A Night to Remember: Chapter 02
T
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Tory got home from school that day (Monday), filled with excitement. The idea of a school dance had seemed kind-of lame to him at first, but now that he realized that it meant being with Colin it suddenly seemed more appealing.
"Hi, Paul," Tory said pleasantly as he entered his apartment. Paul had his mouth full of food that was not his own and just waved to his neighbor. It took him a couple seconds before realizing that Tory hadn't called him a mooch or a freeloader or anything of the sort, but he thought nothing of it.
Please, please, PLEASE let me have something to wear! Tory thought as he dug through his closet. A red hooded sweatshirt? No. His shirt with the frowny-face that said 'I'm swell'? No. The famous 'green shirt' that he'd rejoiced at finding to be clean the night before Colin had come over to study that one time? No. "DAMN IT!" Tory yelled.
"Heh," chuckled Paul, peeking his head into Tory's room. "Something the matter, kid?" he asked.
"Oh…go away, Paul," grumbled Tory, kicking a balled-up pair of pants that was on his floor across the room. "It's nothing you can help with…"
"OK then," Paul said and went back out to the living room. "Hey, you want to watch a movie later or something?"
"Uh…" Tory contemplated. "I don't know. Maybe." He went on fumbling around in his closet. "Yeah, OK." He gave up on what could be found and joined Paul in the living room. The college student was flipping channels on the TV. "Can't you watch TV in your own house?" Tory asked. He wasn't really angry at Paul, this was just how they interacted.
"Eh, I like it here," Paul admitted as Tory plopped down on the couch next to him. "So what's going on, man?"
"Nothing much," Tory lied. "You?"
"Same ol'," said Paul. "How're things with Colin?" Tory was surprised that Paul hadn't put any sort of mocking emphasis on Colin's name. He had merely and sincerely asked.
"Fine," said Tory. After a second or two of lingering silence he added, "We're, uh, going out Friday night."
"That's nice," said Paul. "Where're you taking him?" That time there was a hint of mockery in the college-student's tone.
"None of your business, mooch," Tory said with a grin, folding his arms and leaning against his friend, who playfully shoved him away. Tory took a swing at Paul, which he ducked, and kind-of smacked Tory in the forehead gently.
"I'm just asking!" Paul laughed, ruffling Tory's hair. The two friends wrestled a little until Tory all but fell off the couch.
"Ow!" he cried, though more laughing than screaming out in pain.
"Sorry, man," said Paul, offering Tory his hand. "You OK?"
"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," Tory mumbled, getting back up. "So what do you want to watch?"
"I don't know. I was thinking like Austin Powers or something?" Paul suggested.
"Oh! Dude! I know! Orange County!" said Tory.
"No!" complained Paul.
"Well, fine then! What do you suggest?" Tory challenged, folding his arms over his chest again.
"We could rent something," Paul said, shrugging.
"Nah, I don't feel like going out," Tory answered.
"Yeah, me neither," admitted Paul. "Aw, you know what I haven't watched in a while? SLC Punk!"
"…That movie's kind-of sad, isn't it?" said Tory. "Actually, yeah. Let's go watch that."
"Awesome. Let's go," said Paul, happy that they had finally agreed on a movie. He grabbed a bag of chips and he and Tory went up to his apartment.
"Man, when are you going to start buying your own food?" Tory complained.
"Shut up," Paul chuckled. Tory wasn't even serious. The truth was, if Paul didn't steal their food as much as he did, Tory probably wouldn't see him as often. And he liked hanging out with Paul-- aside from Colin, he was Tory's best friend.
However, during the movie, Paul noticed that Tory didn't seem all that comfortable. He had absent-mindedly scrunched himself up into a little ball on one side of the couch, and he seemed very tense and preoccupied. Paul might not have noticed this, but it just really stood out in contrast to his own posture; slouching with his legs spread out, comfortably sinking into the couch.
"You OK, Tory?" he asked. Tory turned his head over his shoulder to look at Paul as he answered.
"Yeah."
"You just seem a little, like, I don't know, distracted or something," Paul said. Tory looked back at the TV before saying,
"It's stupid."
"What's the matter?" Paul asked again. Tory had forgotten that the first time Paul had asked him what was wrong, he's grumpily pushed him away. The red-headed boy sighed and confessed.
"Well, there's this dance on Friday," he began. "And, like, I mean, Colin and I are going, so it's cool and all, but…" he trailed off.
"What?" asked Paul.
"I have nothing to wear," moaned Tory, turning over and pressing his face into Paul's chest.
"Whoa! Dude, I'm straight, remember?" Paul cried at the sudden display of emotion by his young friend.
"Shut up, man. I'm serious!" whined Tory. "Everything I have he's either seen me in already or is just lame- ass, casual clothing."
"Well, I can't help you with that," said Paul, pushing Tory off of him and back onto his side of the couch. "Hey, you've got all week, why don't you go buy something new?"
"There're no stores around here," Tory explained, turning his attention back to the movie.
"Get your mom to drive you somewhere, dude," said Paul.
"I…can't," said Tory. There was a silence between the two friends for a moment. "I haven't told her yet."
"About the dance or about…?"
"About me and Colin," Tory answered.
"Well, I don't know what to tell you, man," said Paul.
"I know," said Tory. The movie had just reached a crucial point. "Aw man, this part's so sad!" Tory whined, sort-of falling over sideways onto Paul's shoulder.
"I know!" Paul agreed, wrapping an arm around Tory as they watched the main character mourn his best friend's death.
Even though Paul had just pushed Tory away when he had been craving some affection, reminding the smaller boy that he was straight, Paul got a little emotional, even if it was in a joking sort of way, and leaned his head against Tory's as they watched the sad part of SLC Punk.
The next day at school, Tory and Colin avoided talking about the dance. It was awkward enough that they had decided to go after being asked by another person, for one thing, and they also figured that if they talked about it every day until it happened it would sort-of diminish the excitement around it. So they just went on greeting each other with kisses and talking about other things.
At lunch that day they found themselves in intimate, affectionate conversation. They'd both finished eating and were now just linking their fingers together across the table.
"You're so cute," Tory whispered. Colin looked up and leaned into his boyfriend's face, capturing his mouth in an innocent kiss. They could both taste food on each other's mouths, but they were both too in love to care.
"You're cuter," Colin muttered. Nuzzling Tory's nose, they rubbed their foreheads together and sighed. "You know," Colin began softly. "Ever since that first time at the library…when you were…explaining physics and shit to me…" Colin said, pausing in between every couple of words to enjoy the moment. "I've been totally hot for you."
Tory smiled and laughed silently. "For me…it was probably…" Tory thought back to when he had first started stalking Colin. "Probably that time I caught you snoozing in the library."
"You scared the crap out of me that time, you know," Colin murmured. Tory chuckled and ran a hand through Colin's hair. "It's true. Like, the bell rang and I open my eyes and like, bam, there you were, in my face."
Tory laughed a little louder. "I didn't mean to scare you," he admitted. "You were just so cute I couldn't stop staring at you."
"You're such a freak," Colin giggled. Tory's smile disappeared as he took this somewhat truthful insult. "But I love you." Tory's smile returned.
"I love you, too," he said. And he kissed Colin passionately.
"Get a room, you fags!" came a voice. It was Jeremy, who was just passing by. Tory started to stand up to give the jerk of a student a piece of his mind, but Colin grabbed his hand and pulled him back down.
"Tory," he said. "he's not worth it. Just forget him," said Colin. Tory sat down. This was the part of their relationship he hated; because they were gay, even in the big city, there were still people who disapproved of them being together. He really hoped that Jeremy wouldn't be at the dance. But then, thinking of the dance just made him remember that he had nothing to wear!
Damn it, I've got to go shopping, thought Tory.
After school that day, Colin had to make up an alibi for his whereabouts on the night of the dance. Dr. Garrets never let Colin out of the house unless it was school-related, so he had to think of some phony reason for him to be out of the house Friday night.
"Dr. Garrets?" he asked that afternoon.
"Yes?" replied the gruff doctor.
"Um, this Friday, I have to meet Tory at the library to study. Is that OK?" he asked.
"You're still having trouble?" Dr. Garrets asked unhappily. Colin looked down and shrugged. "Alright, I guess. Will you be needing a ride?"
"No. I can walk. We're going to meet there at seven, so, it'll still be light out," Colin said reasonably. "And, we'll probably be done at about…I don't know, ten."
"That's a little late," said the doctor. "Are you sure you have to cram it all into one night?"
"Well, no, but, it's just…" Colin had to think up an explanation on the spot. "I just…learn better that way. You know, long cram sessions." He was totally lying, but Dr. Garrets didn't know that.
"I suppose if it concerns your education, then there's no problem with it," he said.
"Thanks," said Colin. And that was all that was said on the matter. After ascending the stairs to his room, Colin sighed as he leaned against the door. Now that that had been taken care of, it was now time for Colin to obsess over what to wear. Colin's dilemma was somewhat different from Tory's; Tory had nothing to wear. Colin on the other hand, had many great outfits to wear…it was just a matter of deciding between them!
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