Ends and Beginnings : Part II

Over in Princeton, both of the young men in question, plus their third roommate Ethan were all caught up in the stresses of the final week of their college careers, busy with the exams that would end up dictating their entire future. It had been a hectic period in the run up to this week, what with final papers to submit, plans for future accommodation to be made, not to mention job applications to fill in and interviews to schedule.

Flint had arrive home one evening to discover a letter from a firm that he had not even applied to had been delivered, inviting him to an interview for a good position at their New York office; a job which fitted right in with his degree course. It had take him a while to realise that the firm in question was owned by Izzy's family. He had initially baulked at the idea of a job in what was essentially the family business when he and Izzy weren't even engaged, but his two roommates had pointed out that he would be a fool not to grasp at this opportunity. After all, it was only an interview, and there was no guarantee that he would get the position. Privately, they both thought that the fact he was going out with the boss's daughter would not hurt his chances of success. Ethan had also managed to get himself a job lined up, with one of the major ethical investment trusts that had sprung up near Wall Street. As for Beats, he had interviews for several jobs lined up, all of them with one major thing in common; they were all in New York. If anyone had asked the three of them a few years ago if they planned to live in New York after college, they would have said they were not sure. Now they could not imagine living anywhere else.

The previous weekend had been a productive one for Beats and Flint, who had used a break from studying to see the final pair of friends that had made it past the initial interview process, a pair that they had both already decided were their favourites. In many ways, their story was remarkably similar to their own. They had more or less given up on finding anybody suitable after the first round of interviews, which had proven only one thing; the kind of guys that normally took their kind of job were only after one thing. It had been frustrating to say the least, and as they had entered the month of May, they had both agreed that they would have to tell the manager at the bar that they had failed, and the Preppy Boys brand would cease when they left town. Then, as they travelled to work on the 6th of the month, Flint had received a phone call from a quietly spoken young man who had first apologised for the fact that they were so late in applying, but that he and a friend would be interested in taking the job offered if it was still available. Flint had taken his number, and had told him they would call him back. After a quick chat with Beats, they both agreed that they had nothing to lose in giving them a shot.

In the dressing room, made up and ready, Flint had called back and had scheduled a meeting for a chat the following day. That talk had proven interesting for a number of reasons. The first of those was that the guy that had called them the night before, Callum, had not actually told his friend Alan why they were heading to the coffee shop they had agreed to meet in. They were, however, only there for the latter's benefit. The contrast between the two young men could also not have been greater. Alan was muscular and heavy set, whereas Callum looked like the archetypical nerd, right down to a pair of extremely geeky glasses. Flint and Beats had sensed that there was tension the moment that Callum stated to his friend why they were meeting them, and had suggested they go and get them all coffee whilst they had a talk. They had no intention of listening in, but they could read body language, and they knew that Alan thought what Callum was intending to do was a step too far in their friendship. By the time they came back with coffee and muffins, Alan was blinking back tears, and Callum looked near to them himself.

Flint knew what he had to do before another word was spoken by the two younger men. "So, before we go any further in our discussion, I think that we should tell the two of you how we got to this point. My friend here, a guy that I have seen as my brother and best friend since we attended Dalton Academy in Ohio together, hit a bad time financially. He then lost his job at a restaurant, but one of his former colleagues from there told him about the gig in the bar. He agreed to do it, but said nothing to anyone about it - I thought he was still working in a restaurant. I found out what he was doing when the ladies that I worked alongside at my job at that time dragged me to the bar on a Christmas Party night. As you can imagine, it was a shock. We had a massive fight, and if it wasn't for an intervention by our friends, I would have lost him. Once he told me why he was doing it, I accepted it. Then one night he had a narrow escape with someone who didn't seem to understand that no meant no. To cut a long story short, I ended up joining him, much to his initial horror, because he thought that he had corrupted me. Now we pretty much rule that bar, and although I had never in a million years imagined myself doing what I do, I enjoy it. If it wasn't for the fact that we are graduating and moving away, I don't think we would be giving up now."

Beats smiled, then added his own words. "Of course, it hasn't all been as plain sailing as he makes it sound. My folks struggled with what I was doing when I told them. As for his folks, well let's just say that when they found out, he and his mother had a massive falling out, and refused to acknowledge each other's existence for months. There was no great issue with our friends; a few raised eyebrows, but once they knew the reasons behind it, they were all cool. If you are going to do this, then you need to be honest and open. With the internet, people will find out, and if they don't know, then the mess will be all the more devastating."

There was silence, and then in a low voice, Alan spoke up. "My parents won't be an issue. They're the reason why the two of us are here, I guess. You see, I'm gay, and they are devout Christians. They didn't know, and if I had had my way, they would never have known. But my secret got out in the worst possible way, and their reaction was all that I had expected; biblical quotes, verbal abuse, and finally those wonderful words, 'We have no son!' They then proceeded to cut me off financially, as far as they could. They couldn't get back my tuition, or stop paying for it at any point. They were so proud when I got into Med school, but it's expensive. So they had taken out a prepayment plan on my tuition for the entire duration of the course, whereby they paid so much a month. The contract they signed was legally binding, and the only way they can stop those payments now before I graduate is if I die. They said at the time that they didn't mind the commitment if it got me the job I deserved; now every one of those payments will serve as a reminder to them of the boy that let them down. What they could do, however, was stop all my living allowances. I lost my food plan and my dorm, and I was in a complete fix - until this guy came along…" He turned with a smile to Callum, and waited for him to continue.

"You two went to Dalton together - I've heard of it. The two of us went to school together too, at Kiski - it's a small prep school near Pittsburg. We lived in the same dorm and had some classes together, but I was a year below him, and as a result, we were never that close as friends. I knew that he had come to Princeton; I followed, but unlike Alan, I didn't move in to dorms. I had a relative in town, a great-aunt, and the plan was that I should live with her to save money. She was getting on and craved the company I would give her. She died suddenly last summer, and in her will she left me her apartment, so I could still come. I only came across Alan again by chance; I had been studying in the library, but lost track of time. I was hurrying for the last bus back to my place when I walked past the dorm building and saw a familiar face sitting there, his entire life packed up in three bags, his eyes red and raw. It was the night they finally kicked him out… At Kiski, they taught us to be loyal to our friends; to be fraternal, and to be generous and kind. So I knew exactly what I had to do after I had approached him and he had told me, reluctantly I admit, what had happened. I picked up one of his bags, told him I had a spare room and it was his, and to hurry up and get moving or we'd miss the last bus. So yeah, we became roommates, and thanks to all of the old school ties kind of stuff we got on. Apart from over one thing - he insisted that he had to pay his own way; had to pay for his own food and a share of the bills. He tried to get a job as his savings started to run down, but he had no luck. He then applied for a job that he didn't tell me about; he probably never would have either, if it wasn't for the fact that they called up to offer him an interview, but they mistakenly made the offer to me…"

"What he means by that is that he decided to answer my phone one day whilst I was in the shower. I had told him that I was expecting an important call, and when he called out to me and I didn't hear him over the water, he thought he'd better pick up and take a message. The person on the other end of the phone decided to tell him all the details and what the job was, which was an unbelievable breach of my privacy. That was how Callum discovered that I had an audition for porn. It had seemed like an option when I applied; good money, not too excessive hours of work, and a big gesture to my folks on the lines of 'this is what you've driven me to!'"

"And also a sure fire way to get yourself kicked out of medical school!" said Callum. "We've all heard the stories of how these companies exploit people, threaten to pay them less or sack them if they refuse to push the envelope more and more. Like you guys, we ended up having a huge row over it. We both ended up sobbing our hearts out in my kitchen. In the end, he agreed not to do it, but only if I could find him a well paid job in the next three months that he could fit in around his studies. I accepted the challenge, but I never imagined that it would be so tough. I actually saw your advert on the day it was posted, but I dismissed it, as you wanted a pair. It stayed in the back of my mind though, and as the deadline began to loom in my mind, I realised that in order to save Alan from a bad choice, I had to step out of my own comfort zone. My parents were both, for the want of a better term, 'hippy' types when I was younger, although they have both got responsible jobs now. I only ended up at Kiski because my grandfather insisted upon it, and agreed to pay for it. I called my folks last night, before I called up to apply, and told them what I was thinking of doing, and why. They laughed, told me that I shouldn't be ashamed of what I was considering doing, and that I should go for it. So, here we are. I am more than ready to do this, although maybe I'm not the correct type for it. If it saves my best friend from a descent into the murky world of porn, then it will all be worth it."

From that point the discussion had moved on, with talk of money, the hours of work, and the kind of routines that they would have to perform. Both Beats and Flint noticed the look of relief on both boys faces when they told them that the Preppy Boys were just strippers, and they did not embark on any other kind of activity with the patrons at the bar, regardless of how much cash they had been offered. Things were going so well that they ended up making their way back to the two Dalton boy's apartment, and after a quick check to ensure that Ethan was out, they had talked the two younger boys through a routine, including all the necessary actions. It turned out that both of the boys had the natural dancing ability that was a must, and they quickly also managed to work together in synch.

That night, they took them both to the bar, glad that they were both of legal age to enter, if not to drink (just and no more in the case of Callum) and had at least three years when they would both be at school in town. They had introduced them to the bar owner, and after a quick chat, he agreed that they would be hired if they had the same flair for the act that his current Preppy Boys had. There was no chance of them demonstrating that to him there and then as the bar was open and busy, but after some negotiation, a time was agreed for them all to come back the following day before the place opened for a demonstration of what they could do. Then it was on for a quick tour of the backstage and a round of introductions to both the other performers and the bar staff. Then they had waited as Beats and Flint got ready, before they had watched their act from the wings. They had been caught staring open mouthed on more than one occasion.

Afterwards, back in the dressing room, they counted out the tip money, which left the two younger men staring in awe. Flint then asked the million dollar question. "Ok, so now that you have seen what it is that we do, are you still up for the job? As you can see, it pays well, and doing it gives you a bit of a buzz. At the same time, it isn't a job for everyone. If you are having any doubts, then this is the time to speak out."

"I think we're good," replied Alan swiftly, then he started, and added, "Well, I am…"

"No, me too. I think I know what you mean about a buzz. Even standing there watching the two of you as you owned that room, had those men and women in the palm of your hands, I felt chills…" Callum smiled as Alan nodded at his side.

"Well, as long as the two of you pass the boss' audition tomorrow, the job is yours," said Beats. "My advice to the two of you would be to be yourselves, and not just mimic us. I think that you could use the contrast between the two of you as an advantage. The jock and the nerd - pardon any offence - is a classic combination. There is nothing that says you have to stick with the blazer and tie look, even though it is very popular."

On Sunday night, Beats received a call which confirmed that they were hired from the bar owner. They had impressed him greatly; they had taken Beats' words to heart and had given him a jock and nerd routine for an audition, complete with the homoerotic vibe that the Preppy Boys always gave. He had chosen a date for their solo debut as well. They would perform alone on Friday 27th, when he knew that Beats and Flint would be in Ohio for graduation day at Dalton. However, he wanted them all to perform the following weekend, as two pairs on stage at the same time, possibly doing some kind of handover type ceremony at the same time. This suited them well enough. He also promised that they would have a big crowd on their last night, which they had decided would be on Saturday 4th June, for their grand finale. They both knew that it would be quite something to have to choreograph and plan, which was they had decided to leave it until their exams were truly finished, so they had the free time. They had come up with a few ideas, but all of them were intended to blow the minds of their loyal fans, whilst at the same time setting up their replacements in Alan and Callum to be every bit as big as they had become. It would safeguard their own legacy of the time they had been the toast of the bar in Princeton, but also protect the futures of all of those that worked there long term.

As Flint sat busily writing the answer to the final question of the final exam paper on his environmental chemistry module, he paused for a moment to consider the events of that night, ostensibly to rest his aching hand. He and Beats already had something in mind for the forthcoming Friday night, the last official day of their college lives. The routine would commence with the ceremonial unpinning of a lapel badge from each of their blazers, and then with due ceremony, they would pin them on the blazer lapels of their replacements. This would emphasise the handover of the role to the newbies. The badges had been spotted by Ethan in a junk shop in his final week in Cambridge; they were in the shape of heraldic shields, one of them emblazoned with the words 'Head Boy' and the other 'Deputy Head Boy'. He had found the entendre in the words irresistible, particularly as they were to be worn by a pair of strippers. He knew of course that they denoted the top two students in a prep school a lot like Dalton, somewhere in England, just as Wes had been Head Warbler and David his deputy, but the words had connotations. The problem for Flint that although he agreed with Beats that the handover of the badges fitted in with the narrative they were trying to show, a large part of him wanted to hang on to his badge, as a reminder of the misadventures of his youth. If he could find a similar pair of badges somewhere…

In another room nearby, Beats was also hard at it, his head no longer pounding as it once had as his pen flew across the paper. He had entered the exams feeling less stressed than he had done for years. His glasses had proved to be the big help that he had been told they would be. His mind too began to drift to the future and to ponder that final show in June. They had to go out with a bang; he was convinced of that much. He had an idea, but he suspected that Flint might not go along with it. Over their performances they had made their routines a little raunchier, a little more risqué. 'Leave them wanting more' was the adage that came to mind to describe their routines. What if then, on their final night, they actually gave their loyal fans what they had always craved? Nothing major, but nonetheless, daring and new. He knew that he would have to sit down and have a serious discussion with Flint about it, knowing full well that what he was going to ask him to do might be a step too far out of his friend's comfort zone. If he did agree, then they would still have to ask Elliott and Izzy for their opinions too…

Meanwhile, as Wes shook his head in disbelief as his father once again made outrageous claims in the Boston courtroom, Sebastian found himself sitting in a rehearsal room with the other new summer additions to the ensemble cast of Book of Mormon. There were five of them in total, two other men and two women. The difference here was that all the others had done musical theatre before professionally, not just in a school or college setting like Sebastian. That fact made three of the others look down their noses at the young man; the fourth, the youngest of the women, had been more friendly towards him, and for that Sebastian had been grateful. He had anticipated that there would be someone there to lead them; that they would spend time going over the script to learn lines and cue points; to have sung through the songs which made up the show, and heck, even to have learnt a little of the choreography just in case. But there was no-one in charge, and every time that Sebastian had tried to start something constructive amongst his fellows, he had been ignored. The three actors that looked down on him had spent their morning discussing the latest showbiz gossip, and then complaining about everything from the costumes to the fact that they were actually in the theatre on a Monday. It was all quite disheartening for the youngest person there…

After lunch, as the three of them carried on, boasting about who they had worked with, then ripping them to shreds, Sebastian decided to retreat to a quiet corner to try and learn the script he had been handed that morning by the man at the stage door. As he did so, he suddenly sensed someone was watching him, and when he looked up, he saw the younger woman, Jenny. She motioned to the chair next to him, and he nodded to her to sit down. "It's nice to see that someone in here has a work ethic. I think some people have forgotten that they were at school once, a long time ago in some cases, and that we are here to work. So, on that note, shall we have a read through together?" Sebastian was only too happy to agree, and at her suggestion, he played all the men, whilst she played all the women. He realised at once that she had the easier job. As they went through, he used different accents for different characters just to differentiate between them, and that made Jenny laugh. In the end, the two of them were so caught up in the script that they failed to notice that their three compatriots had left early, probably to a bar. Neither of them were that bothered by the fact they had gone, or the fact that they had not been asked to join them.

As he headed home that night, his script packed away in his bag, Sebastian did not feel the elation that he had expected. Yes, he was still so proud of the fact that he had landed an ensemble part in a Broadway show whilst he was still in college, but the day had been nothing like as good as he had expected it to be; in fact, the best word to describe it in his opinion was a shambles. If it hadn't been for Jenny, they would have achieved nothing. Still, it might well be different the next day when the full cast and crew were around. He had made a friend in Jenny, and he had gladly swapped phone numbers with her; as she had said, they might want to vent off steam about one of their fellow ensemble members, and it would allow them to do that away from the theatre.

He arrived back in Murray Hill in good time, and set about cooking a nice meal for himself and Dave; as he stirred the pans, he continued to study the script, absorbing the words. He was determined that should there be a cast emergency, then he would not be found wanting; that he was going to be able and ready to step up for them into any role, at any time. He was not going to blow his opportunity to show a Broadway director that he could step up and prove he had the wherewithal to undertake anything they asked. He might not be Elder Price - at least not this year - but there was always the chance that one day, in the future, he could be…

Jeff and Caleb meanwhile managed to make it back to Bushwick that evening just before Nick and Mike returned from their work. It was Jeff's turn to prepare the evening meal, and tonight, due to the fact that it was so warm, he had stopped off to pick up a cooked chicken at the store near their new home, taking the opportunity to check out both its range and prices. He had not believed it when Sebastian had told him that everything was just that little bit more expensive in Manhattan, but a quick walk round the store proved that his friend was right. There might well be a case for continuing to buy the bulk of their grocery shopping at their usual store in Brooklyn, and it was an easy enough trip there on the subway. He had to admit that the chicken he had picked up did smell delicious, and was fresh from the oven when he picked it up. Caleb agreed by the way he started to miaow in his basket, and his nose pressed up against the door to inhale the aroma; he had enjoyed the tuna that Jeff had given him for lunch in the sunny studio, but he was getting hungry again. Jeff had decided to leave the purchase of salad vegetables and fresh bread until he was back in Bushwick. He had walked into their usual stores and had been greeted like a long lost friend in all of them. It was only as he started to climb up the steps to the loft that he realised that he was going to miss all of them when they left…

Back home, he let Caleb out of his carrier, and placed the basket carefully in the hall closet, ready to smuggle back to Brittany later. He then began to prepare a simple chicken salad, making up his own dressing. This latter was one skill that he seemed to have that Nick did not; his dressings were light and flavoursome, whereas Nick's were just oily… He had often wondered why he could do it, but then someone had suggested it was like making a cocktail, and he was good at that too. As he prepared the chicken, he knew he was being watched, and so he made sure that some small scarps of chicken fell onto the floor, which Caleb then obligingly wolfed down. The salad ready and the table set, he headed into the living area to sit on the couch and await his husband and roommate with his pet.

"Ok, Caleb, so no telling anyone where we went today. I have a feeling that Nicky would not understand why I felt I had to take you over to the new house for a preview, so it's our secret. You did like it didn't you? You see, it is kind of our forever home, so you will be there for the rest of your life…"

Caleb looked up at the blond human, and saw that he was worried or sad - he was never sure which was which - but he did know that if he rubbed his head on the boy's hand, then he would be happy, and happy meant more food… Jeff naturally took the gesture as a sign that his pet was happy with the move, and smiled; a smile that only widened as he heard the front door open, and two familiar voices in the hallway…