IN TIME

Chapter 12

The rest of the first week past and we had a pretty good time. Only the big boy caused any real trouble and that was just name calling that we all ignored. We went swimming and on nature walks and such. Alex played football and I was there to cheer him on. The other campers were kinda surprised when they found out that Alex was the Captain and the quarterback for the Junior Varsity football team back in Savannah, and he was gay. 'That was some kinda mix there,' a few of the guys said. I smiled and nodded my head, knowing I loved Alex and he loved me and we didn't care what others thought. Billy W, Jamie, Billy S, Jarad, Alex and myself always walked around holding hands. Now that we were out it didn't matter, in fact we even got some 'good goings' for doing what we wanted and being us.

Some of the other boys were still a little uncomfortable, but that was only when we took showers. I think they were scared that one of us was going to peek at them. All I said was this, "Why peek at y'all when I've got this," and pulled off Alex's towel.

The boys all laughed and Alex blushed and started chasing me. I was only wearing a towel as well; he caught me and tore it from me. I stopped running around the shower area and was still laughing when Alex came over and hugged me laughing. We only hugged for a second then went and got dressed. The other boys teased him about being a tease, and me for being a pervert. We only said, "your point?" Which got everyone, including our camp counselor, Doug, to start laughing.

One evening, Alex and I were sitting on the front porch of the cabin we were staying in, looking at the nighttime sky. One of the boys tried turning on the outside light, and we said to keep it off, we were star gazing. He said cool and joined us. After a few minutes it was like the rest of the cabin was there. I saw Peter next to Steven talking. Steven nodded his head and took Peter's hand, I smiled at them in the moonlight; they smiled back. Now they were both happy turned out they wanted each other but, just like Billy and Jarad, were just too scared to say anything about it till the night after Alex and I came out. Our counselor came up and saw us and joined us telling us in a whisper that 'lights out was in 10 minutes.' We said OK, and went back to watching the stars.

Alex got up and sat behind me, surprising a few of the boys. They'd never seen our regular position of sitting with each other like that till then. A few smiled and a few giggled, but they were cool with it. With my head on Alex's shoulder we saw a shooting star, and we both made a wish. We looked at each other and I knew we wished for the same thing, "that we stay together for ever." After a few more minutes we all got up and headed inside. Before Alex went in he stopped me, turned towards me, and under the stars with the moon shining down on us, kissed me long and passionately. We broke apart, smiled then headed inside. When we got inside they started laughing and making comments.

"Ohhhhh sucky faces," one boy said. We all laughed.

"Uh oh, they may get frisky. Everyone stay under your covers and cover your ears," another said. We laughed again and I blushed which only made people laugh harder. Our counselor came in to see what all the laughing was about. When one of the boys calmed down enough, he told him what happened. Then the counselor started laughing, saying a few things himself, which made me turn red as a cherry. We all changed into our pajamas or shorts and crawled into bed. I raised my hand up and grasped Alex's, that was hanging over the side, he gently squeezed my hand and I squeezed back. We drifted into sleep.

"NO, NO, NO!" I shouted as the other car rammed into the front of our car. I was shaking and crying, calling out for my parents. I felt a hand on my shoulder then turned around. I awoke with the light in the cabin on and Alex shaking me. I looked up and screamed. The other boys looked on and the counselor ran into the cabin.

"WHAT in the HELL is going on?" Counselor Doug asked.

"Brett's having a nightmare," one of the other boys said.

I finally came to my senses and grabbed onto Alex. He held me while I shook and cried.

"Is he going to be ok?" Asked Doug.

Alex nodded his head, and explained. "His real parents died in a car accident, he was in the back seat. That was a little over 3 years ago. He's been having nightmares ever since. Some nights he's fine and some nights he isn't."

Alex grabbed a washcloth someone had giving him and started wiping the sweat from my face. Alex held me in his arms as I calmed down. I finally relaxed and that is when I noticed that all of the boys were there.

"Sorry guys," was all I could come up with.

They said it was OK, and went back to their bunks. Probably thinking they were lucky it wasn't them. I bet that when they got home, they gave their parents a big hug. Alex was still holding me when Kyle, another boy in the cabin, came over. Billy and Jarad were sitting on the end of the bed holding hands and staying next to me. They have turned into some great friends.

"I know how you feel." Said Kyle, as he looked down at me with tears in his eyes. At first I didn't understand then it dawned on me. His parents were killed as well.

"They died in a house fire," he started saying with tears sliding down his face, "along with my baby brother, I was asleep and woke up to my mom shaking me. She grabbed me and we started downstairs when she fell and hit her head. She told me to head outside and I did. Dad was coming down the stairs behind my mom with my baby brother in his hands and he looked at me smiled and nodded his head. I thought he was going to make it, so I ran out the front door, the next thing I knew I heard a scream and the roof collapsed on them. All I could do was cry; one of my neighbors got me and held on to me. I had to go to a home as well, and I finally got adopted. I was 8 years old, when they died and 9 when I got adopted I'm 14 now. I still have nightmares every now and then, but not as much. So if you ever want to talk just let me know, ok?" He said.

I nodded my head and hugged him. It made me sad that his parents died when he was so young, but at least I knew I wasn't alone. After a few minutes of me and Kyle hugging and crying, we let go of each other and he went to his bed. Billy and Jarad headed to their beds after giving me a hug. I just looked up at Alex and he was smiling at me.

"You alright now?" He asked.

I nodded my head, and he bent down and kissed my forehead. He tried getting up.

"Please stay a little longer?" I asked.

He nodded his head and just held onto me. Doug looked at us, smiled then turned off the lights. Soon I was drifting to sleep in Alex's arms. I had no more nightmares that night.

I awoke the same way, with Alex holding on tight and a few of the boys giggling at us. I looked up and smiled at them, they put one of their pointer fingers on top of the other, while smiling, gave up the 'shame shame' sign. I just giggled and they went to use the bathroom.

I untangled myself from Alex's grasp gently so I didn't wake him. I scooted out of bed and put on my day shorts and a clean shirt and headed to the bathroom. I did my business then returned to find Alex still asleep. I tiptoed over with a few of the boys watching to see what I would do. I bent down and gave Alex a gentle kiss, a few seconds later his eyes fluttered opened and he smiled at me.

"Morning," he said yawning.

"Morning yourself. Come on get up," I said.

He nodded, took my hand and I helped him up. He looked at me then gave me a hug.

"You ok after last night?" He asked once again.

"Yeah I am, thanks to you, and thanks to Kyle for letting me know I wasn't alone with the nightmares," I said giving him a gentle and reassuring smile.

He nodded, bent down and kissed me. He got dressed then we headed to the mess hall and had breakfast. I saw Billy W and Jamie sitting talking quietly, when another boy of about 12 or 13 came up and started talking to them. They nodded their heads and he joined them. I saw them talking quietly and having their heads close together. I saw the boy smile and nod towards a redhead about their age sitting at a table. Billy and Jamie smiled, the other boy got up and got his friend. They both came back to the table and they had breakfast together talking and laughing. I smiled; glad that they still had friends and were still making friends. Me, Alex, Billy S, and J arad all went about our ways. I went on a nature hike, Alex went back to the football team, and Jarad and Billy went to the reading room and read a story written by Hemingway.

We met back for lunch, and had a great lunch; we all had a blast. After lunch we all went swimming and had fun splashing around and trying to dunk each other. I saw Billy, Jamie, and those two boys walking together laughing. Billy and Jamie were holding hands, and those two boys were awfully close to each other. I think that the two boys were boyfriends but didn't want anyone to know, but they told Billy and Jamie, because they needed someone else to be around. I was happy that they found someone else to be with and get along with.

Our time was coming to an end with camp. It was a sad time for us, and all of our new friends that we'd met. The last day we cried and hugged our new friends and exchanged e-mails and such, especially with Pete and Steven. I hoped that they would stay together and be happy. The bus left later that afternoon and just like before, me, Alex, Billy S, Jarad, Billy W, and Jamie were all sitting together in the back of the bus. We saw the big kid get on and start heading our way. He saw us but didn't say anything as the bus started and off we went. As we were driving Billy W and Jamie told us about the brown-headed boy and the redheaded boy.

"Well Trey, the boy with the brown hair that first came up and talked to us, asked a few questions. He told us; him and his boyfriend were there too. When he nodded his head toward the other table that day, it's when we saw Sean, the redheaded boy. Well as you know, he went and got him and they had a great conversation. They told us how they met and what had happened between them." Billy W explained.

Jamie continued with, "They met at school, became best friends, then one night when Sean was staying with Trey, he started to cry and when Trey asked him what it was about, Sean finally told him that he was in love with him. Sean was afraid that Trey may tell his parents and Sean's, BUT instead reached down, picked up Sean's head, kissed him on the lips and told him he was in love with him too. And well, the rest is history."

Then Billy W added more to the story. "They aren't out to anyone and never will be, not until they are either in high school or college. They feel in love and enjoy being with each other. They have done a few sexual things but they haven't gone all the way deciding that they wanted to wait for that special occasion," he finished with.

We all smiled and agreed with him. The bus pulled up to where our parents were waiting for us, as we were getting off the bus the big kid stopped us, he looked at each of us smiled and nodded his head.

"I just want to say thank you," he said smiling.

We all looked at him dumb founded.

"Umm, not to sound ungrateful, but for what?" I asked.

He laughed. "Well I didn't like faggots, oh sorry, I mean homosexuals when I first came on here because a friend of mine is one. But, after seeing the way you all act around one another and not bothering anyone or putting any pressure on anyone about it, and answering any questions that were asked of y'all. Well, I wanted to say thanks for enlightening me. You didn't know it, but I listened whenever someone asked you a question and you answered it honestly and truthfully. I respect that. So I wanted to say thank you for helping me understand that lifestyle. If you ever want to talk please e-mail me. Oh by the way, my name is Brent," he said with a smile handing me a sheet of paper with his e-mail address on it.

I smiled at him and stuck out my hand for him to shake. He shook my hand then pulled me into a hug thanking me. He turned around wiped his eyes then left. We were left speechless.

When we got off the bus our parents where there and we went through the normal 'how was camp?' 'What happened?' 'Did anyone find out?' Hehe yes, that too. We told them all that happened with the exception of the playing around that we each did with our lovers' hehe. They said that they were happy that we were able to change people's opinions about what they thought and us. We also told them about the sunset the first day, they smiled and said that shows true love. We smiled nodded our heads then got in the car and left. Wow only two more months until school starts; I can't wait to see what happens when we finally start HIGH SCHOOL.