Tim's Last Orgasm 6: The Prom

{Eric} Hello, Tim! Where on earth have you been?
{Tim} Hi Eric. Sorry I have not been online but I have been busy
{Eric} Busy doing what, if I might ask?
{Tim} Well, a lot has been going on. I am going to have to start working after school and weekends next week. My boss got a huge contract and I have to build the computers for him as soon as he gets the parts.
{Eric} But what were you doing last week? It has been almost a week since I've seen you online.
{Tim} I sorta got hooked into going to the Junior Prom this Friday.
{Eric} The prom? With a girl?
{Tim} Yes
{Eric} Good for you! You will enjoy it I'm sure. So who is the lucky girl?
{Tim} She is a good friend. She turned down three other guys cause she wanted me to take her so I could not very well refuse.
{Eric} Got the hots for you huh? And how do you feel about that?
{Tim} I already told you, she is a good friend.
{Eric} She might want to sleep with you, Tim. How do you feel about that?
{Tim} The thought of even trying scares me to death. I think if there is one thing in the world that can not make me hard, it's that.
{Eric} You might be surprised when the time comes.
{Tim} I don't intend to find out
{Eric} So how is your other project coming?
{Tim} My other project?
{Eric} You know, leaving your meat alone. Have you given in to temptation yet?
{Tim} I am still sitting down to pee. I am getting used to it now and it is becoming more or less normal for me.
{Eric} And?
{Tim} And what?
{Eric} There were two parts to the plan. What about the other part?
{Tim} I jerked off last night if that's what you mean.
{Eric} Tim, you didn't go quite a week!
{Tim} Yeah I know. But I made contact with a clinic in Mexico that is going to do the surgery for me. I got so hot thinking about it I couldn't resist. And besides my dick's days are really numbered now so it really doesn't make any difference.
{Eric} So I guess you owe me a BJ now right?
{Tim} We didn't agree to that.
{Eric} No, I suppose you're right. But Tim, I really wish you'd change your mind.
{Tim} Fine, if you feel that way about it come on up to Chicago and I'll give you your BJ.
{Eric} I didn't mean that, Tim. I was talking about your surgery.
{Tim} that is not up for negotiation. That is going to happen.
{Eric} So tell me about this clinic you have found.
{Tim} Not that much to tell. They said they will do it and I have enough money so all I have to do is to make the arrangements.
{Eric} Tim I wish you would believe me. You don't know what you're doing.
{Tim} I think I do. I have wanted this for so long I don't feel that I really have a choice now. I have got to do it.
{Eric} Do you think that is fair to your girl friend?
{Tim} She is NOT my girl friend! She is just a friend.
{Eric} Does she know that?
{Tim} If she doesn't she must be deaf because I keep telling her. Anyway I have to go Eric. I will talk to ya later ok?
{Eric} Please don't go. We should talk this out.
{Tim} There is nothing to talk about. Bye.

Tim didn't feel right about being that abrupt with anyone, even someone on the Internet who was nothing but a name to him. Eric had shown real concern, Tim thought, but he just didn't understand. He was trying to apply the rules that he lived by, trying to get Tim into something that Tim wasn't prepared to do while at the same time attempting to talk him out of something that he HAD to do! So he shrugged and opened his books after checking his mail and finding nothing.

Tim found that he couldn't concentrate on his homework tonight. In spite of his attempts to control it, his mind kept wandering back to his little wank the night before. He had enjoyed it immensely: the sensations of handling himself, the growing, boiling eruption in his loins, the almost paralyzing explosion. But what was really turning him on right now wasn't the memory of that orgasm, but rather the thoughts that he would soon not be able to have one! And if his plan worked out the way it was developing, that inability would come a lot sooner than he had thought!

Having finished the minimum number of Physics problems, he put his books away and got ready for bed. As he was crawling in there was a knock on his door. "What do ya want, Terry?" he said.
"You in bed?" he brother asked through the door.
"I was just gettin' in. What do you want?"
"Can I talk to ya for a sec? It's important, Tim! Please?"
"Ok, just a sec." Tim needed the extra time to put away an old T-shirt he'd been using ever since he'd made the mess in his bed. He would set it on the bed beside him where he could grab it and catch his emissions. His efforts had only been partly successful, but he was trying. Whether his parents were tolerant or not, he wasn't particularly anxious that they know he was beating his meat all the time. "Ok, what do you want? It's late, Terry!"

Tim made no effort to hide his annoyance as his brother entered his room; but the look on Terry's face softened his attitude. The boy was obviously in some sort of distress. Tim thought he looked about ready to cry. "What, Terry?" he said as he put his hands on the boy's bare shoulders. As usual, Terry was wearing only his white briefs. For once, he didn't seem to be aroused. Tim, on the other hand, could not make such a claim as his ample bulge strained at his briefs.

Terry sat on the bed and looked down at the floor. It seemed as if he was never going to speak, So Tim did it for him. "Something's bothering you, Terry," he said the obvious. "What is it?"
"You'll laugh at me," Terry said, his eyes still looking down at his feet.
"I promise I won't laugh. C'mon, Ter... you took the trouble to come here, an' I can tell you're really upset. If I can help I will, and I promise I won't laugh. That's what brothers are for. Just spill it!"
"Promise you won't say anything to Mom and Dad?"
"I promise."
"Well... some o' the guys... I mean..." Tim could see the tears forming and rolling down his cheeks. He ran his hand through his little brother's long hair. He loved Terry's hair! It was not as fine as Tim's, so it was much better behaved and Terry wore it long. On him it was silky and luxurious! "Just tell me!" he whispered again.
"Tim... I know you jerk off sometimes, right?"
"Yeah, sometimes," Tim said as his face flushed.
"You ever done it with anyone else?" Tim's entire body went rigid. He was about to get defensive, demand to know what that had to do with anything related to Terry; but the little guy was having a real problem with this, so he broke one of his own cardinal rules and decided to trust his brother, if only just a little.
"Yes, I have. Why do you ask?"
"Does that mean you're queer?"
"Why do you ask, Terry? Do you think I'm gay?" He wanted to tell Terry that he didn't like the Q-word, that he thought it was a somewhat insulting term; but that would be coming a little too close to home, so he let it pass. Besides, he knew this wasn't the time to get technical. Terry was really upset. Tim's immediate conclusion was that someone had been teasing Terry because his brother was gay.
"I dunno, Tim. I'm just so confused..."

This was Tim's golden opportunity! It wasn't so much that he wanted to get it on with his brother... at least he didn't think so. But to tell someone! Anyone! Terry had just asked him a direct question, and all he had to do was answer with one word, and his secret would be shared! But Tim knew he wasn't going to do that because he wasn't sure what Terry would do with the information. He had always been a pretty great little brother, but he WAS a little brother! Tim simply didn't believe he could trust him with a secret like that. But as he thought about it, he suddenly realized where all these questions were coming from.

"Terry, have you been fooling around with someone?" Tim asked.
"Well... yeah, kinda..."
"And you think because of that you're gay?"
"Not exactly. Judd Amos and me... well he told me he was startin' to grow some hair, an' I said I was too... He asked if he could see so we kinda compared. One thing kinda led to another an' we ended up jerkin' off together."
"But Terry..."
"That's not all," Terry said as he began to cry harder. "Judd told his cousin who is in our class too, an' now it's all over the school!"
"Ah, now I get it," Tim said. "They're calling you queer because of what you did, right?"
"Uh-huh. Am I, Tim? Are they right?"
"What do you think? Do you think you are?"

Terry sat on Tim's bed, crying softly, for a full three minutes. He didn't say anything, didn't look up; but Tim knew he was contemplating the question and having some difficulty with the answer. Finally he just shrugged. The movement was so slight that Tim would have missed it had he not been looking quite so intently. "That's not an answer," Tim said. "I'm your big brother, Terry! You came in here tonight because you trusted me, and I'm not gonna let you down. I'm gonna love you no matter what..."
"But if Mom and Dad ever found out," he moaned. "You know what they're like, Tim! I can't talk to them about... well... about that stuff at all! And I know they would never let me even say the G-word! They'd just say I'm too young to be thinking of sex, and..."
"I know, Terry. That's why you've got a big brother! You can say anything, and I won't tell anyone! But you've got to know that just jerking off with other boys doesn't say anything at all about whether you're gay or not. I've done it with lots of other guys, and some of them have had girl friends for a long time. When you're just developing like you are now, an' your dick is growing and you're getting all those feelings, you're bound to explore. You can't make yourself gay, Terry, and... and you can't make yourself NOT gay. You are either gay, or you're not. And even if you are..."
"Mom would kill me! And Dad too!"
"Then don't tell them! But you are what you are, Terry!"
"Do you think I'm gay, Tim?"
I wish! Tim thought. "I have no idea, Terry," he answered. "I don't think there's any way of knowing yet. You're only 12!"
"I'll be thirteen in two weeks," Terry reminded him.

Tim knew that 12 was indeed old enough for some boys to be pretty sure of their sexuality, but he honestly didn't think Terry was one of those boys. He'd been pretty sheltered, in some ways even more than Tim! So they talked a while longer, with Tim trying to reassure his brother that to be gay was not a death sentence, although it certainly did introduce certain complications in this society. As he spoke he decided that if Terry were to ask the big question again, he would admit it; but Terry didn't. Terry was beginning to feel better, so the brothers hugged and said good-night, and then Tim was alone again with his thoughts.

Tim was proud of the way he'd handled his brother's questions. He had played the part of the big brother very well, he thought; but still he was incredibly angry at himself for not having found out the answers to the burning questions in his mind. Ok, he had determined that Terry was indeed starting to sprout some hair, and was doing "something" with another boy his own age. But he hadn't found out precisely what they were doing, whether either or both of them had had their efforts rewarded with an orgasm, or whether Terry would be willing to share his body with his big brother. He hated himself for wanting to know these things, but he did want to know them, and desperately!

Tim knew, with the sort of questions Terry had been asking, that opportunity was knocking like never before. It would have been a simple matter to offer to "help" his younger sibling to discover his true sexuality, but he also knew that would be a terrible thing to do, and a lie as well! That was, at least to some extent, what he had done with Nathan in that Boy Scout tent, and Tim still carried the guilt of that encounter. The truth is that Tim was feeling an increasing desire for his brother's body, but not so much so that he would take advantage of him. Maybe some day something might occur, but not now. Tim's responsibility right now was to give Terry a chance to talk out his concerns and problems - a chance Tim had never had, so he knew only too painfully how difficult and confusing those years could be. Their parents were good parents, but they were not willing, probably not even able to discuss things sexual. So he tried to put the entire incident out of his mind as he again began stroking himself - slowly, gently, deliberately, deliciously.

As he stroked and fondled himself - there was no need to get himself hard because he was always hard these days - he forced his mind to think of Laura and their upcoming prom. It was true, Laura was one of the finest looking girls in the Junior class. Any boy would have killed to be her date at the prom, but she had set her sights on Tim! Why then didn't he feel privileged? Why, when he thought of her all dressed up as he knew she would be, didn't he feel anything? He knew the answer, had known for several years. Yet he really didn't understand. Tonight as he tried to force his hormones to arouse him as he thought of her, his thoughts kept returning to Terry, his brother, sitting on his bed in his briefs; of Nathan, still very immature, his hard little prick in Tim's mouth; of Doug, and what might have been if he'd only taken a little more care to be more discreet; of Randy in his tree house, his beautiful cock spewing his seed; Even Larry didn't escape Tim's lust tonight!

Tim thought of his parents. His first thought was of complete, total fear that they would find out what he was planning and have him put away. But that image didn't really fit. They were good parents and Tim knew it. Tim had never known anything but comfort and contentment. When he was born they had lived in a large apartment on the north side of Chicago; but before Tim was even old enough to remember it, he and his parents had moved into the house they were in now: a spacious 4 bedroom home in the suburbs, less than a mile from the Indiana border.

From his earliest recollections Tim could remember having his own room, the same room he was in now. When his brother was born, Tim was not quite four years old. Terry had spent the first year of his life in a crib in his parents' room, and then had been moved into a room of his own. And that was the way it was even now: Mom and Dad in the master bedroom, Tim in his own room and Terry in his, the fourth bedroom designated a guest room that no one ever slept in because all the grandparents were dead and there was no close family. His mother had no siblings, and his father had only one brother and they hadn't spoken for years. The two boys had never wanted for anything, had never been abused, had never doubted for one second that both their parents would be there when they got home from wherever they were. Shouldn't that be enough?

Well, it wasn't! Tim had developed into a very handsome teen, but he knew there was something about him that he could never discuss with his parents. As he thought about it, his mind went back to Laura and how totally un-inspired he was, how totally un-turned on by the beautiful girl that was chasing him. She was everything a teenage boy could ask for. She was pretty, poised, a good student. She shared Tim's disgust for alcohol, drugs and tobacco, and demonstrated no urgent need to experiment sexually; she obviously would do anything to be his girl! But Tim only wanted a friend, a soul mate as it were. He wanted someone to study with, someone with whom to discuss all the issues that barrage an adolescent facing life. But what he wanted to discuss had nothing to do with sex, or interpersonal relations. Tim only wanted a friend! He ached to look his father in the eye and tell him he was gay, but he knew he couldn't do that. Was his father wrong, or was he?

Tim's mind wandered to the body modification clinic in Cancun. He began to wonder if he was being hasty. What if he and Laura did become an item? Wouldn't he be needing his penis? Wouldn't it be rather frustrating for him not to be able to have sex with her? For Laura? He tried to picture himself having sex with her for the first time. He could simply not force his mind to get around the concept! He could picture her all dressed in a formal gown as he knew she would be on Friday night. He had no trouble visualizing taking her in his arms and dancing, even kissing, and thoroughly enjoying himself. He could imagine himself getting that gown off her, the many layers of petticoats or whatever they were called underneath; he could picture her lying naked, waiting for him; and there the image froze! His mind would go no further.

As he lay on his bed, slowly manipulating himself while he fought with his brain to force it to go on with his fantasy, he realized that he wasn't as hard as he had been. Could the thought of having sex with a girl be so repulsive? Guess I must really be gay, he thought to himself. So he turned his attention to Eric. He knew without a doubt that Eric would have no qualms about having a romp in the sack with Tim, or any other teenage boy for that matter. But tonight Eric's image took the form of someone Tim knew far better: he was the adult likeness of Terry, and that got Tim's engine running again at full throttle! So he gave up trying to fight it and just accepted the image of his brother in his mind.

As he wanked away, Tim tried to picture Terry in two or three years, when in Tim's opinion it would be acceptable to fool around with him if he were so inclined. But it would be too late then, wouldn't it? What if Terry were so inclined, but Tim had already lost his dick? Wouldn't that about drive him out of his mind? The thought of such a thing was certainly driving him out of his mind right now, and over the edge as well as he was consumed in an orgasm that rattled his back teeth! Ohhhhhhh GAWWWWDDDDD! he moaned as he felt wave after wave of pure ecstasy wash over him and he spewed volumes of teen nectar all over his face, chest and abdomen. Next door, Terry heard the moan and knew what had just happened; and that sent him over the edge, depositing a respectable puddle on his own belly.

The rest of the week was one nightmare after the other for Tim. At school Laura was in his face constantly, all smiles and chuckles, telling everyone who would listen that she and Tim would be at the prom. Tim kept trying to tell her that it meant nothing, just two friends going out for the evening. But it was no use; Laura would simply not be discouraged! Tuesday night they had a huge Physics project to do, so Tim and Laura spent the entire evening in Tim's bedroom with the door open, his mother's orders, working on the project. Tim enjoyed working with Laura, but he was terribly frightened that she was getting the wrong idea.

"Please come right home from school tomorrow, boys," their mother said to Tim and Terry as they got ready for school Wednesday morning. "We are all going to dress for dinner tonight."
"Dress for dinner?" Tim questioned idly.
"Mr. And Mrs. Matthews and Laura are coming for dinner, and I want you two looking your best."
"What!" Tim said, shocked. "Mom, I wish you'd believe me, this is no big deal! Besides, Larry and I were planning..."
"Perhaps it's not a big deal for you, but it should be. This is your Junior Prom, Tim! You only get one Junior Prom in your life! We want to meet Laura's parents, and they're anxious to meet us all too! I'm sure Larry will understand."

"I think it's kinda neat," Terry said as the boys walked together. "I mean, Mom and Dad have never been very involved in anything we do really. But they're makin' a real big deal outta this."
"Just wait'll you have your prom," Tim replied gloomily. "We'll see how neat you think it is then."
"Not a problem, bro! I won't be havin' a prom. No freakin' way will I ever take a girl to a dance of any kind."
"You say that now," Tim countered. "We'll see how ya feel in a year or two. I bet you'll be chasin' girls all over town!"
"We'll see," Terry said as he turned the corner to go to his school. "See ya tonight, woman killer!"

Tim seethed as he watched his little brother walk away, giggling to himself. What in the world had he meant by those comments? Tim knew it was not unusual for young boys to hate girls, avoid them at all costs. But Terry wasn't that young any more. He would be 13 next week. Had he been trying to make a statement? Did he already know for sure that he was gay?

Tim didn't see any of this friends on his walk to school that morning, and that was fine by Tim. He was thinking, wracking his brain trying to come up with some reason that his parents would accept for going to Cancun. He didn't have a lot of time because he had decided that it would have to happen this summer. He would have much preferred next spring break, but he knew better than to ask to take an extra week off school. No, it would have to be done this summer! But how to convince his parents was something of a problem, and he couldn't seem to come up with a reason that he knew his parents would accept.

It was during the dinner that Tim had been dreading that the idea came to him. His family and Laura's were eating and chatting when it came blasting into his mind like a blinding flash of light. "Or course!" he exclaimed out loud. Everyone at the table stopped talking and regarded him questioningly as his face turned beet red. "Sorry," he said meekly, "I was just thinking of a problem I was having in History. I just figured it out."
"He's such a good student," his mom said, beaming with pride. "He spends hours every night on his computer, doing his homework, and deep in thought. He spends so much time on that computer he's already ruined his eyes, just doing research on the Internet."
"Yes," Mrs. Matthews agreed, "Laura is always telling us how she wishes she were as bright and dedicated as Tim. As for his eyes, it's too bad in a way, but you really do look handsome with your glasses, Tim. I think they make you look very much the scholar."
"Aw, Mom," Tim and Laura said together, both of them blushing profusely now. In one respect Tim and Laura were very much alike, very much the normal teenager: Neither of them wanted their parents complimenting them publicly. Terry giggled, knowing that he would have been mortified too if he'd been on the receiving end of that little exchange. The din of conversation resumed gradually, and the incident was forgotten.

Laura didn't go home with her parents, much to Tim's dismay and Laura's delight. "Tim can take her home a little later," his dad said with a smile. Oh well, it wasn't all bad. That meant that Tim could borrow the family car, an event that didn't happen very often.

"Your brother is so cute!" Laura gushed as they sat together on the back deck.
"Yeah, I guess so," Tim agreed. "For a little brother he's not too bad."
"Come on, Tim," she coaxed. "You know as well as I do, he's gorgeous! Give him a couple years and I just might quit chasing you and go after him!"
"Good luck. He hates girls!"
"That'll change. He's still a little boy. Little boys always hate girls."

Tim didn't say any more. The next statement out of his mouth would be to share his suspicions, and that he simply would not do! So he decided it was time to begin his campaign, and he needed Laura's help. "It's good you stayed tonight ‘cause I need to talk to you," he said nervously. "I know you have the same interest in American Indians as I do. What do you know about the Aztecs and Incas?"
"Indians? That's what you wanted to talk to me about?"
"Uh-huh. I've discovered that the Aztecs and Incas had a connection with the Mayas a thousand or so years ago. I was wondering if you were interested in working with me on researching it. I wanna write a paper over the summer and submit it in History class next fall. I think it'll be so cool!"
"You're gonna be studying over the summer?"
"Yup. I'm really excited about this. Are you interested?"

Tim was so excited he was almost hyperactive as he drove Laura home. She had told him that she was indeed interested in working with him on the project but that she would be away for most of the summer, so her involvement would only be for the next month or so. Of course Tim already knew that from something that had been said at the dinner table, which was the only reason he'd asked her to work with him. His real reason for the whole project was, of course, an excuse for going to Cancun. The timing was going to be close, but Tim was convinced that it would work. Starting right now, he would show an enthusiasm for his project the likes of which no one had ever seen before!

Thursday after school, Tim was instructed to go directly to the tailor's for the final fitting of his tuxedo. His mom had even left her car home so he could take it to school, then directly for his fitting. It was at that fitting, standing there wearing the pants to that tux, that he got another surprise, another complication.

"Yes, we've been waiting for you," the young man said when Tim introduced himself. "My name is Marvin, and I'll be doing your final fitting. Please, if you would, just go into the dressing room and slip out of those clothes while I get your tux."
With pleasure! Tim thought to himself. Perhaps you'd like to come in with me and help. Marvin was in his mid twenties, a little taller than Tim's five feet five, very dark complected with long black hair. His eyes were dark, almost black, and they sparkled like black diamonds. Tim thought he was probably Italian American, or perhaps middle eastern. He was dressed in a dark suit, and was, Tim thought, about as gorgeous a young man as he had ever seen! "Please slip into these and then step out to the platform," Marvin said as he held a pair of pants through the curtain.

"How do they feel?" Marvin asked when Tim was standing on a small circular pedestal, looking at himself from three different angles in three full length mirrors. Marvin was busy slipping his hands into Tim's waistband here and there, tugging at seams, checking length. Tim almost had a heart attack when Marvin ran his hand over his butt, tugging gently at the material. As he withdrew his hand, Marvin had given that butt a gentle pat. Or was it just Tim's rampant teen hormones feeding his imagination?
"Ok I guess," Tim replied. He could feel the inevitable happen as Marvin went about his business. He had noticed Marvin's hands, which seemed to have extra long fingers with long perfectly manicured fingernails, and a large signet ring on the fourth finger of the left hand. Tim found himself speculating that those beautiful, almost feminine hands could send a body into pleasure overload with very little effort.
"We need to make sure there's lots of room in the crotch," Marvin said as he slipped one hand down the waistband in front, the other hand reaching between Tim's legs from below. "There seems to be a bit of a bulge of material right here." Tim could feel the back of a hand sliding down his prick, which was now straining to be released from the briefs that held it. Marvin seemed not to notice as he worked on the pants, tugging here, twisting there. Tim's breathing was getting ragged. Marvin looked directly into his eyes and, as if reading his young customer's mind, turned his hand as he withdrew it. Tim gasped.

"I'm not sure," Marvin said. "I want to make certain this one's right. If you would, please put this shirt on and tuck it in. I want to be sure there's lots of room without it being too loose." Tim complied. He was having a little trouble trying to tuck in the shirt tail, so Marvin pulled his hands away. "I'll do that," he said almost in a whisper. "I know it's sometimes tough to tuck in a tail like this without first unfastening your pants." Without waiting for an answer, Marvin began the task of tucking in Tim's shirt tail. He took extra pains in the front, Tim thought, and several times brushed his raging erection. "Seems good to me," he said as he paused his open hand on Tim's hardness. "How does it feel to you now?"
"Feels... wonderful!" Tim replied breathlessly.

Tim felt the hand close on his raging hardon. He shuddered with pleasure as he felt the hand begin to slide gently up and down. He could see the lump of Marvin's hand as he looked at himself in the mirror, slowly moving from tip to base. He could hear the voices of the sales clerk and a customer, and the thought that there were just a few feet and a flimsy curtain standing between him and whoever was out there thrilled him. It only took about five strokes and Tim's knees went weak, he moaned softly, and was anointing that hand, and the inside of this briefs, with his ample load. The hand withdrew, dripping with thick white liquid. "I think you are well fitted and very well equipped," Marvin whispered as he licked off the mess. "You may put your clothes back on."

When Tim emerged from the dressing room wearing his school clothes, he was met by a smiling Marvin who handed him his tux and shirt on hangers and encased in plastic. Tim accepted them with a shaking hand. "It's been a pleasure fitting you," the young man said. "Please, if you have any problems, any at all, please call me and I will do what I can to relieve the situation." He handed Tim his business card, they shook hands and Tim left. He glanced down at the card in his right hand. It was nothing special, just a standard business card. Tim idly flipped it over, and there were Marvin's home phone number and email address. Tim slipped the card into his pocket and got in the car.

Tim had to admit his father had done it up right when it came time for the prom. He had his mom's car again so he could get home quickly, and when he did arrive he found both his mom and dad had left work early so they could help him get dressed. "The limo will be here promptly at 6," his dad said. "You'll be going to pick up Laura, then back here so we can take pictures, and then you have reservations at the Carriage Inn. The limo will pick you up in an hour and take you to the prom. We've changed the reservation so the limo will not be picking you up. Your mom and I will drop her car off at the school so you'll have it to drive Laura home, so any thoughts you might have about drinking, forget them!"
"I won't be drinking, Dad," Tim answered. "I think too much of my body to mess with that stuff."

"So how do you feel?" his mom asked when he was fully dressed and waiting for the limo.
"I feel like a damn penguin," Tim grumbled.
"You kinda look like one too," Terry giggled.
"Your brother is very handsome," Mom rebuked. "We're all very proud of you, Tim." Before there was any more conversation, the long white limo slid to the curb in front of the house. Tim had to promise once more that he and Laura would be back in a half hour to endure a camera session, then he got in the limo.

Laura had left school at noon, and when he saw her Tim understood why. She was absolutely beautiful! She was wearing a light blue dress with a very full skirt, tight waist and bare shoulders. Her hair was done up in a sort of formal bun, with two wisps on either side of her head hanging down in front of her ears. She had makeup on, but only enough to enhance her already radiant look. Tim was totally in awe of the transformation of what he considered just another girl into a queen! I may be gay, he thought to himself, but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate beauty when I see it. He was ushered into the house where he presented her corsage, and in turn had his boutonniere pinned on his lapel. Then the handsome couple stood in front of the fireplace while at least a thousand pictures were taken.

That ordeal done, they got back into the limo and headed back to Tim's house to go through the whole thing again. "I dunno why they couldn't all just meet some place so we only had to do it once," he grumbled.
"Cause that's just not the way it's done." Laura said happily. So they posed again, then finally left for the restaurant.

Dinner was good, but neither Laura nor Tim really enjoyed it because they were too afraid they might spill something on their clothes. Tim could tell that Laura was happy just from the radiant look on her face, and for the first time since the project was first proposed he was glad he'd agreed to take her. He realized that he cared enough about Laura that he got a really warm feeling from making her happy, even if he couldn't make it a permanent arrangement. They got through dinner without incident, and by the time the limo arrived to take them to the prom, Tim's full belly had made him feel a lot better. I might just get through this, he thought to himself as they entered the lavishly decorated hall that was usually a pretty ordinary gymnasium.

"Having fun?" Laura asked as they danced. They had been at the prom for about two hours. They had met all their friends, including Larry and his date. Everyone was suitably impressed with how everyone else looked. Tim was not disappointed by what he saw, both male and female; naturally he kept this information to himself.
"Yeah," Tim admitted. "This really isn't as bad as I thought it would be. You're a really good dancer, Laura."
"You're not so bad yourself, Tim. And I gotta warn ya, if you think I was chasing you hard before, you ain't seen nothin' yet! I can't believe how good you look in that tux!"
"Laura, I..." Tim searched for the words, but they wouldn't come. As hard as he tried, he couldn't think of the words to say what he wanted to say. Finally he gave up in frustration and just blurted out what was in his heart. "I can't do this, Laura! You are so beautiful, and I really do like you a lot. But..."
"But what, Tim?" she said as she pulled away from him and looked deeply into his eyes. "I don't understand the problem. What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong, Laura, and that's the problem!" Tim's eyes were beginning to tear up, and Laura saw it. "All this, Laura," he went on. "It's so... so right, so perfect, so normal! You are so beautiful, and... and all our friends are here and they are so happy for us... they all think that we're a couple, Laura. They all think... Dammit, Laura, I just can't..."

Tim couldn't go on. He had started to cry right there on the dance floor. "We can't go out for air," Laura said softly. "You know they've locked us down. If we leave we can't come back. Do you want to leave, Tim?"
"I can't do that to you, Laura!" Tim managed to say. "It's ok, I'll be all right in a minute. Dammit, Laura, I care so much about you, but I can't... I mean, I don't..."
"Come on, Tim," she ordered. "I've had my night of glory. You have been the perfect gentleman tonight. You got yourself all dressed up, we had a nice meal in one of the best restaurants around, and we made an appearance at the prom, you danced me to Heaven and back and we've seen all our friends. I've got what I wanted, now it's your turn!"
"I can't, Laura! This is a once in a lifetime thing for you! Just give me a minute and I'll be ok."
"Come on, dammit!"

Tim allowed himself to be led from the dance floor toward the door. He could see their friends watching them. They were smiling, smirking, giving Tim the thumbs up. He knew what they were thinking, knew what they thought was going to happen now. He wanted to scream at them and tell them in no uncertain terms that he was not taking Laura somewhere to fuck her, but he knew they wouldn't believe him anyway, so he simply waved as they headed for the door.

"If you leave you can't come back," the door monitor said to Laura.
"We know that," Laura said with an air of determination. "We have to get home early. It's been great, but we've gotta go." The monitor opened the door and Tim and Laura were in the school parking lot. "That looks like your mom's car over there," she said after she had surveyed the lot. Tim didn't say anything, just allowed himself to be led to the car. "You want me to drive?" she offered.
"I'm ok," Tim replied. In his mind, which was after all still the mind of a young male, to be driven home by a female was the biggest disgrace of all. Tim had the presence of mind to open the door for her and help her into the seat.

"Do you know where to go?" Laura asked as they headed out of the parking lot.
"Uh-huh," Tim replied, "I'm not totally outta touch." He drove to an abandoned parking lot that he knew would be isolated. He knew because he'd heard several times about the various escapades his classmates had had here. He knew that most of them were nothing but the groundless claims of testosterone poisoned teenagers, but right now it didn't matter; right now he knew that he and Laura had to talk, and this was the only place he could think of.

"What?" Laura demanded as Tim killed the engine and turned off the lights. "What's wrong, Tim? Is something going on with your family?"
"My family is fine," Tim said. "If you only knew how fine they are! If you only knew how proud they are of me, and how wrong!"
"Wrong?"
"This isn't the time, Laura. This is supposed to be your night! I'm supposed to be treating you like the queen you are, not sitting here in an empty parking lot blubbering like some weirdo! I'll be fine, and I'll try and salvage the evening for us. You wanna go somewhere else and dance, or maybe get a coke?"
"I've had a great time, Tim! And what makes you think this is MY night? I thought it was OUR night! I can't possibly have a good time knowing you're so miserable. The only way you can salvage the evening now is to tell me what's bothering you so we can deal with it. So c'mon, spill it! What's goin' on?"
"I can't talk about it, Laura. I just can't! It was a mistake, this whole prom thing. I'm sorry, I should never have agreed to take you. It woulda been better to hurt you a little then, instead of..."

Laura placed her right index finger gently on Tim's lips. "Just shut up, ok?" she said softly. "It's me that should be sorry. I thought you liked me, and here I've taken advantage of your sensitive nature and forced you to take me out. I'm sorry, Tim. I've been selfish."
"NO!" Tim practically screamed. "You're so off the mark! I love you, Laura! I like being with you, I love studying with you, dancing with you... but..."

"Ok, now I'm confused," she said. "You love me, but you should not have taken me out. You love being with me, but I can't be your girl friend..." Laura stopped almost in mid-sentence. She sat silently, her finger still on Tim's lips, her mouth slightly open. Her mouth dropped open a little more. "Oh, my God!" she exclaimed. Tim knew that his secret was no longer a secret. "Tim," she said in a voice that was about the most gentle he had ever heard, "are you... are you trying to tell me that you're gay?"
"Actually, I was trying very hard not to tell you," he answered. "You deserve so much better than finding out you've just gone to your prom with a queer. I tried, Laura! I tried so very hard to make it a nice night for you! But I can't lie to you. I respect you far too much for that. I can't..."

Again Laura's finger was on Tim's lips. "Please don't talk any more," she said. "Just listen, ok? Believe it or not, I think I've known for a long time, but I wouldn't allow myself to believe it and that was selfish of me. But that doesn't change who you are, Tim! You're still a sweet, intelligent, sensitive guy, and whether you want to admit it or not, whether you can face it or not, you're the guy I love! Ok, so maybe we'll never have the ideal American family with a big white house and a two car garage and two point three happy kids, or whatever the average is these days. Maybe some day I'll fall in love with someone and get married. But that doesn't mean we can't be friends! That doesn't mean we can't have a good time together, and study together, and share our problems. It doesn't change how I feel about you, just because I've learned something more about you. Actually I think in some strange way I feel better about being alone with you than I did before. I think maybe we can be even better friends not having to worry about all those hormones and doing things we'll regret. No one else knows, am I right?"

Tim could not believe his ears. It seemed to him that Laura, one of the prettiest girls in his class, had just told him that she didn't mind his being gay, perhaps even liked the idea! "N-no," he finally answered, "you're the first person I've ever told. I think Larry is pretty sure, but I've never had the guts to admit it to him."
"Are you in love with Larry?" she asked.
"No, I don't think so. I love him like a brother, but... well it doesn't matter because he's not gay anyway. He's just the best friend a guy could ever want."
"Well, no one will ever hear it from me," she said. "Whether you know it or not I consider it a real compliment that you chose me as the first person you've ever told. I think that says something about our relationship, Tim. I think eventually you're gonna have to tell people, especially your family. But whether you do or don't, I hope we can still be friends. I can't guarantee I won't try to convince you you're wrong from time to time, but I think now that I know I can control myself a little better and we can have a better relationship. Can we, Tim? Can we still be friends?"

Tim didn't answer, at least in words. He put his arms around her, gasped lightly as his left hand contacted her delicate bare shoulder, and he kissed her, full and deep on the lips. To his own astonishment, he wanted to kiss her and he enjoyed it! "I think it's time to take you home," he whispered. "And thanks, Laura. Thanks for..."
"Shut up, you gorgeous queer!" she answered. "Just kiss me again, then I'd like you to take me down where we can look at the lake. I'd like to just sit with you for a while, and then you can take me home. I have to get lots of sleep so we can get started on that Indian project of yours."
"Ours," Tim corrected as he started the car.

Next: VII Cancun Bound