I woke up the next morning feeling better than I had for a few days. My head was no longer hurting, and I could stand up without getting dizzy. I took a shower and headed downstairs for breakfast. Dad said I couldn’t go back to school until Tuesday after meeting with Dr. Cunningham. My appointment was at nine, so hopefully I could be back at school in time for lunch.
No one was home when I entered the kitchen. Mom left a note on the counter reminding me to take my medication. I wanted to text Peter to see how his meeting with Mr. Nettleman went, but I didn’t want him to get in trouble by reading my message in class. I couldn’t see how he could remain principal after what he did to Peter. I was also concerned about the walkout after fifth period. Nettleman would certainly suspend anyone who participated.
As I was eating my cereal, my cellphone alerted me to a message. I smiled when I read it. It was from Darius. He wanted to know how I was feeling. It ended with an ‘I luv you’ and a big red heart. I quickly texted him back telling him I was okay. I ended the message with ‘I luv u more.’ He texted me and said, ‘No way!’ I smiled and continued to eat my cereal.
The weather was warm outside, so I decided to sit by the pool for a while. I put on a pair of speedos and sat in a lounge chair and sunned myself. I was almost asleep when my phone rang. It was Darius.
“Hey, Sexy,” he giggled. “Where are you?”
I answered, “Out by the pool relaxing. Where are you?”
“Wait a minute,” he responded. I was holding my phone to my ear when I heard the gate open. A second later, Darius came walking into the backyard with a wide grin. “Hey,” he said timidly as he approached. He looked down and scanned my nearly naked body.
I asked, “What are you doing here?”
“You don’t want me here?” he said playfully as he turned and pretended to walk away. I jumped from the lounge chair, ran over and embraced him from behind. He leaned back against my body and purred.
I grinned and replied, “I have an idea.” I gripped his hand and led him inside. We briefly made out before we headed up to my bedroom. I pulled off my speedos as he watched intently. “Well?” I laughed. “I’m feeling a bit funny here.” He smiled and began to undress. When he was naked, I pulled him over to my bed. He lay down as I lay my body atop his. We kissed passionately for several minutes.
He suddenly stopped and looked at me worriedly. “Should we be doing this? You just got out of the hospital yesterday.”
“I’m fine,” I assured him. I then kissed him again. I pulled away and muttered softly, “God, I love you, Darius,”
He responded lustily, “I love you too, Parker.”
I don't know if there is a love meter, but if there is a scale of one to ten, then Darius and I hit a twenty. I wanted to start slow since Darius didn't have much experience. When I told him, he said he didn't care. He wanted to experience my love without any reservations.
I lay beside him for several minutes before either of us said anything. He kissed me, and then he said, “That was incredible, Parker. I can’t even describe it.” He kissed me again and said, “Thank you.”
I giggled and replied, “Anytime.”
“No, Parker,” he said. “What we just did was incredible.” He kissed me again. “I love you so much right now.” We kissed passionately.
I looked over at the clock. We had been in bed for over an hour. “Maybe we should take a shower and get dressed. My mother or father could come home and check on me.” I gripped his hand and pulled him toward the bathroom. It took us over a half hour to come out of the shower.
We dressed and went downstairs to the kitchen. It was after one, and we were both hungry. I looked in the refrigerator to see if I could find us something to eat. I pulled out a package of bologna and held it up. “How about a bologna sandwich?” Darius began to laugh. I asked, “What’s so funny?”
He stopped laughing and replied, “Only a white boy would want a bologna sandwich after sex.” He laughed harder and added, “I guess you were going to ask me next if I wanted cheese on it.” My face reddened as I turned and returned the package of sliced cheese back into the refrigerator. Darius rose from his stool, walked over and embraced me.
“If you want a bologna and cheese sandwich, Baby,” he said softly in my ear, “then I’ll have one too.” I turned and kissed him. Five minutes later, we were sitting at the counter and gobbling down our sandwiches.
I looked over and asked, “What brought you here this morning? Shouldn’t you be in school?”
“I didn’t feel like going back to school,” he replied. “I was in a meeting with Dad, Mr. Abrams, a couple of civil rights lawyers and attorneys from Somerset.”
“Why?”
“Dad wants to sue the city of Somerset for what the police did to me,” he said.
“Really?” I replied. “They should pay.” I reached over and gently touched the fading bruise on the side of his face. It was barely visible anymore.
“They were throwing around some pretty high numbers,” he added.
“How high?”
“Seven figures.”
“No way!” I squealed. “You mean you’re going to get millions of dollars?”
He shrugged his shoulders and replied, “I don’t know. We’ll probably reach a settlement. The Somerset attorneys seem like they want to get this over with quickly.”
I reached over and gave him a hug. “I’m happy for you,” I said. “You’ll be set for life.”
He smiled and said, “You may get something out of it, too.”
“Me?” I asked excitedly, “How will I get something?”
“Mr. Abrams is a really great lawyer,” he replied. “He also insisted that you receive compensation for false imprisonment at the rally, and how the police just let people spit in your face. He also told them how your phone had been confiscated and never returned. They got really upset when he suggested that evidence may have been destroyed on your phone.”
“Wow!” I responded excitedly. “Did they say how much?”
Darius shrugged his shoulders and said, “Not really. Mr. Abrams will probably talk to you and your father later.”
Just then I got a text message from Natalie. She told me that a large group of students would be marching to the sidewalk outside the main entrance in about twenty minutes. She sounded really excited about it. Darius gave me a puzzled look when I closed my phone and laughed.
“What’s wrong?” he asked. I then told him about the walkout for Peter because of what Nettleman had done to him. “That explains it, then,” he said after I finished.
“Explains what?”
“Myles called me last night and told me about a group meeting he was holding after school today outside your school,” he said. “It didn’t make much sense. He said Natalie had called him and told him about some kind of a walkout. She wanted him to get a group together and hold up Black Lives Matter posters across the street.”
“Damn!” I shouted as I jumped up from my seat. “What is she trying to do? Things are already bad enough. She’s going to cause more trouble.”
“Relax,” said Darius as he pulled me into his arms. “It’s going to be okay. Myles didn’t say anything about trouble. He thought it would be a good gesture if he showed that Rosemont students supported Somerset students. He assured me there wouldn’t be any trouble.”
“We should still be there,” I said as I headed for the door.
“Wait!” hollered Darius as he grabbed my arm. He began to kiss me. He then pulled away and smiled. “I’ve been wanting to do that for the last fifteen minutes.”
“In that case,” I smiled. “Here’s some more.” We kissed again and then headed outside.
“I’ll drive,” suggested Darius. We held hands all the way to Somerset High School.
By the time we arrived, a large number of students had already congregated on the sidewalk, and many more were leaving the building. Students were clapping and cheering each time a group of students appeared. Darius parked his car a block away, and we walked toward the crowd with our shoulders lightly touching. He brushed his hand against mine a few times, and I was tempted to reach out and hold his. I was already out at school, so it wouldn’t have surprised anyone. However, I wasn’t sure if the media was observing what was happening. I didn’t want to end up on the front page of the newspaper holding hands with Darius.
Natalie emerged from the large group and rushed over to me. “I’m glad you made it,” she said cheerfully. She reached out and pulled Darius into a hug. Myles stepped up beside her and put his hands on his hips.
“Watch it, Deary,” he giggled. “Parker will get jealous if you move in on his man.”
“I don’t think he has to worry about that,” she replied. “When they came walking up, I don’t think you could have pried them apart with a crowbar.” My face reddened as Myles high-fived Natalie.
Natalie looked around at the group and said excitedly, “Can you believe this? I think half the student body came out to join this protest.” Just then, Peter emerged from the crowd. He embraced me and shook Darius’ hand.
He seemed elated by the support he was receiving from other students. I laughed when I noticed he had on a Black Lives Matter tee shirt. I asked, “I thought Nettleman ripped up your shirt?”
“He did,” he responded as he put his arm around Myles. “But Myles gave me another one.” Myles was wearing an identical shirt.
“Honey,” replied Myles. “Your cute little white ass would look good with or without a shirt.” He giggled and warned, “I might just rip that one off you just so I can see your naked body.”
“You wouldn’t dare,” challenged Peter. I stood stunned when Myles grabbed Peter and pretended like he was going to rip off Peter’s shirt. I gave Natalie a puzzled glance when Myles grabbed Peter from behind and kissed his neck. Peter grabbed Myles’ hand, and they rushed off into the crowd.
I asked Natalie, “Did I just see what I thought I saw?” Darius leaned against me to listen to her response.
She laughed and replied, “I think Peter just came out.”
“If anyone can do that, it is Myles,” laughed Darius. “He’s been looking for a boyfriend for ages.” We looked over and noticed Myles and Peter standing closely together talking to some other students. “I hope he and Peter hit it off. They make a cute couple.”
“They do,” agreed Natalie. “Although, I’m not sure Peter is man enough to control Myles.”
“Myles comes on strong,” said Darius. “But under that tough exterior is a kitten. He’ll make someone a perfect boyfriend.”
I pulled Darius into a hug and said, “You will, too.”
“Oh, God,” shrieked Natalie. “You two need to get a room.”
I laughed and replied, “We just did before we got here.”
Natalie grabbed her ears and began singing, “La La La. I can’t hear you.” We laughed when she walked away and started talking to other students. I walked around introducing Darius to students from Somerset. About fifteen students from Rosemont had joined Myles, and they seemed to be enjoying talking to students from my school. After what had been happening the past week, it was a relief to see both sides interacting peacefully.
I looked over when students began booing and holding up their middle finger in the direction of the school. Nettleman had emerged and was angrily looking our way. He yelled something, but it was difficult to hear him with all the angry shouting that was happening. He then turned and headed into the building.
I asked someone nearby, “What did he say?”
A girl replied, “Something about us being heathens. I couldn’t make out the rest.”
A few minutes went by as everyone chatted quietly. Suddenly, we heard sirens in the distance. Seconds later, four police cars pulled up. A local news van was following them. A reporter jumped from the van as a cameraman followed behind him. He noticed Darius and rushed over to him as the cameraman recorded his approach. “Are you responsible for this demonstration?” he asked Darius.
I stepped forward and said angrily. “This isn’t a demonstration. This is a peaceful protest.”
He asked, “What are you protesting?”
“Maybe you should go ask Mr. Nettleman, the school principal.” I wasn’t sure if what happened with Peter was a private matter. Besides, I’m sure he would eventually find out anyway. I just didn’t want the information to come from me.
Again, the crowd began to boo. I noticed that the police had exited their cars, and they were in a defensive stance before us. The crowd grew louder when Sheriff Morgan emerged and stood in front of the officers. He looked around at the group. He seemed surprised when he noticed the Rosemont students standing with the students from my school.
He looked down at his watch and then shouted, “School will be dismissed in five minutes. According to Mr. Nettleman, this is an unauthorized protest.” Loud boos erupted from the crowd. He continued, “I don’t want anyone in this unlawful group to interfere with other students as they leave the building.” He looked back at his officers. “If you do, you will be arrested.”
I grabbed Natalie’s arm when she hollered out, “And spit on!”
A few minutes later, the bell rang, and students began to emerge from the building. Many laughed and waved to us. Others raised their finger and flipped us off. When students from our group began to leave to catch their bus, Morgan shouted out, “No one can leave without first giving me their name.” He pulled out a notepad and pen from his shirt pocket. Students pushed past him and headed toward their bus as he shouted out at them to stop.
One student turned and asked Morgan, “What are you going to do? Shoot me in the back?” He turned and walked away with several others. Morgan looked angry as he returned his pen and pad back into this pocket.
Five minutes later, all that was left in our group was me, Natalie, Peter and three other students from our school. Darius, Myles and several other Rosemont students had remained behind. Morgan stood staring defiantly at us. “I guess you kids think you won, don’t you?”
“Yes, Honey,” cooed Myles as he grabbed Peter’s hand and walked away. “There’s a new sheriff in town.” He blew Morgan a kiss. Morgan put his hand on his holster, and for a minute I was worried he might shoot Myles in the back as he walked away.
Natalie looked at me and asked, “Why don’t we go to that chicken place you were telling me about? I’m famished. I didn’t eat lunch because I was too busy trying to get students to join the walkout.”
Darius replied, “That sounds good.” He looked over at me, “How about it? All we had was that bologna sandwich earlier at your house?”
“What?” asked Natalie excitedly. “You had lunch at Parker’s house? I thought you guys came here in separate cars.” She laughed when my face began to redden. “Okay, you,” she laughed as she poked me in my side. “I want details later.” Darius started laughing uproariously as he watched me become embarrassed.
Natalie rode with me in Darius’ car to Charley’s. I know she wanted to ask more questions about what was going on with me and Darius, but fortunately she didn’t try to embarrass me. She mainly talked about how excited she was that so many students had participated in the walkout. By her estimate, over one hundred students had left class after fifth period.
I asked, “What do you think Nettleman will do to everyone?”
“I don’t care what he does,” she replied angrily. “Besides, if he was going to do anything, he would have done it when we walked out. I saw Brian Hawthorne taking pictures of the crowd for Nettleman. So, he knows who we are.” Hawthorne is Nettleman’s nephew and a photographer for the school newspaper.
Charley greeted us at the door when we arrived. He shook my hand, and I introduced him to Natalie. She seemed thrilled to be visiting his place for the first time. He led us to two tables where seven of us were seated. Four others were seniors at Rosemont and good friends of Darius. They were three girls and a boy. The boy was attractive, but he wasn’t as handsome as Darius. He told us later that he was a tight end for the football team. The girls had been members of Darius’ debate team.
Darius, Natalie and I sat at a table, and the other four sat at a table beside us. Sheila soon appeared to take our order. “Hey handsome fellas,” she said flirtatiously as she looked down. “What will it be today?” She gave Natalie a curious look as she glanced over the menu.
Natalie looked up and asked Sheila, “How are the wings?”
Sheila sarcastically answered, “I don’t know, they’re still on the chicken.” When Natalie gave her a confused looked, Sheila started laughing.
“She says that to everyone,” said Darius. “No, seriously, Natalie, the wings here are really good.” We each ended up ordering six wings, fries and a soda.
As we waited for our meal, Natalie began asking Darius questions. She started to sound like my mother interrogating one of my friends when they first visited. She asked him, “Parker tells me that you will be attending Harvard in the fall.”
“Yeah, well,” he answered sadly, “I was looking forward to going.” He looked at me as if he wanted to cry. “Now, I’m not too sure I want to go.”
She asked, “Why?”
Darius reached over and gripped my hand. “I just found someone special, and I don’t want to leave Parker.”
Natalie replied, “But you can still see each other on the holidays and during the summer.”
“I don’t want to see him on the holidays and at summer,” responded Darius as tears welled up in his eyes. “I want to see him every day.”
She looked at me and asked, “Parker, have you decided yet where you want to go?”
I shrugged my shoulders. “I was thinking of Notre Dame.” I squeezed Darius’ hand tightly. “But that seems like a million miles away now.”
Natalie stared at us and smiled. “You two have it bad, don’t you?” We wiped away tears and nodded our heads.
Suddenly, she slammed her hand on the table. “Didn’t you tell me a few weeks ago you were accepted at Boston College?”
“Yeah, why?”
Darius shouted, “Are you serious!”
“Yeah, why?”
“You idiot!” exclaimed Natalie. “You do realize that Boston College is in Boston, right?”
I laughed and replied, “Well, duh.”
I looked at Darius when he gripped my hand tightly. “Harvard and Boston College are just miles from each other.”
“They are?”
“Yes,” he smiled broadly. “It will be like we are attending the same school.” Tears filled his eyes. “God, I wish I could kiss you right now.”
Without hesitation, I grabbed his face and kissed him.