Chapter 5
We walk through the gym with our arms around each other as we greeted our friends. Those from the Cul-de-Sac and others we have made in school. So far, so good. There are a lot of shocked faces, but nothing too adverse that seems it would be a problem. Of course, we knew the school staff would welcome us as most of them already knew. Ruben and I talked to a counselor earlier in the year over the school's Anti-Bulling policy. Boy, that looked like a giant new rule book to us bullies, hehehe. It wasn't until about mid-term that Ruben and I decided on this little scheme of ours. We wound up at a large table right in front of the dance floor, with all of our friends asking questions all around.
Nazz was sitting on the other side of Ruben and seemed to start things off for everyone. "Donnie, when you broke up with me and stated you were dating someone else, I had no idea. I mean, Ruben, how long have you been on the dating scene and us not know about it. And each other, when did the two of you even become friends long enough to start dating?"
When she finally wound down, my Ruben, yea, mine, I like that, just giggled that cute laugh he always did during school. So far, no one has said anything about not having his beanie or his long black hair. "Ruben and I became friends over a holiday weekend back in the 7th grade. We didn't start "dating" 'making cute little quotation marks with my fingers until after my dad's funeral. I think it was then that we realized that we loved each other. There was nothing wrong with dating you, Nazz, or having you or any of you as our friends, but my heart belongs to Ruben," I say, smiling.
Of course, Andrew has to get his say in it. "But that is so gay," he wines. Renato speaks up, "For a person to take a mate of their own gender is a reverend affair in my village. For they are not split in mind between a woman or a man." "You are talking about two-spirited people, right, Renato?" Ruben ask. "Yes, yes," he answers. Andrew is not finished, though, and he has more to say. "How can you love another guy? Isn't that just a little bit weird?" Before anyone can respond, Chase jumps up and points a finger at Andrew. "Hush Andrew, I love Ruben, I love you, Andrew, I love my dad, I love Jimmy because Christine loves Jimmy. Do you not love your brother? Do you love Ruben or me or not?" "But it's different, Chase," replies Andrew. "Why Andrew, love is love."
Chase then turns towards us, leaning across the table, and points his finger in our direction. He looks straight at me with the most serious face I have ever seen from him in my life. With that finger still pointing, he asks, "Donnie, do you love Ruben" I reply, "Yes," "are you happy?" I answer yes again, never taking my eyes off of his. He shifts his focus and finger to Ruben, "Ruben do you love Donnie" "Of course I do." "Are you happy?" With the smile I love so much, he replies yes to Chase. He stands upright again, easily towering over all of us, throws his arms out wide with that silly grin of his. With a shout, he states, "They are happy and in love. Chase loves them both and is happy for them." With a "But..." from Andrew, Chase whirls to face him and, with a scowl, says, "Andrew Hush! No More. They should be your friends." and he finally sits back down.
The silence was deafening. When did the place get so quiet? Somewhere behind Ruben and me, a brave soul started clapping. Before we knew the entire gym was clapping and cheering. With a tear forming in my eyes, I look over at my love and see I am not the only one. This sure was not what we were expecting, and so far, we are fortunate to have the friends we do. As the applause dies down, the school principal is on stage, trying to get everyone's attention. We were all watching and listening, so she was able to carry on. "Before we start the music back up, I think this will be a good time to announce your Prom Royal Court tonight." That was an odd wording, I think. The crowns and Royal sashes are rolled out on a cart covered in Purple, lined with our School Colors. I noticed something off about the Crowns, but I didn't pay much attention with my finger running through Ruben's hair. What can I say? I love his long hair.
When Ms. Grady had everyone's attention, she started. "As you know, the student body and staff vote for the Prom Royal Court." The program started with the lower-ranking positions being filled first and moved pretty quickly. The Senior class president and his date became the Court Prince and Princess, which surprised me very much. I thought they would win the Crowns for sure. Of course, Jacob did get in that fight halfway through football season and was thrown off the team, but still, he was a good person overall. The lights dimmed, and the entire gym went dark with only a light on Ms. Grady. "As you may have noticed, things were done a little different this year, surprisingly thanks to a group of students and their campaign, there will not be a Prom Queen for the first time ever at Peachland High," she says. "So for your 2015 Prom High Court, I give you your Prom King as Donnie Vincent Murphy and his Royal Prince Consort Ruben Walkingstick Yazzie.
The gym erupts in applause while Ruben and I just sit there staring at the stage. Did she just call our names TOGETHER?! I wonder. Renato comes around and stands me up. While I am still staring, I notice the Darlene has Ruben by the arm also. Leading us to the stage, we have nothing to do but to follow their lead. Ruben and I walk up the stage together, and I receive the Kings' Crown, while Ruben receives what I now notice a Crown smaller than mine yet, more masculine the queens would have gotten. The clapping starts to die down, with Ruben and me still looking in shock on the stage. Darlene looks up and yells, "You didn't really think we didn't know about you two dating all these years, did you?" and the entire place starts to laugh as the surprise of the century at Peachland High had just been released, and it was on us. I know we are turning redder than her hair.
Ruben finds his voice first and looking at no one in particular, and he asks, "You knew?" Andrew pushes his small 5ft 2in frame through the front of the crowd and looks up. "Of course we knew, you knucklehead, we're your friends, are we not?" Through tears of pure joy and a very passionate kiss, we showed everyone there how much we actually loved each other.
Renato and Darlene met us at the bottom of the stage and escorted Donnie and me to the dance floor, which was empty at this time. Of course, we both knew what was expected to happen. I could already see a pained look of those from the Cul-de-Sac and curiosity from those in the student body. Well, maybe we can still pull off a surprise or two ourselves. Learning to dance was something I thought I would never do. I had always viewed it as a strange jerking behavior between two people or animals. I saw no difference in the two at the time. My dancing happened purely by accident at first. I wasn't even aware of it until Donnie mentioned it to me.
It was about 3 or 4 months after his dad's funeral, and we were up in his room finishing up with our homework. It had become our habit to hug after these sessions if no one was around, not too deep but a little more than a "bro" hug. With the radio quietly playing in the background, a concession I made for him as long as it wasn't too loud, the song "Always" by Atlantic Starr started in the otherwise quiet room. Donnie had started swaying, and with me in my relaxed state being with him, I just moved, also following his movements. Never opening my eyes, if he leaned one way, I followed, never looking up, never letting go. When the song ended, he looked into my eyes without letting go and smiled. "I thought you didn't dance."
It was then that I realized we were actually on the other side of his room from where our books were. I had no memory of moving, only being with Donnie. I must have had a startled look on my face because he just got that big "Donnie" grin of his. Still holding onto each other, he leans in and lightly kisses my nose, after which he tries to get away, but I just tighten my grip around him. He could have broken free if he wanted, but he stayed put, with his cheeks fire engine red. It started with our foreheads touching as we leaned toward each other for our first real kiss. When our lips met, I felt like I had been struck by lightning. There was a little tongue play going on, but not the profound, fierce war we do now.
"W-W-Well now Donnie, I-I-I must be going. Andrew will be l-l-looking for me soon for some scheme of his again." I stuttered. "Uhm, yeah, I guess you better, Ruben," he replies, scratching the back of his head again. Our future sessions seemed to always end with a deep hug and a little dancing to whatever was playing on the radio at the time. Donnie spent time explaining to me about the beat and the different melodies, along with the repetitive nature of some. By the time we finished our Freshmen year in high school, I felt I was doing reasonably well. Still not wanting others to see me, we always danced in private, whenever we were alone and had music. This would become the first time I dance in the open.
When we reached the center of the dance floor, still holding hands, the DJ starts playing "Always" as the song we were to dance to. It appears someone had figured out it was "Our Song" and had this also prearranged for our benefit. We just took this one in stride and started our dance with the slow swaying to the music that had created it all. When the song ended, we kissed, and the music went back to its standard selection for everyone else to join in. Donnie and I elected to stay on the dance floor for a few more songs to show everyone my dancing was not just some fluke. With Donnie and I twirling around and gyrating with each other, as was the craze these days, we caught our first trouble of the evening through the third song of the set.
"I don't care who he is or what his title is, and I am not playing sports with or going to let a fucking faggot into our team. No, way can he be allowed." Steven Bowman, a brute of a teen and Peachland's varsity center on the football team. "If you think for one minute I'm going to let him reach between my legs for any reason, you are wrong. I'll punch his lights out for even trying." Sadly it looks like he is starting to get some backers from his announcement, and it appears that the crowd is beginning to split into two groups. He has a large group of Juniors on his side, with a lot of them being from the sports teams. In our defense, there are a lot of seniors, and of course all of the staff, with the loudest of them being the coach. I've noticed that all of our friends from the Cul-de-Sac are completely gathered around us like they are acting as a barrier.
The coach's voice can finally be heard over the crowd, and people start to quiet down as the coach speaks. "Listen up, all of you," boy, does his voice carry, "first and foremost, this school has an Anti-Bulling policy that all of you should be aware of. That includes school functions, such as the Prom or Football games. Second of all, after-school sports are voluntary. You do not have to get involved if you don't want to. I or any staff does not want to know or hear why you do or do not want to play. Keep that to yourselves. If you do not want Peachland to have a sporting team next year because someone is playing you don't like, think about that. I can see the school's trophy case now with its new plaque. "No sports for 2015-16 because Steven Bowman couldn't get along with a teammate." Do you want your children to see that one? Not another word out of you or your supporter, or you will be escorted out of the school." After the coach stormed off, the party resumed but without its previous fanfare. No one seems to want to argue with Coach Williams.
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