Trapped at the Reunion

Disclaimer: All characters depicted are 18 years of age or older.

Last Dance

“Andre, please don’t do this,” Joel said. They were sitting in Andre’s car, parked outside Joel’s house. The sunset loomed on the horizon.

“I…I’m sorry…” Andre said, quietly, staring down at his lap.

“If there’s a time for you to come out, it’s now. People are already talking. I’ve been saying, you won’t be bullied like me. No one will dare to mess with a teacher’s kid. You’re less flamboyant than me, anyway,” Joel reached over to grab Andre’s hand, “and we can actually be boyfriends. In public. Don’t you want that? To be able to walk around school with each other?”

Andre squeezed Joel’s fingers. “It’s not like that, Joel…I’m just not…My parents are gonna flip and who knows what they’ll do,” Andre said. “I just can’t take that risk.”

Joel felt the tears collecting beneath his eyes. He put a hand on Andre’s cheek. “Andre, look at me. Look at me.”

With a sigh, Andre turned his face towards him, and as soon as Joel saw how much pain there was in those beautiful dark brown eyes of Andre’s, the tears took shape. Drops after drops began to roll down Joel’s cheeks.

“I love you,” Joel sniffled. “I don’t want us to end.”

Andre bit his lips. “I don’t want that, either.”

“Then just come out and stay with me. Who cares what other people think? We’ll be so happy and–”

“Joel…”

“–we’ll go to prom together and we’ll dance–”

“Joel, I can’t…”

“–and we can kiss in front of the whole school–”

“God fucking damnit Joel, listen!” Andre roared and pushed Joel’s hand away. “How many times have we talked about this? Not everyone has parents who are okay with their son being gay like you, okay? Not everyone can be brave like you and show off how fucking gay they are to everyone. I just…I have a life ahead of me, okay? I need my parents to pay for college and…and…I need things to be on track.”

Joel blinked. Andre pulled his gaze back down to his lap.

“That’s interesting,” Joel said, his voice hoarse. “Because if you really cared about your life being on track, whatever the fuck that means, then you shouldn’t have gone out with me in the first place. You kissed me, remember? I told you I liked you and you kissed me. You could have pushed me away but you didn’t. And you could have broken up with me at any point in the last three months, but you didn’t. Because I know you love me, Andre. I love you and you love me, too, right?”

Andre was silent for what felt like an eternity, before he turned to look at Joel with an edge in his eyes that made Joel’s body grow cold.

“Maybe I don’t love you enough.”

Joel felt his heart tighten, like a balloon being squeezed with such force that it threatened to pop, its delicate skin on the brink of giving in to the aching, pressing air. He took a deep breath.

“I can’t believe I fell in love with a coward like you,” Joel said. He could see a twitch in Andre’s face, but he didn’t care. He opened the door and got out, before shutting with a slam.

Joel stood in front of the metal door. He could hear himself breathing.

“Hey,” Andre said. “You okay?”

Joel threw a sideways glance at Andre, making sure not to look directly into his eyes. Yet, he could still feel the warmth in Andre’s tone. “No,” Joel said. “I’m not. But we’re gonna do what we have to.”

“Maybe we should talk things out before we head inside?”

“I’m good. We talked plenty when Kenji and Chuck were in their room, so,” Joel said, even though he knew this was bullshit. All they had talked about was what they did after graduation – Joel went to college for music education and Andre for computer science, what they were doing now – Joel taught at an elementary school in Houston while Andre wrote codes for a tech startup in Silicon Valley, and a million other topics of small talk that did not involve hashing out their relationship.

“We didn’t really get to talk about–” Andre said, but Joel went ahead and promptly pushed the door in, slithering into the darkness as soon as he could. He heard a sigh, then footsteps followed behind him.

The lights came on, and both of them gasped. Joel’s eyes went wide and his mouth hung open. Even when the door closed with a loud slam, Joel wasn’t spooked, too awestruck by the vast space and the glittering decorations in front of him.

“How the fuck–” Joel muttered, taking in the spectacle in front of them. They were standing in their school’s gymnasium, with its full-size basketball court and the blue and white bleachers on opposing sides, but not the gymnasium on an ordinary day. This was prom, and Joel knew this because the space looked pretty much exactly like he remembered. Swaths of fabric in eggshell white and baby blue hung across the ceiling and draped down onto the floor. Balloons tied together with shiny streamers lined the railings of the bleachers. Strips of LED lights that ran parallel to the drapes cast their soft orange glow on the gleaming floor, while rotating stage lights scattered around the gymnasium flashed their bright, bluish circles around the room. Across the room from where they were standing, a stage had been put up with giant speakers on each side, a DJ table, and a microphone in the center. Still, there was no actual DJ, no music, no crowd of students laughing and dancing.

“What kind of…how is there so much space? How did they even build this?” Andre said, slowly inching forward.

“Don’t ask me,” Joel said, his eyes scanning the room. He realized that right next to him was a white backdrop with silver balloons that spelled out “Fairview High Class of 2012,” similar to the one that seniors used to take pictures. Joel remembered posing in front of it with his friends from theatre. Then he remembered how he’d hoped to get a shot of him kissing Andre in front of it.

“This is senior year prom,” Andre said, snapping Joel back from his thoughts.

“Yeah. Wait…you didn’t go, right?” Joel asked. “I don’t remember seeing you there.”

Andre paused. “I only went for like 10 minutes. And then I left. You weren’t there yet so you didn’t see me.”

“Oh. Why didn’t you stay?”

A longer pause. Andre opened his mouth, but no words came. Still, the look in Andre’s eyes and the hands shuffling in his pockets were enough for Joel to understand.

“You didn’t want to see me.”

Andre sucked in a breath and looked down at the floor. “Not really.”

“I don’t blame you.” Joel exhaled. “I didn’t wanna see you either. We’d only been broken up for like, what, two months by then?”

“Something like that, yeah.”

Silence followed. Memories flowed through Joel’s mind like a rapid current, sweeping him back into the past. The first time they talked was when Andre offered him a wet tissue to wipe off the grime on his backpack, which Chuck and his friends had thrown into the dumpster, and Joel first noticed how handsome Andre was, how his eyes shone. Not long after, they were paired up for a Biology project and Andre came to Joel’s place, where they discovered that they were both fans of Britney, eventually singing and dancing to her hits in Joel’s room, which made Joel suspect that Andre was also gay. Then the first time they kissed: after Andre gave Joel his birthday present – a vintage-style Britney shirt that Andre had thrifted – and Joel confessed his feelings. The first time they had sex. The first time they fought over Andre not coming out. The last time they fought over Andre not coming out.

Andre inhaled, sharply. “Anyways, we should start searching for clues. There’s always something we need to do before we, um, fuck, so…”

“Right.” Joel nodded. He looked around the gymnasium, trying to pinpoint something of interest, while Andre started walking the perimeter. There was nothing out of place, Joel thought. He moved to the center of the dance floor, squinting at the drapes and the LED lights, surveying the balloons and the stage, to see if there was something peculiar, but nothing stood out. His eyes found Andre, who was now walking up and down the bleachers and examining the seats. A circle of blue light passed through Andre’s torso, then another one ran across his face, and Joel felt his heart flutter. Andre was beautiful. Everything from his tall, slim build, to his short black curls and light stubble, to his bright, curious eyes. The way his legs gracefully glided on the floor. The way his brows furrowed, deep in thought. Andre was different, but at the same time, he was still the same boy Joel had fallen in love with 10 years ago.

“See anything interesting?” Andre asked, moving towards Joel on the dance floor.

“Nope, you?”

Andre shook his head. “There’s no sign of drugged up water either.”

“Does that mean we just have to…”

Andre was right in front of him now, in the middle of the floor. Their eyes locked onto each other. “I guess so.”

Joel swallowed. He wondered if he could have sex with Andre completely sober. If he could bear to even kiss him.

Andre spoke softly. “Joel, before we do this, I just wanna–”

“STUDENTS OF FAIRVIEW HIGH!” a voice suddenly boomed from the speakers, making Joel jump. “HOW ARE YOU ENJOYING PROM TONIGHT?”

“What the fuck?” Joel said. He looked at Andre, who looked just as confused as he was.

“This next song is for the couples,” the voice, male and chirpy, continued, drawing out that last word. “So if there’s someone special you want to have a romantic moment with tonight, or if there’s someone you want to confess your feelings to, this is the moment. Gentlemen, ladies, take each other’s hands and let’s dance…”

The LED string lights switched off, the dance floor went dim. The stage lights continued to swivel and cast their spots of blue and white around the room, but their pace slowed. Joel took in the change in lighting, before he turned back to Andre.

“Well, I guess we have to dance,” he said.

“Yup, looks like it,” Andre replied. They stood there awkwardly for a few seconds, before Andre asked. “Is it okay if I put my hands around your…”

“Yeah. Here,” Joel inched forward and wrapped his hands around Andre’s waist, feeling the soft fabric of Andre’s suit jacket on his skin. “And you can put yours around my neck.”

“Cool.” Andre brought his arms up and put them atop Joel’s shoulders, before slowly interlacing his fingers behind Joel’s neck. When Andre’s fingers grazed against his skin, Joel almost shivered.

“Is this okay?” Andre asked. The gentleness of his voice reminded Joel of when they used to have sex and Andre would be the most tender, considerate boyfriend. The thought made Joel choke. All he could do was nod.

The music started. From the first note, those luxurious strings, Joel recognized the song immediately. “At Last” by Etta James. Soon, her voice, rich and expansive, filled the room. Joel began to sway his hips side to side ever so slightly, and Andre moved with him.

Joel wanted to look away from Andre’s eyes, but he also didn’t. This was everything he’d ever wanted. Their bodies laced up together, their faces inches apart, their eyes staring into each other as they moved to the slow, loving rhythm of the music. The lights would trail across Andre’s face from time to time, and Joel would feel like his breath was taken away.

“Joel?” Andre said.

“Y-yeah?”

“I’m, uh…I’m sorry.”

Joel blinked. “For what?”

“For not making this happen back then.” Andre’s eyes drooped down. “I wasn’t brave enough.”

“What? No.” Joel shook his head. “It was all my fault. I kept being a bitch and pushing you to come out when you weren’t ready. I should be the one apologizing.”

Andre pressed his lips together. “You were right, though. I was a coward.”

“No, you weren’t. You were just being careful. I shouldn’t have…” Joel sighed. “I shouldn’t have forced you to choose me over your own safety. I was selfish. I was desperate for that dream relationship where we can be out in the open but…I know I was being unfair to you. So I’m sorry. Truly sorry.”

For a moment, all there was was the music. Andre blinked, and blinked, until Joel noticed the wetness in his eyes. Andre looked away.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Joel asked. He put a hand on Andre’s cheek, warm and quivering.

“I…” Andre sniffled. “I was planning to come out at prom. So I could dance with you.”

“What?”

Andre turned to look at Joel, his eyes red and brimming with regret. “Cuz…cuz I came out to my dad, and my mom, and they were fine with it. This was, like, I don’t know, a week after we broke up. So I was planning to have this grand moment at prom where I’d say I love you and kiss you in front of everyone. I mean, it was the end of the school year anyway. It’s not like the stakes were even that high. But I chickened out at the last minute when I actually saw you and I just went home.”

“Andre, I–” Joel choked on his words. In the light, the wet streaks on Andre’s cheeks look like melted silver, and the droplets of tears like tiny gems collecting at the end of his eyelashes and rolling down onto Joel’s fingertips.

“And it’s not like that was my only chance,” Andre said. “I had up to graduation, but I was still too scared to do anything or even talk to you. So yeah, I was a fucking coward, and I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.” Joel lightly caressed Andre’s cheek, blinking back his own tears. “You weren’t ready. It’s not your fault.”

“But–”

“I mean it. You did nothing wrong.” Joel gave him a small smile. “I’m the one in the wrong. I could’ve talked to you, too, right? I should have. All that time before we graduated. I should’ve apologized for ruining our relationship–”

“You didn’t–”

“I did.” Joel shook his head. “I messed up. Big time. It’s one of the biggest regrets of my life. And yes, we are kidnapped here in this stupid dungeon but,” Joel laughed, “I’m glad I have the chance to say sorry to you. For all the stupid things I’ve done. So, do you forgive me?”

Andre stared at him, the tears had stopped. Joel felt Andre’s hands behind his neck loosen. Then, on top of the hand that he’d placed on Andre’s cheek, Andre put his onto Joel’s. The softness of Andre’s palm made Joel melt. Their fingers, as if by nature, slid against one another and laced themselves up.

“Yeah,” Andre said, his thumb gently stroking Joel’s, tracing from the joint up to the nail and down again. “I do.”

“Thank you.”

Joel gazed into Andre’s eyes. The song was coming to an end, and he was overcome with the urge to lean in and kiss Andre. Yet, just as he was about to, Andre spoke.

“Joel.” The way Andre said his name made his breath stop in his lungs. “Can I kiss you?”

Joel gulped, nodded. “Please do.”

And so Andre did. Their lips met just as the song echoed its final notes, and Joel was transported back in time. The way their mouths fit into each other. The taste of Andre’s tongue. The heat emanating from their faces. All felt like the kisses they shared a decade ago, in Joel’s room and Andre’s car, after school and on weekends. Joel kept his eyes closed, his right hand still firmly under Andre’s on top of his cheek. His left one travelled to Andre’s neck, his thumb grazing against Andre’s jaw and feeling it move as Andre kissed him, again and again and again. Andre wrapped an arm around Joel’s hips and pulled him close, their bodies tightly pressed against each other. After a moment, their lips parted, their eyelids fluttered open.

Andre licked his lips, which then curved into a shy smile. Joel grinned.

“Takes you back, huh?”

“You have no idea,” Andre said. In a flash, their lips were on top of each other again. The space was silent save for their constant smooches, their quickening breaths, and the rustle of fabric rubbing against fabric. Andre moved his hands to the back of Joel’s head, fingers snaking through his hair, palms lightly pressing Joel’s face into his. Joel tugged on Andre’s bottom lip, which, just as he remembered, made Andre let out soft groans that only drove Joel crazier. Joel snaked his tongue into Andre’s mouth and was met with just as eager a tongue as Andre flicked and swirled against him.

Joel pulled away. He looked into Andre’s eyes and saw the desire burning up in the black irises. “Do you want to…”

“Yes.” Andre nodded emphatically. “Of course I do.”

“Alright, um, let’s see…” Joel scanned the room. The only place that looked feasible was the bleachers.

“I guess we don’t have a choice,” Joel said, nodding at the bleachers behind Andre.

Andre turned, following Joel’s gaze. “There, huh?”

“Yup, unless you wanna do it right here on the floor.”

“Bleachers it is,” Andre said. “Come on.” Flashing a smile, Andre grabbed Joel’s hand and dragged him towards the spot. The click-clack of their shoes echoed across the gymnasium, before Andre settled down on the bottom bench and Joel straddled his lap.

“You’re so hot,” Andre said. He placed a hand on Joel’s cheek.

“You’re absolutely right.” Joel nodded. “I am so fucking hot.”

Andre wheezed. “Shut the fuck up.”

“What? I am.” Joel lowered his face. “But you wanna know something?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m only the second sexiest man in this room right now,” Joel said. Andre froze for a second, then exhaled as his eyes closed and a small smile formed on his lips. The classic bashful-Andre look.

“You’re still so goddamn cute,” Joel said. He put his lips onto Andre’s, hands cradling the sides of Andre’s head. Andre reciprocated the kiss with zeal, and soon their lips and tongues were grabbing at one another, their bodies pressed firmly together again. Joel felt Andre’s hands settle on his thighs and begin to caress them through the fabric, a finger or two moving dangerously close to Joel’s crotch. He could feel a hardness in Andre’s pants, too, which pushed against Joel’s taint as it grew.

Andre drew his lips away, but before Joel could protest, they found their way to his neck, and Joel moaned. He grabbed onto Andre’s back as Andre licked and kissed and sucked on the sensitive skin. He would sprinkle in a playful bite, which made Joel gasp, his body writhing against Andre, his crotch stirring against Andre’s bulge.

“Fuck…don’t stop, Andre, fuck…” Joel moaned. Andre dragged his tongue across Joel’s neck and began working the other side. Joel saw Andre shuck off his suit jacket and did the same. Then came off the ties. Then shirt buttons began to part, all the while Andre’s lips never leaving Joel’s neck and making him whimper. When their shirts finally came off, Andre wrapped his arms around Joel’s back and shifted their bodies to the side, then lowered them onto the bleacher bench. When Joel’s bare back pressed against the cool plastic, Andre let go.

“Fuck,” Andre muttered, and Joel saw his eyes roam from his face down to his torso then back to his face.

“Like what you see?”

“Fuck yes,” Andre laughed. He placed a hand on the center of Joel’s chest, where his chest hair was the thickest. “This is new,” he said as his fingers dug into the fur.

“I grew it myself,” Joel said with a grin. He had a bit of chest hair in high school, but it really thickened during college. Andre chuckled just as a circle of light crossed his face, making his eyes sparkle. Joel couldn’t help but stare.

“Wait, are you cold?” Andre suddenly asked.

“Huh? Oh, kinda but it’s–”

“Here, let me…” Andre grabbed his suit jacket. He placed a hand on the side of Joel’s rib and coaxed his torso up, sliding the jacket underneath. When Joel reclined his back, the fabric felt soft against his skin.

“Oh, and while we’re at it…” Andre said and pulled Joel’s suit jacket up from the ground. He folded it into a neat square and put it under Joel’s head, every movement as light as a feather.

“That better?” Andre asked, a warm smile on his face. A tender feeling bloomed inside Joel’s chest.

“Y-yeah. Thank you,” Joel said quietly.

“No problem.” Andre lowered himself onto Joel and their lips met again. Joel’s hands travelled the length and breadth of Andre’s back, feeling the familiar thin, sinewy body under his palms. The joints lining Andre’s spine. The smooth skin stretched across his torso. Then, slowly, Andre’s back slipped from his fingers as he moved down Joel’s torso, kissing his chin, then his neck, his chest, his stomach. Finally, Andre’s face nudged against his bulge, and Joel let out a moan. As Andre unbuckled his belt, Joel felt his cock throb against the fabric as though it needed to make contact with Andre’s mouth then and there. The belt fell to the floor, a button was undone, a zipper pulled down. Joel couldn’t take it anymore. He reached inside his underwear and pulled it out.

“Damn, I was getting there.” Andre laughed, tugging onto Joel’s briefs and trousers and pulling them down, his shoes coming off with them. The second Joel’s legs were freed, Andre swooped in and closed his lips around Joel’s head.

“Oh…” Joel exhaled, releasing his cock from his hand to let Andre take charge. Andre was slow, each stroke going deeper and deeper down Joel’s shaft with a leisurely ease, but the suction was ample, making every nerve endings in Joel’s cock flare up. Joel let Andre take his time, though he desperately wanted to push the whole thing into Andre’s mouth, his hands gripped the sides of the bench, his back slightly arching upwards.

“Andre…” Joel whimpered. He craned his neck forward. Andre was wholly focused on his cock, eyes staring down at the base of the shaft. Every time he bobbed his head down, Andre would slide his tongue across the backside of his cock and Joel would moan in appreciation. As if sensing Joel’s eyes on him, Andre glanced up, eyes gleaming. He released Joel’s cock from his mouth and started to swirl his tongue against the head. Precum leaked from the slit, and Andre collected each drop so delicately with his tongue as if it was a pearl, a gem. Then, without warning, Andre opened his mouth wide and plunged downwards, taking all and every inch of Joel down his throat.

“Fuck! Andre!” Joel cried. Andre closed his lips around the base and sucked in, which made Joel’s cock twitch against the roof of Andre’s mouth. The feeling was marvelous, washing over Joel like a wave. Then, Andre started sucking in earnest. His saliva-covered cock slid in and out of Andre’s mouth with a rapid fluidity. Now and then, Andre would pop Joel’s cock out and turn his attention to Joel’s balls, licking and toying with them in his mouth. The gymnasium echoed Joel’s moans and grunts. Andre knew what made Joel tick. He remembered.

“Andre…I’m gonna cum if you keep that up…” Joel said, his heart racing. He put a hand on Andre’s head, and Andre looked up. Perhaps it was the way Joel’s face was twisting in pleasure, or how his cock was throbbing with heat inside Andre’s mouth, but either way, Andre let go. He slid his body up until his face met Joel’s.

“Liked that?” Andre asked, grinning. His lips glistened with saliva.

“Fuck yes,” Joel replied breathily. They shared another kiss, wet and full of tongue, before their lips parted.

Andre’s gaze burned into Joel’s eyes. “Joel.”

“Hmm?”

“Can I ride you now?” Andre asked in a voice so sincere it actually made Joel snicker.

“No, actually, you can’t,” Joel said, rolling his eyes. “Of course you fucking can.”

“Just making sure.” Andre gave Joel a quick peck on the lips. Stepping aside, he quickly stripped his pants and kicked off his shoes. Joel almost drooled at the sight of Andre’s bulge in his underwear, and when that came off, too, Joel caught his breath as Andre’s cock swung out. It looked just as perfect as he recalled. So when Andre moved to straddle him, Joel couldn’t help but reach his arm forward and tug at Andre’s cock.

“Please tell me you’re gonna fuck me later,” Joel said, feeling the warm, rigid shaft in his hand.

“We’ll see. I’ll probably cum from riding you, though, if you remember,” Andre said with a smile. Joel wasn’t a virgin when they first had sex, but Andre was, and given his inexperience, Joel had decided to bottom. Yet, as time went on, it became clear that Andre could be just as eager a bottom as Joel. Andre loved to ride Joel and would cum hands-free from it, after which he’d ask Joel to continue fucking him until he came, too.

“I guess we’ll see. Either way, please put my dick inside you before it explodes,” Joel pleaded. And with that, Andre wasted no more time. He spat on his hand and gave Joel’s cock a few quick strokes, coating it with the slimy saliva, before he angled it right at his opening. With a deep breath, Andre pushed himself down.

“Oh shit…” Joel gasped. Andre wasn’t too tight – Joel could imagine that Kenji had a role in this – and Joel’s cock slid into him like a dream. In the blink of an eye, he was wholly inside of Andre, who immediately began moving up and down on Joel’s cock, albeit slowly. Their eyes didn’t leave each other, save for the times where they would roll to the back of their heads, like when Joel felt his tip hit that special spot inside Andre, or when Andre clenched his muscles around Joel’s shaft.

“I love your dick,” Andre said with a grunt. “Still fits me perfectly.”

Joel moaned. It was so nice, so warm, so snug inside him. “Yeah…feels so fucking good, Andre.”

“Fuck…yes…” Andre picked up the pace, gyrating his hips and bouncing his ass onto Joel. As the rhythm escalated, so did their moans, ringing out across the gymnasium as though their lust could permeate the entire vast space. Joel tried his best not to take his eyes off Andre. The stage lights were still spinning circles around the room and, every so often, they would shine on Andre. When they landed on Andre’s face, Joel would admire his handsome features, even as his brows furrowed and his nose scrunched up and his mouth hung open in pleasure. When they bathed Andre’s torso, Joel would take in every illuminated inch of his smooth black skin and his lithe form undulating on top of Joel. When they cast a spotlight on Joel’s own stomach, Joel would lick his lips at Andre’s hard dick and the tiny pool of precum dripping from its tip down to Joel’s skin.

“Andre, you have no idea…mmph…how beautiful you look right now,” Joel said in between grunts. Andre cracked a smile.

“You look incredible, too, Joel. So fucking incredible.” With Joel’s cock lodged deep inside him, Andre bent forward and kissed Joel, who took the opportunity to buck his hips upward and thrust into Andre. Moans and moans spurted from their lips, which were still lapping at each other as Joel fucked Andre. Even though Joel was moving at a gentle pace, Andre was driving him crazy with the way his ass gripped tightly onto his shaft with each long, leisurely stroke. As if his cock was being milked, Joel felt himself on the point of bursting.

Joel parted his lips. “Andre, I’m…about to cum.”

Andre’s face was right above him, his eyes staring deep into Joel’s with such tenderness as though they could turn him into molten gold. “Cum for me, Joel,” Andre said, a soft hand placed on Joel’s cheek. “Cum for me, baby.”

“Oh my god…Andre…” Joel groaned. A final push, Andre’s muscles clamping down on his shaft, and Joel exploded, gasping. His balls tightened as he shot into Andre, each spurt sending shivers that ran through every fiber of his being. Andre’s ass didn’t stop gripping onto his cock, coaxing every last drop out of him while Andre planted small kisses along his jawline. As the orgasm subsided, Joel panted into Andre’s face, his body light and airy, a swath of satin under Andre’s skin.

“You okay?” Andre whispered, his eyes surveying Joel’s face.

“Yeah…I’m okay,” Joel nodded. “I’m amazing, in fact.”

Andre smiled. “Glad I could make you feel so good.”

“Well you don’t have to stop.” Joel took a hand and caressed the side of Andre’s head. “You can still fuck me.”

“Oh? Can I?” Andre raised an eyebrow.

“Yes, you very much can,” Joel said. “And judging by how hard your dick is against my stomach right now, you probably really should.”

Andre lifted his torso up and looked down at his cock, as if he didn’t realize how hard he was. “Oh wow, you’re right,” he said.

Joel laughed. “So? Is that a yes?”

“That’s a fuck yes,” Andre replied, grinning. Lifting himself from Joel’s thighs, Andre moved backwards and positioned his cock in front of Joel’s hole. Instinctively, Joel parted and raised his legs. Andre let him rest them on his shoulders.

“Damn.” Andre dripped some saliva onto his hand and rubbed it into Joel’s hole, making Joel wince. “Was your hole always this hairy?”

Joel groaned as an index finger probed at his opening. “Is that really important right now?”

“Alright, alright, you’re dying for my dick, I get it,” Andre said, one hand lightly stroking his hard cock, the other toying with Joel’s hole. More spit. Andre’s finger moving forward another inch. Joel’s heart drummed in anticipation. Another dollop of saliva. A whole finger inside him. Joel’s hole twitched with desire.

“Fuck…” Andre muttered. Joel felt a second finger finding its way in, and all he wanted to do was to somehow suck it in, get Andre inside, engulf him, satisfy his need. The finger eased into his hole, and despite the slight sting, Joel could relax his muscles and let it in.

“Andre,” Joel said, gazing into Andre’s eyes. “Just fuck me. I can take it.”

“Y-you sure?” Andre asked, his face concerned. “I just wanna make sure you don’t get hurt.”

“I know. I won’t be. I promise.” The conversation made Joel think back to their first time. Him being reassuring and eager, while Andre careful and tentative.

Andre nodded. He lubed his dick up with spit and, with one hand on Joel’s calf and one on his shaft, guided the head into Joel’s ass.

“Holy shit, you’re so…tight.” Andre gasped as the head pushed through Joel’s opening. “Are you sure you’re gonna be okay?”

Joel paced his breathing, unclenched his glutes. “Yeah. All the way in, Andre. Just do it.”

There was a flash of hesitance across Andre’s face, but he continued to thrust forward. Joel moaned as more and more of Andre entered him, stretching him apart. Soon, Joel felt Andre’s bush grazing against his taint, and then Andre was entirely inside.

“Oh my…” Joel moaned. Andre’s cock felt so thick and full inside him, a mast emanating heat against the walls of muscle within him.

Andre’s chest heaved. “You…fuck, that’s good…you doing alright?”

“Fuck…fuck me…just fuck me…” Joel begged, and Andre gave in. Slowly, Andre’s cock began sliding in and out of him. Andre would pull out until only the head was inside Joel, then plunged in, driving straight into Joel’s prostate. Joel’s eyes rolled to the back of his head with each one of Andre’s thrust, moans and whimpers bursting from his lips. Andre wasn’t forceful – he never was – his movements swift and smooth, the perfect combination to make Joel wild.

“God, Joel, your ass is…amazing as ever,” Andre grunted, the rhythm increasing little by little. Memories of Andre fucking him came alive in his mind, but one stood out. That Valentine’s day, the same day they kissed in Andre’s car at Rosewood Cliff, unaware of the rumors that would spread thereafter, when they made love for as long as they could before Joel’s parents came home, limbs tangled up in each other, bodies glued together with sweat and affection.

“Andre…don’t stop…it’s so good, fuuuck,” Joel moaned. The nostalgia, the passion of two boys in love for the first time, the fiery feelings he once had for Andre, the bliss of Andre fucking him right now, took over his body, his mind. His cock stiffened. Andre’s thrusts were rapid now, pressing into his hole, throbbing within him.

“Fuck, I’m gonna cum soon, Joel…it’s just too tight…aaah,” Andre said, his words melting into pants and groans. Andre’s face contorted in pleasure, but his eyes still bore lovingly into Joel.

“Cum,” Joel whimpered, sweat dripping from his face. “Cum inside me, Andre.”

Andre pushed and pushed, groaned and groaned. His cock swelled, his hands gripping Joel’s legs. “Shit, it’s coming. Fuck, fuck, fuck!” Andre cried. A deep, powerful thrust into Joel’s prostate and Joel felt his cock twitch at the same time Andre’s pulsed.

“Fuck, I’m–” Joel yelped, his eyes squeezed shut as the climax hit them together. Cum dripped out of Joel’s cock like a faucet while his hole was filled with Andre’s seed, spurt after spurt of the thick, slimy substance sticking to the walls within him. For a few seconds, Joel went light-headed, barely registering the swirling lights or the echo of moans. All he could feel was euphoria making his heart pound and his body shake. It was only when he felt Andre’s body collapse on top of him – Andre’s cock popping out of his hole – that Joel came to.

He looked at Andre’s exhausted face, the sweat gleaming on his forehead. “That was…nice,” Joel managed to say.

“Nice?” Andre raised a brow, still panting. “I made you cum a second time and ‘nice’ is what I get?”

“Ugh, fine. You were amazing, show-stopping, ground-breaking, alright?” Joel laughed, and so did Andre. For a moment, they silently basked in the afterglow. Andre’s hand softly stroked Joel’s cheek, while Joel wrapped his arms around Andre’s back, pulling him close.

“Andre,” Joel said. “I’m really happy you were my first love.”

Andre stared at him, then smiled. “I’m happy you were mine, too.” Andre reached his face up towards Joel’s and they kissed, softly and sweetly, until they stopped.

When Joel opened the door back to the hallway, immediately, something was off. The dead silence. His eyes turned to the floor and landed on Kenji and Chuck. Their lifeless bodies on the ground.

“What the–? Kenji? Chuck?” Joel swooped down onto Kenji while Andre knelt down next to Chuck.

“What happened to them?”

“I don’t know!” Joel cried. He looked at Kenji’s face, how his eyes were shut, then his body, how his limbs were limp and relaxed. He put a finger on Kenji’s neck, trying to feel for a pulse.

“I think he’s–” A sharp sting on his neck cut Joel’s words short, and he immediately went woozy. His body felt heavy. He heard Andre call out his name before he collapsed on top of Kenji, in his blurry vision Andre falling onto Chuck, a shadow towering above them. And then it was darkness.

When Joel opened his eyes, he realized he was back in his car, in the parking lot of the convention center.

“What?” He startled in his seat. Something fell to the floor with a thud. Joel looked down. His phone. The screen lit up as Joel bent over to grab it. It was a few minutes past eight. Another flash of light at the corner of his eye, and Joel realized he had his Apple Watch back, too. Joel looked up. It was darker now and the parking lot was packed with cars. He saw someone get out of a Toyota a few feet away. Kenji.

Joel rushed out. “Kenji?” he shouted.

“Joel.” Kenij spun around.

“Are you okay?” Joel ran towards him. He scanned Kenji’s body for any sign of injury. None.

“Yeah, I think so–”

“Joel! Kenji!” A voice boomed from their right, and when they turned, they saw Chuck and Andre rushing in their direction.

“Oh my god! Are you guys all right?” Andre asked, panting as he reached the two of them.

Joel nodded. “Yeah. What happened back there? We came out and we saw you two lying on the floor.”

Chuck ran a hand through his hair, shaking his head. “I…I’m not sure. I think someone came in from somewhere and knocked me and Kenji out with, like, a syringe or something.”

“Yeah, I think it was two people, too,” Kenji said. “This is so fucked up!”

“Alright, we have to take this to the police,” Chuck said. Joel saw Andre cock his head to the side.

“Yeah…but what are we gonna tell them?” Andre said. “Think about it.”

“That we got kidnapped and brought to a weird dungeon where we were drugged and forced to have sex, duh!” Kenji whined.

“Oh, I see the problem.” Joel smacked his lips. “We’re gonna sound crazy.”

“Exactly.” Andre sighed. “We don’t know anything about who took us or where we were taken to. It’s…gonna be rough explaining ourselves to the police.”

Kenji stared at Andre, then at Joel, eyes wide in disbelief. “You– you’re serious? We’re just gonna do nothing about the fact that we were just fucking attacked and kidnapped?”

“Kenji,” Chuck said, softly. “I think they’re right. We wouldn’t make any sense to the police. They’ll just think we’re four crazy fuckers who are making shit up.”

“But…there are four of us! Sure, if it’s one person, they can just dismiss us as crazy but there are four fucking people! There’s no way they would brush us off, right? Right?” Kenji asked, frantic.

Silence fell. Joel looked around, shifting from Chuck’s uncertain eyes, to Andre’s furrowed brows, to Kenji’s desperate face.

“You know what?” Kenji’s tone shifted. “I’m gonna go to the police myself. They might call me crazy and you guys can call me dumb but I don’t care. You can head up to that stupid reunion and have a great rest of the night.”

Kenji turned on his heels and walked off to his car, shoes thudding on the concrete with every step. “Kenji…” Chuck called out, but Kenji kept walking. The rest of them stared at each other, shifting uncomfortably on their feet.

Then Andre spoke. “We have to go with him, don’t we?”

“Yup,” Joel said. “We can’t let him do this alone.”

Chuck groaned. “Ugh, I just…the cops are gonna be so annoying to deal with, but sure, fuck the actual reunion.”

“Yo, Kenji! Wait up!” Andre shouted just as Kenji was opening his car door. “We’re coming with you!”

The hall was brimming with people when Joel stepped in, but he immediately saw Andre, who was in a crisp beige suit.

“Andre!” Joel called. Andre’s face lit up as Joel moved towards him.

“Joel, oh my god!” Andre pulled him into a tight hug. “It’s so good to see you.”

“It’s so good to see you, too. Thank God this time we’re actually at the reunion,” Joel said. They shared a laugh and let go of each other. Ten years ago, the police, while definitely thinking that the four were insane, had agreed to look at the camera footage in the parking lot around the time they were taken and then brought back. To their disappointment, the footage had been inexplicably wiped, and, left with no evidence, the investigation ended. For the next few weeks, as they returned to their respective lives, they anxiously waited for a video to pop up in their inboxes accompanied by a blackmail message, but it never came.

Thus, life returned to normalcy. The four of them stayed in touch, visiting each other when they passed through each other’s cities. Kenji and Chuck even admitted to having sex on multiple occasions. When Joel got married, he invited them to the wedding, and two years later, Andre had done the same. Still, as the years flew by – as Kenji moved across the country and Chuck got promotions after promotions and Andre’s son learned to walk and Joel left teaching to start a business with his husband – the correspondence got sparser and sparser. Nonetheless, now, at Fairview High’s Class of 2012 20-year reunion, Joel was excited to see his friends again. All of them were.

“Look who it is!” Joel and Andre heard a familiar voice. When they turned, they saw Kenji’s beaming smile as he bounced towards them. “My two favorite fellow alumni.”

“I heard that.” Chuck suddenly appeared behind them, shooting Kenji a grimace.

“Don’t worry, you’re a close third.” Kenji laughed, throwing his hands in the air. “Nah, I’m just kidding. Come here!”

Kenji and Chuck hugged, before turning to Andre and Joel and giving them each a hug as well.

“Oh, Andre,” Chuck said as he unwrapped his arms around Andre’s back. “I never got to say how sorry I am for your loss.”

“Aw, it’s okay. Thank you.” Andre answered with a soft smile. Andre’s dad had died over a year ago, and while Chuck couldn’t make it to the funeral due to a business trip, throngs of people from Fairview High came to pay their respects. Andre couldn’t even remember how many people had shaken his hands and hugged him and left their tears on the shoulders of his suit by the end of the day.

“You should have seen how many people were at the funeral,” Kenji said. “So many students and alumni and even retired teachers and school staff came. Mr. Hicks was really well-loved.”

“Yeah, it was really nice. They’re actually having a little tribute to him in a moment,” Andre said. “I’m supposed to say a few words about him and– Oh, looks like it’s starting.”

The lights dimmed and they turned towards the front of the hall, where Andre’s dad’s face was projected onto a huge screen with the words “In Memory of Charles Alexander Hicks” beneath it. A middle-aged man, apparently the current principal, came up to the podium.

“Good evening, everyone, and welcome to the 20-year reunion of Fairview High’s Class of 2012!” he said, drawing out the words. Applause roared.

“Before I let you all get back to your mingling, I would like to take a moment to honor a man that was truly an influence at Fairview when he was with us. Charles Hicks, or as he was known to most of you, Mr. Hicks.” A few faces turned around and gave Andre looks of sympathy, which he reciprocated with awkward nodding. Photos of Andre’s dad began flowing through the screen as the speaker continued, “Mr. Hicks taught Physics at Fairview High for over 30 years. He was an incredible teacher, one that always inspired students to learn and believe in their own capabilities. Winning several teaching awards throughout his career at Fairview, Mr. Hicks was undeniably one of the best educators in the school’s history. To his colleagues, Charles was always the friendliest face in the teachers’ lounge, always…”

Suddenly, Andre felt a buzz in his pocket. He pulled his phone out to see a message from Ben Olivari, his dad’s lawyer: “Meet me outside the hall. Right now. Have something important to give you. Bring Chuck, Kenji, and Joel.”

Andre frowned. Discreetly, he passed the phone to Joel, who squinted at the screen and mouthed a “What,” to which Andre shrugged. To Joel’s left, Kenji and Chuck peeked at the message, their brows drawing together in confusion.

“Ben Olivari?” Kenji whispered. “Didn’t he graduate a year before us?”

“Yeah.” Andre looked at the screen one more time, making sure he believed his eyes, before putting the phone back inside his pocket. “He came back to Fairview after law school. Was my dad’s lawyer. Did his will and stuff.”

“Why the hell is he texting you in the middle of this?” Chuck asked.

“And what do we have anything to do with it?” Joel added.

“I don’t know, but we should probably go see him,” Andre said. Quietly, he slithered through the crowd, with Joel, Kenji, and Chuck following closely behind him, and headed towards the main door. When he got out, Ben was standing with a yellow envelope in his hand.

“Ah, you are all here. Perfect,” Ben said, smiling.

“Ben,” Andre said. “What’s happening? Why are you here?”

“Yeah, aren’t you class of 2011? Your reunion was last year, you know,” Kenji said.

“I know. I’m not planning to crash your party. I just had to give you this.” Ben held out the envelope.

Andre tentatively took it in his hand. “What is this?”

“Part of your father’s will.”

“What? I thought his will was finalized long ago.”

“It was. But before he died, he gave me instructions to leave this part out until this particular day. He also told me to make sure you three,” Ben turned to Kenji, Chuck, and Joel, “are present.”

“Huh? Did he leave something for us?” Joel asked.

“Yup, he left y’all a property, a huge abandoned steel factory or something near the freeway, an hour away from here. Don’t know how he even got it in the first place, but that’s not my problem,” Ben explained. “That’s not the only thing in there, by the way. I mean, I know that part of the will is in there, but he left some other stuff for y’all too. Notes or something. I never opened it so I don’t know. Trust me, I’m just as confused as you are. He really insisted on letting y’all know about this at the reunion, so that’s why I’m here.”

“Oh, uh…sure, thanks, Ben,” Andre said.

“No prob. Gotta go now. Have a great rest of the night,” Ben said and walked away, leaving them in the lobby, too stunned to even utter a reply.

“What the fuck?” Andre muttered after Ben was gone. He opened the envelope and first pulled out a sheet of paper. The will.

“Oh, look, those are our names,” Kenji pointed out. “Holy shit, your dad did leave it to us.”

Chuck took the will from Andre’s hands and studied it, while Andre fished the remaining papers out of the envelope. “Yeah, that’s so weird. How does your dad have–”

“Oh my god.”

“What?” Joel asked. When they looked down at Andre’s hands, they realized that he was holding a stack of photos. Four of them.

“Wait, is that what I think it is?” Chuck said, his voice shaking.

“No way…” Joel murmured. Andre flipped through the pictures, and they collectively lost their breaths. They were photos of them in the rooms. Not having sex, not even naked. It was Kenji and Chuck grabbing towels from their lockers. Chuck and Joel having a standoff in front of the sinks. Andre grading the test while Kenji slumped over a desk. Joel and Andre in the center of the dance floor.

“What the fuck…” Andre said, the words barely congealing.

“S-so,” Kenji stammered. “Y-your dad was the one behind–”

“And now, I would like to invite Mr. Hicks' son, Andre, to come up here to say a few words in memory of his father,” the voice suddenly rang from inside the hall. Startled, Andre dropped the envelope onto the ground. A piece of paper slipped out.

“Andre? Is he here? Andre? If you’re here, please join me on stage,” the voice continued. “Andre? He was just here, right? Did anyone see him…” The commotion inside the hall was getting louder, but all they could focus on was the piece of paper on the floor. Andre knelt down to pick up, shivering at the realization that it was the same handwriting on the folder in the classroom. The one that said “Hicks.” They read the note. Stomachs churning, throats dry.

“Thanks for indulging me. Hope you had fun. Best, Charles.”

A/N: Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed this series as much as I did creating it. Read on if you want to know my inspiration and intention behind this series. In any case, ratings and comments are much appreciated!

I first had an idea to do a series that resembled those gay porn films that have an ensemble cast and multiple parts, each of which featuring two or three cast members, that may or may not cohere into an actual plot. I personally haven’t come across any series with this structure so I was excited to bring something new to the table. I also wanted to set my story in a high school reunion, inspired by the gay porn film “Dream Team” (1999), which I highly recommend for those interested. The “escape room” aspect was inspired by “Escape Room for Jocks” by MrSunshineBoy on Literotica as well as the dollhouse from the show “Pretty Little Liars.”

For the series, I wanted to incorporate classic high school sexual fantasies: locker room, victim’s revenge on bully, teacher-student, and just a cute couple of high school sweethearts. At the same time, I hope you’ve noticed the theme of the pain that gay men experience throughout their teenage years: bullying, internalized homophobia, loneliness, pressure to conform, and relationships that never got a chance to really thrive. Perhaps you relate to some of the characters in this series, and if not, that’s perfectly fine. Either way, thank you so so much for reading!