The Geek and His Artist (8 page)

Simon considered it but shook his head. “Not… not today.” He bit a lip again and knew his cheeks were turning red. “I’d rather just, uh, be with you today. Talk, you know….”

Jimmy’s smile was immediate and wide. He leaned in and dropped a kiss on Simon’s cheek, then whispered, “I’d like to kiss you for real, but I don’t want our first kiss here at school.”

“I… that’s okay. I don’t either. But… I’d kiss you too.”

Jimmy dropped another kiss on Simon’s cheek, then sat back up, but before they could speak, someone else did.

“Oh look, the fags are getting
cute
!”

Simon ignored Carson Whitney and the rest of his laughing table, trying not to smile when he remembered what Kip had said about him. Maybe he really
wasn’t
straight
.

“Asshole,” Jimmy muttered.

“I swear, he’s gayer than you,” Sean said, shaking his head. “He’s just so far in the closet, he couldn’t find his way out with a map and compass.”

“What’s the matter, fags? Don’t like being called cute?” Carson taunted.

Simon rolled his eyes when the girls at the table giggled.

Ronnie sniggered. “I can’t let this go.”

“Dude, don’t get caught,” Jimmy warned.

Simon raised his eyebrows, looking from Jimmy to Ronnie, then to Sean and back to Ronnie, who was pulling out a laptop. Nothing on Sean’s or Jimmy’s faces showed true alarm, though. Ronnie touched something on his phone, then turned to the computer.

“Not going to get caught. But I’m sick of that asshole.” He typed something into his computer, expression grim and gleeful at the same time.

“Oh fuck, you’re kidding me,” Sean said, leaning over.

Ronnie shook his head. “Nope. Give me just one… more… minute.”

“Jimmy?” Simon whispered.

“Don’t worry. And this ought to be good.”

“Aw, come on, little fags! Show us how fags kiss!” Carson called, to more laughter.

“Aww, Carson, are you jealous?” Ronnie called back.

Carson snorted. “Jealous? Why would I be jealous of the fags?”

“Because they get to kiss their crush, but you just have to beat off to pics of your naked teammates on your phone!”

Carson laughed. “I don’t have pics of them on my phone!”

“Uh-huh, sure. Hey, Kevin,” Ronnie called to Carson’s best friend. “How does it feel to know he’s jerking off to your picture?”

Kevin stood, but Carson put a hand on Kevin’s shoulder. “Don’t get kicked out over the nerd. Here, look, I don’t have any pics on my phone.” Carson pulled his phone out, throwing a smug smile at Ronnie as he did so, and handed it to Kevin.

Kevin took it, and Ronnie grinned. “What the fuck is this, Carson?”

“What?” Carson turned to look at Kevin. “What’s what?”

“This, you fucking asshole! Are you gay like he says?”

“What?” The word was damned near screeched as Carson snatched the phone from Kevin’s hand. “What are? How? I didn’t do this!”

“Right,” Kevin said, shaking his head. He snatched up his bag and left the cafeteria.

Carson glared in Ronnie’s direction. “I’ll get you back for this, you asswipe,” he threatened before grabbing his own bag and following Kevin.

“What did you do?” Simon asked, wide-eyed.

Ronnie shrugged a shoulder. “I pulled a picture from the cameras they’ve got in the guys’ locker rooms and sent one to Carson’s phone. He’s an idiot. He has his number set to public on his Facebook.” Ronnie shook his head. “And they have
no
security on the security office here—not that they should have those cameras anyway. And none of it can be traced to me.” He grinned.

Simon wasn’t sure if he was impressed, intimidated, or a little frightened over that. “Remind me not to piss him off,” he muttered.

Jimmy laughed, kissing him on the temple. “Don’t worry about him. He wouldn’t do anything like that to you. Carson’s had it coming for a while, that ass. He’s been bullying the three of us for years. Before he went off to the Catholic school he got kicked out of, he used to wait for us after school every day, so sure his muscle—and friends—were all he needed.”

“Wow.” Any sympathy Simon had started to feel for Carson evaporated. “Still, don’t think I’d want to piss Ronnie off.”

“Don’t hurt him and we’re good,” Ronnie said.

Simon considered Ronnie for a long moment, then nodded. He had to admit he thought it was good that Jimmy had someone who’d care like that. Simon wished he did, but he pushed the thought away, not wanting to think like that. “I don’t intend to.” He turned and smiled at Jimmy, who looked a little stunned at Ronnie, then shook his head.

“He won’t,” Jimmy murmured, then picked up his ham sandwich.

O
N
F
RIDAY
afternoon Jimmy stood off to the side near the front door, staring down at Simon. He brushed his fingers over one cheek. “You’re sure you’ll be okay?”

Simon nodded. “Yeah, I’ll be fine. I told you, he forgets after a while, and he hasn’t gotten pissed all week. It’s cool. Besides, he gets paid today, I think. So he’ll probably be gone tomorrow.”

Jimmy smiled. “You have my number, right? Is there a phone at the house?”

“I have it. We have a basic landline. The Bastard put it in when Children, Youth and Families asked him why we didn’t have one.” He made a face. “Always so fucking careful,” he muttered.

“Simon, you don’t—”

“It’s okay. I’m fine.” He smiled. “Not much longer, remember? I’ll call you if I can get away, okay?”

Jimmy took a deep breath and did his best to calm his annoyance. He didn’t understand why Simon wouldn’t go with him. His mom had sent a note every day with the lunch she packed for Simon, telling him he was welcome or to even just come for dinner. But so far he hadn’t been able to convince Simon to go. It frustrated the hell out of him. He wanted Simon out of that house so badly. He forced himself to smile. “Okay. I’ll miss you.”

Simon’s smile widened into a full one. “I’ll—I’ll miss you too.” His cheeks turned red, and Jimmy couldn’t help but kiss them.

“You’re adorable when you blush,” he murmured, making Simon’s red cheeks darken and Jimmy’s grin widened.

“Not funny,” Simon grumbled.

Jimmy chuckled. “I didn’t intend it to be.” He dropped another kiss on Simon’s forehead, then sighed. “I have to go. The buses are going to leave. Try to call? Even if you can’t get away.”

Simon nodded. “I’ll try.”

With one last long look, Jimmy headed for his bus. He tried to keep Simon in view, but as soon as Simon rounded the wall to head for the city bus, Jimmy forced himself to turn around and get on his own bus.

“C
OME
ON
,
man, Sean’s at some weird Girl Scout thing for his sister. You gotta hang out with me,” Ronnie whined.

“No fucking way. This is my first date with Simon, my first date
ever
. I am
so
not taking you with me,” Jimmy growled.

“I don’t want to go on your date with you! I do
not
want to watch you two getting all mushy all night. Ugh.”

“Well, then, what the fuck?” Jimmy glared at the phone, then focused again on the razor so he didn’t cut himself.

“Can’t you go another day?”

“You know it doesn’t work like that with him. He can get out, I’m going.”

Ronnie sighed loud enough to be heard through the speakerphone. “Fine, be that way.”

“Why don’t you finally grow a pair and ask Bailey out?” Jimmy suggested, rinsing his razor and patting his face dry before snatching up the Axe and spraying himself.

“Dude, tell me that wasn’t Axe,” Ronnie said, dodging the question.

“What? Why not?”

“That shit stinks. And it doesn’t work on guys. Just chicks.”

“You’re an asshole,” Jimmy said without heat as he snatched up his phone and punched the speaker button. He stowed his toothbrush and went back into his bedroom.

“Yeah, yeah, so you tell me. Since you’re gay, you must love me, then.”

“What?” Jimmy stopped dead in the middle of the room. “What the fuck does that have to do with anything?”

Ronnie laughed. “You’re gay. You like assholes—get it?”

Jimmy groaned and rolled his eyes. “Fuck off, Ronnie. Go jack off to Bailey’s picture or go ask her out or something. I have a date to go on.”

“Fine, fine. Later.” Ronnie hung up, and Jimmy stuffed his phone into his pocket.

Jimmy checked himself in the mirror one more time, frowning at his clothes. He’d opted for his I <3 Garrus T-shirt with the N7 logo on the back, and a dark blue button-down open over it. He’d picked out his best jeans and his only pair of semidress shoes. Sure he looked at least presentable, he grabbed his wallet, keys, and coat and headed downstairs.

“Don’t be out too late,” Jimmy’s mom said as she came out of the living room.

“I won’t be. Simon can’t be out too late, anyway.”

His mom gave him an odd smile. “Enjoy your time together.”

Jimmy blinked at her for a moment, then fidgeted. He knew this was
so
not the time to tell her. “Yeah, we’re just going to see a movie. He doesn’t get to all that often, thanks to the asshole.”

“Language,” she admonished, but winked.

He snickered. “Right. Yeah, uh… thanks to the jerk.”

She laughed. “Better. Are you guys eating first?”

Jimmy nodded. “I thought I’d t—uh, we’d go to Steak ’n Shake or something. Not too expensive, you know….”

“That’s good.” She nodded and smiled. “Well, don’t want to be late for your date.” She waved a hand at the door.

Jimmy turned, then stopped and slowly looked back at her. “Date? Mom, it’s only Simon,” he said, heart pounding.

She laughed. “Honey, if you could see your face when you talk about him. If you’re not completely in love yet, you will be soon.”

The heart-pounding kicked up another thousand notches. “Uh…. Mo—” His voice squeaked in a way it hadn’t in six years. He cleared his throat. “Mom?”

She blinked, looking puzzled. “What?”

“I… you… I mean, uh….”
Smooth. No chance of telling her she’s wrong now, idiot.

She continued to look puzzled for a moment, and then her face cleared and she smiled again. “Did you think I didn’t know?”

Maybe it can be salvaged.
“Know what?”

“That you’re gay.”

Nope.
“Uh….”

She laughed and Jimmy’s face heated. “Honey, I’ve known you were gay since you were five and you had a huge crush on Hercules, which turned into a crush on Tarzan, and eventually you worked your way through just about every Disney prince on film.”

Jimmy couldn’t seem to move. He simply blinked at her. “You… you knew? You know. I… I….”

“Oh, honey,” she said, moving in and wrapping her arms around his middle, since she was too short to reach anywhere else. She rubbed his back a little. “I’m sorry you didn’t feel you could say anything,” she said as she pulled back and looked up at him.

“I… I didn’t, I thought….” He closed his mouth with an audible snap, took a deep breath, and let it out. “I
didn’t
think. I should have realized you’d accept me. I’m sorry,” he said quietly.

She shook her head. “No, baby, that’s my fault. I just… I didn’t want to push you if you hadn’t faced it yourself. I know how hard it is to try to figure out your sexuality.”

Jimmy blinked at her. “You do?”

She grinned and nodded. “Oh yeah, baby. I’m bi.”

“You’re…
what?
” He could
not
have heard that correctly. “But you’re with Dad.”

She scowled and sighed. “Yes, the person I fell in love with was a man. That doesn’t change my sexuality.”

“I’m sorry,” he hurried to say. “I just… I didn’t think of you… never mind. I’m sorry, Mom.”

“It’s okay, honey. Yes, I’m bisexual. I never said anything because, well, frankly it wasn’t your business before.”

He smiled. “That much is true. I don’t want to imagine you in
any
way sexual. Just… no.” He shook his head and shuddered, and she laughed.

“Yeah, well, we parents don’t want to think of our kids—even our grown kids—in any way as being sexual.” She frowned. “Listen,” she said as she stepped back. “I don’t want you embarrassed here, but I am going to be frank. Be safe. If you and Simon are together—”

“Mom,” Jimmy moaned, trying not to die of mortification.

“No, listen to me,” she said, her voice sharp, and Jimmy opened his eyes, though his cheeks stayed hot. “There’s too much out there. Not just HIV, okay? I know you’re aware of that, but it’s
far
from the only disease out there. There’s herpes and syphilis and a whole mess of things to be careful of.”

Jimmy swallowed his embarrassment and nodded. “I’m pretty sure Simon’s just like me, Mom. A—” He stumbled over the word, felt his cheeks get hotter but plowed on. “A virgin. So, I, uh, don’t think we have anything to worry about.”

She frowned. “Have you considered he might have been sexually abused?”

Jimmy’s stomach dropped out and he nearly swayed. “Fuck, no. I… oh God….” He stared, wide-eyed at his mom. “If… how….”

She ignored his language. “There’s no guarantee he was. But… it’s something to consider. From what you’ve said, he doesn’t act like a sexual abuse victim. But they don’t all follow the same behavior, either.”

Jimmy nodded. “I’ll… I’ll keep that in mind.”

She smiled. “Good. Now, do yourself a favor and blast something on the way to Simon’s and try to forget this embarrassing conversation.”

Jimmy laughed. “Right, yeah. I came out to my mom, discussed safe sex, and realized my boyfriend might have been sexually abused, no problem!”

His mom laughed too. “Yeah, I get it. Go on, My Chemical Romance is good for that.”

Jimmy grinned and pulled her into a tight hug. “Thank you. For… understanding.”

“Hey, baby, I love you. You’re my son and there is
nothing
you could do to change my love for you.
Nothing
.”