As they descended the stairs, Lance found his heart thumping wildly with nervous excitement, almost as wildly as that first time he’d confessed his love for Ricky and they’d kissed in front of the whole world. He drank in every magnificent detail of the stunning boy below who had captured his heart long before he’d even known it.
The two boys stepped in to each other, eyes locked, hearts hammering with love, and stopped mere inches apart.
“You look amazing,” Lance whispered, his voice shaking with emotion.
Ricky grinned, his brown eyes drinking in every inch of the boy he loved. “And you look beautiful, Lance, the most beautiful boy in the world.”
Lance laughed giddily. “No, the luckiest boy in the world.”
Ricky smirked. “Damn straight.”
Lance grinned and shook his head. “Fool.”
Kai and Dakota stood beside them, eyes locked on each other. Then Reyna planted herself before Lance and Ricky, her moist eyes wide with love mixed with a kind of shock.
“My baby boys…” she began with a shake of her head, “aren’t baby boys any more.”
That drew a laugh from everyone. Then she hugged both boys and kissed each on the cheek. Esteban shook their hands and winked.
Then Arthur stood before them. “You both look every inch the sons of a king,” he said with a grin, and they laughed.
And then Chris grabbed them both in a hug of joy. The little one stood back and threw his hands to his hips. “You guys are gonna steal the show unless Lance gets all emo again.”
Lance’s face fell in shock, but Ricky dissolved into hysterics. He and Chris high-fived and the little boy grinned at Lance. “So have fun, Lance, or else.”
His comically threatening tone amused everyone, and another round of laughs ensued. After Arthur had Brooks, the largest and most outgoing of the Secret Service agents, snap some pictures of the whole family, it was time to head out. There was another round of hugs and goodbyes and then suddenly the boys were inside a limo surrounded by four agents heading off to Arcadia. As the limo swung out into traffic, Lance lovingly held Ricky’s hand and vowed to take Chris’s advice to heart. He would dance the slow dances, eat the food, bask beneath the romantic lighting and just love the boy whose hand he held. ‘No emo no more’ would be his mantra. Especially tonight.
†††
The Santa Anita Racetrack was located on Huntington Drive in Arcadia behind the Westfield Santa Anita Mall. The four boys remained very self-conscious with the agents present just across from them in the limo, and did nothing but hold hands for the entire journey, engaging in idle chit chat about how Kai was the only one who could dance and which of the other three would embarrass himself most on the dance floor.
When the limo pulled up in front it was just before eight p.m. There were betting windows to their right as they approached the table at which stood several male and female security personnel. A short line of boys stood to one side of the table and girls to the other, and Lance watched in amazement as the security guards checked inside each kid’s mouth, and then patted them down more invasively than anything he’d heard airport screeners accused of. In a moment of blind panic he thought maybe the extra scrutiny was because of him, but the boy in front of him said it was standard at every prom these days. The boy obviously recognized Lance and Ricky, giving them the once over even though they weren’t holding hands, and then turned silently back around to get frisked.
When it was their turn, the Secret Service agents stepped forward and flashed their IDs professionally and indicated the four boys. “They’ve already been cleared.”
Prom-goers milling about the entrance stopped to stare at the agents and the four boys, every eye widening with recognition.
The security guard examined the IDs and then glanced at the boys. His own eyes expanded as he obviously recognized Lance and Ricky. He waved them through.
Once past the checkpoint, there was a canopied walkway leading into the building where the boys and their four bodyguards waited with a small crowd for the elevator to take them up to the venue. The other students, male and female, were decked out in stunning clothes with the girls sporting fantastically elaborate hairstyles. They looked nervously at the agents, but stared at Lance, in particular. He tried to smile and look ingratiating but, as always when surrounded by peers rather than adults, he felt out of place. He was still The Boy Who Came Back, he knew, and none of these kids had ever gotten to know him when he’d attended MTS.
Finally, after waiting for ten excruciatingly long minutes, their turn came for the elevator. Despite his earlier confidence with Ricky, Lance feared even taking the boy’s hand in his while they waited, dreading some backlash from the other waiting seniors. As the elevator stopped at the third floor, the agents stepped out first and scanned the area before waving the four boys out. Straight ahead was the area for paid photographs and to their right the main venue and dance floor.
There was a table set just outside of the elevator at which sat several MTS teachers, including Jenny’s friend, Karla. The boys stepped forward and Karla broke into an enormous grin.
“Lance, you made it after all,” she squealed with delight. “And you brought the handsome boyfriend, of course.” She smiled again, all teeth and dimply cheeks.
Lance felt his face grow hot. “Uh, yeah. Hi, Karla. Mom says hi.”
The other teachers frowned at Lance’s use of Karla’s first name, but she’d insisted he address her as such at the wedding.
“You tell your mom hello for me and let her know you boys were the most handsome ones here.” Lance laughed nervously, and so did Ricky. Then Karla’s eyes fell on Kai and Dakota. “Except for your cute friends, that is.” She winked and took their prom bids, checking their names off a list and waving them on in. “Have fun, boys.”
Feeling every eye on them, from the principal and the other teachers, to every kid standing around with his or her date, Lance momentarily regretted coming. But then he flashed back to his first day in juvenile hall when he’d asked Father Mike if there would come a day when everybody wouldn’t stare at him. The priest had slipped into his impish grin and said, “As soon as they realize you can’t walk on water.”
So he determined to ignore the staring and concentrate on the boy beside him, the boy for whom he wanted this to be the most romantic night they’d ever shared. Since Jenny had given him money and insisted on pictures, Lance led the group over to the camera set-up first, figuring the line would increase as the night wore on. They selected a background that looked like an ornate, filigreed arch and struck several poses for the photographer. Fame did have its perks and Lance didn’t have to establish that he and Ricky were a couple and not just two friends posing together.
Kai and Dakota posed next. Their cultural reticence about public displays of affection exasperated the photographer and Lance had to step in and place Kai’s hand into Dakota’s so the pictures could be snapped. Afterwards, Lance gave the photographer the New Camelot address and asked that the photos be sent directly there and not to the school. The man happily agreed, shaking their hands with gusto and assuring them, “I’m all in favor of your bill of rights.”
Lance and Ricky thanked him and then led the other two around the corner into the main space. There were numerous alcoves with couches and wood-paneled walls, tables spread throughout the dining area, a separate buffet section set up near the kitchen to dispense the food, and a beautiful hardwood floor for dancing. At each end of the dance floor was an ornate staircase ascending upward and ending at glass double doors. The floor was burnished, the doorways arched and fancy, and the entire area lit by numerous chandeliers dangling overhead. It reminded the boys of New Camelot as they scanned the area nervously looking for a table so they could sit.
Feeling too much on display with everyone stopping their conversations or their trek to the buffet table to gawk and stare, Lance pulled Ricky by the hand to the wide double doors leading outside. The racetrack sprawled out bel
ow them in all its glory, its empty circular route looking sad and forlorn in the fading sunlight. Thankfully there were many tables set up along the various levels where people normally sat to watch the races, and Lance quickly led Ricky and the others to one table set for four. The last thing he wanted was to be sitting at one of the big tables with kids he didn’t even know.
The four sat at the rectangular table with its plain white tablecloth and vase of red carnations as adornment, and just took a moment to breathe and relax. They all looked at each other in silence, and then burst out laughing.
“I guess we’re more nervous than we thought,” Lance offered with an uneasy exhalation.
Kai laughed and elbowed Dakota. “Not us warriors, right, Cloudy?”
Dakota just looked at him and grinned, reaching out to take the other’s hand. Kai sighed contentedly. “See?”
The four agents sat at the table next to theirs and scanned the entire area professionally.
When Lance announced that maybe they should go in and get food, two of the agents rose to accompany them, Brooks and a guy named Andrews. The other two remained behind to guard the area.
By now the DJ was in full swing with music and colored lights, though no one was dancing yet. The boys passed a number of occupied tables and felt every eye follow them as they made their way to the buffet area filled with splendidly attired kids holding plates of food and checking out the delicacies on display.
The four boys grabbed plates and got into the line. That’s where the student council president found them. She practically screamed when she saw them from across the room and came running in their direction. She was dressed in a royal blue strapless gown with what looked like a pearl necklace, and her hair was styled like a movie star at the Oscars. She stopped before them, breathless with excitement.
“Oh, Sir Lance and Sir Ricky, I’m so happy you guys made it tonight. And you both look fantastic!”
The boys reddened at the same time and she laughed with delight. Lance indicated the others. “This is Sir Kai and Sir Dakota.”
She practically squealed as she shook hands with them. “This is just so cool! Two gay couples at our prom. Isn’t that progressive?”
Lance knew he must have looked stunned because he could feel the blood drain from his face, and Ricky anxiously squeezed his arm to calm him. Kai and Dakota lowered their eyes to the floor in embarrassment, but the girl seemed not to even understand what she’d done.
“You okay, Sir Lance?” she asked with obvious concern. “You look so pale.”
Lance fought the immediate rise in temper, and he carefully controlled his breathing. He forced a smile. “It’s Ana, right?”
The girl nodded.
“Well, Ana,” Lance went on in a calm, steady voice that Ricky knew full well held back a rising tide of anger, “we thought you invited us to enjoy the prom, not to be poster boys for some agenda. We’ll leave now.”
Ricky sucked in a startled breath, and both Kai and Dakota raised their heads to look at Lance’s obviously disgruntled face.
Ana’s perfect makeup almost cracked when her expression dissolved into something resembling an astonished cat caught in the headlights of a car. “Oh, no, please don’t go,” she nearly gasped desperately. “I didn’t mean it that way. I just….”
Lance watched her squirm, knowing she knew that he knew that was exactly what she’d meant. “Ana, when you invited us we were so excited cuz otherwise we wouldn’t have a prom, being home schooled and all. But, we didn’t come here to be put on display any more than we already are.”
Ana looked abashed, and contrite. “I’m so sorry, you’re right. I guess cuz MTS is so backwards about stuff like gay kids I just got carried away. Please don’t leave. I want you guys to have fun. All of you.”
Lance hesitated. “No surprises waiting for us, like pig’s blood dropped on our heads while we dance or anything?”
Her mouth fell open in shock, but his ingratiating smile made her realize he was joking. “No wonder the whole world loves you, Lance.” Then she startled everyone by leaning in and kissing him on the lips quickly before turning to scurry away to her friends.
His face must have been incredibly comical because even Ricky busted up instead of feeling jealous, as Lance would’ve expected.
“Well, that was random,” said Ricky, chuckling as they arrived at the table.
“Beyond random,” Lance confirmed with a shake of his head.
The boys filled up their plates amid ogling looks from other kids around them, including one guy mad dogging them from the other side of the food table, a beefy Latino guy–handsome, with slick-backed hair and a haughty look in his squinting brown eyes. Lance thought he recalled the kid from freshman year. The guy always called him “Pretty Boy” in the most derisive tone possible. The guy’s date stood beside him gathering up some of the veggies. She was shorter than him, attractive, big fluffy yellow dress to go with her big fluffy hair.
The guy locked eyes with Lance. “Fucking homos,” he said loudly enough for his girl and everyone around the food table to hear. All talking ceased instantly.
Lance’s breath caught in his throat and his blood began to pound. Ricky quickly grabbed his arm as Lance started forward. But before anything could escalate further, the hulking, six-foot seven Agent Brooks, the coolest of the agents assigned to guard them, loomed behind the mad dogging boy. The onlookers rippled with surprise, but the boy remained oblivious. His disgust-filled eyes never left Lance’s face, though Lance obviously noticed the enormous bodyguard. The boys had taken to calling the monstrous African-American The Rock, after the famous actor, due to his size and strength. He loved to spar with them in the Training Centre and, man, could he wield a broadsword! Brooks tapped the kid on one shoulder. The boy whirled around and then lurched back at the sight of the huge man in the black suit towering over him and glaring fiercely.
Everybody laughed as the boy nearly landed on the food table in his haste to back up. Without so much as a smile, Brooks stuck a finger into the boy’s chest. “I just overheard you say you were interested in fucking homos, and that’s not only rude, but disrespectful to this lovely young lady who sadly made the mistake of dating you. Be that as it may, you will not fuck any homos here nor will you speak of your future plans in that area within this venue or I shall personally escort you from the premises. Are we clear?”
His voice remained low, but gained in intensity until his face was right in front of the now-terrified boy’s when he finished. The boy’s head bobbed up and down frantically.
“Uh, yeah, I mean yes, sir, I mean, I got it,” he stammered as his girlfriend and everyone around him laughed. Then he grabbed the girl’s hand and they vanished into the dining area. Brooks looked across the table at Lance and winked.
Lance’s momentary flare of anger dissipated and he grinned back at the big man as Ricky slapped him on the back. After that, no one so much as looked sideways at them, especially with Brooks always hovering somewhere in the vicinity.
So the four of them sat under the stars and ate and laughed, and each held the hand of his beloved and the night was perfect. Until Kai suggested it was time to dance. Always awkward and self-conscious about their dancing abilities–except the slow ones–Lance and Ricky gingerly agreed to check out the action and see what was playing. Dakota looked like he might faint as Kai took his hand and laughingly pulled him from his chair, and they all made their way inside to the sound of raucous, blasting hip hop music pouring from every speaker in the place.
The dance floor was packed with gyrating, writhing bodies in formal attire, the music pounding forth from gigantic speakers set up around the perimeter. The four boys stood at the fringe of the crowd looking in, with only Kai wanting to wade into the mass of youthful energy.
“C’mon, guys, it’s a dance,” he urged, but the other three balked. At times like these Lance realized what a failure he was as a teenager, since he had never even tried to learn these kinds of dances, and
didn’t even like this kind of music. Ricky, he knew, felt the same way. Both preferred oldies to this stuff. Dakota looked ready to faint as Kai grabbed his hand and dragged him to the edge of the jumping, hand waving teens.
To the astonishment of both Lance and Ricky, Kai could dance to this music. Coming as he had from a small reservation Lance figured he only knew Indian dances. But he moved so fluidly it was like watching water flow. Poor Dakota could barely get in one or two moves before Kai completed six. Lance gaped in amazement and knew for sure he didn’t even want to try competing with that.
But then the song ended and a familiar beat replaced it––“The Cha Cha Slide”. Lance grinned at Ricky. “Thank you, Reyna,” they both said at the same time and laughingly got into line next to Kai and Dakota. Now all of them were on familiar ground, and Lance and Ricky laughed their way through the number like they always did. Amidst flashing, colored lights, the boys slid and stooped and jumped with abandon, melting into the familiar rhythms, and thoroughly enjoyed themselves.
After the song ended, there were several more big party numbers that everybody danced to synchronously. Though all four boys were inexperienced with them, the lyrics were directions of sorts and they laughed and shoved and goofed their way through each and every one. Not once did any of them even wonder if people were staring or laughing. They were lost in the moment of pure fun and togetherness, and the sensation was both exhilarating and freeing.
After nearly thirty minutes of these crazy group dances, the boys were hot and sweaty and giddy with pleasure. It was then that they heard Ana’s voice come over the sound system and everyone turned to one of the two staircases that rose upward behind the DJ and his equipment. Ana stood five steps up on a carpeted landing that opened out onto the racetrack via large double doors.
“It’s now time to introduce the prom court, and reveal your choice for king and queen!” she announced with a huge grin. There was applause, but Lance noted many scowls directed toward he and Ricky. What did we do now, he wondered?
And The Children Shall Lead Page 41