Rainbow High (6 page)

The door by the reception counter swung open, snapping Nelson back to the present. Some amazon-looking nurse appeared, folder in hand.

Omigod
, Nelson thought,
this is it.

But she cal ed someone else’s name. A mom with a screaming toddler strained to lift him up, and in the process dropped his toy goril a.

Nelson picked it up and handed it to her.

“Thanks,” said the mom and carried the shrieking kid over to the nurse.

Nelson sat down again, desperate to get this over with and dreading it too. A stream of questions hounded him. How would his life change if he tested positive? What if people at school found out? What would his so-cal ed dad say about it?

His cel phone rang, displaying his mom’s office number. She’d bought the phone for him as a result of the whole night-he-had-sex-and-didn’t-cal -her mess, though she admonished him not to think of it as a reward. Yeah, right, whatever.

“Have you seen the doctor yet?” she now asked.

“No. I told you I’l cal you soon as I find out.”

After Nelson hung up, he told Kyle, “I need to go for another smoke.”

Kyle glanced up from his magazine. “Stay. They’l probably cal you soon.”

Nelson hoped so, or he was going to scream. Verging on despair, he reached beneath the
Reader’s Digest,
grasping hold of Kyle’s hand.

Without missing a beat, Kyle gently squeezed back. And for the first time that day, Nelson felt a semblance of peace.

Even though Kyle had betrayed him for frickin’ Jason, Nelson knew he couldn’t real y blame Kyle for this mess. Nelson accepted ful responsibility for it. He only hoped he wouldn’t have to suffer massive consequences.

The door by the reception desk opened again and the behemoth nurse shouted, “Nelson Glassman!”

“That’s us!” Nelson said.

Kyle got up to go with him.

“I’m sorry,” the nurse told Kyle. “Results can only be given to the person tested.”

“But he’s my best friend,” Nelson protested.

“Sorry,” the nurse repeated, holding the door open.

That must mean I got it,
Nelson thought, horrified.

“Don’t worry,” Kyle whispered. “I’l be here waiting.”

Reluctantly Nelson fol owed the nurse to the examining room. After checking his blood pressure and taking his temperature, she left him.

Alone.

Please, please, God,
he silently repeated over and over as he waited on the examining table.
Don’t let me test positive.
It was the first time he’d prayed in ages.

On the wal an il ustration of a woman’s reproductive system stared back at him, as if taunting. Nelson turned away, wondering what on earth was taking pruney old Dr. Choudhury so long?

The sound of someone whistling approached from the hal outside, fol owed by a knock. The door opened and a beefy black guy strode in with a folder.

“Wow,” he said to Nelson. “That’s some hair!”

He was built more like a cop than a doctor, his white medical jacket hanging tightly over his chest. “I’m Doctor Houston,” he said, firmly grasping Nelson’s hand. “Doctor Choudhury had to run to the hospital. You must be Nelson.” Nelson nodded speechlessly, a little taken aback. He’d never expected anyone other than his regular doc—especial y not someone young and gorgeous. Suddenly the tiny examining room seemed downright intimate.

“Let’s see,” Dr. Houston said, sitting on the stool. He opened Nelson’s file. “You’re here for your HIV antibody test result?” Nelson snapped back to reality.
Omigod!
He grabbed hold of the examining table, his heart pumping at warp speed.

Dr. Houston lifted his brown-eyed gaze from the folder. “I’m happy to say your test came back . . . negative.” The word seemed to hang in midair as Nelson sat silent, taking it in.

“Negative?” he echoed back, just to be sure.

“Yep.” Dr. Houston nodded. “I bet that’s a relief.”

“Yeah!” Nelson said, letting out his breath. He hadn’t realized he’d been holding it. “Can I go tel my friend?” He leaped down from the examining table.

“Whoa!” The doc raised his arm, blocking him. “Not so fast.” His smile had faded, replaced by a stern gaze. “First you and I need to have a little man-to-man chat.”

Man-to-man?
Nelson thought.
Oh, please, spore me.

“But he’s my best friend! He’s waiting.”

“If he’s your best friend, he won’t mind waiting. This is important.”

Reluctantly Nelson sat down again, crossing his arms. “Look, if this is a safe-sex lecture, I already know al about that.”

“Oh, you do?” The doctor raised his thick black eyebrows. “Wel then, what caused you to come in for testing?” Nelson stared at the doc’s massive shoulders, feeling like he’d been pinned against the wal . “Look, I knew I was supposed to use a condom, but I didn’t. I was stupid, okay?”

Dr. Houston pressed him with his stare. “You seem pretty intel igent to me.” He studied Nelson’s file for a moment before looking up at him.

“You’re straight? Bi? Gay?”

“Queer,” Nelson said defiantly.

Doc nodded, unfazed. “Did you and this dude discuss safe

“No.” Nelson shook his head. “I know we should’ve. Look, I made a mistake and I’m sorry. I won’t do it again. Promise. That what you want?

Can I go now?”

Dr. Houston refused to be deterred. “How come you didn’t talk about it with him?”

“I don’t know!”

The doctor cocked his head. “Afraid Dude wouldn’t like you if you said no?” Nelson fidgeted with an earring. “Maybe.”

“Nelson?” The doc’s voice was stil forceful, but had become tender. “Never let yourself be pressured into doing something unsafe. It’s okay to say no. If Dude can’t understand that, he’s not worth it.”

Nelson stared at the doc’s lush eyelashes, thinking,
I can’t believe I’m getting turned on in old Choudhury’s office.
He forced himself to shift his gaze and concentrate on the il ustration of the woman’s uterus.

“Now listen up!” Dr. Houston said, tossing Nelson’s folder onto the counter. “First of al , abstinence is always a choice.”
Sure it is
, Nelson thought,
if you want to go crazy.

“But ...” The doctor sighed. “Since you’re already sexual y active, you need to remember: Before anything gets started, tel the dude you only have sex using condoms. Okay? Wil you do that? Nelson?”

“Huh?” Nelson said, gazing at the doctor’s lips. “Um, yeah.”

The doc gave Nelson a hard look, as if unconvinced. “Al right. Before you leave, I want you to start Hepatitis A and B vaccines.”

“What for?” Nelson asked.

“So you don’t get hepatitis. Sex with guys puts you at risk. Any other questions?”
Yeah,
Nelson thought,
are you single?

Stil sore from the shots, Nelson pul ed open the reception room door.

Kyle immediately glanced up, tossing his magazine aside, eyebrows raised in expectation.

Nelson gave him the thumbs up.

“You’re okay?” Kyle said, rushing over. “What took so long?” He squeezed Nelson in a bear hug.

“Ow!” Nelson protested. “My arm!”

“What’s the matter?” Kyle said, pul ing away.

“Hep vaccines. Since I’m so-cal ed sexual y active.” He rol ed his eyes. “I wish!”

“Probably a good idea,” Kyle said, like he was some Nobel laureate in medicine.

“I better cal the old lady,” Nelson said, dialing his cel phone as they walked outside.

“Thank God!” his mom gasped upon hearing his result. “You know how worried I was? Promise me you won’t ever make me go through anything like this again. Do you hear me, Nelson? I mean it.” She was talking so loud he had to hold the phone away from his ear.

“Love you too, Mom,” he muttered, and hung up. “Can you drive again?” he asked Kyle, tossing him the car keys.

“Aren’t you ecstatic?” Kyle said, starting the car. “You just tested negative. That means you don’t have it!” Nelson shrugged. He knew Kyle was right—he should be jumping up and down, except for one thing: Now that he’d official y tested negative, what was he going to do about Jeremy?

He wanted to ask Kyle. But what if Kyle told him to dump Jeremy? Easy enough for Kyle to say. He was in the midst of a senior year kissyfest with Jason.

“I promised to cal Jeremy tonight,” Nelson told Kyle as they drove past the retail strip on Lee Highway, “to let him know the news—even though he’l probably dump me now.”

Kyle glanced across the dashboard. “Wel , you can stil be friends, can’t you?” Nelson laid his hand on the armrest, preparing for the argument he was certain would fol ow. “I want to be more than just friends with him.” Kyle looked over at Nelson again, staring this time. “You’re not serious.”

“I want a boyfriend.” Nelson nodded. “Like you and Jason—except not as closeted, of course—someone to date and hold hands with. I want to take him to the prom. This is our freaking senior year, Kyle. I want the whole rite of passage thing. Someone I can introduce to my mom—and watch him fidget.”

Kyle turned the car into the strip mal parking lot. “Can I remind you of one not-so-minor detail?” He stopped the car. “What’s your mom going to say when you tel her he’s positive?”

“I don’t care,” Nelson said. He was lying, of course. “Why are you stopping?”

“So we can talk about this.” Kyle shut off the engine. He turned in the seat to face Nelson. “Think for a minute about what you just went through. You’d actual y risk putting yourself through this again?”

“No,” Nelson said. “What I just went through happened because I didn’t have safe sex. I’d be careful. We both would. Jeremy told me he only has safe sex.”

Kyle shook his head. “Something could stil happen. Condoms break, you know. You’d be putting your health at risk—maybe even your life.”

“Oh, stop exaggerating!” Nelson stared out the window at the playground beyond the asphalt. “No one dies of AIDS anymore.”

“Yes, they do!” Kyle protested. “People die of AIDS al the time.”

“In Africa maybe. Ever heard of meds?”

“Meds don’t cure the disease. Besides, you want to be on meds al your life? I don’t believe this. An hour ago you were hysterical, terrified that you might have gotten it!”

“I wasn’t hysterical.”

“Yes, you were! You wanted to become a monk.”

“I was joking, Kyle.”

“Wel , this isn’t a joke. You know, you’re not the only one who suffered with this whole HIV scare of yours. It scared me, too.

Kyle folded his arms across his chest, sulking. Nelson sat silent, letting him cool off, and thought careful y about what he wanted to say.

“I’m sorry, Kyle. I know it scared you too. I admit what I did was stupid, but I’m al owed to learn from my mistakes. I’m not going to go though life living in fear.”

Kyle unfolded his arms and sighed. “Can’t you just be friends with him?”

Nelson gave a shrug. “I like him, Kyle—a lot. I think I might even be in love with him. I need to find out.” Kyle glanced away, shaking his head.

“Kyle, look at me.” Nelson waited until Kyle faced him. “You remember when you were ready to dump Jason that time after the cafeteria episode? I could’ve told you, ‘Do it,’ But I didn’t. I told you, ‘Don’t you dare!’ Remember? Now I’m asking you a favor in return. Please don’t bail on me with this.”

Kyle stared at him, then turned away again.

“Kyle?” Nelson insisted, his voice unyielding.

Kyle turned back toward him, took a deep breath, and sighed. “Okay,
but
. . . I’l say this once, then I promise never to say it again. I think you’re making a huge mistake. I like Jeremy as a friend, but ...” Kyle’s eyes had become watery. “I’m real y scared for you.” Looking at him made Nelson’s own eyes film over. “Stop worrying.” He reached across and gave Kyle’s shoulder a squeeze. “Nothing’s going to happen to me.”

Kyle started the car again, and Nelson shook a cigarette from his pack, hoping it would calm his nerves.

True to his word, Kyle didn’t say another word to Nelson about dating Jeremy for the rest of the drive. But inside his head, the debate raged on.

How could Nelson even consider putting his health at risk by dating someone whom he
knew
was HIV positive? If he wanted a boyfriend so badly, why couldn’t he find someone negative?

After al , he was good-looking—thin, bril iant blue eyes, colorful hair, even his mil ion earrings looked cool. He was funny, smart, good-hearted. You couldn’t find anyone more loyal. Whenever Kyle needed anything, Nelson was there. Even when Kyle
didn’t
need anything, Nelson was there.

Kyle wanted to shake Nelson and make him come to his senses. But little good that would do. Once Nelson put his mind to something, there was no stopping him.

Upon arriving at Kyle’s, Nelson got out to switch over to the driver’s seat.

“You’re not stil mad at me?” Nelson asked, pausing on the grass strip between car and sidewalk. “Are you?” He looked so fragile, fidgeting with his earrings, his Dr. Seuss blue hair hanging into his face, that Kyle felt guilty for being angry.

“No,” he lied. “I’m not mad.”

Nelson’s sheepish mouth turned up into a faint grin. “Thanks for going with me today.”

“Sure. I just hope we never have to go through it again.”

Nelson nodded somberly, then broke into a shameless smile. “I wish you’d seen the doc. He was
so
cute!” Patting Kyle on the cheek, Nelson laughed his invincible laugh. “See you later, stud.”

He hopped into the car and drove off, disappearing past the green suburban lawns.

He’s absolutely hopeless,
Kyle thought, and wandered up the driveway.

His mom and dad weren’t home from work yet. Kyle picked up the mail that had been pushed through the front door slot and quickly scanned through it—nothing interesting, just junk. Tossing the pile aside, he checked for phone messages.

“Hey, Kyle. This is Jason.”

At the sound of the low, husky voice, Kyle swooned into the foyer armchair.

“Cal me when you get home, okay?”