Lawn Boy

Rebecca came home from her date with Jamie with a glow on her face. I was in the living room watching television. Jack and Ashley were in their rooms, minding their own business as usual. Rebecca sat next to me and smiled brightly. I wanted to puke.
“Oh my God, this boy is so great, Max. Not to mention that he’s gorgeous.”
She got that right.
“I guess the date went well,” I said still paying attention to the television, flipping the channels.
“He took me to dinner,” she said. “Then we went walking in the promenade. He bought me this bracelet.” She held up her wrist, revealing a woven leather bracelet with a bead on the top that had the letter R.
“Nice,” I said.
“Are you okay? Are you still depressed about those two guys?
“Yeah,” I said. “I just don’t know what to do.”
“Just pick one, Max. You can’t date both of them. That’s wrong.”
“I know,” I said.
“I personally really like Asher. He seems like the right guy for you.”
“You’ve never even formally met him.”
“I know, but when I saw him that one day, he was really cute and he seemed kind of quiet. He’s like your perfect match or something.”
I smiled. “I like that he’s quiet, too.”
“See,” she said. “Now that that’s solved, you should go to bed. You have to go to school tomorrow.”
“You’re right,” I said. “It’s getting late.”
I gave Rebecca the remote to the television, got up, and walked upstairs. I changed and got into bed. The last image I saw before I fell asleep was Asher face, smiling at me.

• • •

I drove myself, and my brother and sister to school as I normally do the next morning. As per usual, the three of separated once we got into the school. Shane walked up to me before I could reach the table.
“Ash told me,” he said.
“He did?”
“Yeah…How come you never told me you were gay?”
“Because I’ve never told anyone,” I said.
“Well, I guess the real surprise is Asher. He’s been like a best friend to me.”
“Don’t tell anyone, Shane, please—if not for me, then for Asher.”
“I’m not gonna tell anyone, Max. But I don’t see why it’s such a big deal.”
“It’s not a big deal to me. It’s a big deal to Asher. He’s still hasn’t come to terms with the way he feels.”
“Okay, okay, I get the picture,” said Shane. “I won’t say anything.”
“Thank you,” I said.
He looked around, looking like he wanted to say something.
“What?” I asked.
“So…are you two together?”
“I don’t know,” I said. “It’s a very confusing time in our relationship. We like each other, but nothing has been set in stone or anything. I’ve just been helping him cope with his feelings.”
“Well, he’s my best friend.”
“Really?”
“Yeah,” said Shane. “I would like to be the one he turns to for help. But I’m glad that he has you and I’m glad that you’ve been helping him.”
“I really like him,” I said.
“This is weird,” he said.
“I thought you said you were cool.”
“No I mean my best friend and my cousin together.”
“I told you that we’re not together.”
“Not yet anyway,” he said. I smiled. “Aw,” he cooed. “You really like him.”
“Yeah, he’s really cool.”
“Let’s go. I don’t want to keep you from the object of your affection,” said Shane.
I smiled and shook my head. We walked over to the group that, in Brenda’s absence for the past few days, didn’t seem to miss her at all. In fact, they seemed to be an even tighter group than before. And I’m happy to say that I’m becoming more and more of a part of this group as time goes on. I’ve never been a part of a group before. I’ve always just kind of kept to myself and liked it that way. But now that I am a part of one, I don’t think I want to go back to the way it was before.
I sat next to Asher and he gave me a look. It was that look. You know that look that someone gives you. It’s not a smile, but not just a plain look either. His blue eyes sparkled at me and I could feel my face warm up and I knew I was blushing. I put my head down so no one would see. But I felt all of their eyes on me, and when I looked up, they were on me.
“Is it just me, or did you two just have a moment?” asked Lupe, brushing her dark hair out of her face.
“What?” I asked looking at Asher and then back at Lupe.
“You and Asher just totally have a moment. Is there something going on between you two?” She asked.
“Yeah,” said Kelly. “You’re right, Lupe. They totally did have a moment. Train even blushed.”
“I didn’t see anything,” said Shane.
“I did,” said Peter.
At first, Asher’s face was kind of scared, but then he took a deep breath and I knew what he was gonna do. I was okay with it. I just was hoping that Asher wasn’t going to do anything before he was ready. I was crossing my fingers for him.
“Okay,” said Asher. “I like Max, a lot. I just hope that he likes me back.”
I blushed again.
“Well, Train blushed again,” said Kelly. “That means yes.”
“Why’ve you guys been keeping this a secret?” asked Peter.
“Yeah, we’re totally cool with it,” said Lupe.
“I’m just not ready for everyone in the school to know,” said Asher. “I know you guys aren’t just anyone, but I still couldn’t take the chance.”
“We won’t tell anyone Ash,” said Peter. “Right Kelly?”
Kelly has one of the biggest mouths in the whole school, or so I’m told. I haven’t really seen anything to that extent.
“Hey, I can keep a secret.”
“Right, like that time I told you that I thought I was ready to have sex with Brian and suddenly I was being interrogated by my parents about him,” said Lupe.
“Or the time that I told you about the great weed that I bought and suddenly I was being approached by everyone in the school, being asked for weed,” said Peter.
“Okay, I promise that this time will be different,” said Kelly.
The rest of the gang didn’t really seem like they trusted her, but I had no reason not to. Peter and Lupe sure had reasons, but of course, all of that is according to them. I trust them. I just won’t believe it until I have the facts right in front of me, or Kelly tell me herself that she’s the one that blabbed those two times. Anyway, I was glad to be out to them. Now I could be myself around someone other than Rebecca.
“Thanks you guys, really,” said Asher.
I was glad to see Asher happy around his friends for once. Mostly he’s been down when he’s around his friends because he really couldn’t be himself around them. But now that he can, I can practically see him glowing. I really wanted to just grab him and kiss him.
“Hey,” said Peter. “How about we all go to my house after school? My parents went away for the weekend. We’d have the house to ourselves.”
“Yeah,” exclaimed Lupe.
“Sounds cool,” said Shane.
“I’m in,” said Kelly.
Asher seemed up for it, so I decided I was too. “I’ll just have to drop off my little brother and sister at home. If you give me directions, I’ll meet you guys there.”
“Cool, I’ll write them down and give them to you at lunch,” said Peter.
“This is going to be cool,” said Kelly.
I looked at Asher and he looked at me and we both blushed. He was excited. I could tell by the giant smile on his face. All I wanted to do at that point was grab him and kiss him.