Terry

Four

After Gym class, Richard and I met up with Chris and Casandra in the halls. I was enlightened to see Casandra again. "Hey there, Terry!" Chris greeted, "I got time on my hands, I wanted to how you guys were holding up." "I'm fine" I reassured him. "So am....I" Casandra quietly said as if it was to herself. "Well, that's great to hear." Chris said proudly. He noticed Richard standing next to me. "So, who's the guy creepily hovering around you?" he asked.

Realising that I forgot to introduce Richard, I brought him into our rag-tag qlique. "This is Richard," I started, "He's a short, fair skinned, guy who helped me earlier." "T-t-that's nice to hear." Casandra said softly. "Anything else?" Chris quickly asked. I was hesitant to tell them about his sexuality, in fear that he would be regected. But before I could speak for him, Richard walked forward and spoke for the first time to them. "I also like to workout, read books, wrestle, and other guys." They stood silently, "Yes, I'm gay." Chris and Casandra both gave him a pat on the back, congratulating him for openly admitting it to them.

I was relieved that he was accepted.

We walked down the hallway, chatting about anything that came to our minds, until we heard someone call my name. "Terry! I need to talk to you!" I turned to see one of Damian's friends running towards us. Out of breath, he began telling us some good news. "Damian said he wanted to apologize for his actions," he said, catching his breath, "He said that he's having a party at his place, he wants you to bring your friends too. He said he would like to apologize to you guys in person." He handed us a postcard each with his address and a note saying "Party at my place".

Skeptical, Chris started to worry. "I don't think we should go," he said, it might be a trap." "Yeah," Richard said in agreement, "I've seen enough teen movies to know what's gonna happen. We really shouldn't." Stern as a bull, I dismised their claims on why they shouldnt go. "Come on, guys" I said "Nothing bad will happen there. I promise you guys." After a few minutes bickering back and forth, they finally came to. "I.....w-w-want to.....go with you, T-Terry." Cassandra said softly to me. The warm feeling came back, I didn't know what to say to her. All I could muster up the curage to say was "Okay, I'll meet you near the party."

I went home when school was over to prepare for the party. I put my best outfit: an all black tuxedo I wore at my mom and dads wedding a few years ago. As I got dressed, I thought of my mom again (I also noticed I packed on a few more pounds, as it was was a bit harder to put it on). I ran downstairs to tell my dad and Suzie that I was going to a party. "Be safe!" They yelled at me, "and don't do anything reckless!"

The sun began to set when I left for the party. When I got there, it was getting dim. I stood around looking for Casandra, as people passed by me to get into Damian's house. When I finally found Casandra, I stood there in amazement.

She looked nearly perfect. She had an all white dress on with matching white hight heels on. Her beautiful smile made me turn a little red. Her eyes glistened with the stars. It felt like everything was in slow motion. As if the world stood still. "H-h-hi Terry." she said with a soft voice as usual. She held out her hand, I held it as we walked into the party.

The warm feeling became a hot feeling.

We walked in and found Richard and Chris there too. Richard was hitting on some guy in a corner of the living room, while Chris was playing darts (and losing). Casandra quietly sat next to me, as we both had nothing much to say. I tried to start a conversation, but I got too nervous to say anything. There were people laughing, dancing, and making out left and right througout the whole house. "This l-l-l....looks like fun." Casandra said to me, nervous to socialise with the others too.

A man walked out of nowhere and started to flirt with Casandra. "Hey there, babe." he said, "Why don't you ditch fatso over here and get with a real man. I could show you a great time." He winked at her. She looked away, afraid of him. "N-no thank you." She nervously said. "Come on, babe!" He said persistently. "Dont be like that!" He leaned in and touched her right boob, she slapped his hand away, crying to herself. I got mad. " Piss off , dude!" I said shoving him into a table of soda cups. Everyone laughed at him. "Are you alright?" I asked Casandra. "I'm fine, t-thank....you for helping....me."

I gave her a reassuring hug. I felt warm again.

Damian came downstairs with a plate of cups with orange juice in them. He called all of us to the living room couch, where two people were making out (I felt the same hot feeling again). He shooed them away as he gave us each a cup. "I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for being such a dick to you guys" he announced to us. The party was soon quiet, with all eyes on us. "So drink up, guys! Orange juice is on me." As I took a drink, I felt a buzz. It was a good buzz. Like that warm feeling, but everywhere on me. I turned to the others, who were a bit buzzed too. Suddenly, Damian's friends came out with more drinks. We drunk another cup. The buzz feeling grew stronger.

I soon realised what we've been drinking: alcohol. When I turned towards my friends, they were drinking more cups. I slapped Casandra's second cup out her hand before she finished it. "Guys! Stop!" I yelled at them. "That's alcohol! You'll get drunk! Stop!" Richard dropped his cup quickly, but Chris kept chugging. His speech was soured and he started to ramble about some random nonsense.

He was drunk.

I turned to Damian ant the others at the party, who were laughing at us. "Just look at you guys!" Damian howled, "A fatty, a weirdo, a retard, and a fagot! You guys are like a walking freak show!" he laughed along with his friends. I held Casandra's hand and told the others that we were leaving. Chris kept stumbling and falling on the way out.

"Well I'm gonna go home and sprinkle some-" Chris said as his words soured away. "Don't worry Terry," said Richard, "I know where he lives. I'll walk him home."

As the walked away, Casandra and I were walking home. I held her hand all the way there. When we made it to her house. She turned to me and gave me a nice, long hug. "T-t-t...thank you, Terry." She said. "You a-are very s-s-s-s.....sweet." I blushed a little. "Hey, it was nothing really." I said nervously. She leaned in and kissed me on the cheek. The warm feeling rushed back and was now hot again, like an inferno. I blushed badly. She was blushing too. She smiled, said goodnight, and walked inside. I walked home, happy that I got a kiss from her. As I walked, I thought about her more and more, the hot feeling won't go away.