Apples to Oranges (3 page)

“Oh yeah, I’m going to come,”
Preston
said, pulling away from Jace. “You taste so good, man. Oh fuck, here I go!” He
grunted and fell over on his back, his fist pounding his dick, cum squirting in
the air like an erotic rain shower.

“Shoot it,” encouraged Jace. It was the only response he could
muster as he revelled in his own orgasmic afterglow.

“
Preston
?” called a loud female
voice. “Are you home?” It sounded like it came from downstairs.
“Crap,”
Preston
gasped. He jumped up from the
floor and pulled on his jeans quickly. He then glanced at Jace. “Get dressed,
it’s my mom. She must have decided to come home early for some stupid reason.
Fuck!”

Jace dressed and at the same time had the most insane urge to
laugh his head off. It was just his luck to have this happen when things were
starting to get extremely interesting.

“I’m home. Jace is up here with me. We’re working on the
yearbook together,”
Preston
called back.
“You’re back early.”

Footsteps were heard on the stairs and then
Preston
’s
mom was there, looking in at them as she opened the bedroom door. “My plans
changed.” She nodded and smiled at Jace. “Hello, Jace. It’s nice to finally
meet you. Pres has talked about you many times. If either of you are hungry,
you can order a pizza.”

Preston
swiped the back of his
hand across his brow. “We already ate.”

She sniffed the air and wrinkled her nose. “Open a window, it
smells funky in here. Just a thought.” She was gone.

“Jesus, that was close.”
Preston
shut the door. “I hope she doesn’t suspect anything. This so would not go over
well with my dad.”

“I’m going to head home.” Jace grabbed his backpack. “We’ll get
together again soon.”

“Ah, Jace?”
Preston
held him by
the arm. “I do want us to hang out again. I wanted to let you know that before
you leave. It’s strange and this feels a bit weird for me.” He paused, his eyes
full of confusion. “I like you.”

Jace wanted to kiss
Preston
again, but resisted the urge. It was too risky with his mom in the house.
“Sure, I’d like that.” He noticed the pen and notebook still on the floor where
Preston
has tossed them. Jace reached down and
retrieved both. He scribbled down his cell number and handed it to
Preston
. “Call or text me whenever.”

“I’ll see you at school tomorrow.”
Preston
kissed Jace lightly on the lips. “I can drive you home.”

“Naw, I only live a couple streets over. The walk will help
clear my head. Like I said, text me or whatever.”
Preston
tucked the pieced of paper into his
jeans. “Will do, definitely.”

****

“How was school?” Jace’s mom asked when he got home. From the
light inflection in her voice, he could tell she was having one of her better
days. She sat in
 
the living room in
front of the television with a can of soda in one hand and the remote control
in the other.

“It was the usual, boring and stuff.”

“That kid, the one whose house you went to…”

“
Preston
,” Jace said.

“That’s him. Isn’t his father a doctor?”

“Yeah. We’re working on the yearbook together and will get most
of it sorted next week.”

“Good.” She smiled, something she rarely did these days. “I’m
glad you’re involved at school.” She paused, her eyes distant. “I never had the
interest. I wanted school to be over and done with. I can’t say that I miss
it.” She shrugged and withdrew a cigarette from the package resting on the
coffee table. She started smoking again two months ago, after being smoke free
for five years. Jace didn’t bother to admonish her for it. It wasn’t worth the
hassle.

Since his dad’s death, she’d been off on leave from her job at
the Food Stop Supermarket. Jace couldn’t foresee her going back anytime soon in
her current state. She was a mess mentally and emotionally. He hated to think
of her like that, but it was the truth. There were days when she did nothing
but cry in her room. Jace’s dad had been everything to them both. Luckily his
dad did have the good sense to take out a hefty insurance policy. That money
along with regular checks from the army left them secure financially. He was
thankful for that.

“I’m going to my room to mess around on the computer for a bit,”
Jace explained.

“And I’m going to watch whatever’s on the tube.” She laughed
again. Her medication did work when she bothered to take it. “Sweet Jesus.
There are some crazies out there.” She pointed to the television, which was
playing some rerun of a stupid reality show. “Imagine that, one woman having to
pick from all those men. She won’t be married a year. You can bet on that!”

Jace smiled slightly. It was a sure thing.

****

Brandon
rolled his eyes and grabbed the milk carton from the fridge as he listened to
his mom prattle on the phone to one of her many newfound friends.

“But, Rhonda, he’s rather old. I mean, I don’t mind if they’re a
few years older, but he could seriously be my father. That’s just downright
creepy and then some,” she said, the phone’s receiver cocked to her right ear.
“Oh, no. Do not tell me that he said that and don’t you dare think about
setting me up with him. I have zero interest in that man. I can’t believe you
even said that to him. You should know better.”

Brandon
quickly slapped together a ham and cheese sandwich and headed to his bedroom.
God, he missed their house in the city. This trailer was an absolute dump
compared to it.

“Honey?” his mom called. “Could you like mow the lawn and clean
up later? It’s a little overgrown and I don’t have the time to do it.”

“Sure,” he called back.
Brandon
slammed the door to his bedroom and did his best to block her out.
Time?
She had all the freaking time in
the world. Since they’d moved here, she hadn’t done anything other than party
her ass off.

Brandon
kicked off his sneakers before flopping back on the bed. He took a gulp of
milk, but no longer felt hungry. He examined the ceiling as he placed the near
empty glass on the floor next to the bed. A large crack ran the length of the
ceiling along with a bunch of water stains. “Dive,” he muttered.

“Jace,”
Brandon
said the name aloud. His heart lurched slightly as he spoke and pictured the
guy. It was so weird how they shared that moment during history class. He
closed his eyes and pictured the cute boy. Jesus, he did think that Jace was cute.
Brandon
felt a
stirring inside his jeans and tried to push the thoughts of Jace from his mind.
It wasn’t normal to think about other guys like that. He hadn’t, up to now.
Well, okay, sometimes in the locker room at his last school, he couldn’t help but
stare at some of his classmates. He was always careful never to make it
obvious. And why did he write that note and give it to Jace? That was so unlike
him. He never cared what others thought about him before now.

He’d see Jace this weekend. Maybe they’d get a chance to chat
again one on one without anyone else around like Mike. Shit! There it was
again, rearing its freaking ugly head. “You’re fucked,” he said, turning on his
side towards the wall. “Think normal. Think straight.”

****

“I’ll pick you up first and then we’ll get
Brandon
,” Mike explained, after classes ended
the next day.

“
Brandon
?”
Jace asked. His heart fluttered at the mention of the guy’s name. “He’s going
with us?”

“Yeah, you don’t mind do you? He hasn’t got many friends and I
thought it would be shitty to not include him.”

“No, not at all. It sounds good to me.” Jace felt strange. His
cheeks were hot as hell and he was definitely blushing. He swallowed hard to
release the lump that had formed in his throat.

“I have the van and that can sleep two easily and there’s the
tent for you and Brandon. You will need to bring your own sleeping bags and
gear.” Mike smiled wickedly. “If I’m lucky, I’ll get lucky.” He waggled his
brows. “Anyway, man, that’s the plan. I was telling
Brandon
earlier today and he’s cool with it.”

Jace and Brandon sleeping together? Well, not together, but
within an enclosed space? He hoped that someone was bringing beer, because he
was going to need it.

“I almost forgot,” Mike recollected. “
Brandon
’s bringing beer.”

“Good stuff, I’ll head home and get things together. What time
will you be around to pick me up?”

“Six-thirty,” Mike replied.

Jace would have more than ample time to eat and pack.

“Man, don’t look so friggin’ down.” Mike patted him on the
shoulder. “We’re celebrating your birthday, remember? Fun times and all that
jazz.”

Mike was right. He definitely needed to loosen up. “My birthday
was a month ago.” Mike shot him a look of annoyance. I’ll be fine. I’m a little
wired is all. It’s all good. ”

****

Brandon
had managed to avoid any direct interaction with Jace all day, so far. At one
point, he couldn’t stop stealing glances at him in one class and the news that
they’d be sharing a tent together on this overnight outing thrilled him, to say
the least. He should have said no to this trip, but he would have come across
as being weird, and he didn’t want that.

Brandon
glanced at his watch and went over his mental list of things to take along. He
had almost everything in place and it was nearing six-thirty. When he heard someone
coming up the driveway, he looked out the door. It was Mike and he was early.
With the sleeping bag tucked under his arm and the two-four of beer under his
other, he headed towards the van with another bag dangling from his hand. It
was fucking heavy.

“Bud,” Mike said, greeting him. “You look like you’ve prepared
for the end of the world.” He smirked. “Tons of shit and uff.”

“Something like that.” They put everything in the back of the
van and when
Brandon
climbed inside, he noticed that Jace wasn’t there. Disappointment washed over
him. “Your cousin didn’t come?”

“I’m picking him up next.” A cigarette dangled from Mike’s mouth
as he spoke. “On to our next destination.”

When they pulled up in front of Jace’s house,
Brandon
nearly held his breath, but was quick
to hop out of the van to greet him. “Let me take that,” he offered, grabbing
the bundled sleeping bag from Jace.

Jace smiled sheepishly at him and
Brandon
blushed slightly and returned a smile
of his own.

“Can you manage?” Mike yelled as he leaned out of the van.

“Yup,”
Brandon
replied. “I’ll put this with the rest of the gear in the back.” After that task
was completed, he watched as Jace climbed into the van and settled on the back
seat. Jace had a cute little butt. Again,
Brandon
tried not to think about it…It being what he wanted to do to that little butt.

“You okay?” Mike shot him a strange look.

Brandon
slammed the door and buckled his seatbelt. “Yeah, I was off in space there for
a moment.”

****

“It’s small and easy to set up.” Mike handed the two-man tent to
Jace.

It didn’t look like much. “That’s it?” Jace held it up. “Two
people are supposed to be able to sleep in this?”

“It’s cozy and better than sleeping out in the cold,” Mike said.
“It’s different when it’s set up.”

Brandon
stepped between them. “Let’s see it. I’ve slept in tents before. I had one as a
kid and my dad used to take me camping.”

Jace handed it over and watched as
Brandon
searched for a place to set it up.
“This is a good spot,”
Brandon
said. “It’s flat and dry.” He knelt on the ground and unrolled the tent. He
then turned to look back at Jace and Mike. “I’m going to need help with this.”

Some of the other kids from school had started to arrive and
were busy setting up their own camps. Jace walked over to
Brandon
. “Tell me what to do and let’s get
this thing up.”

“It really isn’t that bad,”
Brandon
said. “Once we get the sleeping bags
inside it’ll be quite comfy.”

Jace blushed at the thought.

“So, it’s your birthday. I guess I should say happy birthday.”

“My birthday was actually last month, but Mike thinks I should
celebrate it now because we hadn’t bothered to. It was his idea and really just
an excuse to party.”

“You didn’t want to come?”
Brandon
asked. He held up one tent pole and examined it before inserting it in place.
“You should have told him you didn’t want this.”

“Mike’s a good guy. His intentions are good. He’s been doing his
best to get me more out there and involved with everyone.”

“Mike’s okay. He was one of the first people at school to notice
that I was alive. Most haven’t been friendly. You two are cousins, right?”

“Yes. He’s more like a brother and since my dad’s death, he’s
been there for me when I’ve needed him.” It was true. It was Mike who had
pushed him to keep living, to move on and get through each day when all he
wanted to do at the time was drop into that dark hole along with what remained
of his dad. The wake and the funeral had been a nightmare.