Kennedy is King

by Cameron James

  “I want a Dom.” I said, Cassidy spluttered almost spilling his tea,

  “No, no sweetheart, I want a dom. You want a Dominic.” He said, I blushed furiously as Harrison laughed headbutting Dom’s shoulder.

  “Oh Kennedy.” Harrison said, as Dom shook his head the barest of blushes on his cheeks.

  “I’m so sorry Dom. I profusely apologise.”

  ♕

  Chapter Thirteen

  Cassidy felt sorry for me. I guess so he invited me to the theatre rehearsal, to watch, not necessarily to partake. He figured it was better than just sitting around for two hours doing nothing. When I’d told Stephen this, he’d laughed, and laughed and told me to go and humour him. He’d see me later.

  I asked him how, he tapped his nose and walked away and I thought about that for practically my entire music theory lesson. I was, in fact still thinking about it when I walked into the theatre, sitting on the front row of the seating bank near to their theatre director Finn.

  He was gorgeous.

  Simple as, and I think around Otis’ age.

  He smiled at me when I sat, his smile turning sympathetic when he looked at my arm, then he turned back to the stage where most of the theatre boys were sat on the edge. The theatre boys ranged from first year through to ours. You only got into the theatre if you passed your primarily audition and auditions happened every September.

  For the last three years, Cassidy has sat beside Finn conducting said auditions and choosing his own elite team and they were incredible, really as a whole they were incredible. They had the chance to showcase this at the Christmas show, every one of them got a song slot and were expected to fill it, and they did. It was kind of their first audition before the summer musical auditions. That Cassidy was of course going to be the lead in.

  “Let’s warm up gentlemen.” Finn said, then waved the music sheet at them, they all followed it like little puppies who were about to be fed. It amused me. “As requested, my gorgeous theatre babies.” Finn said as he handed out the sheet. The gasps came like a Mexican wave. Finn smiled smugly, turning to start the backing track, his expression perfectly said ‘I did a good’. The opening number from Waitress filled the theatre, and then Cassidy began to sing.

  I’d been taken to see Waitress over the summer, it was one of Cassidy’s flavours – excuse the pun, you know, pies – of the year, he was hopelessly in love with the entire thing and it was enjoyable. I definitely enjoyed it – and the pie in the interval.

  And you could see it on the stage, although it seemed him and everyone else was as obsessed given the joy as they sang through the warmup. I’d watched them perform of course, for the last few years we’d been in the orchestra pit as the senior orchestra always played for the summer musical, and of course we knew they were phenomenal, but I tended to spend the entire performance reading the sheet music over watching the stage, so now, I sat and appreciated until I caught Finn’s eye.

  He was watching me, a raised eyebrow and a smile on his face.

  “What?” I said quietly, he laughed coming to sit next to me, choosing to sit on my right so he didn’t knock my elbow – I fully appreciated that.

  “The King seems… surprised.” He offered; I shook my head.

  “I have no derestriction in here. This is the Queens land.” I said Finn laughed as he nodded.

  “I’m going to miss him next year, for sure.” He said fondly,

  “I knew they were good.” I explained, “I don’t think I quite knew how good.”

  “They work hard.” Finn agreed, “didn’t you ever?”

  “No.” I said quickly, he laughed. “I don’t like standing on the stage, playing a part.”

  “Huh.” Finn said, I looked at him. “Just, isn’t the King a part?” he asked, I frowned at him. “Because, honestly I don’t think the King is one hundred percent authentically you. Like the Queen isn’t one hundred percent authentically him.” he nodded towards Cassidy who now seemed to be running the rehearsal.

  “Really?” I asked, he shook his head,

  “I talk to Cassidy, a lot, professionally, academically and personally. Queen Cassidy isn’t every part of him.”

  “Very, observant.” I said, he laughed.

  “Popularity is a game Kennedy, you know that.” He said, I nodded because oh how it was true. I had so many lives, if I lost them all, I’d essentially die and have to go straight back to Level One. My entire life was like a perpetual Rainbow Road. If I fell off, I was doomed. “He knows how to play it.” he added to Cassidy, because he did, he was definitely currently in first place, and not for the first time, I wondered if I was only King because he was Queen, because I was his twin brother, but I couldn’t be too sure.

  The King before us was a beautiful boy called Asher. He played the piano in the orchestra and he had been fond of me. He really wasn’t too much older than us, his reign had started when he was in Fifth year, when the King before him left. We were in Second then and my god did we worship the ground Asher walked on.

  Cassidy and I, of course were the appointed Prince and Princess of our year, or as the school formally called it Year representatives, so we were always inline. I just hadn’t expected me to actually take the crown when Asher had left, and I was still just fourteen. There were boys, men, older than me who listened and hung on every word I said. The teachers practically ate out of the palm of my hand. It was weird, and I never really knew what I’d done to get there.

  I presume Cassidy was doing a lot of the behind the scenes work, all the schmoozing and ground laying, but I had been very close to Asher, for all of his reign, we had been friends and I’d enjoyed his company as much as I presume, he enjoyed mine, sure I was young. I started hanging around with him when I was twelve and he sixteen, but it was kind of like being apart of King Arthur’s round table. I had an in, and although I’d have never used him for popularity, it had grown around me.

  The rest of the school whispered my name, and knew things about me, like how Stephen had known my drink order. I could walk down the corridor and hear six different rumours about me, none of them true. I had younger years trying to get on my good side, and older years asking me to things way inappropriate – but flattening none the less – I had everything, and it should’ve been easy, right? It wasn’t.

  The more people who were watching me, then meant the more people who’d know if I’d fucked up, and how I had. My relationships had no real substance except for those faithful like Cody and Theo. My crushes were practically weekly news. Every word I spoke was relayed in someway or another, every time I sneezed, or tied my shoelaces, or wore my hair a different way. Every damn thing I did was public domain and so I put on a mask.

  Cassidy too. Sure, Queen Cassidy was a part of him, he was loud, and flamboyant and proud. He wore the latest fashion trends, he told people where to go, and how to get there but he was also quiet, he was soft spoken and liked to wear oversized jumpers whilst sipping tea and listening to audiobooks. The Queen was a persona, something for people to lap up and to dine out on, and how they did.

  He’d had a now third year follow him around for three years practically at his beck and call. He’d had almost every boy of legal age in his bed. Everyone knew about Queen Cassidy and knew not to fuck with him. Most, besides, again the faithful Cody and Theo, and myself, didn’t know about Cassidy Bradford. The boy he was in our bedroom, the boy who cried every damn time Simba found Mufasa dead.

  My mask was confident and bold. My mask didn’t give two shits about anything, anyone said to me, or did. My mask was cool and collective, with good advice and an easy-going nature. My mask was what I was trying to persuade Stephen I wasn’t and I really thought I was beginning to succeed.

  “Did I just make you have a crushing realisation?”

  “Yep.” I said, he inhaled slowly.

  “Sorry about that.” He said, I smiled, the mask slipping into place.

  “I’ll forgive you this time.” I said, Finn laughed. “Make me r
evaluate my life again though, there will be consequences.”

  “Yes, your Majesty.” He said bowing his head then standing and walking to the stage. He tapped it twice with his palm and somehow got the entire stages attention.

  Text Message 17:01

  Stephen: Third floor.

  Kennedy: Consider my interest piqued x

  I walked the third floor slowly. It’d taken a lot of work to persuade Cassidy to let me go off on my own, but Theo had basically distracted him and I slipped away before he could realise, he’d been distracted.

  I didn’t go to the third floor much, or at least I hadn’t for a while as that was where all the science labs were and the sport science classrooms. Stephen was stood, leaning between two doors as I walked towards him. He smiled at me, I smiled back although I was pretty certain mine was a bit wary.

  “You’re not the only one who has teachers in the palm of their hand.” He said then rose a keyring, shaking the two keys at me, I frowned. “Mr Hunt likes me, what can I say.” He said as he pushed himself off the wall and opened the classroom to his left. It was a Sports Science classroom a few two person desks and so many anatomy posters.

  “Huh, this is your orchestra room.” I said, Stephen laughed as he sat on one of the desks.

  “Basically, yeah.” He nodded as I walked towards him. I used my knee to spread his legs so I could stand between them. He grinned, stroking down my sides until his hands slipped into my blazer pockets. “How was the theatre then?” he asked, I laughed.

  “Cassidy feels so sorry for me.” I said, he laughed it sounded fond as he knocked his head against mine. “Last night he was lamenting about how sad he’d be if he couldn’t do theatre for six weeks, and how bad I must’ve felt because it’s been three and I’ve only been in the orchestra room once, so, because it’d obviously be too painful, he suggested I go watch the theatre rehearse, so I wasn’t alone.” I sighed against his forehead. “I said no, and he got all question-y asking me every damn question ever so I just said yes.”

  “Did you enjoy it though?”

  “Yes.” I scrunched my nose at him, “I like theatre.” I said, he smiled as he rose his hand out of my pocket. He almost frowned as he looked at what was in his hand. A pencil, an almost empty packet of gum, and,

  “What is that?” he asked, as he lay his hand flat, I smiled.

  “Saxophone reed.” I said amused, his eyebrows did a dance as he dropped the pencil back into my pocket. He held the reed with his finger and thumb examining it curiously. “As its in my pocket, I presume it’s been used.”

  “Ew.” He said, I laughed.

  “Ew?” I repeated, “ew.” I said he nodded as he dropped it back into my pocket. “How is that ew, and kissing me not?”

  “I never said kissing you wasn’t ew.” He said pointing at me, I gasped moving my head away from him making him laugh as I shook my head just about avoiding saying ‘ah-ah’ as he tried to catch me.

  Until he put his hands either side of my head. He steadied it, grinning at me then pulling me towards him and kissing me. It got heated quickly. I gasped when my arm bumped against him. The pain quick almost sweet, then his head bowed.

  “No, no I had… no I was going to ask you something I can’t get distracted.” He said as if it was my fault. I nodded to him pressing my lips together, he rolled his eyes then he laughed. “I was wondering what the elite do on Bonfire night?” he asked, I frowned.

  “Nothing.” I said slowly, “not really. Sometimes a sit in but we haven’t had one in a few years.” I added, his smile was something glorious.

  “Then, you’re mine.” He declared, I frowned. “Thursday night, you’re coming to our bonfire.”

  “You have a bonfire?” I asked, he nodded quickly.

  “Football team, hockey team and the tennis team. We have a big bonfire, then sit on the hill and watch the fireworks.”

  “Where?” I asked curiously,

  “Jay, from the tennis teams house. His garden backs onto a field.”

  “Are you sure he’d want me at his house?” I asked, he frowned it was amused.

  “Yeah. I know your parties are guest list and ID at the door kind of deals, but we’re quite relaxed with who comes.”

  “Okay.” I said, then nodded more definitely. “Okay.”

  “Good.” He said cheerfully, then he tapped my chest. “Let’s kiss some more. We don’t have much time.” He said, and well I couldn’t deny that request.

  ♕

  Chapter Fourteen

  I stood in front of the mirror in my room for far too long, because what did you wear to a bonfire? I had worn my leather jacket out a few days before, and had thought about complaining about being too cold one time too many, so figured that wouldn’t be the best. I had a long woollen trench coat but I figured I’d look pretty pretentious if I wore that so it didn’t even come out of my wardrobe. I lifted my parka out, frowning at it slightly because I couldn’t figure out if it was obviously expensive and would come across as flaunting.

  Then, I remembered that pretty much everyone in this school had heavy pockets and I put my parka on. I smiled at myself in the mirror just before I zipped up my parka, nodding at my choice of checked shirt and dark denim skinny jeans. I stepped into my Doc Martens as Cody came into the room.

  “Thank god.” I said, he frowned at me his frown amused. “Can you tie my laces?” I asked, he laughed but nodded putting his cello against his bed then kneeling in front of me, lifting my foot when he pulled on my laces.

  “Where are you going?” he asked as he made sure my shoes were so tight, they’d never come off.

  “To watch the fireworks.” I replied looking at him, he frowned as he looked back up at me.

  “Alone?”

  “No.” I said shaking my head at him,

  “With your… secret?” he asked smirking at me as he started on my other foot.

  “My secret?”

  “Yeah.” He shrugged. “I feel like you never quite finish your sentences. Like you think of an amusing thing that’s happened and you go to tell it but then realise that you can’t tell us.”

  “I…” I began then I shook my head as he sat back against his ankles.

  “It’s okay. Everyone has secrets.” He said as he stood, “just tell me.” he said smiling at me, “is it love, or is it sex?”

  Our eyes met and he didn’t flinch, or look away. He smiled though, and I relaxed, if only briefly.

  “Love.” I whispered; his smile grew so wide.

  “That’s all I need to know.” He said, “unless you want to tell me more, which if you choose too. Pumpkin Spice is back in the coffee shops.”

  “I hear you.” I whispered as I stood, “I’ve got to go. I’ll…”

  “Have fun.” He said as he reached underneath his bed. He pulled out his storage box then his laptop placing it on his bed. “I however will be doing a History essay. Want to swap?”

  “I do not.” I said, he laughed then sighed.

  “Worth a try.” He said as he took his blazer off. I waved to him, he winked at me then waved back.

  I met Stephen outside of the school. He was stood, with Danny in what looked like a pretty deep conversation, until I approached and they both just stopped.

  Danny’s eyes trailed me, he seemed pleased with what he saw and oddly I felt pleased that he did, then I saw Stephen’s eyes trailing me, as he bit his lip, and that, well that made me feel proud as punch, and slightly horny but I put that thought to rest pretty quickly. We walked to Jay’s house. It actually wasn’t far, and his house seemed alive, but not because the music was thumping but because of all the people who were hanging around.

  They were all laughing and talking, there was a group on the front lawn running around and throwing a football to each other. They were laughing, all their coats in a pile near them as they ran around in dark blue coloured hoodies. I watched intrigued then turned as Stephen tugged on my arm walking me towards the house. We didn’t walk through
the house, he walked me around the side, through a wooden gate into the garden. It was as alive boys everywhere laughing, playing and eating. The garden, went on for what seemed like miles. A giant bonfire burning near what I assume was the end of the garden. There were boys sat around it, drinking what looked like beers.

  Most of them had green hoodies on. The boys who seemed fully engaged in a game of what I’m sure wasn’t but looked extraordinary like tag had purple hoodies on.

  “I feel left out.” I said, Stephen laughed as he looked at me. “Not part of the club.” I suggested,

  “You’re not.” He said as he unzipped his coat, his hoodie was blue, the same shade as his football kit.

  “We don’t get much.” Danny said, he wore the same hoodie. “But we do get matching team hoodies.” He said proudly, I pouted.

  “Aw.”

  “Aw poor popular kid.” Stephen said then tugged on my coat, so I walked with him as he led me towards the food. My stomach rumbled appreciatory as I looked at the spread. There were burger buns, and hot dog rolls, and uncooked vegetable kebabs. On the other end of the table was loads of apples on sticks. Some were smothered with toffee, others chocolate, some, I think just cinnamon. I wanted to eat them all.

  “Jay’s parents are chefs.” Stephen said, I looked at him, “they own a restaurant in town, you know you’re always going to be fed well at Jay’s.” he said amused, then he actually looked at me, I looked back at him.

  “What?”

  “Okay?” he asked, I turned where I was stood.

  “I just walked from the front to here without anyone trying to get my attention.” I said, “there’s proper food out, not catering crap like mussels, or hors d'œuvre, and you’re playing.”

  “Is he broken?” Danny asked, Stephen laughed as he stroked my chest.

  “No, just popular.” He said softly then kissed my cheek, I looked at him. “We have no one to impress, so why not have fun.” He said,

  “But, just so we’re clear.” Danny said, I glanced at him, “we still drink beer, and fuck.”