I started hearing from the college scouts the next morning. Men angrily calling me from all over the country whining over why I had rejected the football scholarship their university offered and demanding to know who I'd signed my Letter of Intent with. There wasn't any sense in denying the truth; they could find out easily enough. When I told each of them that I'd changed my mind and was going to attend a local community college, they collectively denounced me as a fool who was wasting my talent. I sucked it up and made myself listen to their pleas to reconsider, followed by their insults when I refused. My most pressing concern was that one of them would contact one of my parents and get them on my case but I made it obvious this was my choice.
I was worn out with the bickering by the time Jesse came over later that afternoon. It was disheartening to listen to adults verbally abuse me, especially when remembering that those same men might be the ones I would have to convince to give me a chance in two years when I planned to transfer to a four-year school. I tried to put up a good front so I wouldn't upset my boyfriend, but he could tell I was distracted as we made love. I guess I got a little tearful as I was calming back down into our afterglow and hoped he wouldn't notice, but it's hard to ignore salt water dripping on your neck.
He pulled out from under me, handing me the soft towel we used to keep cum off the sheets so my dad would be less likely to discover we were fucking in my room. He flipped over on his back, still breathing hard. "What's wrong, Shane?" he asked, his face concerned and drawing me down on his shoulder to rest my head.
I told him about the phone calls. For a moment he didn't say anything but when he spoke the words sounded scratchy with doubt, and they weren't what I expected at all.
"Shane, are you sure this is what you want? To give up on all that money when you could be getting a fine university education and do what you love... play football... at the same time?"
"I'm sure," I said rebelliously, hurt that he kept questioning my decision and didn't automatically take my side out of loyalty. "In the long run this is best. Full scholarships never cover everything and I don't know how I would manage. I suppose I could get a grant except that I'm still listed as Whit's dependent so I look like I'm rolling in money. My parents would never cosign for a loan to pick up the tab for incidentals, and with football I probably couldn't even work part-time during the first semester.
"If I stay here I'll be saving two years worth of college fees the scholarship won't pay for. I can work over the summer, even get a second job if I need to. There will be that much more money in the bank to help me out the last two years of school. Believe me, I have thought of everything."
Jesse started to reply, and I felt my resolve falter. I couldn't take his discouragement and I broke down. "Jesse, please try to understand."
My throat felt clogged with emotion. "Of all the people I've discussed this with, you are the last one I thought I'd have to persuade. You're supposed to be on my side. I can't stand leaving you, okay? I need you. I know that makes me sound like a total wuss, but except for my aunt and uncle you are the only person who loves me. I just can't do it..."
I felt myself enfolded in his arms and consoled. "Alright. Alright, Blondie. I'm sorry for doubting you." He stroked my hair and thumbed the tears off my cheeks.
"God, I an be such an ass sometimes," he said, letting a mouthful of air balloon in his cheeks before blowing it out harshly. "I should be grateful that you're trying to plan for both our futures so we can stay together and I'm giving you bullshit. I'm sorry I didn't believe in you."
I calmed down and let his comfort wash over me, giving it right back to him because I hated seeing him loathe himself like that. "Just give me two years, and I will prove I made the right decision. I promise."
The next night Jesse and I went out to eat, driving into Goleta to check out a place called Habit that allegedly served some of the best hamburgers in the area. Parking was bad so we had to leave Jesse's Jeep across the street, but the food tasted great, it was inexpensive and there was lots of it.
We were sitting at a small table wedged in back and almost done with our meal when three girls our age passed us, probably on their way to the restroom. I think the only reason I noticed them was that one strongly reminded me the tiny cheerleader from Loara High I had dated when I was living in Rancho Martinez. Except that her hair was a red-brown, not blonde, and cut to her shoulders instead of mid-back, she could have been her sister. She caught my eye and grinned in invitation as she disappeared behind me, and I smiled back.
Jesse was watching me watch her, and I didn't think anything of it. I certainly wasn't flirting, just being friendly in my typical fashion. I heard the noisy chatter of the girls approaching our table, and this time they stopped. Olivia, the lookalike, and her friends, Mary and Kimber, were all seniors from Goleta High. I introduced myself and Jesse to them, and as we got to chatting I was surprised to find him scowling at the table. After his dark hello he refused to look at us.
We talked about local news, mostly in teasing comparisons of our high schools, but Jesse didn't join in. I subtly began to sense what was bugging him. The teens were putting out their best efforts to draw me in with their batting eyelashes, giggles and megawatt smiles. He thought I was attracted to one of them, and he didn't like them encroaching on what he thought was his. Jesse was jealous and insecure.
He is and forever will be the most important person in my life, and even giving him a second of mistrust killed me. We make fun of each other back and forth a hundred times a day but not in this way. It hurt him to think his boyfriend would try to hit on someone behind his back, or even right in front of him, and I was going to put this to rest immediately. As casually as I could, I covered his hand with mine and began rubbing my thumb in circles over his knuckles. The girls, seeing the gesture, smiled a little less brightly and presently excused themselves.
I tilted towards him and whispered in his ear, "You never, ever have to worry, Baby. I'm yours." He didn't look up at me but through his hair I could see how his beaming smile lifted his whole face.
We left with our usual destination in mind— my house where we could cuddle undisturbed which often led to some amazing intimacy. However, tonight my father's car was in the driveway. As much as I would have liked to relax with Jesse in front of our television and play Xbox games, there was no way I was going to introduce him to Dad. Even if we weren't lovers, he would suspect the worst and not only humiliate me but drive Jesse out of the house with his homophobic humor. That was precisely the kind of great dad he was.
Instead, Jesse and I went to the ballfield just as the Little League games were ending and parked on the empty t-ball side of the lot. We were both horny and frustrated but we patiently waited for the families to leave and the league officials to close up the snack bar and say goodnight to each other. They didn't even notice us.
Switching to the back seat, we made out for the next hour and sucked each other off twice. It was cramped and rather uncomfortable but so worth it. I loved the taste of Jesse's cum and his sweat, they way they mixed with his Cool Water musk to waft into my sinuses and push every other thought except my lover from my mind. I could play for hours with his dick in my mouth and drive him nearly insane with arousal, taking my own sweet time to satisfy.
After the second time I tucked Jesse neatly away in his jeans and checked the time on my cell phone, surprised to find it was only 10:30. I still had another hour before I was supposed to be in for the night, and neither of us wanted to leave yet. There was a small creek that ran behind the ballfield, feeding a copse of oak trees on either side of a narrow path. Jesse said it was a pretty walk and I was game. We slipped down the hill to find the moon shining through the branches leaving a lacy pattern on the ground that we could easily follow. We held hands crisscrossing the stream several times following the trail, and half an hour later it brought us out at the other end of the parking lot.
We strolled back across the asphalt, drawing up short to find a Sheriff's patrol car stopped behind Jesse's silver Cherokee and a deputy in the process of writing out a ticket. He straightened when we came nearer.
"Which one of you owns the Jeep?" he asked, all professional, formal and intimidating.
"I do." Jesse raised his hand, gulping, and even in the moonlight I could see him shivering. I grabbed his arm.
"Officer," I explained, taking note of his nametag that said 'Erickson'. "We weren't doing anything except taking a walk."
He gave me a skeptical look that made me feel as if he'd been close by for hours and watched us going down on each other. "Did either of you see the sign posted at the entrance that says the park closes at dusk?"
Exchanging glances, Jesse and I gulped nervously. I never paid much attention to stuff like that, and from his reaction, he hadn't noticed it any more than I had. We shook our heads and waited.
