Kaimoana Tales
by Kiwi
My Story - 17
Len came home with me after school that day. We had a drink and a sandwich, and then went into the living room, put some music on and did maths for a couple of hours.
Much as I would've liked to, we couldn't do it in the bedroom. (That's Maths in the bedroom - keep it clean!) Mum, Mr. Stafford and Miss Simons were there, in the kitchen, so we sat, all innocent, in the living room.
(Yeah, right! Man, I would've liked to run my tongue all over that body. But, I couldn't.)
I don't know how productive a couple of hours it was. I'm no teacher and Len was no student. He really was hopeless. I enjoyed it anyway. It was a good way to kill an afternoon, sitting next to a sexy boy.
Mum asked him if he wanted to stay and eat with us, but, no, he couldn't. He had to get home and get dinner started before the 'rents got home. They both worked.
"Some other time, maybe?"
"Of course. You'll always be welcome."
As he was leaving, Len said, "Thanks for helping me, Virgil."
"Not a problem, it was fun. Thanks for coming over. Thanks too for talking to me at school today. That took some guts."
"I've got a lot of guts, you'll see. I'm not sure whether you are really gay or not, but I don't care, it doesn't worry me. There was a gay kid in my old school."
"'Kay. Thanks anyway. See you tomorrow."
"Chances are. Can we do maths after school again?"
"Sure thing."
He started walking home and I watched him go. He looked back, smiled and waved when he crossed the road. Damm, I liked that boy. Gay or not, at least he had no problem with gay people, apparently. It was good.
At school next day, Len greeted me as soon as I arrived. He thanked me again for helping him and asked if we were still on for today? I said sure we were, and he said that he'd told his parents what we were doing and they wanted to meet me. They were in love with me already.
As the day went on, I found that I was actually being included in conversations and stuff. I think they forgot to be nasty to me.
When I was going back to school after lunch, Joel was standing by the gates waiting to talk to me.
"Hey Virgin. How's it?"
"It's fine, Joel. How's yours?"
"I think the word is fabulous, isn't it?"
"I'm not doing that campy stuff anymore, I'm sick of that."
"Good job too. How was your holiday?"
"It was great, best holiday ever. How was yours?"
"Pretty good. I'd do it again. You seem to be chummy with the new kid."
"With Len? Yeah, we're getting on okay. I'm trying to help him with his maths."
"Good for you. You're good at maths aren't you? Actually, Dad says that you're good at most stuff. Now that Denise has gone, you'll be top of the class."
"That remains to be seen."
"You will be. Virgin, be careful with the new kid. There's something about him. I dunno. Just be careful, that's all."
"You think? He's just a friend, Joel. I need a friend.'
"You've always had a friend, Virgin. You always will. Don't go doing anything silly, that's all."
The cheek of it! What made him think he had the right to interfere in my life? My temper flared.
"Fuck off, Stafford. When I need advice from you, I'll ask for it."
"That's the trouble, I don't think you would. You're never going to forget that day down by the river, are you?"
"Why the hell should I? I won't forget my first day in this school either."
"I've told you, I wish that never happened and I'm sorry that it did."
"And you think that makes it all right? I've got news for you - it doesn't! You worry about your life and I'll worry about mine."
"Okay then, if that's the way it's going to be. But, do worry about your life, be careful with him."
"Oh, Fuck Off!"
"Fuck off yourself. You're a pretty awesome kid, Virgin. Shame that you can also be such a bitch."
I stormed away and left him there. He didn't try to stop me, which was just as well. The way I was feeling, I probably would've hit him, and that wouldn't be intelligent.
Prick! What did he think Len was going to do? Rape me or something? (I should be so lucky!) Anyway, Stafford would know all about rapists, wouldn't he? Prick!
You'll never guess where Len and his family used to live. Whakatu! And where is Whakatu? It's a bloody suburb, kind of. It's an area out at the north-end of Nelson.
Sheesh! Fancy moving from Nelson to bloody Tiroroa! His parents must be thick or something.
Len said, no, they don't hate him. They moved out here because the houses are so much cheaper. (There's a surprise). Anyway, his mother quite fancied the idea of living in a village; she didn't like city life. I still think that she must be thick.
Len didn't mind moving to Tiroroa, it would only be for a couple of years and, besides, there was a pay-off in it for him. As soon as the money came through for the sale of their old house, the parents were going to buy him a car. He couldn't wait. He loved cars and, at last, he'd have one of his own.
I could take them or leave them. To me, a car was just a machine, something to get you where you wanted to go. Not Len, he was seriously in love with cars, and speed and racing. Cars were his world. (Whoop-de-do!)
He'd only been in Tiroroa for a couple of days and, already, he knew who drove and who didn't and what sort of car everybody had. He wasn't impressed that I was driving Gran's housetruck when I was 0 years old.
"You can't race in a housetruck, but, hey! At least you can drive. I knew you were smart."
It all got a bit boring really. All he wanted to talk about was cars ad all their accessories - the radar-detectors, sound systems, and all the other bells and whistles. I did try to take an interest. At least he was talking to me. I got a date out of it too - kind of.
The week went by quite fast, so that was good. It was the best week I'd had yet at Tiroroa High. Len and I studied after school on 3 days, always in the living-room, dammit! At school I was included in the small group of 'petrol-heads' that he was gathering around him.
I didn't talk to Joel at all, but he was around. He was always around, just watching. 'Hah! Let him watch. The Prick! I've got friends here.'
When Mum told me on Friday lunchtime that we were going out for a meal and a movie with the Staffords, I was delighted to tell her, "Sorry Mum, I can't. I'm busy tonight. I'm going to the Speedway with Len and his dad. I thought I told you that."
"Well you didn't. This is the first I've heard of it."
"I told Gran anyway. She said that it's okay."
"All right then. But, the Speedway! You hate the Speedway. We took you once, when you were little, and you hated it. The noise of the cars racing was all too much for you and you cried all the way through it. You've always hated loud noises."
"Gran said that too. I don't even remember that, I was just little. I'm not little now, I'm big and I can handle it. I'll wear ear-plugs."
"Okay then. As long as you're sure. What about Joel though? He's going to be all on his own."
"Not my problem. He can take someone else. Joel Stafford has got lots of friends, but I'm not one of them."
"I wish you were, Honey. Joel's a nice boy. I like him."
"Well I don't! He's a drunk anyway. He's way too into booze and dope for my liking."
"You're a bit behind the times, aren't you? Joel's given all that up. He hasn't had a drink since Christmas."
"Hasn't he? I didn't know that. It's none of my business anyway, but it won't do him any harm to knock it off. The way he was going, it was only a matter of time before he got in trouble. Anyway, I'm going with Len. I've already told them that I'm coming."
"Okay, go then. Virgil, you know, there's nothing wrong with having a drink or a joint or two. Everybody does it."
"Everybody does not! I hate the stuff."
"Shit! You can be such a little prude at times."
"A prude? I'm not a prude. I'm gay you know."
"You're not gay."
"I bloody am!"
"You're gay? Oh well. You're still a prude. Gotta go, Honey. I'll see you tonight."
Mum headed back to school and left me sitting there, bemused. (Yes, 'bemused' - it's a word. Look it up).I just 'came out' to my mother. I didn't mean to, it just slipped out, and she didn't react at all. She's a cool mum, I think. Isn't she? Yeah, she is. I think.
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