Chapter 29: Expectation

Well, I suppose that if you’re going to have a day when most things go wrong, it’s nice have the next day go mostly right, even if it starts abruptly. The opening scene with Pete and Earn cozily nestled up together in bed is sweet as can be and made sweeter by the harsh reality of Por’s intrusion “inviting” them to join the others. Personally, I’m not sure what else could tear me away from a warm bed and hot guy except the promise of going skinny dipping with a big group of more of the same; but enough about me.

Changed into swim gear, the boys arrive at the lake in time to catch Card standing near the water’s edge berating Por who floats on his back obliviously. Neither of their bodies escapes Pete’s notice, and he and Earn seem to sense a great shared pleasure at seeing their friends like this as the turn and beam at each other, and Pete clearly understands that he’s sharing this with more than just his best friend. With arms draped over each other’s shoulders, they plunge into the lake together and awaken almost instantly. As they join the others, they quickly learn that Card is ragging on a resistant Por to make sure he returns to clean and disinfect the floor of the bathroom after throwing up the previous night. When Earn teases Por, he quickly gets reminded of his condition after the soccer event and how Pete needed to step in and take care of him, winning an inside joke from Card in the deal. Soon a blind-folded Hack and Dirk arrive in tow by Rad and Kal for some hazing. The set-up of their tardiness is Earn’s cue to begin the hazing speech and he plays into Rad and Kal’s plans for a well-used hazing practice by first scaring them for being late, and then yanking their blindfolds while Kal and Rad quickly rip their boxers down around their ankles. As the boys instinctively reach to cover up, the seniors give a firm shove toward the water, and the boys tangled legs are no match as they fall helplessly into the lake. They surface and complain vociferously as everyone else cheers and jeers, all having been through the same hazing themselves. But as the seniors press their hand, opposition to their over-reach arrives in the guise of two swim shorts to the head thrown by Por and Card in protest, who now stand and proud in solidarity with freshmen (a visual lost on neither Pete nor Hack). Trading sly glances it’s not Pete and Earn who turn the tables on the seniors and pull off the same prank on them as they did on the freshmen. As the seniors surface and complain, Earn suddenly yanks down Pete’s shorts in retribution for the Christmas Fair, but Pete declares he refusal to act ashamed, to which Earn, with a drop of his glance, responds he shouldn’t be. Pete quickly gives him a playful punch to the gut and thus distracted, Earn becomes victim to the dropping of his shorts, followed by a headlock from Pete before they both tumble into the lake stealing Por and Card’s thunder in the process. As they skinny dip, the comparisons and jokes fly, but they all agree that Earn’s endowment ensures that has no fear of being teased. (Did I mention that we learn about Earn’s nickname, the Golden Bull? I didn’t think so. ^__^).

When Card reveals that the lake they are swimming is filled by a nearby waterfall, they fetch the sleeping Angels and head over for more fun with all manner of water props in tow. After playing around they compete in teams for who gets to jump from the top of the falls, and of course, Pete, Earn, Card and Por come out victorious. Por and Card take the plunge from on high first, and Pete and Earn follow by running hand-in-hand before free jumping into the pool below. As fun and satisfying as all these events are, practice awaits, followed by the drive back home.

After dropping off his riders one-by-one, Pete ends up alone with Earn and they go out for a late dinner, Earn’s treat. When Pete thanks him, Earn explains that he’s happy to do it since Pete drove them, and besides, he just wanted to make Pete feel better. When Pete tells him that just hanging out with makes him feel better, he suddenly feels awkward, as if he let something slip out, but Earn just relies, “Same here” and chuckles. Suddenly Pete gets a text from Lhew, reminding him that he’d made plans to meet up with her the following day. No sooner is he done confirming their meet up, when Earn asks Pete if he wants to hangout the following day. When Pete tells him he has plans, Earn’s curiosity is raised, but Pete tells him that he has to finish his school assignments. Earn wants to help him with his school work, but Pete says he’s exhausted after the trip and wants to rest, so Earn offers to give him a massage. Pete stands firm, and Earn acts disappointed saying now he has nothing to do the next day. On the drive home they sing their hearts out as usual. After arriving at home and putting on some music, Pete checks out all the pictures he’s been tagged in before drifting off into a fitful sleep.

The entire chapter thus far is completely effortless. We just fall into the story and all of the hijinks and join the fun as if we are right there with them. There is a great joyfulness that runs through it all, a joie de vivre, as they say. Part of it is the easy-going tempo of Pete and Earn interacting with each other in their “make up period” during which they mesh in a completely congruent manner, but this feeling is also contained in the general way that the entire group of friends has bonded and become close, just as they had hoped when they embarked on this trip. This breezy feeling of happiness and love of life is a set-up for what is to come, but it also helps establish and cement the foundation for the shift forward that the story is making. 

With all the positive events in this chapter, I guess some reality had to intrude eventually, and intrude is putting it mildly. The meeting with Lhew starts off light-hearted enough with the pair watching a video of the Cheer Team practice and Lhew teasing Pete about being able to dance and Pete conning her into buying tickets to the event. As she scrolls through the pictures, Lhew stops to ask about a group shot of Card, Por, Pete and Earn by the lake. When Pete casually mentions the skinny dipping and that he and Earn stayed in the guesthouse, Lhew’s demeanor subtly shifts. As Pete explains how they all ended up , Lhew asks if seeing all his friends go commando got him feeling hot and heavy. Slightly annoyed, Pete reminds her that he’s seen his friends his whole life, but she just says it’s no wonder he turned out bis*xual. So after a pause, she asks Pete if he and Earn “did it” since they’d been drinking and staying alone in the guesthouse. When Pete replies in the negative, she then assumes that based upon the pictures of them together, he surely must have confessed his feelings to Earn. After Pete recounts the embarrassing scene with “the kiss” involving Card, he explains that he wanted to clarify that situation first before he felt he could confess his feelings, but Lhew presses him that he should have used it as an opportunity to confess. As Pete makes his case for her not pressing the issue, Lhew pushes back and reminds him of their agreement to not let their break up go to waste. Her tone escalates further when she flatly states, “You dumped me to pursue him. You got the first part right. Now follow through with the last part.” As they continue to go back and forth, the tone and tenor of the conversation turns dark and fills with recrimination. When Lhew makes a comment about Pete being indecisive and tells him to show his true self, he finally snaps, and when she calls him a coward, he goes AWOL. Immediately he throws it back in her face calling her a hypocrite and they launch into a comparison of who has the harder situation to face and who has faced it better than the other. Lhew finally fires off how ironic it is to get advice about being honest round everyone from a guy who’s not even honest with his own feelings, to which Pete returns fire deriding how stupid it is to take advice on how to confess your feelings from someone who can’t even show her true colors. As she gets up grabbing her things Lhew laments that this is the gratitude she gets for trying to be a supportive friend after being dumped, but Pete rejects her support while claiming his guilt following their break up was clearly misplaced. As the tit-for-tat contest to hurt each other spirals on, Lhew turns and hurls the final spear, “Good luck never telling Earn how you really feel.” Pete spits back, “Good luck showing your true colors. Hope that façade doesn’t fade.”

Pete’s anger makes him want to punch a wall and he can’t believe that Lhew said such things to him, or that he responded in kind with such vitriol either. After posting a status about the day a*s, he goes back to ruminating over the falling out he just experienced with Lhew. Pete is so absorbed in his feelings that when his phone rings, he answers it with the anticipation that it’s Lhew calling to heap on more venom, but he’s taken by surprise to find that it’s not Lhew, but Earn calling. 

Well, I’ll be sheep dipped! Never saw that explosion coming. Oh my, what have they done? Well, they said some pretty gnarly things to each other, and not the kind of things that can be taken back or easily whitewashed. Can they ever un-ring this bell? I think they can after some really heart-felt apologies, but who knows if that is in the cards for them. This might be a permanent break, but I sincerely hope not. I still think they are good for each other and hope they get the opportunity in the story to put this behind them. If Por and Hack can do it, so can Pete and Lhew, mostly because they have a much more substantial relationship to begin with. I will say however, that positions each took up are not psychologically indefensible. You could see the antecedents of Lhew’s desire to see something positive come from the break up as a coping mechanism from the very beginning, so she had, in a sense, a lot riding on Pete and Earn getting together, the sooner the better in order to help her move on. Pete looked to Lhew for guidance and inspiration, and in that sense he sort of put her on a pedestal, even as he defended her personality shifts to his friends. It was in his best interest for Lhew to make the break with her multiple personalities (term of art, I know she doesn’t truly suffer from MPD) in order for her to live up Pete’s idealized image of her. At any rate, the road forward for them, if there is one, will be a touchy one for a while there is no doubt about that. I want to cast my vote for a reconciliation chapter down the road (for whatever that’s worth – LOL). 

So Earn is on the phone waiting to talk to Pete, no doubt calling as a result of the status Pete just posted. In spite of avoiding telling him in the first place, it looks like Pete may now have to spill to Earn about seeing Lhew and tell him about the huge falling out they just had. Then what? I’m not the writer of this tale so I’m through at this point, but I cannot wait to hear the conversation they are going to have and what direction it will take them in. Thanks again for a great read. :)

 

Chapter 30: Commencement

At the conclusion of the last chapter Earn was hanging on the line waiting for Pete to get over his shock. I wondered what they would talk about and speculated that Pete might seek solace with Earn and break his silence over his fight with Lhew, and it seems that’s what he’s decided to do. This chapter turns into a refreshing road trip where the boys find an adventure or two before they finally find each other.

Chapter 30 opens with Pete picking up Earn at his house and while Pete’s not yet ready to talk about the details of his day, he’s determined to pair up with Earn for some drinks to drown out his inner voices and anger. In a familiar yet pleasantly fresh move, the boys head out to Bang Saen for a change of scenery and a quiet place to chill. The drive is about half over when Earn comments how quiet Pete’s been so far. As the conversation engages, Pete cops to his lie about needing to catch up on his school work and admits that he spent some time with Lhew, but Earn is already there and tells him he knew something was up because he couldn’t believe Pete wasn’t done with his school work already, and besides, if he was trying to hide something, it must be important. Pete levels with Earn that he didn’t want to upset Earn because Earn gets silent whenever Pete mentions Lhew, but Earn tells him that he doesn’t like it when Pete lies to him because it makes him feel like their bond is lessened, although they both agree that they’re cool with each other now. When Earn asks why Pete is upset, Pete will only tell him that they fought over an issue Lhew keeps bringing up, but won’t discuss the details until later, so Earn puts on some music and they sing the rest of the trip to Bang Saen. 

Pete shares a little bit of internal dialog before they arrive, mostly about Earn and how happy Pete is to have him as his best friend, especially when he needs them the most. After they get to the beach and park, Earn points out a crowded restaurant on the sand reasons in a familiar logic that where there are a lot of people, there must be good food. Outside the car Pete takes a chill from the breeze, but Earn has come prepared with an extra coat for Pete and drapes a warm over his shoulder as they walk toward the beach. With a ton of food and beer ordered, they spend the time talking about the fun they had with the Cheer Team, especially Por’s apology and change of direction in attitude. When the food arrives it seems an extra plate of squid is in the mix, but the server explains it’s compliments of a couple a few tables away who like to mingle with other diners. They exchange eye contact and raised glasses with the girl and boy the server points out and then proceed to tease each other over which one of them the two are into. When Pete compliments Earn who deflects the accolade, Pete can see that his self-displeasure has Noh’s rejection written all over it. Pete tries to break the spell by loading Earn’s plate with food, and when Earn tries to object, Pete shoves a piece of squid into his open mouth and lectures him about belittling himself and not to do it around him anymore. When Earn tries to respond, Pete just tells him to stuff his mouth and shoves a spoon full of food into Earn’s face while declaring it’s his night to be the depressed one. In the dim light of the beach lamps Pete thinks he sees Earn blushing while their squid benefactors look on disappointedly. 

So far this night led them to a place where they can approach each other on neutral ground and they have begun to decompress, opening the lines of communication and giving them a chance to speak honestly with each other. They aren’t liberated completely, at least not yet, but the door to that possibility is now open.

As they continue to eat, they move on to happier thoughts and topics, like the Cheer Team, and it is in between this banter that Pete begins to realize how much has changed since the Soccer Event, including his now-ended relationship with Lhew, but he clearly realizes how much she helped him sort himself out. Pete’s mind drops back into the conversation as Earn is explaining how Tee found out about Pete and Lhew’s break-up. When Pete asks Earn about his new crush, Earn declares all Pete will get to know is that it’s another boy, and proceeds to order a bottle of tequila and limes. As Pete continues to plead with him, Earn suggests a drinking game based on trading of a series of questions to each other. Without hacking the exchange to death, let’s just say that Pete learns that Earn’s crush is a guy that goes to their school, and Pete knows him very well. He’s intelligent, musically talented, tall, has light skin and likes to joke around. When Pete makes the observation that Earn just described Noh, Earn corrects him noting that as much as he may like him, Noh’s clearly an idiot. (I howled with laughter at that line! I adore Noh, but, hey, the set up for that zinger was perfect.) All of this information Pete paid for by downing multiple shots in the process. In a similar fashion Earn learns that Pete broke off his relationship with Lhew because he didn’t feel as deeply toward her as she did toward him, and that Pete continued to be friends with her because she offered him a unique perspective from that of his friends. Earn expresses sympathy toward Lhew, noting that he knows how it feels when the object of one’s affection fails to return it in kind, and this causes a light to go on in Pete’s head and his anger toward Lhew subsides. As shots continue to be traded and with the lines of communication open so wide, Pete finally asks Earn why he won’t tell him who his new crush is, but Earn steadfastly holds the line telling him that it might influence their friendship. Earn presses back asking Pete if he broke with Lhew because he liked someone else. As Pete fights in his mind as to whether this is the time to come clean with Earn about his feelings, he seems on the cusp of confessing to Earn when someone grabs him from behind and puts him in a headlock.

It turns out to Ody, Kern and Net who just happen to be playing at the restaurant where Pete and Earn are eating dinner. After Pete introduces Earn to the trio, he asks them how they know Pete and they spin it around into a way of teasing Pete briefly before letting him know that they know he isn’t dating Lhew any longer and there are no hard feelings. From here Net makes a fumble for Earn as he introduced himself, but Pete blows his cover and Ody and Kern reel Net back in. At this point Ody suddenly puts two and two together and realizes Earn is the lead singer Pete had mentioned to them before, and indicates his intention to have them come up on stage and sing with the band during their set. Earn is resistant at first, but Pete’s enthusiastic encouragement wins him over. As the trio shuffles off to get ready to perform, Pete and Earn return to their drinking game, but can no longer focus on it. Pete pointedly states that if they truly wanted to share these details, they wouldn’t need a game to do so and Earn agrees saying that he’ll share who he likes when the time is right as they watch the guys perform. Things grow a bit awkward at the table as Pete wonders to himself why it is so hard to come clean with Earn and why he is so afraid that Earn will not return his affections. This is interrupted by Ody calling them up to sing a couple of songs. 

After they work out what Earn and Pete will sing, Ern steps up and introduces himself and his “best friend” Pete and dedicates the song his to all those hopelessly in love with a person they long for but who might not see them that way. Earn sings emotionally and powerfully, as if the feelings have been bottle up inside him for a long time, and Pete is unsure if this is still about Noh or his new crush. At the end, Ody is moved and congratulates Earn on his powerful performance. He then turns to rile up the crowd as he throws the crowds attention toward Pete. While Earn sits down, Pete can’t help but wonder what he can do to mend Earn’s pain, and decides if he can’t confess directly, he’ll try it in a song. He speaks to the crowd that he knows his friend is down right now, and acknowledges that there will always be people to love you in the right way. Pete sings his heart out, and as he gets to the last line his heart is pounding out of his chest as he looks at Earn and his focus is exclusively on Earn. After Ody takes over the stage and the crowd has praised and applauded both Pete and Earn, Pete descends to sit next to Earn, but suddenly can’t seem to look him in the eye. Pete sees the shot glasses are full and they both slam down a shot of tequila. Earn then states that he’s tired and they grab their bottle, pay their server and head out to find a place to crash.

So this part in the chapter is really the tipping point. On the edge of confessing, Pete is derailed by Ody and the guys, and then gets roped into another round of publicly performing, this time with Earn dragged into it. They both sing highly emotional songs telegraphing their emotional vulnerability (Pete’s openly singing to Earn this time around) and we know we’ve all seen this scenario in slightly different guises before in this story, but also of course in the novel and in the series. After performing, both Earn and Pete are not really able to look each other in the eye and there is tension in the air between them. So where is this going? How can it not go where we know it must? IMO - there can be no stepping back from the edge this time. 

The boys find a decent place to crash a few minutes down the road that’s air-conditions and with a comfortable king sized bed. After getting ready to sleep, they turn off the lights and bed down, after which Pete puts on some music. Feeling the bed move, suddenly Pete turns to find Earn sitting up on the edge of the bed telling Pete he’s having trouble sleeping. Pete gets up and sits next to him and Earn tells him he has a lot of questions running through his mind, like why Pete sang that last song. When Pete replies that he felt Earn was sad about his love interest, Earn immediately asks why Pete broke up with Lhew. Before Pete can really respond, Earn states that Pete likes someone but can’t tell him who it is. Pete fires back the same, and they stalemate over each of their likes being special cases. Finally Earn presses the issue: “Why can’t you tell me these things? Aren’t I your best friend? Do you not trust me? Am I the only one who thinks we’re this close? Are Card, Lhew or someone much easier to confide in than me? The attack is complete and overwhelming, and Pete has no fight left, “IT’S BECAUSE YOU’RE THE ONE I LIKE” he says loudly. 

HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY!!! He did it! Wahoo, wahoo, wahoo!!! I have to say that I was impressed that Earn took the initiative to squeeze the truth out of Pete. I don’t find Earn’s character very advanced or complex (which I think is why that earlier dig about Noh being an idiot was so hilarious) but in this chapter he shows himself to be capable of framing an interrogation effectively (even though Pete was close to coming clean earlier, but of course Earn didn’t know that). We know Earn is a skilled leader and has an innate sense of fairness and justice, and that he is competitive and forceful. It just all comes together for him as he presses Pete, and not in a strong-armed way. It’s actually executed in a very vulnerable fashion, and you can sense he’s feeling as exposed as he’s asking Pete to be. Very nicely written.

Although he turns to Pete, Earn remains initially silent after Pete’s confession, so Pete simply tells him that he broke up with Lhew because he likes him as more than just friends. His emotional state is so high that everything just spills out in a torrent of explanations, but Earn’s silence continues so Pete rambles on explaining how he came close to telling Earn how he felt several times, but backed off after Earn told him he liked someone new. Then he tells Earn that he feared confessing would damage their friendship which he values so highly. When he finally stops talking he feels like a tremendous weight has been lifted off his chest, but he still harbors fear over Earn’s continued silence. As the pressure takes control and Pete tries to go out for some fresh air, but Earn grips his arm, keeping him from rising. As Pete turns to face Earn, he is suddenly met by Earn’s soft lips in a kiss. Pete’s mind questions if he is dreaming the kiss or drunk and imagining the event. After they break off, Earn tells Pete that he likes him too and they kiss once again. Feeling overwhelming happiness, Pete experiences a new surge of energy and is ready for just about anything.

So this is where they segue into their first s*xual encounter. I am not going to destroy a thoroughly entertaining read by summarizing it here. I will just say that if you like ty s*x, you will not be disappointed. Very hot, indeed! Nicely written! ^__^

In the afterglow, Pete is ecstatic. He is completely immersed in a state approaching bliss. He looks over at a sleeping Earn and all negativity drains out of his mind. As they remain still next to each other on the bed, they intertwine their fingers together whereupon Pete falls happily asleep.

While there remain some series-generated storylines to hurdle over (and pretty sketchy ones at that IMO) I feel like we are at a new beginning. To my mind this is an entirely new story from this point forward as Pete and Earn move into a changed world, at least for them. Will there be old challenges? Yes, of course there will, but there are many potential new challenges and adventures coming up and it would be a thrill to see them navigate each and every one of them together. I will predict nothing for the chapter 31, although I suspect we may be offered another round of raucous s*xual antics which is always fun anyway (hehe). But beyond that I can hardly wait to see which direction Pete and Earn turn and what awaits them. I’m very excited for the future because if I get my wish, we will get to see beyond where the novel ended on the PhunNoh relationship. This story has already addressed some very important issues that the novel glanced over, and I truly hope to see more complex events arise for Pete and Earn as their relationship develops that we never saw in the novel with Phun and Noh. Like I said, I’m very excited for the future and I anticipate great fun and big challenges ahead. Thanks again!

 

Chapter 31: Rush

When Pete awakens at the top of this chapter to find Earn sleeping on his chest, he knows that it wasn’t all a wild dream. And even though they cuddle and kiss for a bit, Pete insists that they get up and head home in time to make it to class, albeit late. This is the return to a side of Pete we haven’t seen for quite a while. The contemplative, thoughtful and deliberative side of his personality is now in the house. He’s still head over heels, but he has matured enough to understand that diving in head first is not the likely path to success, and he really wants to succeed with Earn. The question is whether he can overcome his excitement and stay the course without driving himself and Earn crazy. 

While Earn reluctantly takes a solo shower, Pete checks his phone to update his Facebook status and discovers a slew of text messages from his friends, starting with Por. The messages begin with urgent concern and progress through the night into ambivalent apathy. Card’s texts are quite similar in progression and Pete remarks how they can act as if they are the same person at times. Pete texts them back to let them know that he’ll be late, and then joins Earn for a chaste shower. As they drive back toward home, Pete realizes how happy he is about what has developed with Earn, but he also can’t shake an underlying feeling of discomfort. Sitting in stopped traffic while Earn rubs his thigh, Pete takes the opportunity to voice his feelings, but quickly realizes that Earn sees their status far more simply and clear-cut. When Pete voices his concern that there are a few things that haven’t been fixed and a few things that are slightly different, Earn looks shocked. As Pete clarifies his position by asking Earn if he feels they may be jumping ahead too quickly, Earn responds that since they already know each other so well, what they are actually doing is cutting out all the trivial steps in between. Pete presses on however, accepting that they are familiar with each other as friends only, and that being a couple changes everything, like how they interact with each other in public and respect each other’s personal space. He then looks down at Earn’s hand resting on his thigh. After Earn pulls back his hand, Pete tells them there is a time and a place for such intimacy, and believing he’s made his point, Pete takes Earn’s hand and sets it down over the bulge in his lap to prove to Earn that he’s quite happy with their new status.

This is an interesting development and an example of Pete and Earn delving into the kind of new relationship issues that I hoped for in the last chapter’s commentary. There is a faint resemblance to Pete’s “go slow” approach regarding how they interact in public and Noh’s original response to Phun’s enthusiasm and public displays of affection. I believe there is a clear and distinct difference between Pete’s reaction and Noh’s. Pete is far more in touch with himself and in sync with his feelings in relation to Earn than Noh was to Phun at the start of their relationship. Pete accepts himself as being bis*xual and has been aware of his feelings for Earn for quite some time (not to mention that Pete is fully aware that Earn is attracted to other guys, giving Pete in return, confidence in Earn’s attraction toward him). His approach may indeed be related to a psychological adjustment period as he explores and fills out his role as half of a newly minted couple, and having been in a close relationship in the not too distant past, he seems to recognize the validity of doing so. But Pete is also taking a very practical and pragmatic approach. He is making the argument that he and Earn should take some time on their own, before everyone around them (friends, schoolmates, family, etc.) learn of their relationship to adjust and explore their roles and feelings, thus giving them a better opportunity of facing the outside world together as a couple. This is Pete being Pete; the level-headed and thoughtful minded person who is also a diplomat and bridge builder and peacemaker; in this instance building bridges between him and Earn, as well as the two of them as a couple to the outside world. Pete is also at an advantage because he is the more experienced in the relationship. He understands Earn’s enthusiasm toward being in a relationship better than Earn because he’s already lived through it himself. This not only gives him insider knowledge that Earn has some growing to do, but also the emotional understanding that can help him grasp Earn’s motivations and actions while that growing takes place.

Pete drops Earn off at his house and then makes it home in time to grab his assignments and PE clothes and arrives at school a few minutes before his second class, all the while fully aware of how joyful and light-hearted he feels. Card is the first one he encounters, and Pete gets scolded for ignoring their texts the previous night. Pete issues an apology, and then asks where Por is. Pete’s question prompts Card to make the observation that Pete didn’t ask where Earn was, which is usually his first inquiry, which must mean Pete already knows Earn’s whereabouts; Card then concludes with an evil smile that Pete didn’t answer their texts because he must have had company the previous night. Pete plays down this comment and Card moves on to developments with Lhew. Pete acknowledges that a lot has happened but notices Por and Tee returning to the classroom so he tells Card it’s all Earn related and defers on this discussion as well until later in the day. Card warns him that he’s not the only one feeling left out in time for Por to join the conversation in his usually loud-mouthed fashion. As Por teases Pete about being hoarse, Pete catches a smirk from Card out of the corner of his eye. After Pete spills some of the dirt about his upset with Lhew and the drinking that followed, Por asks him if he knows where Earn is, noting that Pete usually asks about him when he’s not around (and when Por notices something, it must be pretty obvious, right?).

Earn enters the classroom and stops by the door to catch his breath while Por calls him a lazy bum from across the room. Earn tells him he overslept, and Por tells him that they covered for him in first period for being late. Then he shouts for Earn to drink some water because his voice sounds as itchy as Pete’s, and Pete sees Card stifling laughter. Pete and Earn look at each other and can’t help but share beaming smiles. When the teacher enters and they all scramble to take their seats, Card quietly whispers to Pete, “You two are so obvious.” While bantering with Por, Earn sits down next to Pete and puts his hand on Pete’s thigh under the desk, prompting Pete to shake it off. When Earn jokes about it, Pete can tell he’s disappointed, but then rubs Earn’s leg with his own, causing Earn to smile gleefully.

So this was a very fun passage to read. The characters interact so fluidly and naturally with each other, and have been doing so for so many chapters that it is hard to remember back to when they were first being introduced. Nicely written. We also get to see the social shift in the circle of friends start as the awareness of Pete and Earn’s relationship is introduced. So far Card is the only one in on the news and he is, of course, being supportive. His insider’s reactions to all of the innocent comments (which just happen to be not-so-innocent because they skate near the truth) takes the scene up a notch in entertainment value for sure. Earn is clearly testing Pete’s limits (either innocently or perhaps not so innocently), but Pete is not being too terribly up tight and he understands where Earn is coming from so it all seems to be moving forward. So far, so good as far as I can see.

In between classes, Pete and Earn head over to the faculty lounge to turn in their assignments to the first period teacher. As Pete walks along with his arm on Earn’s shoulder, Earn reaches up and takes Pete’s hand which causes Pete to scan the hallway for prying eyes. He’s thrilled by the closeness, and he has his concerns, but he knows they are both euphoric and he can’t help but find Earn’s actions endearing. Once they get to the lunchroom Por accuses them of taking enough time to have a “quickie” along the way and asks how it was. Earn shoots back that is was great without batting an eye which rankles Pete a little, although he notices Card found the exchange between Por and Earn amusing. Conversation shifts to their upcoming PE class and a basketball game with another section whose team is mainly populated by the school’s Basketball Team members. While Por and Earn are optimistic and excited for the challenge, Pete and Card are pretty sure they’re going down in flames. Tee eventually joins them at lunch and spells out the impending doom to Earn and Por, much to Card and Pete’s satisfaction. 

When changing for PE, Earn and Pete feel very awkward because of all the others around them, so much so that they bump into each other and Earn nearly pins Pete to the wall. Pete gets turned 0n and feels the urge to kiss Earn, but Por’s badgering to hurry up from outside snaps them back to reality. As they walk around campus before PE, they run into Joke recruiting for the Afforestation Camping trip. They sign up and then decide to make rounds reminding all the Cheer Team members of the practice later that day. When they arrive at the section containing most of the Music Club members, a group of Earn’s friends engage and tease with him. Pete notices Noh sitting far off on his own lost in thought, but feels a burn in his chest when he catches Earn’s eyes locked on Noh. Pete grabs Earn in a headlock since business there is concluded and realizes that he isn’t the only person on Earn’s mind, but Earn reassures Pete with a fond look while messing with his hair which mends Pete’s concerns.

The basketball game turns out as expected, and the boys crash to their wounds, rehydrate and rest. While Card and Por squabble over their ideas on how the outcome of such games is determined, the group is visited by an opponent from the winning team, a bare-chested youth named Oil. Tee pleads with him and asks why they didn’t show any mercy but Oil replies that the coach was watching and promised them hell if they underperformed. During the game Pete had to guard Oil, so Oil sits down and throws an arm over Pete’s shoulder while complimenting him on his playing skills. Pete acknowledges to himself that Oil is friendly and attractive, but the arm makes Pete feel uneasy so he shrugs it off saying he played a guerilla defense because taking him head on would have simply gotten him knocked down. At this point Earn wraps his arm around Pete’s shoulder and volunteers his services anytime Pete needs to take someone else head on. This incites a bit of banter based on an old rivalry between Oil and Earn, with Oil making the slight that Earn has slowed down since their soccer playing days. Oil also makes sure to tell Pete he hopes to see him later before he takes his leave, and Pete can tell that it got under Earn’s skin. 

So the story just touched on a couple of interesting issues. The issue of Pete’s jealously or at least concern over Earn’s lingering feelings for Noh, and a new issue, Earn’s protectiveness toward Pete over the attentions from an outsider. We know the first issue already, and Pete’s sensitivity is real, but there is a strong indication that Earn is really now focused on Pete. The second issue is potentially more volatile. This could just be a passing introduction to the issue of Earn feeling protective and defending his turf, or it could be the introduction of a storyline that will surface again down the road involving Oil making a more serious pursuit of Pete and what that might mean for the Pete and Earn. I guess we’ll see…

The day passes and the boys end up at Cheer Team practice where Pete has a chance to explain to Card some of what happened with Lhew, including that Lhew knew about Pete’s attraction to Earn before he did, but oh well… Practice sputters to an early conclusion due to lack of energy and enthusiasm following the basketball blowout in PE. With the core four remaining, they decide to go eat together and discuss the leadership personnel of the Cheer Team they are considering for the following year. Upon concluding this discussion, Pete decides it’s time to tell Por about his break-up with Lhew. Por starts out pretty upset because there won’t be any double-dating, and then goes on to worry that he’ll have to side with Josie over Pete. When Earn chides him for not being able to pick a friend he’s known for years over a girl he’s known for a few months, Por lets slip that it’s really all about the s*x. After being chided by Card for this admission, Por and Card head off to catch a taxi but not before Card makes the parting admonition to Pete and Earn not to be late to school again, making the underlying meaning clear.

Once alone, Earn wastes no time inviting himself to sleep over at Pete’s house, and Pete just can’t refuse. Earn reacts with glee and grabs Pete’s hand, causing the feeling of uneasiness Pete has been experiencing off and on all day to return. Pete diplomatically begins to remind Earn of the conversation they had earlier in the day and Earn immediately releases Pete’s hand and can barely contain his happiness when he tells Pete, “I just want to hug you, and squeeze you, and ‘touch’ you all day.” This sends Pete’s heart aflutter, but he maintains that they are jumping into things too quickly and that he feels uncomfortable sometimes. Pete speaks from his heart when tells Earn that he is not embarrassed to be with him, but it’s all so new and he’s little afraid, turning it into a question to Earn as well. He explains that he has wanted this for so long that he wants them to do it right, from the ground up, and after considering Pete’s words, Earn reluctantly agrees. As they head toward Pete’s car, they end up holding hands along the way and Pete comes to realize that his urges are getting the best of him. Once in the car, Pete puts his hand on the stick shift and Earn places his hand over Pete’s with look of mild disappointment. Suddenly Pete can’t take being a wet blanket on Earn all day and tells him, “We can start tomorrow… But no excuses. Our relationship starts slow tomorrow. No sudden displays of affection until we’re both ready, okay?” After Earn gives his assent, Pete leans in and gives him a furious kiss and tells him he’s been wanting to do that all day. He’s kissed back madly in return and knows that tonight will not be a restful one, but he is comforted being with Earn and knowing that this the beginning of what he has wanted for so long.

What a sweet chapter. These guys are off to a great start. The writing is very solid at conveying a real connection between them, which of course, is based on a pre-existing friendship, but it is starting to grow far beyond friendship. This particular story gets it velocity from taking a genuinely close friendship and propelling it into new territory, and so far has portrayed it very effectively. When I was Pete and Earn’s age I fell in love with my best friend too, and had to struggle through the transition they are now living through, and I have to say, this is really quite close to what we experienced. I give the writing here a lot of credit and look forward to more of the same. Thanks again.

 

Chapter 32: Firsts

We open on a cloudy and windy day on the soccer field where the Cheer Club is wrapping up a practice to hand over the field to the Marching Band and Music Club. As Earn prepares to dismiss his team and hand things over to Film and Ohm, Pete notices that Noh is absent from the field and asks Film where he is. Film tells him he skipped practice to go on a date with Yuri, which surprises Pete (he believes that Phun and Noh are a couple) and he replies to Film that he didn’t know Noh and Yuri were still dating. Film says he supposes they are, and then expresses sympathy toward Phun for playing the unenviable role of Noh’s side chick. From the corner of his eye Pete sees a pale young freshman with feminine features who has been turning heads all over campus walk onto the field and wave enthusiastically at Ohm. As Earn and Ohm finish their chat some distance away, suddenly Ohm urges him to hurry up and finish his club’s business and then runs off to greet Mick. Pete catches Earn’s eyes wandering over the soccer field in search of someone, and he’s pretty sure who he’s trying to find, which leaves him with a sad underlying feeling.

Earn, Pete, Card and Por then launch into an open discussion with the Cheer Club regarding who they have chosen as their successors in the following year. The Marketing, Marketing Assistant and Financial Head selections are all received well by the members, however Hack’s selection to replace Por as Head of Concept and Design is met with a charge of favoritism because Por and Hack hang out together, but Pete jumps in to announce that decision was unanimous and Por points out that the job entails more than just design. Earn cuts off the exchanges by announcing the two candidates they have chosen for President and Vice President of the Cheer Club, Choi and Odd. After a second of silence the group applauds and Pete and Earn inform them that have not decided who should serve in which position, so they will put it up for a vote and announce the result after the basketball game, giving them a little over a month to decide. After getting the club to calm down from their excitement, Earn dismisses the group.

So this is a slice of life chapter so far, with a fair amount of routine, but not uninteresting events taking place which move the plot along in very minor ways. The interesting exchange between Earn and Tee at the close of the meeting eludes to Earn’s sense of jealousy and protectiveness toward Pete. He downplays it and brushes it under the carpet when Pete asks him about what he and Tee were talking about, but we know it isn’t just a passing phase. For the moment, Pete tries to playfully get Earn to tell him what he wants to know with a mock display of s*xual aggression, even placing a hand on Earn’s chest, which manages to fluster him thoroughly. Pete turns it into a playful tease by wrapping his arm over Earn’s shoulder and flashing a smile. He’s still concerned with Earn’s search for Noh earlier, but he’s satisfied that he can pull Earn’s chain with bit playful enticement. At that point Earn grabs Pete in a headlock, but Por interrupts their antics telling them to hurry up and get a move on, giving Pete just the distraction he needs to break Earn’s grip and wrap his arms under Earn’s arms and lock them around his head from behind. While Por celebrates Pete getting the upper hand on Earn, Card breaks it up with a smack to Pete’s head as he announces that Hack is now their 5th player for DOTA, and telling them to get a move on. The story shifts to an internet café where they used to hang out a lot before the Cheer Club soaked up all of their spare time. They wage an incredible series of games against another team, all arranged by Card, and emerge victorious, richer, and greatly appreciative of their new teammate. They head out for food and re-live the games they just played along with discussing other relevant topics, mostly how Hack feels toward the new position he’ll hold in the Cheer Club next year. He admits to being nervous, especially since there is opposition to him in the post, but Por tells him he’ll stand up for him. Pete, on the other hand, suggests he work to improve his skills even more and become more independent, since he won’t always have the rest of the group around to cover for him. During this pep talk, Pete notices Earn listening in and beaming at him as if he were saying something admirable.

This is a series of sweet exchanges among the family of friends which we haven’t seen in a while. They not only welcome Hack into the circle (not that he wasn’t already in since he played drums for the band) but they coached him during the DOTA match and then celebrated his contributions to the success of the team. Afterward, Por stuck up for Hack like a big brother would for a little brother, and Pete offered sage advice as a more experienced and wiser brother (or even parent) would do. My favorite part of this passage was Pete using his s*x appeal to intimidate Earn, even if the real reason was due to Earn’s lingering feelings for Noh, but Pete’s as human as any of us on that score. All in all, this was very enjoyable to read.

After the splitting up of the game winnings (including a bit of squabbling over it), Card attempts to invite the gang over to his house the next day, but fails to find any takers. Pete has errands to run, Earn is behind with his assignments, Hack’s parents won’t allow it, and Por is clearly going to have to spend it with Josie, who coincidentally calls Por, revealing his lame ringtone, as well as the dopey lovey-dovey voice he uses when he talks to her, much to the groups sick amusement. When the group starts to head their separate ways, Por obliviously calls back to Earn and Pete telling them not to tire themselves our ing, and making sure to tell Earn to watch his a*s, garnering Pete’s middle finger in response, even as he feels a rush of embarrassment. After Hack bids Pete and Earn a respectful farewell, Earn puts his hand on Pete’s thigh under the table and asks Pete if what Por said about him having to watch his a*s is true? When Pete points out that they haven’t even started doing those things…yet, Earn wants to know if he’d like to start, but Pete just calls him and idiot and smacks him in the head while suggesting they should head home. Pete drives Earn home and they arrive onto his dark and empty street. They lean toward each other for a passionate kiss and thereafter end up forehead to forehead staring into each other’s eyes. When Earn tells Pete that he’s wanted to kiss him the entire week, Pete replies in kind, but then Earn reminds him that “someone” wants to go slow. Pete reminds him that compared to what they’d already done this was plenty slow, and then orders him out of the car stating he has a lot to do tomorrow. Earn taps on the glass and tells him to drive safely, but Pete tells him he doesn’t have to tell him that before slamming the door. He lowers the window in answer to Earn’s tapping to hear Earn tell him he knows he doesn’t have to say it, but wanted to while giving him a sweet childish grin. Pete says goodnight and waves goodbye with great excitement for the next day.

Another great passage of congenial relations between this family of friends, but Pete and Earn steal the scene at the end. They are both so adorable and so sweet on each other. The passion between them is very real and the longing they express for each other is instantly recognizable and totally hot. 

The next scene opens with Pete leaning against a railing in the mall. He’s dressed in jeans and white shirt covered by a blue and white hooded jacket. He glances at his phone to see if the guy he’s waiting for is late. He looks up and there he stands, apologizing for having to have to quit the taxi stand and run back home to get his wallet. Pete notices that he’s also wearing jeans, but over a black shirt covered by a leather jacket. And he’s styled his hair. They don’t often get to see each other dressed like this. Pete asks the tanned boy why he didn’t just take the taxi back to his house to get his wallet and then head to the mall from there. He laughs as his idiocy and chalks it up to being nervous for his first date. Pete tells him not to sweat it because he’s on time; it’s Pete who is early. “You must really like me” is the response Pete gets, but Pete then clarifies it by stating, “I like you A LOT.” Pete gets am arm thrown over his shoulder and they begin their date by walking toward a mysterious destination.

At this point Pete’s internal dialogue shifts to the ruse they played on Card and Por to avoid telling them about their first date. This is the first clear indication for the readers that Pete is actually with Earn. There is a hint in the lead up when Pete refers to the other person as “a tan robust teen” but my suspicions that there was something up were raised when Pete and Earn were saying good night at the car and Pete mentioned that he was excited for the next day. All I could think of is why is he so jazzed about doing errands? Anyway, it was kind of fun to read this lead-in and wonder WTF in my imagination. Of course Card would just hassle them, but Por, in spite of his recently found tolerance, is still an open question and they are not sure if they should tell him yet. It’s nice to know that Pete and Earn have already discussed this issue between themselves as a couple. 

On the walk toward their date, the boys turn a corner and Pete sees the sign pointing to the arcade and is reminded of Lhew and has a little pang over the past before he brushes it from his mind. They finally stop at the bowling alley and Pete is elated at the choice. But this is no ordinary setting, as the pictures provided reveal. Earn orders a pair of shoes for each of them, and they make their way to their lanes. Earn goes in search of balls (Easy there!) and Pete for some food. When they each return, Pete sets down the food to check out the ball Earn got for him while Earn inhales a slider (insert joke). Pete thinks his ball is too light and makes a fuss about Earn thinking he’s a weakling, but then quickly turns it into a bet that whoever loses has to pay for dinner. Earn raises the bet by declaring that the winner also gets to choose the restaurant. The game commences (cue music selection – it adds to the scene a lot). They play competitively, but have a playful blast doing so, often acting like they are the only ones there. Pete admits to throwing some gutter balls, and Earn gives him some pointers to help out. Pete also admits that when he sees how much care and attention Earn pays toward him, his mind goes blank and he doesn’t feel self-conscious or embarrassed if Earn holds his hand in public.

In the end Pete wins the last 2 games (although Earn thinks he used subterfuge to do it) and he gets to pick the dinner spot. When he sees the Golden Arches he’s again reminded of Lhew, raising a feeling of guilt which is quickly banished when he looks to a smiling care-free Earn. He quickly asks Earn where he wants to eat, admitting he doesn’t really have a place in mind; in fact street food is fine with him. Pete eventually lets slip that he doesn’t care where they eat because all he really cares about is being with Earn. Although he didn’t intend to sound so cheesy, he knows there’s truth in the sentiment. A red faced Earn calls him an idiot in response and proceeds to drag him to Oishi Buffet where Earn proceeds to eat Pete under the table (Don’t go there!) while simultaneously trying to feed him a bit of everything from his own plate(s). Earn wins (5 plates to 3 plates). I have to mention that I love, love, love Pete’s little admission while bowling. It marks a clear progression in his adjustment to the new relationship he shares with Earn. 

So now the boys are headed down a dark alley to an unknown destination, that is, unknown to Earn; Pete’s in control and he’s leading with total confidence toward a hotspot conveyed to him by Ody. Earn dreads that they’re headed for a drinking scene and warns Pete he’ll hurl on him for sure, but Pete assures him everything’s cool since he’s over drinking too for now. Next Earn laments that they could get jumped any second and that he would have to protect Pete’s a*s, but Pete just smacks him on the head and calls him an idiot while secretly getting a rush from his comment. Pete finds the entrance and they wind their way through a maze of obstacles while Earns grasps his hand tighter and tighter as they descend down a staircase, more out of excitement and wonder than anything else. Pete realizes this and thinks back to when he experienced these emotions; back when he dated Lhew. They finally make it to a check point and Pete produces the pass on his phone from Ody and the boys receive the VIP treatment thereafter. They blend into the crowd immediately and lose themselves in the music and the splendor of being in each other’s company and sharing the experience. They sing alone with songs and every once in a while stealing glances of each other making the experience exponentially more special. After a couple of hours the concert ends and the boys leave the venue with dopey grins on their faces reveling in the experience they just shared.

After getting to Pete’s car they drive to his house in what seems like no time at all, and grab some water on the way to Pete’s room. As they recline on Pete’s bed staring up at his star lamp on the ceiling, Earn declares that the day was “ing fantastic” and immediately asks for Pete’s appraisal of their first date and of him as Pete’s boyfriend. Pete replies with a devastating list of Earn’s behavior as obnoxious most of the time, hurting Pete’s arm while they jumped around, stuffing his face with food and talking with his mouth full… but ends his screed by telling Earn that’s why he likes him. When Earn acknowledges he’s asked this question a billion times and then hesitantly asks Pete if he can hug him, Pete tells him of course he can, but soon hears Earn admitting that if he does, it might not stay a hug. With heart ablaze and his hormones racing, Pete tells Earn that under those circumstances, it’s not a good idea. As Earn withdraws in defeat, Pete makes a surprise move and kisses Earn. At first Earn’s caught off guard, but then pushes back forcefully. As intensity builds and heads shift, Pete is ecstatic and they end with him shooting Earn a large grin. They lie on their backs and intertwine their fingers, giving each other one last peck before drifting off to sleep. Pete tells us that jumping into s*x is easy and pleasurable, but not the core of what he sees in their relationship. Their history of friendship tells him that there is far more there for them, and he wants to develop it. The scene shifts to Por greeting them at the school gate asking them about their Sunday. The boys share an inside joke as they report how bland their day was, while Por runs on about his date with Josie. Pete’s feelings for Earn are rock solid and he can see in Earn’s face that he feels the same toward him. Pete shares that the world may see them as unchanged, but for he and Earn, the air between them is electrified.

The highlight of the chapter is their first date, of course, and what a marathon of fun. I don’t think I’ve ever done so much on a date in all my life, but I’m pretty boring. Setting it up as a secret was a good suspense builder and then having the location be a mystery, followed by the music venue in an underground club were good choices to make the story more engaging. I also appreciate how Earn and Pete trade off their respective strengths by taking turns leading the events along. That is how the dynamics in a real relationship work after all. It gives their interactions real grip and we get the firm sense of how they are complementing each other as the relationship develops. Pete’s emotional attachment to Earn seems even deeper than he realizes, or is at least stronger than his fears over public displays of affection. The scene where Pete gets lost in the joy of his relationship with Earn (bowling alley) was a really nice development. That’s not to say he will always act in this fashion, but it’s nice to see that he is headed toward expanding his horizons. Overall, the intimacy is deepening in a way that surpasses what Pete is thinking in his head. This is precisely what real people think and act like in a relationship. They are conflicted, so Pete comes off very real in this sense. Based on that conflict, I suspect that things might heat up faster than Pete wants, or at least thinks he wants. We’ll have to wait to find out of course. Before I end this I just have to say that when Pete skewers Earn after he asks what Pete thought of him as his boyfriend on their first date – HILARIOUS! I also loved the ending scene with Por prattling on about his date while Pete and Earn just half listen reveling in their secret. That is so ing romantic! Thank you for such a sweet read. :)