Meet Me At The river

Chapter Five

Chapter Five

Gareth Middleton

Half term was approaching fast, along with the first year’s examinations, and I could assure you that I was not ready. I had the knowledge, but when it comes to sitting for the examination I just go blank.

I needed to find some help quick and who better to ask than the irresistible Stuart Spencer.

I found Stuart sitting in the library as usual, since the autumn month had come around the conservatory wasn’t as warm as usual.

I joined his table and proceeded with my questions, ‘Stuart, can I ask you a favour?’

‘Sure, what’s up?’ came his reply.

I looked at him and asked, ‘Will you be a tutor for me please? If you have too much work to do, I completely understand, but we have exams coming up soon and I need to keep motivated.’

He put his pen down and looked at me before saying,‘Sure, I’ll help you out. What do you need to work on? Mostly because it is pointless going over things you already know.’

‘Well, I have all the knowledge; it’s just putting them on paper really,’ I said sheepishly.

‘Okay, what subject do you know you can handle without too much work?’

‘Well, obviously Dance and Drama or I wouldn’t be at this school plus science, but when it comes around to English, maths and other subjects I begin to lack knowledge. I understand it, I just can’t seem to put it down in black and white.’

‘Right, during prep each day we will spend two hours on our own prep, and then we will spend an hour together doing prep with each other,’ Stuart stated before picking his pen back up to resume studying.

*

After my chat with Stuart I was both excited and nervous. Excited because I was spending time with the most gorgeous boy in school, and nervous because I had felling that I couldn’t share with him. I’m not as brave as Oliver. I have come out to my parents, but I was still in the closet to my friends, and I wanted to figure Stuart out before I made my move. I felt attracted to him, but I wanted to be sure he was also gay before I made any advances.

*

The next day I was in for a surprise. I was walking past the telephone and I noticed Stuart was using it, and like everyone he had it on loud speaker because the signal was rubbish and you could hardly hear. But I stayed back a little not wanting to intrude on the conversation, that is when I heard a little snippet of the conversation.

‘Dad, can I ask you a question?’asked Stuart.

‘Sure, go ahead,’ replied his dad.

Stuart started to shuffle his feet when he said, ‘Well it’s embarrassing. There’s this boy I really like, but he doesn’t know that I’m gay and I don’t know if he is, we’ve been friends for a while and I don’t want that friendship to end.’

I heard his dad sigh before saying, ‘Well, if he turns out to not to be gay, then you can still be friends I’m sure. However, if he does turn out to be gay he may not know it yet and you let your feeling be known. He may open up and a potential partner could come from that. But don’t rush into it and don’t be too upfront.’

After I had heard that I made a quick getaway not believing what I just heard. Stuart had not intentionally come out to me and he needs to know that I had overheard his conversation with his dad. But the implication it could leave behind could break up our friendship, and could potentially make us enemies and then that’s our friendship out the window.

*

I decided to tell Stuart about the phone call I overheard the other day. To be honest, I wasn’t looking forward to it because this could potentially shatter our friendship, but I was willing to take the risk so at least if the friendship does breakdown I won’t have a guilty conscience and be forced to live a lie.

I arrived at the library just in time to see Stuart take his seat and begin to get out his books. I wanted to get this over and done with so I proceeded towards the table.

I sat down and said, ‘Stuart I need to tell you something.’

‘Okay,’ Stuart said cautiously.

‘The other day, I overheard your phone conversation with your dad,’ I said before hanging my head, scared of what he was going to say.

When I looked up the colour had literally drained out of his face and his mouth had dropped open.

I continued speaking, ‘I didn’t listen in on purpose. I spotted you and thought I’d wait and walk to prep with you, but I was called away so I couldn’t stay.’

Finally, Stuart could speak again, ‘So I guess you know now.’

I glanced down before looking back up and said, ‘Unfortunately, yes, I know you didn’t want Oliver, Junior, and me to find out this way, but there is one thing I want to say. I don’t care  because I think I am too, and this helping me out with my exams was also a way I could get closer to you because I really like you. I thought this may be an opportunity to ask you if you would become my boyfriend.’

Stuart looked away has his face flushed bright red, and said, ‘Why didn’t you just ask me in the first place?’ Then he leaned in to me and planted a kiss on my lips.

I was suddenly in ecstasy, I had just been kissed on the lips by the most gorgeous boy in school and we had officially become a couple.