Stay With Me, Part 1 : Sing your own special song

"Nothing, except for the fact that he's the hottest guy in the county, and everyone wants to screw him!" She laughed.

"Is that so?" I asked sarcastically.

"Be careful with him." Nick intervened.

"Why, what's the matter?" I asked.

"Nothing, you'll see. Just remember who his dad is and make sure you're safe and to call us if anything goes wrong."

Nick looked over at me and smiled.

"His dad's the biggest prick ever, and he doesn't take kindly to, well, you know this already. But anyways, hurry up I'm hungry!"

We pulled up to my apartment complex. Nick practically pushed his sister out of the car.

"Move, move damnit!!" Nick screamed.

"What the hell is your problem?!" Emily said sharply back at Nick.

"Nothin', I just gotta pee." Nick smiled and ran up the stairs to my apartment. He knew where I kept my spare key, so he grabbed
it from atop the crack on the door and let himself in.

"That's for emergencies, asshole, not because you gotta pee!" I yelled to him.

"Ya, ya, whatever, next time i'll just piss on your front door." He screamed back.

We got inside and I got to my room. Nick and Emily were out in my living room, eating all my food and playing video games, as usual.
I sat on my bed and took out the card Jared had given me with his number on it. I picked up my coordless on my desk near my bed and began to dial. I stared at the number for about a minute or so, debating on wether to call or not. Then I just said screw it,
and began to dial.

Three rings went by, and no pick up. I was beginning to feel like shit, I really wanted to see him, or hear his voice. Then my eyes began to widen.

"Hello?" The familiar voice said deeply and softly.

"H-Hey this is Jake, is this Jared?" I spoke casually.

"Yea, oh hey, what's up bud?"

"Not much, hangin around the house. You?"

"Oh uh, not much here umn, hey you play pool?" He asked.

"Sure, ya." I answered.

"Pool House on 9th and 32nd. 8pm. I-I gotta go, sorry." The phone clicked.

I thought to myself, "That was weird.." but never-the-less I was happy. I ran outside my room like a mad man.

"Yes! I'm out at 7:30 tonight!" I fell onto the couch nearby them.

"Well someones in a good mood, I do declare." Nick said chuckling.

"He said yes, I take it?" Emily asked grinning.

I looked over again to see Nick's expression, still unsure of myself. An uneasy "Yes" came out of my mouth. Nick just smiled and still continued to focus on the video game he was playing.

"Well, I better get ready!" I said.

"Good, now I'm taking over your radio!" Emily shouted.

"Oh no, here she goes, what's it this time? Rod Stewart? Patrick Swayze?" Nick asked sarcastically.

"If you must know, smart ass, it's the wonder idol Mama Cass." Emily snickered back at her brother.

"Mama Wha? For fuck sakes how'd I get you as a sister, half this shit I don't even know of."

Emily walked over to my stereo system, popped in her CD, and on came Mama Cass. She began singing

"Nobody can tell ya, there's only one song worth singing.. They may try and sell ya, cause it hangs them up to see someone like you... But you've gotta make your own kind of music.. Sing your own special song.. Make your own kind of music, even if nobody else sings along!"

The song brought me back 3 years ago when I saw this movie called Beautiful Thing. The most inspirational movie I've ever seen with two young boys falling in love, hiding it as a secret. Things began to change for them, but in a good way. It brought back some great feelings of not being ashamed to be me, or loving someone even if they're the same sex.

I got up from the couch silently, but smiling. I went to my bathroom and shut the door. After I was done showering, I wrapped a towel
around my waist and walked towards my bedroom. Nick came out of my room surprisingly. In the middle of the hall I'd had another
ackward moment with him. He glanced at me, then to make it seem like nothing was wrong, he smacked my ass as I went to my
room. I knew it was in a joking way, as I giggled to my room. But wow, he had powerful hands. I began to get ready, putting on a pair
of jean shorts and a nice black polo shirt. As I went to grab my keys and cell phone off my desk I noticed a note.

"Be careful with him, seriously. If you need anything tonight, call my cell. Have fun dude! -Nick"

Now it started to bother me, what exactly was the problem, aside with his father being a prick? But of course, I didn't really dwell upon
it that long, the excitement took over and I walked out of my room.

"Later guys." I said as I noticed Emily slapping Nick for some slick comment he'd probably said.

"Have fun, lookin' good cutie!" Emily said.

"Ya, have fun tonight." Nick said.

I walked out the door, got in my car and started to drive to the pool hall.

I arrived at the pool hall, it wasn't too busy. There was about 20 tables total, and at least 15 were open. I proceeded to head to the back to reserve a table. 8:00 rolled by, and still no sign of Jared. I'd been there since 7:45, so it seemed like I was waiting forever, when it had only been 15 minutes. I figured I'd just practice a few times on my own. I racked up the balls and began to break them. Few minutes passed by, and I got into "playing myself" and channeled out of my surroundings.

Then as I was concentrating on a shot, my nostrols flared, my heart fluttered, my erotic senses were going crazy, the incredible smell of the curve cologne had caught my senses. I knew he was behind me. I turned around and saw the beautiful smile of the boy, the man, I'd fallen for. There he stood, he was wearing jean pants with a long sleeved blue silk shirt, which seemed to bring out the color of his eyes even more.

The deep gentle voice that came from his beautiful thin lips studdered out the words :

"Hey, sorry I'm late, I ran into -- uhh -- car trouble."

"Not a problem, glad you came." I said.

"Everything alright?" I asked.

"Huh, w-what do you mean?" He looked as if I'd just asked him if he wanted to have sex or something ackward.

"Your car...? You said you were having problems with it?" I questioned.

"Oh, OH, right yea, no sorry everythings fine I got it taken care of." Jared spoke.

"Lets rack up a game, eh?" Jared changed the subject quickly.

"Alright!" I spoke.

An hour went by and we got to talking, explaining more about ourselves. Id explained about my family and about my mother,
and also of my father. Jared was the exact opposite of me in a
sense. His mother had left his father due to drinking problems,
and he hadn't heard from her in over 10 years. He briefly explained about his father, but again the subject was changed.

"Why don't we get out of here and grab a drink and some dinner?" Jared asked.

"Sure, why not." I answered. I hadn't eaten much all day, so dinner didn't sound bad at all.

"How about we just take one car, how far do you live from here?" Jared asked.

"Less than five minutes." I answered.

"Great. I'll follow you." Jared said.

I got in my car and he followed me to my apartment. Jared was driving a what seemed to be a brand new Audi TT. I thought to myself for a second, "I wonder how he had car trouble.. Looks brand new to me".
We pulled up to my apartment complex, and I got in his car. The scent of his cologne was even stronger now. Oh how I loved that scent of extacy!

"Ready?" He asked.

"Ready." I said.

We took off and he brought us to a small diner a few minutes up the road. We got inside and ordered. Our conversation began to get
a little more personal this time, but more so about me. I didn't understand, he kept shutting me out with each question I asked of his
personal life. Then in the middle of our conversation his phone rang.

"Hello?" Jared answered.

I heard a stern voice on the phone who sounded angry with him, but I looked around the diner as if to pretend I wasn't listening. Jared
got up and gave me "I'll be right back" gesture. I could hear him somewhat in the distance still, and all I could make out was his last
sentence of him studdering and saying "Y-Yes sir, I'm on my way right now". Jared came quickly back and apologized and told me he needed to go back to his house. He paid for the dinner and we got in his car and he began to drive me home.

"I'm sorry this had to end early, I had an emergency come up." Jared explained.

"It's not a problem." I answered.

We were in an ackward silence after that, it seemed like he was speeding to get home, not over doing it but as if he was scared.
We pulled up to my apartment complex then he looked at me and smiled. My heart melted again, I couldn't get over how crushing
his smile was.

"I had a great time tonight, we should try and go out more often." Jared spoke softly while looking at me.

"Me too." I smiled back at him.

"Right, well, I've gotta get home so, I'll see you at school?" Jared asked.

"Yea, thanks for everything." I responded. I began to get out of the car and turned to walk towards my apartment. Jared sat there for a second and as I turned around he was still looking at me and smiling. Then he pulled out and drove off.

As I made my way up the stairs, I stopped and hung over the railing. From my view, I could see the beautiful city and the star light sky. "Finally, something is going great this time for me." I said to myself. I inhaled the october breeze which gently kissed my skin. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the calming of nature. A few minutes later, I crept quietly in my house. Emily was on the couch. I didn't see Nick at all. I made my way to my room, and there he was. He was laying on my bed.

"Been waiting for ya, have fun tonight?" He quietly asked me.

"Ya, it was pretty nice." I said as I layed my keys on my desk and started to take my shoes off and get comfortable. Then, an ackward conversation began.

"Look, I know how much you like him, Jake. I can see it in your eyes." He said softly. My heart started to beat as I responded.

"Wha- what do you mean?" I tried not looking at him.

"You don't have to lie to me, I've known for quite some time and it's made no difference in our friendship. I love you, I love your
Mom, I'd do anything to keep both of you safe. But I'm not here to talk to you about that. I'm simply saying please be careful with him, I don't want you to get hurt."

"Why do you keep insisting that something is going to go wrong? Do you know something I don't? What's with all of this all
of the sudden...?" I asked.

"Look, I know I've only told you slight details. And I'm going to keep it that way. Jared's lifestyle at home from what I hear isn't
the best. His father is some what of a lunatic. He cares nothing of him, only of his money. He's a drunk, and a dangerous one at that, and if he catches you with his son, which as far as I know thinks he's straight, I can't imagine what will happen. Like I said, I just want you to be safe. I won't ever let you go through a repeat of.."

"Please, don't." I cut him off.

"No, I promised you that night, you and your mother, I'd always look after you. Like I said, you are my brother, my best friend, my
family. I won't let him hurt you like your father did to you and your mother."

"That was along time ago, I'm stronger now." I responded.

"Are you? I'm not so sure. You may be able to deal with it, but deep inside I know you. It's crushing you, I see it everday."

I sat in my chair on my desk and looked down and started to think. Nick was sitting up on the edge of my bed. He then kneeled
down to my feet and curled me in his arms. My head in his chest, and I began to cry.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you but, I just want to make sure you're alright." He spoke softly.

"I know, I know.." I said while huffing in and trying to stop crying.

Then I heard Emily say "Oh, I know you bitches aren't group hugging without me?!". I laughed so hard from all the emotions running through my mind at that moment. Emily came over and gave me a kiss on the cheek.

"How'd it go tonight?" Emily asked.

"Great, I think." I said while wiping the tears from my eyes.

"Good thing you came home early, cus now you get to make breakfast for me in the morning!" She smiled.

"You just ate two hours ago fat ass!" Nick shouted sharply at Emily.

"Oh, I'm the fat ass am I? Who went out to buy twinkies and donuts cus' they didn't like the fridge assortment of vegetables and HEALTHY
stuff?! Eh? I'll give you a hint, I'm lookin' at that fat ass right now!" She said sarcastically to Nick. We all began to laugh histerically. A few hours later we were out, Emily on the couch, Nick sleeping in my bed, and I took the futon inside my room.

After our night out I'd been talking with Jared every day. We became closer and closer with each moment. One night, after he took me to
dinner and a movie we sat in the parking lot of my apartment complex. We sat and talked for a bit.

"Great movie, eh?" He asked smiling.

"Ya, it was. dinner was great too! Thanks again." I smiled back.

Jared nodded at me. We stared at eachother for almost a minute. Then he began to lean toward me. I let myself go, and in that moment
our lips pressed together. I could feel my heart start to studder, I could feel the warmth of his skin pulsing onto my face. As he leaned back he smiled and came back for seconds. This time we both let go, our tounges intertwined and danced for dominance. The way he tasted was indescribable. He began to put his hand on my cheek and his fingers clenched softly to hold me. The kiss finally ended.

"So, I'll call you tomorrow?" Jared asked slighly.

"Yeah, do that." I said slighly back at him.

I gave another peck on his lips and he grabbed my hand and let it go softly as I got out of his car. He winked at me as I walked toward my
apartment. I smiled back him as I was walking. A few days had gone by and I hadn't spoke with Jared. I figured he might've been busy, but
the odd part was that he'd been missing his classes in school, but on the other hand, students said he'd been at school to pick up his work
but he hadn't stayed. Mr. Rodert asked me if I knew anything about why he would be missing his classes, I told him I hadn't seen him in a few weeks myself, but that I'd tried to get a hold of him a few times.

When I got back to my apartment, I sat on my couch with my
cell phone in my hand and began to dial Jared's number. No answer again. I was getting worried. His voicemail came on.

"Hey it's Jared, I can't talk right now but leave a message and I'll get back as soon as I can." The recording ended and then beeped.

"Hey Jared, its Jake. Just callin' to see if you're OK. Haven't seen you in a while at school and Mr. Rodert was askin' about you. Anyways, call
me whenever you can. See ya."

I sat and watched a bit of T.V. and dozed off. A few hours passed and I awoke to the sound of a text message. The message read from Jared :

"Meet me out front."

I looked twice at the message, then threw on some some sandals and walked out side and down the stairs. Jared was waiting at the bottom.
As I got further down, I noticed the tears swelling in his eyes.

"Hey.." He spoke.

To Be Continued...