Several days went by with no change. The e-mail remained unopened on Tom's desk mostly because the owner was too busy juggling school commitments to worry about it. (Real reason: he'd forgotten about it.)
The twins from hell, well…
"Maybe I didn't word the dump letter strong enough." Brie was becoming angrier with each day that passed.
"Maybe he talked to his boyfriend and quickly realized that it was a lie." Nikki answered "I'm pretty sure he has a cell phone."
"One way to be sure."
"What now? Break into his room?"
Brie huffed. "Yeah, right."
"You mean you've finally come to your senses?"
"I don't have to. I have a duplicate key." Brie showed her sister the copy that was attached to her necklace. "Tell someone you've lost your key and bam… another one."
Nikki rolled her eyes. "I don't believe you."
"Believe it, sis. Now I need you to do me a favor."
"No chance in hell!" Nikki shouted loud for a few heads to turn. She blushed, and then went on in a quieter tone of voice. "There is nothing in this for me. You want to get into John's jorts, then do… IT… YOURSELF!"
"Fine, I will. But if you get in my way, then I'll hang you out to dry… and then I'll hang you from the mast."
"Do your worst, sis. I'm not afraid of you anymore." Nikki smirked "Later."
Brie's face turned an interesting shade of fire-engine red.
"Careful Brie, don't want your head to explode." To put the last nail in the coffin, Nikki walked over and had a 30-second conversation with Tom. Once she'd finished whispering in his ear, the turned back to Brie, winked, and then walked away. In the corridor, she took a huge gasp of air.
"That is the last time I help you…"
…
"'Rik, can I ask you a question?"
Tom immediately wished he'd brought his iPod. "Whatever it is, the answer is either no, no chance in hell, or go fuck yourself. The choice is up t'you." He added a smile that was dangerously sweet.
"I was just curious if there was a way to send or receive e-mail other than the computer lounge? You've been around longer than most of the scabs here."
"Talk to admin. They might be able to help. It all depends on what you're… sending."
"Thanks." Nikki returned the smile. If the pause was any indication, she had just reminded Tom of the e-mail. Either way, she was now officially through with her sister… she hoped.
ONE DAY OUT OF RIO…
John was having a wild dream. He was on the beach, wrestling with another man. I was hot, sweaty, and they were both naked. It was very much alike to some late-night movies John had watched on HBO, only there were no floppy breasts anywhere. Two hard sets of pecs grappled for dominance… there was sand, there was friction, and it was in Technicolor. It was every gay male's ultimate fantasy.
In his dream, John climaxed hard. He saw spots and screamed his orgasm through. He looked at the (dream) guy and realized it was Tom… and then realized he'd screamed himself awake.
"Y'okay?"
"Did I wake you up?"
"Yeah." Tom yawned
"Sorry." John replied, ignoring the pressure in his groin. He was positive that if he looked under the covers, he'd see a wet spot on his boxers. He rolled onto his side and grimaced when he felt something sticky between his legs.
"You sure you're okay?" Tom raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah, man. It was just… uhm… vivid."
"No worries. If I'd been dealing with some of the shit that the bitch-twins had put you through, I might be screamin' myself awake more than once." Tom stated "Go back to sleep. We dock tomorrow."
John turned to face the wall and was fast asleep in moments. Tom chuckled while he snuggled into the mattress.
Definitely vivid… I just wish the dude would stop dreaming about me.
"This is your Dean of Students speaking. Just a reminder to all faculty and students that your S.A.S. identification is required before returning shipboard. We will dock in roughly four hours. Anyone wishing to go ashore should be aware that just because you are in a foreign country, it does not mean you should act like it. There were issues in Costa Rica that I do not want repeats of. That is all."
"Yeah, Cena!"
"Shove it Brooks before I pour booze down your throat." John shouted back.
"Chill, man. He didn't mean you… the Dean, I mean. Apparently those "Road Rules" people got a little too rowdy while doing one of their 'missions'." Jeff answered
"I heard there was alcohol found in one of their rooms." JoMo added
"Have they starting searching rooms?" John asked, horrified that someone other than he and Tom would find out about Gary.
"No, but when you have camera guys and producers hoverin' 24-7, there's no room to hide." Morrison said over a mouthful of sandwich.
"I'd hate to be one of them and need to jerk off." Jeff said, the sucked the pimento out of an olive. The loud smacking noise sent the table laughing. "Probably have to use the shower."
"No prob about it." Matt stated "I walked in on one of them."
"Awkward." The entire table chanted.
"At least now I know I don't have the smallest dick on the ship." Matt replied
"What's this about you having the smallest dick on the ship?" Unusually late, Tom took the closest empty spot. "Shove over, Mizanin."
"Where have you been?" Miz squeezed over to let the bigger man sit down.
"Arguing with Doctor Farrelly."
"How did that go?"
"Guess. Since the book doesn't say anything about tests, Farrelly's got one over." Tom shrugged "Really fucks my plans, but what can you do?"
"Did you talk to the Dean of Students?"
"Really, Jeff? Really? I'm sure that's the first thing Tom would've done." Miz interjected
"Didn't have to." Tom took a gulp of soda, and then wiped his mouth with the back of his forearm. "Someone else in my class complained 'coz there were gonna miss the lecture from the Brazilian president."
"Even that didn't help? I'm surprised."
"Apparently, Doctor F is doing that in all his classes, so I guess it's gonna slide through, Presidential lecture or no Presidential lecture." Tom sighed "Hopefully Jase will understand… remind me to ask him what was in that e-mail."
"Sure." Cena shrugged "You positive it's from him?"
"No, but he's the only one who'd send it through the ship." Tom mimicked John's shrug.
Two tables away, Brie bit her lip.
He's gonna get it… one way or another.
…
-RIO-
The last day of classes was a sham. The students were way too excited to concentrate and most of the teachers were counting the hours until they could have five days away from those same students.
Most of the teachers, that is.
"And just a reminder to ye that the test is 'ere on Thursday at ten in the mornin'. Chapters four through eight…"
"Buzzkill." Tom muttered softly.
"Somethin' ta add, Mister Hardy?"
"Not really, sir. We've already discussed this." The last thing Tom wanted was a scene.
"Good. I'm sure ya don't wanna on-ship detention for the next week."
"It really doesn't matter to me, but I'm sure you don't want to be stuck watching over me instead of relaxing in Rio. The beaches, Carnivale, et cetera et cetera." Tom winked at the student seated beside him.
"Point taken Mister Hardy. Class dismissed."
Was Dr. Farrelly actually smiling?
…
The weather was perfect for the time of year. By the time the ship docked, almost everyone was on-deck, standing two- and three-deep in many places. John, Tom, and the rest of their clique had bagged spots near the bow. They scanned the crowd waiting for the ship, waving and pointing when one of them spotted a friend or relative.
"You see her yet?" Tom had to shout just so John would hear him.
"No. I hope she came." John answered, not turning from anxiously scanning the crowd.
"I don't see Jase either." Tom stated
"Did you ever read the e-mail? Maybe somethin' came up?"
"You were supposed to remind me BEFORE we landed… there he is!" Tom shouted, waving like a madman.
"Who's the hot guy standing next to him? Looks hot." John elbowed Tom in the ribs.
"Which one?" Tom squinted
"Tallish, dark hair, leather jacket, Pink Floyd shirt…"
"Holy shit! That's Joel! My Fuckin' kid brother." Tom squee'd "I haven't seen him in years! What the hell is he doing here?"
"Looks a bit old to be your 'kid brother'." John was overflowing with wit this fine day.
"He's three years younger than me, okay! How 'bout you find your own people instead of raggin' on mine?" Tom stuck his own elbow deep into John's rib cage.
"There's my folks!" John exclaimed a moment later. "But… where's Trish?"
"Running late, I hope." Tom shrugged "C'mon before we have to elbow the underclassmen out of the way."
"Race all o' ya!" JoMo called over.
"You turn everything into a competition." Matt stated
"Ten bucks says he's like that in bed." Tom added, and then took off in pursuit.
"Yeah, first one to come loses." John said to himself, and then also started running. He caught up to Tom and Morrison seconds later.
They ran down the boarding ramp helter-skelter and were soon in the arms of family, girlfriends, and/or boyfriends.
"Where's Trish?" John asked once his mom had finished fussing over him.
"She had a family emergency." John Sr. stated. "She sends her love."
John's face fell.
"Ceeena!" Tom, his entourage close, pushed through the crowd.
"Tommy! You found your folks, ah see."
"Just makin' sure you did the same." Tom stated
"Are you the one who's been keeping our son out of trouble?" John's mom asked
"It's a twenty-four/seven job, but I try, ma'am." Tom didn't know how much John's parents knew about his adventures in Costa Rica, so he said nothing more about it.
"I told you he'd make friends, dear." John Sr. looked at his wife.
"I wasn't worried."
"Then why'd you insist on packing that damn giraffe?"
John covered his face. "Mawm! Daaad! You're embarrassing me!"
Tom and his brother shared a look. "That's part of their job. Enjoy it while you can."
John just tried to hide his embarrassment further.
"We gotta run, man. We're having dinner at the Aprazivel later, if you and your parents would like to join us." Tom offered
"Actually, we have made other plans." John's father stated.
"We have?" His wife questioned. "That's news to me."
"Just 'coz we're married, it doesn't mean I have to tell you everything." John Sr. replied "Right son?"
"Whatevah you say, pop."
"Some other time, then." Tom shrugged. "Enjoy your evening with your folks and it was a pleasure to meet both of you."
…
After a nice dinner and a show with his parents, John returned to the ship. Unfortunately, his folks had to fly out on the red-eye back to Boston that night, but they promised that they would meet the ship in South Africa. They also promised a longer stay, but John knew that could change fifty times between now and then. He laid down on his bed and just managed to get comfortable before he heard footsteps running down the corridor and stopping outside the door. He heard a key being fiddled with and moments later, the stateroom door was thrown back hard enough to bounce off the wall.
Tom stormed into the room. His body language was plain enough for anyone to read.
"Mother fucker! God damn it! Piece of shit! I was so fucking stupid!" Tom looked at his side of the room for literally two seconds before he started to rip it apart. Clothes, schoolbooks, pillows, Lizard… everything not bolted down went flying.
"Lose something?" John asked, although he probably should've kept quiet.
"Where is that fucking e-mail?" Tom almost shouted. "Fuck, fuck FUCK!"
Not finding what he needed on either his bed or in his closet, Tom turned to his desk. In seconds, the room looked like the floor of the New York Stock Market during a busy day of trading.
"Here it is!" Tom ripped open the envelope and quickly read the single sheet of paper that was inside. His expression went from one of anger to one of pure fury. The paper was quickly crumpled up; Tom, a moment later.
"Fuck." He said softly "I knew it."
"Y'okay?" John asked, although he already knew the answer.
"Not really." Tom sighed "I just fucked myself." He stopped and took a huge breath of air. "Big time."
