by Warren, Mike
“Whateva,” she spat as the bell rang.
Fortunately, my next class was gym, and fine-ass Mr. Jamison was filling in for our regular gym teacher, who was out sick with the flu. Finally, I was gonna get a chance to see Mr. Jamison in his gym shorts.
I walked in the locker room and began changing into my gym clothes when Mr. Jamison walked in the locker room and announced, “Listen up, fellas. We’re gonna be swimming today, so just put your gym shorts on.”
I wasn’t a swimmer. As a matter of fact, I couldn’t even remember the last time I went swimming. However, looking at Mr. Jamison with just his swim trunks on and a wind breaker jacket he had open down to his navel, I was willing to be his first drowning victim so he could perform mouth to mouth on me. Ooo, chile, my nerves.
“Okay, fellas, I need y’all to form a line right over here,” Mr. Jamison said as we all walked into the pool area. “Now, does anyone know how to tread water?”
Several of the boys raised their hands, but a few of us didn’t.
“Okay, all those who know how to tread water, I want you guys on this side of the pool, and those that don’t, I want you on this side of the pool. A’ight, fellas, you guys on this side of the pool that can tread, I want you one at a time to swim the length of the pool like this.”
Fine-ass Mr. Jamison then took his jacket off, and I almost died. His body was so OMG. His muscles had muscles, and his legs and thighs were that of a Greek god. He was so tone and tight, he didn’t have a six-pack, he had an eight-pack.
He stood at the edge of the pool and dove right in the water. He swam to the other side of the pool, did a backflip, and swam back to where we were standing.
When he lifted himself out of the pool, I couldn’t believe my eyes. His trunks had come off. I thought I would faint. My knees became weak, and I felt myself become aroused. I quickly placed my hands in front of me, so no one would notice.
Mr. Jamison dived back in the water to retrieve his trunks, but before he did, I noticed he was seriously packed in the front and in the back.
Of course, most of the guys started laughing. I, on the other hand, had visions of Mr. Jamison making love to me in the pool right then and there. After all, the only other man I had ever been with was my brother, and now knowing what fine-ass Mr. Jamison looked like butt naked, I was going to do my best to have him at any cost.
Mr. Jamison tried to show those of us who didn’t know how to tread water by holding us up under water as we lay across his arms and splashed our legs around. When it was my turn, I played the helpless victim, to the point of pretending I was drowning.
Mr. Jamison dived under water and held me in his arms as he brought me to the top. As he grabbed me by my small waist and I held on to him, I was fully erect. I knew he felt it as it rubbed up against his stomach. He just looked at me kinda strange and just smiled. I didn’t understand what that smile meant, but I was glad he didn’t make me feel bad or embarrass me in front of the class. From that point on, I was willing to do anything Mr. Jamison asked of me.
Chapter 6
My thirteenth birthday fell on the same day as my brother’s prom night, so there was definite cause for celebration in our house. My mother actually took the day off just so she could spend the day with me, taking me out to Wantons Bridge Mall, which had just opened up a few blocks away from where we lived.
“Oooo, Mother, can I get these pair of jeans?”
“Cameron, I just bought you a pair of jeans in the other store.”
“I know, Mother, but these are better because they have these designs on them. See?” I showed my mother the designs on the back of the jeans.
“Okay, Cameron, but if we get these instead, we gonna have to return the ones I just bought you,” Mother said, her hands on her hips.
“Okay, Mother, we can take ’em back now.”
Mother purchased my new designer jeans, and then we headed out to return the old ones. As we were walking through the mall, I noticed these guys from in my class, and we were walking towards them. I knew something was going to happen, because they didn’t like me and always called me names.
Sure enough, as we walked by them, one of them said, “Faggy,” and they all broke out laughing.
I was so hurt and embarrassed, I didn’t know what to do. It was the first time anyone had called me a name with my mother within earshot. I lowered my head and looked down at the tile floor as we continued to walk through the mall. I was grateful Mother didn’t respond even though I know she heard the derogatory comment.
We returned the jeans, and then we stopped at the food court to grab something to eat. Other than the comment made earlier, I was having a good time hanging out with my mom.
“Mother, I still got to get sumf’n for Ray’s prom tonight,” I said, as I ate my Big Mac.
“So, what do you wanna get him?” she asked eating her fish filet sandwich.
“I don’t know, Mother. I’ve saved up almost twenty dollars, and I’d like to get him sumf’n nice. May be sumf’n he can wear to his prom.”
“Well, they have a lot of jewelry stands in the middle of the mall. Maybe you can get him a chain or something.”
“Oh, wow, Mother! That’s a great idea. Ray loves those chains with all the bling-bling on them.”
After we finished our meal, we stopped at the first jewelry stand we came to. They had this huge 24-inch silver chain with a diamond-studded R on it, which I thought was great, and it was only $19.95. I begged my mom for a dollar to help pay the total price, including taxes, and had it gift-wrapped.
I couldn’t wait to get home so I could give it to Ray. Now, I knew it wasn’t real silver or real diamonds, but who would really know?
*
We finally made it home just a little after seven p.m. It was a warm night. Most of the time, people were usually outside on their patios enjoying the weather, but tonight no one was out, and it was quiet for some reason.
I opened our front door, and it was total darkness. I reached for the switch on the side of the wall to turn on the living room light. To my surprise, practically everyone in the neighborhood was there in my living room, including my best friend Robin. They all shouted, “Surprise” and began singing happy birthday to me. No wonder my mom kept me out all day.
I found out that my mom had given our neighbor, Ms. Washington, the key to our apartment when she dropped my little sister off at her place to watch, since we were going out.
I thanked everyone who was there and gave Robin a big kiss on the cheek. I then began looking for Ray, so I could give him his prom gift, anxious to see what he had bought me.
I went into our bedroom and found him standing in front of our full-length mirror, putting his tuxedo on and admiring himself. “You’re forgetting sumf’n,” I said, standing behind him while he posed in the mirror.
“And what’s that, baby boy?”
“Your gift.” I handed him his gift.
I stood and watched as he opened his gift. I guess he must have really liked it because, as soon as he put it on, he walked over to me and kissed me right in the mouth, tongue and everything. This was the first time Ray had ever kissed me. Through everything we had done, I had tried kissing him before, but he’d always turn away and say that was way too gay for him and that would be wrong. I know, right? Whateva.
“Wow,” I replied once he was through.
He handed me a small unwrapped box. “Don’t tell anybody I did that shit, a’ight?”
I opened the box and saw a joint inside. I didn’t smoke and had never tried smoking weed before, so I really didn’t understand what this was for.
“Ray, what do you want me to do with this?”
“I want you to stay up until I come home. We gonna smoke it together. I’m gonna give you your birthday present then.”
“Ain’t you going to the prom with Jasmine?”
“Yeah. What’s the problem?”
“But ain’t you gonna do it to her?” I knew I sounded pathetic.
/>
“Probably. Why?”
“Well, Ray, I don’t want you to do it to her and then come home and do it to me.”
“How you know I’m gonna do it to you when I come home?”
I was so angry, I couldn’t believe what came out of my mouth. “If you don’t, I’ma tell Mommy what you been doing to me,” I said, my arms folded and my lips poked out.
Before I had a chance to move, Ray grabbed me by my collar, threw me on the floor, and slapped me several times in the face. “If you ever tell anybody, I will hurt you so bad, you’d wish you were dead.”
I had never seen Ray so angry, except for the time he beat up Junior on the basketball court. To be honest, I was so sorry I said that because I really didn’t mean it. I hated that Ray was mad with me, especially on my birthday.
“Ray, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it,” I pleaded as he kneeled over me, deciding whether or not to hit me again.
After contemplating a few seconds, Ray then got up and walked out of our bedroom. I got up as fast as I could and walked out into the living room where everyone was eating and enjoying my birthday party.
“There’s the birthday boy.” Ms. Washington kissed me on the cheek and wished me happy birthday. “Where you been hiding?”
“Thank you, Ms. Washington, but I had to go to the bathroom.”
I watched my mom take a few pictures of Ray with his tuxedo on.
“My baby has grown up, and good-looking as ever,” she said proudly as she snapped picture after picture of Ray.
“Okay, Mother, that’s enough.” Ray kissed Mother on the forehead and exited the apartment. “I gotta go.”
I tried my best to have fun at my own birthday party, but I couldn’t stop thinking about how mad Ray was with me. Robin tried to cheer me up, but I still couldn’t get over what I’d said to Ray. Even worse, I couldn’t stop thinking about what he’d said about hurting me. The look in his eyes scared the shit out of me.
Robin and I hung out in the kitchen because I really didn’t feel like partying and hanging with all the others, even though it was my party.
“Look, Ms. Thang, what’s going on with you? You are walking around here being sad and everything. Did somebody say sumf’n bad to you? Who was it? I’ll cuss ’em out,” Robin said, rolling her neck, her hands on her hips.
“No, nobody said anything bad to me. I guess I’m just not feeling well.”
“Po thang. Is my baby having her first period?” Robin whispered, and then she started laughing.
“Chile boo, ain’t nobody having no period,” I replied, snapping my fingers. “Besides, that was last week, bitch.”
We both broke out laughing.
I couldn’t wait until my birthday party was over, so I could just go to my room and wait for Ray to come home.
My mother yelled, “Cameron!”
“Ma’am,” I yelled back from the kitchen.
Mother grabbed me by the hand and dragged me into the living room, where the music was playing. “Come on and dance with me.”
I hated when my mother started drinking. Don’t get me wrong, she wasn’t an alcoholic or anything, but when she drank, she always wanted me to show her the latest dances. I must admit, I knew all the latest dances, but teaching my mother how to dance was like teaching her algebra. She didn’t know how much two plus two was and had two left feet.
Besides, I really wasn’t in the mood to dance, although dancing usually made me feel better when I was feeling down. My mother made it hard to say no while everyone stood around waiting for me to dance with her.
I started feeling the music as it played, and my body finally got into it. Before I knew it, I was bumping, grinding, and doing all the latest dances as my mom tried to copy my every move. I was definitely feeling better as I shook my ass around the dance floor. I knew some of the girls were jealous because none of them could dance as well as I could. Most people thought I danced like a girl, but I didn’t care. Dancing made me feel free and alive.
When I heard the crowd chant, “Go Cameron, go Cameron, it’s yo’ birthday, it’s yo’ birthday,” I really started to get into it, doing splits and everything.
Some of the guests had to move. Outta my way, bitches, I thought to myself as I vogued and cat-walked up and down my living room floor. And as much as I was enjoying the attention because all eyes were on me, I also wanted to make a statement. If our guests didn’t know I was gay before, they would surely know now.
Finally, the party came to an end around midnight, and Mother started putting people out, saying she had to get her beauty sleep. I didn’t mind because I was looking forward to the party that Ray and I was gonna have once he got home. And even though I knew he was gonna be with that hoochie girlfriend of his, I still wanted to feel him inside me.
Once everyone had left and my mom and I cleaned up the mess in the apartment, I went to my room, took all my clothes off, and took a hot shower. Just to be ready when Ray got home, I oiled my body down so it could be nice and soft. I also squirted some of the oil up my ass so it could be somewhat lubricated. I then put on one of my cut-off T-shirts that showed most of my stomach, and my yellow panties that Ray got me, his favorite.
Chapter 7
I didn’t know what time it was, but I was startled out of my sleep when I heard someone banging on our living room door. I jumped up out of my bed and went into my mother’s bedroom to wake her.
“Mother, somebody at the door,” I whispered, tapping on her shoulder.
“What?”
“Somebody at the door.”
“Go check and see who it is. It might be Ray. He must have forgotten his key.” She rolled over to go back to sleep.
I tiptoed into the living room and peeked out the peephole to see if I could see who it was, but no one was standing there.
“Who is it?” I asked nervously.
“This is Officer Crawley. Is this the home of Mrs. Wilson?”
“Yeah.”
“Can I speak with her, please?”
“Wait a minute.”
I ran back into Mother’s bedroom and whispered, “Mother, there’s a police at the door.”
“What da hell! What he want?” she asked, wiping the sleep out of her eye.
I shrugged my shoulders. “He didn’t say. He just asked to speak to you.”
Mother got out of bed, put her robe on, and headed for the front door. I followed her.
“Can I help you?” she asked through the door.
“Yes, Mrs. Wilson. This is Officer Crawley. Can I come in?”
“What is this in regards to?”
“Are you Raymond Watson’s mother?”
“Yes, I am.” Mother opened the front door. “Please come in.”
“Thank you, madam,” Officer Crawley responded as he walked into our living room.
“Is there something wrong with Ray?” Mother asked nervously.
“Well, Mrs. Wilson, would you mind if I sit down?”
“Yes, I do mind,” Mother said, getting upset. “Now, I asked you if there was something wrong with my child.”
“Well, madam, there was a disturbance at Jefferson High School this evening, and we were called in. Gunshots were fired, and a Mr. Raymond Watson along with another young man was rushed to emergency a little while ago.”
“Oh God, no, not my child!” Mother’s legs gave out.
Officer Crawley caught her just in time. “Easy, Mrs. Wilson.” Officer Crawley tried to seat my mother on the couch.
“No, no, no, this can’t be happening.” Mother started rocking herself back and forth.
“Mrs. Wilson, I know this is very difficult for you, but your son has been taken to Mt. Sinai Hospital. If you would like a ride there, I’ll be more than happy to take you.”
“I want to,” I stated as firmly as I could.
“Okay, Officer Crawley, I would appreciate that.” Mother wiped the tears rolling down her cheeks. “Cameron, go wake up your sister, and see if Ms. Washington will watch her
while we go check on your brother.”
*
Within twenty minutes we pulled up in front of the hospital in Officer Crawley’s cruiser, and Mother and I jumped out and headed towards the information desk.
“Excuse me, my son was brought here about an hour ago,” Mother said hysterically. “Can you please tell me where I can find him?”
“Okay, madam, now calm down and tell me what your son’s name is.”
“His name is Raymond Watson,” Mother said, sounding out of breath.
After a few minutes of punching keys on the computer, the receptionist informed us that a Mr. Raymond Watson was brought in about an hour or so ago and was being prepped for surgery, and his doctor was Dr. Ross.
“And where can I find this Dr. Ross?” Mother began tapping her right foot.
“He’s with your son in room 316. Once you sign in, you can take the elevator, located here on the left, go to the third floor, and make a right.
Mother signed us both in on a sheet of paper attached to a clipboard, and the receptionist then gave us passes to enter the third floor.
As we rode up in the elevator Mother kept praying out loud and saying the same thing over and over, “Oh Lord, please, don’t take my son from me.”
As we exited the elevator, we made a right and came across a sign with double doors that read “Intensive Care Unit.” As we opened the double doors, I began counting down the room numbers. Ray’s room was the last one on the right-hand side.
I reached out and grabbed Mother’s hand as we entered the room, and what I saw made me want to puke. Mother immediately began to cry. All I could do was just stare at Ray because I had never known anyone who had been shot. They had tubes coming in and out of his body, tubes up his nose, down his throat, and his face, swollen twice its size, was unrecognizable. If it weren’t for the chain I’d bought him and the tuxedo he wore, I would not have known that this young man was my brother.
Dr. Ross turned to face us. “Excuse me, can I help you?”
“Yes, I’m Mrs. Wilson,” Mother said through tears as she approached Ray. “This is my son.”