Bailey

By Rory M

Chapter 13

It was raining the next morning, not that it mattered. Bailey didn't sleep well, and almost wanted Drew back as a roommate. Wake up itself was drama-free. The small alarm clock Caleb had brought went off at 6, and he quietly left the room with his shower kit, only making eye contact with Bailey briefly. It was enough to make Bailey feel miserable; leaving him in his current state of depression, shame, and guilt that set the tone for his mood. He didn't dislike Caleb, but the shame that he had given him last night, and the no-doubt continuing disappointment and stunted friendship left him wanting to stay in bed, as he had done on many days over the past few months.

His arms hurt more than they had the night before. When he tried to get up after several moments of failed attempts, he realized how stiff and sore they were under their bandages. Getting dressed, he realized, was going to be a bitch.

He managed his t-shirt with much cursing and a few painful trials. The boxers were easier, though he scrambled to get a clean pair on, and he needed a break afterwards, because he was pretty sure he opened his left elbow. Caleb came back as he started his second round; trying to put his khakis on. Bailey's face reddened as Caleb got a bird's eye view of him trying to put shorts on without bending his arms, meaning he had one foot on the ground, another out in the air, and the rest of him bending into a quasi-pretzel on the bed, trying to manage the pain.

Caleb's once stern posture and bad mood lifted, giving a small chuckle at Bailey, who a moment before was almost ready to walk to the nurse's cabin in his underwear. Now the pain from his arms and the sense of uneasiness had left Bailey, replaced by a deep shade of red on his face from complete embarrassment.
"Do you need help?" Cal offered as he continued into the room.

"NO, I don't need help. Shit," at that moment Bailey managed to get his right leg and his left in the same pant leg, causing Caleb to laugh again.

"Your arm is bleeding again, come on, let me help," he said, but it wasn't a question. He stepped over to Bailey and removed his shorts, helping him glide them back on and up to his waist. It was quick and mechanical, but if Bailey had been left to do it, he would have been there a lot longer. As Cal helped him he felt relieved, but still embarrassed. Nonetheless, a twinge of relief prevailed that Cal would even look at him again, let alone help him. Still, he mumbled out his gratitude as he turned to put on his shirt, "Do you need help with that, too?"

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"Thanks," Bailey said as they made their way to the nurse's station. The bandage on his left elbow needed to be replaced, and both probably needed to be cleaned out.

"No, it's ok," Caleb said. "I feel bad about last night, so I thought I kind of owed yah." They were talking quietly, barely above a murmur. They were sharing the same umbrella, walking close together to the small cabin up the path. The early quiet and dreary morning gave both of them a sedated feeling. The rain heightened the effect, making the air feel heavy with its dampness and quiet drizzle.

Bailey looked at Caleb, somewhat surprised, "Why do you feel bad? You were right."

"No, I shouldn't have been such an asshole. Don't get me wrong; I'm pissed off at you about Liz, and you gotta knock that shit off, but I shouldn't have snapped at you for not telling me. I guess I get pissed off when people hide themselves; I have this notion that everyone should do things like I do. It was hard for me to come out, but I did it, and it was hard after. I don't know, to see you afraid to even tell me got me pissed off. Not at you, really, just that people would make it so hard for you just to say who you are, you know? I guess I directed that at you, and I'm sorry, man. I can't say being out is the right way, no more than you can say being in the closet is the right way. But whatever, I got your back, Bail."

"It's ok, I should have told you. I just for some reason didn't know how. I understand what you're saying, and I'm working on coming out, it's just hard for me. I'm not like you; people don't like me as it is. I've just never really been able to click with people, you know? I don't think throwing me being gay into the mix will help me," he looked up to Cal, timidly. He was nervous for a reaction from the other, but when they made eye contact, Caleb's face wasn't stern or disapproving. He looked down on the smaller boy with a look of understanding, and probably sympathy. The blue umbrella cast a soft tone down on his face, muting the color of his eyes, but making them seem softer. Bailey sighed and looked away abruptly, realizing he was staring at Caleb. The moment remained somewhat awkward, for they both were huddled together under the umbrella, which magnified the brief silence, "I can't tell Liz, though. But I'll stop the flirting crap."

"That's going to upset her even more, but do what you've got to, man." Bailey sighed once again in relief. The last thing he wanted to do was come out to anyone else. He knew Cal was as safe as it would probably get, and the last thing he needed was for Drew to have any more reason to beat the shit out of him.

"So, are we cool?" Bailey asked shyly, not able to look the other in the face.

"Yeah, we're cool." Caleb gave Bailey a friendly punch on the shoulder, forgetting that Bailey's arms were in pain as it was. With several apologies and an awkward silence later, Caleb dropped Bailey off at the nurse's lodge, and headed for the dining hall, albeit a little early for this rainy morning.

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"Shit!"

"Young man..." Nurse Jenkins gave a light warning, but for the most part let the slip of the tongue slide. She liked Bailey. He was polite, sincere, and one of her better patients thus far. Plus, she had just bent his arm in a jerk, so that it would be less painful (she tried to explain it was quicker to get it over with, but forgot to mention it would still hurt like hell).

By sleeping with his arms outstretched over his head, Bailey was most comfortable. Unfortunately, by doing so, the blood flow to his arms was depleted throughout the night, and when he woke his elbows were scabbed over tightly and swollen. Not to mention the fact that his arms were asleep for a good 15 minutes, which didn't help with the getting dressed calamity. Bailey was embarrassed, but at the same time grateful and even slightly turned on by Caleb's help. His fear and awkwardness for the boy the night before had vanished, returning his mood to something somewhat pleasant, and his feelings from a slight crush to a steadily growing infatuation.

The nurse jerked his other elbow forward and brought him back to reality with a yelp that even biting his lip couldn't suppress. She redressed each elbow, and told him to keep his arms bent as much as possible, or she'd have to splint them up. After meds, he opted to eat quietly with the nurse and a girl with really bad poison ivy, which bought her a ticket home, but not until later in the day would she be picked up.

The rest of Bailey's week went quietly and pleasantly like this. He spent his mornings with the nurse, either watching TV or helping her with paperwork or her rummy game. He also got the added benefit of taking showers there, which was completely private, unlike the ones at the lodge.

He had mentioned to Liz that he didn't really feel comfortable with how close they were getting, and he thought the flirting was getting to be a bit much, but it wasn't personal. It was a cop out, but it appeased her and made Cal happy, and no one thought anything more of it. That left Bailey with no worries, at least for the rest of the week. He spent his days lounging and bonding with the group that he was becoming comfortable enough with to call friends. He had rarely seen his brother, and his arms, by the second day, were manageable. Drew left him alone, and so did his cronies.

Unfortunately, scabs fall off and elbows bend, and Bailey's had done both by the end of the week. Which meant...back to morning activities. He had bitched about evening workgroups and afternoon arts & crafts, but now he realized that was the easy life. The Tuesday he was allowed back was the same day that the senior group started their swim training and qualifying training. Bailey is not a good swimmer.

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"If I don't want to swim for the rest of the summer, do I have to take lessons?"

"Yes. All campers have to pass the swimming test. If not, you can't even be on the docks or go in the boats, which a lot of our activities center on for the rest of the summer. It's not so bad, Bailey, just get it over with."

"But I hate swimming, I'm not going to pass the test anyway."

"That's why you get a week's worth of professional swimming lessons," Jerry gave him a sweet smile, which in turn made Bailey wince, and Cal, who had up to this point been silent, laugh, "Which shouldn't be so bad, you've had a week's worth of rest, and you got to stay out of the sun for softball week. Now buck up, or I'll throw you in."

They had arrived at the docks. On the few previous nights that the group came down here for group discussion after bonfire, it was a very nice place to hang out. It was a large, square dock, with benches along the inside of the square that opened up on the small pool it made before the beach of the lake. The outside square itself was quite wide, maybe 4 yards, which fit many people comfortably, as long as they weren't shoved into the water or the boats that were docked on the outside square. About 100 yards out into the lake there was another dock anchored to the bottom, which served as the restriction point for swimming, as well as a racing point for those playing and in lessons. If a camper couldn't swim between the shore dock and the anchored dock in the designated time for their age group, they had to take the test for swimming all over again, or they wouldn't be permitted to swim, let alone be on the docks.

Bailey squinted out onto the lake, and then to the path that led along the tree line. He thought that if he could fall back two steps, he could dodge for the trail and lose them pretty quickly, because Jerry would give up as soon as he ducked into the woods and Cal, as much as he was a musician, was not a runner. Then he realized he wasn't much of a runner himself, however, and scrapped the idea, knowing that Jerry would flag him down before he made it to the path.

"I'm umm.... allergic to the sun."

"We've got sunscreen, and no, you're not going in with your t-shirt on. What's the big deal, you're not secretly fat, are you?" Jerry was getting tired of the conversation and the complaining from most of the campers. She was starting to get snippy.

"I don't know, Jer. He is pretty white," Trina chided as she inspected Bailey's...pigment. Suddenly his pallid complexion turned a deep crimson.

"All the more reason for him to take that shirt off and get some color."

"You heard the woman, Bailey." Just then, two hands came up Bailey's back and pulled the white t-shirt he had on over his head before he could really fight them off. By the time he had whipped around, Cal was giving him the 'too sexy' whistle while twirling the shirt around his finger. Bailey scowled at him and took the shirt back, though it was too late to put it back on, half the group was already in the water.

Bailey's skin was white... in every sense of the word. His Irish heritage didn't fail him, and the only coloring he had on his chest and back was the smattering of freckles, especially those across his shoulders. His dark, curly hair set even more of a contrast against his skin, and at this time, his upper body looked even more ashen, due to the deep blush that covered his cheeks.

"Isn't it cute when he blushes?" Liz stepped up and gave him a hug of comfort. Well, it was guised as comfort, until she took both of them into the lake.
Once in the water, Bailey forgot about how much he hated swimming, and the fact that it was going to take an act of God for him to pass the swimming test in the next week. 3 hours in the water went by quickly. With all the laps and different swimming styles they went over, there was also plenty of time in-between for horseplay and sabotage games in the murky water of the lake. The other campers in the group drifted in and out of their games, and likewise with them. Bailey had since developed a familiarity with the other campers, but had acclimated himself to the obvious group that he seemed to accompany.

Since the softball incident, most people had actually been friendlier towards Bailey, and more fed up with Drew's bullshit, which made Cal and Trina happy, and Bailey relieved.

At one point, after 2 laps of pathetic breast strokes by most of the out of practice swimmers, the 6-pack, as they had become known, treaded water near the corner of the dock, where they successfully avoided the direct look of the two swim instructors barking from the dock.

"Jared, you gonna go for another one and make us all look like chumps again?" Trina hated swimming; she was seriously annoyed by his overachieving during the swims.

"No, that's alright. But if you want me to look better than you treading water, it can be arranged as well," he stuck his nose into the air and kicked her from under the water.

"You bastard!" Within a second Trina had dunked Jared in a slashing spray fight, kicking both Amy and Bailey out of the way. Everyone was highly amused.
Liz managed to come up behind Bailey and wrap her hands over his shoulders, forming a half piggyback in the water. At first Bailey thought nothing of it, but then noticed the death stare coming from Caleb. With a wink, Bailey dunked himself under the water and swam back, taking himself under her body, and flipping her into the water. She was pissed, and somewhat embarrassed, but got over it quickly when Cal lifted Bailey up by the back of his trunks and flung him three feet ahead into the water.

'All fun and games', swimming was, for once, fun for Bailey. In fact, he was downright comfortable around these people, and of all things in a swimsuit no less. He started to feel like he wanted to be there, around these people. He truly considered them his friends which, beside Rich and a few acquaintances, he never really had before. His shy persona had been pushed to the back burner once he arrived, the environment simply wouldn't allow it. He had to participate and talk to these people, and it was actually enjoyable to him. When Bailey recovered from his splash out, he didn't feel bullied. He smiled, and joined right back in.

Swimming was over at 11:30, in time for an hour of showers and then lunch. Bailey, unlike the other campers, didn't go to shower at the lodge or the cabin-shower houses along the lake, but instead to the nurse's lodge for a private shower. The nurse had grown quite attached to him, and offered him the shower whenever he liked. The other campers would probably resent him for it, but the private shower was worth it. Not so much for the privacy itself, though that mattered extremely, but because it was clean. The other campers didn't like this, but the light animosity and fun was worth the great showers.

Unfortunately, he dozed in the shower, and wound up being late for lunch. By the time he walked into the mess hall, the seniors had gotten food, and the junior campers were in line now. He didn't hesitate to jump in line; it wasn't as if he looked too out of place anyway.

It just so happened that Shane stood maybe 3 people up the line from him. As was quasi-normal since they had been at the camp, Shane had just about ignored his older brother every time they chanced to meet. This time, however, they were too close not to.

"Shane, what's up, bro?"

"Uh...nothing, Bail," he looked around, somewhat embarrassed that this scrawny runt of a guy just addressed him. He quickly moved to the back where Bailey was waiting. so that his friends were out of earshot on the brief family encounter. "What's up, man, you want something?"

"No, I was just saying hi," Bailey gave a questioning smile at his brother, who was obviously playing too cool.

"Hey, Shane, is this your brother?" a girl that was probably half the mass of Shane's over- developed body came over to the brothers, resting her hand on Shane's forearm.

"Uhh, yeah, Cindy. This is Bailey, my big.... older brother." Bail rolled his eyes at them, he was hungry and didn't need to see his brother getting a feel from this pre-bimbo.

"I thought so!" she said proudly, "You can tell, you know. You both have the same nose and shaped face."

"Thanks...the line is moving, you might want to follow it," Bailey wanted to laugh; it was all he could say to distract them. Cindy moved along, oblivious, while Shane shot Bailey a questioning look.

"Hey, what's gotten into you?"

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know, you're kind of, I don't know, talking," Shane had also noticed the smile that crossed his brother's face when he came up, and in fact every time he saw him.

"I do talk, I just rarely have anything to say. Have you written Mom and Dad yet?"

"No, have you?"

"Yeah, 3 days ago. They said they wanted letters, remember?"

"It's so corny, though. Now you're gonna make me look bad."

"Good," Bailey chided Shane as he stepped in front of him in the line.

"HEY!!"

"Hey what? You can cut your brother some slack, jerk off. I should tell Mom and Dad in my next letter how much you ignore me." He no longer wanted to hear any shit from his little brother. For the past few months he had taken it, but now that they were in public, and Bailey was finally growing a backbone, things were different.

Five minutes later, Bailey was seated next to Caleb at the end of the table. The soggy grilled cheese didn't look all that appetizing, but most of them were starving after the morning swim.

"Bail, did you have sunscreen on this morning?" Amy asked politely, as she usually did.

"Yeah, I guess it wore off in the water after a while, though. I've had worse," which was true, but he could already feel the warmth and tightness of the skin on his cheeks.

Jared laughed through a mouthful of sandwich. "What SPF are you using, exactly?"

"15. Jerry gave it to me, I can't find mine." All of them started to chuckle.

"I've got some 45 in my bunk that I don't really need. My mother just thinks I'm gonna get skin cancer. I'll give it to you when we go back to the bunks," Trina offered, at the same time showing off her decent tan, to reiterate the fact that she wouldn't need it.

"Thanks," he grumbled into his own sandwich.

"How was your shower, Princess?" Cal caught the icy stare of death and a bread crust between the eyes.

"It was great.... how was scum towers?" the nickname given to the boy's shower cabin.

"Great, except Drew never dropped the soap, it was so...disappointing," the eye roll was a bit too exaggerated.

"Ewwww," Trina and Liz both dropped what they were eating in mock disgust as all of them broke out into laughter.

Lunch went on like this. Pleasant banter back and forth until they were dismissed. The rest of the afternoon was more leisurely than the morning, and for most days at the camp. The seniors group went to arts and crafts, which was actually the painting of old wooden chairs that had been donated to the camp. Each chair had three campers painting it, which made for interesting designs. But, anything was better than making pillows with felt and yarn, so they made the most of it, especially Bailey. He never was much for painting at home; the art classes he took were very regimented and conservative at the Catholic School. But he enjoyed painting the yellow and black design they had made onto the chair. It required no artistic ability at all, which was always a plus in his book.

He was working with Trina and Cal on the chair project, which he couldn't have been happier with. Though after the slip up at lunch, Bailey was somewhat angry with Caleb for his 'Princess' remark. The boy has an ego, what do you want? The painting was done lazily, with more getting on each other than the actual chair. Bailey, for the first five minutes of the workshop, tried to maintain a pissed-off exterior towards Cal, but caved to the other boy's playful chitchat, and they fell back into their routine of friendliness.

Ever since the previous week, the two had become closer friends. They had talked and joked for many nights after lights out about other campers, and Cal told him stories of summers before. They also talked about their lives at home, and how very similar and different they both were. Bailey didn't know if Cal had caught onto his crush, but for now he didn't want that awkwardness. It would be great if he could have something with him, but he liked the friendship they had, and he didn't really know what he would do if they did like each other. He had obviously never been close to a relationship situation before.

Bailey broke from his train of thought when he felt Cal's hand guide his own to the chair, "You paint here...not the air, space cadet," both he and Trina chuckled. Bailey was too distracted by the hand that had been lightly placed over his, and that was still resting over it, guiding his paintbrush.

"I know how to paint, jerkass!" He jerked his hand away, and they continued on with the project without any more contact.

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"Finally free at last, free at last," Caleb flopped onto his bed in exhaustion. They were both tired after the nightly group meeting, so instead of chilling for the last half hour before lights out, they decided to head in early, like many of the other campers. "You're so lucky you get to leave for the nurse 10 minutes early. That stupid evening prayer shit is getting to me."

"If you want to go take my meds for me, be my guest."

"SURE!!! Hey, what kind of meds are you on, anyway? Are you sick or do you just need special vitamins or something?" Bail looked away from Caleb, placing his shoes to the side of the bed and then his wallet on the dresser.

"They're for my allergies, mostly,"

"You got em' real bad, huh?"

"You could say that," he faked a smile. They both started to get ready for bed, turning their backs on each other as they disrobed. Bailey left his shirt off, though.
"Err...do you want some aloe for your back? I've got a supply," Cal grimaced at the sight of Bailey's inflamed back and shoulders.

"It's ok.... I've actually got my own. But thanks," being so fair had taught him to worship aloe cream since he was very young. It wasn't that he was never careful in the sun, but sun block doesn't even help sometimes.

After lathering his arms, face, neck and upper chest Bailey was starting to feel relieved, if somewhat sticky. What he didn't realize was Caleb watching him carefully apply the soothing lotion to his bright skin. If he had, he no doubt would have stopped and turned a deeper crimson. He started to reach over his shoulders, but found it difficult and painful.

Cal cleared his throat, "Do...do you want me to help you out, with your back and all?"

"...It's ok, I got it," he struggled with it some more, giving up after he caught Cal's smile from across the room, "Could you? I'd appreciate it," he was embarrassed, but knew he needed the help.

"Sure, it's my pleasure to help the needy. I'm always to the rescue." For that, he caught the bird.

Bailey slowly turned to sit Indian style on his bed, facing up towards his pillow, as Cal sat behind him with the aloe tube. His entire back was red, especially his shoulders, the skin was hot to the touch. Cal grimaced once again at the sight of it, thinking how painful it had to be, and how much worse it would be tomorrow. He started to dab the lotion onto Bailey's shoulders, but stopped when the burnt boy yelled from the pressure of his fingers and the coldness of the liquid aloe.
"I'm sorry..." He tried again, this time very lightly smearing the cream into the red flesh, leaving white trail marks behind, still. "Is that better?"

Bailey bit back his lip and managed a meek, "Yeah", not letting on how much his shoulders were beginning to bother him. Caleb continued his delicate massage down the thin back. The farther down he went, the better it felt, because the burn got lighter as it got closer to his waist. Caleb placed a final glob of lotion into his palm and rubbed it between his hands, applying it to Bail's lower back. This time, however, it wasn't the light touch of swift finger tips, Caleb placed the full palm of his hands on Bailey's lower back, and gently started to circulate the cool aloe into his skin.

As the hands slid down Bailey's sides to his hips, he felt more than just Cal's hands moving.

"Umm, that's fine, thank you," he turned back to take the tube of aloe, and then lay down on his stomach to place it on the night stand...conveniently.

"Feel any better?" Cal was also a bit nervous. He had zoned out on the small of the other's back, and he feared that his touching was a bit inappropriate.

"Yeah, a lot. Maybe you can do that for me in the morning if I can't move, I knew you were good for something," he gave a wry smile to the other, "Can you hit the light, since you're up?" To get up now would be a very, very bad thing.

"Yeah, sure, man. G'night."

Both boys retired into an abnormal silence between them. They both felt awkward, and each was lost in an entanglement of different thoughts. Bailey forgot about the pain in his back, and instead longed for the privacy of his bed at home. Where no one would bother him, and he could go about his...business. A time like this made him miss it even more.