Rainbow High (12 page)

“No, you mean weird. Severely weird. Get a life, Mom.”

Her mouth fel in a wounded look, the kind that struck Nelson instantly guilt ridden.

“I’m sorry.” He put his arm around her. “Okay, I’l invite him to dinner.” He tried to sound enthusiastic, though his heart was fluttering with anxiety.

“Dinner with your mom?” Jeremy asked, when Nelson phoned.

“I know it sounds kinky,” Nelson told him. “You can say no if you want.”

“Wel , um . . .” Jeremy hesitated. “Have you told her yet?”

Nelson knew what he meant.

“I wil ,” he answered, trying to sound convincing.

“Okay,” Jeremy agreed, and they set a time for Saturday.

Before going to bed, Nelson pul ed out the card he’d bought. He wanted to write a personal note, but everything he came up with sounded either too chummy (“Hoping we’l always be friends”); or like a marriage proposal (“Wishing we can be together forever”); or like a needy plea (“I hope you like me as much as I like you”).

Yuck.

Why not simply sign his name? But that seemed so indifferent, like something his dear old dad would do. He should at least write a personal closing: “Best regards” or “Warmest wishes” or—his heart gave a lurch—“Love.” He stared at the card. Did he real y have the nerve to write the
L
word? He’d never done that, except with relatives and Kyle.

He raised the pen to his lips and bit into it, wondering.
Was
he in love with Jeremy? And if so, was he ready to admit it?

For the rest of the week, the only thought on his mind was Jeremy’s visit.

When Saturday evening arrived, Nelson went through six shirts, four pairs of jeans, two belts, three pairs of shoes, five neck chains, two bracelets, and three brands of briefs, before final y settling on what to wear.

In the living room his mom arranged trays of hors d’oeuvres on the side tables.

“Mom,” Nelson yel ed, bounding down the stairs. “That’s enough to feed an army!” He pul ed the curtain back, peering out the window just as a car door slammed outside. Immediately Atticus started barking.

“He’s here!” Nelson screamed in a whisper.

“How do I look?” his mom said, puffing her hair.

“Hey, he’s
my
date,” Nelson said, crowding her away from the mirror. “How do
I
look?” She laughed and brushed off his shoulders. “You look great.”

Nelson grabbed Atticus by the col ar and swung the front door open. Jeremy was carrying a bouquet up the front steps.

“Omigod!” Nelson yel ed. “Irises are my favorite.” Leaning toward Jeremy in plain view of his mom, he made a point of kissing him ful on the lips.

“Um . . .” Jeremy blushed. “These are actual y for your mom.”

“I know. Just kidding.” Nelson laughed, though he felt a little disappointed.

“Um, hi, Mrs. Glassman,” Jeremy said, wiping his feet as Atticus pawed him.

“I told you to cal me Felicia. Atticus, calm down!” She pul ed the dog back. “Thanks for the flowers. Come on in. Let me take your coat.”

“I’l take it,” Nelson offered.

While his mom finished preparing dinner, Nelson got Jeremy a Coke and came to sit with him.

Jeremy asked in a low voice, “Did you tel her?”

“Um, I meant to,” Nelson said, offering a smile. “But the right moment never came up.”

“Dude, you said you’d tel her.” Jeremy’s voice was tense.

“Sorry.” Nelson took hold of Jeremy’s hand. “I’l tel her. I promise.”

Jeremy gave an exasperated sigh.

“Dinner’s ready!” Nelson’s mom cal ed from the dining room.

The meal turned out better than any boyfriend-and-mom fantasy Nelson could’ve dreamed of.

She coddled and pampered Jeremy, encouraging him to “Eat more!” and keeping his Coke glass ful . For his part, Jeremy was the perfect guest: polite (always “please” and “thanks”); flattering Nelson’s mom (“Those are cool earrings . . .”); and funny (“Can I borrow them sometime?”).

Even Atticus fel in love with Jeremy, insistently attempting to woo his leg.

“Atticus!” Nelson’s mom squawked. “Nelson, please put him outside.”

Jeremy completed winning her heart after dinner. “Let Nelson and me clean up.” For the first time ever, Nelson delighted in rinsing plates, standing side by side with his boyfriend. Giggling and bumping hips, they loaded the dishwasher.

Afterward, his mom merrily suggested, “Let’s play Monopoly.”

“No way, Mom.” Nelson crossed his arms, glaring at her. “We—
Jeremy and I
—are going to hang out in my room.” He felt a little guilty being so stern, but with parents sometimes you just had to draw the line.

It was Nelson’s first time having Jeremy in his room and he’d spent most of the day cleaning. He’d arranged his CDs—pop, rock, dance, and show tunes. He’d gathered his videos from around the TV and lined them neatly on a single shelf. He’d wiped his dresser clean of zit cream tubes and other gross junk. Gobs of stuff got tossed beneath the bed or chucked in the closet.

“I’m impressed,” his mom had commented, seeing the neat room. “We should invite Jeremy over more often.” When Nelson led him in, the first thing Jeremy noticed was the floor-to-ceiling plush banana in the corner.

“Kyle gave me that my last birthday,” Nelson grinned. “We always give each other a gag gift along with a real one. I’m so pissed at him about Princeton. He never should’ve applied. I told him, ‘If you apply, you’l get accepted.’” As Nelson talked Jeremy flipped through CDs, picking out the latest Pet Shop Boys. Nelson put it on, then bounced onto the bed—the only place to sit since he’d cleverly removed his desk chair, side chair, and every other sittable surface.

Jeremy sat down beside Nelson and put his arm around him. Nelson inhaled deeply, taking in the moment.

“What’s this?” Jeremy asked as Nelson handed him the card from the supermarket.

“Open it.”

Nelson had to sit on his hands to keep stil , waiting for Jeremy to read the closing.

Jeremy stared at the card for what seemed like forever, then he folded it into the envelope. “Thanks.” His brown eyes gazed up. “Nelson, you’ve got to tel your mom, okay?”

Nelson turned away, frustrated. That wasn’t the reaction he’d expected to someone reading “Love” in writing.

He took a deep breath to col ect himself. “I told you I’l tel her.”

“I know. You keep saying that,” Jeremy protested. “But I mean it. I feel like I’m lying to her.”

“Okay,” Nelson said. “I heard you already.”

They stared at each other a moment, til Jeremy whispered, “Thanks for the card. I like you a lot too.” That wasn’t exactly the same as “love,” but it was enough to make Nelson fold himself into Jeremy’s arms.

Nelson
wanted
to tel his mom, but the way she kept raving about how much she liked Jeremy only made it harder.

One night later the next week, Nelson was in the kitchen, sharing brownies with Atticus, when his mom returned home from her PFLAG

meeting.

“Honey!” his mom scolded. “You know that upsets his stomach.”

While she turned to hang her coat in the closet, Nelson tossed one last chunk and watched Atticus leap for it. “Did Kyle’s parents show up?”

“I didn’t see them, but it was a pretty large crowd. We discussed starting an HIV-AIDS support group.” Nelson abruptly stopped chewing. Could he have asked for a better opportunity to confide about Jeremy?

Instead he jumped off the kitchen stool. “I need to put the cream on Atticus. Come on, boy. Let’s go find your cream.”

“Here.” His mom held the tube out. “Honey, I want to ask you something. Has Jeremy been tested?” Nelson’s heart pounded so hard he was certain his mom could hear it. “Mom, that’s pretty personal.”

“Nelson ...” Her voice took on an annoying parental tone. “I’m not about to repeat what we just went through.”

“We?”
Nelson shook his head in disbelief.

“Yes,
we.
I assumed you were being safe, and look what happened.”

“I tested negative, didn’t I?” Nelson tossed the tube of cream onto the counter. “See? This is exactly why I don’t talk to you about stuff. Any time I tel you something, you end up throwing it back at me.”

His mom clenched her jaw. “Okay, let’s start over. Have you and Jeremy at least talked about HIV?” Nelson sat back down on the counter stool, fidgeting with an earring, and let out a long, tortured sigh. “Yeah, we’ve talked about it.”

“Good,” his mom said, as though trying to reassure herself. “That’s good.” She took in a breath. “And has he been tested?” Nelson rubbed his forehead, debating what to say. He could lie, but that would only complicate things later.

“Yes,” he admitted, trying to keep his voice steady. “He’s been tested.”

His mom stared at him, her face taut. She gripped the counter as if bracing herself. “And?” Her voice trembled as she spoke.

“And ...” Nelson replied, giving a feeble shrug. “He’s . . . positive.”

Staring open-mouthed, his mom crumpled onto the other counter stool.

Oh, crap.
Nelson thought. What had he done?

“Wha . . .?” his mom asked, as if lost for words. “Wh-When did he tel you?” Nelson shifted in place. “He told the whole youth group, when I first met him.” His mom peered back at him, a blank look on her face. “And you went out with him?” Her voice cracked with disbelief. “Why?”

“Because ...” Nelson said. “I like him. A lot. Same as you do.”

His mom closed her eyes, gave her head a little shake, and opened them again. “Nelson, you haven’t had sex with him, have you?”

“Mom!” He sat up straight in his stool. “I’m not going to tel you every time I have sex. I promised you I’d be safe from now on. I know what I’m doing.”

“Nelson!” His mom stood up. “This is completely unacceptable. You’re too young to be risking your life. I don’t want you going out with him.”

“You can’t tel me who to go out with.” Nelson stood facing her. “What’s unacceptable is your prying into my sex life. You yourself said how wonderful he is.”

“This is nothing against him. You can be friends. That’s one thing. But you didn’t tel me he was positive. I don’t want you dating him. That’s final.”

“Oh, yeah?” Nelson turned, stormed into the hal , and grabbed his jacket from the front closet as Atticus fol owed.

“Nelson, come back here!” his mom cal ed after him. “We’re not through talking about this. Where are you going?”

“Out!” Nelson yel ed over Atticus’s barking.

“I’m cal ing your father,” his mom threatened.

“That’s supposed to scare me?” Nelson pul ed Atticus out of the way and slammed out the front door.

Trudging down the street, he pul ed out a cigarette. Inside his jacket pocket his cel phone rang. He yanked it out and glanced at his mom’s number on the screen. Did she real y think he’d answer? He let the cal go to voice mail and lit his cigarette.

Halfway down the block, he realized he’d automatical y started walking toward Kyle’s. Did he real y want to go there? He was stil PO’d at him. But where else could he go?

Kyle sat at his computer, doing calculus homework between instant messages and glancing at his onscreen buddy list, hoping Nelson would come online.

Downstairs the doorbel rang. “Kyle,” his mom cal ed. “It’s Nelson!”

Kyle leaped up from his chair, tipping it over. He rocketed down the stairs. At the sight of the blue hair and leather jacket, he threw his arms around Nelson and breathed in the sweetly familiar scent of cologne and cigarettes.

“How can you be sure,” Nelson muttered, “I’m not here to yel at you?”

“You can yel if you want.”

Leaning back, Nelson cracked a half smile. “I’l take a rain check.”

In Kyle’s room Nelson crashed onto the bed. “I just had a nuclear meltdown with my mom. I told her about Jeremy.” Kyle righted the desk chair from the floor and sat across from Nelson, dying to tel him, “I told you so.” Maybe Nelson’s mom would be able to drive some sense into him, though Kyle doubted it.

“I’m not going to let her police my love life,” Nelson continued. “I’m of legal y consenting age. She’s got no right tel ing me who I can go out with. She says she’s going to cal my dad. Big whoop.”

Kyle clasped his hands behind his head. “Wel , at least everything’s out in the open now.” Nelson’s cel phone rang. He glanced at the number and turned the ringer off. “It’s her again. Do you know she invited Jeremy over for dinner last Saturday? She couldn’t shut up about how much she liked him.”

“Have you told Jeremy what happened?”

“No way! He’l freak out about her freaking out.” Nelson groaned and rol ed over, covering his head with a pil ow. “I hate my life.”

“Join the club,” Kyle said. He stood up and closed the door, so his parents wouldn’t hear, and sat down again. “I told Jason about Princeton.” Nelson pul ed the pil ow off his head. “What did he say?”

“He says I’d be crazy not to go. But I can tel he’s upset.”

“So you’ve decided not to go?”

“I don’t know. I know I don’t want to leave either of you.”

“Wel ,” Nelson said, “I’m not sure I’m going to Tech anymore.”

Kyle leaned forward. “What do you mean?”

“The only reason I was going to that geeky school was because of you. If you don’t go there, it’s kind of pointless. Plus, I’d have to leave Jeremy. I’d rather go with him to community col ege.”

Abruptly Nelson sat up on the edge of the bed. “Hey, isn’t that what you said Jason might do? Can you imagine him and me and Jeremy in class together? You come too! Let’s al go!”

Kyle imagined the four of them at the local campus. Hadn’t he told Jason he might stay with him and go there? Yeah, but that was before.

“Pass up Princeton for a community col ege? My dad would love that.”

He slumped down in his chair, envisioning his three friends sharing their col ege adventure, while he was stuck with a bunch of strangers.

“Yeah,” Nelson said. “You know I don’t want you to go away, but Jason’s right. You’d be stupid to pass it up.” The faint sound of the phone ringing drifted upstairs. Kyle leaned back in his chair, relieved that Nelson had stopped being angry with him.