The Gus Diaries

Part 114

After the Valentines III




 

Dad and Pop picked me up after basketball practice. I wasn’t sure how, but I think I did better than ever on the court. The coach was over the moon with all the maneuvers I made to get through our team’s defense to sink basket after basket. What the coach didn’t know was that I imagined the hoop was Jeremy’s fucked up head.

I tossed my backpack and laptop into the back of the car and made my way into the backseat.

“Hey, Sonny Boy, you look like you just stepped in shit.”

“I did -- metaphorically speaking.”

“Nice to know those great SAT scores weren’t a fluke.”

I grimaced, but kept my mouth shut as I turned to stare out the window.

Dad hadn’t started driving yet so Pop unbuckled his seatbelt and turned to look directly at me. “Gus, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” Like I could get away with that.

“You are definitely not scowling and brooding over nothing. Tell your dad and me what’s wrong. Maybe we can help.”

I felt the anger and hurt creep up. “Alright! You wanna know what the fuck is wrong -- it’s me.”

“I find that hard to believe, Sonny Boy. You’re a Kinney -- nothing you do could be that wrong.”

“That’s what you think. I have the worst fucking timing in goddamn creation.”

Pop’s eyes widened. “And the foulest mouth.”

“I inherited that from all my parents... except Mom.”

“Touché.” Dad smirked.

“It’s not funny.” I held my head in my hands. “I choke on one stupid fry and it becomes the news of the day at St. James Academy. Jeremy snuck a picture his photographer took into the paper with a caption that made it sound like I was fucking Matt... or vice versa.”

“Never vice versa, Sonny Boy.”

Pop swatted Dad on the arm.

“Shut up, Dad! This isn’t a joke, and I’m not laughing.”

“Whoa! I was just trying to calm you down.”

“Well it isn’t working.”

“I gathered.”

Pop added quietly, “Gus, did you talk to Jeremy and find out why he did it?”

“He’s a sneaky asshole who still holds a grudge, even though my own cousin has been helping him out.”

I pulled the paper out of my backpack and showed Pop the photo. He read the caption and handed it to Dad.

Dad rolled his lips inward. “Pretty damning, but I still don’t know exactly why you’re as angry as you are.”

“You really want to know?”

“I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t want to know.”

Pop nodded, remaining silent.

I took out my cell phone and pressed the first speed dial. Setting it on speaker phone, Dad and Pop listened to Jeff’s message.

Pop brushed his hand over his hair. “Pretty harsh. Did you try to leave a message or call again?”

“Between every class, and after practice.”

“Justin, the last time I heard a message that irritating it announced the French invasion.”

I had no idea what Dad was talking about, but it seemed Pop knew exactly what he was referring to when he asked, “What did you do back then?”

“Met the enemy head-on.”

“Then I think that’s what we should do too.”

“I always knew you were brilliant, Sunshine.”

“It was your idea -- I learned from the master.”

“Except in matters of the heart -- that’s your department.”

Pop sat back in his seat, wearing a self-satisfied grin. “So let’s go.”

“What the hell are you two talking about?” I was getting impatient with all this coded conversation.

Dad started the car. “Buckle up. We’re heading to a certain college to correct some infantile behavior, and shake some sense into your wayward beau.”

“What!”

“You heard me, Sonny Boy. It’s time we educated Jeff in the fine art of stalking -- your Pop’s specialty.”

Pop’s smile broadened. “You’re going to get Jeff’s attention and make him listen before this escalates.”

I pressed the heels of my hands to my eyelids and hoped my dads weren’t driving me to a huge mistake.

 

*~*~*~*~*
 

“This is totally fucked. Let’s turn around.”

“Little late for that.” Dad brought the car to a halt in front of Jeff’s dormitory. “We’re here. Now get out and do whatever the hell you need to do, and then we’ll go home.”

“Pop, do you agree? Is this really the right thing to do? Maybe I should try calling a few more times.”

Pop turned around to look at me. He ghosted his fingers over my cheek and shoulder. “Take it from one who knows. The phone is not the way to make sure you get your point across.”

“So, you think getting in Jeff’s face is better?”

“Without question. It worked for me.” Pop smiled at Dad.

“And Dad didn’t throw you out?”

Dad laughed and Pop just smirked. “He tried, but I wouldn’t let him. Before long he was totally fucked... in absolutely every possible way.”

“Hey, Sunshine, don’t get too cocky.”

“I thought that was one of the things you loved most about me.”

“Ewww! TMI alert!”

Pop chuckled and sat back in his seat.

“Now get out of this car, and make your fathers proud.” Dad stuck his tongue in his cheek.

“By groveling?”

“I prefer to think of it as making Jeff an offer he can’t refuse.”

“Dad, I saw the Godfather. I’ve watched every Marlon Brando movie ever made with you.”

“Brilliant, they’re all simply brilliant.”

I’d had enough of Dad’s chatter, and got out of the car. Dad yelled after me, “Think about the guts of Brando and the charm of Dean -- you’ll be great, Sonny Boy -- after all... you’re a Kinney with a touch of the Taylor influence.”

I walked a few steps backwards. “I guess my moms don’t count.”

“Not in this; not when it matters.”

I snorted and ran into Jeff’s building. Climbing the stairs two at a time, foregoing the elevator, I reached his room in record time.

Guys, some pretty hot, were hanging out all over the communal area on his floor -- some studying, some watching a basketball game on TV.

Taking a deep breath I knocked on the door. At first there was no answer so I banged harder.

“Be right there.” It was Jeff. I hoped that meant his roommate wasn’t there too since no one else answered.

As soon as he opened the door I burst through so he couldn’t slam the door in my face. I was glad to see we were alone.

Jeff did slam the door but I was already inside. “I didn’t expect to see you.”

“Why the fuck not? If you checked your caller ID you would have seen at least six missed calls from me.”

“Didn’t you hear my new message?” Jeff’s voice was cold and callous.

“I sure as shit did. It was totally ridiculous! After all this time how dare you not talk to me before jumping to conclusions, you mother-fucking piece of shit!” I don’t know where all that came from.

Jeff glared at me but didn’t respond.

“I didn’t even know that asshole, Jeremy, and his photographer lapdog took the picture in the newspaper--”

“So you admit it’s a picture of you and Matt!”

“Yes, of course it is, but the caption is total bullshit.”

I spotted the paper open on Jeff’s bed. Talk about dwelling on crap. I grabbed it off his bed and jabbed at the offensive photo. “You see this -- this is Matt comforting me right after he nearly had to perform the Heimlich to clear my breathing tube because I got a goddamn greasy french fry stuck in it.” I took a breath. “Jeremy made his own moronic interpretation of what he saw, even though he was there for the choking performance.”

Silently, Jeff took the paper out of my hands and grabbed me, wrapping his arms around me so I couldn’t move. He crashed his lips down on mine, forcing my lips open with his insistent tongue. I tried to resist, but couldn’t, wouldn’t... didn’t want to.

When we finally separated, lips swollen and reddened, I looked into Jeff’s beautiful eyes. “Why the fuck didn’t you ask me before you made some jackass assumption?”

He rolled his lips inward. It kind of reminded me of my dad when Pop nails him for something stupid.

“I thought we promised to trust each other. Wasn’t that what our time together during the winter break was all about?”

He nodded. “You’re right.” He did sound contrite.

“Anything else you’d like to add?”

The color in his cheeks deepened. “I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry.”

“Look, I know these times apart can screw with our minds, but you can’t shut me out.”

“Same for you, Newbie.”

I smiled for the first time in hours. “I love you, Jeff. Nothing will change that.”

“I sure as shit hope not. Right back at you, Gus.”

I raised an eyebrow and waited -- this time I expected more, needed more. Like, Pop, sometimes I had to make it clear to my partner that I wanted it all.

“I love you, Gus... so damn much. I hate being apart.”

“Do you have practice this weekend?”

“Not until Sunday afternoon.”

“Good, then get your shit together and come back to Britin with me.”

Jeff kissed me one more time. I knew it was a teaser for what was yet to come and my pants tightened.

As we walked together to the car he murmured, “I’d like to kill Jeremy.”

“Trust me, I have plans for him.”

Dad and Pop were leaning against the car, making out.

“Oh my God. Can’t you guys ever stop!”

“No reason to ever stop as far as I’m concerned. How about you, Sunshine?”

Pop’s hair was all mussed. “Huh... oh... no reason to stop that I can think of.”

Jeff started laughing. “I like the way your dads think.”

I rolled my eyes as we climbed into the car. “I just bet you do.”

Driving home with Jeff’s arm around me, the world felt righted again. Now I just had to think of the perfect way to pay back Jeremy for all the trouble he caused... but I’ll think about that after the weekend with Jeff.
 

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