by Zane Menzy
Matt didn’t say anything. What was there to say? He had quit his job and had no intention of ever talking with this nasty brat or his bullying sidekick. Matt intended to avoid them like the edge of a cliff.
Damon kept flashing his teeth through a disarming smile. “Are you busy?”
Matt dug his hands in his pockets, pausing to answer. “Umm no, not really.”
“Would I be able to come in?” Damon asked. He saw how reluctant Matt was to engage with him, he extended his hand out with the wrapped box. “This is for you. To say sorry for the other day.”
Matt took the box, knowing already what would be in it. Chocolates. “Thank you,” he said in a bland tone.
“I really am sorry about what happened. It was a joke that just... got out of hand.” Damon wiped his face, clearing trickles of rainwater running down his forehead.
Matt rolled his eyes in disgust. Damon’s apology meant nothing to him.
“So, would it be cool if I came in?” Damon’s teeth chattered, his wet body shivering as he stood waiting to be let inside. “I have something to show you.” He pointed at the carry bag he was holding. His eyes glowed with remorse, an almost pleading glint in them.
Matt sighed. “Yeah, come in before you freeze to death.” He stood aside letting his unwanted guest come in. Damon knelt down to take his wet sneakers off but Matt grabbed his shoulder. “Don’t worry about your shoes, they’re probably cleaner than our carpet.”
Damon laughed and got to his feet. Matt led them into the lounge. He remained standing, not wanting Damon to feel like he could stay for long. “What is it you wanted to show me?”
Damon ignored Matt’s body language and presumptuously took a seat on the couch anyway. He dropped the bag to the floor and opened it up, pulling out a blue jersey with different coloured squares on the front. “These are some of my clothes that I don’t really wear anymore and I wondered if maybe you’d like them?” He saw Matt give him a funny look. “I’m not saying that you need new clothes but they are really nice these ones... all good labels ya know.”
Matt felt a strange sense of bravery he wouldn’t normally have with such a person. Damon was in his house so Matt decided he could afford to be a bit rude. “I don’t need your cast offs, Damon. I’m not a fucking charity case.”
“I know, but I just thought maybe you’d like some of them anyway.” He fished out a pair of orange and black shorts, holding them up to show. “Now, they’re not all black like you seem to be addicted to but I think you might look good in something different.” He grinned cheekily.
Matt scoffed on a laugh. “I don’t think we’re the same size.”
Damon pulled out a red t-shirt, throwing it at Matt. “Try it on. I think you’ll find it fits. These are mostly from a couple years ago when I wasn’t so tall and I think we are similar sizes in the waist and chest.” He began nodding, thoughtfully. “You actually have quite a good body, Matt. Like you’re not fat or anything.” The words came out complimentary.
“Thanks…,” Matt said meekly. He held the t-shirt up, inspecting the design and size of it.
“Try it on,” Damon urged. If you don’t like that one there’s a few others in here you might like.
“No… I like it.” Matt nodded.
Damon stood up, walked over and took the shirt off him. He held it up to Matt’s chest to check the size. “See, this will fit.” He handed the shirt back, waiting for Matt to put it on.
Matt held the shirt in his hands, not wanting to try it on in front of Damon.
Damon’s mouth dropped open. “Are you too shy to get changed in front of me?” He laughed. “Dude, I’ve seen you naked remember? You ain’t gonna shock me trying a t-shirt on. No need for shame.”
Matt bit down on his tongue, his lips curled into a frustrated position. “That’s not the point. You and Todd fucking humiliated me and well, yeah… I don’t fancy getting changed in front of anyone. Let alone you.”
Damon shrugged. “Okay. I guess that makes sense.” He grabbed hold of his jersey and ripped it off before doing the same with his t-shirt.
“What the fuck are you doing?” Matt asked, shocked at the randomness.
Damon scuffed off his shoes and proceeded to shove his jeans down his legs. “I’m making things even.” He stepped out of his jeans then whipped off his briefs, leaving himself standing naked in the middle of Matt’s lounge.
Matt laughed, trying not to look at Damon’s nude body. “You’re fucking crazy.” He looked over and saw Damon scratching at his pubes, his dick freely on display. He wasn’t the least bit embarrassed and from what Matt could tell the guy didn’t need to be, he looked just as good naked as he did with his clothes on. “Okay, we’re even now. You can put your clothes back on.”
Damon shook his head and sat back down on the couch. “Trust me, Matt. We’re not quite even yet.”
Matt blushed, still laughing. “I really don’t want to see you wank if that’s what you mean.”
“That’s not what I meant. After you left the other day I forgot to change the sheets and ended up going to bed and laying down in your fucking spoof,” Damon said, grimacing. “How much of that stuff do you fucking brew down there. It was like a fucking pond.”
Matt chuckled at the image. “Well, I ain’t letting you cum over my bedsheets either.” He looked at Damon who continued to sit naked as if it was nothing out of the ordinary. “If I try the shirt on will you put some bloody clothes on?”
Damon nodded, grinning. “Yep.”
Matt took his black baggy shirt off, sliding the sleek red gifted one on. It fell down his body, hugging his torso with slim firmness. He adjusted the bottom of it which hung a little low. Other than that, it was a good fit. Almost flattering, he thought.
“I knew it would fit. It suits you,” Damon said.
“Thanks.” Matt rubbed his hands down his front, admiring how the shirt accentuated his frame.
“You might find that with some decent threads; you’ll have better luck with the girls too.” Damon looked him up and down. “You’re better looking than you think, Matt.”
“What makes you say that?” Matt asked surprised.
“You walk around at school looking down at the ground a lot. It’s like you don’t want people to see you.”
Matt flinched internally at hearing this. It was as if Damon could see his self-doubt and lack of inner pride. He laughed, nervously. “Nobody sees me anyway.”
“We do see you, Matt. I know I do.”
You see me, Matt let the words echo in his head. Fuzzy tingles rippled in Matt’s chest. It was a curious feeling but amazing to know that Port Jackson High’s most popular person had noticed his existence all this time. “Thank you.” Matt turned away, not wanting the naked Damon to see his cheeks glowing red.
Damon’s voice piped up from the couch, “What’s this over here?”
Matt swivelled his neck back round, seeing Damon pointing at his bowl of popcorn on the coffee table. “I was about to watch a movie.”
Damon leant forward and scooped a handful of popcorn from the bowl into his mouth. “Awesome. Mind if I stay and watch it with you?” He raised his eyebrows, glancing at Matt with cheeky presumption.
“Are you being serious?”
“Yeah, man. I ain’t got anything else to do tonight. We can be movie buddies!”
Matt couldn’t believe Damon Harris was offering to hang out and watch a movie with him. Damon fucking Harris! The impressionable wannabe in Matt begged himself to say yes, let Damon stay, but his awkwardness and grudge from the other day demanded he say no. In the end, the part of him desperate to be liked by one of the cool kids won out. “You can stay if you want.”
“Cool. So, what are we watching, movie buddy?”
Matt cringed. There didn’t seem any point in lying considering events of the other day. “Cum shot review: Caught from behind.”
“Say what?” Damon’s jaw dropped.
“It’s a porn,” Matt explained. He
nibbled on his fingernail, thinking of an alternative. “But I think we have an old copy of The Princess Bride if you wanna watch that instead?”
“Fuck that. Go with the porn!”
Matt glanced down at Damon’s crotch, his balls squished into the cushion. “Okay, but can you put your fucking clothes back on now, please?”
Damon smiled. “Yeah. That’s probably a good idea.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN:
That’s What We Do
“You fucking what?” Jason screeched. He sat on Matt’s bed, a look of shock smeared across his face.
“Yep, hung out all night with Damon,” Matt said, trying to sound casual about it.
“But... I don’t understand. Why would he turn up here to visit you in the first place?” Jason’s eyes narrowed suspiciously.
“Because he wanted to give me these.” Matt walked over to his wardrobe and grabbed the clothes that Damon had given him. He had been trying them on all day, looking at himself in front of the mirror, seeing how good he looked in clothes that cost more than anything else he owned. He didn’t intend to tell Jason why Damon brought the clothes around as a peace offering for what he and Todd had done. That was in the past and something he would never tell a soul about.
Jason plucked out on one of the tops, examining it for quality. “This is nice,” he muttered. He pulled out the tag, checking for the label. “26 Red. Not too shabby.” He then pulled out a pair of black jeans with gold stitching, checking the label again. “And Rag Poets. Not the best of his stuff I bet, but still pretty good.” Jason nodded, giving the clothes his seal of approval. “I can’t believe he would be so… so generous.”
“He’s actually really cool,” Matt said with a swell of enthusiasm in his voice. “He’s actually quite funny and he’s super friendly. Not how I thought at all.”
Jason rolled his eyes. “Okay, calm down, Matty Pie. He’s not a fucking rock star.”
Matt took the hint, shutting up about how amazing Damon Harris was. But he was amazing, Matt thought. He was like a rock star. There was a reason why the guy was so popular and well-liked, and now Matt knew first-hand. It wasn’t just because all the girls wanted to sleep with him or because all the guys wished they looked like him. No. It was because Damon Harris had a way of making you feel like you were the only person in the world who mattered, he listened to what you had to say and encouraged you to talk about yourself, always eager to hear more about what made you tick.
At first it had been awkward as hell. Sitting in the basement watching porn, listening to orgasmic screams from furious finger fucking and hard dicks rammed in mouths. But after a while—and a couple beers—the conversation flowed like the pair had been friends for years.
Damon had stayed for over four hours; talking shit, watching the bad porn and making jokes while they drank the fridge empty of beer. He had called a cab just after midnight to take him home, leaving his car parked in Matt’s driveway.
When Matt had woke up just after lunchtime, he was disappointed to see Damon had come to get the car while he had been asleep. He hoped Damon would visit again, maybe even come up and say hello to him at school on Monday.
Damon had convinced him not to quit the cleaning job, insisting Jenna would die without him. Matt had gone to Damon’s house just after 2 o’clock and cleaned up for her, helping her prepare for some dinner party she was hosting. He had been disappointed to see no sign of Damon there. He’d hoped they could have hung out after he’d finished his shift.
Jason’s voice killed Matt’s daydream. “I still can’t believe that sex-on-legs creature came to your house.” Jason shook his head in disbelief.
Matt smiled. “Yeah.” He wished he could tell Jason he had seen Damon naked, just to see his reaction. Jason would have died of jealousy or brought the house down with a scream of ecstasy. However, Matt couldn’t spill that detail unless he wanted to divulge his own humiliating near run-in with Todd Jenkin’s prick.
“So, when is he next visiting?” Jason asked. “I can pop in for a surprise visit and work my magic on him.” Jason winked.
“Ha. You wish!”
“I do actually,” Jason giggled.
“Anyway, haven’t you got yourself the magical Wild Bill?”
Jason’s mouth moved into a sad smile. “I do… but not for much longer.”
“Oh, why’s that?”
“The fool has gone and got himself a fucking job in Sydney. He leaves in a couple weeks. Another one to add to the list of might’ve-beens I guess.”
“Sorry to hear that.” Matt touched Jason’s knee. “You okay?”
Jason puffed out a cocky breath. “Why wouldn’t I be? It’s not like anyone died. Besides, if the idiot is too stupid to take me with him or stay behind, then quite frankly he doesn’t deserve this caramel slice of wonder.” Jason pouted, striking a comical pose.
“Exactly. His loss for sure,” Matt said, smiling.
“I know right. Who the fuck would want to live in Sydney anyway?”
Matt nodded. “Yeah, it must be horrible with its beautiful beaches, better weather, better nightlife and its hordes of gorgeous people.”
“Okay, you’re not helping, Matty.”
“Sorry. Remind me to never become a counsellor.”
“You would be shit for sure,” Jason joked. “But that’s okay. You’re going to become a rich accountant instead and buy us a mansion with a Lamborghini and let me drive it as much as I like. Oh, and fund my drug-fuelled alternative lifestyle.” He licked his lips, lapping up the greedy fairy-tale.
“Thanks for reminding me, but you might be overestimating how much accountants earn.” Matt laughed. “And since when did you come with the mansion and flash car?”
“Your success is my success, sweet cheeks. And likewise, if I make a fortune then I’ll share it with you.” Jason flashed him a comforting glance. “Us peak girls gotta stick together.”
“Boys,” Matt said in vain.
“Bitch, if I’m the one with the millions then I get to call you what I like.”
Matt grinned, nodding. “Well, if you’re paying I guess so.”
“Said like a true whore,” Jason said, patting Matt on the shoulder.
“Yeah, if only I earned as much as one, then I could afford more stuff like this.” Matt picked the clothes up and took them back to his wardrobe.
“Oh god, Julia Roberts. One dip in the fashion pond and suddenly you’re Versace.” Jason fidgeted with Matt’s bed spread before raising his head with a curious look on his face. “Matty?”
“Yeah?” Matt said, spinning around to face his friend.
“Can I ask you a question?”
Matt frowned. It wasn’t like Jason to ask permission for anything. “Yeah…”
“Do you miss your mum?”
Matt screwed his face up, surprised by the question. “Not really.”
“Are you sure?” Jason asked, his voice coming across gentle.
“I’m pretty sure.”
Jason looked back at him, his brown eyes looking untrusting of Matt’s answer.
Matt sighed. “She chose to leave. She chose to walk out and never say where she was going, so why should I miss her?”
“That’s true,” Jason said.
“She doesn’t deserve to be fucking missed.” Matt stood up, walking over to his stereo to chuck a CD on.
“No. I absolutely agree with you,” Jason said. A lingering pause followed. “But would you like to tell her this?”
Matt turned around. He only just noticed that Jason was hiding something from him. “What do you know?”
Jason nervously scratched behind his ear. “I don’t really Know anything.”
“Just spill it, Jason. I can tell you know something.”
“Okay, okay. My sasquatch of a sister—love her to pieces—said she saw Stephanie outside Rainbow house.”
“Rainbow house?” Matt asked, clueless to the name.
“It’s this huge old villa down near the beach. A
bunch of lesbians and some gay guy live there. They sometimes hold coffee evenings and shit for the queer community.”
“Okay,” Matt muttered impatiently. “But what’s that to do with my mum?”
“My sister thinks that Stephanie and your mum might be staying there at the moment.”
“Thinks or knows?” Matt demanded.
Jason cringed. “Knows… she actually went up and talked to Stephanie and Stephanie told her they were staying in town for the week ‘till they moved into their new flat in the city.”
“Why didn’t you ring and tell me this when you first found out?” Matt said, putting his arms up behind his head.
“My sister only told me this morning and that’s why I came to visit. I wasn’t sure if you even wanted to see her and you said yourself you don’t.”
Matt chewed his bottom lip, thinking things over. Jason knew him well enough that it probably wasn’t the type of thing to ask over the phone. Despite Matt joking openly with Jason about his mum’s new-found lifestyle, Jason probably knew this masked a deeper resentment. “What do you think I should do?” Matt finally asked.
“I don’t know, Matty. It’s entirely up to you. I can understand if you don’t want to see her and I can understand if you want to go talk with her about it.”
Matt felt dizzy knowing his mother was in town. The fact she hadn’t come to visit only added salt to his wounds. “I wish dad was here then he could come with me.”
“You don’t need your father with you. Just go alone.”
“But she’ll be with Stephanie and whoever else is in the house.” Matt dreaded the thought of being ganged up on.
“It’s not like some lesbian army is going to attack you.” Jason began laughing. “Mind you, imagine how fucking cool it would be if they came at you like ninjas with dildos as nunchucks.”
Matt glared angrily at his friend. “Okay, not helping matters, Jason.”
Jason settled his laughter down. “Sorry.” He got up and walked over to Matt, putting his hand out to rest on Matt’s shoulder. “Did you want me to come with you?”
“Would you?” Matt looked Jason in the eyes, grateful for the offer.