Hamilton stretched out on the chair in Scout and Will's room. "Man...I can't stand this. I hate not being able to see her."
Scout rolled his eyes and looked at Will who was doing the same. "Ham...it's only been a few days. Get over yourself will you" Will said. "Jake will be fine by the weekend and everything will be back to normal."
"Yeah...and when it IS back to normal...Will and I won't have these mourning sessions to look forward to. No pun intended" Scout smiled, as he cracked himself up. "Did she like the present?"
"Yeah man, thanks. I brought it over last night when I brought her homework. She liked everything in it."
"Good" Scout replied. "Did you hear that Michael Collins left this morning?"
"Left?" Hamilton questioned.
"Yeah his parents came last night and packed him up and moved him out. They said the summer session here was enough and that he was going to Lancaster Prep to finish the fall semester." Scout said.
"Wow...that's intense. Kinda sudden, don't you think" Hamilton had a serious look on his face. "I guess that's something I will never have to worry about." The three laughed together.
"He had a single didn't he?" Will said in Scout's direction"
"Sure...go ahead...but you'd miss me and you know it." Scout said smiling. Will smiled back.
"Am I interrupting something here?" Hamilton said smiling with a purposely uncomfortable look on his face. "Would you two prefer to be alone?" Will picks up his pillow and tosses it at Hamilton's head.
"That's all I'd need...people to think we're...." Will's sentence was cut off.
"Actually...I pretty much know what the problem is." Hamilton said now hushing the tone of his voice.
"What?" Scout said looking totally confused.
"I overheard my parents talking last night...I guess there are some parents who are freaked out because there is supposed to be a gay couple here at Rawley. They were threatening to pull their kids out of here. My Dad was pretty upset. He came up to my room later and was asking me if I knew anyone who might be...uh...less than manly"
"He actually said that...less than manly?" Will questioned.
"Word for word." Hamilton replied.
"So Collin's parents must be the parents he was talking about?" Will said.
"I guess." Hamilton nodded.
"Man that sucks. How can anyone be that closed minded?" Will stood up and retrieved his pillow from Hamilton's lap and replaced it on his bed. He stretched out on it and put his hands behind his head. "Adults...will they ever grow up?"
Hamilton smiled. "It's obvious who the gay couple is"
"Is it Ryder?" Scout said looking as though he just cracked the code.
Will shook his head..."You're parents must have paid really big bucks to get you into this school...huh?
Hamilton chuckled. "It's me Calhoun...and Jake."
" You and Jake? But Jake is a girl? You can't be gay." Scout responded looking baffled as usual.
"Yes...Jake IS a girl...and...NO... I'm not really gay." Hamilton said speaking slowly...hoping Scout would eventually catch up. "Problem is... besides us, only Bella and Sean actually know about Jacqueline...the rest think she is a guy. And, I've never been too sure about Finn. After that whole shower thing...I'm not sure what he believes."
"So...what are you going to do?" Will questioned.
"I don't exactly know yet. That's where you guys come in. I may need help with this one." Hamilton shook his head.
"Maybe you could explain it to him..." Will suggested.
"No way. He'd ship Jake out of here and I'd never see her again.
"Maybe you could let him think you ARE gay. Maybe he would understand." Will continued.
"Sure...maybe I could just rent "The Bird Cage" and see if he figures things out on his own. You don't know my Dad. He's pretty understanding when it comes to other people's children. He's not usually quite so tolerant of his own son. Listen...I gotta get going. I'll see you guys at practice." Hamilton stood up and headed for the doorway. He looked as if the weight of the world was on his shoulders.
"Hey man..." Scout said, "Don't worry...we'll figure something out."
"Hamilton!" The Deans voice called out as he saw his son pass by the doorway to his office.
"Dad...I'm late for crew. What's up?"
"How are things, Son?"
"Fine Dad...."
"Anything new....?"
Hamilton let out an exasperated sigh. His father barely had time to speak to him in the last two years...and now...all he wanted to do was talk.
"No Dad...nothing new since last night...I gotta go...I'm late...I'll see ya later...Ok?"
"See you at home."
Hamilton picked up the pace and headed for the lake. He was now sure he'd be late as usual.
"Mr. Flemming...nice of you to join us." Finn said in his usual sarcastic tone. Hamilton said nothing and seated himself on the grass next to Will and Scout. "Mr. Pratt is still ill and will not be joining us today." A collective groan came from the seated group. "Mr. Krudski...I believe it's your turn." Will sighed. "To the boats gentlemen." The group stood and headed for the water.
Again Hamilton stood in front of his open locker blankly staring into it. "Earth to Flemming...come in Flemming." Scout said. Will laughed.
"Good job today Krudski." Hamilton said. "I'd rather being staring at Jake in the front of the boat...but..."
"Let's just say I have a new found respect for that girl...uh...guy" Will said as he lowered his voice and looked around the locker room to be sure no one was within earshot. "Of course I only have plans to fill in her role as coxswain...you're on your own for the rest." Will said smiling.
"Don't worry...I only have eyes for Jake." Hamilton said.
"You know...Ham..." Will hesitated. "That brings up another subject I've been meaning to talk to you about.
"What!!" Hamilton roared his face becoming redder. "What do you mean NOT see her?"
"Relax man... you asked us for help...I'm just saying that...well...for all those guys around here that don't know that Jake is..um..Jacqueline...you know what their thinking..."
Hamilton cut Will off. "No way...Jake and I are really careful" The color slightly beginning to retreat from his face as he spoke.
"One word..." Scout chimed in.."the shower...ok, well two words...but you know where I'm going with this.
Hamilton looked at Scout and blushed. "I only told you about that because...well...I don't know why I told you about that. And besides...nothing happened."
"Nothing happened?" Scout said. "You got caught by Finn! And to this day I can't figure out why he never did anything about it."
"Maybe he has a skeleton or two in his own closet." Will suggested.
Scout continued " Come on Hamilton...You're always together. You're always here in the dorm... in HER dorm room...with her. And when you're not together...you're at Space Camp daydreaming about her." Scout added. "It wouldn't take a rocket scientist to assume that you are in love."
Hamilton sat in stunned silence. His mind wandered briefly to the time, months ago, when he himself questioned his own sexuality. "Damn...I guess your right. Jesus, if my Dad finds out that it's me everyone is talking about...I can see a one way ticket to military school in my future."
"Don't get carried away Flemming, we're just speculating here." Will said trying to sound confident. "Maybe what you need is a distraction."
"What?" Hamilton asked.
"A distraction...change peoples minds...let them think that they are dead wrong about you and Jake."
"And how do you presume I do that?" Hamilton looked up. He knew the answer and he didn't like it.
"Well, as I suggested...you need to stay away from Jake for a little while." Will said.
"No way!" Hamilton retorted. "I hate this idea already." Hamilton stood up from the bench in the locker room.
"Just think how much Will and I are going to hate it too." Scout said as he cracked a smile.
"Shut up Calhoun" Hamilton began to pace.
"Well, the other option is worse...you could tell you're Dad about Jake. Take the risk that she WON'T be thrown out..." Will suggested.
"That can't happen." Hamilton said.
"Well...then we're back to square one."
The three disbanded...Will and Scout headed to the dining hall and Hamilton proceeded home to clear his head and come up with a better plan.
Hamilton entered his house and found it unusually quiet. He breathed a sigh of relief and took the stairs two at a time heading for his room. His bedroom door was ajar and he heard the vacuum running. "Hey Mom." He said to her as he threw his gym bag on the chair.
"Hi Munchie." she said
"Mom..." He whined.
"Sorry...Hi Hamilton" she repeated. "How was practice?"
"Um...good."
"How is Jake feeling?" Hamilton was caught off guard by the question. "I haven't seen him around here lately. Finn mentioned he'd been sick."
"Um...yeah, I guess he is." Hamilton stuttered. "I heard the same thing."
Munch...Hamilton, I thought he was you're best friend?"
"He is...I mean he is a friend and all but..." Hamilton felt uneasy. It was the first time he had to openly deny his friendship with Jake and he felt terrible about it. Kate leaned over and picked up the bottle of nail polish from the floor.
"What's this?" she said.
"Oh...um...that's mine." Hamilton mumbled as he took the bottle from her hand.
"Yours? I don't think it's your color honey... I'd say your really more of a crimson...like the color your face is turning now for example." His mother chuckled. Hamilton could feel the heat rising in his cheeks. There was nothing in this conversation that he found amusing. "Something you'd like to share, sweetie?"
Hamilton stood in silence. 'Um...not really."
"Munchie...Is there a new girl in your life?"
Hamilton looked up at his mother, he didn't even hear the dreaded nickname she used.
"A new girl...?" He said slowly trying to think before he spoke. "Um well...sort of...yeah a new girl. Um...so this was for her...and " He said as he held up the bottle. "And I'm going to go and...um.. bring it to her now...Ok? See you Mom..." He quickly passed his mother in the door and headed off down the stairs and back toward the dorms.
The door to Scout and Will's room burst open after a brief and inaudible knock.
"Hey Ham...back so soon" Scout said.
"I need a girlfriend" Hamilton said.
Scout rolled his eyes and looked at Will who was doing the same. "Ham...it's only been a few days. Get over yourself will you" Will said. "Jake will be fine by the weekend and everything will be back to normal."
"Yeah...and when it IS back to normal...Will and I won't have these mourning sessions to look forward to. No pun intended" Scout smiled, as he cracked himself up. "Did she like the present?"
"Yeah man, thanks. I brought it over last night when I brought her homework. She liked everything in it."
"Good" Scout replied. "Did you hear that Michael Collins left this morning?"
"Left?" Hamilton questioned.
"Yeah his parents came last night and packed him up and moved him out. They said the summer session here was enough and that he was going to Lancaster Prep to finish the fall semester." Scout said.
"Wow...that's intense. Kinda sudden, don't you think" Hamilton had a serious look on his face. "I guess that's something I will never have to worry about." The three laughed together.
"He had a single didn't he?" Will said in Scout's direction"
"Sure...go ahead...but you'd miss me and you know it." Scout said smiling. Will smiled back.
"Am I interrupting something here?" Hamilton said smiling with a purposely uncomfortable look on his face. "Would you two prefer to be alone?" Will picks up his pillow and tosses it at Hamilton's head.
"That's all I'd need...people to think we're...." Will's sentence was cut off.
"Actually...I pretty much know what the problem is." Hamilton said now hushing the tone of his voice.
"What?" Scout said looking totally confused.
"I overheard my parents talking last night...I guess there are some parents who are freaked out because there is supposed to be a gay couple here at Rawley. They were threatening to pull their kids out of here. My Dad was pretty upset. He came up to my room later and was asking me if I knew anyone who might be...uh...less than manly"
"He actually said that...less than manly?" Will questioned.
"Word for word." Hamilton replied.
"So Collin's parents must be the parents he was talking about?" Will said.
"I guess." Hamilton nodded.
"Man that sucks. How can anyone be that closed minded?" Will stood up and retrieved his pillow from Hamilton's lap and replaced it on his bed. He stretched out on it and put his hands behind his head. "Adults...will they ever grow up?"
Hamilton smiled. "It's obvious who the gay couple is"
"Is it Ryder?" Scout said looking as though he just cracked the code.
Will shook his head..."You're parents must have paid really big bucks to get you into this school...huh?
Hamilton chuckled. "It's me Calhoun...and Jake."
" You and Jake? But Jake is a girl? You can't be gay." Scout responded looking baffled as usual.
"Yes...Jake IS a girl...and...NO... I'm not really gay." Hamilton said speaking slowly...hoping Scout would eventually catch up. "Problem is... besides us, only Bella and Sean actually know about Jacqueline...the rest think she is a guy. And, I've never been too sure about Finn. After that whole shower thing...I'm not sure what he believes."
"So...what are you going to do?" Will questioned.
"I don't exactly know yet. That's where you guys come in. I may need help with this one." Hamilton shook his head.
"Maybe you could explain it to him..." Will suggested.
"No way. He'd ship Jake out of here and I'd never see her again.
"Maybe you could let him think you ARE gay. Maybe he would understand." Will continued.
"Sure...maybe I could just rent "The Bird Cage" and see if he figures things out on his own. You don't know my Dad. He's pretty understanding when it comes to other people's children. He's not usually quite so tolerant of his own son. Listen...I gotta get going. I'll see you guys at practice." Hamilton stood up and headed for the doorway. He looked as if the weight of the world was on his shoulders.
"Hey man..." Scout said, "Don't worry...we'll figure something out."
"Hamilton!" The Deans voice called out as he saw his son pass by the doorway to his office.
"Dad...I'm late for crew. What's up?"
"How are things, Son?"
"Fine Dad...."
"Anything new....?"
Hamilton let out an exasperated sigh. His father barely had time to speak to him in the last two years...and now...all he wanted to do was talk.
"No Dad...nothing new since last night...I gotta go...I'm late...I'll see ya later...Ok?"
"See you at home."
Hamilton picked up the pace and headed for the lake. He was now sure he'd be late as usual.
"Mr. Flemming...nice of you to join us." Finn said in his usual sarcastic tone. Hamilton said nothing and seated himself on the grass next to Will and Scout. "Mr. Pratt is still ill and will not be joining us today." A collective groan came from the seated group. "Mr. Krudski...I believe it's your turn." Will sighed. "To the boats gentlemen." The group stood and headed for the water.
Again Hamilton stood in front of his open locker blankly staring into it. "Earth to Flemming...come in Flemming." Scout said. Will laughed.
"Good job today Krudski." Hamilton said. "I'd rather being staring at Jake in the front of the boat...but..."
"Let's just say I have a new found respect for that girl...uh...guy" Will said as he lowered his voice and looked around the locker room to be sure no one was within earshot. "Of course I only have plans to fill in her role as coxswain...you're on your own for the rest." Will said smiling.
"Don't worry...I only have eyes for Jake." Hamilton said.
"You know...Ham..." Will hesitated. "That brings up another subject I've been meaning to talk to you about.
"What!!" Hamilton roared his face becoming redder. "What do you mean NOT see her?"
"Relax man... you asked us for help...I'm just saying that...well...for all those guys around here that don't know that Jake is..um..Jacqueline...you know what their thinking..."
Hamilton cut Will off. "No way...Jake and I are really careful" The color slightly beginning to retreat from his face as he spoke.
"One word..." Scout chimed in.."the shower...ok, well two words...but you know where I'm going with this.
Hamilton looked at Scout and blushed. "I only told you about that because...well...I don't know why I told you about that. And besides...nothing happened."
"Nothing happened?" Scout said. "You got caught by Finn! And to this day I can't figure out why he never did anything about it."
"Maybe he has a skeleton or two in his own closet." Will suggested.
Scout continued " Come on Hamilton...You're always together. You're always here in the dorm... in HER dorm room...with her. And when you're not together...you're at Space Camp daydreaming about her." Scout added. "It wouldn't take a rocket scientist to assume that you are in love."
Hamilton sat in stunned silence. His mind wandered briefly to the time, months ago, when he himself questioned his own sexuality. "Damn...I guess your right. Jesus, if my Dad finds out that it's me everyone is talking about...I can see a one way ticket to military school in my future."
"Don't get carried away Flemming, we're just speculating here." Will said trying to sound confident. "Maybe what you need is a distraction."
"What?" Hamilton asked.
"A distraction...change peoples minds...let them think that they are dead wrong about you and Jake."
"And how do you presume I do that?" Hamilton looked up. He knew the answer and he didn't like it.
"Well, as I suggested...you need to stay away from Jake for a little while." Will said.
"No way!" Hamilton retorted. "I hate this idea already." Hamilton stood up from the bench in the locker room.
"Just think how much Will and I are going to hate it too." Scout said as he cracked a smile.
"Shut up Calhoun" Hamilton began to pace.
"Well, the other option is worse...you could tell you're Dad about Jake. Take the risk that she WON'T be thrown out..." Will suggested.
"That can't happen." Hamilton said.
"Well...then we're back to square one."
The three disbanded...Will and Scout headed to the dining hall and Hamilton proceeded home to clear his head and come up with a better plan.
Hamilton entered his house and found it unusually quiet. He breathed a sigh of relief and took the stairs two at a time heading for his room. His bedroom door was ajar and he heard the vacuum running. "Hey Mom." He said to her as he threw his gym bag on the chair.
"Hi Munchie." she said
"Mom..." He whined.
"Sorry...Hi Hamilton" she repeated. "How was practice?"
"Um...good."
"How is Jake feeling?" Hamilton was caught off guard by the question. "I haven't seen him around here lately. Finn mentioned he'd been sick."
"Um...yeah, I guess he is." Hamilton stuttered. "I heard the same thing."
Munch...Hamilton, I thought he was you're best friend?"
"He is...I mean he is a friend and all but..." Hamilton felt uneasy. It was the first time he had to openly deny his friendship with Jake and he felt terrible about it. Kate leaned over and picked up the bottle of nail polish from the floor.
"What's this?" she said.
"Oh...um...that's mine." Hamilton mumbled as he took the bottle from her hand.
"Yours? I don't think it's your color honey... I'd say your really more of a crimson...like the color your face is turning now for example." His mother chuckled. Hamilton could feel the heat rising in his cheeks. There was nothing in this conversation that he found amusing. "Something you'd like to share, sweetie?"
Hamilton stood in silence. 'Um...not really."
"Munchie...Is there a new girl in your life?"
Hamilton looked up at his mother, he didn't even hear the dreaded nickname she used.
"A new girl...?" He said slowly trying to think before he spoke. "Um well...sort of...yeah a new girl. Um...so this was for her...and " He said as he held up the bottle. "And I'm going to go and...um.. bring it to her now...Ok? See you Mom..." He quickly passed his mother in the door and headed off down the stairs and back toward the dorms.
The door to Scout and Will's room burst open after a brief and inaudible knock.
"Hey Ham...back so soon" Scout said.
"I need a girlfriend" Hamilton said.