Lost Boys Academy (Book One: Orientation)

by Aaron Ferrara

  Alex didn't budge. “Fine.”

  Kyle’s mouth hung open in shock. He placed his hand over his mouth as he began to tear up.

  The doorknob then twisted, allowing for the door to gently creak open. Kyle hopped onto his bed, quickly shielding his face with the sheets.

  “Everything alright in here? I heard loud voices,” Mr. Pierce inquired, flashing a light into the room, moving it from Alex then to Kyle. “Nightly checks, guys. I gotta see your faces.”

  Alex and Kyle both rolled around to face their counselor. Alex’s face registered nothing unusual, just a blank stare and a few blinks as the light shone on his face for a brief moment. Kyle, however, wiped the corners of his eyes with his sheets, pulling them back. He struggled to hold the flood of emotion back as best he could as the light moved over to him. He didn’t think he could contain it in any longer. As Mr. Pierce maneuvered the light away and began to leave for the next room, Kyle quickly bunched up his sheet and buried his face into the wad so it would catch the onset of tears gushing down his face. He couldn’t believe that he was not only losing his partner, but his best friend—The only person that mattered.

  HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA—four months ago

  Kyle slammed on his breaks as he abruptly came to a stop at a red light. Traffic lights in L.A. were so frequent that it could take a century to get from one side of town to the other. He took this opportunity to reach into the glove compartment of the passenger seat and retrieve his sunglasses. It was the beginning of summer. The rays of sunshine were harsh, yet beautiful as they weaved in and out of the palm trees lining West Hollywood.

  As he drove down Santa Monica Boulevard (the gay Mecca of Los Angeles) Kyle slowed down while on his favorite part of the strip, which was right in front of the gym. He removed his foot from the gas pedal, allowing the car to coast. He lowered his sunglasses, scoping out the shirtless, beefed-up eye candy scattered on the street.

  “Damn,” he awed under his breath.

  HONK!

  “Come on, douche!” shouted a voice from the car behind him, as they sped up around him and cut him off.

  “Oh, hell no!” Kyle retorted.

  He pressed down on the gas, hastily changing lanes to catch up to them. They both approached a red light, side by side. He lowered his window to get a good look at the guy who had yelled at him, only to his surprise, it was a girl doing her make-up.

  Wait—no… it wasn’t a girl.

  Kyle noticed at second glance a marvelous drag queen sitting in the driver's seat. Normally, he would have invited her out for a drink or two at the Abbey, but this one made the mistake of landing on his bad side.

  “Hey girl, looks like you missed a spot.” Kyle swiped his middle finger across his eyelashes as if he were applying eye liner.

  “Fuck off, fairy,” retaliated the man in the red-sequined dress. He retrieved a compact mirror with a geisha embellishment from his clutch and padded his face with more powder.

  Kyle felt his hand start to shake on the wheel. He didn’t know if he could contain the boiling temper he had raging inside him. He was never good at holding in his anger. He was rather quick to reaching outbursts, directed especially at those he felt had wronged him in any way. His defense mechanism was well-crafted. He felt his nerves begin to calm as he loaded himself with more insult ammunition.

  “No amount of make-up you cake on is gonna cover up that trout lip you got goin’ on, honey. Oh, and your weave is on sideways.”

  The light turned green, and Kyle sped away.

  The queen snarled and adjusted his hair, then turned right, screeching away in another direction.

  Kyle smirked to himself as he raced down the street. Now that he was approaching his destination, he pressed a button on the side panel, causing all of the locks to click shut. The buildings were beginning to become rundown in comparison to a few blocks behind, most decorated with varying layers of paint in an attempt to cover up the inevitable graffiti. The further he drove, the more bars appeared on windows. This part of town had an overall darker feeling. The sunshine was scarce here as it fought to find its way through the dilapidated buildings.

  Once he crossed the freeway underpass, Kyle turned down a residential street lined with not houses, but apartment building after apartment building. He dodged and swerved around reckless kids playing soccer in the street and entered an alley next to a tall, brick building that looked like it could have been built in the seventies. He grabbed his cell phone, sent a text, and within a matter of seconds, Alex was already in view from the complex gates.

  Alex smiled as he waved at the tinted windows of Kyle’s BMW. Kyle rolled down the window and motioned for him to get in the car.

  “Come on, loser, we’re going shopping.”

  Alex rushed into his ride and buckled up. “You have to be careful with those references. People are going to know.”

  “Oh, so what?” Kyle rolled his eyes from behind his sunglasses. “Do those kids even know English? I’d like to see them quote Mean Girls.”

  Alex laughed, “Two of them are my brothers!”

  “Oh, that’s right! We should invite them to lunch!” Kyle began to holler outside, “Hey Mijo’s, you want a—”

  Alex leapt across his lap and aggressively rolled up the window, struggling to hold back his laughter.

  “Kyle! You know my mom is already suspicious of us!” He turned to look out the window as Kyle exited the neighborhood to head back towards West L.A. “I showed her my watch, and she started asking me all these questions like, ‘why is a guy buying you a watch? Who is he to you?’”

  Kyle giggled, rolling his eyes. “It’s been like, three years, babe. If your mamacita doesn’t know what’s going on by now, she’s got much bigger problems.”

  Alex shook his head and smiled. “What about your mom?”

  “Oh, that’s another story. You know she’s crazy.” It’s my dad that would freak, but he’s been so busy with work lately, he wouldn’t even notice if I stripped down and started go-go dancing on the breakfast table.”

  “Yeah, I could totally see that. You in that red g-string you bought online for that Zangief costume for Halloween.”

  “Shut up,” Kyle quipped as they shared a laugh. “Zangief is the hottest Street Fighter. He's the reason I got into bears.”

  Alex rested back into his seat and continued, “So where do you wanna go for lunch? Taco Hut?”

  “Hmm…We could go there…or we could try Tonio’s?”

  Alex shot straight up and scowled, “Kyle, no way!”

  “Oh, come ON! Why can't we?”

  “No,” Alex shot down instantly. “You know how I feel about it. That place is like, fifty dollars a plate.”

  Kyle pulled down his visor shade and opened the mirror, adjusting his sunglasses while they sat at a red light. “Just pretend it’s an anniversary thing. Like, it can be our two years and ten months anniversary.”

  Alex shook his head, knowing there was no winning with him. He always felt guilty when Kyle spent his money on him, like for food among many other things, but Kyle always assured him that he didn’t mind. Kyle had the money, and Alex didn’t. It was a fact, and there was nothing Alex could do about it, so he decided to roll with it.

  After enjoying their extravagant lunch, Kyle dropped Alex back off at his apartment to digest for a few hours before getting ready for the clubs. When it grew dark outside, Kyle headed back down to pick up Alex. He pulled up to an awkward screaming match that could be heard from the street. Actually, it was no contest. To be fair, it was mostly Alex’s mom yelling something inaudible as he came down the stairs and burst into Kyle’s car, slamming the door behind him.

  “We good to go?” Kyle looked at Alex with an eyebrow raised.

  “Yup,” Alex answered as he stared straight ahead, not bothering to make eye contact.

  Alex was not dressed in his usual oversized, red hoodie paired with mustard-yellow jeans. Instead, he wore a tight, black v-neck, showing off his st
ocky build, something Kyle had always been attracted to in his boyfriend. Alex wasn’t overweight in the least. He held on to a healthy weight,naturally a little thicker. The pants he wore were more fitted than usual, showcasing Kyle’s other favorite thing about him—his round bubble butt.

  Kyle grinned. “You look great.”

  Alex finally turned to Kyle, who was wearing a blue button-down shirt and dress pants. “You look really good, too.”

  They both shared a smile, and for a moment, they almost forgot where they were. They moved in closer to each other to kiss, but the sound of a car alarm erupting response to the neighborhood kids kicking a ball into the bumper was enough to remind them that they were still in the driveway of dangerous territory. They had come to accept that their affections were, for the most part, not yet widely accepted in public, so they conformed for their own safety.

  Kyle then reversed from the narrow driveway and began to cruise slowly down the street. Alex’s cologne seeped into his thoughts, clouding him in an enticing, yet sweet trance. He couldn’t restrain himself any longer, planting a kiss on his cheek.

  Alex was caught off guard, but as soon as Kyle repositioned himself back in his seat, he gently pulled back towards him, locking his big lips with Kyle’s.

  Kyle beamed as he kissed back more aggressive than before, nipping on Alex’s puffy, bottom lip. Before he could think twice, he abruptly weaved down a narrow street and threw the car in park.

  “Screw the club.”

  Alex agreed, tearing at his shirt furiously, fighting with the buttons while Kyle buried his face into his neck. Alex finally broke free from his shirt, slamming his elbow into the car door. The adrenaline had rushed in, making him immune to the pain.

  Kyle continued kissing his way down Alex’s neck, running his tongue along his perfectly tan skin, punctuating each moment with a soft kiss. He repeated this until he got to his firm chest, where he began planting soft pecks further and further down.

  Alex couldn’t help but let out little moans every time Kyle’s soft lips touched his skin. It was like a thousand mini vibrations erupting the lower he got. He ran his hand through Kyle's perfectly combed, blonde hair, roughing it up a little. He took his other hand and went for the buckle on his pants.

  Kyle stopped him, peering up from his lap with a mischievous grin on his face. He moved Alex’s hand and placed his index finger in his mouth as he used his other hand to unbuckle his belt and unbutton his pants. He deliberately unzipped Alex’s pants as he lowered his head back down. Alex laid his head back against the leather seat in total relaxation as Kyle slipped his hand into the opening of his pants.

  If they would have noticed how steamy the windows were becoming, perhaps they wouldn’t have attracted the attention of an unwanted passerby.

  A fist rapidly collided with the window behind Alex’s head, their stifled yammering could be heard directly outside. Alex shot straight up in his seat, accidentally kneeing Kyle in the face.

  “Ouch! What the hell, Alex?!” Kyle massaged his face, looking up from Alex’s lap with a frown.

  Alex yanked his pants up, forgetting about how uncomfortably twisted his underwear had become as he rushed to zip his pants and buckle his belt.

  The shouting grew louder; the thick steam only allowed them to see a blurry hand continuing to rap at the window furiously.

  “Stop! This is my car, asshole!” Kyle bellowed.

  “We gotta go!” Alex panicked.

  The handle on the car door fidgeted as the anonymous hand tried to open it. Kyle jerked the car into drive, then struggled to throw on his seatbelt. Alex stretched his shirt over his head and accidentally hit a button on the arm rest, causing the tinted window to glide down. It was then that Alex realized he was face to face with his mother. Her grimace was something he would never forget—it was as if she didn’t see him at all; it was like she was staring at a perfect stranger who had murdered her son in front of her. Alex shook his head in horrified disbelief.

  Alex’s mother finally found words as Kyle stepped on the gas and flew down the street, snaking side to side as he fought to control the wheel. Luckily it was late, so the streets were as empty as they ever were. The only sound echoing in the alley was from Alex’s mother chucking her shoe at the back window, screaming at the top of her lungs in Spanish. From the way Alex winced painfully, Kyle could tell that whatever she was shrieking wasn’t good.

  Chapter Six

  -JIMMY-

  Jimmy brushed his teeth vigorously. He might have been scrubbing too hard, judging from the paste fizzing from his mouth; but he was numb as he stared blankly into the darkened, dormitory bathroom mirror. His mind was somewhere else.

  The bathroom door suddenly swung open. Before Jimmy could react, Mason was already in the tiny, cramped room, closing the door behind him.

  Jimmy spit his entire mouthful of toothpaste into the sink. “Mason, you can’t be in here!”

  Mason ignored Jimmy’ warning, as if he didn’t hear anything at all. “I never got a chance to thank you.”

  “It was no big deal, really.” Jimmy tossed his toothbrush into a glass cup with the others and headed for the door, but Mason wouldn't move out of the way. They stood face to face as Jimmy’s hand weaved around Mason for the doorknob.

  “Really though, I couldn’t have done it without you.” Mason smiled, adjusting his glasses.

  “Don’t worry about it.” Jimmy then released the doorknob as he took a slightly closer step toward Mason.

  “I think I can really do this now.” Mason continued. “I’m finally beginning to understand why I’m here.”

  “What do you mean?” Jimmy’s curiosity was now piqued.

  “You helped me rediscover why I am the way I am. And now I can start to work towards living a normal life.”

  “Oh…right. Yeah,” Jimmy’s smile began to fade, but he caught himself and promptly faked it.

  Without warning, Mason wrapped his arms around him, embracing him in a warm hug. Jimmy’s arms hung limp at his sides. His cheek pressed into Mason’s soft hair, the smell of warm vanilla flooded him. He remembered this particular scent from a hair paste that everyone used back when he was in school. It was an endearing scent, both innocent and masculine.

  Jimmy waited a moment longer, then pulled away carefully. “You should go now, before you get caught.”

  Mason smiled and nodded before slipping quietly out the door, disappearing into the dim hallway.

  Jimmy paused, stuck in place in the middle of the bathroom. The wind chilled him as a gust blew in, snapping him out of his funk. He then turned to the mirror and looked at his reflection, staring straight into his own brown eyes. His eyebrows scrunched up as he let out a sigh, running his hand through his shaggy, red hair. He couldn’t help but feel overwhelming guilt as Mason’s words clouded his thoughts...

  LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA— four months ago

  Jimmy tapped his foot repeatedly, following the beat streaming through his headphones as he leaned onto the metal railing in front of the bus stop. It was getting to be just past dusk, and the busses ran less frequently after six o' clock. Although, 'less frequent' in Los Angeles meant instead of a bus arriving every five to ten minutes, they came by every twenty. He peered down the busy street as cars bustled by during rush hour. When he saw the bright, red bullet approaching, he stepped cautiously back with the rest of the crowd under the awning.

  The doorway into the bus slid open automatically, allowing streams of people to empty out onto the street. Jimmy waited, tilting his head sideways as he peered into the bus. As soon as the patrons had somewhat cleared, the anxious crowd behind him began to surge into the already jam-packed bus. He held his ground, letting people shoulder past him as he continued to scan the bus for what he was searching for. After he was unable to find it, the doors slammed shut as it chugged along down the street.

  Jimmy bided another twenty minutes before the next bus came into view. By then, a new crowd had collected, populating
the sidewalk. This time, Jimmy was the first person to board the bus, maneuvering past the others. There were people from all walks of life: business men and women, blue collars and white collars. Dental hygienists sat next to construction workers, and high school students posted up next to soccer moms. Jimmy moved through the bus, passing a variety of faces until he reached the section in the rear.

  He stopped in the middle of the aisle as his eyes fell upon a boy his age. The boy sat with his leg up on the seat and his head resting against the bus window as he scrolled through his phone, browsing for the next song to play.

  The bus jolted forward, Jimmy barely catching himself on the metal bar above his head. He gripped onto it for stability as he slowly advanced closer to the boy, unable to take his eyes off of him. He had a head of messy, brown hair, somewhat wavy and not too long or short for his liking. He wore a jacket over his hoodie and green military-style pants with black boots. His approachable, handsome face made it seem like he was the most easy-going guy in the world; but the most intriguing feature about him was his eyes. Jimmy was fascinated by them. They were light brown and were shrouded by the longest, thickest eyelashes he had ever seen.

  The boy wasn't intimidating by appearance, but Jimmy had trouble working up enough courage to even offer a simple ‘hello’. This had been an issue the last few weeks Jimmy had encountered since he started taking the number four bus route to and from his new internship downtown. He wasn’t even sure if the guy was gay in the first place, but something made him gravitate to this stranger on the bus, day after day.

  Jimmy inched closer until the boy glanced up and, to his delightful surprise, flashed a smile. The simple acknowledgement caused Jimmy to instantly freeze up. He had never witnessed such an intoxicating smile, and all he could do was smile back awkwardly.

  The seat next to the boy was occupied already; the whole bus was full, so there was no way to get any nearer to the anonymous boy. After what seemed like an instant, the bus reached Jimmy’s destination and he had no choice but to get off. He wanted to stay, but he had no plausible reason to. He had half a mind to stay on the bus and let it take him to whatever magical destination the boy was headed, but it was late and he had to get home. As he made his way for the exit surrounded by a herd of people, he peeked back once more at the boy, who nodded to him. Jimmy beamed, nodding back. He then paused on the sidewalk, watching the bus speed on its way to the next stop.