Cruisin'

Prologue

Elton John sang Saturday night is alright for fighting, a more rambunctious view of the night, one for getting drunk and into fights. In the future, Robert Smith of The Cure would sing of being “utterly morose” at 10:15 on Saturday night, drinking his father’s beer and watching a leaking tap. And later still, Prince would sing about his Little Red Corvette being too fast, and the Misfits…well, let’s not go there. Many other artists sang of the night, the expectations, the disappointments, or the mischievous nature of it. The night when most had no responsibilities the next day, and the night seemed to be theirs for the taking.

All across America, in nearly every small town, there was a time the night was all of these things and more. It was a night for cruising, flirting with the opposite sex, getting high, or drunk, or simply hanging out in some burger joint laughing and joking around with friends. Each town had its places for the young to gather. Drive-ins, movie theaters, parks, parking lots, and the occasional abandoned lot where no one would be watching.

Among the revelers, there were those who sought something else. The companionship of the same sex. Another guy who had the same desires, the same fears, and a longing to connect with another.

It’s the late 70’s, and we’re focusing on a small Southern town, one like most others, with its old town square making the courthouse the anchor, the physical center. It is surrounded by businesses still able to make it in downtown, despite the lure of new shops out on its edge. It is on the edge where two shopping centers have been developed, one anchored by a grocery store, the other a discount retailer. And on the street corners are gas stations and burger joints, and in the towns large enough, one of the fast-food chains, with its drive-thru window. But not this one. It is too small, surrounded by too much rural terrain.

March is nearly over, and the night still comes early and the air chills quickly with the setting of the sun. On this night, the sky is clear, nothing to obscure the nearly full moon and the unfathomable number of stars.

It is this setting we find our characters. Guys out for the night, mingling with friends, enjoying the casual banter, even when within, they feel anxious. A coiled spring ready for release. Just waiting for that opportunity to appear or waiting for the right time to go in pursuit of it.

“It is the kind of Saturday night that torches your life for a few hours, makes it seem like something is happening.” – Annie Proulx

Bobby

The drive-thru was so busy, Bobby had to ride the brake, easing forward a few feet from time to time just to circle the parking lot. ELO played on the radio, and he tapped the steering wheel in rhythm with its beat. He scanned the parked cars and trucks along the back of the parking lot, looking for friends and fellow classmates from James Madison High School. It was the school that served the  town, where the students came the town’s leaders, its movers and shakers, and those that supported them, either as employees, or as customers. Bobby came from the latter, his father a pharmacist in town and his mother a teacher at the elementary school.

It was too early to look for Daniel, for he wouldn’t get off work until after nine from the grocery store. So, Bobby planned on cruising around town, hoping to hang out with friends to kill time.

Daniel was a year older, also from town, and prior to last winter, they had only crossed paths, never once speaking to the other. Now they were best friends, hanging out together all the time. To his friends, it was nothing unusual. Just two guys with a lot of the same interests. Cars, music, and fishing down on Mill Stone Creek, which they appeared to do all the time.

Bobby finally made it back to the road and eased out heading to the park where some hung out in the parking lot by the tennis courts. It was the one place lights were kept on until eleven. He eased along the road until at the turn for Mitchell Avenue, the road that would take him to the park. He found himself in a line of cars and trucks, recognizing the Chevy truck two vehicles in front.

The line of cars turned into the park and Bobby followed them, one passing the parking lot, but the other three turning in. An El Camino swung around to head back out, and a Duster, followed by the Chevy truck pulled the rear of the parking lot. Bobby followed and  saw a familiar Pinto and Monza parked in the next aisle, and watched the Chevy truck pull in next to the Monza. He eased past and parked next to the Pinto.

Coming around the back of his Camaro, he saw Russ lower the tailgate of his Chevy truck. Laura came from the passenger side and the two of them hopped up on it, legs swinging back and forth. Paul climbed out of his Monza and Angela from her Pinto, and soon all five of them were at the back of the truck. Angela hopped onto the tailgate next to Laura and they giggled and whispered amongst themselves as Russ asked Paul if his dad’s lumberyard was hiring. The recession made finding a good job difficult. Bobby knew Russ had been looking for something since May, before they graduated. It caused him to avoid discussing his own plans, leaving for college in the fall and hopefully onto bigger and better things than this small town.

“Hey, what’s Daniel doing?” Angela asked, bringing Bobby’s attention back to them.

“Working. He gets off at nine thirty.”

“It must suck to have to work on Saturday night,” said Laura.

“Yes, but he wants to earn as much as he can before fall.”

“He still at the community college?”

“Yeah…one more year and he’s transferring.”

The banter continued, shifting from topic to topic, as they watched others cruise through the parking lot. A few former classmates circled in, stopping to chat for a few minutes, then heading out to cruise around town some more.

Bobby kept glancing at his watch. The closer it got to nine thirty, the more he looked. A few minutes after, he looked up to see the Maverick drive up to the parking lot and turn it. The car was rumbling though it’s performance exhaust, for Daniel had done extensive modifications to the car when he got it three years ago. The paint was gold metallic, shining brightly in the lights of the parking lot. The rear sat up higher, a stance of a car ready to take off. It rumbled past them and pulled in next to Bobby’s Camaro.

Bobby smiled as Daniel came around the rear of his car, heading their way. He wanted to run to him. To throw his arms around the lanky frame and feel it within his embrace. He looked at the smiling face, the dark brown eyes and black hair and he wanted to kiss him. But that was impossible. Two guys couldn’t do something like that, not out in the open. Bobby knew his friends wouldn’t even accept such a thing.

Daniel strolled into the circle of the group and the casual greetings went around to each person. He stood with one hand on the side of the truck, the other tucked into a pocket. Bobby glanced down at it, eyes following the long arm, the thumb outside the pocket, pointing toward the crotch. He followed it until looking at Daniel’s crotch. The jeans were an older pair, worn and beginning to fray. The fly was rolled open enough to see the buttons along its length, and he imagined how easily they would come undone with a determined tug.

“Hey Bobby, I need to get something to eat before the drive-in closes. You want to ride with me?” asked Daniel. It was their way of getting away, just the two of them.

“Yeah, I’ll ride with you over there. I could use a drink,” Bobby replied. “We’ll catch up with you guys later,” Bobby added, looking around the small circle of friends.

They climbed into the Maverick and Daniel had it quickly started, revving the engine, making the car rock on its chassis. It made Bobby grin over at Daniel for his foolishness. Then Daniel back out of the parking space and headed for the drive-in.

Daniel’s appetite satisfied they left the drive-in heading out of town. Neither said anything, Daniel keeping his eyes on the road and Bobby watching the dark shadows of landscape passing by. It was the norm. Neither able to talk about it, what they did. To talk about it was an admission neither could make. They knew the derogatory terms about guys like them, and neither felt that it applied to them. They didn’t want to dress in women’s clothes, or act in some manner that was a cliché of a gay guy. They were just two small town boys, both trying to find some pleasure in their lives, and it happened to be with each other. Why was that so wrong, Bobby often wondered, especially late at night after Bobby and he had been together. But far too often, events conspired against them getting alone.

Tonight, was not one of those nights.

Daniel drove to Cypress Mill Pond Road, a dirt road that cut through pine stands all the way to the river, where it crossed over into the next county. During the day, it was a short cut to Franklin and Crosstown, but at night, it was a deserted stretch of road. He turned on it and continued at a slower pace, the washboard surface making them bounce from side to side.

It was only a mile to their secret place; one Bobby knew about for his uncle was in the Forest Service. It was Logging Road 1644 to the Forest Service, a road long ago abandoned when a new fire tower was built at McCullough Hill. The lane led through a stand of hard wood by the road, coming out at the edge of a pine stand of over a thousand acres. The lane led to a deserted place, away from prying eyes.

Daniel parked in the small clearing, the concrete pad of the old fire tower just in front of them. He shut off the engine, turning the key over to the accessories position so the radio would stay on. He turned it down, letting the music become a background noise, as they settled in their seats. Neither spoke, but Bobby saw out of the corner of his eye Daniel was touching himself. It aroused him to think of it, and he began to do the same. He scooted down in the seat, spread his legs as much as possible and waited. He was afraid to make the first move, worried it would be the one time Daniel would reject him. So, he waited for Daniel to make the first move.

Bobby saw a hand rest on the console, then slide toward him another inch. He shifted further down in the seat, showing his willingness, then looked out the side window, waiting for that first touch.

A graze of a finger on a thigh, then fingers pressing against it. The hand moved on top of the thigh, and Bobby moaned, while reclining the back of the seat. The hand moved down between his legs, then upward until manipulating his growing cock. Fingers dug into the front of his jeans, tugged at the button, freeing it, then working the zipper down. The fingers dug into his briefs. Bobby struggled to remain still for the sensation of touch was so much stronger through the thin fabric. His cock grew hard and pushed against the thin fabric.

Bobby raised his ass and pushed his jeans and briefs down to his knees. His cock flopped against his thigh, nearly rock hard, and the hand took it, stroked it to full erection.

“Fuck,” Bobby whispered, afraid to say it too loud, for it could break the spell. He lay back and watched Daniel toy with him until he was pushing up through the fingers. Then he saw Daniel moving, leaning over the console, and going down to his cock. Daniel’s long hair tickled his stomach, then lips touched his cock. A press against the head, then kisses along the length of the shaft, down to the pubic hair, then back up to the head. Then they slipped over the head and Bobby moaned as the mouth took him all the way.

Daniel pushed down on the jeans and briefs, fumbled to remove each shoe, then get each leg free. He rose and turned to Bobby, kissing him on the lips, the neck, then the left ear, tonguing and tugging on it with his teeth. Bobby shivered with the manipulation. When Daniel took the hem of his t-shirt, Bobby leaned forward, raising his arms, letting him pull it off. Naked, feeling the air caress his skin, Bobby felt his sexuality. He stroked his cock then held it up watching Daniel lean over and take it once again.

Daniel sucked Bobby’s cock until he was close, so close he was pushing him off of it, begging him to stop.

“Get out of the car,” Daniel uttered, opening his door.

They were going to the next level of their sex. Bobby opened the door and climbed out, barefoot and naked. He moved to the front of the car and sat on the hood. Daniel moved in front of him, cock sticking out of his fly, rock hard, and he was stroking it slowly.

Bobby lay back on the warm hood, raising his legs to rest them on Daniel’s shoulders. Daniel moved forward and his legs slid over the shoulders until the back of his thighs were being pushed forward. He felt the t-shirt against them, then he felt cock touch his opening, push against it until he stretched open letting Daniel penetrate him. Deeper and deeper, until the soft denim jeans were against his ass. He felt the fullness of the penetration, every inch inside him. Daniel held his legs and began to fuck.

Daniel was always in a hurry, fearful of getting caught. He slammed into Bobby’s depths, swinging his hips at a furious pace. For Bobby it was always too fast. He never had time to really get into it. He wanted to tell Daniel to slow down, to take his time, that their sex should be more pleasurable. But he was afraid to say anything for fear of messing up what they did have.

But all too soon, Daniel was jamming cock into his depths, hips banging against his ass, and he knew Daniel was coming.

When Daniel pulled out, Bobby eased to his feet and typical of each time, Daniel went to his knees and took his cock. It was clumsy, the rhythm all wrong, and occasionally teeth dragged over the head of his cock. But despite it all, it pushed his arousal until the point he soon filled Daniel’s mouth. He felt the swallowing around his cock, then the final licking of the head, and it was over.

“Get dressed Bobby. We should get going,” said Daniel getting to his feet and brushing off each knee.

“Okay,” Bobby replied, moving to the passenger door where he dressed, feeling like something was missing. Something he knew in concept. An aspect of a relationship he thought was being deprived him.

Cotton

No one understood what it was like. Cotton knew he was the only one in town. The only guy with secrets too dangerous to reveal to anyone, including the few close friends he had maintained since high school. He was different, with desires everyone called deviant behavior and the church condemned. He was drawn to other guys. He imagined the sex with them, doing those things guys had made crude jokes about in P.E. or while hanging out. None more offensive to Cotton than calling some guy a sissy. A guy who wasn’t masculine by their narrow definition. He knew his own demeanor gave nothing away. He was a country boy, wearing sleeveless shirts and jeans, ballcaps, and portraying a macho façade, meant to conceal his true self. He had heard the taunts, the insinuation of a sissy boy being a cocksucker, or willing to take it in the ass.

He did those things, had been for a while, and never once felt a sissy.

He cruised around in his Ford truck, while the album rock station played another song. He cruised past the tennis courts, seeing some of the north side group hanging out, but none of his former classmates, those from the south side of town. He circled the park, passing some guy getting out of his car at the Little League fields, then headed to the main road on that side of the park. There was no traffic and he pulled out, heading east. He eased along the neighborhood streets, taking his time. He knew it was too early, but he was impatient, and horny.

Bouncing over the railroad tracks that ran along 421, he turned north and accelerated up to speed, shifting the three-on-the-tree. He fell in behind a tractor-trailer rig and wondered if it were going to the same place he was heading. The city limits’ sign flashed by as he kept up with the rig, until they were coming to 53, the main road that connected all the towns in the region. About a hundred yards from the intersection was Camp Green Truck Stop, named after the civil war camp, that had existed a few miles down the road. The truck stop was old and run down, but it was the only one that stayed open late for miles around. To the right side of the lot was a mechanic’s shop, and within the main building, a store, diner, and shower facilities for the truckers. Pumps out front were for passenger vehicles, and in back under the taller canopy, were the diesel pumps for the rigs. The broken and alligatored asphalt paving ended just past the canopy, beyond that a gravel lot for overnight parking. Rigs lined both sides and Cotton eased down the middle of the lot, listening to the low rumble of engines running.

Cotton felt his heart racing in his chest as it did every time he ventured into the lot. He eased to the rear of the lot, backing in next to the fence that lined the back property line. Beyond the fence pine towered into the darkness, above the lights of the vehicles and the canopy lights.

Cotton rubbed the front of his jeans while watching the parking lot for any sign of movement. He had been coming since April, ever since a trucker he met in town told him what happened at night at the back of lot. Some of the truckers began to recognize his truck, and he wondered who would come to him. Fingers digging into the soft denim, toying with his cock, he felt the stirrings of an erection. He was so horny it would take very little manipulation to get hard. He unbuttoned his shirt, letting it fall open, the warm night air feeling good against his bare skin. He undid his jeans, raised his ass, and pushed everything down to his knees. His cock lay heavily over his thigh and he took it in hand and slowly stroked it, eager for someone to come to him.

It was risky, sitting nearly naked, hard cock in hand, for if the wrong person came, Cotton couldn’t imagine the repercussions. But he wanted a man so bad, he risked the exposure. There were times he wondered if his fear added to his arousal. Within a few minutes his cock was fully erect. He felt it in the darkness, the thick rock-hard shaft within his hand, and how it made him shiver to rub his thumb over the head. He remembered what one trucker had done to him and reached up twisting the right nipple as he stroked his cock. He felt his cock flex in his hand, which was soon wet with precum.

“Fuck,” Cotton uttered, frustrated with his aroused state.

A rig pulled in and as it turned, Cotton saw the headlights move over a lone figure. A tall man walking his way. He pushed his jeans down until gathered around his ankles, hoping the man was a friend, not a foe. The man didn’t slow but kept walking right on up to the truck until standing at the driver’s window.

“Hey,” Cotton whispered, trying to keep the desperation out of his voice.

The man chuckled, then moved up close, reaching in. Cotton took his hand from his cock in time for the man to take it. He felt the firm grip and the movement up and down. He moaned and pushed up with his hips.

“Horny bastard,” the man uttered, then stepped back as he opened the door.

The truck stayed dark, the fuse for the dome light removed, so it was too dark to see exactly what the man was doing. But Cotton knew by the movements. The undoing of a belt, then the jeans, and the push down freeing the cock that would soon be his.

“What do you want?” the man asked, moving up close to Cotton.

Cotton reached out and took the man’s cock. It wasn’t hard, but he knew it soon would be.

“I’ll do whatever you want?”

“You’ll suck my cock?”

“Yes.”

“You’ll let me fuck that ass?”

“Yes.”

The man grabbed Cotton by the arm and dragged him out of the truck, forcing him down on the gravel surface. It was painful against his bare knees, but he was too focused on the cock in his face. It rubbed over his face the pushed against his lips. Cotton opened his mouth and took the man, who pushed inward until he gagged.

“Fuck: suck my cock…whore,” the man taunted Cotton, who was slobbering on the cock as he worked his mouth back and forth.

The cock grew longer and longer until Cotton could only take about half of it. It thickened until his lips felt stretched to accommodate it. The man moaned, then cursed him, while pumping his hips. It gagged Cotton and he put his hands on the man’s thighs to slow him down.

“Enough of this teasing shit; get up,” the man barked.

Cotton struggled to stand, hobbled by the jeans and briefs around his ankles. The man grabbed him underneath each arm, then planted a foot on top of his jeans and briefs. As Cotton was pulled up, lifted off his feet, he was stripped of the jeans and briefs.

“Get naked…cocksucker,” the man uttered, roughly pulling Cotton’s shirt off and tossing it on the ground.

Cotton felt his nakedness for only the driver’s door concealed him from being seen by anyone who cared to look at the back of the lot. The Man pushed him to the back of his truck, lowered the tailgate, then guided Cotton to lay back on it.

“You want to fuck my ass?” Cotton taunted, knowing it would spurn the man on.

“Fuck, yeah,” the man replied, grabbing each of Cotton’s legs behind the knee and lifting them up. Then he pushed them back until each leg was out of the way and he could move up close. So close, his cock raked wetly against Cotton’s ass.

“Do it…do it. Fuck me, ya bastard.”

Cotton held the edge of the tailgate, panting like a wild animal, as the man pushed against his tight hole. He threw his head back and gritted his teeth to keep from crying out as the thick cock stretched him open. The man kept pushing, inch after inch, into his hole.

“Fuck,” Cotton uttered, as the man’s abdomen pressed against his ass.

The man pulled back, slowly, so slow Cotton could feel every thick inch tug at his opening. Then there was the push back in. In and out, faster and faster, until the truck rocked with their fuck. Cotton had loosened to the penetration, easily taking every thrust into his depths. His own cock stayed hard, bouncing off his stomach as cock bore into him.

Movement to his left, and Cotton began to sit up, panicking about being caught naked and getting fucked. But the man’s face came into the light and he saw it was Roy, a trucker he had fucked a few times in the past.

“Jesus, Curtis, save some for me, will ya?” said Roy, manipulating his own cock within his jeans.

Cotton had a name for his fucker: Curtis. It didn’t really matter for he didn’t care if he saw Curtis again or not. He was a fuck. Someone to scratch that itch.

The hard bed of the truck dug into Cotton’s back as he rocked on it, causing the truck to squeak on its suspension. He held tight to the edge of the tailgate so he could take every penetrating thrust.

“Fuck, take it…take it,” Curtis exclaimed as he jammed his hips against Cotton’s ass trying to push in deeper. Then he jerked and shuddered, and Cotton knew he was coming.

Curtis stepped back, and Cotton felt the emptiness, and his hole felt like it was gaped open. But Roy was stepping up to fill it. He lay back, resting each leg on a shoulder as Roy put cock to his opening and shoved in all the way. There was no slow build up, no teasing of his hole. Simply the plunge into his depths and the steady rhythm of Roy’s fuck.

Roy twisted him around, changed the angle of the penetration, and Cotton felt every push inward. It made him see stars. He shuddered and clung to the tailgate so tight his fingers ached. Then he felt a hand take his own cock, stroking in rhythm to their fuck. It was too much, and Cotton knew he would not last long.

Roy hammered his insides with a brutal pace. Cotton shuddered, pushed against Roy’s abdomen, and came. Cum spattered him in the face then rained down on his chest and stomach. The smell of it filled the air around them, and Roy stifled a cry out, jammed against his ass several times, then shuddered with his own release.

Then it was over, and Roy was walking away, tucking his shirt back into his jeans. Cotton eased up and slid off the tailgate to his feet. His legs were quivering, and he felt a warm trickle down one thigh. He kept his head down, and using the driver’s door as a shield, slipped around to the cab, picking up his clothes along the way, and climbed in. He sat back naked, cum on his face, torso, and running down one leg, and knew he was a mess. He pulled a roll of paper towels from under the seat usually used to clean greasy hands in the field. Now they would wipe up cum, his and the two men who had fucked him.

As he wiped off the cum, he remembered Curtis calling him a whore, and chuckled at the derogatory nature of it. If he were a whore, there should have been an exchange of a few bills.

Headlights moved across the windshield and Cotton suddenly felt too exposed. He got dressed, started the truck, and eased across the parking lot and back to the road.

Justin

The night is perfect, and Justin cruised around town with the top and doors off his Jeep. He loved the feel of the air swirling around his body. The way it made his tank top flutter against his chest until his nipples were hard nubs pushing out against the cotton fabric. He adjusted his cock within his jeans, and felt tempted to take it out, like he had done when on a deserted road during the night. He felt horny all the time, made worse by his isolation. He was drawn to other guys, imagined having sex with them, putting their cocks in his mouth, or maybe, even taking one in his ass. He wanted to try. But the small town was hopeless, no chance he would find someone else with the same desires.

He cruised past the drive-in, seeing the parking lot hopelessly crowded. A quick glance tells him all he needs to know. Girls crowded around the guys, flirting, and looking to hook up. He decides to pull into the shopping center on the next corner and swings around until the Jeep is facing the road. He kills the engine, twisting the key around to the accessories position to keep the radio on. Queen’s song ends and Boston comes on. Justin turns the radio up, leans back, and watches others drive by the parking lot.

He is only sitting a few minutes when an International Scout comes along, white with orange stripes. He has seen it before cruising around town, but never found out who the guy was that drove it. It slows, angles off the road into the parking lot and he realizes it is going to pull in next to him.

Sitting up, Justin sees the driver up close for the first time. Blonde hair curling out around a ballcap, and a shirt with the sleeves ripped off and unbuttoned, letting it flap open. He saw the hint of a trail of hair leading down into the jeans and wondered what it would be like to trail his fingers along it until able to touch the cock within.

“Hey, nice Jeep. CJ-7, right?” says the guy as he kills his engine.

“Yep, a 76 model. What year is your Scout?”

“’72.”

There was a moment of silence and Justin felt the guy’s stare as he checked him out. He was unable to restrain himself since the guy let so much of his upper body be visible. When he looked up into the face, he saw the guy smile back.

“I’m Mark.”

“Justin.”

“So, Justin, why are you sitting out here alone?” Mark asked. The tone was devious, knowing in a way that frightened Justin a little, but he smiled despite his fear.

“Just hanging out, waiting to see if anyone of interest comes along.” Justin knew two could play the game.

“I’m headed to a party. You want to come with me?”

“A party? I don’t know. I’m not in the mood for some house full of screaming girls and drunk guys trying to pick them up.”

“Oh, then this party will be just the thing. I promise no screaming girls,” Mark replied, and the insinuation was clear. Justin was shocked at the casual way Mark spoke, and even more shocked that such a party would be happening in this town. Or maybe he was just reading too much into Mark’s devilish tone. He wanted it to be so, so bad, he could be hearing what he wanted to hear.

“Follow me,” said Mark, as he started his engine.

“Okay,” Justin replied, starting the Jeep.

Justin followed Mark to the west side of town, out past the airport to an old farmhouse the town had grown up around. It looked nearly a hundred years old, with its wrap around porch and tall windows along the first floor. The curtains were pulled, only porch lights illuminating the night. Justin parked next to Mark, and noticed the yard held five or six other trucks and cars. By the time he climbed out, Mark was waiting at the back of his Jeep, shirtless, hands buried in his pockets.

“Going casual?” Justin joked, as he walked up beside Mark.

“They don’t have air conditioning, so I might as well leave it out here.”

A lame excuse, but one that Justin was glad to accept as he sized up Mark. A few inches taller than his five ten, but a leaner build. One like he saw on television for the track or swimmers in the Olympics. He wanted to reach out and run his hands over it, instead he merely brushed against it as he walked past him, getting the briefest contact.

“How many people will be here?” Justin asked.

Mark looked at the vehicles that were parked along the drive leading to the rear of the house.

“Five…six others.”

“All friends of yours?”

“A couple of them are friends, but the others I don’t know so well. Ricky said two guys from Hanover County were coming over and there are two guys from Greenville.”

“Oh,” Justin replied, not asking any more questions, for he was more eager to get inside and see what kind of party he was being dragged to on this Saturday night.

Mark swung the front door open without knocking, and Justin followed him into a wide hall, a stair on one side leading to the second floor. A couple of steps inside, he saw the living room to the right. An old worn sofa dominated the room, sitting near its center facing a television and stereo system, the components scattered over a few crates with a tangle of wires behind it all. To one side of the sofa was a recliner, the arms taped over and a white sheet covering the seat and back. Leaned back in it was a guy smoking a joint. The burning end glowing bright red for a second, then the guy holding it in.

“Fuck, Jerry, how much of that shit have you smoked?” asked Mark.

“Too much,” came a giggling voice and a guy sat up looking over the back of the sofa.

“Dennis, you’ve been hitting it too, haven’t you?”

“Just a little,” Dennis replied, giggling like a kid.

Justin sized them up, none more so than Jerry in the recliner. He wore a pair of very short gym shorts, the white fabric concealing nothing. A bulge ran to the right hip, one long enough if it were angled down or up, would protrude beyond the edge of a leg opening or the waistband. Justin wished it would roll around to one of those positions so he could see it. The body drew his eyes too for Jerry was shirtless, revealing his long lean torso with just enough definition to speak of its masculine nature. Jerry ran a hand through his black hair and Justin saw the thick underarm air. It surprised him at its thickness since the torso and arms looked bare.

Dennis sat up, then got on his knees on the sofa, leaning over the back, and Justin could get a sense of his physical nature. The first thing was the red hair. Thick, wavy red hair that hung long around his head. The next was the way the stretched and worn t-shirt hung on his body.

“The others are in the kitchen getting drinks; go on back and let’s get this party started,” said Dennis.

“Or would you like a hit on this first?” asked Jerry holding out the joint.

“Yeah, give me hit,” Mark replied moving across the room and taking a long drag on it. “You want some?” asked Mark, holding it toward Justin.

“Not yet, but I could use something to drink,” Justin replied, not wanting to get too messed up. He wanted to remember everything going on, and what he hoped would happen later. From the stares from Dennis and Jerry, either one might be willing to play around, or so he hoped.

“Well, let’s go get a nice refreshing beverage,” Mark joked, as he strolled back to the hall.

Justin followed him down the wide hall to a door just beyond the stair, tucked under the sloping ceiling. They came into a small eating area, the table tucked back into the bay window facing the side yard. To their right toward the back of the house, an open kitchen with an old gas stove, a refrigerator that looked like it was from the 50’s with its rounded corners and smaller size, and on the outside wall, a large, enameled sink with drainboard either side. To the rear, there was an old addition that looked to have been a porch at one time, with its low sloping ceiling and wood flooring not as tight in its joints. A sofa sat along the rear wall and another recliner sat at one end. A television was positioned along the side wall, and Justin saw an old 50’s Sci-Fi movie was on. Standing at the counter that separated the kitchen from the living area, were two guys mixing drinks. Another was getting ice from the freezer in top of the refrigerator and the fourth was sitting on the sofa, drink in hand and feet propped on the beat-up coffee table.

“Hey, guys, I’m Mark, and this is Justin.”

The guy with ice trays in each hand turned toward them, and Justin immediately noticed his height, well over six feet, then he noticed the dirty blonde hair and blue eyes. He was wearing overalls sans shirt with one side undone. Justin knew if he bent over you could look all the way down inside them, and he wondered if he had on underwear.

“I’m Gary, and this is Caleb and Charlie,” pointing to the two guys at the counter.  Justin noticed Caleb was a couple of inches shorter than his five ten, and had a lean build revealed by the loose tank top and jeans that hung so unbelievably low on the waist. The other guy was blonde with blue eyes and freckles that went across the cheeks. He looked so much younger than the others, so boyish in appearance, Justin wondered if he was still in high school. He would find out later Charlie was two years older than his eighteen.

“And over there sitting on his ass, is Brody,” said Charlie.

“Brody,” said Mark as Justin just nodded his head in Brody’s direction.

Brody had jet black hair that was wavy and messed up, but in a way, Justin found sexy, attractive in some rough country boy manner. Then he noticed the lanky build when Brody stood, a height to match his own. He wore straight leg jeans that hung low and a shirt that only had two buttons done about midway down.

Justin moved into the kitchen with Mark, who didn’t hesitate to start making two drinks. He looked around the room, letting his eyes linger on each guy, then he thought of Dennis and Jerry and knew for one reason or another, he found each one attractive. Each one doable. He hoped before the night was over, at least one of them was willing. He imagined getting one of them drunk and off to a bedroom upstairs, or maybe out in the back yard, in some dark corner out of sight of the others. He thought Mark was still his best option, but a guy who wanted sex with another guy couldn’t afford to be too picky.

“Justin,” said Mark holding out a drink, bringing him back to the present.

“Let’s go see what those two bozos are doing,” said Gary, heading back to the front of the house. With a fresh drink in hand, everyone followed, Justin and Mark at the rear of the procession. In the hall the stereo in the front room grew louder, Janis Joplin singing Piece of My Heart, and the house seemed filled with the sound.

Jerry was still in the recliner, but Dennis was sitting up, on the end of the sofa nearest him while they were pointing at the television and laughing. Justin stepped into the room last and saw it was on the same Sci-Fi flick, and a giant ant was attacking some people. He watched how the sitting arrangement would play out in the room, for with the sofa pulled up near the television and stereo, it didn’t leave a lot of room for others. Caleb and Gary took the remaining places on the sofa, the taller Gary on the opposite end where he could stretch out his legs. Brody circled to the far side and sat against the wall in front of Jerry, and Mark followed, settling down in front of the stereo, leaving the television unblocked. Charlie moved behind the sofa and stood between it and the recliner. Justin moved into the room and sat on the floor on the nearest side of the coffee table, close to Gary’s feet. The room was crowded, but not uncomfortably so, and soon the conversations split among the guys. The stereo played Joplin’s album, then dropped another, and KC and the Sunshine Band came on, changing the atmosphere of the room. It became more playful, Gary and Charlie coming back with more drinks for everyone, and Jerry lighting up and passing it around the room.

Justin began to feel the drinks and the hit of the last joint. He giggled like a fool at some joke Gary made and found himself relaxing, stretching out his legs and blatantly adjusting his cock. He felt aroused and wondered if anyone else felt the same. He saw Gary and Caleb looking his way smiling.

After listening to the guys talk about work and their lives, he had picked up pieces of information about each one. Dennis was 23 and a mechanic at the Chevrolet dealership and Jerry was 19 and worked at the lumberyard over in Greenville. Brody and Charlie were farmers in Hanover County, and came to know Dennis after he worked on their old trucks. They were both 20, but where Brody was a crop farmer with a few hogs, Charlie was a dairy farmer with over six hundred head of cattle and a farm with over eight hundred acres in crops. Caleb was in his mid-twenties and a contractor building houses. Gary was 24 and a plumbing contractor. It was through Gary the guys came to know the two of them, Charlie having hired him to do some new water lines in one of the barns. Their lives were interconnected by their professions. Now they were gathered to party, to just hang out with each other, and Justin wondered about the nature of their relationships. There had been no talk of girls, and no hint of inviting any to the house. But there seemed to be a sexually charged atmosphere to the room, one fueled by the casual dress, revealing upper bodies, or enough of one to make Justin feel the tease of it.

Jerry tugging at the front of his shorts.

Caleb resting a hand on Gary’s thigh while asking him to go to the beach in a couple of weeks, just the two of them.

Brody’s eyes on Jerry’s hand.

Charlie playfully tugging on Dennis’ t-shirt until it ripped down the front.

Charlie looking at Justin and winking as he did it.

Mark raking a hand down his bare chest while smiling at Justin.

The next album dropped, and Justin was shocked to hear Donna Summer begin to sing. The full powerful vocals and the rhythmic beat of the song soon filled the room. It changed the atmosphere of it. The guys were less rowdy, joking around less. Instead, they were making remarks that sounded insinuating. Suggestive.

“It’s hot as fuck in here,” Jerry uttered, blatantly adjusting his cock.

Justin couldn’t stop himself from staring, and he giggled when the head slipped free of one leg opening.

“I think he likes it,” someone uttered.

Movement caught Justin’s attention and he turned in time to see Charlie lean over and kiss Dennis. Caleb and Gary were watching too, and Justin turned his attention to Caleb’s hand as it slid up Gary’s thigh and began to grope the crotch. Gary undid the other side of the overalls letting the front fall revealing his chest and stomach. Caleb didn’t hesitate to take advantage, working his hand down the bare chest, stomach and into the overalls. The crotch bulged and moved with his manipulation.

A shadow passed over Justin and he looked up to see Brody and Mark standing over him.

“Come on, Justin. Let’s go to the playroom,” said Mark.

Justin knew it wasn’t the kind of playroom most people would have in their houses. One with a pool table or table hockey, and a dart board on one wall. Brody held out a hand to help him up. He reached up and took it, feeling the firm grip by a hand larger than his own. Justin fell in behind Mark and Brody as he imagined a room dark, corners in deep shadow with lots of black, and leather, and chains, and things he couldn’t quite visualize. It was some cross of a dungeon and warehouse, despite being within the house. He followed Mark and Brody across the hall and through the door into the other front room. He was shocked to see a room painted red and looking for all intents and purposes, like just another bedroom. There were clues it was used otherwise. The bed was made with a fitted sheet, and no other cover. There was one large pillow, too thick to sleep on. There were no nightstands, dresser, or chest of drawers. Just a table on the wall at the front windows, with a bottle of olive oil, latex gloves and a coil of rope. Through a door on the interior side of the room, he saw a bathroom, with a short vanity, toilet, and shower, the curtain pulled to one side revealing the fiberglass panels that made up his sides.

Justin didn’t have time to take it all in, to get a sense of how things would play out with Mark and Brody, for Brody grabbed him, spun him around and pushed him down on the bed.

“I’ve wanted to mess around with you ever since I first saw you,” said Brody as he moved down next to Justin.

“Really?” Justin replied, honestly surprised.

“Really,” answered Brody, who leaned down and kissed him.

Justin closed his eyes and felt as if he sank down into the bed as Brody’s lips pressed against his own. The lips left his own and moved along his jaw, around the right ear, and down his neck. He felt Brody’s hand slip under his tank top and move up his stomach and chest until fingers toyed with nipples, making them hard and sensitive. Then he felt other hands, tugging on his jeans, undoing the button, unzipping them, then toying with his cock through his briefs. He felt his sex, aroused by every touch.

“Fuck, you hot son of a bitch,” uttered Mark and Brody whispered ‘yes’ in Justin’s ear.

Justin raised his arms and let Brody tug his tank top off. Brody pushed him down, sat on his stomach. Justin was surprised Brody was stripped naked, no more shirt or jeans. The lanky body straddled his waist with legs folded along each side. Brody moved up his torso, until sitting on his chest, and rubbed hard cock across his lips.

“Suck me,” said Brody, and Justin parted his lips letting Brody push the hard cock into his mouth. Brody rose on his knees and began to slow fuck Justin’s mouth.

Justin took all he could, then used his hands to stop Brody from pushing deeper into his mouth. The flared head filled it and glided slickly over his tongue. Then he became aware of Mark pulling on his jeans. He raised his ass as best he could and felt jeans and briefs slide down his legs. Soon he too was naked, with cock in his mouth and his own in Mark’s mouth.

The sensations blurred together. An arousal that increased until Justin’s heart was racing, and he felt feverish. Where Brody sat on his chest, he felt the heat of the contact, skin growing wet, and Brody moved slickly back and forth, pumping cock into his mouth. He was vaguely aware of Mark, the manipulation of his own cock, until he felt fingers trail over his sac and down between his legs. They raked over his opening, then toyed with it until he was moaning around Brody’s cock.

“Suck me,” Brody uttered.

Justin moaned again, as he pushed his head forward as cock pushed inward. He gagged, then shuddered with the feel of Mark’s finger penetrating him. It was the first time someone else had touched him there, the first time someone else penetrated him, and he didn’t want it to stop. The finger pulled out, then Mark was moving around his legs. They were lifted up, pushed over until he felt them touch Brody’s back.

“Brody, hold his legs for me,” said Mark.

Justin was lost the sexual manipulations, nothing else around him in focus. He didn’t notice the laughter from across the hall, or two people running down the hall. His awareness was solely Brody and Mark, and how he felt them against his body. Brody sliding over his chest, pumping cock in his mouth, and Mark rubbing hard cock over his ass. Up and down, then a push against his tight opening. He moaned and grabbed at the top of the bed as Mark penetrated him. The stretch of his hole, then the fullness of penetration as Mark sank into his hole until pushed against his ass. Then Mark was fucking him.

The bed rocked and squeaked, eventually banging into the wall. Mark cried out while shoving inward all the way. Brody slide back, climbed off his chest, letting him watch Mark for the first time. With his legs resting on each shoulder, he watched the lean torso move, the stomach tightening with Mark’s movement. He watched until Brody was guiding him to angle his head back and he looked up at the naked body with its rock-hard cock hovering over his face. Brody pushed it down, raking the leaking head over his lips.

“Take me; suck my cock,” Brody uttered, breathlessly.

Justin parted his lips and took it, letting Brody push into his mouth. Then he was being fucked at both ends, cocks pushing inward, then tugging out, over and over.

None of them heard the door swing open.

“Goddamn, you nasty fucks,” Jerry exclaimed, then he laughed and left the room, closing the door behind him.

Justin registered Jerry’s exclamation, realizing someone had seen them. Seen him, on his back taking two cocks. His own, rock hard, flexed at the thought of it. He took it in hand and began to masturbate as Brody and Mark kept fucking, their pace increasing, growing rougher.

“Fuck…I’m going to cum…take it…take it,” Brody uttered.

Justin didn’t know what to expect but he nearly gagged as Brody’s cock thickened, flexed on his tongue, then blasted the back of his throat with a thick wad. It kept spurting cum until his mouth was full, and it was leaking out. He swallowed, and swallowed again, as Brody jerked and shuddered with each ejaculation.

“Oh GOD, I’m coming…I’m…” Mark stammered, then slammed his hips against Justin’s ass and shook with his release.

Justin felt his own imminent release. He was so close. He stroked faster, until Mark pushed his hand away, and he arced his back and moaned as his cock sank into a warm wet mouth. It moved up and down his cock only a few times, the lips tight to the shaft and the tongue toying with the head, and he shoved upward and came.

Justin sat up with Mark and Brody and they looked at each other, smiling mischievously.

“That was fun,” said Brody, as he slid off the bed.

“Should we go see what the others are up to?” asked Mark.

“Yeah, let’s go see,” Brody replied.

“Come on, Justin,” said Mark, climbing off the bed too.

Justin slid off and reached for his underwear, thinking he should get dressed.

“What are you doing?” asked Brody.

“Getting dressed?”

“Don’t bother,” Brody replied, smiling.

“Yeah, come on. I’m sure there is more fun to be had,” added Mark.

Justin felt his nakedness more than any time before. It wasn’t like in P.E. This was different. Sexual. With other guys. His cock stirred and he tugged at it, wondering how he could still feel so horny. He looked up and saw Brody toying with his own cock and he knew he wasn’t the only one.

They went out into the hall, where Brody looked into the living room, then shook his head. They looked down the hall toward the back of the house, not hearing anything from that direction. A noise from upstairs and they smiled at each other, realizing where some, if not all, of the others were located.

“Let’s go,” said Mark, leading the way up.

 At the top of the stair, they saw the first bedroom door was open and could hear the sounds of two people having sex. Brody went first, peering around the jamb into the room. On the bed was Charlie, body turned toward him, hips twisted around. He had his eyes closed and was moaning and grunting, for behind him was Gary, thrusting his cock into Charlie’s ass, working his hips furiously.

“Fuck, look at him take that cock,” Mark whispered as he looked around Brody.

Justin leaned over Brody’s shoulder and saw what Mark referred. Gary’s thick cock piston in Charlie’s hole. Gary opened his eyes and saw the three of them watching. He smiled, then fucked Charlie harder, faster, his hips smacking against Charlie’s ass. Justin felt his cock stir and he looked over at Mark who was stroking his own.

“You guys go on and find the others,” said Brody, then he eased into the room, moved up to the bed, and feel to his knees. Mark and Justin watched as Brody lifted the top leg, leaned over and took the hard cock his mouth. Charlie moaned and grabbed Brody by the hair, keeping his head in place as he rocked forward from Gary’s fuck.

“Come on, let’s go,” said Mark, pulling Justin back into the hall.

“You think there is more than just a friendship between Charlie and Brody?” asked Justin.

“I think so, but neither will admit to it.”

They moved down the hall, past the bathroom to the next bedroom. The door was pushed nearly closed, and Mark eased it open enough to see into the room. They leaned to the gap and saw Caleb on his knees and elbows, Dennis behind him, fucking hard. The bed was rocking, and suddenly the sound of Dennis’ body smacking against Caleb’s ass echoed out the door.

“Fuck…take it,” Dennis uttered, slapping the left ass cheek, then holding the waist and resumed fucking as hard as he could. His body glistened wetly in the dim light of the room, with muscles straining against his smooth skin. Each one clearly defined, even the biceps bulged with his hold of the prone body.

“Where’s Jerry?” asked Mark.

“I don’t see him,” Justin replied.

“Come on, let’s go look on the porch.”

“The porch?”

“There’s a sleeping porch at the end of the hall.”

Justin had never heard of such, but he fell in behind Mark, watching his ass move with his stride, wondering if Mark would eventually let him fuck it.

Mark pushed open the door at the end of the hall and stepped out into the darkness. Justin followed and saw it was a screened porch, solid panels up to his waist, then screening up to the beam running the perimeter of the roof structure. It was narrow, not more than six feet wide but it ran nearly the width of the house, at least twenty feet in length. Lounging on a daybed on the far end, the glow of a joint growing brighter, was Jerry. He was naked, toying with his erection.

“Why are you out here, and not inside having fun with the guys?” asked Mark as he approached Jerry.

Justin followed, sensing another opportunity for sex. He watched Jerry lean back and take another drag from the joint. He let the smoke out slowly, blowing it straight up.

“I was waiting for you,” said Jerry, chuckling as if were a joke, but the hard cock was no joke.

“Well, we’re here,” said Mark moving up the end of the daybed closest to Jerry’s head. “Now suck my cock.”

Justin moved next to Mark and watched Jerry lean to the cock aimed at his face. Lips touched the head, parted, and slid down its length.

“Fuck…that feels good,” uttered Mark, as he took the joint and drew in a lung full.

Justin watched Jerry move on Mark’s cock, taking the joint held out to him. Without looking away, he took a hit and held it back to Mark.

“I’ve had enough. Put it out in the ashtray to save it for later,” said Mark.

Justin watched as Mark took Jerry by the head and began to fuck, driving cock into his mouth. At times he made Jerry take every inch, and Justin heard Jerry choke and when Mark pulled back, suck in a deep breath. He wondered if he could join them, or should he ease back. He looked at Jerry’s cock, with it arrow shaped head and long shaft. He wanted to touch to it…and more.

Tentatively, Justin reached down and rubbed a finger along the length of it until he was touching the spongy head. It was wet and he smeared the slick back down the shaft. Jerry moaned around Mark’s cock.

“Go on…suck it,” Mark uttered.

Justin eased down to his knees, took Jerry’s cock, and held it up. He saw the length of it, and how it fit easily in his hand. Then he leaned over and saw how easily it fit in his mouth.

How long Justin had Jerry’s cock in his mouth, he didn’t know, but all too soon, he heard Mark moan, then grunt. There was a sucking in of breath, then a cry out. He looked up and saw Mark was shuddering and jerking with release, and Jerry was swallowing. It aroused him to the point his own cock was dripping, and he felt short of breath. Jerry rolled to his back, head propped up, and ran a hand through Justin’s hair.

“Sit on my cock,” said Jerry. It was a simple request, with no sense of urgency in its tone. But Justin felt it, an urgency to it. He realized he wanted to do it. He climbed to his feet, straddled Jerry’s waist rubbing his ass back and forth over the wet cock. It touched him there, rubbed over his hole and he wanted it inside him. He raised up, reached back, and held Jerry’s cock up. He eased down on it, feeling that arrow shaped cock penetrate his opening, and he kept moving down, feeling each inch sink into his depths.

Leaned forward, hands on Jerry’s chest, Justin moved his ass up, then back down, slowly, feeling every inch slide inward then tug back out. Slowly he increased his pace with eyes locked with Jerry. He saw movement to his side, Mark shifting closer, then he felt a hand on his shoulder.

“Lean back,” Mark whispered.

Justin sat up, leaned back a little, and resumed fucking his ass on Jerry’s cock.

“Lean back further,” said Mark, pushing on the shoulder. “Lean back until you’re on your hands.”

Justin leaned further back, placing his hands either side of Jerry’s legs. He felt it, the change in position. Jerry’s cock was hitting his insides differently, and he moved his ass up and down, increasing the pleasure of it.

“That’s it…now fuck that ass on his cock,” said Mark.

Justin increased his pace, ass swinging up and down. Jerry’s cock banged his insides and he wanted more. He moved faster until heaving for air. Hands took each ankle, and he knew it was Jerry holding onto them. He could see Mark’s hands, as they moved over his chest and stomach. Finally, one slipped around his cock and held it up, letting him fuck through the fist as he fucked his ass down on Jerry’s cock.

“Goddamn,” Jerry exclaimed.

Justin raised his head and watched Mark lean over his abdomen. The head blocked his view, but he felt his cock slip into Mark’s mouth, and he fucked it, keeping up his pace.

Despite the coolness of the air, it was not cool enough, for Justin felt feverish, his heart racing in his chest while he gasped for breath. He sweated until it trickled down his face and torso. He felt his body loosen, and he moved with a brutal pace, ass smacking down on Jerry’s abdomen. He threw his head back, closed his eyes, and savored the feel of it. Every touch. The heat trapped between flesh. The slick wet feel of mouth. The fullness of penetration, cock buried in his depths with every push down.

Then the surge of release. Muscles tightened, quivering with his exertions. Then he shuddered as cum surged through his cock and ejaculated into the suctioning mouth. Mark nearly choked, but soon was swallowing wad after wad, as they spew from his cock.

“FUCK,” Jerry exclaimed, shoving upward. Their bodies smacked loudly together, then Jerry was jamming upward, over and over, and Justin knew he was coming too.

Justin and Mark came out the bathroom, having showered off together. They had toyed with each other’s cock, Justin going to his knees and sucking another load out of Mark. Now they came out, naked, beads of water still on shoulders and hair hanging wet. They looked in the back bedroom and saw Dennis and Jerry snuggled together sound asleep. They went to the front bedroom and saw Charlie and Brody in bed, kissing each other softly, gently, whispering to each other too low for Justin and Mark to hear. They eased down the stair heading to the bedroom downstairs where their clothes lay.

“I bet Caleb and Gary are in there,” whispered Mark, leading Justin down.

“Can we ease in and get our clothes, if they are?” asked Justin.

“Maybe.”

The door was closed, and Mark slowly turned the knob and pushed it open an inch, just enough to peek in. On the bed were two bodies, one on top of the other, moving in that most primitive way. Undulating with sex, one fucking the other. Gary was on top with Caleb folded up beneath him.

“Shit, they’re still going at it,” Mark whispered.

“What do we do now?”

“Come on, let’s get some sleep.”

Mark went to the recliner and eased back in it, getting the footrest to lift into place.

“Take the sofa; it’s more comfortable,” said Mark as he settled down.

Justin looked at the naked body, slim and muscular, with the flaccid cock laying over the loose sac. He knew nothing of the person, but so much about their physical aspects. He circled the coffee table and fell down the sofa, suddenly so tired he knew sleep would be fast in coming. He had his feet on the end toward Mark and was able to look down his own nakedness, and see Mark looking back. A shared smile, then they closed their eyes.

Avery

There was a line around the drive-in out to the road, so Avery cruised past, heading toward downtown. He was self-conscious about being seen in his mother’s old car, a 74 Malibu. It was white, boring and to his eyes, ugly. He wished it were the Monte Carlo, or a version from Buick or Pontiac. It felt like a manifestation of his personality. He considered himself boring, too white (and freckled and skinny) and like the car, ugly. He got to the convenience store and turned in. All he wanted was a coke on ice. Beneath the seat was a bottle snatched from his grandparent’s liquor cabinet. Seagram’s 7 Whiskey, a bottle never opened he found pushed to the back of the cabinet. He hoped it was one long since forgotten and would not be missed.

After riding around for a while, the bright lights of the store made him quint. He saw Sally and Jason on the candy aisle and at the cooler with beer, Jason’s older brother, Justin or Jack, or some other name starting with a ‘J’. He wasn’t sure, and didn’t care, for he remembered how both brothers like to torment and bully. He avoided making eye contact while filling a cup, paid as quickly as he could, and got out.

Avery circled around in the small parking lot and headed back south. Just before the drive-in, he turned on Mitchell Road, heading to the park.  Adjusting the radio until he found the soul station out of Montgomery, he turned up the volume when he heard Thelma Houston come on. He felt the beat, the rhythm of it, and thought about the dancers on Soul Train, wondering why he didn’t have their rhythm.

At the park, Avery saw the parking lot at the tennis courts was busy, but none were one of his friends. He knew Tim was out on a date and Ricky was with his folks down at the beach. He drove past circling around the park until he came to the parking along the road for the Little League baseball fields. No one was behind him, so he backed into a space and killed the engine.

Avery retrieved the whiskey and poured too much in his cup. Each drink was strong, and he sipped at it slowly, knowing it was a mistake to have poured so much. The night was warm and as the whiskey hit his system, he grew hot. There was no breeze, and the interior of the car was stifling. Knowing it would be more comfortable out of the car, he climbed out, moved to the front, and sat on the hood with feet propped on the bumper. He stared across the park at the bright lights of the tennis courts and adjacent parking lot. He was in darkness, none of the lights on at the baseball fields. He liked the concealment, for he always worried someone would come along who could see it in his face. See those secrets he tried to keep smothered within.

Headlights passed the tennis courts coming his way, and he watched their approach. A blue Duster that belonged to a guy north of town. A Ford truck that belonged to a former classmate, TJ Graham, and he saw him look his way and keep on going. It didn’t surprise him, for TJ and he had not gotten along in school. Then another Ford truck passed. This one was older and one he didn’t know, although he had seen in around town. A car approached from the opposite direction and as it passed, he recognized it for he saw it in town all the time. It was a Mercedes, with its prominent chrome grille and stacked headlights, but what model he had no idea. He was ignorant of the numerical system utilized on their car lines. As it passed, it looked black in the darkness, but he knew it was dark green. It followed the curve and proceeded to the parking lot at the tennis courts. It turned in, circled around, and headed back his way.

It was an odd move, most either making a full loop, or not coming past the tennis courts. He watched it approach, and as it drew near, it slowed and eased off the road, pulling up in front of him. There were two girls up front and two guys in back.

“Hey, why are you over here?” the girl in the passenger seat asked as she leaned out the window.

“No reason.”

“Want to ride around with us?” asked the guy in the back seat behind her.

“Huh?”

“Come on, come hang out with us,” the girl added. She looked back to the guy. “Let him get in.”

“I, uh…”

“Come on; we don’t bite,” the guy said as he opened his door and stood to the side. “Get in.”

“Okay but let me lock up my car,” Avery replied, hopping down, and going to the driver’s door. He rolled up the windows, slipped the bottle from under the seat, tempted to bring it, then thought better of it. He recognized the faces. They lived in town, and if he wasn’t mistaken, the car was one of Dr. Wilson’s old cars. He slid the bottle back under the seat, worried about not really knowing anyone in the car waiting on him.

Car locked up, Avery went to the Mercedes and climbed into the back seat, and he found himself between the two guys motoring away.

“I’m Hunter, said the guy to his right. He had gotten a good look at everyone when he got in before the door was closed killing the interior light. Hunter was tall, at least six inches taller than his five eight, with strawberry blonde hair and cheeks that were rosy red. He looked young in the face, and Avery wondered if he was still in school.

“I’m Buddy,” said the guy on Avery’s left and he thought of his characteristics. Black hair, dark brown eyes and a dark natural skin tone. And he looked much older than everyone else, the shadow of a beard coming in around his jaw, and a muscular body evident by the way his t-shirt was stretched over it. Even the legs of his jeans were stretched tight by muscular thighs.

Avery felt intimidated by Buddy, wondering how he viewed him.

“This is Lori and Tina behind the wheel,” said Hunter, pointing at one girl then the next.

“Hey, I’m Avery.”

“Avery? Nice name,” said Tina, glancing around smiling. She returned her attention to the road. “Better than Buddy. What a redneck name,” she added, making Lori giggle.

“Hey, it’s just a nickname,” Buddy protested.

“Tell Avery your real name,” said Hunter, chuckling.

“Shut up,” Buddy replied, shaking his head while laughing.

“Go on, Buddy, tell him,” said Lori, looking over her left shoulder.

“Fuck you guys,” Buddy replied, pretending to be angry.

“Oh, don’t get mad, Ashley Curtis Matthews,” said Tina.

“Ashley?” Avery whispered, glancing over at him. “That’s not so bad.”

“Thanks, but yeah, it is,” said Buddy.

“Hey Tina, let’s drive out to the airport,” said Hunter.

“Airport? There’re no planes landing at night. Is there?” asked Avery.

“No, but it’s fun to see who may be parking early along the service road,” said Buddy.

Avery knew what Buddy meant. The service road for the small airport ran along the back side of the property, parallel to the runway. On the opposite side of the road was nothing but pine. The airport sat just past an industrial area, most of which seemed to support the agriculture of the surrounding region. At night, the place was deserted.

Tina expertly maneuvered through town, cutting through neighborhoods, instead of the main streets that radiated out from downtown. They skirted around downtown, eased over the railroad tracks on Davidson Road, and continued through the old textile manufacturing area with its two abandoned factories and collapsing support structures. There were no streetlights along the roads, and the car was dark except for the dash lights.

Everyone had grown quiet, only the sound of reggae playing over the stereo breaking the silence. Avery felt trapped between Hunter and Buddy, both seeming to be much larger, more masculine than he. He glanced to his left and saw Buddy looking out the side window, and a quick glance to his right and saw Hunter doing the same thing.

Tina turned left, onto the narrow, paved road, unmarked, without curbing. The edge was broken up, so she stayed in the middle, easing along at a slow pace.

Avery knew where the airport was located and wondered why she was taking such a circuitous route. Especially on such dark, deserted streets. Then he felt it, a leg press against his right leg. The pressure held for a full second or longer, then pulled away. He held his breath, telling himself it was not what he thought. No way was Hunter messing with him. Not intentionally, anyway. Then the leg pushed against his leg again, this time holding the contact. He wondered if he should adjust his position, move his leg over by putting his foot on the hump in the floor. But he was too curious, to obsessed about the possibility, and he held the contact.

Tina finally turned on the service road, one Avery had never been on. He had no reason to ever go to the airport, much less travel this road. He looked at the night lights of the airport, how it made the small metal buildings that made up the airport glow in their dim light. There were two crop dusters and three single-engine planes parked to one side, and between all of it and the service road, the one runway.

“What a sad, pathetic little airport,” Buddy whispered as they drove along the service road. Light spilled into the car and Avery saw Hunter’s knee against his own, then he saw the left-hand rest on the leg.

Tina sped up, then turned off on a side street.

“No one’s screwing at the airport tonight,” said Tina in a joking voice.

“Not yet, at least,” said Lori, reaching over to turn up the radio as another reggae song came on. It was a faster beat and Avery saw Lori bobbing her head to it.

The side street was an access road with no businesses along its length. It was dark, made darker by the canopy of trees. Avery felt a touch, one that he knew to be a finger. It pressed against his thigh, then raked back and forth. It was too obvious Hunter was not accidently touching him. This was deliberate. He pushed his leg against Hunter’s, despite his fear, wondering if he was being teased in some manner. The finger became two, then three fingers, then he felt the hand on his thigh, and it began to move upward.

‘Did Tina know Hunter was going to mess with me?’ Avery wondered, for she seemed to find the darkest streets, those without lighting, as she drove around the perimeter of town. And along the way, Hunter’s hand moved over and squeezed his thigh until his cock was stirring in its confines. The hand moved until he felt it touch his cock. The fingers squeezed, making it flex and grow harder. He stifled the urge to moan and struggled to control his breathing.

Hunter leaned to the left, shoulder to shoulder with Avery. Avery felt the closeness, the way their bodies were touching in so many places. He felt Hunter turn to him, a hot exhale on his ear, then a whisper, lips grazing its surface.

“Will you ride around with me?”

It took Avery’s breath, the insinuation behind the question. He nodded his head slowly, almost afraid the others in the car would know. The dark streets were suddenly desired, at least until he could compose himself.

“Tina, take me back to my car,” said Hunter as they pulled out on Main Street and headed back into town.

Buddy chuckled, as if he knew, then turned back to the side window.

“Okay,” Tina replied as she drove into downtown.

The hand was removed, for streetlights illuminated the interior, but the pressure from the knee remained. Avery could see it, the way Hunter pressed it against his own.

Tina circled the square and two blocks later, turned to the right, then into the parking lot behind the buildings. The lot was still full, for the best restaurant in town was in the second building facing Main Street.

Avery could see the four of them having dinner in the restaurant, and looking around, he realized the guys were dressed in nice jeans and shirts neatly buttoned up the front.

Tina pulled to the far end of the lot and stopped in the drive.

“Thanks,” said Hunter, as he swung open the door. “Come on Avery, I’ll give you ride back to your car.”

“We can take him back,” said Tina, looking back with a mischievous smile.

“It’s okay, I’ll ride with Hunter,” Avery replied, sliding to the open door.

Avery followed Hunter around the Mercedes, toward a blue Cougar, one that was older than his Malibu. At first, he wondered why someone like Hunter would drive such an old car, one seven or eight years old. Then he noticed the white top was not a vinyl top, but a convertible top.

“I’ve not seen this car in town,” Avery stated as he stood at the passenger door waiting on Hunter to unlock his own door and get in.

“I just got it a month ago. It belonged to an uncle down in Fort Walton.”

“And he sold it to you?”

“Yep. My aunt told him to get something more sensible, so he now drives a Wagoneer. Not the most sensible choice, but I guess it is better than this.”

“It’s nice.”

“That it is,” Hunter replied, swinging his door open and hitting the unlock button to let Avery get in.

Avery settled in the passenger seat as Hunter started the engine, reached up to the header releasing the top, then lowering it. The cool night swirled around the open interior and after being wedged between Buddy and Hunter, it felt good.

Hunter pulled out and drove the secondary streets heading south, Avery assuming back to the park, but when Hunter turned on Garden Street, and headed west he sat up and looked over at Hunter.

“Aren’t you taking me to my car?”

“Later,” Hunter replied.

“Where are we going?”

“Someplace where we won’t be bothered.”

Avery considered it. To be alone with Hunter. After the way Hunter groped him in the back of Tina’s car, he wondered how far Hunter would go if they were alone. He wanted to go a lot further. He wanted to do so much more, but he also felt anxious, wondering if it were a mistake to be alone with him. What if he wasn’t really interested in pursuing something with him? What then?

Hunter drove out to Taylor Ford Road and turned, heading south. Avery knew there was not much on the road, farmland still on both sides for most of its length, but just below Clearwater Creek, there was the farm supply store and a fertilizer plant. Was Hunter going to pull in at one of them?

They drove along the narrow road, rows of soybeans on both sides, disappearing into the darkness. The road fell down a steep grade, crossed over the creek, then climbed in a sweeping curve up to the next plateau. As soon as they came to the top, Avery saw lights in the distance. As they neared, he saw it was the fertilizer plant on the left side, and a little further up, on the right, the farm supply store.

Hunter slowed, turning into the farm supply, pulling around to the gate on the opposite side of the building.

“You can’t get in back…can you?” Avery asked as Hunter drove toward the gate.

“This is dad’s business, so, yes, I can get through the gate,” Hunter replied as he held up a small white remote, pushing the lone button on top. The gate began to slide open. Once it was wide enough for the car, Hunter eased through, hit the remote button again and continued to the back of the lot, out of sight of the road.

Avery looked around at the dimly lit yard behind the main building. There were two outbuildings, one with truck docks running along one side of an open canopy. On the far end of the yard, a line of trailers for sale. Then he noticed Hunter was pulling in next to the second building, not stopping until the car was out of the illumination of the security light. They sat in the darkness, but after a minute Avery realized it wasn’t total. He could see enough to get around. Everything was washed out of color, looking more shades of grey, but he could see most things around him. Only places like the footwells were still pitch black.

“Are you okay?” asked Hunter.

Avery turned and saw Hunter was looking his way, but the eyes were dark, hidden in shadow. He just sensed their stare.

“Yes.”

“Have you done it before?”

Done it? Avery knew what Hunter referred but was shocked at the way he so openly asked. But he also knew not to lie. It would be obvious soon enough.

“No,” Avery replied in a soft whisper. “Have you?”

Hunter chuckled, then sat back and looked up into the starry sky.

“Yes…with Buddy.”

“Buddy?”

“Yep. But it seems he prefers pussy over dick,” Hunter replied, his voice getting caustic.

“Do you really want to…with me?”

“Why would you say that?”

“I’m not attractive. I’m just…”

“Don’t. I hate that. Guys who think they are ugly because they don’t fit some idealized look.”

“Okay.”

“Do you want to do it with me?”

“Huh? Yes, but…”

“But what?”

“I’m a little nervous.”

“Good. It’ll make you feel your desires more.”

And hand comes over the console and rest on Avery’s knee. It rubs back and forth, slowly, stroking the knee, and Avery’s arousal. Hunter leans toward Avery until only a foot away.

“Kiss me,” Hunter whispers.

Avery moves to the shadowed face, closes his eyes at the last second, and kisses Hunter. Hunter pushes back, and soon a hand is holding Avery by the back of the neck, keeping him in place as Hunter kisses his lips, then moves along the jaw until at the right ear.

“Let’s get in the back seat,” Hunter whispers.

Avery climbs out of the car and brings the back of the front seat forward so he can get in back. Hunter comes around the car and holds him from behind, kissing the back of his neck. It feels so intimate to be in Hunter’s arms despite standing out in the open.

“Let me take your clothes off,” Hunter whispers.

For a moment Avery freezes, worried about Hunter seeing him naked. He could feel the muscular body against his back and knew his own body was too skinny. He looked younger than his eighteen years. To his eyes, he still looked fourteen. But his lusts overpower his fears, and he holds still as Hunter unbuttons his shirt. It falls open and hands move over his bare chest and stomach. A hand slides downward and slips beneath his jeans, fingers probing down until raking through pubic hair, then, Avery gasping for breath, touch his cock. He shivers with the manipulation and lays his head back on Hunter’s shoulder, submissive, anxious for more.

A tug at the button, then the zipper is dragged down, and Avery feels his jeans loosen around his waist, then open at the front. A hand toyed with his cock, and he flexes with the touch. Then Hunter stepped back, dragging his shirt down his arms. The shirt flies into the front seat and Hunter squats down behind him, dragging jeans and briefs down his legs, then with his help, shoes, socks, then the jeans and briefs are removed from each foot. He’s naked, the cool air caressing his skin. He looked down and sees his cock is rock hard, sticking straight out. A hand comes around and stroked it, and he shuddered then pushes it through the fist. A kiss, just above his ass, then Hunter is standing behind him.

“Get in the back seat,” Hunter whispered.

Avery stepped into the back, sitting on the far side. He watched the deeply shadowed figure of Hunter undress. The shirt tossed in the car on top of his clothes, then the shoes, socks, jeans, and finally the briefs. He couldn’t take his eyes off the hard cock with its curved shape and wide, flared head. His heart was racing in his chest, for he knew it was really going to happen. He was going to have sex with a guy.

Hunter climbed in, sitting next to him and began to slow stroke his cock. Avery mimicked him, stroking his own at the same slow pace.

“I want to fuck you,” uttered Hunter, looking down at his hand stroking his cock. “Will you let me?”

“Yes,” Avery replied with no hesitation.

“Come here,” said Hunter, sliding down until his ass was right on the edge of the seat.

Avery wasn’t sure what Hunter meant for him to do, not at first, but as he eased up and moved to him, Hunter guided him to turn around and straddle his waist. Then he knew what to do. He sat on the hard cock, felt it press against his ass, and he rocked back and forth on top of it. Hunter moaned and pushed upward.

“Fuck,” Hunter uttered as he placed his hands on Avery’s thighs, squeezing each, fingers digging into the firm flesh.

Avery couldn’t stand it, his own tease too much even for himself and he rose on knees, reached back taking Hunter in hand and lowered his ass to the flared head. He pressed down on it, let his weight carry him, feeling his opening stretch open. The slow penetration made him shudder with the pain, but he didn’t stop. Slowly, he let Hunter enter him, first the head, then inch after inch of the curved shaft.

Seated on Hunter’s lap, Avery had every inch. Every fucking inch, and he felt the fullness of the penetration. He rose a couple of inches, feeling the tug at his opening, then eased back down. Over and over, until he was rising up until only the head remained in his hole then dropping back down all the way. His pace increased, a steady rhythm that strained his thighs and made him pant for breath.

“Fuck…Avery…fuck,” uttered Hunter as he ran one hand up over Avery’s flat stomach and chest and the other grasping his cock, stroking him at the same pace.

Avery kept up his pace, fucking himself on Hunter’s cock while his own was stroked. He didn’t know how long he could hold out. His whole body tensed up tight and he shuddered and shook with every full penetration.

“Get up. Let’s change positions,” Hunter exclaimed, pushing Avery to climb off his cock.

Avery welcomed the break, the chance to lose some of his arousal so he wouldn’t come too quickly, but he wasn’t sure what Hunter wanted next, as he climbed over him and into the other seat on his knees.

Hunter rose, swung around and guided Avery to move up close to the seat back and rest his chest over the folding top. Hunter moved behind him, raked his wet cock up and down Avery’s ass, then holding tight to the narrow waist, bore into Avery’s depths.

“OH, fuck,” Avery cried out, his voice echoing off the buildings.

Hunter began to fuck with a brutal pace, and Avery held his head down, hands holding the metal frame of the roof, and took every thrust. He rocked back and forth, and felt the smack against his ass, as Hunter plunged into his depths all the way with every push inward. One hand snaked around his waist and took his leaking cock, stroking it. Soon his cock and the hand were wet, slick with his emissions. He shuddered and jerked with all the stimulation, knowing he was close to release. There would be no holding back this time, and he sensed Hunter wasn’t either.

Avery threw his head back, closed his eyes, and sprayed the seat back with cum. He shuddered as the hand kept stroking, drawing out each wad. Then Hunter was against his back, the contact hot, sweaty, and he felt the familiar motion of their fuck. The rocking back and forth, sweaty skin gliding over sweaty skin. Then Hunter pushed into him all the way and kept jamming hips against his ass. He knew Hunter was coming. He could hear the gasp for breath and feel the way Hunter shuddered and jerked against his back, and knew each shove against his ass was one more explosive eruption of cum inside him.

Hunter pulled out, and Avery turned around, falling into the other seat. He lay back exhausted, still breathing hard, as he watched Hunter run a finger through his cum, then lean down licking it off. A slow drag of tongue up one trickle of cum, then the next, until it was all lapped up.

“Damn,” Avery whispered as he watched.

Hunter turned and leaned down, until kissing his abdomen, along one thigh, then along his wet cock. Avery gasped again as Hunter sucked his half-hard cock, drawing out the remnants of his load, then making him hard again. It made him not feel exhausted any longer, instead he wanted their sex to continue.

“I want to try it with you,” Hunter whispered as he moved up and over Avery.

Legs straddling him, Avery watched Hunter move over him. A hand took his wet, hard cock, holding it up. Hunter moved down until there was a pressure against the head. Another push down as Hunter’s tightness tried to prevent the penetration. But Avery felt the squeeze on the head of his cock as Hunter finally stretched open and let him sink into his depths. Hunter was so physical in his sex, quickly fucking his ass on Avery’s cock. He leaned back, hands on the back of each front seat, and moved his ass up and down, faster and faster, until his own erection was smacking against his stomach.

Avery reached out and took Hunter in hand and stroked him. He tried to keep pace with Hunter, but it was impossible.

“Goddamn…it feels so good,” Hunter uttered, then threw his head back.

The dim light reflected off Hunter’s sweating body. It was enough to see the muscular body flex with its strength. The sharp definition of abs and pecs, and how they flexed with Hunter’s movement.

“I’m going to come,” Hunter exclaimed.

Avery felt Hunter flex in his hand then he saw cum rain down on the sweating, heaving chest and stomach. Hunter was physical in their fuck, slamming down on his cock, and he felt the spasm of the opening with every ejaculation of cum. It pushed him over the edge, and he shoved upward, rocking Hunter up, and came again.

Avery lay across the back seat, his head in Hunter’s lap and his feet propped on the side of the car. They were still naked, and the scent of their sex lingered in the air around them. Fingers twirled strands of his hair as Hunter talked softly about his desires, the wanting of a man.k He whispered about fears and possible judgements, and how frustrated Buddy had made him. Then he asked Avery what he wanted in life. How he saw himself in the future. Would he make a life with another guy, or live alone, afraid of letting others know?

“I try to think of it sometimes, but I can’t make it seem real. Would I live with a guy? Yes, fuck what others think. I want to be happy, and if I have to live somewhere far away, or in some big city to have that, then that is what I’ll do,” Avery confessed, something he had never spoken aloud.

“I like that,” said Hunter, then he fell silent for a long time before continuing. “Are you going to State this fall?”

“Yes. How did you know?”

“The tag on the front of your car.”

“Oh, yeah. I forgot about putting it on.”

“I’m going to,” said Hunter, and the implication was clear.

“Really.”

“Yep.”

“Will you…would you still talk to me on campus?”

“What?! Yes, of course. Don’t be so hard on yourself. Of course, I will want to talk to you. I’m wondering if you…”

“What?” Avery asked after Hunter stayed silent too long.

“You want to try dating for the remainder of the summer?”

“You’ll go out with me?”

“Jesus, Avery, just stop. Yes, if you want to.”

“Yes. Yes. That would be…perfect.”

3 A.M.

Bobby couldn’t believe it had gotten so late. He had come back into town and cruised around the nearly deserted streets. He was exhausted, every muscle felt fatigued, but he was also so wound up he knew sleep would be long in coming. Daniel had disappointed him again. Rushing to get dressed, dumping him off at his car and not once, speaking about what they had done, or if it meant anything to him. After circling around town, he found himself driving south, heading toward the interstate. He would get on it and drive down to the next exit eight miles to the west, where a Waffle House sat with two service stations, one a truck stop.

He motored down the dark, deserted highway until he saw the security lights at the interchange with the interstate. He slowed for the sweeping turn right, then accelerated hard, the engine revving to near redline as he sped down the ramp and onto the interstate. There was no traffic in front, but in the mirror, he saw lights in the far distance. The eight miles would pass quickly, as he sped along the interstate.

The sign for the exit flew by, and Bobby slowed, until only ten over the speed limit. Around a sweeping curve, the lights of the exit came into view. Approaching the ramp, he eased over into the exit lane and coasted up to the stop sign. The service station across the street was dark and empty, having closed for the night. To his right the other station was open, with a couple of rigs at the diesel pumps in rear. On the far side of it, he saw the garish yellow sign and building that was his destination.

Bobby was surprised the parking lot was so busy but knew this was the only place someone could get food at this hour for miles around. This one lone Waffle House was it. He pulled into the parking lot, coasting along until he came to a space.

Car shut off and about to swing his door open, Bobby saw a white Jeep idle by. He recognized it as one he frequently saw in town, although he didn’t know the guy who drove it. Out of the car, door locked, Bobby headed to the front door. He saw the guy out of the corner of his eye and realized they would get to the door at nearly the same time.

Bobby arrived first, a couple of steps ahead, and he swung the door open and stood to the side.

“Thanks,” the guy replied as he entered the restaurant. Bobby came in behind him and scanned the room. The three booths along the back were full, same for all the stools at the counter and one of the two booths across the front wall.

“Hey, there is just the one booth, and it should be yours for you got here first. You want to share it?” the guy asked Bobby.

“You don’t mind?”

“No. It’ll be nice not to eat alone. I’m Justin, by the way.”

“Justin,” Bobby repeated, “I’m Bobby.”

As they moved toward the front of the dining area, Bobby saw one of the guys in the other booth look up and smile at Justin.

“Hey, Justin, you’re still vertical.”

“Hunter, what are you doing here?”

“Same as you: breakfast.”

“Hey, I’m Justin,” holding out his hand toward the other guy in Hunter’s booth.

“I’m Avery.”

“And this is Bobby.”

There were nods and greetings, then Justin led Bobby to the other booth. There was the drink order, then their food order, and they settled back in the booth watching the activity behind the counter.

“Where are you from?” Justin eventually asked Bobby.

“I live in town. And you?”

“On the north side, up in Oak Hill.”

“Your father a farmer?”

“No, he works at the papermill down in Brewton. So, what brings you out to this place at three in the morning.”

“Too wound up. What I had hoped was serious…well…I think they’re just using me.”

“That sucks,” Justin replied, catching the avoidance of pronouns that would give away the person’s sex. “I had been to a party and…” he laughed, shaking his head, “and know I was being used. But it was fun while it lasted.”

They fell into a casual banter, the initial reveal of their personas, what anyone who knew them would describe, but they each sensed it, something more about the other. Some characteristic they were concealing.

In the adjacent booth, the conversation was almost whispered, neither Avery nor Hunter talking loud enough for anyone to overhear. Therefore, neither booth noticed a few guys get up from the counter, pay the waitress, and leave, nor did they notice someone come in. A bit disheveled, t-shirt stretched and out of shape, and a bit dirty, as if it had been wrestled in. The jeans hung low and loose, and the guy pushed his hair back and moved to an empty stool.

Cotton had left the truck stop and drove around town, trying to calm down after the excitement and fear of fucking around at the back of lot. He was tired, knowing he should have gone home long ago, but he had driven down the secondary roads until finally coming to the Waffle House. He glanced back and saw familiar faces, but none he knew personally. He wondered about the coupling, two guys in each booth, and he wondered if there was a chance they were together as more than friends. He hoped at least one booth was that way. It would be encouraging it were so.

He glanced around when the front door opened, and saw a young guy walk in. Ballcap pulled low, wearing a red plaid shirt and jeans. There was something about his manner, and Cotton knew he was a trucker. The guy glanced along the counter, two empty stools at the right end, and one empty stool next to Cotton.

Cotton didn’t turn around fast enough, and the guy saw him staring. It embarrassed him, but also excited him, and none more so than when the guy came and sat next to him. There was a nod of acknowledgment, then a brief smile. After their food arrived, and others at the counter were gone, they continued to look at the other, smiling when at the same time. Then their arms bumped, then a knee pressed against the other.

So, the pieces were in place for the events of Saturday night to create new scenarios. For some who felt lost, a new opportunity, maybe even a path to a future of contentment. The sun would rise in a couple of hours to start a new day, and for our characters, a new phase of life would unfold over the coming weeks.