Boys Club: How Far Would You Go?

by Ema Bancroft

  I'm serious.

  The coffee owners, Dave and Mandy, came out of the kitchen and approached us with huge smiles, offering anything on the menu. It made me feel a little sick, actually. We owed most of it to them. If they hadn't given us a chance - to let a bunch of young assholes who didn't know what they were doing go on stage on Friday nights - we would never have gotten to where we are now. We always try to thank them, but they'd never hear it. They just said they had seen the talent from day one and asked us to sign an autograph to hang it on their walls.

  We always did, of course. Then we'd eat one of their amazing hamburgers, or a bowl of this incredible macaroni with cheese and bacon, and laugh at the old days, drinking jugs of cold beer until late in the morning.

  Good times.

  Since I was early, and the reporter - Margo... something - wanted the interview to be pleasant and homey, we ordered breakfast. Drinking coffee and eating eggs and bacon and the most incredible biscuits and salsa, we answered the usual questions about how we started... about Tim joining the group... about the tour... about how we get along...

  We're more like brothers.

  Sure, we fought, but we worked it out. I love these guys.

  No, we would never let a girl come between us.

  That one almost got stuck in my throat, to be honest.

  After the interview, we signed some autographs and took some photos - including one with grandmother and grandfather, who apparently had a granddaughter who was a big fan - before going to the Key Arena to rehearse. Twicher was waiting for us across the street, didn't know how he got his information. I'd give the CIA a chance for their money, I swear. He followed us to the Seattle Center, and I looked eagerly at the colorful curves of the IMP as we approached the entrance to the arena stage. I could hear Twicher taking pictures as we walked inside, and I wondered what in the world he thought was so interesting.

  I took it off. Anything at all.

  The damn 4-square was there - sure they didn't miss them last week - so we went through a song with them before they left us alone. Eddie made some changes in the choreography of the first number to make it work better with the zip lines - and the set-up at the Arena was a little different from our other shows, so we had to make some adjustments - but overall the rehearsal went well. We were wired and sweaty by the time we made the final adjustments to our ending, Bye-bye.

  "Okay, then E. C. , in the first verse, I want you to come this way,"Eddie said, guiding me along the front edge of the stage to a point just to the right of the center as I hummed the lyrics with me quietly.

  It's been fun, girl, but it's time to go.

  Because I can't take your lies anymore, can I?

  "Throw your hand out here,"he led. I nodded, mimicking his action as we continued.

  I stayed here as long as I could.

  But the fact is, you're no good.

  "Then take the turn here, and the rest of the steps will stay the same."

  "Got it. "I saw Daisy coming out of the corner of my eye. Did she seem to be... moving?

  "B? " Eddie stared at her. When it came to his moves, he was all business. "What are you doing?"

  "I'm sorry,"she said meekly. "I have a cramp. "Her face blushed and as Eddie turned around, she looked at me in panic. I wasn't sure what was going on, and whatever in the world she wanted me to do about it, I went back to Eddie, keeping her in my peripheral vision. He turned to Rocket, and I saw Daisy move her leg a little bit, moving her hips.

  "Rocket," continued Eddie, waving his hand to Raul,"Kick it over there in the second verse," We all sang quietly as Raul tried the steps.

  Say what you want, I've always been honest.

  I never did what you did to yourself.

  Daisy didn't turn around and I swore I saw her between her legs. What the fuck was wrong with her?

  Forgive and forget? I tried before.

  But now I'm walking out the door

  Eddie applauded. "A little to the left,"he led. Raul changed his position and Eddie nodded. "And now, everyone should be in position for the choir. " Daisy twisted again, and Eddie looked at her irritated. "Another cramp?

  She shrugged. Then I saw him. A revealing lump in the middle of her thigh. It took me a moment to identify the source.

  Shit. Her dick had been released and floated through her leg. She swallowed, covering the bundle clumsily with her hand. This wasn't right.

  "I said hesitant, trying not to notice that Daisy was slipping her dick back surreptitiously. Fortunately, everyone else was watching Eddie. "Can we take five minutes? " I asked. "I gotta pee. " I bounced back and forth on foot to try to emphasize the point.

  "No,"Eddie said firmly. "Not until we get through this. Ready to try it? " Without waiting for an answer, he shouted:"Music!"

  We went over the verses, following Eddie's orders to the letter and - as he promised - we ended up right where we needed to be for the choir.

  Unfortunately, Daisy's cock ended up somewhere around her ankle, held in place only by the Nikes with the high tip she wore on her jeans hem.

  While we were working in the choir, I didn't lose sight of the treacherous lump.

  And just as we made the final jump, the rubber dick bounced off Daisy's shoe, rolling on the floor to land at my feet. Daisy gasped, freezing in place for a petrified moment before collapsing into a pile.

  "Shit! " she exclaimed. "I think I sprained my ankle!"

  The boys rushed to her side, and I was with them until she looked at me with her eyes, and I realized that her wound was a cover to catch my cock.

  I took a fraction of a second to recognize the ridiculousness of the situation before sweeping my dick and in my pocket. I looked down briefly, more than a bit pleased to notice that mine was bigger.

  Hey, I'm a guy.

  Anything at all.

  I joined the others by kneeling around Daisy as Eddie pushed and pricked her ankle, twisting it gently so that he could take her shoe off.

  "You know. I think it's okay,"Daisy finally said, once she realized the dick was gone.

  "Are you sure? " Eddie asked, not yet releasing her foot.

  "Yes. I'm fine. " She carefully pulled out her sock foot, sliding it into her Nike before she got up. "I guess I stepped on it wrong."

  "You have to be careful with that,"Eddie warned her. "The last thing we need is one of you with European leg crutches."

  "Yes. I know that. Oh, I'm so sorry. I'll be more careful. Daisy avoided my eyes, pulling on her shirt to cover her missing male appendix.

  A commotion of the stage was unleashed and we all turned quickly to see what was happening. Craig, Brick, and a handful of stage hands surrounded a large team box. Both bodyguards had their weapons drawn, but held at their sides.

  "What is it? " Daisy asked me quietly.

  "I'm not sure."

  Suddenly, one of the hands on stage opened the top of the box. When nothing happened, everyone looked inside, only to jump backwards when a little brunette jumped at her feet into the box.

  MY GOD, IT' S 5 POINTS! I KNOW I SHOULDN' T BE HERE, BUT I HAD TO SEE YOU. "Ruby came out of the box, just so Craig could stop her near the stage."

  "Shit,"I muttered.

  "How does she keep doing that? " Daisy shook her head in astonishment. Ruby just continued in that shrill voice that I swear is a decibel below what only dogs can hear.

  "I STOOD IN LINE FOR TEN HOURS TO GET TICKETS FOR THE SHOW, BUT WHEN I GOT TO THE WINDOW THEY TOLD ME THEY WERE OUTSIDE THE TICKETS AND I SAID," HOW CAN YOU BE OUTSIDE THE TICKETS? BECAUSE I WAS FIRST IN LINE, YOU KNOW? BUT THEY SAID THEY WERE OUT AND I HAD TO LEAVE. BUT I CAN' T MISS THE SHOW BECAUSE I' M YOUR BIGGEST FAN. YOU KNOW I' M YOUR BIGGEST FAN, RIGHT? "She started crying when Craig turned around to pull her out of the sand."

  Ethan turned to me. "Really, man? Did they really blacklist her?"

  I shrugged my shoulders, looking for Cecil to get some answers, but it wasn't in sight.

  "That sucks,"Raul said quietly. "I m
ean, she's a little crazy, but she's harmless. And she's right. She's probably our biggest fan."

  "It's so sad,"Daisy added, watching Ruby clinging to Craig's shirt with tears in her face.

  "Oh, fuck it,"I muttered. "Craig! Wait!"

  He paused, spinning, a small smile moving the corner of his lips. The bastard knew exactly what was coming.

  "Yes? " he asked sharply.

  I rubbed my neck, taking a deep breath in. "Get her a couple of passes for tonight, okay?"

  Ruby's head popped up. "Really?"

  "Are you sure about that? " Craig asked, forcing his lips to frown. "This girl is a problem."

  "No! " Ruby shouted, twisting out of Craig's reach. "I swear. I'll be a good boy. I just want to see the show. " Her eyes ran between all of us, her fingers clenching and tearing nervously.

  "All right,"I finally said. "We'll see you tonight, Ruby."

  "REALLY? " She screamed, jumping up and down. "MY GOD, I CAN' T BELIEVE YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST! " MY FRIEND EVELYN' S NOT GONNA BELIEVE I HAVE BACKSTAGE PASSES, SHE' S GONNA ABSOLUTELY DIE!"

  She still screamed as Craig accompanied her outside and made sure the door was firmly locked behind her.

  Daisy

  I loved Seattle.

  Well, actually, I hadn't seen much of the Emerald City. Just the five-point cafe, the Key Arena and Elijah's hotel room?

  Oh, yes. I really loved Elijah's hotel room. And by the time we finished rehearsals, and some quick press interviews, we were both eager to get back to it...

  "How much time do we have? " I asked lazily as we soaked ourselves in his monstrous tub, surrounded by green bubbles perfumed with apple. I relaxed against Elijah's chest as he would remove the wet hair from my neck so I could kiss him.

  "About an hour,"he muttered. "Sound check at five o' clock."

  I sighed, closing my eyes and trying to forget about the debacle in the previous essay.

  I lost my dick. What a nightmare.

  Had it not been for my quick thinking and Elijah's even faster reflexes, it would have exploded in our faces. I couldn't believe we managed to escape that virtually unscathed one. Elijah put her cock in my hand as Spiderfan made her way out, and I went into the bathroom to replace her with no one wiser.

  By the way, now I've used the strap and the adhesive.

  Lots of adhesive.

  And adhesive remover. Thanks, Moxie.

  "Are you all right? " Elijah asked, his fingers slipping slowly through my wet arms and descending again to twist with mine.

  "Just thinking about Europe,"I replied, panting our hands together through water. I hope I don't have trouble with my passport. "Mabel's mysterious friend who gave me my me. D. had also managed to get me a fake passport.

  "It looks as real as mine,"Elijah reassured me. "And believe me, when we're all together, they barely look at those things."

  "Are you sure? " Until now, it had not yet violated international law. I had a brief vision of being chased in Heathrow and thrown into the Tower of London.

  At least they didn't behead people anymore. Isn't that right?

  I rubbed my neck absently.

  "Yes,"he replied. "It's all VIP lounges and first-class treatment. Relax. " He kissed my shoulder. "Is that what's bothering you?"

  "I don't know. " I moved in the bathtub, turning to him, our skin slippery as I straddled him, placing my head on his shoulder.

  "Everything's getting so crazy,"I finally admitted. "I never figured out how everything... every lie... would pile up, you know?" And now I don't see a way out.

  Elijah stroked my back gently, squeezing his lips toward my forehead but not saying anything. What was there to say, really? I was right about that. There were no reassuring words, no trivial clichés to make it all better. So instead, he hugged me closer and I leaned on his strength, his warmth?

  "I'll be here,"he said quietly. "Doesn't matter what."

  I lifted my head to look into his eyes, and I saw the promise there. At that moment I knew I could trust him. He meant what he said. When all this insane charade collapsed - as I knew it would - Elijah would be there to trap me. He wouldn't leave my side.

  "Thank you,"I whispered. He held up one hand to stick his face in me, droplets of water shaking slightly as he fell from his fingers. He hesitated, as if to say anything else, then smiled and kissed me gently.

  I sighed in his mouth, sinking into the kiss... clutching at his shoulders and allowing him to comfort me... to punish me. His fingers slipped again tangled in my wet hair as he grabbed my head, cradling me gently as I cut my lips... the tongue...

  Sweetness made me feel pain.

  My skin warmed up, even in the refreshing water of the bathtub, and Elijah stepped forward, encouraging me to wrap my legs around it. His hands slipped down my sides underwater until he lifted me high enough to enter me in a slow, throbbing thrust.

  "Daisy,"he snarled, snarled, getting even closer, if that were possible.

  We clung to each other, just by moving - we didn't want the water to get between us. Lips falling on the skin, lapping the droplets and pinching the tender flesh until the cravings of our bodies took over. In unison, we give in to temptation - rough wheezing and sliding of the skin... the water rippling in rising waves until it collapsed on the side of the bath, unnoticed and ignored...

  I stared at Elijah's face, hypnotized by the fold of his forehead... the rough lines of tense muscle as he clenched his jaw?

  The tension in his body reflected mine, his impulses became more erratic as his climax approached. Then, just as my own nerves loosened, his eyes flew open, closing with mine.

  "Daisy..." My name a whisper... a prayer... like yours fell from my lips too, our bodies joined in carnal satisfaction as our hearts united in something like...?

  …love.

  We bowed together, frozen at that moment of completion for countless seconds, until - languishing and full - I collapsed against him, stroking his neck as he took up his slow tapping of my back.

  No more words, but a new consciousness crackled among us. This wasn't just a passing affair.

  It was something else.

  It was permanent.

  0

  I have no idea how long we huddle in the bathtub, but in the end, we come out of our little cocoon. I shuddered in the now cold water, and we took a quick shower to warm up before getting dressed to return to the sand. Elijah ordered some room service sandwiches that we were biting with greed, and once again I went to the lobby a few minutes before him. A couple of pains of melancholy echoed inside me, but I felt better... stronger after my time with Elijah.?

  I stopped at the point of feeling that I could conquer the world, but at least I wouldn't face it alone.

  That was amazing, wasn't it?

  Who was he kidding? That's all it was.

  "Are you okay, B? " Raul looked at me carefully as we headed for the limo. I saw the elevator doors opening out of the corner of my eye, and Elijah hurried to reach us, but I concentrated on Raul.

  "Sure. I'm great."

  "Looks like you've been gone... lately,"he said, obviously he's not convinced. "You know we're here for you if you want to talk, you know."

  "That's right, B,"Ethan said with a smile, throwing his arm over my shoulders. "Nothing you can't tell us - remember, we're like brothers. " He laughed, citing his favorite comment from the interview.

  "Yes, I know,"I said, shaking my head and hitting him playfully in the stomach. " The brothers I never had... and never wanted"?

  Ethan grabbed his chest in mock pain, and Raul laughed.

  I got into the limo next to Roland, who was remarkably quiet. When we got to the sand, I got out of the limo behind Ethan, Raul and Elias, but Roland grabbed me by the arm.

  "Wait a second,"he said quietly. We wait a moment before we follow the others as a discreet distance.

  "I think maybe you should be honest with the boys,"he said, his eyes turning back as he spoke.

  Crap.

  "
I don't know... I don't think we're ready for that,"I replied sadly.

  Roland nodded, putting his hands in his pockets. "I know it's hard... believe me, I understand. "He laughed without a sense of humor. "But it's worse if it comes out and you don't tell him."?

  I didn't know how to answer that. He was right, from what I knew. If Elijah and I were a gay couple, it would be a good idea to talk to the kids. Life would have been a lot easier.

  But we weren't.

  Of course, Roland didn't know.

  God, my life was a mess.

  I could feel Roland's eyes on me, and I knew I had to say something. I chose the only thing I could do.

  I stagnated.

  "Yes. Maybe you're right,"I said. "I'll talk to Elijah about it, okay?"

  Roland nodded. "It's just... I've been where you are, you know? "he said. I know how hard it is to hide who you are... lie to the people you love. I just don't want to see you go through what I did.

  I blinked, wanting to hold back the tears that suddenly threatened to appear. I also fought against the urge to embrace Roland.

  Tough.

  Instead, I did some boy stuff, hitting him with my shoulder. "I know,"I said abruptly. "Thank you, man."

  Roland nodded his head again as he took the door and we entered the cool darkness of the Key Arena. I looked back before it closed to find Twicher looking at us from across the street, his camera pointing in our direction.

  Man, that guy was creepy.

  0

  The sound check was relatively uneventful - no paparazzi appeared... there were no crazy fans jumping around behind any corner...

  Still. I refused to let my guard down.

  We went backstage to get ready, and when we turned the corner before the changing rooms, I had the opportunity to look up to find Cecil coming from the opposite direction.

  Three men followed him - two I didn't recognize - but the third sent my heart to the soles of my Nikes.

  Shit.

  Crap.

  Holy hell.

  He was my father.