The Proposal
by GMartinez
Chapter 7
Implementation
Colin thinks back on everything that's happened to him so far, while he takes his best friends out to celebrate a secretly special day.
It's been a couple of weeks since Michael and I had our talk. Well, among the other stuff that we did that day, at any rate. It was a Friday, and Jen and I watched Espen say goodbye to Lavender as we all headed out of school. Both of them were all smiles, and quite unlike what one would expect from a romantic couple, they looked more like a couple of troublemakers.
I could just imagine Espen telling Lavender something like how he'd snuck a piece of magnesium wire out of the chem lab so that he could make an improvised flare at home. They ended their conversation with a funny little hand gesture—slapping their right hands together on both sides, and then ending with a vigorous fist bump.
"They do fist bumps now? Why do they have to make it look complicated?" I asked Jen.
"Don't tell me you're jealous?" she asked with a chuckle.
"Of course I am! We're best friends and he never gives me a fist bump," I grumbled in reply. "Does he give you fist bumps?"
"No," Jen chortled. She couldn't elaborate further because she was laughing too hard. I made a mental note to ask her later about what was so funny. There's nothing funny about not getting a fist bump from your best friend.
Espen returned to our side with a cheerful stride and then said, "All right, let's go."
In reply, I extended my fist to him. I probably angled it too high and too close to his face, though, because he instinctively crossed his arms in front of his head as if to block my hand.
"Colin, what the hell? Why are you punching me?"
"No! I wasn't . . . ! Ugh, forget it," I grumbled sullenly, mentally cursing Espen for not picking up on my non-verbal request for a fist bump. It didn't help that Jen was laughing heartily at my failure. "Anyway, are you sure that you and Lavender really are together? You two look more like you're mad scientists planning to burn something down."
"Nothing wrong if we were, though . . . right, Colin?" Espen replied with a smile. "Lavender and I are just good friends. She's so cool, once you get to know her. It's just that, somewhere along the line, we decided that if we can be more than just good friends in the future, then maybe that's cool, too."
"Remind me again how you two are a couple now."
"Well, I used to be too nice to her and pamper her and stuff because I wanted to be her boyfriend. But I realized that that was a bit stupid of me. So I just had an honest talk with her, and I apologized and said that it would be cool if we could just be friends, at least. It just started from there."
"That's very mature of you to say," I replied thoughtfully. "I honestly didn't think that you'd actually manage to get together. Anyway, I'm just glad you dropped the nicknames."
Well, it really had been a surprise when we'd found out they were already a couple. It hadn't been that long ago when Jen had told Espen how Lavender hadn't been interested in his advances.
"So, what do you think? You're not gonna scold me now, are ya?" Espen teased, looking at Jen. "See, it's not all about sex, like what you said—what are you smirking about?"
"Oh, it's nothing. I'm just really proud of you," Jen giggled.
"Proud of what?"
"Proud of you for finally proving me wrong. I'd hoped you would, and you did. You're a good guy, Espen."
"Well . . . thanks very much," Espen replied, his cheeks turning visibly red.
Just then, I got a text from Michael. It was a reminder about the burger that I owed him for losing our practice match during training. I was vaguely aware that Espen was looking over my shoulder, reading my message at the same time that I did.
"You've been getting real chummy with Michael lately," Espen casually mentioned. "I thought you didn't like him?"
"He's not so bad once you get to know him," I replied with a smile. "You two would get along well, I'd bet."
"Nah, he seems a bit too gaudy for a boy, at least for me. I mean, whatever his deal is, I respect it, but it's just not my speed."
"You'd be surprised. He has a way of breaking your expectations."
"Looks like you're not the only one who's done a bit of maturing, Espen," Jen said as she gave me an approving look.
"So, Colly . . . is Michael really gay?" Espen asked. "Are you and him gonna be boyfriends now? I'd totally respect you if you were."
"Nah, he's not."
We arrived at our destination—it was my favorite burger joint a few blocks away from my house. It was notorious for having really expensive milkshakes—among other things—but what it lacked in affordability, it more than made up for in quality.
"Besides," I continued as we headed inside, "Espen, you're a boy, and Jen's a girl—so I think I've got all the boy friends and girl friends that I need right now."
From the corner of my eye, I saw Espen smirk while Jen flashed me a smile.
After we'd sat down, Espen looked around the establishment, a sigh escaping his lips. "Rainy Day's Burger's n' Shakes"? Colin, you should've said you were taking us here. I don't have that kind of money! Well, I could probably afford bottled water, as long as it's not those imported fresh-from-some-holy-spring kinds and—"
"—relax, Espen. My treat, both of you," I said. "Three Cheesecake Shake Specials, please!" I called out to the bartender. Well, he wasn't technically a bartender, because it wasn't a bar. But I liked calling him that.
"That's awfully expensive, Colin," Jen remarked. "You're being quite the gentleman today. It's not your birthday, is it? I thought it was in March."
"Does it have to be my birthday for me to treat my friends out?" I asked as we all laughed. "But yeah, today is pretty special. I saved up just for this day."
"So what's up with today?"
"Well, see, today . . . " I began. It was kind of embarrassing, now that I think about it. I wasn't so used to being dramatic. "I don't know if you remember, but today's the anniversary of the first time that the three of us ever sat at lunch together—it's when we all started being friends."
"Wow, Colin. That's . . . really thoughtful of you," Jen said with an amused smile.
"I didn't know you could be this dramatic, dude. But, don't get me wrong, this is awesome! Oh, and you are, too." Espen seemed like he was very excited for the milkshakes.
Our milkshakes came, with the glasses nearly a foot tall, not counting the whipped cream that went even higher. I told Jen and Espen to hold off on eating their fill for a few seconds, and then I called on the server.
"Hey, bartender—!"
"—I'm not a bartender—!"
"—can you please take a shot of us?" I said as I handed him my phone.
The bartender grumbled something along the lines of 'kids these days' and aimed the phone at us. I grabbed my mug, and both of my friends did the same. With what I imagine was a glowing look on my face, I solemnly proclaimed, "To the best friends we could ever have . . . and to the most expensive milkshakes in town!"
"Aye!"
"Hear, hear!"
The clatter of glass mugs hitting each other punctuated the otherwise languid atmosphere, in tandem with a bright white flash. My phone now had a picture of three smiling fourteen-year-olds—one was looking forward to a life with a meaningful relationship, another secure in her strength of character and the support of her friends. The third one . . . well, let's just say that he's happier knowing that he's his own man, and that there are wonderful people around him who can help him grow up to be that man.
Before that time comes, though, I'm still just a boy named Colin Cress. I'm fourteen years old, and the second-best in my class after Anthony. I suck at math, but I'm taking extra time to practice it. I hate beer and I love expensive milkshakes. I'd thought that I could ignore puberty, but in doing so, I'd had to face it head-on in a clandestine meeting that would forever change my life. Although it was a . . . hard encounter, it gave me a trusted friend in Michael.
It was Michael's proposal that had started me on the more awkward parts of growing up. Now, I have a picture of me and my best friends Espen Norton and Jenny Weller in my phone. That picture was also a proposal—one that promised more of that awkwardness, more of that discovery, and maybe even more of that happiness, until I ultimately became a man that I can be proud of.
At least it sounds like a good reason to me for keeping a printed copy in my wallet. And now, I can finally change my Facebook profile picture to something other than the one in my school ID.
And don't even think of calling me a dork.
Jen already beat you to it.
Author's Notes:
Hi there! Thanks so much for reading this story of mine. This was written way back in 2014, but I only published this recently while polishing it with all the additional writing know-how that' I've learned since then.
This story really is a kind of deconstruction of all the sex tropes we see in stories like this. At least, that's what I intended, anyway. It's never just boys fooling around. At some point, that boy must have thought long and hard about getting his long and hard dick down in another boy's mouth. It's a mix of feelings, y'know? Anyway, this story is one of the ones I'm most proud of and I hope that for all these seven chapters, you'll find it worthwhile to read, from both a sexy standpoint and a psychological standpoint.
Chapter Specific Notes:
Chapter 2: This second chapter is showing its age XD There are references to Jurassic World cuz at the time, I'd just watched it (and i loved it, being a dinosaur kid back in the days of Jurassic Park. And of course, I easily named all the dinos in Jurassic World ;) )
Chapter 3: This third chapter is all about character development, so I hope you enjoyed it even if this time, there was a tiny bit of hetero in it :p I promise that the gay stuff is coming up. XD Ender's Game references over there, too, if you've read that book (it's a good book). Also, I'm trying to hint that Jen has a troubled household.
Chapter 4: This fourth chapter finally has a little bit of sex stuff haha. I hope you like the way I wrote it. Also, I like cats. Also, Schrödinger's cat isn't what you think it is. It's actually a thought experiment on how utterly ridiculous it is for one to apply quantum mechanics concepts on anything larger than subatomic particles. In matters of gender and sexuality however...things are even more complicated, I guess :)
Chapter 5: Yup, we're finally at the long-awaited blowjob scene lol. I hope you enjoy. Also, in case you didn't notice, it's a running gag that Colin is very absent-minded when it comes to counting things, even while he's narrating.
Chapter 6: secret easter egg: Colin's flustered line to Michael ("I don't get it, I don't get you!) mirrors the dialog of a tv show character named Jude, a boy from the series "The Fosters". Among other things, that show was notable for showing the youngest same sex kiss ever onscreen, with Jude and his best friend. They both looked like they were just 13 at the time in the show.
Anyway, this chapter is the clincher. The meat of it all. I'm pretty sure I might rub some people the wrong way cuz Michael sounds sanctimonious or too liberal. He kinda does, I guess. I'm just saying that your sexuality is entirely up to you, and that whether you're gay or not is up to how you live your life and how you let your preferences influence your actions. When I was a teen, I had a hard time accepting the fact that I was gay. I figured that a kid like Colin will try to rationalize these confusing feelings in the way that he did in the story, but he'd need someone to just slap some sense into him and remind him that, there's no time limit to knowing what you are as long as you like yourself. So is Colin gay? Maybe. He'll find that out in his own time. Is Michael gay? Maybe. He doesn't know yet.
Also, I don't like alcohol.
Chapter 7: This is the epilogue. Thanks for reading until the end!
So, this last chapter is really just to tie up all the character development to a tidy finish. Essentially, after the timeskip, Colin has finally matured enough to realize that he can decide on how to express his sexuality at his own pace, and in the meantime he's struck an honest friendship with Michael with no hangups about the blowjob and the things that happened between them. In the background, we've got Espen, who's matured off-screen so that he now has a more meaningful friendship with the girl he was trying to court, and Jen is satisfied that her words have somehow helped changed her friends for the better.
Easter egg: that thing with the magnesium wire? That's a real thing that I did when I was in high school. I sort of (and by that I mean 'really') 'procured without permission' some magnesium wire and phosphorus from the chem lab so that I could burn them at home and see how different their resulting fires were. It was awesome.
I also did a bookends approach to the ending to further emphasize how much Colin has matured. This time, in his ending monologue, he repeats what he said in the first chapter about his school life, except that this time, he openly admits that Anthony is better than him, rather than childishly complaining about it. Also, this time, he flat-out admits that he needs work on his math skills and sets out to improve on it. He further admits that he was mistaken in taking pride in ignoring the complexities of puberty and growing up, and that just like any boy his age, he had to face it as well (with a little help from Michael).
Credits:
I wanna give a shoutout to my friend Leo Fuentes, who has been my mentor and friend when it comes to writing. Without his help, I wouldn't be who I am today, and this story definitely wouldn't look as good as it does now.
I also want to give a shoutout to my friend Bryson who helped make this cool and easy-to-read html format possible. I can't thank you enough, bro, for this, and for teaching me all about html stuff!
Contact
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