Boys Club: How Far Would You Go?

by Ema Bancroft

  Even through my final screams, I felt the corners of my mouth rise up in an almost victorious smile.

  While the final wave was crest, a relaxed numbness settled and Elijah collapsed beside me in bed, his eyes closed... his lips curved in satisfaction...

  I opened my mouth a couple of times, wanting to tell you how amazing it was. Something poetic, or significant... or appreciating?

  But all I could say was,"Wow."

  Elijah chuckled, his eyes still closed. "Yes."

  I twisted a little bit about the dampness in my boxer's underpants. "I should probably change. The limo will be here soon. " I got up to go to the bathroom, feeling a little ashamed of what I had just been through. We snuggled around like crazy while I was wearing a fake rubber dick. Who does that?

  However, I felt so warm and satisfied that I could not repent. When I got to the bathroom door, I turned around. "Elijah?

  He opened one eye, smiling at me slightly.

  "Yes?"

  "I really like my present."

  I heard him laughing as he closed the bathroom door and I thought he might have said,"Me too.

  E. C.

  Fuck, yeah.

  Rubber dicks rock and roll.

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 5 - Paseo de la Alegría

  E. C.

  Once Daisy entered the bathroom and the post-climax altitude ran out, I realized an important fact.

  My pants were full of jizz.

  What was to be expected - given what we had been doing - but also quite uncomfortable.

  So while Daisy was cleaning and changing, I quickly hid in the hallway and went down to my room to do the same, hoping that no one would see me walking around like a damn cowboy with bowlegged legs because of my stiff underwear. It was amazing that I didn't feel a little more afraid of what we had done. I mean, I basically had a dick with a dry hump. Sure, it was rubber, but it was still a cock. You'd think I'd have all these thoughts of "Oh, God, I'm gay,"especially considering how I reacted when I realized I was attracted to Daisy, even when I thought she was a man.

  Fuck, this was confusing.

  But when you really thought about it, I'm a guy. I could probably rub it against almost anything and get out. And when Daisy was lying there, all soft and warm - well, except for the dick - and moaning my name and all that shit...

  I mean, you can't hardly blame a guy for his pants-- rubber dick or not.

  I heard Ethan screaming from the living room that the limo was there, so I cleaned up and changed my pants as fast as I could.

  Daisy walked into the room right after me, trying to look natural. I didn't think anyone did, but I realized that she was really trying not to look me in the eye, and the only time she did it she blushed red like a tomato.

  Okay, so I wasn't helping.

  I looked away. It was so hard not to look at her, and it got harder every day.

  I don't know what happened to her. I mean, yes, she was beautiful... and smart... and funny... and sexy as hell... and sexy as hell.... even in her loose jeans and loose-fitting T-shirts. Somehow, knowing how soft it was underneath all that... how small and tight and...?

  Fuck.

  I looked at the other kids as we walked towards the limo, trying to adapt without drawing attention. I've had a lot of that problem lately.

  I really needed to control myself.

  I mean, shit. He had just arrived fifteen minutes ago, and little Henry was already up and anxious to leave? What the fuck was wrong with him?

  Pervert.

  Anyway, I did my best to focus on other things, mentally running through the chord progressions for Joy Ride.

  "Elijah, what's your problem? " Ethan was staring at me, fortunately in my face and not my pants. Little Henry was still half-mast away.

  I guess he thought chord progressions were pretty exciting.

  "What? " I asked, trying to make peace.

  "I was talking to you, but you're on another planet,"he said with a smile. "What's the matter? New groupie get your attention?" "Ethan moved his eyebrows.

  I tried to avoid looking at Daisy. "You're the only one who'd put your fuse in a little group, Ethan. I don't want to catch anything,"I laughed, looking for a way to divert attention away from myself. "I was thinking about the show, something you might want to consider."

  "What's that supposed to mean? " he asked defensively.

  "I mean, I said, the lead-in chords for Joy Ride are still a little off. We have to tighten the harmony.

  I heard Daisy drowned a little.

  All eyes turned to her. "What? " Ethan folded his arms across his chest. "Do you think I'm the one leaving?"

  Daisy cleared her throat. "No... no, it's not that. You're fine... I think,"she said hesitantly. "It's just Joy Ride. It makes me laugh a little bit.

  Raul smirked. "Oh…that. Yeah. "He exchanged a giggle with Ethan and Roland."

  "Get over it after a while,"Roland told Daisy. "You just have to sing it enough and you don't think about it."

  "Think about what? " I asked. I had no idea what they were talking about.

  Daisy looked at me, and then she turned to the other guys. "Are you serious?"

  Everybody started laughing. " Yes,"Raul replied,"he has no idea.

  Daisy's eyes widened wide. "And you never told him?"

  "No,"Ethan said with a laugh. "It's funnier this way."

  I was starting to get really angry. "He told me what? What the fuck are you talking about?"

  Daisy swallowed. "Um... Elijah, you know what Joy Ride is about, right?"

  I shrugged my shoulders. "Sure. It's about cars. The boys laughed louder. Fucking Roland had tears in his eyes. Daisy was bright red in color and seemed to bite her lip so as not to laugh.

  As soon as I knew what was so funny, I was gonna kick their asses.

  Really, Elijah, have you ever heard the words? "Daisy asked. "I want to take you for a walk... I want to fill the big gap..."?

  No idea. I still have no fucking idea what I was talking about.

  "Honey, open the door and let me in? " she said, waving her hands as if I had to get some hidden code or something. "Am I going to go straight through until I get to heaven...?"

  Ethan was about to roll on the limo floor. I was wondering if he was close enough to kick it.

  I tried to.

  No. Almost, but no.

  Daisy hit Roland in the arm. "You wrote that, didn't you? I can't believe you didn't tell him."

  Roland couldn't answer because he was laughing so much.

  "Will somebody please tell me what the fuck is going on? " I screamed.

  I didn't think it was possible, but Daisy got even redder. "It's about sex, Elijah,"she muttered.

  Let go of the lid and raise your hands.

  I want to go to a man's land

  "No way. " They were playing with me.

  They weren't?

  Honey, you know what I'm talking about.

  He'll park in your cave and never come out.

  Holy shit.

  It was about sex. I was the biggest idiot in the world.

  "Shit,"I finally screamed, my hand hitting my forehead.

  "Exactly! " Ethan yelled at me, pointing his fat finger at my face.

  Of course, I was irritated for about thirty seconds before I realized it was very funny. Still, I tried to keep my face straight.

  "Bastards,"I muttered, which made them howl again. That was it; I started laughing too.

  When we stopped in front of the NBC studios we were about to pee on each other.

  Daisy

  I couldn't believe Elijah didn't know what that song was about. I mean, everybody knew what that song was about. Well, actually, I think everyone suspected what it was about. It was quite subtle, mostly.

  Let me go behind the wheel.

  Honey, tell me how it feels

  Gear shifting, not too fast

  Girl, I want it to last.

  Oh, your engine's hot.

  Bu
t I never want to stop

  Okay... not so subtle. I looked at Elijah. Maybe he wasn't as smart as I thought.

  It caught my attention, still laughing as the other kids bent down to grab their stomachs in hysteria. Ethan was literally rolling on the limo floor. Elijah winked at me and my stomach fell out.

  Who cares how smart he is?

  I was still a little dazed after our intermission in my room, and I could barely look at Elijah without thinking about what had happened. I changed my seat in my seat to memory, my rubber penis a constant reminder of our dry hump session. It rubbed against me temptingly and I tried to think of other things, finally understanding why men were always adapting to themselves.

  It was very distracting having a penis.

  The limo stopped in front of the studio, interrupting my thoughts and calming the laughter a bit. The boys wiped their tears from their eyes, chuckling as the driver walked across the front of the car.

  I was the only one who was suddenly about to vomit... or faint... or vomit and then pass out...

  NBC. The Today Show. A live performance in front of millions of people.

  What the hell was I thinking?

  The driver opened the door and we came out in front of a wall of teenage girls screaming. I couldn't tell what they were shouting... it was like some anguished mating cry of some sort. There were tears, and jumping up and down... and lots of hand-painted signs saying "I loved 5Point" and "Marry me Rocket! "and one with a big picture of Roland saying,"Whisper me!"?

  I thought I might have seen a girl faint when Elijah greeted her. I couldn't be sure. We were taken to the studio and our dressing room in record time.

  People would come in and out to comb our hair, make up and check our clothes. Cecil arrived with Eddie and a new assistant who looked like the mousier version of a girl I went to high school with who bit her hair and carried a briefcase.

  A producer told us when our segments would arrive and when Andrew Marian would interview us.

  Andrew Marian. Not the bad weather guy. Andrew Marian was going to interview us.

  I started to hyperventilate.

  "Are you all right? " Elijah asked quietly.

  All I could pull out was Andrew Marian.

  "He'll be fine,"he said. "You've interviewed me many times. He never asks for anything hard.

  I shook my head. Andrew Marian couldn't ask me any questions. On national television? I started to see spots.

  "Shit,"Elijah muttered, staring frantically around the room. I bent down, grabbed my knees while the other kids noticed my situation. They gathered around me in a circle, unsure of what to do. Cecil ordered me to stand on my head (although I was pretty sure that was for the hiccups), the muscular girl grabbed her fingernails and the producer waved his hands and shouted in his headphones.

  "We need a paper bag in the dressing room of 5Point! Hurry up!"

  Stat? Seriously? I would have snorted if I could breathe.

  A young boy with a lip ring dressed in a page uniform ran into the room, grabbing about fifty paper bags on his chest. This kind of thing must have happened a lot, I guess.

  "What size? " He asked frantically, waving his lip with his tongue as he pulled out a bag of groceries, a sack of lunch and one of those little bags they give you when you fill a recipe. I was nervous, so the bags fell to the ground and everyone tried to grab them immediately.

  I fell on my knees and hands, scratching the pile of bags desperately.

  "For God's sake! "exclaimed Elijah, opening a medium-sized bag and holding it over my mouth and nose. "Just try to take a deep breath... nice and slow"?

  It was easier said than done, but after a moment, the spots in my vision cleared up and I could get some oxygen in my lungs.

  "Thank you,"I finally said. "I think I'm fine now."

  The producer looked at me maliciously. "This isn't going to be a problem in the program, is it?"

  "Of course not,"Cecil replied cheerfully, throwing his arm over the producer's shoulder and giving me a meaningful look.

  "It'll be great. 5Point is at its best. Your audience will love them. " His assistant followed them, scribbling something in a small notebook as they left the locker room.

  "Dude, you've got to control yourself,"Ethan warned. "Have a beer or something. You're making me nervous."

  "I'll be fine,"I assured him, hoping it was true. "It's just stage fright. When we get up there, I'll be fine.

  Half an hour later we were on stage.

  It was definitely not right.

  E. C.

  Daisy threw up in the dressing room.

  And again in the garbage can in the locker room.

  At least her hair was short, so I didn't have to worry about keeping her. I did that for girls before, and if I had to, I'd do it for Daisy. But I gotta say, it's fucking disgusting.

  The stage was set outside the Today Show studio, so we went down a faint corridor to the exit. I realized that Daisy was taking a deep breath and swallowing again and again.

  I leaned in to whisper and smelled good. I backed down a little bit.

  Sure, I liked it, but nobody wants to smell that.

  "Will you vomit again? " I asked her, looking for a good place.

  Yeah. There were people everywhere. There wasn't a good place.

  She looked at me with a pale face, glazed eyes and scared. I wish I could make her feel better, give her a hug or at least shake her hand. The girls liked that shit.

  But we were surrounded by other people, and I knew I couldn't blow Daisy's cover. So instead I hit her with my elbow.

  "You can do this,"I whispered quietly.

  "I don't know if I can,"she replied shakily.

  I stopped, grabbing her arm and pulling it behind discarded landscapes, leaning against the wall. I turned to face her, putting my hands on her shoulders, and hoping that she would look at anyone looking at her as if she were just some guy trying to give another man a pep talk. Ethan raised an eyebrow at me, but I nodded his head and he continued to the door with the others.

  "You can do this,"I said firmly.

  "What if they hate me?"

  "They're not gonna hate you."

  "What if they do?"

  "They won't."

  "Elijah..."

  "B…"

  "I mean, Ricardo had a huge fan base..."

  "Not so big..."

  "... and he was such a good singer..."?

  "Not so good..."

  "His fans are going to eat me alive. Did you know that one of his fan pages has started a petition? God, what if they start a protest?"

  "They're not going to start a protest..."

  "You could close the show with posters and songs..."

  The words spat in her panic as she shook my hands and started walking. Her eyes went crazy. I was wondering if I should slap her.

  "God, they'll start a riot on today's show! " she exclaimed, clutching her hair desperately.

  "B, there's not gonna be a mutiny..."

  She went on as if she didn't hear me. "What were we thinking? You can't replace someone like Richard. Look what happened when Van Halen replaced David Lee Roth..."

  "Actually, Sammy Hagar was better..."

  "And then there's Menudo... they changed the limbs like socks, and you know what happened to them..."

  "What the hell is a Menudo?"

  Daisy blinked at me. "What's that? The latin boys' band...? Ricky Martin...? " To my blank look, she waved a hand. "It doesn't matter. You just said my point. Nobody remembers them.

  Daisy froze. "Oh my God. I'll be like Yoko Ono. Everyone will hate me for destroying 5Point..."She leaned back against the landscape, fanning her face with her hands and looking like she was going to blow up bits again...".

  I turned my eyes. "You're not Yoko Ono. Besides, she is a woman... and you are..." In her raised eyebrows I lowered my voice. "As far as everyone's concerned, you're a man. A totally different situation."

  "It doesn't matter. 5Point is ruined
. We'll end up playing at state fairs and casinos for blue-haired ladies..."

  "B…"

  "They'll do whatever it took to show... in VH1...", she said, breathing heavily, and I looked frantically around. Why didn't you bring a paper bag with me?

  "' 5Point was... on top of the world,'"Daisy continued, gasping as she imagined the future episode,"' until... Tim Caldwell... arrived on the scene..."?".

  "Guys? " Raul shoved his head around the corner. "Are you coming? We leave in two minutes.

  "Yes, yes,"I nodded. "Just give us a second."

  "B, are you okay? " he asked worried.

  "Give us a second, Rocket,"I said to him again. "We'll be right there."

  Raul nodded his head and shot another worried look at Daisy before he left. I heard the click of the door gently behind him and scanned the now empty hallway before returning to Daisy.

  "Daisy, look at me,"I ordered, grabbing her upper arms and shaking her slightly. Her dazed eyes met mine. "Breathe…slowly…"

  She nodded tremblingly. "Okay... okay..." Did she take a deep breath?

  "You can do this,"I said firmly. "You know all the songs. You know the steps. You are better than Richard was.

  Her breathing slowed down a bit. "But... all those people..."?

  "Forget about them,"I suggested. "We're all with you. We'll do it together.

  She nodded slowly. "All right."

  "It's like a rehearsal. Just the five of us on stage."

  "Just…just us. "Her eyes cleared, and a look of determination crossed her face."

  "Ready?"

  She's inhaled again. "Ready. " I turned around to leave and she grabbed my arm, her eyes running down the aisle. She tiptoed up and kissed me lightly. "Thank you,"she muttered.

  She started to move away, but I couldn't help grabbing her at the waist and lowering her head. "You're welcome,"I whispered to her before I kissed her again.

  The outside door opened and we jumped out quickly. Roland hit his head. "All right? " he asked hesitantly, his eyes casting a curious look from Daisy at me.

  "Yes,"Daisy said brilliantly, waving a trembling hand through her hair. "Fine…fine. "She started at the door, staring at me on her shoulder. "Are you coming, Elijah?"

  I started a little bit, then followed her. "Yes. I'm coming."