Month: September 2023 (Page 2 of 2)

Boarding School Blues
By
Levi Holland

Chapter 16

“We’re gonna get in so much trouble for this.”

Anakin paced around the bedroom, fidgeting with anything he could get his hands on. After picking up and putting down one of his colored pencils for the dozenth time, Cooper was ready to strangle him.

“Would you stop?” Cooper shouted. “No one’s making you go, you know.”

“Of course I’m going with you guys. What kind of friend would I be if I didn’t?”

Cooper took a deep breath. It was nearly 10 o’clock. This was it. Maybe their one chance to find answers down at the boat house. Maybe ever again.

“It’s time,” Cooper said.

After shutting their lights, Cooper eased the bedroom door open. He half-expected to find his professors outside, tapping their feet as they waited to bust their plan before it had even begun, but the suite was empty. There was only the low hum coming from the bathroom fan.

If anyone happened upon the two of them as they made their way outside, they’d be done for. Cooper held his breath each time they crossed the next suite down, carefully dipping his head around the corner to check nobody was there.

They were nearly caught as they passed the 10th grade suite. An older boy was walking from the bathroom to his room, a toothbrush shoved in his mouth while he idly paced the suite in only a pair of plaid boxers. Cooper froze in the stairwell, silently pleading the boy wouldn’t turn around and catch them. The moment the older boy turned his attention away, Cooper and Anakin scurried down the rest of the stairs. His heart was racing a million miles by the time their feet touched the bottom.

Hugging the walls as they snuck along through the corridors, Cooper knew they weren’t out of the woods yet. Not until they met up with Roman and Fielding and made it outside the castle walls. They crouched in the shadows outside Fuerza’s staircase, waiting for their friends to show. Several tense, quiet minutes passed, and one time they even heard the faraway echo of another adult’s feet, but at last Roman rounded the final bend down the stairs. Fielding was right behind him, constantly checking his rear to make sure they weren’t followed.

Cooper stepped out from his hiding spot to wave them over.

“What now?” Roman asked as the four of them stood in a circle.

“The boat house,” Cooper said. “Try to stay quiet until we’re away from the castle.”

The main entrance was the most exposed but the quickest way out to the castle grounds. Thankfully, there wasn’t a student or teacher to be seen, not with Headmaster Robinson’s curfew in place. What they were about to do was crazy, maybe insane. Cooper imagined how furious Headmaster Robinson would be if they were caught, but if he was right, if the boat house held an important clue, then the consequences were worth the risk.

As they reached the stone landing, a dog’s bark echoed in the distance. Cooper traded glances with the others, but there was no going back now. Roy was out there. Searching. Hunting. They all knew the dangers.

“Let’s go,” he said.

The brisk night air stung Cooper’s lungs as he huffed down the sloping hills towards the boat house. With little light to guide his way, he was careful not to roll his ankle or lose his footing. Behind him, Anakin and Fielding were gasping for air, and twice they had to stop to let them catch their breath.

When the boat house finally came into view, Cooper shuddered. Caution tape surrounded the building and stretched around the borders of the lake. It was a reminder to everyone that death lived on these waters.

Cooper shuddered as he faced the ominous, creaking frame of the boat house. He didn’t believe in superstition, but as he tightened the scarf around his neck against the late autumn breeze, Cooper could almost sense Jordy with them.

“How’re we supposed to get inside?” Anakin asked.

“Let’s smash a window open,” Roman said.

“Are you actually crazy?” Fielding asked.

Cooper stepped forward and raised the band of caution tape guarding the boat house before ducking underneath. He held it up for the others.

“Remember what we’re here for,” he said, “We’ll do whatever it takes.”

They were risking everything by breaking curfew, by leaving themselves so exposed. If Headmaster Robinson caught wind of what they were up to, they’d be kicked out of Blue Ridge by morning. Getting to the boat house unnoticed was only half the battle.

Cooper’s feet clunked against the old wooden boards as he led the way to the front door. The inside of the boat house was pitch black through the cloudy glass, and the doorknob had the chill of death as Cooper twisted it.

“It’s open,” he said.

“I can’t see a thing,” Fielding complained, peering his head through the open doorway.

Anakin asked, “Maybe we should turn on the lights?”

“No,” Cooper snapped. “Remember you can see the boat house from our room. Someone will spot us right away.”

“Well, then how are we supposed to see?”

Cooper scratched his head, trying to remember the layout of the boat house from when he tried searching for clues a couple days earlier. There was the lantern on the back wall. That should let them see without being too bright.

“I’ve got an idea,” he said.

Cooper headed inside, and the darkness sucked him in. Suddenly it was hard to breathe, and the whole boat house seemed to wobble as the lake water lapped against the wooden supports below the planks. Almost at once Cooper stumbled into a metal stand, nearly knocking it over as he regained his balance. The harsh clang made him flinch, and the boat house seemed to mock him with its strange creaks and groans.

“I’m alright,” he called out.

“God, this place smells awful,” Fielding whined. His voice was nasally as if his nose was pinched.

Moving more carefully with his arms outstretched, Cooper heard his friends shuffle carefully inside while he inched towards the back wall. A small counter blocked his path to the wall, but after that, the lantern should be hanging from its hook beside the old splintered door.

Anakin sneezed a couple times in quick succession. “Sorry,” he apologized. “Must be something in the room.”

Cooper felt like he’d been walking for an eternity by the time his hands brushed against the counter top. His fingers slicked through something gross and oily, and he wiped it away on his pants. As he kept moving, his fingers bumped into what felt like a thick, glass container, and immediately it started to wobble. His hands shot out to steady the object before it could tip over and shatter. The last thing they needed was to leave behind any evidence.

“Guys, I’m close,” he called out.

Something tingled his nostrils, and Cooper brought his fingers to his nose. Whatever liquid his fingers had touched was really sharp in his nostrils. It smelled a lot like the cleaning supplies his mom used to scrub the floors at home—a weird mix of chemicals and lemons. Anakin sneezed again as Cooper wiped his fingers and kept moving towards the lantern.

“Hey, Sneezy?” Fielding asked. “Can you try not to spray it everywhere?”

“I’m sorry!” Anakin shouted through another sneeze.

“Does anyone think that smell is a little familiar?” Roman asked.

Cooper made it. The moment he touched the nylon lining of the life jackets, he knew he just had to reach up a little more…and…there. Got it! Lifting the lantern off its hook, Cooper fumbled around until his thumb brushed against the flip-on switch.

“Found it!” he shouted.

The room was bathed in the amber glow of the lantern. All at once, Cooper saw his friends spread out near the open doorway. Anakin was in the middle of another sneezing fit as Fielding shielded his face, but Roman was staring in open-mouthed horror as he pointed behind him.

“Cooper, watch out!”

A cloaked arm wrapped around his neck, and Cooper’s scream died in his throat as he struggled for breath. He tried swinging the lantern at the person behind him, but his arm was batted away, and the lantern flung to the floor. The light spun around the room and made his head dizzy.

Even worse, the terrible citrus stench from before burned his nose, and Cooper nearly gagged as he choked for breath. What was he supposed to do? Nothing was working! He tried digging his feet into the floorboards and shoving back, but anytime he did, his feet got knocked out from under him. He was losing air fast!

“Let him go!” Roman shouted, and something thunked fiercely above Cooper’s head before shattering on the floorboards. There was a pained grunt from a man’s voice as Cooper was shoved to the ground. When he landed, tiny glass fragments buried into one of his palms, and Cooper cried out in pain.

Before he could get to his feet, the man fled past and shoved Roman into one of the life jacket stands before breaking past Anakin and Fielding like they were little more than gnats. Roman toppled over backwards with the stand, and by the time any of them could get their bearings, the door to the boat house clattered open, and the man was gone.

“Roman!” Fielding shouted.

“I’m alright,” he said, groaning as he rolled to his side. “Just a little sore.”

Anakin ran over to Cooper. “Are you okay?” he asked. His shoes and knees crunched into the tiny shards of glass as he leaned down.

“Fine, I think,” Cooper said, but his hands trembled. Pinpricks of glass jabbed at the palm of his right hand, and little streams of blood trickled to the floor.

The moment Anakin stooped down, his nostrils scrunched at the smell, and he turned away as a bout of violent sneezes overtook him. The odor wasn’t cleaning supplies at all. Cooper wasn’t able to place it at first, maybe because of all the other mildewed smells in the boat house. But as he brought his fingers close to his nostrils, there was no mistaking it. The smell was a lemon cologne.

Cooper’s blood ran cold as he stumbled to his feet. How could he have been so stupid not to notice?

Fielding quickly ran outside and back in before shouting, “He’s gone! At least, I think he is. Guys, we have to go back. This is too dangerous!”

“We aren’t going back,” Roman said firmly as he helped Cooper to the small sink anchored to the wall. When Roman turned on the faucet, Cooper hissed as bits of glass and blood washed down the drain. The soap was only going to make things burn more, but he had to get the wound clean. Behind them, Anakin sneezed again.

“Who was that guy? Am I the only one freaking out here?”

“We should have seen it before,” Cooper said, wincing as he carefully stretched his fingers under the running water. His hand still burned, but there wasn’t time to waste. “The smell as soon as we got inside. Anakin sneezing. There’s only one person I can think of who wears anything that smells like that.”

Roman nodded in understanding.

They both knew who their assailant was.

“Professor Gray.”

***

Under the glow of the lantern, Roman pulled Fielding closer to the door while Anakin wrapped Cooper’s injured hand with his scarf. The cool air rushing into Roman was ice in his lungs, but at least he could finally breathe again.

When the lantern flicked on, Roman thought his eyes were playing tricks on him. In the brief instant before his body went on autopilot, he remembered seeing the shadowy outline of Professor Gray’s nose and the disheveled strands of hair sticking out from his cloak. Everything else about the man was smothered in shadows.

The glass bottle was in his hands before he could think. He only wanted to save Cooper. Roman was secretly hoping the throw would be enough to drop Professor Gray. He knew he’d struck him enough to sting, but their professor ran like a coward before they could stop him. At least Cooper was alright. Mostly, anyway.

There in the doorway, Fielding’s hands shook as violently as his voice, even as Roman reached out to steady them. “You guys can’t seriously be thinking about going after Professor Gray, can you? It’s literal suicide! He just nearly killed Cooper!”

“Fielding, I have to do this. Xavier still needs help, and if there’s any chance he’s still alive…no, I know he’s alive. I have to go after Professor Gray.”

“What if you get hurt?” he asked.

Roman leaned his forehead against Fielding’s and closed his eyes. “We can’t let what happened to Jordy happen again.”

The floorboards creaked beside them.

“We need both of you to go and get help,” Cooper said. Anakin’s yellow scarf was scrunched around his hand, wrapped tightly against the wound. Whatever bleeding had happened before had stopped for now. “You guys have to tell Headmaster Robinson. We don’t know who else can be trusted yet.”

“Why should we trust him, though?” Anakin asked. “Why should we trust anybody?”

Honestly, it was a good question. There was nothing to say Professor Gray wasn’t working alone. And there was still the possibility that Cooper had been right all along about Roy Rochester. But at some point, they had to roll the dice. Like it or not, their headmaster was their best choice for getting the help they needed.

“Tell him, tell everyone,” Roman said. “Don’t stop until everyone in the castle hears about it, for all I care.”

“Come on,” Cooper said as he stepped out of the boat house. Already, he was walking towards the thick black woods beyond the lake. “We’re running out of time.”

Roman began to follow, but before he could make it far, Fielding shouted, “Wait!”

He turned in time for Fielding to tackle him in a hug. Roman stumbled back, barely keeping his footing as Fielding choked the life out of him. Even through their sweaters, Roman could feel the pounding of Fielding’s heart. Or was it his own heartbeat going nuts? When he broke away, Fielding’s eyes were wide and misted. They both knew how dangerous things had gotten.

Roman gasped as Fielding kissed him, and in the brief moment his lips parted, their tongues swiped, sending tingles down Roman’s arms. Inevitably his penis wasn’t as nervous as the rest of his body, and Roman shifted in place as he boned up inside his pants.

When he broke away, Cooper and Anakin were pretending to stare elsewhere.

“Say something,” Roman said with a scowl. “I dare you.”

“No, no, it’s fine,” Anakin said quickly. “I think it’s cool!”

“Please come back,” Fielding whispered, and Roman pulled him in for another hug.

“I will,” he said. “I promise. Now, go. We need you guys.”

Fielding wiped his nose and nodded before running towards the castle with Anakin. It would take them a few minutes to get back and likely a few more to reach Headmaster Robinson. After that, Roman couldn’t guess. It all hinged on their headmaster believing the two of them.

“Let’s go,” he said to Cooper.

The chilly darkness wrapped its arms around Roman, clutching onto him, refusing to let go. This was it. No matter what happened next, there would be no turning back. They already knew what Professor Gray was capable of committing. Jordy’s body was a testament to that. One way or another, Roman was finding Xavier tonight.

As they reached the cobblestone path leading into the woods, even the lampposts failed to illuminate much beyond the high wall of shrubs on either side of them. Cooper slowed down, eyeing the torn gaps in the shrubs with scrutiny.

“This was the place,” he said. “With Roy and his dog.”

Roman stopped with him to catch his breath. “Still think he’s in on it?”

“Who knows?” Cooper asked and shrugged. “We should get off the path, though. The last thing we want is for anyone to see us coming.”

Pushing through the shrubs was simple enough, but Roman couldn’t help flinching every time his feet crunched through the dead autumn leaves and decaying branches. Every little noise was like glass breaking. There was no way Professor Gray wouldn’t hear them stomping through the underbrush. Worse still, once they left the path, the forest swallowed them up in total darkness, and Roman only had the faint outlines of trees to guide himself along. Somewhere above, an owl hooted from its perch, and something skittered past their feet through the underbrush. The entire forest sucked at night.

“We’re here,” Cooper whispered, as the forest thinned out, and spots of light appeared in the dark.

They crouched at the edge of the clearing as they took in their surroundings. This was where the professors lived. From what he could tell, the homes were all ranch houses, each surrounded by tall, white picket fences. It’d be impossible to see through the gaps unless they pressed their faces up close. How were they supposed to tell which one belonged to Professor Gray? He could be hiding in any one of them!

Roman followed Cooper out of the woods as they ran in a crouch alongside the first fence.

“Where are we going?” Roman whispered.

“I don’t know,” Cooper admitted, “but we need to get somewhere we can see better.”

Around the corner, the cobblestone path coiled from the forest through the neighborhood like a slithering snake. At each house, the path forked, leading up to a set of stone porch steps. Not a single house had their lights on. If not for the lampposts along the path, the neighborhood would be bathed in darkness.

Cold seeped into Roman’s bones, but he bit his cheek to distract himself. Rubbed his arms through his sweater. Stamped his feet to get warm. Blew hot air into his hands. Just as he was beginning to think they should move to somewhere new, a light winked on from inside one of the houses across the path.

“Cooper, look,” he whispered.

“I know. I see it.”

“I’m gonna get closer.”

“Right behind you,” Cooper said.

Roman squatted as he crept around the front yard of the next house. His heartbeat spiked as he tried controlling his breath. He needed to stay invisible by blending with the shadows. Crouching beside a nearby oak tree, Roman leaned against the bark and rubbed his palms together. The chill made his teeth chatter. Catching Professor Gray was one thing, but dying from the cold wasn’t something he was interested in.

The light from the house flicked off, and Roman nearly growled in frustration, but then the door opened, and a tall figure stepped out, something clutched in his grasp. Roman couldn’t see what it was from this far away. The door made little sound as it closed, and without warning, the figure dashed away from the building.

“That’s him!” Cooper whispered. “It’s gotta be!”

“Yeah, but where’s he going?”

The good news about the dark was that Professor Gray would need night vision to see them spying. All Roman could make out was the man’s silhouette as he moved like silk through the clearing.

Should they run out and tackle him? Try to corner their teacher and make him confess? No, that wouldn’t do any good. They needed to make sure Xavier was safe first. That must have been Professor Gray’s house they just saw. If everything went as planned, Headmaster Robinson would be on his way with backup any minute now, and Roman could point them in the right direction. But how much longer would that take, and did Xavier have that kind of time?

Roman held his breath as Professor Gray halted in his tracks, shifting the bundle he held into one hand while the other gently touched the side of his head.

“What’s he doing?” Cooper whispered.

“Probably still reeling from the knock I gave him,” Roman hoped.

Professor Gray adjusted course, and for just an instant, he stepped beneath the light of the lampposts. The first thing Roman recognized was the black cloak from the boat house crumpled in his hands, but when he stared up at the man’s face, Roman gasped.

For a moment, his brain shut down. He didn’t believe it. Hadn’t he seen the oily strands of Professor Gray’s hair extending from the hood of his cloak? Hadn’t they all recognized the smell of his lemon scented cologne?

So then why was Professor Bell the one holding the cloak?

His dark hair fell like sweaty strings down his forehead, barely covering the ugly purple knot blooming across his temple. Eyes darting wildly, Professor Bell adjusted the cloak and took a panicked look around before sprinting away from the house.

Roman could only trade horrified glances with Cooper. His stomach churned as he tried to swallow back the sour lump that was stuck in his throat. How could they have been so wrong?

End Chapter 16

Copyright 2023 – Levi Holland
All rights reserved

Boarding School Blues
By
Levi Holland

Chapter 15

Jordy Diaz was dead.

Cooper couldn’t believe it—couldn’t breathe as the news became official. It started as rumors—everyone heard the sirens as they came roaring down the lone street leading to the castle and then across the rolling green fields. The vehicles converged at the far side of the lake where Jordy’s body was plucked from the water. Now the search was on for a second.

Cooper’s food sat untouched on his plate as his knees shook at the table. They were all a total wreck. It didn’t matter what anyone tried to say. No amount of kind words could fix a dead boy. Cooper craned his head to try and find Roman again. He and Fielding were nowhere to be found.

Kai wasn’t at dinner, either…Cooper shuddered, wishing he could go back in time and undo hearing Kai’s tortured scream when everyone found out.

“This is so fucked,” Anakin muttered. He sank in his seat, eyes still puffy from his recent tears.

“I can’t believe it,” Naveen said, shaking his head. “I never thought, I mean…who would have?”

“You were trying to be hopeful,” Cooper said.

“We all were,” Julian agreed.

They waited a long time in the banquet hall. No one felt like moving. Cooper didn’t want to go back to his suite. Not like this. Not when the whole world was falling apart.

“Come on,” Anakin finally said. “Let’s go together.”

That night, Professor Bell came to visit them along with a professor they hadn’t met. Apparently she was one of the counselors at the school, ready to speak with any of the students as they worked through processing their grief. If anyone needed to speak with the woman, Cooper thought, it was Kai. Surely no one was hurting more than him right now. While she talked, the four of them waited on the sofa in silence as a low fire crackled in the nearby hearth.

“Boys,” Professor Bell said when the counselor had finished, “I know this isn’t easy to hear, but it was Jordy they found out there. The police are still investigating, but they found his leg twisted up in the weeds. They think it was an accident.”

Cooper fell back against the couch deflated. Had he been wrong this whole time?

“What about Xavier?” Cooper asked, almost afraid to ask the question. He was surprised at how hoarse and scratchy the words were in his throat.

The two professors traded glances, but the counselor shook her head like they were communicating about something else entirely.

“They’re still looking for him, but for what it’s worth, they don’t think a second body’s in the lake. Listen, boys. Classes are canceled while arrangements are made for Jordy, but under no circumstances are any of you allowed near the lake or the boat house. Headmaster Robinson wants everyone to stay within the castle walls. If you have to go somewhere, go in pairs, alright? And if you see anything out of place, say something.”

“Thanks, Professor Bell,” Anakin said as his fingers teased the folds of his scarf.

“Professor Bell, wait,” Cooper said as the two started to leave. When they turned to face him, he hesitated. Did he voice his suspicions about foul play or did he trust the officers to do their job? Cooper couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something else the two professors weren’t sharing. No, if he wanted answers and justice for Jordy, he’d have to get them his own way. “Sorry, nevermind.”

That night as they lay in bed together, Cooper broke down, crying as he lay next to Anakin, whose face was as wet as his. Cooper was furious with himself for being too late to save Jordy. Did he miss something at the boat house yesterday when he went inside? Surely there must have been some clue he overlooked. Cooper’s mind traveled back to the round lantern and the splintered door. Had there been a clue inside all along? What if Jordy’s body had somehow been inside? It was stupid to think Jordy could have drowned! He was the best swimmer Cooper ever met.

How did any of it make sense? There were so many people searching for any sign of Jordy and Xavier! At the lake yesterday, he’d been so close, only a couple hundred feet when he ran into Roy and his dog.

That was it, Cooper realized.

Roy must have been keeping an eye on the area, and then when Cooper got close, he chased after him with his dog to scare him off. But if that was the case, then that meant Jordy really didn’t drown.

He was killed.

And his killer was still on the loose.

The next morning, Cooper explained everything to Anakin as they got dressed.

“You can’t be serious, Coop,” he said. Anakin’s shoulders looked heavy as he dragged out his clothes for the day. In a rare turn of events, Anakin’s clothing was simple, just a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. Even his scarf lay untouched on the dresser. “You heard Professor Bell yesterday. It was an accident. You have to let it go.”

“I know what they said, but I’m telling you something was super off about Roy! I have to tell Headmaster Robinson what I know, but I need you with me.”

A pained expression crossed Anakin’s darkened face as he sat down on the mattress.

“What if it makes things worse?”

“Nothing will happen if we’re together,” Cooper said. “I promise. Trust me, Anakin, okay?”

Cooper knew time was running short. All he could think about was Roman and the fact that his brother was still missing. Hadn’t he made his friend a promise to do whatever he could to help find Xavier?

Maybe the next best step was to find Roman and come up with a plan together.

***

Roman threw up again for the third time in twenty four hours as he thought back to the previous day.

By now his stomach was emptied, but he kept dry heaving, his gut punching him with each violent wretch. He couldn’t shake the bloated corpse from his mind, the way Fielding’s last skipping stone had squelched against it. The only good news about finding Jordy’s body was that it was face down.

Roman wasn’t sure he could have handled it otherwise.

Yesterday, when he and Fielding ran like madmen back to campus, it didn’t take long to find Headmaster Robinson. As the emergency vehicles thundered onto campus, Roman wondered if they were in trouble. Roy Rochester refused to say a word as he delivered them to the headmaster’s office like prisoners.

He didn’t care if they were in trouble, though. All Roman could think about was Xavier floating somewhere cold and dead in the murky lake like Jordy. That’s when he threw up the first time. Roy scowled at him but let Roman clean himself up in one of the nearby bathrooms before Headmaster Robinson was ready for them.

Dinner was brought to the headmaster’s office as they shared everything they knew, including how they’d seen Jordy the same day he disappeared, just hours before.

“I don’t know why I never said anything,” Roman said. “I was just scared.”

“But we don’t know anything else,” Fielding added in a panic. “Honest!”

“And why were the two of you out at the lake?” their headmaster asked.

“We were just…out for a walk,” Fielding said, his voice trailing.

“Together,” Roman added. “We were spending time together.”

Headmaster Robinson coughed and scribbled down a few extra notes before leveling his gaze at them. When he first met Headmaster Robinson, Roman’s first impression was that of a tiger. Now, with everything that had happened at Blue Ridge over the past few days, all Roman could see was a tired, old man.

“I believe you both,” he said. “For now, we’ll let the police investigate and go from there. For what it’s worth, young man, I hope your brother is not in that lake.”

“Do my parents know?” Roman asked, and Headmaster Robinson nodded.

“We made a call when your brother first went missing and again tonight. I understand they are both away for travel, but they should arrive within a couple days.”

What did his parents make of Xavier’s disappearance, especially now that there was a dead body? When they were allowed back to their dorm room, it didn’t take long for Roman’s food to sour in his stomach, and before he could make it past the first steps, he threw up again, his stomach rejecting the little amount of food he managed to choke down.

One of the upperclassmen who saw them went to get an adult while Fielding rubbed his back. Roman clenched his hands in white-knuckled fists. He had to get it together. Xavier wasn’t gone yet. He couldn’t be.

Later that night, when they were gathered on the couch in their suite, Professor Lee pulled Roman to the side.

“I’m not supposed to say anything yet,” she said, “but they don’t believe Xavier’s in the lake. This is good news, Roman.”

It was good news, and for the first time, Roman felt like he could breathe. But then the cogs in his mind started turning, and he began to wonder. If Xavier wasn’t down in the lake, then where was he?

When he asked Professor Lee what she thought, a frown crossed her face, and she hesitated. “We aren’t sure. The investigation’s still ongoing.”

That had been the end of the conversation.

Now, as Roman hunched over the toilet bowl and wiped the residue of stomach acid from his face, he knew he needed a plan. Xavier hadn’t mysteriously vanished off the face of the Earth. He was somewhere at Blue Ridge. Roman had to find him, no matter what. Even if it meant coming across a second body. He had to know the truth.

With classes suspended, there wasn’t as much urgency to eat breakfast quickly, but it didn’t matter. Roman’s appetite was gone. He wasn’t sure he’d ever eat again, not when every time he closed his eyes he saw Jordy’s bloated body again.

“I’m not hungry anymore,” he told Fielding and started walking away before he could be talked out of it.

“Wait, where are you going?” Fielding asked, turning around to follow him out.

Roman wasn’t sure, but he couldn’t be in a room full of people who had no idea what he was going through. He was almost out of the banquet hall when someone grabbed his arm from behind. Spinning on his heels, Roman raised his fist in a scowl, ready to punch whoever it was in the face. Cooper and Anakin stood there, and an intensity flared in Cooper’s eyes that Roman had never seen before.

“Let’s find someplace private to talk.”

They gathered in the nearby courtyard, their only company the birds pecking the ground for food. Roman shivered in the cool air as Cooper walked them through all that had happened over the past few days from their perspective. When Roman heard about Cooper’s theory on Roy, his ears perked up.

Wasn’t there a time he’d seen Roy and Xavier in an argument earlier in the semester? He wasn’t sure that meant Roy was some vicious killer like Cooper believed, but there was clearly more going on than they knew.

“The same night Jordy went missing, Anakin and I saw something floating on the lake. A light of some kind. I tried getting clues at the boat house, but there were too many people, and it was getting late. And then later on, I saw Roy right near the same spot they found Jordy!”

“Well, good luck getting inside now,” Fielding said, waving his hand in dismissal. “The police have that whole place taped off.”

Anakin nodded in agreement. “Plus, how would we get permission to go? Everyone’s under lockdown.”

Roman locked eyes with Cooper and nodded. Roman could see the same determination on Cooper’s face that burned within him. There was no way anyone was changing their minds. They were getting answers tonight. “Who said anything about getting permission?”

End Chapter 15

Copyright 2023 – Levi Holland
All rights reserved

Boarding School Blues
By
Levi Holland

Chapter 14

“I don’t know, Coop. It sounds crazy to me.”

Cooper leaned over and smacked a palm against the polished wood of the coffee table in their suite. Across from him, Anakin, Naveen, and Julian squeezed shoulder to shoulder on the couch. Their faces were a mixture of concern, apathy, and doubt.

“I know what I saw,” Cooper said. “Roy did something to them!”

Naveen yawned as he dug out the wax in his ear with his pinky. He flicked away the bits that came out. “I think you’re delusional. What did you even see that makes you so convinced, his dog? Roy’s job is to protect us. What reason would he possibly have to hurt Jordy or Xavier?”

“Because no one would ever suspect him!” Cooper shouted.

“Naveen has good point, Cooper,” Julian echoed in his thick accent. “And Roy searches every day.”

“Exactly! Why do you think no one’s found them yet? He’s probably throwing them off the scent! I’m telling you guys, it’s him! You should have seen the murderous look on his face. He was ready to sick his dog on me!”

“You do have that kind of face,” Naveen said and winced when Anakin and Julian punched him on either shoulder.

Cooper growled in frustration. Why couldn’t his friends see he was on to something? There was no denying the veiled threat Roy made to him when they crossed paths. The only reason he was alive was because Roy probably didn’t want to clean up the shredded bits of dog food that would have been left behind by his corpse.

“Coop, I think you should be careful,” Anakin said, running his fingers through his styled hair. “This sounds really dangerous.”

“We can’t be afraid of danger,” Cooper said, trying to sound braver than he felt. The words sounded better coming from Detective Dackery. Still, he believed in them. If Cooper couldn’t be brave enough to find Jordy and Xavier, who would be?

“Yeah, well, they’re fine,” Naveen said as he stood from the couch. “And this convo’s done. I’m going to bed.”

Cooper was about to shout something mean back, but even Anakin had a discouraging frown on his face. Did no one believe him?

“Besides,” Naveen said, smirking as he faced Cooper. “Don’t you two have…other things you’d rather be doing?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Anakin asked, although Cooper had a sneaking suspicion he knew what Naveen was hinting at already.

Naveen shrugged. “Who needs alarm clocks when we have the moaning brigade to wake us up?”

Anakin dipped his head in embarrassment, and Cooper’s temper flared. “Yeah, so what? It’s no big deal. We already know you do it, too.”

Julian gave Naveen a soft poke in the ribs. “Not only that, but he uses girl underwear too sometimes.”

“Dude!” Naveen shouted.

“What? Is true.”

“You wear what!?” Cooper shouted. He wouldn’t be caught dead wearing a girl’s undies, no matter what.

Naveen gave them all a warning finger. “Repeat any of this, and I’ll kick all of your asses. I mean it.”

“There’s nothing wrong with wearing panties,” Anakin said and shrugged. “I wear different clothes all the time.”

“Keep your voice down,” Naveen said, eyeing the open staircase that led down to the other suites. “And it’s not like that. I don’t wear them. They aren’t mine.”

Julian’s brow furrowed as he scratched his temple. “They’re not? But why do they have your initials?”

Cooper thought about Naveen’s first and last name, and the fact that he had a pair of panties. He snapped his fingers as the answer came to him.

“They’re not his! They’re Nadia’s, aren’t they?”

Naveen’s eyes widened, but he said nothing as his copper-skinned cheeks tinged a few shades darker.

“But why have her underwear?” Julian asked.

“Unless she gave them to him,” Anakin suggested.

“Like gift?”

All eyes were on Naveen, who was steadily backpedaling towards his dorm room before bumping into the closed door.

“I…uhh, I…” he trailed. Even from across the room, Naveen’s knees shook. He fumbled with the doorknob before rushing in and closing himself inside.

An awkward silence filled the room until Julian shook his head and sighed. “Come on. Let’s give talk.”

As he rose from the couch, Anakin said, “I still don’t see what the big deal is. Wear whatever clothes you wanna wear.”

“I think you’re missing the point,” Cooper said to his roommate as they followed Julian to his bedroom.

The Polish boy knocked on the door before announcing, “Naveen? Is Julian. We are coming in.”

Right away, Cooper was hit with the stark difference between their two bedrooms. Their beds sat on opposite ends of the room, and other than a few posters about outer space hanging from Julian’s wall and a salt lamp casting a glow on Naveen’s dresser, the room was bare. Cooper much preferred their rearranged beds and Anakin’s growing mural inside their own room.

Laying on his bed, Naveen was trying to smother himself with a pillow. When he spoke, Cooper could barely hear his muffled voice.

“Go away.”

Cooper shut the door behind them as Julian sat on the mattress beside Naveen. A rank odor like old sweaty socks was coming from the dirty clothes pile in the corner. Laundry day couldn’t come soon enough.

“You know we do not care, right?” Julian asked. “We are your friends.”

“We all are,” Cooper said. “If you can’t talk to us, who can you talk to?”

Naveen slowly slid the pillow from his face, and when he did, he stared at the ceiling while chewing on his thoughts. The glow from the salt lamp painted his squinting face in brown shadows. Finally, he growled and sat up to face them.

“The underwear’s not mine,” he said. “It’s Nadia’s. She let’s me…use them.”

“Use them?” Anakin asked.

“I think he means…you know,” Cooper said, miming the motion Anakin did when he was getting the cum feelings. They all blushed as Naveen nodded.

“It helps me feel close to her.”

Anakin was still confused. “But she’s already your twin. Why would you need them to feel close to her? Unless…oh…”

“Don’t say it,” he said.

“You and her?”

“It’s not a big deal.”

Cooper had suspected it since the moment Naveen lost his cool over the panties. It made sense when he thought about it. Naveen already told them he’d had sex before. And he was the one who didn’t want them asking too many questions. But to find out he was having sex with Nadia, his own twin sister? Honestly, Cooper wasn’t sure how to feel. He didn’t have any siblings, but he knew what it was like to feel close to someone, to want to spend time with them. Maybe that was all that mattered. Who was he to judge?

Anakin was still trying to process what Naveen had said. Cooper could see it in the way his friend scratched his temple and furrowed his brow.

“Look, I don’t expect you guys to understand, but you can’t say anything. We promised never to tell anyone. Besides, it’s our business, anyway.”

“We won’t,” Cooper assured him, looking to the others to get their nods.

“But I have so many questions,” Anakin said as he rambled out his thoughts. “When did it start? How often do you guys do it? How does it feel?”

“Maybe later,” Cooper said. “Come on, Anakin. Let’s leave them alone for now.”

As Cooper led Anakin back into the suite, Naveen mouthed a silent thanks to him as Julian closed the door behind them.

“I can’t believe it,” Anakin breathed. “I wonder what it’s like to have real sex.”

Cooper rolled his eyes and giggled. “I’m sure it won’t take long before you find out for yourself. Come on, it’s been a long day. Let’s get some sleep.”

***

The hot shower water washed over Roman’s body, melting the tension in his muscles after another exhausting day at the rock climbing wall. How was it that he was still finding new places to ache? He was getting stronger, that was obvious. His arms weren’t the scrawny sticks they used to be. He wasn’t ripped like some body builder or anything, far from it, but his biceps and forearms were showing more curvature, and his calves were tight and strong. Now if only he wasn’t so short, maybe he’d start to feel like he was finally growing up.

Last night had been tough. Fielding already knew Xavier was the cause of his reoccurring nightmares, but it was the first time Roman had shared about the ways Xavier had sexually abused him. He didn’t realize it had a name, but that’s what Fielding had called the things he’d done.

“Your brother’s a jerk,” Fielding told him. “Whenever they find him, if he ever tries anything like that again, kick him in the nuts.”

“I just wish I knew why,” Roman said, his eyes dry and his tears all cried out by then. “Something happened to him, I know it.”

“Maybe it’s puberty,” Fielding said. “You know, all the hormones?”

“I guess,” Roman said, but the answer didn’t satisfy him. If it were puberty, wouldn’t the changes have happened gradually? The Xavier now was the polar opposite of the one he fondly remembered. They were yin and yang.

As Roman left the shower, he wrapped a towel around his waist before stepping into the suite. Fielding was waiting for him on the couch, and his eyes roamed all over Roman’s mostly naked body. Roman blushed at the extra attention. If he was being honest, the way Fielding had trouble taking his eyes from him or gawking over his near nakedness made him feel wanted.

Back in his bedroom, Roman dropped his towel and slipped into fresh clothes before pulling on a sweater to keep warm against the nippy autumn breeze. Perfect for a walk together outside.

“Ready?” Roman asked as he pulled the bedroom door shut.

When they walked down the staircase, Roman couldn’t help but tense up as they passed the quiet 8th grade suite. Even though Xavier wasn’t there, Roman tensed as if Xavier might suddenly leap out from the shadows, having played a cruel joke on him over the past three days.

“Come on,” Fielding whispered. “Let’s go.”

Outside, the clouds hung low in the sky like thick tufts of cotton. As they strolled down the cobblestone path, Fielding looked around for signs of anyone around, but they were by themselves. Everyone else was getting ready for dinner. That was fine with Roman. The whole point of walking outside was to have some time alone.

Fielding slid his hand beside Roman’s. They stopped together on the path. Holding Fielding’s hand was like warm butter on pancakes, and Roman squeezed it gently, bringing a smile to Fielding’s face.

“This is okay, right?” he asked.

Roman nodded, swallowing back his nerves. It was a new experience for Roman, the way his chest tingled as they clasped hands. If anyone happened upon the two of them, what would they see? Two boys holding hands, sure, but that wasn’t so unusual. Out of the two hundred something students at Blue Ridge, there had to be at least a few gay couples, but is that what they were? Is that what he wanted them to be?

“Is this why you wanted to go on a walk so badly?”

Fielding shrugged. “I thought you might be more comfortable if there weren’t a lot of people around. It’s my first time doing this, too.”

“I like it,” Roman said. Taking a quick glance around, Roman leaned in and quickly kissed Fielding on the cheek. When he pulled back, Fielding’s face glowed like the sunrise.

“Come on,” he said, “we still have a little more time before we gotta head back.”

Around them, the once orange and yellow autumn leaves were now dulled, many having broken loose in scattered piles around the base of the trees. As they walked towards the lake, a flock of Canadian geese hissed at them as they flapped their wings, prepared for war if they dared come any closer.

“Geez, sensitive much?” Fielding asked and squealed as one of geese charged, chasing the two of them around the lake with angry honks. It wasn’t until they were safely to the other side that the goose finally slowed. It kept a beady, watchful eye on them as they walked away. Fielding stuck out his middle finger.

The goose had shooed them near the edge of the forest. Here, the lake water lapped against the muddy shore, and a dense cluster of cattails and weeds waved softly in the late afternoon breeze.

“Eww, it’s smelly out here,” Fielding complained, pinching his nose.

Roman laughed. “Careful. You might step in a big pile of goose poop.”

Fielding nudged a stormy gray pebble with his foot before picking it up and attempting to skip the smooth stone across the lake. It died under a heavy splash. Roman joined him and picked up a new stone before slinging it at an angle, cheering as it skipped a few more times before plopping beneath the surface.

When Fielding threw his next stone, he laughed as it accidentally flew into the nest of cattails. It landed with a chunky splurch against a jammed pile of debris stuck inside. A flash of dull yellow within the tangled weeds caught Roman’s eye, and before Fielding launched his next stone, Roman raised an arm to stop him.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, following Roman’s gaze to the thick cluster of grass.

Tiptoeing around the shore, Roman’s shoes sank in the mud the closer he got. The stench from before grew stronger with every step as a nauseous pit formed in his stomach and his mind raced. It couldn’t be.

“Please, no,” Roman whispered.

“Roman?” There was a tremor in Fielding’s voice as Roman crept ever closer.

He couldn’t know for certain until he climbed up the high bank near the trees and looked down at the lake. Roman wanted to believe it was nothing—wanted desperately to turn the other way and ignore his gut.

Part of the bank had eroded away, and Roman’s foot slipped as he tried to find purchase up the hill. Using the exposed roots from one of the nearby trees as leverage, Roman hauled his body up the ten foot drop, remembering to shift his weight like he’d been taught.

When he turned around, the view wasn’t perfect, but even through the thicket of fallen branches and dense clump of cattails, there was no mistaking it.

“Fielding, we have to get help.” There, his body trapped and floating face down in the dark waters, was Jordy Diaz.

End Chapter 14

Copyright 2023 – Levi Holland
All rights reserved

Boarding School Blues
By
Levi Holland

Chapter 13

Cooper’s eyes were heavy with sleep as the sun streamed into his bedroom.

If it were the weekend, he might have slept in a few hours, but his subconscious knew he had to wake up for class. What’s more, something was different. A rustling and shaking kept interrupting the last bit of sleep he tried to cling to. It wasn’t until he heard a strained whimper that Cooper finally opened his eyes.

In the twin bed beside his, Anakin was up in more ways than one. The covers had been tossed back, revealing his fully nude body. Anakin’s mousy face was a mix of intense concentration and pleasure as he gripped all four inches of his boner in his fist and stroked it at a furious speed. His normally styled hair was fanned out in messy bedhead, although the edges of his hair were damp with sweat. With his free hand, Anakin pawed and gripped at the mattress, his fingers clutching the silky material.

One of Anakin’s legs twitched, and his voice gave another high-pitched whine. Each time Anakin worked his way up, his balls jiggled and bounced with every tug. They were beginning to flatten, nearly pancaked against his groin as his breath huffed through his nostrils.

Cooper was painfully hard and torn between staring at Anakin’s bigger dick or his friend’s face. It didn’t help that he was also dealing with his usual morning wood. If the pleasure hitting Anakin was anything like when the two of them smushed their dicks together or felt the rumblings of the washer, then Anakin must have been totally wrapped up in the good feelings. He didn’t even break concentration when Cooper snuck a hand down to his own boner.

As Cooper softly squeezed the underside of his penis, rolling the head beneath his fingers, his eyes fluttered as he groaned. Anakin noticed then and flicked his eyes down to Cooper’s.

“Morning, Coop,” he panted. “Sorry, I can’t help it.”

“How long have you been going?” Cooper asked, his mouth sour and dry from sleep.

“I’ve already done it twice this morning,” Anakin replied.

After a few more strokes, Anakin’s stomach muscles bunched as his feet raised from the mattress. As he gripped the base of his penis, his jaw slacked open and he groaned loudly. Suddenly, Anakin squeezed his boner at the base. The way it flicked back and forth was kind of like when Cooper tried to shake the last bit of pee out, but the twitches all happened super fast.

“Oh, that feels so good,” Anakin said, finally falling against the pillows. His dick pointed towards his chin, still pulsing with leftover throbs.

“Was it like last night?”

Anakin turned to face him. “It’s different. Still awesome, but I think I liked it more when both of us did it.”

“I think you might be addicted to sex,” Cooper laughed.

*

Classes weren’t much better than the day before. People were starting to talk again, but whenever they did, it was always about how Jordy and Xavier were still missing. It seemed like everyone had already given up hope on finding them, but Cooper couldn’t. Not when there was still a chance of getting them back. And why did everyone automatically assume the worst? It frustrated him to no end. If they put the same effort into searching that they did worrying, then maybe they’d have already found the two missing boys.

As the day ended, Cooper bumped fists with Anakin before heading to the rock climbing wall. He zipped his sweater and tucked his chin against the chill as he worked his way down the path leading towards the stables. Already ahead of him, Roman walked with his head down and hands shoved inside his hoodie. There hadn’t been much time to talk to him throughout the day until now, and Cooper chased him down.

“Roman, wait up!” Cooper called.

Roman didn’t hear him. Or if he did, he wasn’t listening.

“Hey, you good?” he asked.

Roman stopped and shrugged his shoulders. “I guess. Just a lot on my mind, you know? Listen, about yesterday—”

“I already told you, don’t sweat it,” Cooper said. “Just know I’m here for you, man, no matter what.”

“I appreciate it, Cooper,” Roman said as hints of a blush surfaced across his tanned cheeks.

Roman looked more relaxed as they spotted each other on the wall. Earlier in the week, Professor Green reinstalled all the handholds in different spots, creating new and trickier paths for them to attempt. Yesterday Roman hadn’t been in the right head space. How could he be? Now, at least, he was taking Cooper’s advice on where to place the next foot as he climbed.

As Cooper finished up and hung his harness back on the hook, the sun was inching its way toward the mountains. If he didn’t go now, there’d be barely any daylight to help him in his search. Already he was losing time from the curfew, and now it had been two whole days since Jordy and Xavier went missing. Time was of the essence. Cooper wasn’t exactly sure what he hoped to find, but any clue was better than nothing.

Getting to the lake cost him fifteen minutes. He kept having to blow warm air into his palms to keep them from chilling, but he wasn’t planning on giving up. A little cold never hurt anybody, he told himself. Once the boat house came into view, it wasn’t long before he spotted several upperclassmen dragging their canoes through the main door. Could that have been what he saw several nights ago outside his window? But that didn’t make any sense. Why would someone be out on their canoe after dark?

Inside the boat house, Cooper plugged his nose. The place smelled like stuffy mildew no matter where he went. It had to be from all the sopping life jackets dripping lake water on the floorboards. As he tried to get a look around, there were a couple older kids who gave him funny looks, but he didn’t have time to explain why he was there. Maybe they didn’t see anything suspicious about this place, but Cooper did.

Suspended from a hook on the back wall was a lantern with a rounded amber sphere. He couldn’t be certain, but it might have matched the shape he saw the other night. A closed, splintered door stood next to it that looked like it hadn’t been touched in years. Cooper was surprised something so shabby hadn’t been replaced in a place like Blue Ridge. Maybe it was an old storage room. Without making a scene and barging inside, there was no way Cooper could get behind the counter to check if the door was locked. And if it was, the odds of him finding the key laying around were next to nothing. He shook his head. What was he even hoping to find inside? Maybe the lake held better clues.

As Cooper went back outside, his feet squelched through the soggy grass as he squinted against the sunset. Several hundred yards away, Blue Ridge castle stood proudly. Valentia’s red banner flapped in the wind as sunlight reflected off his bedroom window. He wasn’t crazy—whatever he saw from his bedroom couldn’t have been a coincidence.

Shaking the cold water from his shoes, Cooper tried to dodge the puddles of leftover rain water as he followed the bend in the lake back to the cobblestone path. The street lamps were already buzzing to life, flicking on one by one as day turned to dusk. Time was running out, and Cooper growled in frustration.

Ahead of him lay the castle. He knew there was enough time to make it back if he hurried. Besides, it was getting colder by the minute outside. Behind him, the path continued on into a canopy of dark woods and thick hedges. Cooper had never explored this far out.

The closer he drew to the forest, the more the darkness swallowed him up as it beckoned him deeper inside. Here, there was no sunlight, and the temperature dipped even more until Cooper was rubbing his arms through his thin sweater. Next time, he’d ask to borrow some of Anakin’s clothes to keep him warmer.

These woods weren’t like the ones back home. These were cold, barren, lifeless. Something had spooked all the animals away. The forest should never be so quiet. A wall of high shrubs guarded either side of the path, stretching nearly eight feet tall. Running his fingers along the manicured leaves, Cooper was curious how deep the shrubs might go when a branch snapped from beyond the greenery.

Cooper froze in place.

For a moment, all was quiet, so quiet Cooper thought he might have imagined the noise. But then something tore through the shrub wall, and before Cooper could react, a black German Shepherd darted out, barking and gnashing its vicious teeth. Cooper careened back and landed on his bottom.

Moments before the dog would have ripped him apart, the leash around its neck jerked tight. On the other end, Roy Rochester towered over him, scrutinizing Cooper with the same glaring intensity as the canine in front of him.

With his free hand, Roy made a sharp whistle using two fingers, and in an instant, the barking stopped. The dog squatted on its hind legs, but every single one of its muscles were tightly coiled. Its whole body looked charged with electricity, and its glinting, black eyes were downright murderous.

“You should be more careful where you wander off to,” Roy said. “You wouldn’t want to be the next to go missing.”

As Roy led the dog along the dark path through the woods, Cooper’s blood ran cold. He’d come seconds from being ripped to shreds. It was nothing like the time he’d rescued Sawyer from the dog back in Misty Pines. If Roy’s dog had made Cooper his chew toy, there would have been no one to save him.

Cooper’s arms and legs trembled as he pushed himself to his feet. His heart was a rattling mess inside his chest, and without another glance back, Cooper ran towards the safety of the castle. He didn’t have all the answers yet, but he was sure of it. More sure than anything in his whole life.

Roy Rochester had something to do with the missing boys.

***

Roman felt like he was on trial.

After dinner, he was called to Headmaster Robinson’s office to share about the last time he’d seen Xavier. Each of his professors scrutinized him, as if he were somehow responsible for what happened to Jordy and Xavier. Headmaster Robinson, his teachers from class, even Roy Rochester. They were all there, listening and interjecting questions of their own.

“Surely he said something to you,” Professor Gray said, his face like the hardened grimace of a gargoyle.

“We don’t talk much anymore,” Roman confessed.

“He didn’t say anything to you at all?” Professor Bell asked. “Nothing about running away or maybe being in some kind of trouble?”

Clearly none of his professors knew how awful his and Xavier’s relationship had been. Still was. Roman shook his head and picked at his calloused palm.

Professor Lee crouched down and placed a hand on Roman’s knee. “It’s alright, Roman. We’re just trying to get some answers. There’s nothing to be nervous about.”

“I already told everyone, I don’t know anything, okay!?” he snapped.

They eventually gave up on getting anything out of him, and when Roman left Headmaster Robinson’s office, he felt worse than he had going in. Whatever Xavier was up to, it wasn’t his fault at all. Why couldn’t his teachers just leave him alone?

Because of how late it was, Roman was escorted by Roy Rochester back to his suite. He couldn’t shake the goosebumps creeping up his neck. Roy stood behind him, never saying a word the whole way back. Actually, that was fine with Roman. He was done talking about Xavier. Done talking to people who didn’t bother to understanding him. He just wanted to be back in his suite with Fielding.

All day it seemed like Fielding consumed his thoughts.

Whenever he thought about the kiss they shared last night, his brain became mush and his heart like putty. In class, he kept getting lost in the freckles sprinkled across his pale cheeks or his curling strawberry-blonde hair. He was seeing things about his suitemate in a brand new way now. He couldn’t help it. He couldn’t explain it. He just wanted more.

Sometimes Fielding noticed him watching, and then Roman had to quickly turn to hide his blushing face. One glance into his teal green eyes was enough to unravel him.

Like now, sitting on the couch in their suite, Roman had hardly worked on their homework for class at all. The only thing he found he could study well was the outlines of Fielding’s face as he furrowed his brow working out a problem.

Fielding flicked his eyes towards Roman, and Roman turned his attention back to his paper, but it was too late. Roman was busted.

Fielding set down his journal and homework and leaned in. “Okay, that’s it. Are we cool? With what happened last night, I mean?”

Roman blinked out of his stupor. “What’re you talking about? Why wouldn’t we be?”

“Because ever since last night, you’ve been acting all weird.”

“What? I’m not being weird. Nothing’s weird at all. Why would you think that?”

Fielding’s eyes narrowed.

“Okay,” Roman conceded with a sigh, “so maybe things are a little weird.”

Fielding folded his legs as he turned to face him on the couch. “Did you wanna talk about the kiss? Or Xavier? Or just school or something?”

Roman’s tongue was thick in his mouth, and all the spit was dried up. He swallowed to get his mouth working again.

“The kiss? I…uhh…I liked it, yeah.”

A smirk crossed Fielding’s face as he leaned in close, too close. The heat spreading across Roman’s cheeks made his ears hot as he tried to lean back, but Fielding kept coming, bracing himself with his hands as he hovered within inches of Roman’s face, his lips.

“Did you wanna maybe do it again?”

Not trusting himself to speak, Roman only nodded as he closed his eyes and leaned in for another kiss.

Right before their lips met, the door to Ivan and Wyatt’s bedroom swung open, and Roman and Fielding jerked apart. Roman had never tried to act so casual about doing homework before in his life. Surely his suitemates must have heard Roman’s heart clanging like a gong inside his chest. Were his ribs breaking? Surely they were breaking.

“Taking a shower?” Fielding asked, maybe a little too casually.

When Roman looked up, his mouth fell open. Wyatt was already halfway to the bathroom, shirtless with only a towel wrapped around his scrawny waist as he strolled barefoot across the floor. Behind him, Ivan walked out of his bedroom fully nude. His towel was slung over his shoulder as he clicked the door shut behind him.

What drew Roman’s attention most was the swinging python between Ivan’s legs. Like the rest of Ivan’s body, the size of his penis looked disproportionate for someone who was only twelve, and all Roman could think about was the other night when he spied on Ivan and Wyatt in their bedroom. Their groans were still crystal clear in his mind, and the image of Ivan smearing his cummy dick across Wyatt’s cheek was seared in his memory.

“Good talk,” Fielding said behind him as the two left without a word into the bathroom.

After the shower squeaked to life, Fielding leaned forward again and said, “Maybe we should start calling him Hog. Woooo boy, imagine that thing in bed.”

“Fielding!”

“What? I’m just saying,” he said through his laughter.

They were quiet for a few moments, giggling each time they bumped their knees together. When the showers squeaked to a stop, Fielding quickly leaned in for a kiss. His breath smelled vaguely of the key lime pie they had for dessert, and Fielding’s lips against his own sent tingles down Roman’s body, straight into his hardening dick.

Later in their room, as they settled down for the night, Fielding brought up Ivan’s big dick and made another joke.

“Maybe Hog wasn’t the right word. How does Ramrod sound?”

Roman frowned. “Like he’s a viking about to pillage a town.”

“I bet a town’s not the only thing he’s pillaging,” Fielding said, wriggling his eyebrows.

“Are you always this perverted?” Roman asked.

Fielding raised his arms defensively. “I just call it like I see it.”

Roman slipped off his shirt and his socks before sitting on his bed. He lowered his voice and said, “I saw them the other night.”

The walls weren’t so thick that Roman really believed Ivan and Wyatt could hear the two of them, but he didn’t want to take any chances. If Ivan overheard him, it wouldn’t take much to snap Roman like a toothpick.

“Saw who? Ivan and Wyatt?”

Roman blushed. “Yeah…the other night. I was getting some water, and when I came back, they were…well, you know…”

“Gettin’ it on like Donkey Kong?”

“What!?” Roman sputtered. “What does that even mean?”

Hopping out of his bed, Fielding squatted into a gorilla stance, scratching his armpits while grunting. Roman couldn’t help but notice the way Fielding’s erection poked against his briefs as he thrusted his hips.

“You’re crazy,” Roman said.

Fielding monkey-walked over to Roman’s bed and sat close beside him, their thighs brushing together as Fielding’s hand fell gently on top of his. Roman’s dick was sticking up like a flagpole in his briefs.

“So, what were they doing?” Fielding asked as he traced his fingers on the back of Roman’s hand.

“I…uhh…couldn’t see much at first,” he said, trying to ignore Fielding’s tender touch against his hand while he formed his words. “I heard these slurping sounds, and all I saw was Ivan’s back at first.”

“Oh my god, were they…?”

Roman nodded. “Just Wyatt. But his head was bobbing. And then it didn’t take long before Ivan shot his stuff. He did it on Wyatt’s face.”

The last time Roman had seen Fielding’s face this red was when he got burned from being out in the sun all day for their House competition.

“Is that how you knew what jizz looked like?” Fielding asked suddenly.

The playful tone from before was gone from Fielding’s voice. Roman stopped short and shook his head before chewing at his fingernail. When he tried to look away, Fielding gently pulled his hand down.

“You can talk to me, Roman,” he said, rubbing his thumb gently over Roman’s hand. “I’m your friend.”

Roman shook his head again, his lower lip trembling as his body fought him and his words failed him. Why was this so hard to do? Even thinking about his brother was enough to put shackles around him. When he opened his mouth to speak, nothing but a hoarse whisper came out.

He was scared. Scared of what admitting the things Xavier did to him might mean. Scared of how it might change the way Fielding saw him. For some stupid reason, he was also scared of what people would think about Xavier. He was still his brother, and despite lying to himself, despite pretending to everyone else that it was different, Roman still cared about his brother.

But the hurt was winning, chewing him alive and breaking him down until he was nothing but a pulpy mess. He couldn’t keep walking this path alone. If he did, there’d be nothing left of him by the end of things. Eventually he had to trust someone else. Let them in. Let them help. Before his sobs could wrack his body, the tears sprinkled down his cheeks as he squeezed his eyes shut, and choked out a single, confessing word.

“Xavier.”

End Chapter 13

Copyright 2023 – Levi Holland
All rights reserved