Westpoint Tales
by Kiwi
Lindsay & Tony Bloody Southon - Pt 2
Over the next few weeks the new entrants settled in and got comfortable with their new school and their new classmates, friends and rivals. Routines and patterns were set that, mostly, would last for the rest of their schooldays. Lindsay found that he had to work harder here to keep his accustomed place at the top of the class. A not-so-friendly rivalry soon developed as Tony Southon was also determined to be number one.
They seemed to be fairly evenly matched in the classroom and the teachers quietly encouraged the competition. Out of the classrooms however, on the sportsfields, swimming baths and manual classes, Tony Southon easily bettered him at every turn. The kid really was good at everything he did.
Lindsay was fascinated with him, but he didn't like him. The boy was clever, sporty, popular and really good-looking, but he was a jerk. They clashed every time they met, which was all-too-often. He was a creep, but, secretly, Lindsay, sort of, wished that they could have been friends, but that wasn't going to happen.
He did make other friends, lots of them. The classes divided into two camps, Lindsay's supporters and Tony Southon's, and the teachers still encouraged the rivalry, it meant that they all worked harder.
Bullying was a bit of a problem in Westpoint High, but nothing too serious. There were no great problems a long as the groups of friends stuck together, so they did. The seniors tended to push the juniors around, but that was just the way it was - keeping them in their places. They'd have their turn once they got to be seniors themselves.
Lindsay's only real problem came from one of their own, from Tony Southon actually, and Peter soon stepped in and put a stop to that. It happened when they were out on the sportsfield, playing rugby, which he hated. He was running, but he didn't even have the ball, when he was slammed to the ground in an illegal high tackle by Tony Southon.
"What the fuck did you do that for?" Lindsay spat daggers at him, but Southon just laughed as he got up.
"Just seeing if you're awake, Pussy." He turned to run away, but hit the ground again when he bounced off Peter's chest.
"What the fuck's your problem, Milligan?" He sat up, shaking his head.
"My problem? You. You touch my mate again and they'll be carrying you off on a stretcher, and that's a promise."
"What is he? Your girlfriend or something?"
"No, just my friend and you're not. So watch it, Southon."
"Fucking Pussy needs to stand up for himself." Southon got up and ran away.
Peter turned to Lindsay. "You okay, Reilly?"
"Yeah, I'll live. Thanks Peter, but he's right, I do need to stand up for myself."
"Bullshit! Your battles are my battles and I do like a fight. I wouldn't miss a chance to bring that creep down a peg or two. So, thank you my friend."
"Thank me? Sure, I'll get slammed to the ground for you, anytime. You're a good friend, Peter."
"Of course I am, simply the best. You're okay too - for a wuss," he winked and grinned.
"Shut up, Milligan," Lindsay grinned back with an affectionate punch on the shoulder." Oh. Damn. Watch it, the bloody ball's coming back."
"Right! Later, Lindsay."
Peter ran off to do what he did best and Lindsay watched him with a sigh. He was a good friend, much better than Tony Southon could ever be. But he did wish . . .
That night, alone in his bed and doing what boys do when they're wide awake and alone in their beds, (well, it helps you sleep), Lindsay, to his horror, came to a sudden realisation - he was sexually attracted to Tony Bloody Southon. How dumb was that?
Lindsay was gay, or he thought that he was. Probably. He'd never done anything about it and he'd never told anyone, except for Peter. They'd talked about it. They talked about everything, they always had. Peter had no problem with it, of course, but he wasn't going there. No way. He wasn't gay, but if Lindsay was, well - whatever. They'd still be mates wouldn't they? Sure they would. Lindsay loved Peter. Not like that, but he did love him. He was better than a brother, and he always would be.
However, Tony Southon! He couldn't be attracted to him, that wasn't going to happen. The boy was a creep, he hated him. But, he did have a great smile and laughing eyes, and the cutest little button of a nose, and long, long legs. He was smart and clever and good at everything he did. He was even good at art - a great artist, and he could sing too. He sung with the voice of an angel - a cheeky, cute angel. His skin was clear and smooth and soft and warm-looking and - he was a creep. Lindsay was not going there, he couldn't. He hated him, didn't he? Besides, he wasn't gay anyway. He had a girlfriend. But, he was so dam sexy.
Lindsay needed someone. Someone to love and who would love him back and keep him safe from Tony Bloody Southon. But who? There was no-one else in his world that remotely interested him, just Tony Bloody Southon. Fuckit! He couldn't.
Peter couldn't have timed it better if they'd talked about it, which they hadn't. He and Carol were ancient history by now and he was trying to hook up with Lindie Peters. She was interested, sort of, but there was a problem in the shape of her best friend and constant companion, Mavis Ryan.
Mavis was currently boyfriendless and bored, so Peter insisted that that Lindsay come and hang with them to keep Mavis busy while he got to know Lindie better. Lindsay tried to beg off. "Peter, I'm not interested in Mavis Ryan and she wouldn't be interested in me either. I'm gay, remember?"
"You're maybe gay. You said that you weren't sure."
"That was ages ago, a year at least. I'm gay alright, probably, I think."
"You think? Here's your chance to find out for sure. Come and spend some quality time with an attractive girl and see whether there's any spark there at all. Or have you already got your eye on some guy?"
"Peter Milligan! I have not. I'm thirteen, I'm not ready for any of that stuff." (Lindsay blushed as he said it, but Peter was too young and inexperienced to pick up on what that meant.)
"You're not too young you know. I'm no older than you are and I'm ready. Hoo Boy! Am I ready! Anyhow, come and meet Mavis. It wouldn't hurt for people to at least think that you might be interested in a girl."
"What do you mean by that? What people?"
"Well, there's Carol for a start. She already thinks that you might be gay."
"She does? Why? What makes her think that?"
"I dunno. Probably because you never talk to girls."
"I talk to girls everyday."
"Teah, but only as classmates, not as friends. Not intimately."
"Eww! Well, okay, you're probably right. Let's go see if Mavis Ryan can light my fire then."
('At least, spending time with Peter and these girls might stop me thinking about - Him.')
It didn't work though. Mavis was a nice girl and she had an amazing head of hair, long, loose and golden curls, but there was definitely no spark there. No sexual attraction at all. Lindsay simply couldn't see her as any more than a friend.
They hung out and double-dated a few times with Peter and Lindie, and they did have fun, sort of. It certainly did wonders for Lindsay's reputation. Even his parents were delighted with his 'relationship', but when it came to the snogging, the kissing and the cuddling, he just couldn't get into it. He went through the motions because it was expected of him, but it was only a charade.
He wasn't at all surprised, or upset, when, after only a couple of weeks, Mavis told him that she was breaking up with him. She hoped that they'd always be friends, but this just wasn't working out. Besides, she was interested in someone else now and she knew that he was interested in her too.
"Who is that then?" He didn't really care but felt that he should at least ask. Then he did care, he cared very much and he was pissed when she told him.
"It's Tony Southon actually."
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