Book One - I'll Kiss You in the Rain

 

Sundays were both good and bad, good because it was a whole day with no school, bad because you might just get dragged into some all day family thing and bad because, well, it's the end of the weekend. This Sunday though was all mine to do whatever, within reason that is, whatever I wanted. Having a whole day free was great, but for the fact Matty wanted to meet Jake. I definitely wasn't sure this was a good idea, but I would have to do it anyway.

It was around 10AM when I made the call to Jake. He picked up saying, "Alex, great to hear from you."

"Jake... I have to ask you something."

"Sure Alex, go ahead." It seemed like he was in a really good mood. Was that because I'd called him or he was just feeling happy today? I didn't know which.

"Well Jake you might not like what I'm going to ask and what I have to tell you."

"Just tell me Alex and let's see."

"I have a boyfriend, he's called Matty, and he would like to meet you."

"You've got a boyfriend, when did that happen? You don't know anyone, how can you suddenly have a boyfriend?"

"Matty and I have been best friends for like forever... and well, now, we are more than just best friends."

"I get it. What you're telling me is you slept with your best friend, who I suppose, just happens to be gay, right?"

"That's right. But it didn't just happen like that. I mean, like I said we're best friends and when he said he was gay, well later, I mean of course I always liked him. Shit Jake, you know what I'm telling you. Why are you making me explain it all? Like as if I know how it happened. I don't okay, it just did. Then he found out about you and well now he wants to meet you."

"Why?" That was all Jake said and really I didn't know why.

"Hell I don't know why, he just does."

"No, come on Alex, you aren't giving me the whole story. Your friend wouldn't just ask to meet the other guy you've been screwing around with, without giving some reason."

"Alright. He told me that he didn't think I was the kind of guy who would just sleep with anyone. So if we had sex then you weren't just anyone, but someone who means something to me."

"I suppose your best friend, Matty, is the same age as you?" He asked, I didn't see what that had to do with anything, but I told him anyway.

"Actually he's a year younger."

"Surprising, he's not stupid your best friend." What did that mean I wondered, but I had no intention of prolonging this call with more discussion if I could avoid it, so I ignored Jake's comment.

"So can we meet up?" I was hoping to get a yes to that question.

"Sure, how about you both come over to my place this afternoon. Let's make it two o'clock, okay?"

I wasn't expecting that. I mean I wanted him to say yes, but maybe for next week sometime, or even next weekend, not today, immediately. Of course, I didn't want to risk Jake changing his mind. Besides, as I said, he seemed like he was in a good mood, plus I had Matty to consider.

"Two o'clock it is then, see you later." I tried sounding casual and confident when I said that, but anxiety was creeping into my voice. Whether or not Jake noticed, I'm not sure.

"Look forward to it," he hung up.

‘Look forward to it,’I repeated to myself, why would he say that? Why didn't he just say bye? Why would he look forward to meeting my boyfriend, that's weird.

I called Matty and told him we'd meet up after lunch, to go and see Jake at two. He was fine with that, he had nothing to do this afternoon and was happy we could spend time together.

I met Matty in the park which saved me going all the way down to his house and back up the hill. He seemed cheerful enough, but I was nervous about meeting Jake. We walked back across the park the way I had come, under the old railway bridge and out onto the street. The road followed the side of the park, separated by the old railway that was now a footpath and cycle route. Actually the railway path passed right next to where Jake's apartment was. His little group of studios and one bedroom apartments was built on what used to be railway sidings and an engine shed.

I pressed the buzzer on Jake's door, he opened it and gestured for us to come in. "Hello Alex, and... you're, Matty."

"Hi, Jake," I replied, and Matty kind of just nodded.

All three of us stood in the middle of Jake's tiny living room. "Please sit down, can I offer you both a coke?"

Jake seemed to be in exactly the same bubbly good mood as when we spoke on the phone.

"Yes, thanks that would be great," I replied.

"Yeah thanks," Matty added.

We sat down together on the sofa. Matty looked around the apartment, just like I had that first time. I watched Jake in the kitchen, open the fridge and come back with three bottles of coke. He handed me one, then Matty, and pulled up the desk chair to sit down in front of us.

"So Matty, Alex said you wanted to meet me," he addressed himself directly to Matty. I was still feeling nervous about this encounter between the three of us.

"Yeah, that's right," Matty answered without giving any reason.

"Well here I am, what do you want to say?" Jake wasn't making this any easier.

"I don't know. I wanted... want, to find out a bit about you, who you are. I didn't come here to shout and scream at you because you slept with my boyfriend. Anyway, he wasn't exactly my boyfriend when that happened and he's been faithful since."

Jake looked over at me. I knew what he was thinking, I just hoped he wouldn't spoil things. Everyone makes mistakes in their life, no one's perfect are they? He turned his attention back to Matty. "You're very cute, you know," he said, completely changing the subject in typical Jake style.

It seemed to me like I was standing on a rocky precipice and could fall at any moment. Now I thought Matty might get angry at that remark, but to my great relief he was very cool. "I like you too, Jake. You’re a good looking guy."

"Cool," Jake smiled. "It's so much better if we all get on together."

Where the hell was this conversation, this encounter between Jake and Matty going? If I didn't have the background history to this I would think the two of them were coming on to one another.

"So Jake," Matty smiled his incredible angelic boy smile at Jake. "Can you tell me a little bit about yourself?" Here we go I thought, this is Matty in questioning mode. I started to feel just a little bit easier for the first time since we arrived.

"Well what would you like to know?" It did seem he was in a very good mood, laid back and easy with Matty being here.

"Anything you are willing to share, though to be fair to you I should maybe kick things off myself." I was back up there on the precipice, what the hell was Matty going to talk about. "Just yesterday," he began. "After the rugby match this guy Ryan who we both know, Alex and me, well he comes on to Alex in the showers, which is really odd because he's going out with Alex's cousin Mathilde. Well nothing happened, and I believe Alex when he said that. My point is this, and Alex knows already, I don't think he would go around just sleeping with anyone. So you Jake, must count as kind of special."

I was feeling a bit embarrassed now, it was almost like Matty was laying everything that had happened this last couple of weeks out on the table. It didn't make me at all comfortable.

Jake sipped his bottle of coke, looked first at me, then towards Matty. "You know I think most people are bisexual. What I mean is, the vast majority of men anyway, if they are not hung up on religion or whatever, they would just as easily have sex with another man as with a woman. It probably even applies more strongly to young men and boys. Basically the male of the species wants to fuck, and to have sex with someone else is much better than jerking off on your own."

Matty and I were both silent, listening to Jake. I didn't want to speak because I was too uneasy still with the whole situation. Matty, well he just loves to get people talking.

"You look at those countries, like Muslim countries, where women can't be touched until you get married. All those randy young men and boys just end up fucking each other. Well mostly the young men fucking the boys, that's how it goes. So you see they are all bisexual, but not gay, I think there is a big difference here. Actually, I think the word bisexual embraces too big a spectrum. For me there are two types of bisexual, the guy who fucks another guy is not at all the same as the guy who fucks a women but who also likes to get fucked."

He stopped, picked up his coke again. There was silence. Then Matty spoke, "So what about your own history, Jake?" I don't know how Matty managed to do it, but he had this incredible way of putting people at ease and asking little questions, that turned into bigger questions and you ended up talking about stuff you never intended. And that is just where this was going.

"My own history," Jake repeated the words. "I'm not sure I want to talk about my own history now, maybe we'll get around to it. After all, Matty, I just met you like five minutes ago."

Jake was no push over, he would share what he wanted to share, but he wouldn't let Matty be in charge of the game. "When I know you a little better Matty, I'll tell you my story, but what about you?"

Now I was thinking I'm sure Jake wants to get Matty in his bed, what else could he mean by 'when I know you better'. Jake is one sexy guy, I know how much he turns me on. What about Matty, I thought.

"There is nothing much to say about me," Matty replied. "I'm fourteen years old, I haven't done much, so what is there to tell you?"

"You could tell me what you like, what your fantasies are, what you dream and wish would happen." Jake was pushing him to reveal himself. I was wondering what he would say and at the same time I was thinking, I don't know Matty's fantasies either.

"I could tell you," Matty was playing again, I could see that. "But it's the same as you said, I would have to know you better."

Now I was intrigued and wanted to find out Matty's fantasies. Jake probably wanted to know as well, but for Jake it's all about sex. Why is it? I wondered.

I put my coke down and put my arm around Matty. "Jake," I said opening my mouth for the first time since we got here. "Thanks."

"For what Alex. I haven't done anything." He looked over at me.

"You have, in your own way. You invited us both over here and... well you've been nice."

"Yes," Matty said. "You have been nice and I'm glad we met."

"You could both come round again. We could talk some more. Maybe just hang out a bit. What do think?" Listening to Jake say this it suddenly occurred to me that maybe he's lonely. Now that hit me like a revelation.

"Yeah we could," Matty answered and I was so pleased he said that. I know it's completely weird because the whole encounter between the three of us had put me on tenterhooks, but Jake had been nice. Matty also, and it was just such I good thing to say. I wanted to say it myself, but never would have in case it sounded wrong. You know what I mean, just in case Matty thought things weren't over between me and Jake.

"Maybe one evening during the week if you are both free?" Jake asked.

"Yes Jake. I'll check with Matty and call you."

With that sort of half arranged, Jake still seeming happy; Matty looking like Matty, which means he was okay with everything, and me feeling relieved, we said our goodbyes and left.

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