High School Reunion

Chapter 11

* * *

Dinner in the high school gymnasium ended with somewhat of a whimper. Cheesecake was the dessert, but it was less than rich and creamy. It was rather grainy and dry, as Brian immediately pointed out to all concerned.

“They should have had Emmett provide the desserts, even if he didn’t cater the whole affair. His desserts would have at least been palatable,” Brian said with disgust as he pushed the uneaten concoction away from in front of him.

“Says the great dessert expert,” Michael laughed, as he shoveled his own cheesecake into his mouth. Michael was not noted for his discriminating palate, and he always enjoyed cheesecake.

“It’s not too bad,” Ben said taking a bite and then pushing his own plate aside.

“I’ve had worse,” Justin observed with his mouth full.

“I don’t know when that would be,” Brian snarked. “Must have been before you met me.”

“Undoubtedly,” Justin replied with a snicker.

Brian, Justin, Michael and Ben were still sitting at their table, eating the rather lackluster dessert and sipping their coffee. Nothing untoward had happened since Joel Dalrymple’s outburst and subsequent removal from the room. He had not returned.

“All things considered this was a pretty good meal,” Michael stated as he ate the last bite of his cheesecake.

“Considering that it was held in a high school gym catered by someone that we don’t know and there’s no alcohol being served, they did okay,” Brian mused.

“The no alcohol part bugs you, doesn’t it?” Michael asked.

“Not a bit. I’m not swilling it all the time like Joel fucking Dalrymple.”

“That guy seems to be a real mess,” Ben mused.

“He was always a mess. But he was even more of a blowhard and bully in the good old days,” Brian said wryly. “I know he’s the biggest closet case in the whole place.”

“You think so?” Justin asked.

“I know so.”

“Boy, that Mary Beth, she sure could pick ‘em,” Michael observed. “Dating you and Joel Dalrymple both. Poor girl!”

“At least she knew where she stood with me. I still think Joel is the closet case to end all closet cases,” Brian added. “But she chose to marry the fucker.”

“Maybe she didn’t know,” Justin suggested.

“I think she didn’t want to know. She had this picture of a vine covered mansion and little kiddies running around. She wanted Joel to give her that.”

“At least she got the kid,” Michael said.

Brian shook his head. “For all the good that did her. She also got that drunken asshole Joel to go along with it.”

Just then the DJ started the music. He began with an ABBA song, Chiquitita. Justin looked at Brian and they smiled.

“Hey, stud, wanna dance?” Brian asked.

Justin’s smile grew into one of the blazing one’s that had earned him the nickname Sunshine. “I’d love to … if you don’t think it will cause problems.” He didn’t want another unpleasant incident to mar the evening for Brian.

“To quote Emmett, ‘Fuck ‘em all’,” Brian replied. “I want to dance, so let’s dance.”

“If you’re sure.”

“I’m sure,” Brian said standing up and taking Justin’s hand.

“Brian, could we talk?” Buck Hansen asked before Brian and Justin could make their way to the dance floor at the center of the gym.

“’Fraid not, Buck. I have a date for a dance.”

Justin smiled. “It’s okay if you want to talk. I can wait,” Justin said graciously.

“No you can’t, and neither can I,” Brian contradicted. “I’m busy, Buck.” He turned his back on Buck Hansen who could do little other than to watch them walk away.

Brian walked Justin out to the center of the gym where some people were already dancing to the sound of ABBA. Brian placed his hands on Justin’s shoulders and they started to sway to the music.

“Remember that night on Liberty?” Justin asked.

“Yeah, fucking PRIDE!” Brian quipped, but there was no malice in his voice.

“That was a great day,” Justin whispered in Brian’s ear.

“And the night was even better, if my memory serves.”

“One of the best,” Justin smiled.

They continued to dance oblivious to the looks they were getting from some in attendance. The only people who mattered were the two of them, and they had eyes for no one else.

When the song ended they made their way back to the table where Michael and Ben still sat.

“That was a pretty tame dance for you two,” Ben laughed.

“Yeah, where were the bumps and grinds?” Michael teased.

“This doesn’t look like Babylon to me,” Brian said sarcastically. “I do know what’s appropriate in social circles.”

“Well, paaardon me,” Michael giggled.

Brian gave him a look. “I don’t see you and Ben out their doing your usual Babylon stuff either. Strip off your shirt, Ben, and give them all a thrill.”

Ben shook his head. “I know what’s appropriate too,” he said.

They sat and watched other couples who were dancing for a while. When they played a slow cha-cha type song, Brian asked Justin to dance again. He hoped the dance might trigger Justin’s memory of the prom dance, but it didn’t matter if it did. They could still enjoy the dance and show the other dancers how it should be done.

“Relax,” Brian ordered as he assumed the position with Justin. He remembered how badly they had moved together when they had tried to re-enact this dance at the loft after Justin’s bashing.

“I don’t know if I can,” Justin said nervously. He didn’t want to look like a fool in front of Brian’s old classmates.

“Close your eyes and feel the music. Place yourself in my capable hands.”

“I always do,” Justin said as he closed his eyes and felt Brian pull him closer.

“I love you, and I won’t let anything happen.”

“Okay.”

They began to move and Justin felt himself shift as he sensed Brian’s movements. He felt Brian raise his hand above his head, and Justin spun around beneath it. They were gliding along with no hesitancy, no missteps. Everything was fluid and free. Justin opened his eyes and looked at Brian. His smile was beautiful, as he gazed into Brian’s eyes.

“Is this what it was like that night?” Justin had to ask.

“Kind of.”

“I see why it was so memorable,” Justin responded as Brian guided him back and forth and across the floor.

When the song ended, there was a smattering of applause for the two men as they left the dance area.

“I think we’re a hit,” Brian smirked.

“That was awesome,” Justin gushed as he held onto Brian’s hand.

“You guys were great,” someone called from a table they passed by.

Brian and Justin were both beaming as they returned to their table.

“Is that what it was like at the prom?” Michael asked Brian.

“Pretty much.”

“I … I didn’t know you could dance like that,” Michael stammered.

“Neither did I … until I found my one true partner.”

Justin’s smile brightened the whole gymnasium. “Where did you learn to dance like that, Brian?”

“We had to take dance in gym classes for one semester,” Brian replied.

“I didn’t,” Michael protested.

“You did to, but you managed to get Debbie to write you note after note to be excused from most of the classes.”

“Oh yeah,” Michael said sheepishly.

“You mean that could have been us out there cutting a rug?” Ben laughed. “If only you had gone to those classes.”

Michael giggled and Ben hugged him affectionately.

“Wanna dance?” Michael asked.

Ben nodded and the two men made their way out to the dance area.

“Brian,” a female voice said.

Brian turned his head to see Mary Beth standing just beside him. “What can I do for you, Mary Beth?”

“Could we talk … privately?” she asked.

Brian glanced at Justin. “I don’t think we have much to talk about,” he replied.

“I have a couple of questions I think you can answer for me,” Mary Beth persisted. Brian could see tears in her eyes.

“Why don’t you take Mary Beth outside for a breath of fresh air,” Justin suggested. He smiled carefully at Brian. “I’ll be fine.”

“You sure?” Brian asked with a frown.

Justin nodded as Brian stood up. Brian took Mary Beth’s arm and led her to the front steps of the school. Once outside they sat on the stone railing at the top of the steps.

“So, what happened to Joel?” Brian asked when Mary Beth did not start the conversation.

“He’s sleeping it off in that room by the main office. You know, the one they used to send us to if we were not feeling well … or pretending to not feel well,” she added with a chuckle.

“Did that a few times,” Brian said wryly.

“Me too.”

“What are these questions you want to ask?” Brian asked. He wanted to get to the point so he could get back to Justin. He didn’t like leaving him all alone in the gym.

“I think Joel’s gay,” Mary Beth whispered.

Brian snorted. “I’ve known that for years. What took you so long to come to that realization?”

“You knew? Did you two…?”

“Fuck, no!”

“But … how…?”

“Gay men have this sense of other gay men,” Brian explained trying to keep it simple. “I always got a gay vibe from Joel.”

“But he was so … horrible to you. He always said the worst things.”

“He also did the worst things to me that he could get away with.”

“Like what?” Mary Beth asked.

“You mean you never heard the infamous story of my head in the toilet?” Brian asked derisively.

“Yeah, I heard that someone had done that. Did Joel really…?”

“He and Buck Hansen.”

“Shit! That’s awful,” Mary Beth replied. “Is that why…?”

“Yeah, the hand in the locker door was retaliation,” Brian admitted.

“He fucking deserved it. You should have done the same thing to Joel.”

“You were going out with him again, so…”

“So, you didn’t hurt him? You did that for me?”

Brian looked at the cement beneath his feet, but he gave a slight nod with his head.

“Why did you have to be gay?” Mary Beth lamented. “I could have really fallen for you.”

“Naw, you only had eyes for Joel back then.”

“And look how well that turned out,” Mary Beth replied shaking her head. “What am I going to do?”

“What do you want to do?” Brian asked, knowing they were finally getting to the crux of the problem.

“I … I think I want a divorce. I’ve been told by a couple of people that they’ve seen Joel picking up hustlers on Liberty Avenue,” Mary Beth whispered.

“Then you need to dump him. And you should get tested. You don’t know what he might have brought home to you.”

“Shit! I never thought of that.”

“It’s time to think of yourself. Joel isn’t going to do it for you.”

“You’re right, Brian. Thanks.”

“Don’t thank me. You have a hard road ahead.”

“I know, but I finally have an idea of what I need to do.”

“Then go do it,” Brian said authoritatively. He stood up and started to go inside. When he reached the door, he turned back and looked at Mary Beth who still sat on the railing. “Good luck,” he told her as he pulled the door open. She merely nodded and sat there thinking about what she would have to do.

“Brian, can we talk now?” Buck Hansen asked as Brian stepped back into the foyer.

“Not now, Buck. I have to check on Justin.” He brushed past Buck and heard the man mutter, “Goddam!” He kept on going, looking into the gym to spot Justin. He saw the familiar blond head dancing with Michael and Ben. He let out a sigh of relief as he headed in their direction.

 

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