One More Time

8===> Growing closer and yet further apart

It was quickly obvious to me as I draped the tassel from my graduation cap over the rear view mirror in my old pick up, that I just knew Derek had probably done the same thing already in his Camaro. It wasn't like we were so connected that we could finish each other's sentences or anything...just that that was what guys did before their mom's stole away the graduation stuff to save for some future time of needing (or wanting) a remembrance of that time of life. Yeah, right on top of the yearbooks and just under the pressed carnation that had been a lapel decoration for the junior prom monkey suit, was where it belonged in that box that would disappear for the next 10 or 20 years up on a closet shelf.

Even though mine would only hang on my truck mirror until I began community college in the fall, I knew odds were good that Derek would keep his in place for much longer. It was mainly because he wasn't planning to go on to college right away. He had snagged a full time position with the grocery store chain and even been talked to about maybe going into their management training, fast-track program. He was excited about it and I was too...kind of. Only thing that bothered me was how much it changed the amount of time we had to spend together during the summer.

We did still do a movie together once in a great while. We weren't exactly strangers at the mall game room, but that time was cut back also. The occasional sleepovers still happened and the accompanying bed gymnastics too. Nevertheless, it just wasn't quite the same as the previous summer, when we had been damn near inseparable.

The one totally bright spot of the hot summer months was the camp we made next to the creek at the back of grandpa's farm, for one entire weekend. The skinny-dipping and partying we did to occupy most of the day, were accented with some fun jack off and blow job times under the blazing sun. That was also when I wondered if maybe Derek was moving forward some on dealing with who he was inside and how much he seemed to enjoy sex with me. It was the first time we actually weren't hiding behind the darkness of night or literally under the covers of his or my bed. Once we broke the ice and gotten naked the first time to go skinny-dipping that weekend, we rarely bothered with clothes at all. It was as if we had our own private nudist resort and being the easily horned up teenagers we were, we also were all over each other a great deal right in front of God and the whole world...if the world could find us!

But perhaps that was also a big reason why he was so open with me that weekend too. Where we were camped out, no one could see us and we had freedom like never before. It wasn't as if we talked about being gay or anything...just that we didn't hide the desire to be physical with each other...and maybe more importantly, Derek wasn't constantly bringing up his babe conquests to me. There wasn't any of that having to prove himself to me...hell I already knew what he liked. If it was anyone that to be convinced differently, it was his own 'straight' self!

When I let my mind drift back to that first afternoon, I well remember just how things started too. All him!

We had stripped off our shirts and were setting up the small tent in just our cut offs. He looked so sexy in his...those long legs and hard thighs highlighted with just the perfect amount of manboy fur on them to be so totally sexy. His box showing so prominently even when he wasn't hard. The pronounced treasure trail and circle of fuzz around his navel was so inviting. The almost totally smooth abs and pecs topped it all off. Fuck he was just everything I wanted physically...well from the neck down anyway since he steadfastly refused to ever let things go beyond me chewing on the side of his neck or an ear lobe sometimes. It was an unstated line he had drawn and I didn't push it.

By the time we had things set up for the weekend, he suggested a quick dip in the cool creek. He immediately was unzipping his shorts without even waiting for a suggestion of skinny dipping from me.

I stripped slowly; intentionally letting him see me watch him closely as he pushed his boxer briefs down and kicked them and his cut offs from his ankles at the same time. When he pulled back up to his full six foot plus height, my cock was already puffing up and I didn't care. I wanted him! Even more so, right there! Right then! In the middle of the day! I couldn't help it that my teen cock was being the barometer of my feelings.

We waded in the deepest section where the water was just above our waists and while we couldn't truly swim laps or anything, we were able to submerge ourselves and did play some silly boy-type splashing and dunking games for a while. The contact between us made me hard as stone. When he stepped up on the more shallow edge of the creek bottom, his own full boner was showing too.

About as casual as he could ever be, Derek suggested a quick bit of sun time laying out next to the secluded creek bed. "Always wanted an all-over tan you know," was connected with a hearty laugh from him...and a teasing wave of his hard cock too. It might have been MY family's property and MY hidden section of creek to enjoy; but Derek was the one owning all of it and me too at that point! I followed him up onto the grassy border next to the water and sprawled out beside him. The coolness of the grass and the light breeze did little to chill the heat I was feeling between us.

We talked about how life as real adults was going so far. My specific plans for starting college in the fall were coupled with him telling me how he had done the paperwork for the fast track management program at Kroger's. I was wanting to pursue a similar career path, but not in the grocery industry...and with at least a two year degree under my belt for bonus points. Just as his hand brushed up against my bare thigh, he dropped a bomb on me that I hadn't expected or even thought of.

"You know, Brad, there is one thing that is bothering me some about this job thing though." He paused with his comment but his hand didn't as it continued to tease at my leg. "I may have to move from Zanesville to really take advantage of this opportunity and not sure I want to do that."

I wasn't sure whether he wanted to play or talk at that point, but we had the whole weekend so I encouraged the conversation first...but also rolled up on my side so that I could drop my own hand on his fuzzy lower tummy in case he didn't know I was also ready if he was. "Where would they send you man?" was my question as I let my fingers frolic first in his happy trail, and then down into his thick pubes.

"They are saying it could be anything from Cincinnati to Cleveland and every little one horse town in between too. Just wherever they have a low-end management team opening that I could be plugged into."

My thoughts of where he could be 'plugged into' made me snicker, but I kept the joke to myself so as to not blow the mood with Derek's insecurities about his preferences. "You mean you just get transferred where they feel like it. No choice from your end?" My hand had wrapped around his hard schlong while I questioned him.

"Yeah. Pretty much from the way it was explained to me." His hips moved up into my hand and his found a grip on my own leaking cock too. "At best, they will give me a choice of maybe two or three different cities; but staying here doesn't look possible unless someone at the store dies pretty soon."

It was so strange how he kept talking as if we were just sitting at McDonalds having a burger instead of naked out in the woods and feeling each other up. I wasn't complaining...just taking notice.

"Don't tell me you haven't thought of moving away too at some point, Brad. I know you have said so a few times."

Yes I had. But that was based in the way I felt about my hometown before I met Derek. I wanted something like what we had and didn't see it happening prior to that fateful day last spring when he stopped to talk to me on the soccer practice field. Before I could go on with the conversation, his hand squeezed me extra hard and I felt his pre juice dribble on my skin from the way I was working him. We went silent for the next ten or fifteen minutes while we shared an extra hot 69 session brought on by the way we had teased each other up while bullshitting about our futures. Maybe it was the privacy of the setting or just Derek letting more of his true self out, but the blow job he gave me could only be called fantastic. Gawd if it could only be like this all the time and even more intense!

* * * * *

Our long weekend camp out continued to be a mixture of best buddies and closeted lovers that never fucked or kissed. We spent most of the time naked and a lot of time taking care of each other when something popped up. We traded ideas about college for me and how I could come visit Derek wherever he got transferred to eventually. It was as if we were almost planning some kind of future that was to be more than just jack and suck buddies, but I found out the hard way it wasn't.

Late Saturday night we had burned a pin joint and downed a few beers while sitting around the little campfire we had built to make a late dinner of hot dogs. The dual stone of alcohol and THC made both of us extra horny and I took the lead at snuggling up against Derek. He loosely wrapped his arm around me and we just sat and talked like that for close to an hour. Eventually, the combined mellowness of the buzz and emotional warmth of being so close to my best friend physically had me pawing at him some. He didn't make any attempt to stop me and dropped his own hand over my thigh and teased at my dangling dick too.

When he made the first real move again and dropped his head into my naked lap to flick his tongue over my mushroom, my hands ran up and down his back. I loved to twist my fingers in his long hair and this time I used them to keep him on my bone as I pushed my hips up into his face. When his lips parted and he took my shaft across his tongue, I leaned over to plant little kisses up and down the back of his neck. At first that seemed to get him more excited and he swallowed me like he never had before...all the way to my nut sac in fact. I entwined my fingers in his locks even more and moved my kisses to the side of his neck. I so wanted to kiss his lips and have him return the passion I felt for him...just once even! I thought it was going to finally happen as he pulled off my cock and turned his face into mine; but all that I got was a look that said very emphatically 'NO' and hands that pushed me down to his crotch. I didn't resist and proceeded to give him one of my best ever blow jobs. He jerked me fervently as I sucked his slender cock and brought me to orgasm by hand at the same time he erupted in my throat. I swallowed every drop to seal the friendship once again.

Yes; it always seemed to be so one-sided at times like this; but it was the only way I knew how to cope with the fact that I was in love with Derek.

* * * * *

It was only a few more weeks after our camping trip to the backside of gramp's farm, that I would be starting at Z-Tech as we called the local community college. It became painfully obvious that Derek was often stuck with shifts that conflicted with us being able to spend much time together the final weeks of summer. In a way, it was probably a good thing though, since the push for more intimacy I had made on the campout created an extra male slut stage in him with the chicks...as if he was once again trying to prove to himself (and much more so to me I think) that he didn't need me for making out or fucking...we were just suck and jack buddies. I missed him so much but also understood as much as I could let myself to.

When I registered early, I intentionally loaded up with 16 hours of classes mainly to get a good start on college and the fact that I almost wanted an excuse to not be available to Derek too easily. He was often working shifts at the grocery store that conflicted with my availability to spend time with him anyway, and it just simplified our relationship for him and me too. We still played pool at least once a week and on his days off we tried to hook up for pizza or something; but that night of unrestrained infatuation I let show, definitely did cause some damage that required a little distance for a while.

School had kept me busy for the first few months...almost as busy as Derek's initial training at the local Kroger's did him. We barely saw each other for 7 or 8 weeks. That's why I was a little shocked when he called the second week of November and asked if he could come out for Thanksgiving again this year.

"Of course you can," was what I told him without even bothering to ask my Mom. "We can do a repeat of last year...watch the games and catch a good buzz too, I mean," was what I tacked on as an incentive to plan on spending the night without coming straight out and saying I wanted him in my bed again.

"That's good for me Brad. I need to talk to you and want to spend some time together so next week it is."

Little did I know what it was he really wanted to talk about.