A New Love

(i have recently posted this on the MJEOL forum)




The bell had rung just as Christian finished up his test.
" Alright class hand in your Math tests to me, and you will get your scores, Friday."
Christian got up slowly from his seat, he knew he had failed, he could sense it. He didn't study even once for the test and he guessed on 99% of the questions.
He was happy to know his next and last class of the day was Art.
Christian smiled happily as he met with his two best friends, Ally and Leo in the back table of the classroom.
Christian took out his portrait of himself and began finishing it.
" Chris, That's coming along real good." Ally smiled.
" Thanks." He smiled back at her, " At least I'm good at something."
" Oh, stop it! Don't worry about Math, you'll probably get into college on a football scholarship."
He shrugged, " I don't know, I hope so. But, the coach said if I don't bring up my grades, he'll have to kick me off the team."
" Kick you off the team!" Leo jumped in as Christian nodded his head in sadness, " But you're our best player!"
He shrugged again, " It doesn't matter, once these test scores show up, I'm going to be out of football for good."
" B-but, they shouldn't be allowed to do that! You are a senior, this is supposed to be our memorable year!"
" It'll be memorable alright."
" Damn teachers." Leo spat out.
" How about we change the subject to something less...emotional." Ally giggled.
" Like what? Nothing new ever happens."
" This year it is!" Ally smiled, " We are getting a new student."
" A new student?" Christian said in confusion, " But we are already 3/4 of the way into our first semester."
" I hope it's a real hot girl." Leo laughed.
" I hope it's a guy, because the teams going to need a new quarterback."
" Well...maybe it's a real cute girl that plays football." Ally said as they laughed.

As their talking began to die down, Ms. Love, the French art teacher began making her way towards Christian.
She soon stopped at the three of them, and clasped her hands at the beauty and professionalism of Christian's self-portrait.
" Christian!" She said in her French accent," This drawing is beautiful!"
Christian sunk inside of himself, embarrassed by her flattery.
" There is an art show coming up next Tuesday, you should submit this, the enrollment ends this Wednesday."
" Th-thank you." He smiled, blushing from the compliment as she went back to her desk.
Then, the last bell of the day had rung, Christian put away his drawing, said goodbye to his friends and walked home.

*That night at the dinner table*
Christian began playing with his cooked carrots as he stared at the empty seat in front of him.
" Where's dad?" He asked.
" Oh, you know you're father works screwed up hours." Lillian, his mother smiled.
" Why don't he just quit his job, and get a new one. This is my last year at home, next year I'll be going off to college, and he won't ever see me again."
" Hush up, your father has plenty of time to see you, don't worry."
Christian shrugged, " I'm not hungry." He got up, scrapped his full plate into the dog's bowl.
" I'm going to bed." He said slugging his body past the dinner table just as his mom held his arm.
" Don't be mad at your father, he's trying his best to save up for college."
" I know. I'm not mad." And he walked through the hallway and into his room where he fell asleep minutes later.
Christian and the rest of the class had been studying all day.
He was curious has to who was going to be the new student, he was wondering if Ally had just been pulling his chain. Then, there was a small knock on Mr. Leech’s door.
He opened it, and there stood in the doorway, was a tall, skinny young man. His brown skin looked soft and innocent, his dark brown eyes were big and beautiful. His blue hat rested on top of his black curly hair. And a small smile peeked in, through his lips until teacher pulled him to the front of the class. Then he began looking nervous and shy as the teacher spoke, “ This is Michael, he will be joining us for the remainder of the year.” He smiled, “ Go find an empty seat and be sure to ask one of the students what we have been doing.” He slung his brown backpack over his shoulder as he hung his head low and sat down in a seat to the right of Christian.
Christian gave Michael a friendly smile, the kind you give strangers when they pass you by on the street.
He pulled out a Language Arts book, notebook and a pencil. Christian then leaned over to Michael, “ We’re studying for a test.”
Michael turned to look at Christian who was still leaning in and smiled, “ Thanks…what page?” He asked.
“ Two ninety-seven.” He said as he straightened up back in his seat.
There was a small moment of silence between the two until Christian had spoken up again, “ Do you play football?”
Michael smiled, “ For fun.”
“ Are you any good?”
He laughed, “ No.”
“ Ooh, because we are going to need a new quarterback.”
“ Why?”
“ I’m going to get kicked off the team?”
“ For what?”
“ My grades are slipping.”
“ Ooh.” He sighed.
“ Hey, maybe you could tutor me?”
Michael laughed again, “ I’m afraid not, I’m not good at math either.”

Just then, the bell for lunch had rung. Christian had gathered his stuff and walked into the hall in which he met up with his friends again as he put his things in his locker.
“ Hey, Chris.” Ally smiled.
“ Hey guys.” He sighed, “ The new guy is going to sit with us for lunch. Is that all right?”
“ Yeah. I haven’t gotten to meet him yet, where is he?” Ally asked looking around. She then peeked over Christian’s shoulder and saw a shy, poverty stricken guy stuffing his locker with his books, “ Him?”
Christian turned around, “ Yeah.”
“ You want to sit with us?”
Michael’s face lit up, he was happy he had made some friends, “ Yeah.”

The four of them had walked down to lunch and sat down with their food at an empty table.
Ally's smiles, and blushing pink cheeks gave off her schoolgirl crush on Michael.
" So, Michael...do you play football?" Ally asked.
He shook his head, " No, Christian already asked me."
" Oh, so...why did you decide to come to Green valley High school?"
" We lived up in Gary, Indiana for a long time, but then, my dad figured he'd make more money here, so we moved."
" Cool. I've always wanted to go to Gary."
" Shut up. You don't even know where Gary is." Leo snapped, laughing.
Ally rolled her eyes as she finished of her potato wedges.
" Where do ya'll live?" Christian asked.
" A block away from the school, so walk home."
" Same here." Christian smiled, " What street?"
" Hickory."
" No way! That's Chris's street!" Ally said in excitement.
" Maybe you could come over sometime." Christian shrugged.
" That would be cool."


The rest of the School day, Christian and Michael had become instant friends. They both loved listening to The Beatles, they both had dads that they hardly ever see, they both love to read poetry and they both love playing the old-fashioned Nintendo games.
By the time school had let out, Christian and Michael were walking home.
" Hey, Chris. I just got the old Pac-man game from a garage sell...you want to go play it at my house?" Michael asked as they crossed the street.
" Sure. But is your dad home?"
Michael shook his head, " No he won't be home till about 2 in the morning. He gets off at eleven-thirty but he has to drive 2 and half hours home."
" Alright." Christian smiled.


*At Michael's house*

Christian and Michael had entered the house. It looked worse than Christian's home, but it was livable.
When they had entered Michael's room, Christian saw, CD's piled up next to his bed, a full length mirror on the back of the door and close piled up in the corner of the room.
Michael flopped onto the floor with Christian and tried to load up the old Pac-man game.
" Uh!" Michael grunted out in frustration.
" It won't go in!" He laughed.
" I have had that happen to me plenty of times, that’s what kind of sucks about old games." Christian smiled.
" I know, but once you start them you can't stop!" He laughed, giving up on the game.
" We are so eighty's." Christian added, laughing.

After their laughter and jokes died down, Christian and Michael got sidetracked and started talking about their dads.
" -I know he loves me and all, but he just doesn't show it." Christian shrugged.
" Yeah...same here." Michael smiled.
" What's your dad like?"
" He's umm..." Michael began nervously, " strict-"
" Abusive?"
" No." Michael snapped, " He seems that way, but...he's not."
" How can someone seem abusive?"
" IS he? Or isn't he?" Christian asked concerned.
Michael lifted up his blue sweatshirt and shown, a scar on his back.
" Michael!" Christian gasped as he covered his mouth. The scar ran from his shoulderblades down to the middle of his back.
" How did that happen?"
" My dad caught me coming in home late and he whipped me with a belt." Michael said pulling down his shirt. As Michael turned back around to face Christian, Christian saw his eyes filling up with tears.
" Don't cry." Christian said sympathetically as he wiped them away. Michael's head hung low and let the teardrops fall from his eyes and onto the floor.

Then...Michael looked up from the ground and into Christian's eyes, " Wow, Chris. I've only known you for a day, and you make me feel so comfortable around you."
Christian gave him a small smile, he was glad he made him feel comfortable.
Michael slowly leaned in and placed his lips to Christian's. Their lips were locked for a short period of time when Christian backed away.
The two of them stood up, " I-I'm sorry...Christian I knew I shouldn't have done it but-"
" No.no, it's ok." Christian smiled, " I-I just never done that before."
" Kiss?"
" Kiss a guy."
" I know." Michael said hanging his head low, " I really should've told you before-"
" No, it's really ok." Christian smiled as he took a step towards Michael.
Then, Christian took Michael's hand into his, and this kissed again.
Michael almost smiled through the kiss as they tongued.
They parted and smiled, " I feel so different." Christian said aloud then looked into Michael's eyes, " I like different."

" Maybe you should go." Michael spoke up after several minutes of silence.
" Yeah. I have to go enroll in some art show tonight." Christian said as they began to walk to the front door, " Umm...I'll see you tomorrow."
" Yeah." And Michael closed the door after Christian had gone.
Michael let out a squeal and backed himself up against the front door. He hugged himself tightly. He felt as if, if he were to let go he would float up onto cloud nine. Electricity was jumping around inside of him, and he felt as if he could burst. He looked down at his hands and saw that they were shaking.
Michael has been in many relationships, but Christian was different, Christian made him feel special.

* The Next Morning at School*

Christian had opened up the door and the first face he had seen, was Michael’s. He was sitting down at his desk, with his face in a book. A small smile escaped Christian’s lips as he began to walk over to his desk.
Michael flashed him a bright smile as he sat down, " Hey." He said blushing.
" Hey." Christian said back, equally blushing.
" Did you get to enroll in the art show?"
" Yeah. I hope I win. It would be the first thing I've ever won, well...other than football games." He shrugged, " Hey! I got practice tonight...you want to watch?"
Michael's face turned an even brighter pink than it already had, " So your not mad about...last night?"
" No. I sort of liked it." He giggled.
" Alright...I'll see you at practice tonight."
*At Lunch*
Christian hadn't seen Leo and Ally for the whole day until he and Michael sat down at their usual table.
" Ugh!" Ally grunted as she slammed her milk down.
" What is it this time?" Christian laughed as he played with the straw in his coke.
" The stupid dance."
" Dance? What dance?" Christian was always the last to know everything.
Ally playfully pushed his shoulder from across the table, " The Senior dance you idiot!"
" Oh?" He said, still a bit confused.
" Ok...you know that, real cute boy I've told you about?"
" The Rodney guy you are obsessed with?"
" I'm not obsessed!" She blushed.
" Sure." He rolled his eyes, " Go on."
" I asked him to the dance."
" What'd he say?"
She slumped down, " No."

Christian and Leo laughed, " He probably thinks you're a nut-case for following him around all the time." Christian smiled.
" I don't follow him!" Ally said trying to sound serious but laughed anyway.
" I can't wait for the Senior Dance." Leo said through a sigh.
" You sound very enthusiastic about it." Ally said sarcastically.
He smiled, " I'm going with Karla!"
Christian's eyes grew wide, " Miss Popular Karla?"
Leo smiled and nodded, " Yup."
" I thought she's going with Jeremy?"
Leo shook his head, " They had a fight...and I heard Karla say the first boy she sees she's going with to the dance, just to make him jealous."
" Let me guess, you were the first person she saw?"
" Actually no. Clarence was the first boy she saw, but Clarence is a geek." He laughed.
" So...she's using you?" said Christian.
" Yeah...isn't GREAT!" Leo slapped a smile on and gulped down the last bit of his bottle of coke.
" So who you going to the dance with, Michael?" Ally asked leaning in.
Michael looked at Christian, then back at Ally, " I don’t know?"
" Oh come on, there's got to be someone here you like?"
He shrugged again.
" Maybe you should take a chance at Courtney? She's real cool."
" Who's she?" Ally turned around and pointed to a long red haired girl with a blue sweatshirt on.
" No, I don't even know her." He shrugged for the third time.
" Well, this'll be a chance to GET to know her." Michael wanted to say something, but he couldn't. Christian also wanted to say something, but he couldn't either. They watched as Ally shouted to Courtney to come over. Courtney smiled and sat down at the table and Ally introduced the two.
" Michael this is Courtney, Courtney, Michael."
Michael gave a small nervous wave and she nodded a hello.
" So...how do you like it at school so far?" Courtney asked after a moment of silence.
" It's ok."
" Cool, so have you made some friends?"
" Yeah...Ally, Leo and...Christian." He said nervously.
" They are real cool people." She smiled and continued, " Have you met anyone special here?"
" What do you mean?"
" Like, have you got a girlfriend yet?"
" Umm..." Michael wiped a bead of sweat from his brow, " No."
" Do you want one?" She smiled.
Michael shrugged, " Not really?"
" Not really? A fine guy like you should be out there pimping." They laughed.
" I-I just," Michael glanced at Christian, who had a worried look on his face. "I-I just don't want one right now. I'd rather keep my worries on my studies."

* End of School*
Christian raced towards the gym to change into his football uniform.
He saw Michael hanging around the locker room door with his school books in hand.
" Hey, Michael." He softly.
" Hi."
" I'm real glad you didn't say anything about last night to Ally and Leo and Courtney"
" Why would I say anything?"
Christian shrugged, " I don’t know. I just don't want anyone to know what happened, because I'm not..." Christian looked around to see if anyone was around and whispered, " Gay."
" Don't you like me?" Michael asked with a sad look on his face.
" As a friend...but you know that whole thing last night...that was just..."
" An accident?" Michael finished.
" Yeah." He sighed.

Michael's lips tightened, his eyes narrowed, and his eyes stung with sadness. Why was he acting like this? Stuff like that doesn't happen on accident!
" I guess I'm the accident! I knew I should've never came here." Michael said as he walked away, shoving him purposely.

He burst through the school's doors and walked vigorously home.