Round and round, Ferris wheel…
This was the first time Steven was allowed to stay awake for one of his parents garden parties, it was important for a man of eight to be allowed into the shushing grass while the delicate noise of tinkling China clattered behind him. Solemn bluesy greens of conversation hummed through the air, ever so often accented with yellow laughter. This was it, finally it, one of those elusive parent conventions Steven had never been allowed to before.
And it was quite boring.
He had been so excited earlier, listening to his sister complain that he shouldn't be allowed and his mother combing his hair. She was wearing her finest pearls that night, the string of white ones that had a gradient that started from the smallest, fattened out in the middle and then thinned out again so Steven knew it was going to be a big night.
Rectangular paper lanterns, the soothing sea tope kind, were strung up on string between poles to let the guests know their lines of confinement. Guests started arriving at three and soon their vast lawn had men with pipes, pastel polos and muted sports jackets with pressed trousers mushroomed all across it. Each grinning man had his matching wife; Steven found the tan ones with thinning hair had loud wives with fashionable dresses and complicated hair. The others, like his father, were alone; their respective partners having a cool sip of punch with modest dresses that ballooned into wide skirts of various, soft colours off to the side.
Around five o' clock, he had started to get fidgety. It was only thirty minutes until dinner started yet, sitting with the adults wasn't anywhere near as fun as family dinners. There seemed to be no one else his age about as Steven craned his neck. He did, however, see his sister and she stuck her tongue out at him, which he mirrored, before she flipped her hair and continued talking to some of her friends.
At five thirty he was on an exotic island, the sole survivor of an airplane crash and had to make do with nature until another plane came to his rescue. Lucky for him, buried beneath some boulders was a plate of steaming (and Kosher) Spaghetti with too thick slices of hot garlic bead.
Five forty he was the Red Baron who was in the middle of a war with other planes that were painted strikingly similar to the adults sitting around him.
Five forty-two his plane crashed and was captured by the enemy. They told him not to return until desert was served. That was fine because he slithered down off his chair and ran underneath the table. A hand to his mouth stifled a giggle as he looked at all the legs splayed out in front of him that wrinkled his mother's long white tablecloths.
So he ran. He ran like Robin Hood dodging traps set by his nemesis Sheriff. It was only at the end when Steven crawled out from the tables he realized that he didn't have a maid Marian but that hardly mattered. Girls had cooties anyway. His friend, Richard Cameron, have given him a shot for fifteen cents to keep girl germs from infecting him. Of course, Richard said that the shot only lasted for a week so Steven would have t come back with another fifteen cents next Monday. Steven winced, running to the back of the yard, as he decided he was long over due for another one.
To the left of the backwards C shaped formation the tables, there was a large crooked Oak tree and spanning from the tree to the house, a steep hill-prime location for winter sledding-cupped the end of the Meeks's Land. Behind it, there was field, forest and a river with a stony bech that was fun to hang around in the summer It was on top of that very hill that Steven was scrambling.
He was sure he'd hear Lois, their maid, sighing about the grass stains in his pants later but all that mattered was that Huckleberry Fin got away from his cruel old Father which is exactly what he did when he vaulted himself over the hill and onto a mound nothing like the grass he was used to. "Ow! Get off!"
Steven didn't have anytime to do so as he was kicked off whatever he had landed on. "Sorry, didn't see you…"
"That's the whole point." Steven sat on the grass haplessly, adjusting his glasses and looking at the intruder of his sanctuary. Skinny kid, slightly smaller than himself who had shed his jacket and had a smattering of green and brown smudges across his white, formal shirt. His brown hair was fine and messy but it was the curious white cloth across his face that Steven was most interested in.
"Is…is that a napkin around you head?" Steven adjusted his eyeglasses, leaning into the intruder with a curious expression.
"It's an eye-patch!" The other boy shoved Steven out of his personal space with an defensive expression and a tone of voice that backed it up. "I've been injured, you know." Steven blinked dubiously at the other boy with missing teeth.
"How?" Steven's tone of voice hinted that he really didn't want to know.
"I was shot," He smiled as Steven's face brightened with curiosity. Hook line and sinker "yeah," He continued in a dramatic whisper, "Damn Krauts crawling all over the place-" He swung a stick as long as his arm at Steven with his brown eyes thinning into suspicion. "You aren't a Kraut, are you?"
"N-no…I'm a…Jew."
"Good, then it's my job to protect you." He stated as Steven frowned, not quite understanding how everything worked at present. He did know that introductions were in order so it was his job to make one.
He stuck out his right palm in an official sort of way, "I'm Steven Meeks." He was relieved when he felt the expected squeeze retuned.
"M'name is Charles Dalton…call me Charlie."
"I love Winter!" Charlie shouted, inhaling the frozen air deeply as he stood on top of Fred. He and Meeks had christened the hill in Steven's backyard Fred when they were eleven. Neither one could remember why, it had just seemed appropriate at the time.
"I love not having school." Steven muttered as he dragged his sled up next to Charlie's.
His comment was met with a noise of agreement. "Me too." They paused and sat down on the toboggan that Charlie had dragged up the hill and stared at the white world. "How's your eye?" Charlie reached towards Steven's face but Steven blocked Charlie's hand, his gloves touching the yellow, green and brown skin in question.
"Better, better…I mean, It's been okay for awhile…it wasn't too long ago when I couldn't even open my eye…your lip?"
"Fine, it's good-healed…" There was a thick pause before Charlie chuckled darkly, his hands folded over his knees. "Those bastards…they stuff they were saying to you-doing to you…I coulda killed 'em." He shook his head, feeling as though the fight he had interrupted and continued in place of Steven wasn't enough.
"Charlie," Steven's hand was on his arm in silent thanks. " You did what you could. Mike was expelled-don't worry about it. It's over."
"So…you're really leaving?"
Steven turned to look at Charlie, spitting out the grey wool that was his scarf when he turned his head. "Yeah, yeah I'm leaving."
"Boarding school, huh?"
"Yeah. Boarding school." Steven didn't want to think about it. He liked where he was and he didn't want to even think about what it would be without Charlie there.
"Sounds boring." Steven couldn't help but laugh, rubbing his gloved hands together to try and keep out the cold.
"It will be boring, Charlie. Everything is boring without you." Steven had stood, his knees cracking with effort. He looked to Charlie and tried to figure out what their next move was going to be. "Ninth grade will be awful."
"Ninth grade will be awful." Charlie nodded, shifting his weight comfortably at the front of the toboggan, his mittened hands pulled at the reins. "You know," He looked over to Meeks with a squinted expression. "I really hate mittens. C'mon then." He gestured for Steven to sit on the back of the sleigh, as the extra weight would increase the speed.
"I don't know why," Steven's breath was pushed out of him as he sat down behind Charlie and adjusted himself, hands on Charlie's sides. "You still wear the stupid things. Ready?"
"Ready."
"Go!"
A loud yell echoed as the two slid down Fred's steep face and continued to race down Steven's backyard. It was great fun until the sled hit something and abruptly stopped, however, the two boys kept going and landed in a painful pile with a thud.
"Whoo hoo! That was fun!" Charlie cheered, supporting himself up on his arms as Steven groaned and coughed beneath him. "You okay?"
"Fine." Steven wheezed and Charlie grinned, towering over him.
"C'mon, you don't sound fine." Charlie teased as Steven lamely rolled from side to side, trapped under his friend.
"Fine." Steven tried again with more conviction but failed, that attempt sounded as unconvincing as the last.
"Steven," Charlie's voice made him stop and look up to his friend. Charlie's face hovered above him, Steven swallowed thickly. "I really don't want you to go."
Whatever fun they had been having, it was now squeezed out by how serious Charlie was. The change was so sudden Steven uncomfortable and a little bewildered. He never had to leave someone before and reassure then it'd be okay.
Steven opened his mouth to reply, but Charlie just shook his head; eyes pleading. "No, you don't know…" Slowly, Charlie lowered his face, their noses brushed as their cloudy breath mingled. Steven's eyes snapped wide. He watched Charlie, his expression soft.
Adrenaline thumped through his ears he was so nervous and confused. It was really Charlie's expression that had him so nervous. He felt like he was suffocating as Charlie closed the narrow proximity between them; his heartbeat in his ears as he felt Charlie's lips alight on his mouth. "You really don't know…"
The snow seeped into Steve's back, freezing his neck and caught in the mittens that were cupping his chilled face. Charlie's eyes were shut; brows furrowed as if he was concentrating and drinking every moment of this in. His lips were cold, chapped but inviting as he gently pressed down into Steven's mouth. Steven could feel his complexion reddening as his eyes started to slide shut, loosing himself in this new, hot feeling that enveloped both his stomach and groin.
"Get. Off. My. Son." Charlie was yanked up by the collar of his coat and heaved away from Steven who was still buried in the snow and pretty sure his heart had stopped beating. He couldn't hear, only see his father hurl curses-both in Hebrew and English-towards Charlie. Steven watched his friend back away, arms raised in silent surrender before he turned and fled through the snow.
He was so confused-and sad-as he watched Charlie run away. His Father asked him questions helping Steven to his feet and invaded his personal space. "M'fine Dad." He mumbled as he was ushered into the house. He didn't see Charlie again.
Steven, however, was plagued with the thought of Charlie and begged for an answer as to why-well, he had an answer but it was one he didn't want to face.
The next time he went to school, he was at Welton. Being the new kid in the middle of the year is never easy especially when this is the second school Steven ever attended and there was no Charlie with his easy humor and laid back smile. There was his roommate Neil, and a friend of his, Gerard who was easy enough to get along with. It could've been worse. The real problem was every time Steven touched his fingers to his mouth, he remembered Charlie. His first kiss had been in the snow with another boy-Steven was pretty sure that wasn't supposed to happen but it had felt amazing.
He was so conflicted, everything he was raised to believe had just been brought into question by a tiny act. Alright, tiny act in comparison to the History of the world-however, it was quite a huge act to Steven. He knew that mishkav zakhar, a homosexual act, was forbidden. The last thing he wanted to think about was he or Charlie going to Hell.
That night Neil listened, for the first time, to Steven Meeks pray. "Mal kei nu ve kar'vei nu le tora te kha a vi nu ha shi vei nu…" He didn't know Hebrew but listening to it murmured in the stillness of the night, "Le fa ney kha she le mah bit shu vah ve ha cha zi rei nu le a vo da te kha," Made it sound like a sort of spell. The hollow sound of Steven's voice belied how tormented he felt and the tears he was blinking away with his hands nervously clenched at his sleeves. "Bit shu vah ha ro tseh Adonai at tah ba ruhk." He figured that Steven must have thought Neil was asleep as a shuddering breath was inhaled. "Forgive us… ki mal kei nu la nu me chal cha ta nu ki a vi nu la nu se lach…"
Summer came, Neil had respectfully never asked Steven what he said that night-or following ones as the anxious pit twisted, strengthened and deepened in the Jewish boy's stomach. He had to see Charlie-he was going to too. Steven didn't know how or when but he would damnit.
When he got home, stepped out of the car, he couldn't help but falter. He fell back against the car and stared at his house. What if Charlie hated him now for what had happened? What if he had moved on, found someone new-shit! What if he had moved?! Suddenly Steven found himself sprinting, ignoring the calls behind him and the shouts of question.
Only when he reached Charlie's and knocked up the door, panting heavily, he was informed by Mrs. Dalton that Charlie would be in New York all summer long.
As Steven trudged home, his chest felt heavy. Charlie gone? All summer?! In a twisted way, perhaps Steven deserved this. He hoped anyhow that Charlie was having fun because his summer looked pretty uneventful.
Which it was. Even when he spent a week with Neil, it was uneventful. Not that it was Neil's fault, it was just that Steven missed Charlie so much sometimes he thought he'd go insane.
By the time school started again, the redhead had yet to hear word or see a hair of the elusive Mr. Dalton. As Meeks packed into his Father's car for the lengthily journey back to Hellton , it looked like he wouldn't see Charlie anytime soon. He could only hope for Christmas break.
Scenery was swallowed as the car hummed along the roads and Steven stared out the car windows, feeling like he had lost something besides the freedom of summer. He'd lost out on his friend, too.
The first day was when Welton always seemed its most lively but Steven was having none of it. It hurt to see everyone with their good friends as they joked and swapped stories with each other. "Steven, the open ceremony is going to start soon." His mother's hand appeared on his back, clearly noting his disgruntled state.
"I don't feel so good." He muttered and Mrs. Meeks nodded, understanding how he could be nervous returning to boarding school.
"Tell you what, why don't you stay out here in the fresh air, your Father and I will go to the ceremony and cover for you, all right?" Steven couldn't have agreed faster. "Where will you be?"
"The dock at the river." Steven said, figuring that it was a calm place with good cover. It was a little slice of home, he decided, unlacing his shoes and pulling of his socks. He had collected some lovely flat rocks, perfect for skipping. With his pant legs rolled up, he sat at the edge of the dock, legs in the freezing cold water.
With a rock in his right hand, he reared back and flung it across the water.
Plop plop plop plop.
…Three skips? Seriously? That was pathetic. He smiled as he skipped another one, seven skips weren't so bad. He had done this with Charlie-maybe he'd write to him this year. If he thought hard enough about it-five skips-he could probably remember Charlie's address. It was similar to his o-seven skips-wn anyway. Twelve ski-twelve skips?! He hadn't even thrown his rock yet!
Another rocky skidded out across the lake in front of him. Steven counted fourteen before he frowned, wondering from whence it had came. "You're not holding it properly," The voice behind him was reprimanding. "I've told you a-million times to hold it," Steven's hand was grabbed, fingers adjusted around the flat stone. "Like this. Go." Steven flung the stone and counted. Twelve, pretty good well, compared to the other ones at least.
He looked behind him to see no other than Charlie Dalton crouching behind him, watching the stone's ripples out in the water. Steven was lost for words as he stared at his friend, his face golden in the orange sunlight. "Heya Meeksie." Charlie flashed him a grin, trying to not waver and give away how nervous he was. It was 100% probable that Steven hated hi but Charlie would have to take that chance, wouldn't he?
"You-what are you doing-"
"I go to school here. Transferred just this year. I asked my parents pretty please." Charlie laughed at Steven's utter confusion; it was cute, really.
"You…bastard." With Steven's expression so placid, Charlie wasn't sure how to take the comment. He wittily stared and blinked at Steven. "No, really you-infuriating-maniacal-"
"Easy Tiger." Charlie slung and arm around Steven's shoulders, not noticing how his friend reddened immediately. "Don't start things you can't finish." Steven's mouth fell open, scoffing.
"You're kidding m-you're kidding, right?"Steven turned to look at his friend incredulously as Charlie started to feel uncomfortable and withdrew his arm.
"Not really no. Don't play games with the big boys." Charlie retained his careless and smug attitude. That was until Steven pushed him.
"I'm talking about you! How can you sit there-I haven't seen you in a good number of months-'Don't start things you can't finish'-you kissed me and left!" Steven wasn't the least bit nervous anymore. He had known Charlie for years.
Charlie's face changed into irritance. "If I remember correctly you weren't too angry when your Father threw me out, Steven."
"Okay, so I was scared-I am scared." Steven corrected himself.
"This is a silly chapter isn't it?" Charlie spouted off suddenly, catching Steven completely off guard.
"No, I didn't think so." He countered, adjusting his glasses, all traces of angst gone.
"Well, you can't seem to make up your mind, it's lacking in emotions and personally I'm done with it." Charlie returned his arms around Steven's shoulder, pulling him close. "We don't have to be so bloody dramatic about this-authors never seem to have any idea about what they drool out anyway…can I kiss you, again?" Charlie hugged him close, grinning as Steven relaxed into his chest.
"Yeah, all right." Steven tilted his face up as Charlie leaned down, pressing their mouths together for a short moment. "That wasn't so bad. We'll get to fire works later."
"Hmmur, I don't want to go to Hell Charlie." Steven sighed, pushing away from him only to have Charlie grab him back and skip a stone. "This is forbidden."
"Contraband even. Yet here we are." He snuggled down closer, his chin sitting in the curve of Steven's neck.
"Charlie," Steven said, whining slightly. This was a no-win situation and the fact that this chapter continues to piddle on wasn't helping either. "I mean it, you know?"
"Oh my little…Pierogi-"
"-what-."
"You're still here-never said you didn't like it."
"You're going to make me loose my mind Charlie."
"Or your religion, whichever comes first."
"We really should have done this in the first few lines." Steven nodded, feeling content for once.
"Sooo…" Charlie trailed off awkwardly, "Can the chapter end now so I can shag you?"
"...no."
Goddamit. Don't hate me. I know I do enough already.
I'm sorry, I just lost it and I wanted this to be finished so I could move the fuck on. I hate my writing style, I'm trying to change, honest.
Don't review, I r e a l l y understand.
I apologize about the Hebrew prayer-I'm sure I've committed some sort of unspeakable sin by destroying the Jewish faith and for that I am most utterly and truly sorry. Please don't condemn me, I'm learning.
Whoever guesses what song this was based off, I will write whatever you want by whenever you want. Cross my heart.
