The Gus Diaries

Part 118

Prom Season


 

Prom season at Britin is always stressful but this year seemed to be the worst yet. I know most of it has to do with me and the insanity with Jeff. We certainly don’t make it easy for my dads. I think we may have given a whole new meaning to the term drama queens.

It all started about two weeks before the St. James Academy’s Junior Prom. There was no question about me attending the event with Jeff. I’d spoken with him on the phone about it just before his finals week.

“Hey, Newbie, what’s up?”

“Well, I know you’re in college and beyond all the high school bullshit...”

“Right, and now I’m onto the college bullshit.” Jeff chuckled, relaxing me as he always did.

“It’s almost time for the Junior Prom.”

“Cool. I can’t wait. Better warm up your dad’s tailor.”

I laughed, knowing he thought Dad’s tailor had the hots for him ever since the first time we’d had to rent tuxes for Jeff’s prom. He was probably right, but it was still amusing since the guy was even older than my fathers.

A couple of weeks later Jeff came home after having successfully completed his freshman year at CMU and settled back in at Grandma Jen and Tucker’s place. His job at the Liberty Diner was waiting, so he was in better shape than most who had to look for jobs when they returned home for the summer break.

On that fateful day when the insanity started, a couple of weeks before the prom, he had the dinner shift at the diner. Jeff decided to come by the school to meet me for lunch, and afterwards go visit some of his old teachers and our coach. After school we were going to head over to Dad’s tailor and get fitted for our tuxes. Dad and Pop insisted on paying for them since we insisted on paying for our own prom tickets.

At first I wondered if I’d become an item on the six o’clock news when I had to submit a signed form to the school stating who my date would be. It’s policy for any student being escorted by someone not currently attending St. James. I worried about what might happen when the administration read the form and realized I was bringing a guy. Thoughts of all those stories I’d seen about other gay kids all over the country, and their experiences in trying to take a same sex date to their prom, sprung to mind.

I’m not sure if it had to do with my dads and all the money they have donated to the basketball program, and the school as a whole, or Pop’s prom history at St. James, but there wasn’t even a grumble and the paperwork was approved immediately. The vice principal claimed that since Jeff was a former student, there was no need to be concerned.

As noon approached I was getting antsy. Marci poked me in English class. “Hey, Romeo, take it down a peg. I know you’re thrilled that your hottie is coming and you can show him off, but is it worth blowing off an important class daydreaming?”

I leaned toward her, our desks being side by side. “I could score an A in this class blindfolded. Remember, I write all the time.”

“You may write all the time, genius, but you don’t read Shakespeare twenty-four/seven and we’re working on Romeo and Juliet as compared to West Side Story.”

“Better known as depressing, and even more depressing. Why do people think these are worth shoving down kids’ throats?”

“Because one is a classic for all time and one is a modern classic.”

“Now who’s playing the role of genius?” I stuck my tongue in my cheek and raised an eyebrow.

“You’ve been hanging around your dad too long. You’re beginning to make the same gestures.”

“Ew, I do not.”

“I just call it as I see it.” Marci smirked and raised her hand to answer another annoying question about the motivation for welcoming death rather than live without the one you love.

Personally, I’m all about facts. I write news articles. Shakespeare had to be gay, otherwise there’s no explaining Romeo and Juliet, let alone A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

I watched the clock’s second hand approach the hour and precisely at noon the bell rang to change classes and I tore out of the room and headed to the cafeteria. Marci would show up later, but I had no intention of waiting for her when Jeff promised to be waiting for me.

Arriving less than two minutes later, I scanned the huge room, filled with kids setting down backpacks and laptops and getting ready to pick up their lunches at the counter. It took me a few seconds but I spotted Jeff at the far end of the room. I was shocked to notice he wasn’t alone.

Matt’s old girlfriend, from his pre-coming out days, was talking to Jeff, MY Jeff, while running her fingers up and down his arm. He wasn’t even attempting to shrug her off. I’d never thought about punching a girl before, except maybe Jenny when she got to be a nuisance, but I could feel my hand balling into a fist.

Fortunately, instead of taking the low road, I drew on some of the maturity I’d developed over the year and casually walked toward the two of them.

“Hey.”

“Newbie!” Jeff’s smile totally obliterated all my negative feelings, and it didn’t hurt that he grabbed me in a bear hug, lifted me off the ground and then crashed his lips on mine.

When he put me down I just blinked, stunned by the great welcome and could hear the silly cheerleader giggle in the background.

“You’re so lucky, Gus. You have the best guy in the world always by your side. You’d better watch out or someone might grab him while you’re not looking.”

Those negative, immature feelings resurfaced pretty quickly. “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” Okay, sometimes I do channel Dad... and Pop. Hell, I could do a lot worse.

“Nothing, sweetie, just that your boyfriend is very attractive and is probably sought after.”

“Suzy, cut it out. Gus knows I’m all his and vice versa.”

“Just saying it’s tough to hang onto a good man, even when you have the best relationship.”

Clearly Suzy (what a ridiculously cute name) found out about who Matt was caught with when he stopped hiding his sexual desires for men. Shit!

“Take it easy. Neither Gus nor I knew Matt wanted to come over to the dark side. It was news to both of us too.”

Suzy glared at me and then had the gall to take Jeff’s hand in her own. “It certainly seemed that your little darling ended up in quite an awkward situation, especially since he’s supposed to be so devoted to you.”

My fingers started curling back into a fist, but Jeff must have spotted it. Good thing he’s smart and can think fast. He grabbed my hand and laced our fingers together. “How about we grab a sandwich and I tell you why Suzy and I were talking in the first place?”

“You mean it wasn’t about Matt?”

“Not really.”

Now I was curious.

Suzy grinned from ear to ear. “See you later, boys.”

I looked into Jeff’s eyes, leaned in and pressed our lips together once again. This time the kiss was tender and loving, and it relaxed me instantly.

“Sorry about Suzy. She can be...”

“... annoying, irritating, grating.”

Jeff laughed. “All of the above. But we’ve been friends since I started playing basketball in the seventh grade.”

“So what was with all the See you later boys crap?”

“She asked me to take her to the Senior Prom.”

“What!”

“She’d always expected to go with Matt, and since she hasn’t found a new boyfriend she’d want to celebrate her farewell to St. James with, she asked me for old times’ sake.”

“Yeah, I bet.” I rolled my eyes.

“Gus, you know you’re the only one for me -- not to mention I’ve never kept my sexual orientation a secret.”

“I know, but vampires can do evil things to people.”

Jeff had the nerve to laugh out loud, but after a moment my brain played back what I’d just said and I joined him. “So when do you take the female version of Dracula to her prom?”

“It’s the night after yours. Apparently St. James got a great deal at the hotel ballroom if they reserved it for two nights in a row.”

“Fuck!”

“What’s wrong? Your prom is first. I’ll probably be exhausted by the time I go out with her.”

Jeff was right. Suzy would get the short end of the stick, but I couldn’t help wondering if she relished the fact that she would be robbing me of time that Jeff would otherwise be spending with me. I trusted Jeff, and he practically lives at Britin on the weekends, so I wasn’t worried, much, but I sure didn’t know what to make of Suzy. She could have asked any guy in school and they’d all jump at the chance of going with her to the prom. Hell, most heteros would jump at the chance to spend twenty minutes alone with her. So why pick a guy who’s obviously gay?”

I wasn’t sure how this would play out, but I was going to keep an eye on her... and my boyfriend!

[TBC]
 

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