steady there, psycho.  He's downstairs.  And I haven't said a word to
him, I promise.  I was leaving that up to you."
     "Thanks, Peter.  I'd better get down there."  I gave Peter a quick
hug, then ran downstairs.
     When I entered the front room, Jason jumped up.  He walked up to me
and gave me a hug.  It was a hug only friends give each other, but for some
reason, it put me in an embarrassing situation.  Jason backed away slightly
and looked at me curiously.
     I was scared at this point.  Almost to the point of shaking.  Come to
think of it, I WAS shaking like a leaf.  Jason dropped his arms and cleared
his throat.
     "Are you ok, man?" he asked.  "You don't look so good."
     "I'm sorry Jason." I managed to whisper.  Then I turned and ran out
the front door.  I barely made it to the lawn when my stomach shifted into
reverse.  Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jason and Peter stop a few
feet away.
     When I finally stood up straight, Jason smiled and walked up to me.
He pulled me into another hug, keeping the lower half of his body away from
mine.
     "It's ok, Brent." Jason said.  "I kind of knew for a while now.  To be
honest, it's flattering, really."  He pushed me away so he could look me in
the face.  "Just don't kiss me, especially now."
     He said it with such a straight face, I almost missed it when he broke
into a grin.  He started to laugh, then Peter laughed.  I was relieved that
Jason didn't care.  Then a thought hit me.
     "Please don't tell anyone." I almost begged.
     Jason just punched my shoulder and winked at me.  I didn't really know
what to think, so I kept my mouth shut for a change.  We started to walk
toward the house, but Peter held me back.
     "There are two people who need to know, though." he said.
     I just looked at him, then entered the house.  Through all the
excitement, mom still had managed to prepare supper.  Peter and Jason were
invited to eat with us, as usual.  All through the meal, several thoughts
played hockey in my brain.
     Dad must have noticed.  "Hey, kiddo, why the long face?  Trying to
decide who you're taking to the school dance?"
     I panicked.  He couldn't know, could he?  I dismissed the idea, but
couldn't answer.  I just looked at him.  I was surprised to see him laugh.
    "It's ok, son.  I'm sure any one of the girls would jump at a chance to
be seen hanging off of your arm."
     "Not a girl, dad." I blurted.  Immediately, I felt my ears burn.  This
wasn't exactly how I would have wanted to do this, but there it was.  Out
in the open.  Hanging over the table.  No, hanging over me, like a
hangman's noose.  I felt the rope slip around my neck and slowly draw
closed.
     Dad just stared at me for a minute.  "What do you mean, Brent?" he
asked slowly.
     "More mashed potatoes, anyone?" mom broke in.  I looked over at her.
The look on her face begged me not to say anything else.  I never have
listened to my parents too well.
     "Well, dad, I just don't want to disappoint any of the girls, so I may
not go to the dance with any of them."
     "That's understandable, son.  But wouldn't it look odd if you went to
the dance alone?"
     "I never said I was going to go alone." I mumbled.
     "What's that?  I couldn't hear you."
     I lifted my head and looked him directly in the eye.  "I never said I
was going to go alone." I repeated.
     "Oh."  Dad looked confused.  For once in my life, can't I just listen
to my parents?  It was too late now.  I was in for the ride of my life.  I
just didn't realize how scary the ride was going to get.
     We finished supper in silence, and then Dad went into the front room.
Mom started on the dishes, and Peter, Jason, and I went up to my room.  We
sat around, not saying anything.  Finally, Jason spoke.
     "That was interesting."
     "No doubt." Peter answered.
     Silence darkened the room again.  We all jumped when my phone rang.  I
reluctantly picked it up.
     "Hello?"
     "Brent, do you guys want dessert?"
     "No thanks, mom.  It's almost time for them to go, anyway."
     I hung up the phone and walked Peter and Jason to the door.  Jason
gave me a hug again, and with one last look, walked out into the night.
Peter just looked at me like a little lost puppy and followed Jason.  I
can't explain it, but I had a feeling that this night was going to get
worse.

Well, that's another chapter.  How am I doing?  All comments and
suggestions should be sent to Newbie2k79@yahoo.com