The two lay in Gordie's bed, still naked but waxing philosophy.

"Cherry Pez, what's the point?" Gordie asked.

"Well it's not that good anymore. It's kind of gross tasting, like chalk." Chris said, scratching himself down south.

The radio in the room played the Four Seasons' Sherry.

Gordie rolled over, his butt in the air. Chris pawed at it like a cat playing.

"Will you stop." Gordie said, putting his head on Chris's fur laden chest. The room was austere but it felt full of life with the two of them enjoying each other.

Gordie got up and Chris was out of bed. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. Almost every night, they slept together, and almost every night, Chris and him would be all over each other in throes and yells of passion, lust, and desire. Gordie smiled, as he thought of the carnal things they had been doing to one another.

How many more days of the two of them in throes of love before reality smacked them both upside the head.

—

School started up again. Chris and Gordie hardly saw each other, except in passing. Their schedules were everywhere. A kiss here, a touch there. Anytime they would see each other truly, they would make the best of it.

Michelle would visit regularly, being a friend to both Chris and Gordie (who forgave her for her meddling), having classes with both of them.

Life was alright. For the most part.

Gordie was excelling in his writing classes while Chris was doing better in his classes as well.

For a year and a half, it was work and play, work and work, but they were happy together.

-May 1967-

The air was thick with distress on the UoM campus. Hippies screeching free love and sex, Protesters against Viet Nam. One more year for Gordie and Chris. Or a few more for Mr. Chambers.

That night, Chris was studying for his law school entrance exams. He was worn out. Tired. His eyes were bloodshot red from nights of studying and lack of sleep. His books littered his and Gordies apartment. It was sad to think that their love nest became a sty like it did. Between school, work, and homework, the two men had little time for much else.

They were homebodies for the most part. Gordie worked at the school bookstore, while Chris would work as a gopher at a law firm. Because of the nature of his work, Chris shaved and became clean cut for his new job. Especially since they were uptight at Merveille and Shayne. He would still wear his tees and blue jeans, but only at home or in class.

Gordie was becoming more free, with his writings, selling for a nice price to underground mags and porno books, like Playboy and Gem. If he wasn't writing, he was working. Gordie was due to graduate next May.

Gordie walked in with a letter from Julia. He was too tired to read it, he would do it later. Chris saw him and closed his law textbook, and walked up to Gordie and hugged him. No matter what or how he felt, Gordie always felt warm and safe in Chris's arms. A year and a half has gone by since they got back together. It still felt like that night when they were 15. Chris looked clean, in a t- shirt and boxers, but Gordie looked a mess, in his brown tee and bermuda shorts.

"Hi babe, hows the studying going?" Gordie looked at him, with the piles of books all over.

Chris shrugged and sighed "It is ok I guess."

Gordie opened the letter as Chris was talking.

Julia had invited both Gordie and Chris over to her home in Boca Raton for the summer. Chris stood back in worry. Julia was his boyfriend's mother, and he was familiar with her, she didn't much care for him, and she made sure to hint how she did not like him with how everything turned out.

"You go baby, I will stay here." Chris said, turning back to his books. His voice sounded like he was ok with it, but his body language looked rather depressed.

Gordie pulled him back and kissed Chris's lips. "No. You are going with me. Mom would be happy to see you, and what if Gary is a jerk?" Chris laughed. Gary was a nice guy and liked Gordie and Chris.

A phone call changed things somewhat.

Chris picked up the phone. It was Heather Reardon. A voice he hadn't heard in years. A sweet sounding girl who was full of life at one time, but now sounded like motherhood had taken its toll.

"Is this Gordon Lachance?" the voice asked

"Hey, Heather Reardon! It's been a long time!" Chris made a shocked face as he played with the cord with his feet. Gordie ran up to listen in.

"Chris Chambers, is that you?"

"Yes it is, how is life, what's going on? Gordie is right here!"

"I wish it was a social call, but I have news, you can tell him."

Chris took the receiver and sat down, pulling out a cigarette. Gordie sat next to him. These days, Chris rarely smoked unless something was bad or gonna stress him out.

"Ok, give it to me straight." Chris said, cautiously.

"Teddy Duchamp died last night in a car wreck. He was hanging out with the Pierson brothers and Fuzzy Bracowicz and they played chicken with an oncoming car. They wrecked into a tree, trying to avoid a semi headed for Portland."

Chris puffed on the cigarette. Gordie was in shock.

Heather continued. "Fuzzy lost his hand, it was badly mangled. Matt Pierson went through the windshield and hit a tree, the other one was crushed underneath Fuzzy, and Teddy…"

Heather started to cry. Chris looked like someone hit him really hard. Gordie sat down in a slump.

At that moment, Gordie remembered him saying, "If I'm going out, it's my way…hee hee hee."

And Gordie cried for his friend.