A Gay Polyester High School Romance

by S. W. Ballenger

  Monday morning, I waited anxiously at my locker for my boyfriend. I kept my eyes peeled on the hallway in which I knew he would be coming, catching sight of Tabitha in the middle of her coven staring at Gerald Tilly. Rolling my eyes, I ignored her and waited impatiently for my long-awaited reunion with my gorgeous best friend.

  A few minutes later, my face lit up as I saw those long locks of golden blond hair coming toward me. At the same time, he spotted me and a big toothy grin appeared on his face.

  As he came closer, I couldn’t help but lick my lips in anticipation of kissing those warm red lips.

  He stopped a few feet in front of me. “Hey.”

  I looked left and right to make sure no one was watching us. “Come on. Follow me,” I whispered and grabbed his arm.

  “What are you doing?” He laughed.

  I grinned at him. “Just come on.”

  He stumbled a bit and nodded.

  Trying to avoid being noticed in the crowd of students, I led us around the corner to the big gray metal door with the word BASEMENT stenciled in red paint. Below the lettering hung a hand-written sign that read Keep Door Locked At All Times. I reached for the door handle, pressed down, and pushed open the door.

  “I thought it was supposed to be locked.” Brad chuckled.

  “You know Marvin.” I shrugged, thinking about the overworked and underpaid school janitor that sold pot on the side to supplement his tiny paycheck. The man who I frequently patronized that never cared for rules.

  Carefully descending the flight of stairs below us, we finally entered into the cold, damp basement.

  “What are you doing?” Brad asked as we got to the bottom of the stairs.

  “This,” I replied, pushing him against the cinderblock wall and attacking those delicious red lips with mine. His small blond mustache tickled my nose slightly as I slipped my tongue into his mouth. Brad immediately reciprocated and I tasted the minty coolness of his toothpaste. His hands soon wandered up beneath my sweater and rubbed against my bare chest. I returned the gesture by pushing mine up the back of his shirt and running them over his bare shoulder blades.

  “I missed you,” I breathed.

  “I missed you, too,” he replied, kissing my neck.

  Things got hot very quickly as I began working my way down.

  A few minutes later, I stood up, wiped my mouth with my coat sleeve, and gave him a satisfying grin.

  Looking into his eyes, I saw an almost animalistic hunger in them. He grabbed the back of my neck, forced me to his lips, and kissed me like I have never been kissed before.

  Yanking my head back with a fist full of my hair, he stared into my eyes. “God, I love you.”

  Instead of being disturbed by his very aggressive behavior, I melted. “I love you, too.”

  Our moment of passion was interrupted by the sound of the door at the top of the stairs slamming.

  “Oh hell!” I looked up, my eyes as big as saucers. “No one is supposed to be coming down here.” I glanced toward the bend in the stairwell, unable to see around the corner as to who might be coming down them.

  “Hide,” Brad said as he grabbed my hand and pulled me behind a set of old school lockers.

  A few moments later, I heard a girl’s voice echo down the stairwell. “Hurry up, we haven’t got much time.”

  A girl’s voice that sounded vaguely familiar answered. “I’m hurrying.”

  I peered around the lockers and saw the first glimpse of my female nemesis with her trademark short mini-skirt and platform shoes.

  Brad, who was on the other side of me and could not see, whispered, “Who is it?”

  “Tabitha,” I whispered.

  “Five bucks!” I heard Tabitha say, as I spotted Cedric Commons, center of the basketball team lumbering down the stairs.

  Once at the bottom of the stairs, I watched as Cedric pulled a five-dollar bill from his wallet and handed it to Tabitha.

  I gaped at Brad, slack-jawed.

  “What are they doing?” he mouthed.

  I scrunched my face. “You don’t want to know.”

  Brad’s eyes widened. “No way!” he mouthed.

  Not wanting to see the disgusting display, I kept my eyes focused on Brad. To think this girl, who I thought at one time would be my perfect girlfriend, had turned to the world’s oldest profession. Obviously, my skills at judging other people’s character needed work.

  A few more moments, I heard footsteps begin to ascend the stairs.

  Just as I thought the coast was finally clear, the weight of my body leaning against a locker caused the partially opened locker door to bang shut.

  I looked to Brad; panic written all over my face.

  “Who’s there?” I heard Tabitha’s voice, and the sounds of clacking heels against the stairs stopped.

  Brad opened his palms and shook his head unable to decide what to do in the moment. I knew it wouldn’t look good for me and him to be seen together in the school basement, which already had the reputation as a “make-out room”.

  “You better come out now or I’m locking you down here,” she threatened as I heard the basement door slam shut. Obviously, Cedric was in a hurry to exit.

  “One…Two—” she started.

  My face and my shoulders dropped, and I knew what I had to do. “Stay here,” I mouthed.

  “No!” Brad mouthed back angrily and grabbed my arm.

  I mouthed and shook my head. “I can handle it.”

  With that, I stepped out from behind the locker. Standing on the bottom step was an angry Tabitha with her arms folded and her eyes glowing red. They might not have been glowing red, but the thought of Rosemary’s Baby did run through my head.

  “Shawn Stuart.” She squinted at me, making me shiver slightly with fear; but then I began thinking about the fact that she tried to have me kicked off the swim team, and the fact that she had started that deplorable nickname that had spread all around school. Suddenly, I wasn’t afraid of her; I was furious at her.

  I stood up straight and lifted my head. “Tabitha,” I snarled.

  She focused her cat-like eyes on me. “What are you doing down here?”

  “Collecting mold spores for a science project.” I smirked.

  She let out a small laugh, “Ha! I just bet you are. Who are you with?”

  “Nobody,” I snipped. “Which is more than I could say for you.” I decided to turn the tables on her.

  “What did you see?”

  “Enough to know you’re not the kind of girl I thought you were.”

  I felt tempted to rightfully call her what she was to her face, but I refused to stoop to her level.

  Then, as if the demon that possessed her decided to pull a new trick, her mouth morphed into an evil grin and her arms relaxed to her side.

  “You know, Shawn. I’d do you for free.” She nodded at my crotch.

  “Umm…no, thank you,” I replied. The thought of having any sort of physical contact with this girl now disgusted me. “I’m not that type of guy.”

  I watched as she did another one-eighty. “You used me. Made me think you were interested in me, then as soon as the night of the dance was over, you wanted nothing to do with me.” She paused and that wicked grin appeared again. “How did you like almost getting kicked off the swim team? Mommy would have succeeded if it weren’t for your rich daddy.”

  “Tabitha,” I shook my head with pity. “You seriously need help. My mother knows some good doctors.”

  “I don’t need any of your help.” She paused and lowered her eyebrows at me. “Let’s see what happens when I tell my mommy and Principal Anderson that you tried to have your way with me in the school basement.”

  I kept my cool. “No one would believe you.”

  “Well, we will just have to see about that, won’t we?” She cackled.

  About that time, I heard footsteps behind me. “Listen, whore!” Brad’s voice boomed. “You better keep your damn mouth shut.”

  The look on T
abitha’s face was of pure shock. It took only a few moments for her mind to jump to one conclusion.

  “Oh my God!” She gasped. “You two are homos. How could I have been so blind? Oh my God.” She put her hand over her chest. “Oh, this is even better.” She laughed hysterically.

  I tried to keep my cool and look and act as though she hadn’t figured out my and Brad’s secret, but my face betrayed me. I gave Brad a panicked look.

  Brad glared at her. “Listen here, bitch.” He pointed. “You will keep your mouth shut unless you want Principal Anderson to know about your little business.”

  “Ha! You think I’m scared.” She stuck her head forward like a chicken. The image of Granny in the chicken coop with her cleaver popped into my head.

  “Okay. Tabitha.” Brad folded his arms and lifted his head. “Do you think anyone is going to believe you over Shawn, whose father is the biggest financial contributor to this school? If you think about it, it’s two against one. After all,” he shrugged, “Shawn and I were just down here collecting spores for a science project and just happened to catch your little business transaction.” He crooned.

  Tabitha stood silent for a moment. I could see the gears in her head grinding.

  Finally, she folded her arms, huffed, turned around, and stomped up the stairs.

  I shot my eyes to Brad, feeling the blood drain from my face. “What are we going to do?”

  “We’re not going to do anything,” he said coolly and put his hands on my shoulders. “Look at me, babe. She has nothing. You really think anyone’s going to believe that you and I are homosexuals? Come on, we act nothing like Roger Coltrane and everyone knows we’ve been best friends forever. No one would ever suspect us in a million years,” he reassured me.

  He was right, there was no reason why anyone would ever suspect we were more than just best friends and it was two against one.

  I felt a smile forming on my face. “You called me, babe.”

  He leaned his head in closer to mine, his lips just inches above my own. “Is that okay?”

  “I think I can handle that.” I said as he leaned down slightly and laid a scorching kiss on me.

  • • •

  A few days before Christmas, Brad and I lay on the couch in the den watching The Andy Williams Christmas Special. My parents had gone to yet another one of their endless Christmas parties. While Mom said she enjoyed the social engagements, Dad had said he’d rather be at home relaxing in his recliner in front of the idiot box. I could understand where Dad was coming from; after all, he was always traveling and I know how he valued his downtime.

  Brad lay spooning me from behind; his hand draped lazily over my chest. Occasionally, I’d rub his arm and lean back to meet him for a kiss. I felt warm and cozy nestled in my boyfriend’s arms as the burning wood in the fireplace popped and crackled, and the lights of the Christmas tree twinkled in the corner of the room

  “That’s you!” I pointed at the television.

  “Oh God.” He rolled his eyes. “I look nothing like the Williams Twins.” He said referring to Andy William’s heartthrob teenage nephews who had started signing Hello, Mary Lou.

  “Yes, you do! I mean you’re bigger, but in the face…well…you look as much alike as me and my cousin Will. You’re even wearing their cheesy Christmas sweater.”

  “Shut up.” He started tickling me, knowing just exactly where to touch me to make me yelp the loudest.

  “Stop it, David!” I laughed hysterically.

  “Nope. Not until you call me by my name.”

  “Fine! I give!” I yelled, feeling as though I were about to wet my pants. “Brad.”

  “That’s better.” He stopped.

  We lay there a few more moments before I spoke.

  “I can’t believe they kicked Tabitha out of school,” I said, checking out the teenage girl in the shampoo commercial that reminded me of her.

  “Well,” Brad said, “they had to. I mean, she was pregnant with Cedric’s baby.”

  “I know, can you believe it? Not only did she get pregnant, but with a Black guy. I mean, to some people,” I shrugged, “that’s almost as scandalous as you and me getting together.”

  “And what have you and I got going on here other than best friends?” Brad cocked his eye at me.

  “I think you know the answer to that one, big guy.” I looked back at him.

  Since Brad and I had committed ourselves to one another almost two weeks prior, I never realized how much I did love him. Having Brad as a boyfriend was like having the best of both worlds. I had a best buddy I could throw the football around with, but with the other benefits of having a girlfriend. Believe me, Brad was much sexier than any girl including Susan.

  “What you thinking, babe?” Brad asked as he pulled back my hair and kissed my neck.

  “Of you wearing your mesh practice jersey that shows off your abs.” I flinched slightly and laughed when he hit a ticklish spot on my neck.

  Brad laughed again. “It’s a little too cold right now, but just you wait until summer. I’ll wear it as much as you want me to.”

  “That would be every day, then.” I leaned back and kissed him.

  The TV flickered through a few more commercials as Brad and I continued cuddling.

  “When’s your cousin Will coming?” he asked as I kissed the back of his hand.

  “The day after Christmas. We’re going to pick him up at the train station. I can’t wait for you to meet him.”

  “Your redneck cousin.”

  “He may be country, but he’s no redneck. The dude is super smart and very funny.” I reached back, draped Brad’s long hair over my torso, and began playing with it.

  “Cool,” Brad said. “You know I’ve been thinking, maybe we should tell your mom about us. I think she would be okay with it and then we wouldn’t have to hide it. I mean, your dad is gone most of the time, anyway.”

  “No,” I said adamantly. “We can’t. If we told her, she’d never leave us alone together ever again, much less sleep in the same bed.”

  “Yeah, I suppose you’re right. It would kinda be like a mother letting her son sleep in the same bed with his girlfriend.”

  “Exactly. She’d think we’d be having sex all the time.”

  “Well…” Brad chuckled.

  I smiled back at him. “Speaking of going to bed, I’m kinda beat,” I said as I stretched and yawned.

  “Yeah, me too.” He gave me a mischievous smirk.

  Hopping up and turning off the TV, I glanced at the flashing lights on the Christmas tree. Christmas 1973 was going to be the best ever!

  Epilogue

  January 1, 1974

  Will Bellums stood against the wall in the hallway just around the corner of his great grandparents’ kitchen. He listened to the two adults sitting at the kitchen table having a serious discussion. The mood was somber and tones were very hushed. Easing closer to the door jamb, he made sure he was careful not to be seen as he waited on the words that would decide his fate.

  “Mildred and I will take Willy,” his Granddad Bellums said.

  “Dad, listen to me,” his Great Aunt Mary said. “You know you and Mom are too old to take care of a fifteen-year-old boy.”

  “No, Mary. He’s my grandson; he grew up on this farm. This is his home and Mildred and I love him as if he were our own son.” His granddad slammed his fist on the table. “This is where he belongs.”

  “I know that, but you know how Mom’s mind is getting worse every day.”

  Will thought about Granny and how her mental state had been deteriorating over time, and since the tragic accidental death of his parents only a week ago, she seemed to have completely lost touch with reality.

  Mary tried to reason with her father again. “Dad. Will has nowhere else to go. Frank and I are the most logical choice. We have discussed it and we agree that Will coming to live with us in Connecticut would be the best thing for him. We’re in a much better financial situation to take care of him.
Besides, you know he belongs with our family. He’s going to need help getting through this.”

  Will felt a tear run down his cheek and wiped it away with his sleeve. How could this have happened? He asked himself, still not believing his parents had died, leaving him all alone.

  He listened as his Granddad sighed. “I guess you’re right, Mary. It was God’s plan from the beginning.”

  The story of Shawn, Brad, and Will will continue. Follow S.W. Ballenger on Twitter (@revolvertwo) for updates.

  About S.W. Ballenger

  Shawn Wesley Ballenger is an Arkansas native. When not writing, he enjoys records, restoring old electronics, hiking and geeking out over classic Doctor Who. A proud nerd since 1983.

  Twitter: @revolvertwo

  Instagram: @ShawnWesleyBallenger

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