Strong Enough
by Nico Grey
XIX
Caleb woke to a familiar sensation. It was still dark outside the window. He managed to remember that he was sleeping in Tyler's bed and seemed to recall that he hadn't been wearing any underwear when he fell asleep. He tried to clear his head enough to avoid making a mess all over Tyler's bedding.
It was typical of Caleb first thing in the morning that he simply couldn't think coherently. He understood that he was about to combust. He knew why. But he just couldn't stop himself.
He was trying to use both hands to halt— or at least contain— the explosion. But despite his best efforts, be couldn't penetrate the curtain of hair between his hands and the live grenade that was about to go off.
'When did I grow this much hair?' he wondered.
The pressure to explode was becoming too much for Caleb to resist. It was calling to him. Warm, wet, seductive, irresistible. Caleb couldn't hold himself back any longer.
'Tyler is going to kill me!' he thought ruefully.
Caleb was trying to figure out how he could remove the bedding without waking Tyler when he realized that he couldn't see Tyler. But he could hear him choking. Spluttering wheezes and gasps were coming from somewhere within the bedding. The comforter began to stir.
Caleb was startled when Tyler's face suddenly appeared in front of his own. Tyler was still struggling to bring his breathing under control, but he had a self-satisfied smile on his lips.
"What did I just do?" Caleb asked
"It seemed like you were enjoying yourself," Tyler smirked.
"What did you just do?" Caleb asked suspiciously. He was finally beginning to wake up.
"What I wanted to do last night," Tyler told him. "But we were having a moment. I put it off until this morning so we could have another moment now."
"Oh." The pieces were gradually starting to fall into place. "Oh! My god, Tyler! I thought I was having a dream!"
"Was it a good dream?" Tyler chuckled.
"It sure felt that way!" Caleb thought that the parts he could remember were spectacular. "Uh, how was it for you?"
Tyler took a moment to consider.
"I think it may be an acquired taste," he decided. "It will definitely get better with practice. But I loved the way you were thrashing around! I was pretty sure that you were having a good time."
" Yeah. The best!" Caleb sighed and lay back to experience the sensations again. "I guess it's always going to feel good. But the first time you. . . Man! That really was spectacular!"
Caleb drew Tyler closer and relaxed. He took a few minutes to try to absorb Tyler into himself. That may have been the best feeling of all.
"Uh, Tyler?" he wondered. "Is it my turn now?"
Tyler grinned shyly.
"If you want."
Caleb had been thinking for a while about this first experience with Tyler. He had even done some research.
He planned to be subtle. He intended to carefully orchestrate an escalation of sensations that would leave Tyler pleading for release.
Instead, when Caleb was done, he realized that as soon as he dove under the bedding he had probably latched on to Tyler like a starving calf to its mother's teat and tried to vacuum him dry. He hadn't really noted the passing time, but he was pretty sure that Tyler had finished in less than two minutes.
Contemplating the experience, Caleb still found the outcome extremely satisfying. He understood what Tyler meant about enjoying the effect he had on his partner. It really was incredibly gratifying to know that he could make Tyler feel so good.
Caleb was also quietly pleased with Tyler's production. The volume was definitely noticeable. And as Caleb gently cleaned him up afterward, he was quite certain that Tyler was bigger than he had been just a month ago. Nuzzling around the base of his shaft, he could even feel some fine hairs starting there.
Caleb was perfectly happy with Tyler exactly as he was. But he understood that the physical progress would come as a huge relief to his friend. That just added to his sense of satisfaction when he lay back beside Tyler on the pillow to share the moment with him.
Caleb was anxious when he arrived at school Monday morning.
After receiving threatening messages Saturday evening, he wasn't at all surprised to receive several more on Sunday. And while he was reasonably confident that he could handle any abuse at school— he had survived almost two years in Keene— he worried about how it might affect Tyler and Abby to be associated with him.
Sunday evening, Caleb and his mother had met with Jonathan West. The lawyer had suggested that Caleb allow his phone to be examined by a tech expert that he knew. Jonathan was confident that his expert could figure out who was harassing Caleb and they could plan their response from there.
Nicole had been anxious about leaving Caleb without a phone until she could purchase a replacement for him. But it did make sense to investigate his stalkers. One benefit would be changing Caleb's number with the new phone. That would prevent more harassment. And Caleb did only have a handful of people with whom to share his new number.
When Caleb provided the names of his few contacts, he was surprised that his attorney suggested that he not share his new telephone number with the school. Jonathan had been quite interested to learn that the school was the only place, outside of two friends and immediate family, where his old number had been known. Caleb was tempted to ask why he shouldn't give the school his contact information, but he already suspected that he knew the reason.
Before they concluded their meeting, Mr. West had Nicole sign a letter appointing him to act as Caleb's attorney. He promised that he would call the school and the school district on Monday morning to make them aware of the possible threats against Caleb and to insist that the school take appropriate action to ensure his safety while he was on their premises.
Caleb just wished that Mr. West had been able to do something to prevent people from harassing his friends.
Caleb was wary when he joined Tyler and Abby for lunch. The morning announcements had included a heavy-handed reminder about the school's harassment policy. Any lewd, threatening, or obscene messages sent to other students, or posted on school social media, were grounds for immediate disciplinary action; possibly including expulsion from school.
That had dampened the mood around the building even more than Monday usually did. Aside from a few menacing glares, Caleb had been left alone all morning by everyone.
The mood in the lunch room was mixed. There were a few obvious pockets of hostility, Lexxi's crew among them. Many people appeared indifferent. But there were a number of what Caleb took to be sympathetic glances. That was encouraging.
Nothing happened during lunch; or at least there was no blatant harassment. There was some excitement at their table when Abby discovered that Tyler had invited Caleb to the Valentine's Day dance.
She feigned offense that Caleb had accepted Tyler's invitation after he and Tyler had scoffed at her plans. But Caleb knew that she was secretly delighted. He just hoped that she wasn't too delighted.
To distract her, he and Tyler redoubled their efforts to find a Valentine date for her. It seemed that she had probably blown her chances with Van Cross, but there had to be any number of dateless guys that were up to her standards. They just couldn't seem to find anyone.
Every name, or even nameless face, that Caleb or Tyler suggested as they scanned the cafeteria was shot down by Abby. In desperation, Caleb threatened to spend some time hanging around the middle school, searching for her Prince Charming. Instead of triggering the argument he had anticipated, Abby just looked thoughtful.
When Caleb returned home from jiu-jitsu Tuesday evening, his mother had some good news for him.
First, she presented him with a new telephone. Caleb felt rather guilty that his mother had to spend her free time on him, and money that could have been useful elsewhere, but it was a nice phone.
Nicole also informed him that Abby's father had called. Apparently, several additional calls and texts had come in to his old phone while his tech expert was working on it. Jonathan had already prepared letters for those callers— and for their parents— warning that harassing and threatening calls could lead to civil action or even criminal consequences.
Caleb's anonymous texter hadn't been very difficult to track down either. He wasn't particularly clever. Since he had sent illegal videos to Caleb, and no doubt still possessed them, Mr. West wanted to know whether Caleb also wanted to send a warning letter to Van Cross, or if he preferred to turn the case over to the police.
Nicole was fully in favor of calling the police immediately. Caleb didn't really want a big legal case that would cause the situation to drag out, or possibly spiral out of control. He asked Jonathan if he could send Van a warning letter without frightening him so much that he completely covered his tracks.
Caleb suspected that Van had been involved somehow with the re-appearance of his old solicitation video on the Silver River social media network. After hearing Caleb out, Jonathan offered a suggestion.
The threat of a civil action might prove enough to make Van cooperative. It would be tricky, since the evidence in question could be used in criminal proceedings. But a reminder that pending legal action required Van to preserve relevant evidence, might prove enough to loosen his tongue about how he discovered the video in the first place. Mr. West had a few suspicions of his own that he thought might be borne out if Van proved cooperative.
Jonathan knew Van's father. He knew the attorney Van's father was likely to hire to defend his son in a civil proceeding. He was pretty sure that both would be willing to 'play ball', as he put it, if Caleb was willing to reward Van for cooperating.
It was just a matter of drafting an intention to file a civil action, serving Van with a letter regarding that intention and reminding him of his obligation to preserve all evidence, and then waiting for time and cooler heads to deliver the cooperation that Caleb desired.
Caleb was willing to pursue that course of action. Nicole was persuaded to give it a try. Jonathan promised that the letter would be in the mail the following day. And Caleb headed for a well-deserved shower. Tyler hadn't gone easy on him during their jiu-jitsu training.
Lunch on Wednesday was little different from lunch on Monday and Tuesday. Caleb sensed a handful of hostile glares around the room that were focused on him and his table. There were no new scandals to distract his haters. Most of the room appeared indifferent. Abby was still ecstatic that "her boys" would be going to the Valentine's Day dance together.
Caleb wasn't sure what he thought about going to the dance. But the idea of going to the dance with Tyler still sent little shivers of excitement up and down his spine. It was their first 'couple' event. It was the first 'couple' thing Caleb had ever done. And he was doing it with Tyler.
But that didn't stop him from worrying about how people might treat Tyler if he appeared in public with the school's gay pariah. And it didn't stop him from wondering whether Tyler's offer had been impulsive, or if he was really ready for such a big step in their relationship.
"Aren't you worried about how people will react?" he tried to sound Tyler out.
Tyler was indifferent.
"I'm grateful that you want to go with me," Caleb assured Tyler. "But you really don't have to do this for me."
"This isn't for you," Tyler explained. "This is for me. I want everyone at this school to see me with you. If they can respect that, good! Maybe I'll even change my opinion about them. If they don't, attending the dance with you will be a great big 'I don't care what you think' delivered directly to every single one of them!"
He snapped his fingers for emphasis.
"Oh my god, Tyler!" Abby chortled. "How did you ever get so gay?!"
Tyler wasn't fazed.
"I don't know," he said. "It must be the guy I'm dating."
He turned to speak to Caleb directly.
"I've had months to think about what I feel for you and why I feel that way. I've found myself doing things I thought I'd never do," he glanced at Abby out of the corner of his eye and blushed, "but I only did them because I really wanted to do them with you. Now I really want to go to this Valentine's Day dance with you. I want to go with you because I love you."
Caleb found it hard to see clearly for a while. He found it even harder to prevent himself from reaching out and taking Tyler's hand right in the middle of the cafeteria. Even Abby's seemed touched by Tyler's declaration.
Caleb was still enjoying the emotional afterglow when a five dollar bill dropped on the table next to his lunch tray.
"So you do it for money?" a familiar voice observed contemptuously.
Caleb heard the excited titter start to run through her audience.
"Well, you're nothing I'd pay for. But for your little friend?" Lexxi gestured dismissively toward Tyler. "Because I'm in a charitable mood, why don't you do it with him? It's on me. And it's the only way he's ever going to have sex with anyone!"
Her self-satisfied sneer deflated immediately when Tyler burst out laughing.
Caleb eyed her with exaggerated pity.
"Here's something you'll never understand. Tyler's a great friend. He's the best person I know. If he ever wanted that from me, I'd never even think about taking money. I'd do it because it would be a privilege to share something that personal with such a good person."
He picked up the banknote and flipped it back in Lexxi's direction.
"Go buy yourself some fresh batteries. It still isn't going to love you. But maybe you'll get a little bit of what it can feel like when two human beings actually love each other."
Caleb turned away from Lexxi without another glance. But he did enjoy the sound of the air deflating from her backup singers.
"I couldn't believe it!" Abby cackled. "When I started working on Tyler months ago, I hoped that maybe I could help turn him into your Prince Charming. But I never expected that he'd be so fierce! He was all Prince Valiant over you at lunch today!"
Caleb sighed.
"I just hope he doesn't get hurt," he worried.
"You'd better not!" Abby warned. "I didn't go to all this trouble for you to let him down."
"Not me!" Caleb defended himself. "I'll never hurt him. But I worry that he'll change his mind and regret that he ever had sex with another guy."
He spoke over Abby's triumphant eruption at the other end of the telephone.
"And I really worry about what people might say and do to him because of me. I doubt anyone will ever forget that I'm Silver River's gay whore."
"Caleb," Abby's eruption was forgotten and her tone oozed sympathy, "you're not a prostitute. Some people talked you into doing something stupid once. It isn't who you are. People will figure that out as they get to know you.
"And Tyler will never regret being with you. I've been talking to him, too," she reminded him. "He regrets nothing. In fact, and this isn't easy for me to say, but I think that you've been better for him than even I would have been."
Caleb took a few seconds to bask cautiously in Abby's approval.
"So you're feeling pretty good about yourself," Caleb decided to strike a neutral tone.
"More than good," Abby said. "I think I've found a career path. I had been planning to become a lawyer, like my father. But lately I've been thinking instead about a career as a relationship counselor for gay teens. It's satisfying work. And it does have its fringe benefits," she chortled.
"Abby!" Caleb turned scarlet despite being alone in his room, "I hope you know that some of your unorthodox therapeutic techniques could be illegal if you try them professionally."
" Only if I introduce them as part of therapy," she countered. "But if I can find clients who are as exhibitionistic as you and Tyler. . ."
"We're really not exhibitionists, Abby," Caleb explained patiently. "But I know you're, maybe, a tactile sort of therapist. It's my way of thanking you for everything you've done for me.
"It freaked Tyler out at first. But I guess that he just decided to go along with the program, after a while. I know he appreciates what you've done for us, too."
"It has been good for you guys," Abby assured him. She was having difficulty containing herself. "Opening up in ways that you find challenging only makes you stronger in the end. Each little step you took with me, made it easier for you to take steps with each other. And the confidence you developed is making it easier for you to stand up against the people that envy you.
"You know? I really am pretty good at this therapist thing," she concluded.
Caleb had to laugh. In its own weird Abby way, her explanation did make a kind of sense.
"So now that you've helped us build our relationship, what's next for you?" he asked.
"Next? Oh, we're definitely not done," Abby insisted. "I'll expect to see you both for our regular appointment on Saturday. Down the road?" she pondered. "I'll expect an invitation to your wedding.
"After that? Well, I have some more ideas."
She was silent for a while.
Caleb waited her out. It felt safer than saying anything.
" You know, whether I become a lawyer or a therapist, I'm starting to realize that I'll probably be too busy to marry and raise a family. Professional women have to make sacrifices for their careers. But I think I'd still like to have children. And two gay guys aren't going to have much success making babies on their own. . ."
"Abby!" Caleb was used to being surprised by Abby's unconventional views. But this suggestion was shocking!
" Hey! This is your fault!" she challenged. "I didn't even think about the possibility. . . well, not really. . . until you suggested that I get naked with you and your boy toy last Saturday. So if anyone is to blame for the idea. . ."
"Can we wait until we graduate high school, maybe even until after the wedding, to mention this again?" he pleaded.
"If you insist," Abby agreed. "But you know I'll be thinking about it. You will, too. And so will Tyler."
"Hey!" it sounded like a sudden inspiration, "Maybe we could practice at your Saturday therapy session."
Caleb almost dropped the phone. But he could hear her silent, raucous laughter across the distance between them.
"What doesn't kill me only makes me stronger?" he suggested.
"And more eager. Hornier, too," she snickered.
"So I guess the only thing we have left to do before Friday is find you a date," Caleb understood that he wouldn't get the better of the exchange. The conversation needed a new direction.
"You don't have to worry about me," Abby informed him smugly, "I already have a date."
"Tyler and I are taken," Caleb cut in quickly to remind her.
"I'm all too aware of that," she sighed dramatically. "Fortunately, there was another very eligible young man both eager and available.
'Oh, this I have got to see!' Caleb snickered to himself.
Nicole's initial reaction to the news that Caleb and Tyler would be attending the Valentine's Day dance at the high school had been concern for them. It felt like a situation that would inspire bullies, especially after Caleb had just been outed so dramatically at school.
But as the date drew closer, she became more excited on her son's behalf. She insisted on driving Caleb and Tyler into Brattleboro after she got home from work on Thursday, to make sure they both had something decent to wear to the dance.
"Outfits? Since when do guys wear 'outfits'?" Caleb grumbled to Tyler, in the back seat of his mother's Subaru.
Tyler shrugged. The concept of clothing as something that did more than keep him warm and decent was completely new to him.
Caleb was grateful, at least, that Abby hadn't managed to invite herself along on the excursion. She had tried. But she and her mother had already made plans for the evening. They were busy looking for something perfect for her to wear on her own date.
At least shopping in Keene was an option for the Wests. There were many places in that community to shop for teen clothing. But Nicole had decided that there was no need to risk a negative encounter by travelling to Keene. It was quite possible that they could run into some of Caleb's old classmates there; perhaps even his father. She didn't want to put Caleb and Tyler though anything that unpleasant.
At the end of the evening, Caleb was relieved. They had managed to find clothing that appealed to both of them. It satisfied his mother's sense of what 'first big date' attire should look like. And it might even be wearable either to school or for other special events. His mother, fortunately, was a sensible shopper.
Nicole treated her boys to dinner at the 99 Restaurant. It wasn't the fanciest place in Brattleboro. But it still was a special occasion for Caleb. He had the sense that it was completely outside of Tyler's experience, his mother being of exceptionally practical bent.
"What are your plans for the weekend?" Nicole asked as they followed Route 42 back north toward Judah and Antioch.
"We thought we would go to Tyler's house after school tomorrow," Caleb tested the water. "It's easier for us to go straight to the dance from there."
"My mom will pick us up after the dance," Tyler explained. "She's already planning for Caleb to spend the night. Then we'll go skiing in the morning.
"I think Abby expects us to stop by after lunch," he added, apologetically, to Caleb. "She keeps mentioning it every time I talk to her."
Caleb grimaced. But the expression in Tyler's eyes told him that it would be okay.
"We'll be home before five," Caleb picked up the narrative. "Will you have everything ready by six?"
"Yes, master!" Nicole assured him. "I've been over your instructions three times already. Everything will be done as you command.
"Valentine's Day dinner for two," she confided to Tyler. "I think he's planning to seduce you."
"Mom!!!" Caleb shrieked. "I'm not going to seduce Tyler!"
"But if he does," Tyler assured her cheekily, "I won't mind."
Nicole's eyebrows shot up and she turned halfway around in her seat. But she managed to keep the car on the road.
It had been a late night for Caleb. They stopped first at his home to pick up his skiing gear and overnight bag. Then they dropped everything off, along with Tyler, at the Neeson residence, before returning to Judah for the night.
When he rolled out of bed in the morning, an attack of butterflies almost drove Caleb back under the bedding. It was finally dawning on him that the day ahead would be a big one!
Caleb didn't have any concerns about Tyler and how he would react to the day. But he was still anxious that everything go perfectly.
He was more concerned about the reactions of his fellow students and school staff when he and Tyler showed up at the dance together.
He also felt a faint concern about the wild card that Abby could play in the weekend. The dance that night was only the first half of the Valentine's Day weekend that awaited him.
Abby joined him as soon as the bus stopped for her. She was quivering with excitement. Caleb's anxiety began to spike.
At the next bus stop they were joined by a semi-familiar face. Caleb was pretty sure that the kid had been riding the bus with them all year.
"This is Alex!" Abby introduced the new arrival to Caleb. "Our families are friends. He's been asking to meet you."
Caleb couldn't imagine why the kid wanted to meet him. Abby's excitement level made him automatically suspicious. But Caleb was polite.
Alex shyly informed him that he was an eighth grader. Caleb decided that was the reason why he couldn't remember seeing him around school.
That explanation fit the kid. He looked to be about thirteen or fourteen. Perhaps a bit tall for his age, and gangly like he was just coming into his growth. His dark hair was worn a little long and sloppy. Wire-rimmed glasses framed dark eyes. He was pleasant, perhaps intelligent, and otherwise mostly unremarkable.
Caleb tried to question Abby with a raised eyebrow while Alex was distracted, but she gave nothing away. She was bubbling with excitement; looking forward to the dance and to the weekend. Caleb felt his growing excitement, too. But now he was concerned about unanswered questions.
Caleb felt added tension in the air when he entered the school lobby. Some of it, he was sure, was simply the end of the school week and an exciting social event scheduled for the evening. But some of it felt personal, too— and not in a good way.
He didn't have to look far to identify at least some of the personal animosity. He could feel the intensity of the glare burning into the side of his head.
The vice principal, Regan Callahan, was stationed in the lobby. That triggered Caleb's defenses automatically. He could only recall seeing the man in the lobby at the start of the day on two previous occasions. Callahan was usually busy in his office.
The vice principal's inspection of him felt threatening. Caleb ran through a quick inventory in his mind, trying to identify any reason he might be in trouble.
When he couldn't recall any possible misdeeds, he became irritated. Rather than allow himself to be intimidated, he turned to lock gazes with Callahan directly. He was surprised when the man turned away from the confrontation.
As he followed Abby to the school cafeteria, Caleb replayed the silent confrontation in his mind. Callahan had clearly been angry. He had attempted to intimidate Caleb. But when confronted, he had appeared to become anxious and had backed down.
Caleb didn't know what was going on, but his curiosity was piqued.
Caleb huddled with Tyler and Abby over lunch. Both Tyler and Abby shared Caleb's concerns about the evening, but neither had seen any evidence that suggested likely conflicts.
Abby pointed out that there had been no sign of Benjer or Van around school all week. Lexxi and her crowd were still present and still scheming. But there was no clear indication that she intended to target Caleb or his friends.
"She should know better than to keep trying," Tyler contributed. "Every time she makes trouble for us, Caleb smacks her down hard. Does she think it's ever going to end differently for her?"
"Probably," Abby shrugged. "She's Lexxi. She's entitled. She hates you guys for the way you've embarrassed her. She'll keep looking to get even. But more than that, she still wants both of you. She wants you bad!"
Caleb was confused. Abby made a universal gesture and his eyes shot wide open!
"What did I ever do to deserve her attention?" Caleb moaned. He pointed at Tyler. "This is all your fault! You and your hot little heinie!"
Surprisingly, Tyler grinned. But it was an anxious grin.
Authors deserve your feedback. It's the only payment they get. If you go to the top of the page you will find the author's name. Click that and you can email the author easily.* Please take a few moments, if you liked the story, to say so.
[For those who use webmail, or whose regular email client opens when they want to use webmail instead: Please right click the author's name. A menu will open in which you can copy the email address (it goes directly to your clipboard without having the courtesy of mentioning that to you) to paste into your webmail system (Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo etc). Each browser is subtly different, each Webmail system is different, or we'd give fuller instructions here. We trust you to know how to use your own system. Note: If the email address pastes or arrives with %40 in the middle, replace that weird set of characters with an @ sign.]
* Some browsers may require a right click instead
