The Apprentice
by and © N Fourbois
Chapter 12
Kieran felt good as he locked the front door behind him and walked towards town. His confidence stemmed from having done the best preparation possible for an important event in his life, the outcome of which he could only guess. He reached Domino's a little early, but Orlando must have seen him for he popped out still in his waiter's apron, said hello and told Kieran he'd be out as soon as his shift finished in a few minutes. When he turned to go back inside, Kieran stared at his neat little butt, remembering that that was the first vision of him, which had attracted his attention. He noticed too that he was licking his lips, a sure sign of his sexual arousal.
Orlando was as good as his word for it was only a minute past the hour when he emerged once more, in Domino's uniform of white shirt and black trousers minus apron, a single red rose, wrapped, in one hand and carrying a backpack in the other. He kissed Kieran on the cheek and gave him the rose. Roses of whatever colour had not been mentioned in the article on the first date in GY mag. He obviously still had a lot to learn, although he did know the significance a red rose held in matters romantic.
"I'm sorry, Kieran, for keeping you waiting and for not being able to get changed first."
"I think I rather like you as you are, as you were when I first saw you." Kieran held Orlando's hand aloft and he gave him a twirl. He could not keep his eyes off Orlando's tight black trousers and his butt was only a promise of something even more attractive in the front of his trousers.
"So what are we going to do?" asked Orlando.
"As we said, let's get something to eat and then back to my place. By the way, my uncle's stopping over for the weekend."
"A chaperone, eh? In case I get my wicked way?" Orlando smiled and his eyes sparkled.
"No, it's all right. He's entertaining a friend. He won't bother us and I'm sure you'll get your wicked way. Let's put it this way. I'll be terribly disappointed if you don't."
"I think you'd better let me put that rose in a side pocket on my backpack or we might gain some unwanted attention." All secured, Orlando slipped his arms through the straps and hoisted the pack onto his back. As they walked along the road they both talked animatedly as if there were no one else in the world. Occasionally their hands would knock together. That became a game and they would catch each other's hand by their little fingers, and as the game progressed the little fingers held on, a little longer each time, until their bliss was rudely interrupted with a shout from behind.
"Hey, Williams, I see you've got a new fudge-packing boyfriend." Kieran made the mistake of looking behind and saw a known homophobe dressed in St Sergius school uniform. As the lout was by himself, Kieran flipped him the finger and shouted
"Piss off, Carter," and then simply ignored him. Yet another reason for not going back there next term.
"What was that all about?" asked Orlando.
Kieran explained that it was a boy from his school and how he'd been excluded until the end of term for an ill-timed grope, and that the whole ethos from the Headmaster downwards was so anti-gay.
He couldn't mention anything about it, but Kieran was pleased that Orlando had been unable to change at work for among the aromas of pizza and tomato purée Orlando's pheromones came through good and strong, definitely turning him on. Here was a boy he'd met once before while he was having a meal. Obviously something had reacted in Orlando for him to make such an overt advance as to give him, a stranger, his mobile number, and the reaction had been mutual for him to take it up. And here they were, talking as if they had been buddies for years and thoroughly enjoying each other's company. They arrived at Burger Star.
Orlando put his backpack on a chair and sat down beside it while Kieran went and placed their orders. He came back and took the seat opposite Orlando. They sat there with their elbows on the table, their chins cupped in their hands, staring into each other's eyes, more moody adolescents than young men in their upper teens. They were matched for height, but their hairstyles were opposites. Orlando's hair was deliberately ruffled, the colour indeterminate for it could have been fair with dark highlights, or dark with light ones. The one thing which captivated Kieran was that Orlando's eyes were always smiling even when his lips weren't and this is what illuminated Kieran's soul. The boys were snatched out of their reverie by one of the burger boys shouting out that their order was ready. They went up to the counter to fetch their burgers and they added generously from the wide selection of relishes for which Burger Star was famous.
Eating snapped them out of the spell of adolescent moodiness to which they had succumbed and returned their status, if but temporarily, to that of thinking young men. Eating was one of the great passions which they had not learnt to combine with the other great passion of love. Multitasking was out of the question.
"So, Orlando, why did you give me your mobile number?"
"Do you want the long or the short answer?"
"Both. Short one first."
"I fancied you."
"Hmm, I suppose I should have worked that out for myself. How did you know I'd be interested?"
"Oh, come along, Kieran. Brain in gear." They were talking to one another as if the were old familiars who had known each other for years. "First, if you hadn't been interested, you'd have thrown my card away or torn it up and so nothing would have happened. However, I knew that might well not be the case. I heard the conversation you and your uncle were having. It's what waiters do to stave away the boredom. And then there's gaydar."
"Oh, gaydar. Eric was going to explain that to me, but didn't get round to doing it."
"It's not proved scientifically, but it's a gift some of us have to recognise gayboys when we meet them. It's not foolproof, either, but by and large it works for me. I don't find it works on women and it can easily be confused by bisexuals. I knew that you and your uncle were giving me the run around, but I was happy to play up to it because it meant spending time lusting over you. Then the big give away at the end was the large tip. We don't give chocolates to every customer, only the ones we like. I had nothing to lose by giving you my number and perhaps something to gain. Now tell me your side of the story."
"I told you about getting excluded for groping. Eric is my guardian while my parents are away and so he was summoned into school to take me home. Because of what happened I came out to him in the car and we had to have lunch and so coming to Domino's was a sort of celebration. We were discussing how I was to tell my parents and how he came out. I said to him that if I'm gay, I want to be gay properly and I suggested he gave me an apprenticeship in how to do it right. So he's given me a crash course. I decided I needed a boyfriend and when I saw your number on the back of the card, I thought it was worth giving it a go. Nothing to lose, except that you were a complete stranger and we might not get on. So I phoned you and here we are and we'll see what happens."
"Seems to me to be love at first sight." Orlando whispered "But I have never had a boyfriend before and so there are things you'll have to teach me."
"Have you ever kissed a boy?"
"Only once and he had a brace on his teeth and it was bit painful. Have you ever jerked a boy off?" asked Orlando.
"Yes. That's what I was going to do when I got caught at school. Have you ever sucked a boy?"
"No," said Orlando.
"I have. It's fun."
"And I'm a bottom virgin."
"So am I," said Kieran. "The only advice Uncle Eric really gave me is never to shag on a first date."
"Why's that?"
"Because all some men want is a quick in and out and they'll dump you afterwards. He also said there's a technique to it or it will hurt and you can get injured internally, which could be a bit embarrassing when you turn up in A & E."
The boys had finished their kingsize whoppers.
"What shall we do now?" asked Orlando.
"Eat an ice cream and then head back to my place." Orlando ordered and they got two huge ice cream sundaes, complete with butterscotch sauce, whipped cream and crushed nuts.
They decided to wend their way back to Kieran's house. It was already getting dark and the people about seemed to be making their way into town to start their weekend off with a drink with friends in a pub or a club. The boys were more circumspect in their behaviour now. As it grew darker there was greater danger of getting beaten up if they met the wrong kind of person and they could wait a few minutes longer until they reached the privacy and safety of Kieran's house. Or could they? Orlando looked around and as there was nobody about he pulled Kieran into an alley with high walls either side, pushed him against the wall and stuck his tongue straight into Kieran's mouth.
"I've been wanting to do that all evening." Kieran wasn't going to let him get away with that. He locked on for a second kiss, wriggled his hand in between them, unzipped Orlando's trousers and slid his hand inside. He suddenly broke the kiss.
"OMG, what do you keep in there? A pair of socks and a handkerchief?"
"No," grinned Orlando. "It's all genuine. Socks and handkerchiefs are in my pack."
"I've been wanting to find out ever since you came out of Domino's."
"And so you shall before the night is out. I hope you won't be disappointed." Orlando zipped his trousers up and they carried on walking towards the house as if nothing had happened. And in fact it hadn't really... yet.
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