Rainbow Boys (6 page)

Thursday morning Kyle’s mom suggested he take the car. “You can drive straight to your orthodontist’s appointment after school.” She didn’t need to persuade him.

A fter the final bell, he bolted to the car and started down Washington Boulevard. A t the third intersection, he spotted a familiar red backpack. His heart began to pound. He adjusted his glasses and slowed down for a better look. Sure enough, it was Jason.

The rational thing would have been to keep driving. He didn’t want to be late for his appointment. But this was a chance he might not get again. He tapped the horn, leaned across the passenger’s seat, and rolled down the window. “Hi!” Jason hesitated, then strode over to the car. “Wha’s up? I didn’t know who you were.”

“It’s me,” Kyle said. Ugh. Dumb. Try again. “Want a ride?”

Jason stared at him, raising his hands as if to apologize, then dropping them again. “I live pretty far.” Kyle said, “I know.” He had looked up Jason’s address in the student directory and walked, biked, and driven by the white ranch-style house at least a million times over the past three years. He knew exactly where it was.

Jason’s brow furrowed. “You do?”

Uh-oh. Way to go, Kyle. Get yourself out of this one. “Sure.” He pointed in the general direction in which Jason was headed. “That way.”

Jason laughed and his curls bounced. “Okay.” He peeled off his backpack and climbed into the car, folding his frame into the front seat.

Kyle’s heart throbbed against his chest. Jason Carrillo was sitting in his car, right there in the seat beside him! A faint musky essence wafted up Kyle’s nose and into his memory.

“Do you live this way?” Jason asked.

“No, the other way.” Kyle pointed over his shoulder.

“Oh.” Jason gave him a confused look. “Where you going?”

Kyle looked ahead of him and had to think for a moment. “Uh, I have an orthodontist’s appointment. I’m getting my braces removed.”

“Oh,” Jason said.

Kyle drove in silence, trying to come up with a topic of conversation. “It’s turned out to be a nice day,” he said, motioning out the window.

Jason looked up at the sky and gave a polite smile. “Yeah, sure has.”

They passed by the county hospital. Now, that was a handy topic. “I was born there,” Kyle said.

“Really?” Jason said. “Me too.”

Kyle imagined Jason sleeping in the crib next to him. “When’s your birthday?”

“January thirteenth,” Jason said. “First day of bad luck in the year.”

“Oh,” Kyle said, disappointed. “May fifth.”

“It sucks being born in January,” Jason said. “So close to Christmas, I don’t get half as many presents as my sister. She was born in July. Course, she would probably get more presents no matter when she was born.”

“Is she older or younger?”

“Younger. Six. She’s a pain in the butt. A lways getting into my stuff. But she’s all right.” Kyle smiled and tried to think of what else to talk about. “So … where you going next year?” Jason shrugged. “I don’t care. A nywhere, to get out of the house. Maybe Tech. Coach says I should be able to get a scholarship if I keep my grades up. My math sucks.”

Kyle felt his synapses popping. “Really? Math’s my favorite subject.” His breath came fast. “I could probably help you.” He tightened his grip on the steering wheel, trying to calm down. “If you wanted.”

Jason gave a noncommittal nod. “Sure.”

That didn’t offer Kyle much encouragement. They continued for a few blocks. Kyle sneaked a glance at Jason and saw him chew his nails. That surprised him. He didn’t think of Jason as nervous. He always seemed so cool and confident. His hands looked strong. Kyle imagined what it might be like to hold one, to feel the calluses and the strong fingers. His grip on the steering wheel relaxed. He turned onto Piedmont Street and pulled up in front of Jason’s house.

He half expected Jason to bolt from the car, just as he’d run from the youth group, but instead Jason stared at him curiously until he finally said, “You knew exactly where I live.”

Kyle blushed, realizing his mistake. Busted.

The car began to roll. Kyle slammed on the brake and fumbled with the gear shift. “I better put it in park.”

“Good idea,” Jason agreed. He looked out the window at his house and sat quietly a moment, before turning to Kyle. “Look, can I ask you something? So, are you …?”

Kyle knew what Jason was asking, but he hesitated to come right out and tell him, afraid that Jason might never speak to him again.

“Yeah,” he finally said. “Gay.”

Jason studied him and remained silent a moment, clutching his backpack close to his chest. “A bout that group …” He bit his lip, then continued. “I never thought I’d see anyone from school there. You know I have a girlfriend. I mean, we have sex and everything.” Kyle nodded. He wanted to say the right thing. “I know,” he uttered simply, amazed at how confident and self-assured it sounded. He was enjoying being with Jason, sitting beside him, and didn’t want the afternoon to end.

Jason let out a sigh. “Thanks for not saying anything in front of her.”

Kyle’s new self-confidence gave him the courage to say more. “Well, if you ever want to go back to the meeting, I can give you a ride.

You know, go with you.”

Jason’s face clouded over. “Listen”—his voice quivered—“I told you, I’m not …” He grabbed the door handle. “I better go.” Kyle sat up. He’d blown it again. “I’m sorry. I just—”

Jason pushed the door open and climbed out of the car. “Thanks for the ride.” Kyle watched Jason stride up the sidewalk and disappear into the house. He felt like his heart was being ripped out, while his mind swirled with the lingering scent of Jason. He looked at the car clock and saw that he was already fifteen minutes late for the orthodontist.

Crap. He took a deep breath, shifted into drive, and floored the accelerator, feeling like the most unlucky boy on Earth. Oh well, at least Jason had sat in his car.

The following morning, Nelson rummaged through his closet, searching for his camera.

His mom called out the latest countdown. “Nelson, it’s seven thirty-three.” She should’ve been a mission controller for the space program. “You’re going to be late for school again.”

Nelson yelled back, “Have you seen my Polaroid?”

His mom leaned in the doorway. “Look at the mess you’re making!”

“Kyle got his braces off. I’ve got to take his picture.”

His mom raised an eyebrow. “I swear, sometimes I think you’re in love with him. Let me check in the den.” Nelson paused his search. Did the whole world think he was in love with Kyle?

His mom yelled, “Here it is!”

Nelson hurried to the den. “Thanks. You’re the best.” He grabbed the camera and smacked a kiss in her direction.

In order to catch Kyle before homeroom, Nelson ran all the way to school, slowing down only once for his morning cigarette. He arrived just as Kyle closed his locker. Nelson grabbed him by the shoulder and spun him around. “Let me see!” Kyle cracked a smile. “Was it worth three years of looking like a nerd?”

“You look even more studly than before.” Nelson opened his backpack and pulled his camera out. “C’mon. I want to take your picture.” Kyle held up his hand, trying to block the camera. “Not here!”

Before Kyle could protest any further, the Polaroid flashed and spit out the photo.

Kyle leaned toward Nelson, whispering, “You’ll never believe what happened yesterday.” Nelson waved the photo, hoping to make it develop faster. “Don’t tell me. I know it’s a remote possibility since you hardly ever mention him, but by some bizarro chance could it have anything to do with Jason?” Kyle grinned. “Yep.”

“You saw her in the bathroom and caught a glimpse of her pee-pee?”

Kyle shot him a hostile look and pulled his backpack up on his shoulder. “Shut up.” Nelson swatted him with the photo. “The bell’s about to ring. Tell me!”

Kyle’s lips parted into a tremendous, gleaming grin. “He let me give him a ride home. Can you believe it? He sat in my car, right there beside me.”

That was chummy, Nelson thought. He tasted bile at the back of his throat, like he had just burped up something. “So?” he asked cautiously. “He was in your car. B.F.D. What happened?”

Kyle leaned back dreamily. “We talked—”

The brightness of Kyle’s teeth suddenly annoyed Nelson. “Did you at least get a little feel?” Kyle stared at him. “Huh?” Then his smile fell. “You’re a real jerk, you know that?”

“Yeah?” Nelson said. “Well, just because you get your braces off and give ultrajock a ride home, don’t act like such hot shit all of a sudden.”

The bell rang. Nelson turned and stormed off, not sure why he felt so angry. During homeroom he stared at the photo of Kyle’s gleaming smile, feeling stupid. Why should it bother him that Kyle and Jason were alone together in a car? He wasn’t in love with Kyle. He hated Kyle. Kyle was a dickhead in love with a frizzy-haired jerk.

A fter school, Nelson walked to Shea’s and vented. “I don’t know why I got so upset. I always knew he had the hots for Jason. It never used to bother me. I guess I didn’t think it would go anywhere. Now suddenly he’s giving him rides home.” He pulled the Polaroid from his backpack. “Want to see him without braces?”

Shea admired the photo. “He looks great.”

Nelson flicked his ashes into the incense bowl. “Maybe I am in love with him. But what’s the point? He’s not interested in me. Why would he be? Look at me.” He slapped his hips. “My butt’s big as a beehive. My legs are like sticks. Everything’s out of proportion, like a fun-house mirror. It’s tragic. I hate my body.”

Shea pursed her lips. “Don’t be so harsh! You have a nice body … for a guy. You have a cute smile, nice broad shoulders, and a sexy butt.” She pinched it, as though to prove her point.

“Hey!” He slapped her wrist.

“Nelson, you’re good looking. What’s tragic is you don’t see it.”

He didn’t believe her. She was just saying that because she was his friend.

The phone rang. Caitlin. Big surprise. While they talked, Nelson stared in the mirror at himself. He did have nice shoulders, considering he never worked out. Maybe he should take steroids. In the meantime, he needed to ditch the lemon-lime hair. He curled a finger through it and looked at Shea’s hair. She had a cute perm. He thought of Jason’s hair, with those dark, wild curls—talk about Miss Mess, though it did look sexy.

“How about,” he asked Shea when she hung up, “dark brown wild, sexy curls.” She pouted. That was weird, considering she’d just talked with Caitlin. He walked over and put his arm around her. “Something wrong?”

She stared wistfully at the phone. “Caitlin is applying to Smith for next year. It’s supposed to have an incredible lesbian community.”

“So?” he asked. “Can’t you move up with her?”

Shea gave a halfhearted shrug. “I could. I’ll have my beauty-school certificate then. I can cut hair anywhere. But … I hoped she’d choose a local school. I’m not sure I want to leave Mom, or you and my other friends.” Her green eyes twinkled at him.

“A ll right,” he said. “Don’t get gooey on me.”

Nelson’s perm didn’t come out exactly like he’d hoped. When he arrived at the meeting Saturday, Kyle took one look at him and shook his head in disbelief.

“Go ahead,” Nelson sighed. “Say it—I look like a poodle. Does it really look that bad? No, don’t tell me.” He sat down beside him. “A nd before you say anything, I want to apologize. I know I got a little out of line about Jason the other day.”

“A little out of line?” Kyle shook his head. “You mean ballistic. I can’t believe you sometimes.” Nelson twirled a curl. “Neither can I. It’s not easy being me. Imagine what I have to put up with twenty-four / seven. A t least you can get away from me occasionally.” Kyle smiled and Nelson relaxed. “You really do look great without braces.” A fter the meeting Kyle asked Nelson to help him pick out perfume at the mall. “Tomorrow’s my mom’s birthday.” When they got to Kyle’s house, his parents were rushing out to dinner. His mom told Nelson she liked his curls.

His dad stared silently at Nelson’s hair, probably thinking he’d get reprimanded if he said anything about it. “We’re going to the Millers’,” he told Kyle. “There’s some of my world-famous pot roast in case you boys get hungry.” A fter eating, Kyle and Nelson went to Kyle’s room. Nelson put a CD in the stereo. “Hey, I’ve got this awesome idea.” Kyle sat on the floor and pulled his mom’s perfume from his backpack, sniffing the box. “You’re scheming again. I can hear it in your voice.”

“I’m not scheming. Just shut up and listen. It’s our senior year, right? Homecoming is next week. So why don’t you and I go?” Kyle’s eyebrows scrunched together. “Who would I take?”

Nelson smiled and twirled in front of him.

“A re you crazy?” Kyle shook his head. “No way!”

Nelson shushed him with a wave of his hand. “Why not? Those two girls in Richmond went to the prom together. They even made a TV movie about them. It would rule, Kyle! Can you imagine? We’d be media divas.”