Chapter 8:Caleb Johnson

*Marcus






"I can't believe I didn't remember him," Harry said as we carried the food towards the dining area, "He has gotten lighter though."


I shook my head for at least the 4th time. He had been going on about Chris ever since they went off to take a tour of the house. I could tell finding out that Chris was standing right there in front of him was shocking but he wouldn't shut up.


We now made it to the dining table with all the food and now we were waiting for everyone else to come back downstairs.


"I saw that Darrius has gotten rather handsome as well," Harry stated placing the drinks on coasters. I had to admit that Darrius had gotten really handsome over the years. He went from being this small guy to shooting up to 6'1 overnight. Then seeing his tattoos at the pool, I wanted to ask about why he got them. I knew that it was going to take a while for him to really start opening up to me and I was willing to wait.


"Where the food at?" I heard Chris's voice echo as everyone came down the stairs.


"We are in here!" I answered him hoping he would just follow my voice. I could see my brother tense up a bit. He still hadn't put on a shirt but he was making sure that he looked okay before Chris walked in. Chris and Darrius came in first and they stood in the entry way looking at the dining room. It was rather large for me and my brother. The table sat about 9 people and was a mahogany antique with a nice clear marble coating. There were plates that lined the wall but we never used them because they were just gifts from different countries to my brother.


The dining room was painted a dark blue color with the same grey marble flooring around the house. There also was a huge window that looked outside at the pool in the backyard. I use to always come in here to watch the night sky. I know crazy right but I've always liked night time. It was something people considered to be devil's hours but I found it more beautiful in the night then in the day.


"I like the night view," Darrius said sitting down with Chris following. Marcus and Evan had come in after. Marcus was sporting an obvious blush on his face as Evan pulled out the chair for him. I guess Evan felt kind of safe being around us considering no one else really knew he was gay except me. Plus, Darrius and Chris don't seem like the people to put other people information out there.


"Woah," Marcus expressed as he looked at the food, "You guys whipped this up pretty fast."


"They were just left overs," I answered as everyone else sat down. Harry had made entirely too much pasta the other night and I'm glad that I didn't have to scarf it down by myself for over the next couple of days.


Everyone begin to dig into their plates and all I could hear was pleasurable moans and groans.


"Dis sheesh ais gawd," Chris said with a mouth full of pasta. I laughed as my brother thanked him. Chris swallowed and asked, "You made this?"


Harry, for the first time in my life, was speechless. I needed to bring Chris around more often.


"I bet your boyfriend likes your cooking too?" Chris stated taking another bite and my brother looked at him confused. I almost choked on my pasta but Darrius helped me out by patting me on the back. I laughed still recovering from my choking, "That wasn't his boyfriend."


"Oh," Chris said taking another bite, "Booty call whatever he is, he must love this. I wish I had someone I could have sex with and cook for me."


My brother's fork hit his plate and he begin to speak, "Uhm, you aren't in a relationship?"


The table now looked over at Chris before he spoke, "It would be nice but people my age don't really know what a relationship is."


"Have you ever looked for anyone older?" Harry sensually asked now looking at Chris with lustful eyes. I smiled knowing where he was going with this so I jumped in, "Hey guys when we finish, do you guys want to watch a movie or something. The home theater is right down the hallway."


Evan and Marcus nodded excitedly while Chris asked if he could get seconds and bring them in to eat. Darrius looked reluctant but he nodded taking another bite.


After everyone was finished, we all begin to clear the table but as everyone made their way out of the dining area, Darrius stopped me.


"Hey," He said taking my plate from my hand," Uhm, is it cool that I rather not watch the movie."


"Did he want to leave?" I thought to myself. I thought everything was going well but I guess I was mistaken.


"Uhm sure," I answered with a hint of sadness, "But I thought you wanted to hang out?"


"I do," he quickly answered, "But I mean... you know...I wanted to finish our talk."


Surprised, I almost knocked the plates out of his hands as we walked towards the kitchen.


"Shit be careful bro," He cussed at me but then laughed, "You act like I said I wanted to marry you or something."


He walked around me and put the plates in the dishwasher. While everyone made their way to the theater, I took Darrius upstairs to my room.


"This is my thinking area, "I stated as we entered. I hurried and plopped down on my bed.


"Oh how I missed you so," I stated burying my face into the pillow, almost forgetting that Darrius was in the room. I turned to him as he closed the door. He leaned against the frame and smiled, "You still love to sleep."


I grinned gesturing him to come sit on the bed. He shook his head and said, "Naw I'm cool over here. Plus I still don't know you like that."


I shrugged as I laid against my headboard. Even though I was happy he decided to talk, I wasn't fully ready either to open up to him. It had been so long and we did break the ice back at the party but we have yet to break the iceberg. He begin to walk around my room just basically checking it out. Then his eyes landed on the top of my dresser. I knew that he was shocked to even see the pictures up there.


Michael told me to get rid of them at one point but I couldn't find myself to do it. I guess it just reminded me of the life I use to have when my parents were still here. I stood up to walk towards him. He ran his fingers across the picture of me and him. We were outside on a summer day and we were about 6 years old. There were kids running around in the back while the play sparkler was going.


We looked soaking wet with our superman swim trunks on smiling from ear to ear. I stood beside him as we both laughed at our younger selves.


"Those were good times," He stated placing his arms on the dresser, "We didn't know shit about shit but could talk about anything for hours."


I smiled looking at him. He looked happy as he continued to look at the other pictures.


"Why did you keep these?" He asked now sounding a little curious, "We had so much bad blood. You could have thrown them out."


"I didn't want to," I answered, "I mean, they are great memories before my parents passed. When I look at them, it takes me back to when they were here."


He nodded in understanding drifting away from me to move around the room again. I could sense that he wanted to stay away from me for some reason but he was the one that said he wanted to talk to me.


"Are you okay D?" I asked him as he stood in front of my entertainment system. He was wearing this white t-shirt that hugged him nicely and a pair of regular blue jeans slightly hanging off his torso. His black snapback was on backwards revealing the word Baller imprinted on it. He nodded but I called bullshit.


As I came closer to him I saw him shift a little towards another direction. I was getting irritated by this so I grabbed him by his arm to turn him towards me.


"Obviously not. You're acting like I'm the one who wanted to talk," I spat, "Now what's going on?"


He looked at me and said, "You kind of acting weird man."


I was confused. How was I acting weird?


"How?" I asked him as I let go of his arm. He sighed looking at me, "Man I don't know. Like when we was at the pool. I didn't think nothing of it but you was kind of getting really close to me. Then when we got here you weren't really doing anything but now that we are alone, I can see something in yo' face that says it all."


I was still confused at what he was trying to say. All I was doing was being nice to him. I didn't find anything wrong with that at all.


"Darrius just spit it out please," I asked him rubbing my temples, "Because this is really starting to irritate me."


"You giving me that look C!" He said sounding serious looking straight into my eyes.


"What look Darrius?"


"Like you want me!"


Pause. Did I just hear him correctly? Did he just call me what I think he called me? I didn't get a chance to finish my thought as he continued to speak, "Like man, I don't mean to offend you but that's how it's looking. I can tell when someone wants me and you giving me that same stare your brother is probably giving Chris right now."


I laughed sarcastically at his accusation. Was he serious? I wasn't gay nor will I ever be gay and if I was gay I wouldn't be going after him. Being the school basketball star must have made his ego huge if he thinks even guys are trying to get in his pants.


"You are so full of yourself you know that right?" I stated a little angry, "You are the same big headed basketball player that thinks he just God. Well news flash D, I don't want you."


"Then stop staring at me like that!" He expressed coming closer to me but backed off. We stood there staring at each other not speaking. Then he plopped down on my bed and said, "Look, I did want to talk to you and I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions about something sensitive as that. It was rude and I'm sorry."


I sat down next him holding back my fist. Even though I was still upset about his statement, I really did want to talk to him too. So I breathe in and out to say," I forgive you D. "


He smiled and playfully punched me in my arm. I hit him back and that started an all-out play fight. We were on the floor wrestling around when I hit my arm on my metal bed banister.


"Oh shit!" I yelled and Darrius stopped immediately getting up. My arm becoming a little numb and it was also turning a little red.


"You okay bruh?" Darrius asked as we sat back on my bed, "I didn't mean to hurt you."


He looked really concern taking my arm slowly to rub it. His hands were soft and I noticed the tattoos on them too.


"Tell me about your tattoos," I blurted out taking his hand and tracing over the small bird. He pulled his hand away pointing towards the birds.


"I got these because of Marcus," He grinned, "I was like 13 when I got them and Marcus loved taking pictures of birds at that time too so he suggested it."


"You will do anything for Marcus wouldn't you," I asked him laughing but I saw his face was serious as he said," Yea, that's my little brother so why not?"


I could tell their brother bond goes way pass just being related. They were best friends and I kind of understand why he is so protective of Marcus now. This is the Darrius that I missed. As he went on to explain his other tattoos I found myself captivated by every story they told. He said he even got one to remember his dad by. His dad was a good man but he died when Darrius was just 2 years old.


As we switched subjects, I found out that he also was dating someone recently. He decided to break it off because he wasn't in love with her. I nodded in understanding but then he asked, "Is that why you and that cheerleader broke up? You know because you didn't love her."


"Yea, all she wanted was sex and I wanted something more," I answered laying down on my back while he laid on his elbow facing me, "All that time we had been together she didn't once try to get to really know me. You know what I'm saying?"


He nodded and then seriously expressed, "You're a bitch."


"Excuse me?" I asked him and he said again, "You're. A. Bitch."


Before I angrily retort back he was already speaking again, "Because ain't no way in hell I'm going to invite a girl to my house, meet my brother, or my aunt without getting to know her first. You were blinded by the pussy my friend which got you into a 2 year sentence. You knew that was what she was about but you didn't care. You tried to turn a hoe into a girlfriend bruh!"


I wanted to laugh but at the same time I was shocked. We laughed eventually almost dying. Then he asked what time it was and I told him it was only 11:30.


"I got another hour or just 30 minutes," He stated laying back on his elbow resting his head on his hand, "Aunt Ruby wants me to be home by 12:30."


The image of his aunt popped into my head. She was such a sweet lady. She took Marcus and Darrius in when their mother couldn't take care of them and if it wasn't for her and my mom working together, I never would have met them.


"How is your Aunt Ruby?" I asked getting on my elbow now, "I miss her."


"Getting on my nerves," He answered comically," She think she slick but she alright. She just been getting sick a lot you know but it's just seasons changing. Other than that she is good."


I could tell that Aunt Ruby meant a lot to him from the way his eyes glowed. Even though he liked to make it seem like she is hard, I know that he loves her. He had always been a loving person even as a kid. He just didn't like it when people betrayed him but that is something I never really found the why about.


It made me sad to even think about what I did to him. It's was my fault that we were feuding and my fault that I messed up a great friendship.


"Hey," I heard him saying knocking me out of my thoughts, "You good man? You kind of out of it."


"Yea," I answered still kind of thinking, "I just...really want to say I'm sorry. You know for 5th grade and everything in between."


He sighed, "I mean you weren't alone. I was doing things to you too and I'm sorry about that man. We was acting childish."


I nodded back and we had another moment of silence until we looked at each other. I felt the bed move and saw Darrius was coming closer to me.


"You giving me that look again," I could practically feel the heat radiating off of him. Still I tried to sound confident asking what did he mean but all the heat had rushed to my face making me blush. He cleverly gave me a half smile biting his lips. They looked so soft and moist and...wait?! What is happening?


"I told you to stop looking at me like that," He said not sounding like he did before when he asked me to. It almost sounded like he was being seductive.


Then he being to lean in. There were many thoughts going in my head but I decided to just go with it as he came only centimeters from me. Closing my eyes, I waited for the softness of Darrius's lips.


"Hey yo...woo!"


Darrius immediately jumped off the bed and I jumped back from him to see that Chris had barged in. I swear my heartbeat never sped up this rapidly before. Chris looked from Darrius to me suspiciously probably wondering what was going on. The atmosphere was eerily awkward. I looked over at Darrius, who was afraid now to make eye contact with me since he practically flew off the bed.


"What do you want Chris?" I asked him as he seemed to forget what he came in here for.


"Uhm, his brother said that we should be going by now since it's almost past their curfew," Chris stated but then his eyebrows furrowed before he said, "And what was y'all doing because it looked like-"


"Come on Chris!" Darrius told his friend practically running out of my room. Chris stood in the doorway watching his friend go by before he happily said, "Okay his not going to tell me so-"


He was cut off again by Darrius pulling him away from my room and I could hear their footsteps going down the stairs. I just sat there on my bed thinking about how I almost kissed Darrius.


"I am not gay, I am not gay," I kept telling myself rocking back and forth but I also kept thinking about the lust I was feeling as he leaned in. And that heat. That unimaginable heat that took over as he got so close. It was something different then just regular body to body contact. I needed some time to think and regulate my hormones because I know Caleb Johnson isn't gay.

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