Continuum

Adam went down to the back of the club to hang out with the “Freaks,” as Billy and Dave would say. Down by the old stage with its dusty, midnight green curtains and derelict proscenium. Late Saturday night, the house music was still pumping, the dance floor was still half-full, people were still popping pills. Adam made out that it was his friend Kat who he wanted to hang with, but that wasn't, entirely true, even if Kat was the most non-judgemental person he knew. He liked Kat’s energy, she made an art form of “being.” Still, it was a brave move as the "guys" would be sure to notice.

“What the hell were hanging around with those perves?” Billy would say.

“Some chick you were interested in?” Dave would ask.

Adam felt nervous and elated that he'd had the balls to do it; not be scared anymore, not let fear stop him, stay in the paradigm his sex and friends would dictate. Into the lion’s den, entering the pit, descending to hell. A statement, a declaration, a pronouncement, if you like.

“Hey, Adam.” She reached out and touched Adam’s face. “Good to see you out of the Jock Huddle.”

“I just came down to see you.”

Adam and Kat had met at uni. Kat had a penchant for outlandish clothes and coloured hair, which alienated her from most people in our newly conservative world. Kat had fallen over in the quad, tripped on a non-symmetrical hem and nobody offered to help her, except for Adam. They’d been friends ever since.

“Mix with the freaks, het boy,” said Kat. “Walk on the wild side, hey.”

“Just hang with you.” He shrugged. “My beautiful little bi-girl.” He touched the end of her nose delicately with the end of his finger.

“Won’t they talk?”

“Who cares, let ‘em.”

“Urshila will be excited.” Kat shrugged. “But she’s still got a penis.”

“Ha, ha.”

“And Bobby too. If you’ve changed your mind on Goths... oh and boys.”

“One step at a time,” said Adam. Bravely, he thought. He also thought Kat wouldn’t pick up on it, necessarily. “How are you?”

“I’m grand,” said Kat. “And you my big, strong straight boy?” Kat rubbed her hand across Adam’s shoulders.

He leant his head against Kats. “Big and strong,” he said more as a question than a statement.
A bushy-blond-haired guy stood at the other end of the stage and gazed at Adam. His eyes, seemingly, locked, his gaze fixed. Adam couldn’t help but smile, even if he physically wiped it from his mouth with his hand as soon as his lips had curved up.
Kat took Adam’s arm in hers, but he was rigid with terror, frozen with fear.

“Hey babe,” said Kat. She rubbed Adam’s arm and back. “For a boy who doesn’t care, your tension is saying the opposite.”

“No. I’m okay, I’m okay” said Adam robotically. “I’m o...”

“You just gotta relax, babe.” Kat sat up on the stage and pulled Adam to her. “You gotta chill, you made it this far.” Kat rubbed Adam’s shoulders; he let his head rock with the movement of Kat’s hands. Kat kissed him on the crown of his head.

“What’s the worst that can happen?” Kat whispered in Adam’s ear. “You could get loved.” Kat raised her hands in front of Adam’s face as if in a question. “Not so strange... for a pretty boy.” She took his neck in both hands, either side.”Say yes, don’t say no. Have it all, taste the delights. Don’t be scared. You know we all can. It doesn’t lessen who we are, quite the opposite.”

When Adam dared to look around, when his frozen demeanour thawed a little with every stroke of Kat’s fingers and he let his eyes wander, he saw the bushy blond-haired stranger still looking and a short, sharp thrill shot up his spine.

The stranger smiled ever so sweetly.

Adam closed his eyes again and swallowed hard.

“I said relax,” said Kat. “Nothing bad is going to happen to you.”
Adam laughed contentedly.

“You may just learn some new tricks.”

“That feels good.”

“Everything feels good, babe. Anything else is just perception.”
Kat took Adam’s earlobe in her mouth, as she stroked his clavicle. She slid her tongue inside, Adam could hear the sound of saliva. He giggled and squirmed and raised his shoulder gently to the side of his head.

“Ahhhhh.”

Kat laughed into his ear.

Adam leant his head back and he and Kat kissed on the lips. Kat turned his head back to the front and continued to massage his shoulders.