Mile High
Part 4

Kelvin looked out the window of Chris's car (The Beast, he called it) at the approaching school buildings as they pulled into the rapidly filling parking lot. God, he wasn't ready for this, he thought; even the station attendant had looked at him differently when they had stopped for gas. He felt sick, his stomach felt like it was trying to somersault out of his mouth. If he were up in the air he could be fearless, but here? He was scared.

This was going to be hard. He forced himself to look at the building where he'd been in so much physical pain,
thankful at least for the teachers who'd pulled those guys off of him. Now that they knew about him, would they be
there again if he needed it? He doubted it. How was everyone going to treat him? He knew he couldn't back down when cornered and couldn't run with his injuries.

He was alone even with Chris. Chris would have plenty of his own problems if what they felt for each other became known. He really wished that Chris hadn't insisted on driving them to school this morning. He didn't want Chris to end up like he had; hell, Chris had enough problems with his own dad. Chris told him they hadn't even spoken to each other since `the fight' as he called it.

And on top of everything else, that damn flak vest the doctor had insisted he wear to protect his ribs was uncomfortable as hell. He wanted out of the thing, out of the whole situation. The hand that fell on his shoulder caused him to jump!

"Jeeze, don't do that! I almost pissed my pants!" Kel started.

"Sorry! I didn't mean to." Chris stared back with a hurt look.

"It's OK." Kel tried to soften his reaction. "I was just trying not to think about what's going to happen today. I don't know if I'm ready for this."

"Do you want me to take you home?" said Chris as he pulled into a space.

"No. It'd still be there tomorrow too," Kel sighed. "If I don't face it today, I'll just have to tomorrow."

Kel walked quickly through the main hall with Chris beside him. It hadn't gone too badly so far. Sure, the conversations had noticeably quieted when the two had entered through the cafeteria and no one had really talked to them, but at least he wasn't jumped again. He just wished Chris would distance himself, but no, he was
still there, walking with him. He had to know what he was risking, didn't he? He was there after all.

When he and Chris entered the gym he took a deep breath. "Coach Martini?"

The coach broke away from where he'd been with his assistants. "Mr. Stuart! Glad to see you back!" he
said. "We've missed your help. And you are?" He reached his hand out toward Chris.

"Uh, Chris, I mean, Christopher Bauchamp." He returned the handshake.

"Glad to meet you. So, Kelvin, how long are you going to be out of action? You know I still want you running for me," Coach Martini continued.

"Um, well, I just wanted to say thank you, you know, for the other day." Kelvin looked down at the floor. Old `one track' was back. At least that hadn't changed.

"No problem, Kelvin. The staff has got to stick together. Besides, like I said, I still want you on the track," Martini finished.

"Well, I don't think the rest of the team would want me, especially after what happened, but I'll think about it." Kel couldn't believe what he just said! He'd always said 'no' before. Now he said he'd think about it?

He needed another target for the coach. It was a dirty thing to do, but, "Anyway, I think you should talk to Chris
about the track team."

"Mr. Stuart, you let me worry about that! So, Chris? Are you a track star or is basketball your game?" asked Coach Martini, smiling like a wolf looking at a new lamb, as he looked up at him.

"Uh," Chris was completely off guard, "Uh, track, sir. I can't hit the broadside of a barn in basketball."

"OK, I'll see you after classes today. We'll see what you can do," the coach ordered.

"Uh, coach? I don't have my gear with me?" Chris was still trying to figure out what had happened. He looked at Kel. Why did he have such a wicked gleam in his eyes?

"That's OK, I think we can get what you need. I'll see you this afternoon," Coach Martini finished and looked at Kelvin. "And I haven't forgotten about you, either. I expect you to keep me updated and when you're ready, well, we'll see." The first bell rang!

 

Chris turned to Kelvin as they left for their first class. "What was all that about?"

"What was all what?" Kel still had that look. "Oh, that. I think you just joined the track team!"

"I know that! But, When, how? Oh, fuck it!" Chris walked on with his boyfriend. He was still trying to figure out how Kel did it. They were away from the others. He thought they were safe and had stopped paying attention and then POW! He thought back to the fun they'd had as kids. He was always the instigator of the trouble they found themselves in, wasn't he? Whatever, he thought, it might take a while until Kel was completely healthy, but two could play at that game. Chris just grinned evilly at Kel as they proceeded to class. Revenge would be fun;
besides, it could also make the showers much more interesting. Slowly he let the real world take over as they
entered their first class. "Whatever!" He doubted Kel knew he just made himself late getting home. If he didn't
take the `loser limo' (school bus), he'd just have to wait.

Kel walked quietly to the cafeteria when the lunch bell rang, aware of everything going on around him. He was expecting people to avoid him, but it still hurt when the people like Joel who had always been friends before were avoiding him too. Even Julie and her bunch left him alone, that much he was thankful for. He chalked it up to the fact that her current boyfriend was suspended and facing felony charges. He was thankful that at least he had gotten some things accomplished. He'd found his locker a mess but complete. Someone had put everything back in it and locked it for him. He made a special note to make sure he took his backpack home
today. His running clothes had taken on an unpleasant life of their own since he'd been away. He knew he could
never feel safe here again but the teachers appeared to be more attentive. Like their nice quiet world had been
torn apart as well. As he looked around at everybody, he regretted how everything seemed to have changed.

Chris finished with his insulin, thankful he had told Kel this time that he would be late to lunch. He too
had felt the tension in the school ever since they had arrived. Felt the eyes of the others burning into his back
since he'd volunteered information to the cops. Chris was angry. He and Kel didn't deserve this. There was sure
to be more trouble and he didn't know how long he could stay on his guard. He'd been caught up in situations too often already and couldn't let it happen again. 'Most of the kids around him couldn't really care one way or the other about what Kel's label was, could they?' he thought. He had to shake something loose here, had to apply some pressure the other way.

"Hey, Joel? How's it going?" Chris cornered Joel and his buddies in the hall, thankful again for his size.

"Why the change?"

"What change?" one of the others said cautiously. They were all on guard now.

"I mean how you're treating Kelvin," Chris continued. "He hasn't changed, you know. He's the same he's always been. It's y'all who've changed. I noticed your hand up as well as mine, Joel. That he was your friend as well as mine. He still is, you know. If you want him to be, that is," Chris finished, remembered to breathe again and left them to think about what he'd said. He didn't know if it did any good but he had to say something.

Kel and Chris sat quietly alone at a corner table in the back of the cafeteria. Thankfully the table was open so they both sat with a wall at their backs. Kel couldn't run anyway, so he figured it best to be able to see everything that might come their way.

"I wish you'd sit somewhere else," Kel whispered.

"What?" Chris sat with a worried look. "Why?" Had something happened during class to change how Kel felt about him?

"I'm just worried," Kel softly continued. "Everybody's looking at us, at you, I mean. I just think you may want to put some distance between us before the others...you know...."

Chris glanced around the room. "Kel, we've been friends for longer than I'll ever know anybody here. Besides, I think it's a little late for that, anyway. I'm pretty sure that everyone knows what side I'm on." Chris looked back at Kel, a mischievous smirk spreading, "And here I was going to invite you to the next school dance."

"Oh, and what were your plans for after the riot?" said Kel, trying to imagine what would happen if that circumstance ever occurred. "And who would lead during the slow parts?"

"I guess we'd just have to flip a coin; you know, heads I win, tails you lose," Chris finished, enjoying his own joke.
Kel looked up, distracted by the sight of Joel and Sharon walking toward them. He sighed and looked back at Chris. Joel and Sharon had obviously been outside `sucking face' like they did every day. Kel's emotions battled with each other. Both Joel and Sharon were as plain as could be. Neither was part of the `in crowd', but they had found each other anyway and made it clear to their world they were taken. 'Why couldn't they do that?

What would be so wrong with them being able to be so open about their feelings as well? Why did the others
have to make him their business at all', he thought, feeling the tight vest protecting his injuries. He and Chris
weren't a threat to anyone. Why did those guys go out of their way to jump him like they did? And how would he
feel if Chris got jumped too, if Chris paid for what the others thought of him?

"Well, if you don't kiss him, I will!" Sharon said as she stared down at Kelvin sitting at the table where she had dragged Joel. "Can we sit here?"

Kel, blushing hard, motioned for the two to go ahead. He hadn't meant to be that obvious. He quickly glanced back at a redfaced Chris and then around the room. At least no one was staring! "Wha... What brings you over here?"

"I heard the guys talking about what, Chris, is it?, said and I want you to know that I agreed with it,"

Sharon stated matter-of- factly. "Besides, I told Joel..." and she looked at him, batting her eyebrows, "... that he
wouldn't be getting any more out of me if he didn't stop acting like a jerk and make things right."

"Uh, yeah, I just wanted to say..." Joel swallowed hard and looked around, "...I am sorry about how I've been acting, about not visiting when you were in the hospital. I still think you're OK."

"Don't worry, Joel. It's nothing. I'm real glad you came over and talked to me." Kel glanced from Joel to Chris and back. What had Chris said?

"So..." Joel continued, "...is what the paper said true? Are you gay?" He winced from the elbow Sharon threw into him.

"Yes, Joel, I am. I guess I always was. Sorry if that changes everything." Kel looked to gauge Joel's reaction.

"OK, I'm glad you told me. It'll take some getting used to but I think I can be OK with it. That's all I can promise...." Joel continued, looking at the table; "...and you, Chris, do...." "OOWW Sharon, stop it!"

Chris opened his mouth to try to answer the question Joel hadn't gotten out yet.

"Chris is just a good friend!" Kel jumped in rapidly. "We've been friends during the summers for years before he finally moved here, that's all!"

Chris looked at Kel, anger flashing through his features. His anger was fleeting as he realized what Kel was doing. Who was protecting who now? Chris settled for a half truth, "Yeah, we were best friends when I spent my summers here."

"Good, now that's settled..." Sharon looked at her watch, "...You two should really take drama next semester with Joel and me. It'll make you two better actors. We will see you two tomorrow." They didn't share any other classes during the afternoon.

Kel watched the two as they walked away for their next class. Sharon had her hand in Joel's empty back pocket, obviously feeling his ass as they walked. Kel just shook his head. If those two were seen by the teachers doing that, they'd both be in the principal's office faster than you could say it.

"So what did you say to Joel?" He turned his attention back to Chris.

_______________________________________________________________________

Chris was actually enjoying himself as he looked down the track for the fifth, or was it seventh?, time that afternoon, doing some laps to cool down. Somehow the coach had come through with what he needed. They
had even been able to scrounge up a pair of size fourteen shoes for him to wear. His shoe size had actually
broken the ice for him with some of the other potential team members present. They had made lewd comments
about what big hands and feet meant, to which he'd replied good naturedly, "Yeah, big gloves and shoes!" The
coaches knew everybody else out there except for a couple of freshman. So he wasn't really surprised that, while everybody else seemed to get off with a pretty light workout, he was really being put to the test. He was aware that for the most part the reactions of the others was mixed. It was what he expected; most ignored him, some looked on with a hostile interest, and some, he hoped, with admiration.

He allowed himself a slight smile. He was definitely not a sprinter. They had tried him at hurdles; he was OK, at least he didn't end up eating the track like he used to. It was distance events where he excelled, as he'd known all along and was evident in the coaches' smiles when he finished them.

"Mr. Bauchamp! One more, then see me!" Coach Martini called to him. The coach looked on. Damn, he thought, we might be able to do something this year in the events he knew they were weakest in. He pointed his finger up at Kelvin sitting in the stands 'You're next!' he told himself. That would be his dream team (he had once clocked Kelvin from his car while the kid did his run to school), his chance to end his career on a high note. He'd more and more come to the conclusion that this year would be his last. He used to be able to teach respect for others, on and off the field, to the kids who played for him. The evidence of his biggest failure was up in the stands watching, but he'd never shied from a challenge. The kids may not understand why he was leaving, but his wife and other coaches would.

"OK, Mr. Bauchamp, you're in. I'll need a doctor's release or physical. Meet me tomorrow before class and we'll go over what I expect as far as training and performance," said Coach Martini to the approaching youth.

"Also, I need to warn you that in the past there have been some things that have occurred to the new members of the teams. It was all good-natured but now I don't know. I should just bring a stop to the whole thing but don't
know if I'll be able to. We will be having a team meeting soon, but Christopher, you are going to have to tell me if
anything is going on that might hurt you or the team!"

"Yes sir, I've been through that type of thing before at my old school," Chris replied. He knew what the coach wanted to do, but he found he did want to fit in somehow. It would make his and Kel's time here easier. He
knew he would be in for some kind of initiation as the new kid; it always happened and had always been harmless before. He found himself in the middle again. On the one hand, if he were the reason the team's
tradition ended, he would be an outsider forever and he really wanted to have some allies, but on the other he
had seen Kel beaten badly and could only hope that things didn't get ugly while he figured out what to do.

The locker room was almost deserted when Chris entered. He stopped briefly to help one of the freshmen, who'd been out with him, down from the towel hook where he'd been hung in his dripping wet street clothes.

"Well, I guess they found out you made the team!" he chuckled, as the kid took off before his ride left. Making sure he was now alone, he quickly finished showering and dressing. If that was the extent of their imagination, he had it made, but he couldn't be sure.

"Well? What did the coach say?" Kelvin asked as they walked to The Beast. Chris was being strangely subdued.

"Oh, I made the team," Chris replied nonchalantly, then grinned at his friend. Chris left the coach's warning unsaid. That was his problem to deal with, not Kel's.

"Let's go celebrate! Where do you want to go?" Kel grabbed Chris's hand and began to lead him faster across the deserted lot.

"OK, OK, but can we go somewhere where we can be alone?" Chris said smiling; "I can still smell the locker room from here."

"You're driving!" Kel said, blushing (He sure seemed to be doing that a lot these days) as he threw his backpack in the trunk of Chris's car.

Safely within the walls of his car, Chris put his arm around his boyfriend and pulled him close, amazed at the feelings that simple touch was giving him. 'Where to go? Where to go? Where else!' he thought as he turned towards the airport.

The two boys sat in the gathering dusk invisible to the world around them. Chris looked out at the dwindling sunset he'd begun to cherish and the many white and blue lights that dotted the field. They had sat in the grass barely talking, just enjoying the company of the other.

Kel stared at Chris as his features slowly disappeared into the darkness, and reached out his shaking hand to Chris's. This was so different. He felt so nervous. Every other time he had been alone like this with someone, he had been acting the part he was supposed to. Now, It was just him, open and scared shitless. He smiled at himself, wasn't that last part supposed to be `unafraid'? He took a deep breath. OK, he thought, here goes nothing. He quickly leaned in to Chris, closing his eyes and felt his chin hit bone. Startled, he looked to see Chris rubbing his collarbone. 'God, I really screwed that up,' he thought. He felt like he wanted to cry but the look on Chris's face, what he could see of it, made him start to giggle. He just couldn't help it. "Er, sorry!"

"Boy, I'm glad you're not in the Air Force!" Chris looked back, still rubbing his collar for effect, "You'd probably bomb Dallas by mistake, and miss it!"

"Jeeze, I don't know how I missed a target that big!" Kel came back, trying to stifle the outright laughter that replaced the tension he'd felt draining away.

"So I have a big mouth, do I?" Chris grinned as he rolled his upper body across Kel, nonchalantly placing his elbow in a place Kel was fond of.

"Ow, watch the nuts! Watch the nuts!" Kel just grabbed his chest, however, when he gave in to the laughter, "I mean the ribs!"

"Well, which one is it?" Chris was losing the battle with his own laughter, "The ribs or the nuts?"

"My nuts, my, my nuts!" Kel gasped in between breaths. "I, I can live with broken ribs!"
Chris carefully slid up till he was even with Kel's face. "Here, let me show you how to kiss someone, you goofball. You've first got to stop laughing."

Kel tried to quiet down. "OK," he said as he wiped his eyes.

"Now number two is the most important." Chris got very serious. "Unless your partner likes the same flavor, spit out your chew of tobacco!" and was satisfied to see Kel wracked by another fit of laughter.

"God, Chris, you are such a redneck sometimes! Owww, oh, that hurts! Stop making me laugh." Kel rolled on his side.

Chris rolled off and lay beside Kel. He seriously doubted anyone else would find what they said to each other that funny. But they'd always been able to laugh at each other's quips, no matter how lame. They'd even once driven Kel's brothers out of the house with a thirty minute span of nonstop puns that were so bad only they found them funny. They were breathing like they had finished a marathon, still smiling at each other. Chris recovered and leaned forward, lightly placing a kiss on Kel's cheek and then, draping an arm around Kel's back, brought their lips together. Lightly at first, then with more force as Kel responded by parting his lips and allowing their tongues to explore each other.

Kel felt like he could stay that way forever. All his other kisses were cold duty compared to this. He reached over and embraced Chris's back, letting his hand feel the muscles under Chris's skin where his shirt had ridden up during their last fit of laughter. They finally reluctantly allowed their lips to part and then their embrace to ease. They parted to the sound of Kel's stomach rumbling.

"I guess I'd better get you home," Chris smiled wistfully as they stood and took a moment to straighten their clothes and themselves, to give them a little more room where they needed it. "Your parents will think we ran off together."

Chris pulled them into the dark driveway at Kel's house; "Well? how did you like your lesson in kissing?" he asked nonchalantly, pulling the trunk release.

"My lesson in kiss...?" Kel replied defensively. "I know how to kiss. I've been on dates before!"

"OH? Who? Mrs. Palm and her five daughters?" Chris held his smile. He would finally get the last word!

"I'll show you who needs lessons in kissing!" Kel retorted with a wicked gleam in his eyes that Chris didn't see. He pulled Chris across the seat and began kissing and nibbling his ear, trailing down Chris's neck to where it joined his shoulder. He stopped, then nibbled and sucked on the hollow there.

Chris couldn't believe what Kelvin was doing. He tried kissing him back but Kel was out of reach. Damn, that felt good. Then he realized what Kel was doing. "You sonofabitch!" was all he could say as he began laughing again.

Kel released him; "You wear my mark. You're mine now!" he said in his best vampire voice as he backed out of Chris's car. "I'll pick you up tomorrow. OK?"

Chris shook his head. "OK. I'll be waiting!" Damn, the track team would be bad enough. Now he'd have to make sure he had enough clean shirts with collars he could button up to hide what Kel had done to get back at him. He should have known better. He could never get in the last word when they'd played around as kids.

_______________________________________________________________________

Kelvin woke up and looked at his clock; another Friday. He would get his stitches out this morning. The week hadn't gone that badly. He was still on edge but a lot of the tension was slowly draining away. Except for Chris, that is. Chris seemed to get more and more defensive. Yesterday he was jumping at everything and seemed to have grown eyes in the back of his head. Something had happened with Chris when they'd come to school Wednesday and found some freshman chained to the flagpole with a bicycle lock through his underwear.

He'd tried to ask Chris where he knew the kid from, what was wrong? Chris would just tell him 'nothing'. Well, he'd have the whole weekend to try to get Chris to finally tell him what was going on. They had never been able to hold out on each other forever.

Chris pulled into the lot and looked at his watch; damn, he would be late to the team meeting. Steve, one of the team captains, had called for him last night to tell him about the meeting. This had to be a setup; he'd have felt better if the coach himself had called, but he couldn't be sure and didn't want to piss him off if it wasn't. Chris crossed the lot quickly, surveying everything as he went. Nothing was out of place, yet he could still run.

Steve and a couple of others came trotting out of the locker room dressed in their running gear. "Com'on, Chris! Get dressed, coach wants us out on the field!" Steve yelled and waved for Chris to hurry up.

Chris just sighed and trotted over to the door to the locker room. He'd started to turn and run when the guys came out but they had seen him. He was committed now. If it was a real meeting, they knew he was there.
He couldn't explain his absence away. If it was a setup? How did they get the door open?

Chris opened the door and cautiously peered inside. He really didn't want to step through. "Shit!" he heard feet pounding up behind him and slipped in the door, pulling it tight to keep the others out. He only then became aware of the laughter in the room. Arms suddenly closed around him, pinning his arms to his sides

"FUCK!" he yelled as he was dragged away from the door!