Last of the Summer Tomatoes (27 page)

Thug number two dropped Kyle and headed toward Brandon. Eric and another football player named Mark stepped in—two kicks to two knees and thug number two was down. Just in time for a cop car to pull up.

Brandon helped Kyle up, retrieving his sketchpad and pencils. “You okay?”

“Yeah… fine, thank you. You… probably saved me.”

“Eh, gave us some real-world practice.”

“Practice?”

“Coach wanted us to become a little more light on our feet. We all had to take Jeet Kune Do.”

Kyle snorted. “Those guys didn’t stand a chance, did they?”

Brandon shook his head. “Nope.”

The cops took their statements, an ambulance took the thugs away, and Kyle was wanting more than anything to head back to his room and take a long bath. But he didn’t want to leave the safety of the four football players. Brandon put his arm around Kyle, heading them back toward Kyle’s building.

“Yo, you want to head out again, if you want company, let one of us know.”

“I… I don’t need a bodyguard.”

“No, you don’t. But hell, we all like coffee and having an artsy friend makes us more well-rounded, at least that’s what coach thinks.”

“What do you think?”

“We like you. And yeah, the world is a nasty place, full of prejudice and shit. We all stick together.”

“We?”

“Well, um, maybe I’ve read this wrong. Look, Eric and I are gay, not together gay, but yeah. Bruce and the quiet one there, Elijah, they aren’t, but we let them hang with us anyway.” Both Bruce and Elijah rolled their eyes.

“How did you….”

“Gaydar, dude. You need to develop yours it seems.”

“I haven’t been… well, I didn’t come out until a few months ago. Still trying to navigate the waters. But really, football players and gay?”

“You buying into the stereotype? That all football players are steroid-using, babe-banging bastards?”

“Uh, well, no.”

“So, there ya have it.”

“Thanks.”

“Okay we’re home, safe and sound. You know, if you want to meet someone, either to date or just be friends, we have a great LGBT group that meets every Thursday afternoon. If it fits your schedule.”

“I… I think I’d like that.”

“Good. We meet at my place around three. No expectation, you don’t even have to talk much if you don’t want. Just know you’re not alone.”

Kyle nodded, giving them all a wave as he headed into his building. Would the world never stop surprising him?

He shut the door behind him and slid down to ass-plant on the floor, his legs no longer able to hold him up. He grabbed the pendant that was around his neck, his half of the heart Sam had given him that he never took off. His stomach was a little sore from the punch, but that wasn’t it. He flashed back to the horse barn at the county fair and the thugs that beat him up. He really wished he had Sam to talk to right now, but Sam was his past. Sure, they e-mailed on occasion, but it wasn’t any of those gut-wrenching, soul-searching, truth-finding talks they had during the summer. Sam had a job, was doing well in classes, was looking for an internship. Just the basics, nothing more. Kyle wanted more, but he knew to hold back. Holding back kept him sane. Keeping their e-mails matter-of-fact, talking about nothing else but school, kept the emotions that boiled just under the surface at bay.

So, no Sam. No letting him know what happened. No, he’d deal with this all by himself. Maybe going to that LGBT meeting would help. There was bound to be someone else there who had been the victim of violence that he could talk to, relate to.

But now, right now, all he wanted was a hot bath and a warm bed. To forget about this afternoon and deal with the morning when it came.

He had just settled down into his bed, propped up with his art history text, when there was a knock at the door.

“Yo, Kyle, you up?” Simon’s voice came through the door. Kyle got up.

“What’s up?”

“Heard you had some trouble this afternoon. You okay?”

“How did you find out?”

“Small world. And that redhead I’ve been seeing? Zoey? She lives across from Brandon, heard about it and called me. So, you okay?”

“Yeah. Nothing broken, just a punch to the gut. I’ll live.”

“Damn, sorry about all that, bro.”

Kyle shrugged. “I guess things like that happen.”

“Well, they shouldn’t. Those morons are the dregs of society that I hope disappear within a generation.”

“I don’t think we can wipe out prejudice in one generation.”

“Well, I intend to try.”

“Good for you, Simon. You’ve been a great friend.”

“So, um….” Simon poked his head into the room. “Got any Snickers?”

Kyle laughed. “What, am I your candy pimp?” He reached over to the bowl of fun-sized Snickers.

“You’re the best.” Simon took the two small packages from Kyle.

“And you have a candy addiction.”

“Nah, only for Snickers. Something about the salt and sweet.”

“Okay, go now. I need to study before I pass out.”

“Thanks, dude, and I’m glad you’re okay.”

“No worries. Catch ya later.”

Kyle closed the door as Simon headed to his own room. He crawled back into bed, but couldn’t concentrate on the text. His mind kept going to Sam. He wanted Sam. He wanted to feel Sam’s arms around him, feel him in bed next to him. His mind replayed those wonderful few nights they’d been able to sleep next to each other. In his heart, he knew that’s what he wanted, what he craved. But his mind kept telling him that Sam had his own life to lead, his own heart to follow.

Twenty-Two

T
HE
semester ended, Kyle receiving three As and one B in his classes. Not bad considering he had been a mostly Bs and Cs student in high school. Proper nutrition and belief in himself made all the difference. And now… now it was Christmas. He had received a large package from Glenda and Walt, full of food, candy, art supplies and a long note telling him all about the farm and what they’d been up to. Three more cows had given birth, all of them successful deliveries; the greenhouse was producing vegetables and herbs left and right; and one of the goats was unexpectedly pregnant after an encounter with a stray goat from a farm the next county over. Kyle read the letter over and over, noting he liked the feel of paper in his hands, Glenda’s perfect cursive writing making him feel warm inside. It was much better than an impersonal e-mail.

They had invited him home for Christmas, but yet again, he claimed work as his excuse. He would get some great money working, true, but it was an excuse, just an excuse. The owners of the restaurant had offered him some time off, even giving him a year-end bonus so he wouldn’t lose too much income if he did leave for a few days. He knew, however, that if he saw Sam he wouldn’t be able to deal. He didn’t know if Sam had started dating someone else, but the thought of possibly seeing Sam with someone made him sick to his stomach. He had met a few guys at the LGBT group, been out on a couple of dates, but after being kissed, he knew there wasn’t anything there. That he wanted no one else but Sam.

His mind tried to rationalize…. Sam was his first love, so of course no others would measure up. How could they? But Sam couldn’t be his one and only, not at their young age. Kyle believed one doesn’t find their soul mate at seventeen. That was only in the movies. No, only after years of dating, being with different types of people, do you settle down with someone. That’s how it was done these days. He resolved to keep trying, even if his heart wasn’t in it.

New Year’s Eve came, and the building pretty much emptied out, most of the students heading to Times Square. Simon had tried to get Kyle to go with him and Zoey, but Kyle just wanted to be alone. He waved them off, watching them and a dozen others from his window as they headed toward the throng of people. He hugged himself, trying to keep his emotions down, trying not to care that he wouldn’t be with someone… well, with Sam when the clock struck twelve. His stomach rumbled, reminding him he hadn’t eaten all day. He pulled the big box of vegetables out that Glenda had sent, finding the one jar he’d been saving. The last of the summer tomatoes, the last batch he’d helped grow, cultivate and can. The last bit of his wonderful summer, the last jar that he personally had a hand in creating. He opened it, the smell of fresh, homegrown tomatoes taking him back to the summer, to the smell of the earth after a rain. He fished one tomato out, savoring the flavor, never wanting this one jar to end. Even though Glenda had sent more tomatoes, they were grown and canned after he’d left. After his mark had faded from the farm.

He finished half the jar, putting the remainder in the fridge for tomorrow. He’d start the New Year with them. Maybe they’d bring him luck. He looked at the clock. Eleven thirty. Did he really want to stay up to watch a stupid ball drop and all those people kissing? Not really. Just as he was about to strip for bed, there was a knock at the door. He took a deep breath. Probably Brandon or maybe Simon coming back to get him to go out. He just didn’t want to.

“Look, I told you guys, I don’t want to go out—” His mind shut off as he opened the door. Sam stood there, a bag in one hand, a large present in the other and a huge grin on his face.

“Surprise!”

Kyle stared, his mouth open.

“Kyle? You okay?”

Kyle tried to make a sound, any sound, but his entire world was standing right in front of him.

“Kyle?” Sam put his hand up to Kyle’s cheek. The touch brought him out of his stupor.

“You…. You’re here.”

“Well, yeah. Wanted to surprise you. Mom said you had to work over the holidays, so I thought I’d bring the farm to you.” Sam gestured with the box. “Can I come in?”

Kyle blinked a couple of times. “Oh, yes, sure.” He stepped back out of the doorway.

“Cozy place you have here.”

“Yeah, nothing like the farm, but it’s all mine. Well, I share part of it, but at least Simon’s neat.”

“Simon? Um, should I not have come?”

Kyle’s eyes went wide. “Oh, Simon’s not…. Simon lives next door. We share a bathroom. He’s got a girlfriend. He’s one of those, you know.”

Sam’s eyebrow went up. “One of those?”

“Heteros. This is art school. He’s in the minority around here.”

Sam laughed. Kyle relished the sound. He wanted to hear that laugh for the rest of his life. “How have you been?” Sam sat the box on the counter, dropping his bag to the floor.

“Good. Busy. Got As and Bs.”

“Mom told me. Congrats.” He stood there with his hands in his pockets.

“Why… why are you here?”

“I wanted to spend New Year’s with you.”

“But why?”

“Why not?”

Kyle plopped down in his bed. “We haven’t been… we aren’t together. Exchanging pleasantries over e-mail—Look, I’m glad you’re my friend, but to come all this way….” Kyle felt frustrated. He couldn’t get his feelings out.

Sam sat down next to him, placing his hand over Kyle’s. “I’m sorry we didn’t have the good-bye I wanted. With the cow and all…. I wanted to drive you to town myself, tell you stuff, but….” He hesitated. “I didn’t know how you’d react if I poured my heart out in an e-mail. Or if I even should. I didn’t know what was going on with you. This past semester… all I could do is think about you. I… I tried going out with other guys, but I…. Oh hell, this is corny.”

Kyle tilted his head. “What?”

“You’re gonna think I’m stupid or crazy or a little bit of both.”

“Talk to me.”

“I don’t want to be with anyone else but you. There, I said it.”

Kyle couldn’t believe his ears. “But we agreed….”

“It was a stupid agreement. I knew the first week I was going to miss you like crazy. We should have… we should have tried the long-distance thing.”

“But this was my first… relationship. Didn’t you say I needed to get out there more?”

“And did you?”

“Well, I tried. I made some great friends, but… I missed you.”

“I missed you too.”

“Then why… why not call?”

“Partly because I was scared. Partly because I needed you to come out of your shell more before I told you how I felt. Do people know you’re gay?”

“Well, according to the football players in the next building, I ping their gaydar.”

“Gaydar, huh?”

“Yeah, don’t worry, though. They are great friends. One runs a LGBT group.”

“A gay football player? Will wonders never cease.”

“You’d be surprised. I actually… the third week I was here, came out to Simon. After that, it was easy. It’s weird being in the majority for once.”

“So, you’re glad I’m here?”

“Very.”

“Good. Because I have some news.”

Kyle wrinkled his brow. “What?”

“I’m transferring to the State campus here in the city next fall. I… I need to be with you. If you want me like that.”

“Like what?”

“Exclusive. Build a relationship… but only if you’re ready. You’re still young….”

“And so are you. You’re talking about settling down with one person?”

“With you. Only you.”

“And what happens if it doesn’t work out?”

“Why wouldn’t it? I’ve been miserable for four months. I… I have a confession.”