New Days [Completed]

New Days: One

Max

Things hadn't always been that way. There was a time when I was everything, had everything that anybody could wish for, with friends and a life, but  I couldn't bring myself to believe that any of it had ever existed. You know, like when you return to school from vacation? You get so caught up in school that it doesn't feel like you ever had been to that vacation. 

Except the time that lapsed between either scenario differed greatly - this was literally overnight. 

I'm getting ahead of myself however. I was at 'Things hadn't always been that way.' And though that may not have been my initial chain of thoughts, I realize now that that statement also applies to my orientation. You know how people live their lives 'normally' then one morning discover that they're gay? That's kind of what happened to me.

Except that my realization that I was gay was a relatively slow process. One that began the day we threw Jake Nichols into the swimming pool.

*

"Hey, check it out. Jakey boy has fallen asleep", Ray whispered, his eyes still trained on their friend. 

"Uh...yeah. So?" Max couldn't be blamed for not catching on immediately - Ray had said that statement in a seemingly innocent manner, and any onlooker would not believe that he'd even been suggesting a prank. Shorter and lighter than the rest of his friends, he qualified to be the baby in their group. His huge eyes only added to the effect of making him appear like the stereotypical 'I-don't-do-anything-wrong' high school boy, but whoever said that looks can be deceiving had the right idea.

"So?" he said, mimicking Max's voice with an edge of sarcasm. "Do you need me to spell it out for you? Seriously?"

Oh, so that was what he was trying to hint at.

Brilliant. They crept towards the sun-lounger that Jake had dozed off on, quiet so as not to wake him. Quite conveniently, his lounger was quite close to the pool so by the time he realized that he was being moved, he was in the pool.

Splash!  

"Guys! What the heck was that for?"  It's needless to say that Jake wasn't asleep any longer.

Ray obliged him with an 'mmm.'

"I. Will. Get. You." Jake grumbled, they all knew it was an empty threat. Jake wasn't that kind of boy - although he looked fairly intimidating, tall with black hair, green eyes and a fair complexion, he was generally soft spoken.  

He got out of the pool, obviously. He shook his long hair, trying to get some water out, then lifted his shirt...

Now, it wasn't that I hadn't seen him shirtless before, but something must have struck me. Not that I went all 'God, he's hot!' or anything. Ha, at the time, "Gotcha!" was the thought running in my head. And a smug feeling to go along with...at least consciously.

What my subconscious mind had registered and felt, however, I have no idea, but, following that day, I found myself looking forward to see Jake.

The crush started to grow from there onwards then.

A little wave of excitement would wash over me whenever he called or texted. Whenever our hands brushed I felt an odd tingling. I can be quite a tube light sometimes though, so it took me a while so at the time, I didn't realize that I was falling for my 'bro'.

I did eventually realize it, however. It's when I started finding myself admiring his athletic body that I realized that I was attracted to him. I'd find myself running a few less laps, just so that I could sit aside and watch him run. I'd check him out from the corner of my eye in the locker rooms. I'd find myself smiling when he was around. I'd reserve seats for him at lunch right next to mine, so that I could be near him...like I said, I was falling for him.