Apples to Oranges

by Xondra Day

  “Are you okay?” Jace wasn’t sure she’d be able to cope.

  “I am. I’m remembering him. Memories are a good thing. I’m glad I forced myself to come here.”

  “I miss him too,” he said. “I think about him all the time.”

  “I know you do, honey. He was a wonderful man.” She smiled. “Now, let’s take a walk. It’ll help clear my head.”

  An hour later they were back standing over his dad’s grave. It looked like rain was coming. The sky had clouded over and sure enough, when they reached the car, tiny droplets began to pelt the windows.

  “The calm before the storm,” said his mom, starting the car. “Let’s go home.”

  ****

  Monday came and went. By the end of the day, Jace was ready for school to be over and done with. Mrs. Glynn had tossed them a surprise quiz straight out of left field in geography and while he thought he’d done well with it, it wasn’t expected and he wished he’d studied more for that class.

  “That’s in the toilet,” Mike said, passing by in in the hall. They stopped at Jace’s locker and he listened as Mike explained why Mrs. Glynn was a hag for springing this one on them. “She gets off on it. Did you see the look of satisfaction on her face when she told us we had a test today? She needs to spend more time shaving that ‘stache she got.” He pointed to his upper lip and laughed. “That thing has more hair than my ass!”

  Jace raised one brow and smirked. “That’s a nice image.”

  “I’ve got a nice ass.” Mike spun around and lifted the back of his t-shirt. “See. It’s nice and firm too.”

  “I’ll take your word for that.” Jace rolled his eyes. Mike did have a nice ass and was quite good-looking. He could see why lots of girls found his cousin attractive.

  “Pfft, you didn’t even look,” Mike scoffed, faking disappointment.

  “I don’t go around looking at guy’s butts.” Jace rummaged through his locker for a notebook and shoved it into his bag after he’d found it.

  “You know, if you did it wouldn’t matter.” Mike went silent.

  “That’s good to know.” Mike’s comment left him a little dumbstruck. Did Mike know about him and Preston, or perhaps, Brandon?

  “But you know it doesn’t matter to me what you are. I felt the need to say that. We’re cool and always will be.”

  “What exactly are you trying to say? Am I missing something here?”

  “There are rumours going around. Some people think you might be gay,” Mike explained.

  “They think?”

  “Yeah. I don’t think anything one way or the other. If you are, it’s okay. It’s no big deal to me. Your life is yours. That’s how I see it.”

  “Thanks, I guess.” Jace didn’t know what else to say and he wasn’t ready or in the mood to confirm anything. This wasn’t his time to come out. “Who’s been saying this?”

  “Just a bunch of people here at school. They didn’t say anything bad. They think that it’s possible because you’ve never had a girlfriend or shown any interest.”

  “And that would make me gay?”

  Mike leaned into him and lowered his voice. “You’re eighteen and a decent looking guy. You could easily have a girlfriend if you wanted one.”

  “Lots of guys also have girlfriends for years and they’re still gay.” Jace was proud of himself for making that point.

  “Point taken and you’re right. Anyway, let’s get the hell outta here. I got the van and will give you a lift home.”

  ****

  Brandon leaned back against the side of the van and waited for Mike to show. He’d done his best to avoid Jace that day and when he spotted the two guys heading towards him from across the parking lot, he didn’t know if it was best to stay or fuck off. He chose the former, thinking they’d already seen him anyway.

  It wasn’t that he didn’t like Jace. He liked him too much. Since their little encounter he’d done nothing but think about him. “Hey,” he said. He nodded to Jace, but kept his eyes focused on Mike. “Can I get a ride home?”

  “Sure, hop in. The doors are unlocked.” Mike paused just as he was about to get in the van. “Shit, I forgot my history book. It’s still in my locker. I’d forget my fucking head if it wasn’t attached. I’ll be back shortly.”

  Brandon watched as Mike ran across the parking lot towards the school leaving him alone with Jace. “Nice day.” He looked up at the grey sky. It wasn’t, not really, but anything to make things less awkward between them.

  Jace dropped his bag to the ground. “I guess.” He turned away from Brandon and stared at the school. “Come on, Mike,” he muttered.

  “In a hurry?” Brandon asked.

  “Not really. I have some stuff to do after supper. I’m helping out with the yearbook and I’m supposed to get together with Preston to discuss it.”

  “That’s the preppy guy, right? Looks like he’s a bit of a douche to me.” Brandon kicked a stone in front of him and then bent down to retie his shoelace that had come undone.

  “He’s all right.”

  “Those clothes and that hair. And he walks like he’s got a stick shoved up his ass.” He totally didn’t know where he was going with this conversation, or why he was picking on some guy he’d never spoken to.

  “I think he looks good,” Jace said.

  “Do you?” Brandon stood and shoved his hands deep into his jeans pockets. “Is that your type?” He nearly bit his tongue after saying the last few words. He should have kept his mouth shut and his opinions to himself.

  “Maybe.” Jace turned to face him.

  “So, what are you, boyfriends with him?” His cheeks grew hot and his mind screamed for him to shut the hell up, but he couldn’t.

  “No,” Jace replied. “We’re friends.”

  “Just friends or friends that mess around?” Brandon was on a roll now.

  “God, you certainly get straight to the point. Why do you want to know this?”

  “Forget it,” Brandon snapped. “Forget that I asked you anything. This is totally fucked up and I don’t know why I’m saying this shit. But did you like what we did?” He swallowed hard.

  “Yes.”

  “Me too.” They both stopped talking when they spotted Mike running back towards them with the missing book in his right hand.

  “Got it.” Mike held the book in midair. “All aboard, peeps.” And they were off.

  ****

  Jace didn’t know if he should feel relieved or pissed at his conversation with Brandon. On the upside at least the guy admitted what they’d done together.

  He sat on the edge of his bed and glanced at his phone to check his messages. Sure enough, there was a text from Preston telling him to drop over around seven. Until then, he planned to mess around on the computer and at some point would hunt for food. Jace guessed his mom wasn’t eating this evening since she hadn’t come out of her room when he came back. Once again, she was having a bad day.

  Chapter Four

  “That girl is into you,” Mike said. He’d stopped by Brandon’s trailer after supper. Brandon so didn’t want to have this discussion at this time. “She would have screwed you easily.”

  “Thanks, I think.” His didn’t dare take his eyes from the TV screen. “She’s all right, in her own way.”

  “But you’re not interested. Why the hell not? She’s decent looking.”

  Brandon stopped to think about that. He couldn’t even remember her name and it wasn’t for lack of trying. What little he did remember about her didn’t impress him. She was annoying as hell, and what the fuck was up with that silly little laugh? She sounded like a hyena. “Then you can date her.”

  “Funny.” Mike sat back on the couch and picked at the hem of his t-shirt.

  “She’s annoying.” There, he’d said it. He neglected to leave out the other reasons for his lack of interest.

  Mike laughed. “I’ll give you that much.” He grabbed the remote from the coffee table and flicked the channels. “Shit
, shit and more shit. Is there anything decent on anymore?”

  “Fucked if I know.” Brandon jumped up from the couch and headed into the kitchen. “Soda or coffee?” he called out.

  “Soda’s fine.”

  He handed Mike a soda and sat down next to him. “I don’t think your cousin likes me,” he said.

  “Jace? He’s just a little off. By the way, I think you may be right about him.”

  “Right about what?”

  “Him being gay. I asked him if he was.”

  Brandon sucked in a deep breath and cracked open his soda. “What did he say?” He wondered if Jace had told Mike anything about them.

  “He didn’t answer me, not really. I think he is, but isn’t ready to admit to it openly yet.”

  “That’s his choice. It can’t be an easy thing to do, if he is. A lot of people aren’t that accepting.”

  “I respect him. I told him it was okay if he was. It wouldn’t cause me to look at him differently. It must be hard hiding something like that. And how do you begin to find…you know, someone. This town is harsh enough as it is. How do two guys know that they both like dick?”

  Brandon coughed and nearly choked on his soda. “Jesus,” he said, swiping one palm across his lips. “Do you have to be so fucking blunt?”

  “But think about it. Two guys doing it…Who gets to decide who fucks who? Do they flip a coin or something?”

  “We are not having this conversation.” Brandon tried to focus on the movie playing on the TV and not the weird conversation he was having with his good friend.

  “It’s probably hot. It makes total sense when you think about it.”

  “Are you serious?” Brandon tossed his head back and laughed hard.

  “A guy would know what to do to another guy. It makes perfect sense that it would feel pretty good.”

  “I suppose. Let’s go out and do something. I’m bored as hell here. There has to be something to do in this crappy town.”

  “Are you okay?” Mike asked.

  “Yup.” He said it a little too quickly for his liking.

  “Great. I have an idea where we can go.”

  “Lead the way,” Brandon replied. Anyplace was better than where they were now.

  ****

  “This totally sucks,” Preston said. He tossed his pen on the kitchen table and smiled. “We can go upstairs for a bit, if you want?”

  Jace felt his cock rise a little at the suggestion. “Sure. We can afford a break. Maybe it’ll help stir some ideas.”

  He followed Preston upstairs and into his bedroom. Preston shut the door behind them and locked it. “Privacy,” said Preston. “My parents won’t be home anytime soon, but you never know.”

  Jace sat on the bed, but when Preston sat in front of the computer and beckoned him to come over to the desk, he did.

  “What do you think of this?” Preston asked. On the screen there was a video playing. One guy had another bent over the end of a couch and he was fucking him, hard.

  Instantly, Jace’s cock grew fully hard and he felt very warm all over. He’d watched porn before, but never in anyone’s presence. “That’s…hot,” he managed to mutter.

  Preston looked back at him and smiled. “Very.” He turned around in the swivel chair and pulled Jace to him. “I’ve thought about you a lot. What we did was more than amazing. I’m extremely attracted to you.”

  “Me too,” he lied. Saying otherwise, that his thoughts had really been on Brandon, would have ruined the moment entirely. Jace liked Preston, sort of. Preston was nice to him and they shared a secret. It was something.

  “Good. That’s what I wanted to hear. Have I ever told you how cute you are?”

  “I think so,” Jace replied with a nod. “Once or twice.”

  Preston stood and pushed him back until the back of his legs bumped the edge of the bed. He reached down and cupped Jace’s ass with both hands. “Have you ever wondered what it would be like to get fucked?”

  “Yes.” Jace’s breath came hot and heavy as his cock strained for freedom.

  “I wanna fuck you, Jace. I wanna stick my cock in your ass and feel you.”

  Jace wasn’t sure if he was ready for that. That was one hell of a step to take. Not to mention he figured it would hurt a lot. But the idea of it intrigued him and turned him on even more. “I’ve never done that before.” He’d played with his ass sometimes while he jerked off, but that was as far as it ever went. It felt good, but a cock in there?

  “It’ll be so hot. We’ll take it slow and if you want to stop at any time, we will.” Preston caressed his cheek. “I want you to come while I fuck you.” Preston ground against him as he pulled Jace in tighter. “It feels fucking fantastic to hold you like this.”

  When Preston’s lips found his neck, Jace tossed his head to one side and then fell back on the bed. Preston stood next to the bed and pulled off his shirt and then his pants. He watched the strip show and reached down to palm his bulge. And when he sat up, he reached for Preston’s cock, guiding it to his mouth as he jacked it.

  “You do that so good. Man, that’s just out of this world,” Preston. He guided Jace along as his fingers tangled in the guy’s hair. “Suck it. Suck my cock.”

  Jace gagged as he took Preston deep and with he finally withdrew the cock from his mouth. He was more than a little curious to find out what it would feel like to have it inside of his ass. He looked up and their eyes met. “You have condoms?”

  “Yeah and lube.” Preston knelt down and pulled a package of condoms and lube from underneath his bed. “I figured at some point this would happen in my life. I’m prepared.”

  “How should we do this?” Jace wasn’t sure what position was best. He slid his jeans down over his hips and kicked them to the floor.

  “On your knees with your ass in the air.”

  Jace rolled onto his stomach and raised his ass. He still had his briefs on and when Preston pulled them down over his butt, he shivered with anticipation and lusty excitement.

  “Preston, are you home?”

  “Fuck!” said Preston. “It’s my mom, again. Get dressed before she comes up here.”

  Jace groaned and pulled up his briefs. This was the second time they’d been interrupted. His face was hot, in fact both sets of cheeks were. He dressed as fast as he could and Preston did the same. “Next time we’re going elsewhere,” Jace said.

  “Totally,” Preston replied, annoyed. “I’m so sorry about this. I didn’t think she’d be back so soon. They heard a male voice from downstairs talking. “That’s my dad.”

  “I guessed. Should I go?”

  “Can we go to your house?” Preston unlocked the bedroom door.

  “My mom’s home. It wouldn’t work. It’s probably best that we didn’t do it.”

  A look of instant disappointment crossed Preston’s face. “I’d like to see you more often.”

  “You see me at school all the time.” A hint of sarcasm tinged Jace’s voice.

  “That’s not what I meant. I could really like you.”

  “Then we like each other.” He didn’t know what Preston was getting at.

  “You don’t get it. It’s not just about the messing around. That’s great, but I’d like to get to know you, as a person.”

  “I’m not sure that would work. This town is a bit small for that and people wouldn’t understand if they noticed anything.” Hiding was hard and so was denying his true self. However, it was a necessity.

  “I hate this place.” Preston folded his arms across his chest. “I can’t wait to leave it.”

  “I think many of us feel the same way.” Jace thought about Brandon. “School will be over in a couple of months. Look at it that way.”

  “I guess. Anyway, I should go downstairs and greet the parentals. I’ll text you later tonight.”

  ****

  Downstairs, Jace spoke briefly with Preston’s parents and then he was out of there.

  Outside, the early night air refreshed
him as he walked. That had been a close one. He didn’t want to begin to think what would have happened if Preston’s parents had caught them doing it? That would have been a total nightmare.

  Jace sped up his pace and tried to focus on the positive. One thing was certain, lately his life has become a whole lot more interesting than ever before.

  ****

  “Jesus, that’s Jace,” said Mike, slamming on the van’s brakes.

  Brandon jolted forward in his seat and was glad he’d had the good sense to buckle up. “Man, way to get us killed,” he muttered, under his breath.

  “Hey, where are you going?” called Mike. “Get in and I’ll give you a lift.”

  “I was heading home,” explained Jace as he got in the van.

  “Where were you?” asked Mike.

  “Preston’s house, working on the yearbook.”

  “How’s that going?” Mike pulled back on the road.

  “It isn’t. It sucks. We’re trying to make it stand it from years before, but I don’t have any interest in it,” Jace explained. “No one has any interest in them anymore. They’re a relic.”

  “Guy’s a dweeb,” scoffed Brandon. “A first class a-hole.”

  “You don’t even know him,” said Mike. “He seems okay.”

  Brandon said nothing at first.

  “He thinks he’s better than everyone else. Look at the way he walks around the school. Fucking moron.” Brandon didn’t know Preston. Mike was right about that and he didn’t want to get to know him, either. Just looking at the guy in school pissed him off since he’d figured that Jace had something going on with him. He was fucking jealous and he hated himself for it. It was stupid.

  “Mike, let me out. I’d rather walk home.” Jace was already out of his seat with one hand on the door. “Here’s good.”

  Mike pulled the van over to the curb and shot Brandon a less than pleased look. “You got a big mouth, man.”

  Brandon nodded. “I’m an asshole, but I’ll take care of it.” He jumped out of the van after Jace, but not before he told Mike to go on without him. “Go on. I’ll talk to him.”

  Mike shrugged and gave him a strange look as if he didn’t understand what was going on. “Okay. See ya later.”