It was now or never.

The sun was beginning to come up and, he knew Adam would be making a move soon. He looked across from his deck chair and tried to whistle. "Ad? We need to talk about the detention, before you left" He watched the taller boy poke his tongue inside his cheek.

"Do we?"

"Yeah, what happened?"

Adam chuckled and grasped the bat. "What happened?"

"Yeah?"

"I blew you, you loved it. The end" He shrugs, placing the bat in his lap.

"How do you really feel about me? Do you like me? We've got a hell of a long way to go man. But...do you see us..together?"

"We should get back now" Adam coughed, getting up and dropping the bat. "Relax Tromboner. It was just...a bit of fun"

Eric stood up and shrugged himself. "Fine. Then I'm not coming back here. Smash shit all by yourself" He began to walk through the grass and the glass, when he felt a tap on his shoulder.

"Walk on the right. Less glass. Second, what do you mean you ain't coming back?" Adam questions.

"What I just said. I'm risking Rahim. Coming here. Cheating with you. I'm not cheating just to have a one night stand, then watch you fuck off back to Aimee, or back to other girls. I actually have a boyfriend who's sweet and proud of me. Who likes taking me out and being seen with me in public. I'm not going to fuck that up just because you're confused. Take Aimee here. She'll love the big strong cave-man act!" He does what Adam says and walks to the right instead.

There's an awkward pause when he feels a large arm wrapped around his waist.

"You're not going to change my-"

"Tromboner shut up for a min. I don't give an ounce of a fuck, about Aimee Gibbs! If I'm honest I never have. Dad liked her more than I did. Her family's got money up the arse. He told me not to fuck it up because...And I quote...her family comes from good stock" He picks Eric up and hoists him on his shoulder, so his legs are dangling against Adam's chest.

"Put me down Adam!"

"What? This is romance this is! Let's walk and talk" He said gently patting Eric's arse. Rolling his eyes, but curious at how tactile he was now being, Eric calmed down and accepted the free ride. "You've got a great arse" Adam throws out into the wind.

"You would say that! You're only after one thing!"

"Yeah. You"

"Yeah right!"

Adam strokes the smaller boy's leg and sighs. "Didn't you ever wonder why I hung around outside school in the morning? Or why you'd find me against your locker? Or why you'd catch me looking at you sometimes in the canteen? Or in class? Or the pool?"

"To take my lunch and scare the fuck out of me?" Eric shouts.

"Tromboner I needed an in. Being your friend could not have happened. You act too girlie. Too faggish. I couldn't be seen being friends with a guy as camp as you. Kids never would have accepted it and my Dad would have flipped. Picking on you gave me access. I could touch you, and be close to you without anyone saying shit. Every day, every other period I'd wait for you"

"Wait to bully me Adam! You are so fucked up!" Eric snaps.

"I know but, I've got your school schedule pinned up on bedroom wall. So I can memorise it. My parent's think it's my schedule. But it's yours. And yeah. I think about that detention a lot. Alright? I couldn't believe it when you kissed me. You're so fit and bubbly and happy. Completely out of my league"

"WHAT!"

"Yeah. Military school was a pile of dog-shit. I can't tell you how bad it fucking got. I got breakfast thrown in my face. Cold showers on purpose. Shit smeared in my bed. Sand thrown at me in the showers. Every day for a week I pretty much got blindfolded and bum-rushed. Taken to woodland and had the shit kicked out of me" Adam said with a depressive quiver that made him shudder.

"What the fuck?" Eric starts wriggling so hard that Adam can't control him, they both end up confused and scattered on the woodland floor, now away from the site, where there was no glass, thank goodness.

Shit, You alright?" Adam asking getting up and offering his hand.

"Yeah man. You were attacked at military school?" Eric gasps as he takes his hand.

"Yeah. Initiation innit?" Adam nudges his shoulder. Like what he's just told him is completely normal.

"Did you tell your parents?"

"They'd only think I was lying. I'd prefer to keep that between us?" Adam asked sliding his hand up to grab the darker boys' wrist.

"Yeah man of course" Eric nods as Adam walks closer to him and stares into his eyes...

"I didn't tell you that for pity. It's just the only way I could that could cope, through that shit, was thinking about you" Adam confessed.

"Shit, Ad, you have to-" Eric begins.

I'm just really glad that. You call me out on my bull-shit. Because...I fancied you, but enjoyed slamming you against tables and chairs. Stealing from you. Talking about your clothes, your race, being gay. I was a dickhead Tromboner. A bully. A shitty person. I could go easy on myself. I can try and tell myself that it was just a bit of fun. But I was a violent, racist, homophobic prick and I'm fucking sorry. I'm deeply sorry for the way I've damaged you. And your family too" Adam nods.

"Ad, it's-"

"So, even if this is our last walk together. You deserve to hear how sorry I am. You deserve to be happy. Happiness doesn't even mean a girlfriend, or boyfriend or a tranny, or whatever. I just wanna see you smile Tromboner. I don't have be by your side. I don't have to date you, to see it. We don't have to even be mates. If fashion, or New kid, or Nutella or Hedwig, or Rahim, or even that twat Anwar makes you smile that's good enough ain't it?"

"Thank you" Eric beamed. "It's takes alot of balls for you too say that out loud. Even if that speech was like Thirty percent offensive"

"Excuse me Tromboner? Being bi, I'm now the official go to guy for the LXPS community"

"It's LGBT"

"It's actually LGBTQIA now. Queer, Intesex and asexuality were added in Two thousand and fifteen" Adam winks.

It's a calming walk home.

Both boys walking down the path hand in hand. Eric is buzzing from the apology. That Adam Groff of all people, opened his mouth and said an emotional heartfelt apology that wasn't forced. It sounded so natural, and personal. For once he'd looked at him, not as a joke or a faggot, or a victim, but as an equal. Maybe even higher? They get back to Adam's gate, the house hasn't woken up yet. Eric taps his hoodie sleeve.

"I wanna get to know you Adam. Properly. As a friend. You've been a bully. You've been a hook up, but we've never been friends. It's about time we became buddies. Started again?" Eric asked with hopefulness.

"Cool. Can I kiss you...please?" Adam whispers.

"Naughty! No! That's not what friends do!" Eric chuckled. "Let's hug man!"

He leans forwards his arms open. The taller teen gently hugs back. Palm against his back the other wrapped around his waist. It sparks a happiness in Adam's chest that he can't really describe. But his body can. He cringes as his erection sprouts with ease, and Eric gently pulls away.

"Shit I'm sorry!" He huffs apologetically.

"No worries we're teenagers. We breathe, we get hard"

"Yeah except my heart stops...everytime I see you" Adam tucks his thumbs inside his each pocket, waiting.

"Liar or charmer! I'm not sure! Goodnight Adam!" Eric waves.

"Night Night Tromboner" Adam smirks, resisting the urge to kiss his hand as his favourie person shines all the way home.