by Matt Zachary
“We have to decide on what we want to do, though, guys,” Billy warned. It was a big city, and there was lots to see. He knew that they wouldn’t have enough time to even see a fraction of it. It took a while, but eventually they decided on the main areas to explore and where they should eat. Everything but the food was going to be free, so they wouldn’t need a ton of money once they made it into the city.
Knowing they were going to have a ton of walking to do the next day, all four of them went to bed early...this time with Billy and Stuart falling asleep in Stuart’s bed.
Chapter 5
The drive into Manhattan only took ninety minutes, and the bus ride was another twenty-five.
“Whoo-hoo! We made it!” Jeff yelled excitedly as they pulled up to the Port Authority bus station. Both he and Billy had been to New York before, but for Stan and Stuart it was a new experience.
“So, what do you say we take the subway to the park first and then after we wander around a little, we’ll go grab lunch?” Billy asked. Everyone agreed and they headed down the set of stairs leading to the subway.
“I don’t know how you even know where you’re going,” Stuart said impressed at his boyfriend’s expertise.
“It’s easy once you’ve done it a few times,” Billy told him. He had been to New York City least half a dozen times over the years. His mom always loved it especially at Christmastime.
As they all walked through the trails in the park, Stuart and Stan bonded over the new experience. “Man, this place is huge!” Stan said after they had been walking for at least an hour and had barely covered the lower east side of the park.
“Yeah, it’s larger than people think,” Billy offered and pointed out where different landmarks were.
By the time they got to the restaurant for lunch, everyone’s feet were already aching. “Don’t wimp out now, boys...we’ve got a lot of ground to cover,” Jeff reminded them as they waited for a table at Serendipity 3.
“I hear the frozen hot chocolates are amazing here and sooooo big!” Stuart commented to the group once they were seated.
“There’s one over there, I think,” Stan pointed to a table across the room. “It looks great. I gotta watch what I eat though. Gotta stay fit for the basketball team.”
Stuart didn’t see how Stan could gain any weight. He was by far the thinnest of them all. He would even describe him as a beanpole. “Well, I don’t care about being in shape...not for today,” Stuart joked. “Besides, all this walking will work it off.”
“Your shape is perfect,” Billy replied while leaning over and kissing Stuart on the cheek. Stuart smiled and blushed.
“God, do you have to do that here?” Jeff complained, but as more of a joke. “My buddy Stan here hasn’t had the same time to get used to all these gross displays of affection like I have,” he added.
“I have two uncles, actually, that are gay,” Stan volunteered, seeming fine with Billy’s kissing of Stuart.
“See, he has two uncles,” Billy repeated, though he already knew that. He also knew Stan didn’t have a problem being around gay people. It was one of the many things they had discussed while Jeff and Stuart were at the frat party.
As soon as the waitress came over to take everyone’s drink order, Jeff no longer cared about the displays of homosexual affections. All of his attention was on her.
“Is that why you broke up at the end of summer...so you could hit on every female you see?” Billy asked seriously. He never really knew why Jeff and his girlfriend broke up so abruptly. He just knew Jeff didn’t seem bothered by it.
“Can you think of a better reason?” Jeff answered with a wink as the waitress returned with their four waters.
By the end of lunch, Jeff did manage to get the waitress’ number. “See that,” he told the group, “persistence pays off.”
“It’s probably a fake,” Stan suggested comically.
“Oh, so now the shy guy is a comedian....funny!” Jeff replied as he pushed Stan.
“Come on, guys, pay attention....we gotta get a move on if we’re gonna stay on schedule,” Billy reminded.
They spent the next two hours exploring Broadway and Times Square, taking in the iconic sights and huge lighted screens and billboards.
“I can’t believe over a million people fill these streets for New Years every year,” Stuart said. He watched the ball drop on TV every year, wondering what it would be like to be part of something so grand and amazing.
“Yeah, and they have to stand here like twelve hours before the ball drops...with no bathrooms, in the freezing cold,” Billy offered.
“Come on, they can’t expect people to stand out here all night with no bathrooms,” Stuart replied in disbelief.
“I’m serious...there are no bathrooms and you can’t leave to go find one or you won’t be allowed back,” Billy answered with authority.
From Times Square, they took another subway to Chinatown. They couldn’t get over how it didn’t even look like the same place. The streets were lined with vendors selling purses, and shirts and basically anything a tourist could want.
“Check it out, there’s a Chase bank with the name written in Chinese,” Stan pointed out. He wasn’t from a well-to-do family like Jeff or Billy, so he hadn’t travelled all over the world. To him, being in Chinatown was almost like being in China itself.
“Wait until you see the McDonalds,” Jeff joked.
They followed the streets until Billy located the address he was looking for. It was a small red door with just a number over it. As soon as they got near it, they could see there was a line of at least twenty people coming out of the building. “It goes fast,” he promised.
As Billy, Stuart and Stan stood in line, Jeff headed off to the McDonalds on the corner. “I’ll save you a table,” he yelled back. Although everyone else was anxious to try some authentic Chinese food, Jeff’s palate wasn’t that developed. He survived mainly on fast food. The closest he came to eating ethnic food was Taco Bell.
Billy went first and as he approached the counter, he told the elderly Asian man that he wanted the pork and duck mix meal with rice and cabbage, and extra sauce.
“Five fifty,” the Asian man replied as he took two hunks of meat and began chopping them with a cleaver.
“What’s the sauce?” Stuart whispered to Billy.
“It’s like the fat and broth from the meat, mixed with soy sauce,” Billy answered quietly.
Stuart and Jeff just got the same thing because there was no menu and they didn’t want to look like tourists asking a bunch of questions that would hold up the line.
When they sat down at the table Jeff was holding for them, they opened their containers sending a wave of authentic Chinese flavors wafting through the air. “It smells amazing,” Stuart was the first to say but Jeff just held his nose and shoveled some fries into his mouth.
After dinner, they got back on the subway and explored Fifth Avenue. It was the last section they had time for and both Stuart and Stan gawked at all of the expensive stores like Gucci, Channel, and Tiffany’s.
“I’m almost afraid to even walk by the doors of these places,” Stan commented as Billy pointed out several of the stores actually had doormen.
They didn’t go inside any of the shops, but they did take lots of pictures before heading back to the bus station.
“Well, what’d you think?” Billy asked Stuart once they were back in Billy’s jeep.
“It was amazing. We have to come back and see a Broadway show, or go ice-skating in Central Park,” Stuart rambled off excitedly.
“It’s a date,” Billy promised as he squeezed Stuart’s hand.
Chapter 6
As soon as the sun rose the next morning, Billy could hear Stuart’s alarm going off. He tried to warn Stuart about picking such an early class. “I don’t mind waking up early. It’s only two days a week,” Stuart claimed.
To show his support, though, Billy called Stuart into his room as soon as he head the shower turn
off. “Good morning,” he said as Stuart sat beside him. “You look great.”
“Thank you,” Stuart said before adding, “Are you sure. Is it too nerdy?” He wanted to look nice, but not like he was trying too hard.
“You look perfect,” Billy answered confidently. “Just don’t fall for all of the guys that’ll be hitting on you,” he teased.
Stuart’s smile faded. Over the last day especially he had forgotten about what he had done the night of the frat party. With Billy’s joke, the anxiousness returned. He wondered if he’d have any classes with Guy, or worse, if a class he and Billy shared would also contain Guy. “I-I’d better be g-going,” Stuart replied, his stutter coming back slightly.
“Don’t be nervous,” Billy yelled to the door where Stuart stood. “I’ll see you in a couple of hours.”
After Stuart had left, Billy tried to go back to sleep, but he couldn’t. Every few minutes he would look at the clock and see how close it was to the time his alarm would sound. Suddenly, he was the one feeling nervous. School had never been his strong suit and he hoped that he could succeed. At least it was only for a few hours a day, and he had a three-day weekend each week.
Deciding it was pointless to stay in bed for only the few minutes that remained, Billy hopped out of bed and gathered his things so he could shower and shave.
He checked his watch after getting finished in the bathroom and decided he had enough time for a bowl of cereal. After slurping the remaining milk from the bowl, he then brushed his teeth and waited on Jeff to finish getting ready.
“Come on, we’re going to be late!” he yelled when Jeff was still in the shower at the time they had agreed to leave.
“Just a minute...all this gorgeousness doesn’t happen quickly,” Jeff yelled back and shut the shower off. A few minutes later, he emerged, reeking of cologne.
“I thought you took a shower!” Billy joked as he grabbed his book bag and headed for the door.
“Very funny,” Jeff scowled.
The first class of their college career was English Composition 101. The reason Stuart wasn’t in the class with them was because he took advanced English classes in high school for college credit.
The professor of the class was Mr. Cotton, and he seemed like a nice enough man. He joked around with the class a little as he handed out the class syllabus. “Man, look at all these papers we’re going to have to write,” Jeff whispered before having his attention stolen away by a blonde girl taking the seat beside him.
Billy looked over the syllabus. It did seem overwhelming, but when he focused just on the assignments for that week, it seemed doable. And, he knew if he needed any help, he could always count on Stuart. It was one of the benefits of having a braniac boyfriend.
After class, Jeff and Billy met up with Stuart and Stan for lunch. “So, did you have any luck getting your schedule changed?” Stuart asked Stan.
“Yep. I got the last spot in your photography class,” Stan proudly announced. Now all four boys would have one class together at least. None of them really needed the photography class but it counted as a needed elective and they wanted one class that wouldn’t be too hard in case some of the others piled on the work loads.
After lunch, they each went their separate ways but agreed to go out for a celebratory dinner that night at the campus’ pizza joint.
Billy had an hour before he had to go to his Algebra class so he used the time to complete the homework Mr. Cotton had assigned. He knew he had to stay on top of things now that he was in college. He wasn’t going to have teachers reminding him of assignments anymore. He had even heard that some professors don’t even teach. They just tell you what to read and you’re on your own. Billy only finished half of his lesson before he had to run to get to class, but it was better than nothing. At least he wouldn’t have as much work to do after dinner.
In Algebra, he took a seat at the back of the class next to a slightly heavyset girl with short black hair in a ponytail who introduced herself as Lily. “Yeah, I don’t know anyone here,” Lily said as they waited for class to start. “I’m from Washington State.”
“Wow, long way from home!” Billy didn’t know why, but he liked Lily. She just seemed real. He didn’t get the impression that she was hitting on him. In fact, he thought maybe she was a lesbian. But, she had a bubbly, outgoing personality and he could tell that was just her. She didn’t try to be anything she wasn’t. “I’m here with my boyfriend and another friend from high school,” Billy told her.
Before they could talk any longer, the teacher came in, shut the door and introduced herself. “My name is Senora Stone,” she told the class before jumping right into passing out her syllabus.
Senora Stone didn’t go out of her way to tell any jokes or be funny like Mr. Cotton had, but Billy liked her. There was just something about her, underneath her businesslike attitude, that felt kind.
Just as Billy experienced in his English class, Senora Stone also assigned homework the first night. Billy was better at math than grammar, though, so he knew it wouldn’t take him long to complete. In fact, he had it and his English homework complete before Stuart and Stan even made it home to the dorm.
Chapter 7
As the sun went down on their first day of college, Billy, Stuart, Jeff and Stan all sat around their table drinking soda and eating pizza. “This is the first day of the rest of our lives, gentlemen,” Jeff announced as he held his glass up for a toast.
“To the first day!” everyone chanted as they clanged glasses together.
As each of them took turns talking about their classes and professors, Billy’s phone rang. “I got to take this outside,” he replied as he looked at the name and number displayed on his phone. It was Mr. Mendalsen, his father’s lawyer. He hadn’t spoken to him since he left Alabama after being kicked off of his Uncle Bob’s farm. “Hello?” he spoke into the receiver.
“Hi, Billy?” Mr. Mendalsen asked. “It’s Mr. Mendalsen. I’m calling about your father.”
Billy drew in a deep breath, preparing for the worst and listened as his father’s lawyer told him that a trial date had been set.
“Okay?” Billy replied, letting out his breath. He thought the call was about something more serious. “What does that have to do with me?” he asked as he paced back and forth in front of the restaurant.
“Well, your father would like you to be there, and we really could use you as a character witness,” Mr. Mendalsen explained.
“I-I can’t,” Billy answered flat out. He had no interest in seeing his father and doubted very much if his testimony would paint his dad in a very good light. The man had not been a dad to him in a very long time...in fact, they were virtual strangers. The only reason he wanted Billy there now was because he needed him. As Billy thought about that, he began to grow angry and clenched his jaw.
“I can fly you in from Alabama, if that’s the problem,” Mr. Mendalsen explained, doing his best to convince Billy.
“I’m not in Alabama anymore...my father didn’t tell you?” Billy asked, not at all surprised though. “I’ve started college and, even if I thought I could help make my dad seem less cold and corrupt, I simply can’t miss any school.”
Billy listened a bit longer as Mr. Mendalsen stressed the importance of him being there but, in the end, he still refused.
As soon as Billy returned to his friends, Stuart discreetly asked him what the call was about.
“It was my dad’s lawyer. He wants me to come and be a character witness for my dad’s trial in two weeks,” Billy announced to everyone, seeing no reason to keep it a secret.
“Are you going to go?” Stan asked, though Stuart and Jeff already knew how Billy felt about the subject.
“No. We don’t really have a relationship anymore, and I refuse to lie on the stand. Anyways, I have school,” Billy explained, citing the college’s rule about missing more than two days of class per semester. “But, let’s not talk about my dad anymore...we’re supposed to be celebrating!”
Though they spent the rest of the night laughing and having fun, Billy’s head wasn’t really in it. He couldn’t get Mr. Mendalsen’s call out of his head. The more he thought about it, the guiltier he felt for refusing to help.
Once they were back to the dorm and alone in Billy’s room, Stuart asked Billy if he was okay. “I’m sure you can get the school’s permission to go under the circumstances,” he suggested trying to help.
“I tried to see him before we left and we just argued. No, I’m sure me being there would do more harm than good,” Billy reasoned, feeling slightly better about his decision. Still, he knew life for his father must be hard and he really had done nothing to make things any better.
Since their last visit together just wound up being filled with heated words, Billy decided to sit down that night and just write a heartfelt letter to his dad, telling him all about how he felt ignored and almost even forgotten since his mother died. “I was just a little boy who had lost his mom,” Billy wrote. “I needed my dad.” He tried hard to keep the letter from taking on a blaming tone, but it was difficult to say how he felt without resentment creeping in. By the end of the five page letter, he expressed his love for his father and stated that he hoped they could repair their relationship once the trial is over.
As Billy licked the seal on the envelope, he felt his stress over the situation melt away somewhat. Something about writing his father and finally getting out all of his feelings was cleansing.
That night, he and Stuart slept over in Stuart’s room and spooned until they fell asleep. “I love you, Stuart,” Billy said as he laid his head on his boyfriend’s chest. In that moment, he felt like the luckiest man alive to have someone who loved him so whole-heartedly.
“I love you, too,” Stuart replied back happily.
Chapter 8
“Have fun in class, I’ll see you in an hour and a half,” Stuart told Billy as he dropped Billy off at his morning class before heading off to his own.