“Stop it,” Ben said, desperately suppressing his own anger.
“That’s exactly what we should do!” Tim spat before storming away.
Ben wanted to chase after him, but not to comfort him. He wanted to knock him to the ground and beat some sense into him. Instead he screamed, “Don’t ever come back!” and stormed back into the house and up to his room, where his anger turned to tears.
Late that night, when the moon was high and the lawnmowers and luxury cars had all fallen silent, Ben crept through the streets and into Tim’s room. Wordlessly, he took off his clothes and slipped into the sheets. They made love, violently at first, expressing their frustration with each other and the world before they slowed and their touches became gentle and apologetic.
* * * * *
Normally, with only four weeks left in the school year, Ben would be counting the days, but he and his friends were too preoccupied. For Ben it was preparing for the talent show. Allison had dragged Ben to Ronnie’s garage one day, where Ebony and Ivory played their song. The music was perfect, but Leon’s stoner voice didn’t do it justice. Ben and Allison were soon sharing the mic. They had found their duet.
Tim’s attention was focused mostly on his baseball games. The next two games could bring the school’s team to the state finals. Ben managed to attend some of these events, watching Tim from the bleachers while pretending to be the wife of a famous Major League player. Or maybe the mistress of one, considering that their relationship was shrouded in secrecy.
A week had sped by since they had last seen each other. Saturday night, after one of Tim’s games and a practice session with Allison, they agreed to meet halfway between their homes. The Wymans were hosting a dinner party and there was never much privacy at the Bentley’s, so Ben and Tim decided to enjoy the warm night together. The air was electric with energy as spring slowly morphed into summer, the cicadas buzzing their hypnotic song in the woods where Ben waited.
They had an anniversary coming up, Ben realized. Almost a year ago Ben had first seen Tim jogging along the path that circled the small lake. They had come so far together since then. Tim had gone from being a masturbatory fantasy to the most important person in Ben’s life. He couldn’t help but wonder how much further they would go together. Prom in two weeks? College? An apartment, marriage, kids?
The sound of thumping feet echoed out of the past and into reality. He turned to see Tim running up to him. For one brief moment, Ben felt as if the past year had been nothing but a dream until Tim grabbed him and broke the spell by kissing him.
“Damn, I’m horny!” Tim said with a grin.
“Good game then?” Ben asked.
“The best!” Tim filled him in on the details as they strolled together. Ben nodded and gave the appropriate responses, even though he still didn’t fully understand the logistics of the game.
“Want to sit down here?” Ben asked rhetorically, kicking at pile of charred wood that had previously been a bench. There had been a number of small arson incidents recently. So far nothing as serious as a house burning down, but the reoccurring fires were enough to make most of the area’s homeowners nervous.
“I think the playground is still intact,” Tim suggested. “Are you a swinger?”
“You know it, baby!”
They were heading for the swings when Tim grabbed him by the arm and spun him around. He moved in close, pressing himself against Ben. The hardness in his pants made his intentions crystal clear.
“Not here!” Ben protested. “Think of the children!”
“We’re the only ones here,” Tim murmured. “All the kiddies are at home with their parents, glued to their idiot boxes.”
It was a fair point. Ben could spend hours walking the suburbs at night without seeing another living being. A citizen venturing off the safely lit streets into the tamer territories of Mother Nature was even less likely. People always imagined that muggers and rapists lurked in these abandoned parks, which would be silly since they would be waiting an eternity for potential victims.
He let Tim press him up against one of the playground’s wooden structures, lips mashing together as they fumbled at each other’s pants. Ben succeeded first, switching places with Tim before going down on his knees. He listened to the soft sound of Tim’s moans drifting away on the night air as he worked, feeling an odd mix of urgent lust and inner tranquility.
“Police!”
“Hold it right there!”
Ben’s eyes shot open at the unexpected voices, and quickly winced against the bright light. He felt Tim push him away as he struggled to see past the two flashlights that were bobbing toward them.
“Run!” Tim said.
Events finally caught up with Ben as Tim hastily buttoned his shorts and took off into the night. A policeman shouted in protest as Ben raced to follow. For the next minute he knew only his heart pounding in his ears, the dark sliced sporadically by flashlight beams. He caught up with Tim just as the path split into two different directions.
“Split up!” Tim hissed back at him, heading to the left.
Ben took the right path and considered diving into the woods and lying low when he slammed into something that grunted. The collision knocked Ben to the ground, a noise skittering across the pavement, but he didn’t have time to identify it. He was more concerned with getting away, for already the lights were catching up with him.
There was more shouting as he was spotted by the police again, prompting Ben to leap to his feet. He spared one glance down at the illuminated path and looked into the confused eyes of Daniel Wigmore, who was still splayed out on the sidewalk. Ben’s stomach sank as shocked recognition registered on both their faces.
Then Ben was running again, this time through the woods, branches slapping against the hands he raised in defense. Eventually he spilled out into a backyard that he recognized. He allowed himself to stop and gulp down air before running toward home. When he finally made it there, he forced himself to calmly enter and walk up the stairs as if nothing had happened. His lungs were aching as he willed normal, short breaths until he reached his bedroom.
He left the lights off and looked out his window, but for what? Squad cars? A helicopter equipped with searchlights? He wondered if it was too soon to call Tim’s house to see if he had made it safely. What if the police were there right now, talking to his parents? Ben calling at that moment would be the most damning of evidence.
He swore at their stupidity as he paced his room, trying to decide on a course of action. How much had the police really seen? Had they found Daniel? Maybe they would put the blame on him. That would be a nice twist. Of course, Daniel wouldn’t hesitate to rat out Ben. He probably already had.
Ben looked out the window for the twentieth time and saw a patrol car pulling into his neighborhood. He cussed and quietly descended the stairs to the front door and peeped out the window. The police cruiser had already pulled into his driveway. Indecision gave way to desperation. He slipped through the house, slid open the glass door that opened onto the backyard, and ran.
Going through the woods was too risky since cops could still be there, so he crossed into another neighborhood, making a wide arc to where Tim lived. Ben wanted nothing more than to ring the bell or use his key, but he knew what a bad idea that would be. He could see a number of adults through the windows, drinking wine and laughing, oblivious to the drama unfolding around them. The backyard was mercifully empty, the party contained indoors, and there was a light in Tim’s window. Ben threw coins from his pocket up at it until the light turned off. Then he waited.