Jason and Justin

Chapter 7 Tommy

                                                                                              Billy POV

Tommy's parents had moved into the room and unpacked him pretty quickly.  I was  surprised by how quickly.  It took them around twenty minutes what it would have taken forty five.  But I guess it helped having five people to unpack instead of one.  

After getting him settled his parents then took myself and Oliver out to eat at the local steakhouse. Something that I told them that did not have to do but they insisted.   I went out to eat them and got to know my new roommate and his family.  I found them to be all pretty nice and Tommy seemed like a pretty good kid.

Maybe this was not going to be as bad as I fear. 

After dinner Tommy's father took me aside and asked me to watch out for his son.  Which I said I would do.  I mean it was my job to watch after him as well as the other guys on my hall.  But I guess he wanted to me to pay him a little more extra attention.  Keep him out trouble.  Though he did not seem to be the kind of kid who would get into serious trouble.

Then again there was a reason why they sent him to a boarding at the age of fifteen.   And I doubted it was for the heck of it.

Tommy spent the night with them at a hotel near the campus and then they dropped him off after lunch in what was a tearful goodbye.  As I watched them interact I again questioned why they sent him here instead of keeping him at home until he was eighteen.  They seemed so close and it made no sense for him to be here.

Once his family was gone I decided to take him over to the social palor.  The social palor was a two story white building. The first floor had was divided into the two sections. The lower half which consisted of four dozen clear tables that sat four people each. The tables had plastic chairs which were colored red, blue, green, and yellow. 

The upper section was where the post boxes were that ran along the front wall.  Then there was section where were two ping pong tables, two foosball tables, four sit down video games and a series of vending machines lining the back of the section.  And in the middle of that was  eight smaller tables.

Beyond the recreational section was the campus bookstore which would not open until Monday.

The second floor where the pool tables were was closed as well.

There were only ten people in the social palor when they walked in. One of which was an staff member who was sitting on the lower level ready a book.

I thought how filled this place was going to be come tomorrow when the rest of the students arrive.

We walked over to the vending machines waving at Oliver and Mason who were playing ping pong.  A student I did not recognize who I guessed was a freshman was playing one of the video games.

We walked into the lower where a couple of love birds was sitting at one of the tables. I choose a table a couple of rows away from them.

I opened my can of soda and then asked "Do you want to go off campus for dinner tonight?"

"Actually I'm going to eat over the Meyers tonight." He replied. The Meyers were faculty members at the college.  "I'm friends with their son Ned."

"Oh." I said a bit surprised. "What time?"

"Five thirty." He took a drink of his soda. "Mister Meyers is going to pick me up and then bring me back at eight."

I nodded my head.

"Did you get a pass?"

"Mister Meyers got it for me." He said

"I want you to check in with me as soon as you get back." I told him. "I'll be here."

"Okay." He said without arguement.

I gave him a look of discomfort as I said "I guess we should discuss the rules."

He shifted in his seat. "Okay."

"When you get out of school each day I want you to come straight to the dorm." I said.

"May I stop here first for something to eat or drink?" He asked. "To check my mail?"

"That would be fine." I said. "But I want you in the room right at three."  School let's our a two thirty for the high schoolers. It takes about ten minutes to walk from the school to the campus so that should give him enough time to stop here and be in the room on time. "You will start your homework when you get back. Once your homework is done your free to do what you want."

"Sounds reasonable." Tommy said.

"Also if you leave campus I want to know the junior or senior you are going off with." High schoolers are not allowed to go campus unless they are in the company of a junior or senior student. The exceptions being staff and faculty members of course. "If it is someone I don't trust or I feel is responsible you are not going."

"Okay."  He said as he looked away.

"Also I expect you to be on your best behavior in school and in the dorm." I said in a voice that sounded a lot like my own father's. "I don't want to send you to Dean Spratt for a paddling but if I have to I will."

"I'll be good." He said with a small gulp.

"I'm sorry to be so heavy handed with you but both your parents and the college made you my responsibility and that is a responsibility I intend to take seriously."

"I understand." He said. "And I don't think you are being heavy handed."

"You don't." I said surprised. I can't help but feel that I am.

"No." Tommy shook his head. "You are just looking out for me and I appreciate."

I blinked in surprise. Is this kid for real? He is acting more mature than most of the college students.

"Why are you here?" I asked.

He gave me a confused look. "Because you asked me to go to the social palor with you."

"No, not the social palor." I said. "Why are you here, enrolled at the school instead of being with your family?" I saw his face twitch at the question. "You seem like a good kid, you really and I can't figure out for the life of me why you are here."

"Because my parents felt putting me in a regular school was what was best for me." He answered. "They did the same with my sister though they waited until her senior year to send her here."

"But they sent you your sophomore year." I said feeling sorry for the poor kid.

"Yeah." His voice betrayed no emotion as spoke.  He just stares at him blankly as he said. "I guess they had a good reason."

"I'm sure they did." I said though I could not possibly imagine what it was. Why send your son away who is basically a good kid away so much earlier than you did your daughter.

Tommy mind seemed to drift. Probably asking himself the same questions I was. His neutral expression began to melt and his cheek began to twitch.

Crap I upset him I thought. I chided myself for my stupidity. I need to distract him. To get his mind off of his parents.

"Come on." I said as I stood up. "Let's go join Oliver and Mason for a game."

"Okay." He said and slowly got up. I placed my hand on his back as we walked to the upper floor.

A few hours later we returned to the dorm. Fortunately Tommy's spirits had improved.

"So Jason and Justin will be here tomorrow."

"Yes." I replied.

"You think they are good guys?"

"I'm not sure." I said. "I hope so."

"When do you think they will arrive?'

"Probably in the afternoon." Like the majority of students.

I opened the door and blinked at what I saw.  Justin and Jason were not arriving tomorrow they were already here. And one of them who I assumed was Justin was facing the wall with his hands on top of his head.

What is going on here I thought as the other one approached me with his hand stuck out.