From the vaults (part 2) ...circa Senior School, Year 11 - Hanging Around

I hung around at school last night for Alex to finish footy practise. They were playing on the front oval, so I just wandered down nonchalantly and sat on the seats as though

Alex’s got think hairy legs, sticking out from under his white shorts, which hugged him. The backs of his thighs are sexy, leading to so much more. His calves, too, round and muscular. I love watching kick the ball, he flies in the air, as he does, high in the air. I was looking at him differently, I could feel that. He didn’t acknowledge my presence, as I expected he wouldn’t.

I got talking to Tab Cohen. We'd fooled around once in class, up the back of the room, while the teacher was prattling on. We slid our hands into each other's pockets to feel each other's hard-ons. I don’t know what I was thinking, and although that never happened again, we had a certain camaraderie because of it. He didn’t seem to be in a hurry to go home. He was waiting for his property mogul father, who was, shall we say, less than reliable, and who could turn up at any time.

“Why are you still here?” asked Tab.

“I dunno, just watching the guys practice.”

“I see,” said Tab. “Why, you don’t normally?”

“Oh, me and Alex were just going to hang out. After…”

Footy training finished, the boys were coming off the oval. Ben Saint, Andrew Johnson, Craig Cameron, Alex coming up the rear. Alex caught my eye, his eyes widened as he looked at Tab and then back to me.

Alex was behind Tab, he shrugged and raised his palms in the air. He then headed off to the change rooms too.

“Where are you guys going to hang out?” said Tab.

“Just around,” I said.

“When did you and Alex start hanging around after school?”

I picked up my bag. “We always have.”

I took a step away, Cohen grabbed my arm. “Where are you going, Alex will still be in the shower.” I looked at the shower rooms, I looked at Cohen. I looked at the oval, a vast expanse to run away into, I looked out at the Street.

“How are you getting home?” I asked. A deflection, sure.

“My dad’s coming to get me,” said Tab.

“Your dad?” His non-existent, absent father. There's a first.

“Yes, my dad, so it could be anytime. Come on, sit here and talk until your boyfriend’s ready.”

“What?”

“You know what I mean.” I hadn’t even done anything with Alex yet.

“No, I don’t.”

“Oh, I think you do.”

Tab was astute. He may have been small in stature, but he wasn’t to be underestimated.

Alex came out of the change rooms, he walked across the grass at the end of the oval, towards me and Tab.

“I gotta go,” said Alex.

“What?” I said.

“I gotta go. I’ll see you tomorrow,” said Alex and then he walked off like he had something to hide. He was avoiding Tab.

“Hang out hey?” said Tab as we both watched Alex walk the pathway to the front gate.

“Yeah, something like that.”