Trouble Read online

  He could feel Byron’s anger as he looked at him sharply.

  Carly Rae oblivious to what was going on sang about ripped jeans, skin showing and the hot night. It seemed to echo the incident the previous afternoon with Quentin and Natalie. Matt’s choice of song further antagonized Byron. He thought Matt had played it to show his inner feelings.

  “You strike me as another frisky guy with a fast car and I bet a faster motorbike. I just hope you don’t hurt her.”

  Carly Rae’s voice came clearly about ‘just meeting you and this is crazy but here’s my number.’

  “You love her too?” Immediately he regretted that howler of a response. He should really think before he spoke, he thought wistfully to himself.

  Carly Rae continued about ‘all the other boys chasing her but here’s my number.’

  Byron slammed the door and came to his side. He could barely control his anger. He was staring down at Matt. “Yes I love her. Is that a problem for you?” Before Matt could answer he added.”If you don’t like the sound of that, come out and we’ll settle it right now.”

  Matt had the presence of mind to realize that the song was adding fuel to the situation and shut it off. “Look whatever my faults I’m not frisky. I didn’t mean to sound the way I did. You popped the question so suddenly that I said the first thing that came into my mind. If I’m camping on your territory, let me know and I’ll move on.” He felt he had given a speech.

  Byron relaxed considerably.

  “Okay,” he said almost absentmindedly. He was in a quandary but Natalie had obviously agreed to see Matt and being a true gentleman, it was not in Byron’s nature to argue with her. He had an almost obsessive kind of love and Natalie was not sure if she could handle it at this delicate moment in her life with her dad leaving them abruptly. She wanted some breathing space and Matt suspected that was the reason she had agreed to their friendship. Byron did not like this arrangement at all. He was perceptive enough to realize that Matt loved Natalie and would do everything in his power to retain their friendship. Oh the trials of being sophomores, Matt groaned.

  Can we shake on this one?” Matt said as he extended his hand.

  “I think we’ll keep this one open for the time being,” Byron said forcing a smile.

  Chapter 12: The Moment of Truth

  They were leaving for Griffin Observatory in the 6th period and were all expected to appear very promptly at the planetarium by 2.00pm. Natalie and Byron went in Matt’s sports car. The Observatory was on the south side of Mount Hollywood with a breathtaking view of the greater LA city area.

  Their lecture was held in the Oschin Planetarium Theater and was on the theme Centered in the Universe. The presenter also talked and demonstrated supernovas. These were exploding stars. They were intrigued to see and to be told that some stars seemed to go through tantrums like in soap operas. They seemed to fake their own deaths. These were oddball sort of stars that were born out of the merger of other stars, They ran on nuclear fusion and when they ran out of fuel their core collapsed and they exploded making up new cosmic bodies. The presenter showed a stellar merger image showing that large stars brushed against each other. Although they appeared to die, they didn’t and merely became much larger stars.

  For some strange reason Byron thought that these stars resembled them too. They tried to form units with one another. Many times it worked well. Sometimes it didn’t work out. They always took something out of these interactions whether good or bad.

  +++++

  Byron and Natalie came out of the 290 seat theater and were separated from Matt. They went up to the ramparts and admired the breathtaking view.

  They stood closely together in deep thought.

  “There seems to be a lot going through your mind,” Natalie said.

  “A teen thinking deeply can be stormy,” Byron said cryptically.

  “Why?”

  “I’m too embarrassed to tell you.”

  “Try me.”

  “You won’t get angry with me?”

  “Let me hear it first.”

  “As I held you in the Station I couldn’t help noticing that you were very pretty and vulnerable.”

  “You mean I’m pretty when I cry?”

  “It brought out other hidden qualities in you. You saved Quentin. You believe in yourself. You have inner strength. I know I’m rambling.”

  Natalie was going to make a comment but thought better of it and remained silent.

  “I want to be part of your scene. You had chosen Russ so I waited. Then he moved out of your orbit (he paused) and here I am.”

  She seemed to be genuinely at a loss for words.

  “I had this overwhelming urge to kiss you at the Station as I held you. Then I thought that would be unfair.”

  “A brotherly kiss.”

  “What I was thinking of was a passionate French kiss where time sort of stood still.”

  “Sort of Romeo and Juliet.”

  “Minus the suicide bit. I’d like to do it now.”

  “You mean over here with all these people watching?” she whispered.

  “They’re watching the great city below them and even the galaxies. And we’ll just kiss for maybe 3 minutes. That hardly counts in light years.”

  “You sound very persuasive.”

  Byron knew he was taking a gamble by making this ultimatum at this delicate time, so soon after her break up with Russ. He felt that if he waited longer, she might move on to someone else. She would make a decision on whether she was the right one for him. He held her tightly and kissed her passionately. He wanted to go deeper into her life and he sensed from her subtle body language that she was unwilling to go into unexplored territory especially as she had to deal with the trauma of an absent dad. She was also rattled by his cherubic face. The thoughts and passions behind the face ran deeper and she was unwilling to commit to an obsessive kind of love. She didn’t mind kissing altar boys on the cheek but passionate kisses took her into unexplored territory that could be very exciting but also emotionally draining. He knew the moment that the kiss ended that she would discourage him in the politest way possible. She had come into this relationship looking at him as a brother rather than a boyfriend. That was his disadvantage from the beginning. He had forced the issue but from her subtle gestures, he could sense that she had not changed her mind.

  From his vantage point hidden from them, Russ watched the unfolding scene with bitterness and anger. “You slimy little creature, you couldn’t wait one day to get your lips on her body. Well I have a little surprise for you all,” he said triumphantly as he moved off.

  She touched his face. “You have a nice tender face.”

  He was about to kiss her again and then he stopped abruptly, “Oh my God. Okay admit it,” he said forcing a smile.

  “What?”

  “The sensitive face thing.”

  “I said tender.”

  “I sometimes hate my face.”

  “I know. That’s why I said you have a nice face and you should love yourself. You’re unique.”

  “Tender face.”

  “Well I just meant that. Nothing more.”

  “You think I kiss like a girl.”

  “No. I mean that you’re a caring kind of a guy. You’re the type who’d make love rather than screw a girl.”

  “Don’t they mean the same thing?”

  “The screwers usually boast that they have spread their tadpoles in the pool.”

  “And the ‘make lovers’?”

  “They’re considerate like you. They have candle lit dinners,” she paused. “And they do it after marriage.”

  “I’m tender and cherubic,” Byron sighed. “I’m overwhelmed!”

  “You have atmosphere. You’re forever saying that you hate your face. But it’s tender in a very nice way. Be proud of it. ”

  Byron looked ahead as if talking to a camera for youtube, “Taylor Swift, did you hear that? She said I have a caring face and I don’t bring her tro
uble.”

  “And you’re like a brother to me?”

  “Okay I take the hint.”

  “You’re always looking out for me. You care for me.”

  Things were not working out as he planned. She was hesitant about committing to him. He was too much of a gentleman to beg her or force her.

  He saw Matt coming up, smiling and looking so carefree in his hunk of a body that seemed unusually adult like for a 16 year older and wanted so much to hurt him. Why should he be so fortunate to have the prettiest girl in the school? He didn’t stand up for her or defend her. He had just come in at the right time and place and found the competition in disarray. Byron wanted so much to kiss her again (knowing that Natalie would not protest) while he was observing them so intently. He wanted to make him feel that if he couldn’t get her, neither would Matt. He snapped out of his dark thoughts. He could never do that and hurt Natalie in the process. He felt guilt that he had even contemplated the idea.

  Natalie’s eyes were moist. She had anticipated that they would have this challenging moment together when they would discuss their friendship and separate as romantic partners but be closely linked in a brotherly, sisterly relationship .Byron understood her well and she admired him for that.

  Matt waved to them from the lower ramparts.

  “You two have things to discuss so I’ll leave you two for a while. I’ll go to the “Fight Scene” area,” Byron said with a forced smile.

  “Your obsession for James Dean is admirable,” Natalie laughed.

  “Rebel with a cause,” he said. He liked to feel that loving someone meant respecting them and not exploiting them, hence his emphasis on the rebel ‘with a cause.’

  Matt was tense and looked expectantly at him. “I understand I’m the new kid on the block. I don’t want to get in the way if you two are close.”

  “I just want Natalie to be happy.” Byron forced a smile.

  Matt sensed that this issue had not been solved. It would surface later. He knew that his social skills needed improving because he was not subtle or diplomatic in what he said when discussing Natalie with Byron.

  Chapter 13: Quentin and Byron

  “Byron, hi.”

  “Hi Quentin,” he said uneasily. He was still reeling from the polite refusal by Natalie and was careful not to sound offhand. He didn’t want him to feel that he was taking out his frustration on him.

  “I saw you looking so intensely at the world below you,” he said for want of something to say.

  “Just refreshing myself with memories from here,” Byron said.

  “Rebel?”

  “With A Cause.”

  “That’s a new angle,” Quentin paused awkwardly mustering up courage to express himself. “I’ve been meaning to talk to you but kept putting it off until after what you did.”

  Byron fidgeted uneasily.

  “I wondered if we could do things together sometime.”

  He started thinking of how to refuse without sounding or acting impolite. His fertile mind started conjuring up things like doing treadmill and other work out exercises in matching velvet tights or motor bike rides in matching Bermuda shorts and wrist bands. This would all be done as they exchanged cheesy pleasantries on which fabric had a nice silky feel or which nut jelled well with vanilla ice cream and other goofy talk. He felt immediately ashamed of his thoughts. He felt he was being unfair on Quentin and at the very least should hear him out.

  “I hear you like hunting and hiking. We’ve got a cabin in the forest with a great pool. Just great for swimming.”

  “That sounds interesting.”

  “I have a Honda and I can give you a few pointers. I hear your dad is buying you one.”

  Byron looked excited. “That’s really cool.”

  “Unless you want to be driven around in your SUV.”

  Byron cackled.

  “And maybe you can teach me those games I hear you’re so good at.”

  “I’d love to do that.”

  “This is a great way of penetrating each other.”

  “Penetrating each other?”

  “You know. Like penetrating each other’s minds and getting to know each other.”

  Byron couldn’t stop laughing. It was the funniest thing he’d ever heard.

  “You probably know that my parents are gay.”

  The hardest part was coming Byron thought and I’d better behave myself. “Natalie told me. How does that work out?”

  “My parents are both male.”

  “So were you adopted?”

  “My sister and I are both biological children of my dad. We had a surrogate mum.”

  “You also have a sister?”

  “She’s a freshy at St Monica’s. You’ll meet her when you come for a sleepover.”

  Sleepover? Did he hear right? “It must be interesting having gay parents,” Byron said for want of something to say. He felt awkward not knowing if he’d said the appropriate thing.

  “They are very caring.”

  “That matters a lot,” Byron said.

  “By the way I thought I might mention that I’m not gay.”

  “Not gay?”

  “Yes and neither is my sister. We have gay parents and they respect our sexuality. Maybe later in life we may develop gay interests but not at this point in our lives.”

  “That’s cool,” he stuttered. He felt quite foolish with himself that he had made so many assumptions about Quentin.

  Quentin did not tell him that they did not go around saying this to people because it could be misconstrued. Some people might think they were trying to deny their parents. They only came out with their sexuality if people asked them about it or if they were confiding to friends.

  There was a twinkle in Quentin’s eyes, “I bet you were thinking I’d try and have a relationship with you.”

  “No. No,” Byron said rather too quickly.

  “You thought I’d hold your hand over candle light and look into your eyes.”

  They both laughed heartily.

  “I’ve been having so many issues lately and was just thinking that I needed to circulate a bit more, go out on sleepovers and keep myself busy.” Byron whipped out his phone to get Quentin’s number.

  “Can I get a hug from you?”

  Byron had no difficulty with that.

  “That felt great, I mean, hugging a hero who stood up for me.”

  Byron looked embarrassed. He was not so sure if he was a hero as his actions had been partly done to impress Natalie.

  “That wasn’t hard was it,” he said gently.

  “No that wasn’t hard,” Byron said. “In fact I was going to hug you as I walked around like Tarzan in school. But I thought you’d be embarrassed.

  Quentin looked stunned. “You wouldn’t dare. You’re just saying that to make me happy,” he said politely.

  “I hope you don’t think I have a phobia or anything like that. For your gay parents I mean.”

  “No. No,” Quentin said.

  “I thought I might be a little upfront with you.” Byron began. “It may seem that I’ve been uneasy with you. It’s because I didn’t know you that well and was afraid I might say or do something that might insult or hurt you.”

  “You mean about my parents.”

  “Yes and also you. I was always tense because I was always trying hard to think through what I said before I said it.”

  “Now you can be yourself.”

  “Of course, because I understand you better.”

  Byron saw Matt and Natalie walking towards him.

  Quentin said, “Byron. You have a cool name.”

  “I know. Everyone says that and they expect me to love reading poems and drinking wine and that sort of stuff.”

  He was looking closely at Byron. “And you have a nice sensitive face. Wish I had a face like that.”

  “That wouldn’t be a good idea,” Byron said trying to be witty. “People would just expect you to write poems, sing hymns and do brotherly ki
nd of kisses.”

  Quentin sensed the subtle unhappiness over the last point but pretended not to notice. He hoped that Byron would get over it and perhaps find another girlfriend. He felt that tense moments were drawing closer.

  “Sensitive face indeed. Natalie, I’ll kill you,” Byron muttered under his breath and laughed as he walked towards them.

  Chapter 14: The Chase

  It seemed that all good things often had to come to a temporary end.

  That was the impression Byron, Matt and Natalie got when they reached the car park. They had been walking along at a leisurely pace exchanging pleasantries when they were confronted by Russ and his group who were waiting patiently for them.

  They seemed confused by this as they thought the matter had already been settled.

  Russ seemed to have intuitive knowledge of when they would arrive in the car park just as he seemed to be very familiar with Quentin’s movements when they attacked him.

  Did he have some advanced tech with spiffy algorithms that could hack into their phones’ geographical locations?

  They had no time to think through these thoughts because Russ very casually held a handsome looking switchblade that shone sinfully in his hand.

  “You thought you could ride off to the sunset with my girl?” he said to Matt without any trace of malice or bitterness in his voice.

  “Russ it has nothing to do with him. I told you I was through with you. Now let us go,” Natalie said

  “It’s not as simple as that,” Russ said looking bitterly at Byron. “We were going to make up but he deliberately came between us. Then Mr Hulk showed up just in time,” he said waving to Matt.

  “Russ you made a promise. Be a man and keep it,” Byron said.

  “Lord Byron!” Russ teased and his group snickered and cackled. “I promised I wouldn’t hassle fags and other low life. I didn’t promise anything about Romeo here prancing into school on the first day and taking off with my girl.”