Chapter 7
October 5th, 2003
Jack made his way up to their room, eager to see Ennis. He'd been in classes all day and had left to see a text from him, asking him to come straight to the room. He'd been worried, but Ennis had sent another one, telling him not to worry. He opened the door to see Ennis waiting on his bed, looking nervous.
"Hey," Jack said, looking at him as he closed the door. "What's going on?" Ennis stood up and came over to him, giving him a quick kiss, which Jack was really starting to love.
"Nothin's wrong, I just wanted you to get up here right after class."
Jack slipped his arms around Ennis, locking his fingers together in the small of his back. "Why? What's up?"
Ennis placed his hands on Jack's shoulders, squeezing them a little. "Well...there was somethin' I wanted to ask you." Jack raised his eyebrows in question, and Ennis took a deep breath.
"I, uh...I was wonderin'...you know the cinema in town? The one near the shoppin' mall?" Jack thought for a moment, and then nodded.
"I think so...what about it?"
"Well...they've just opened up a new screen...so...if yer up to it..."
A smile spread across Jack's face. "What are you asking?" he teased.
Ennis smiled back. "Well...maybe we could go see somethin'...get a bite to eat..." Jack's heart filled up with love as he realised what Ennis was asking him.
"You asking me out on a date, Ennis Del Mar?" he asked, looking up at him with a light in his eyes. Ennis shrugged and looked down.
"Well...if you want. I just-" His remaining words were cut off by Jack's lips on his. They kissed for several seconds, melting through each other and enjoying their newfound intimacy. Ennis loved the feeling of Jack's body pressed against his. Last night, they had stroked each other off and kissed until they were done, but Ennis was starting to feel like he was ready for more. He wanted them to have sex again, and he hoped that it could be tonight, after their date. He brought Jack into his arms properly and hugged him close, breathing in his scent. Jack was his best friend as well as his lover, and he'd never felt this close to anyone in his life. Jack was swiftly becoming the brightest spot in his life.
They pulled apart, and Jack rose up for another quick kiss. "So...we gonna get moving?" Ennis nodded and they reluctantly let go of each other. They turned to their wardrobes and nervously went through their shirts, wondering what to wear. They both wanted to look good for each other, even though Jack figured that as soon as they got back, they would be ripping clothes off anyway. He gave a shiver at the thought and hoped that Ennis hadn't noticed.
The pair of them went into the bathroom together to check their reflections. Jack remembered his first dream about Ennis, the one where he'd grabbed him and fucked him in this very bathroom. He knew it would be too dangerous for them to even attempt it, so he pushed it away to the back of his mind. Maybe they could stay for the Christmas holidays and take advantage of an empty building. But Jack figured it was too early to be discussing this. They were only just going out on their first date, after all. Jack tried in vain to get his hair to lie flat, and he affectionately played with Ennis's curls, loving how they fell around his ears. He smiled and ran a hand along Ennis's chest.
"You look real good there, cowboy," he said, half to himself.
Ennis gave him a funny look. "Cowboy?" Jack shrugged.
"Well, you are one. You're my big, tough cowboy," he said, sliding his hands up Ennis's chest and around his neck. Ennis smiled down at him, liking the endearment. With a quick glance at the door, he leaned down and kissed Jack on the lips. When he pulled away, he gave Jack's hand a squeeze.
"C'mon, bud. Let's get outta here." Jack nodded and they went for the door, looking forward to their date. They left the bathroom in time to see Lureen, who was heading for her room from the elevator. She caught sight of them and grinned mischievously, and Jack groaned inwardly. He loved her like a sister but she was too nosy for her own good.
She bounded over to them, smiling sweetly. "Hey, guys. You scrub up well, don't ya?" Jack rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment.
"I guess. We're, uh...heading to the cinema..." Lureen nodded in understanding.
"First date...well, I hope you have a good time. I'll see you tomorrow, then. Night." She kissed both of them on the cheek and went to her room, leaving the pair of them to shake their heads.
"She's really somethin', huh?" said Ennis, grinning at Jack.
Jack laughed a little. "Sure is. Let's get going." When they got outside, they decided to take Jack's car into town. They arrived at the cinema and after looking at the screens, decided to see Underworld. Neither of them had seen it, but they didn't care too much. They were far more interested in each other.
They sat at the back of the room, eating popcorn and drinking from oversized plastic cups. When they noticed that the room was almost empty and they weren't all that interested in the movie, they decided to make out in the dark instead. They looked into each other's eyes, just visible in the light from the screen, and smiled softly at each other. Neither of them wanted the evening to end, but they knew that they would be spending the night together.
Ennis leaned in to whisper into Jack's ear. "Hey...tonight, when we get back...can we, um..." He trailed a hand along Jack's thigh, and Jack got the message.
"Yeah, you bet. Looking forward to it." He leaned in for more kisses, which Ennis was happy to give.
It was late when they got back to the room, and nobody was around. They held hands as they quickly ran through the building, giggling like a pair of kids. Jack didn't drink much, but right now he was drunk on love. They kept pausing in the shadows and kissing, getting a rush out of doing this outside their room, where anybody could see them.
Jack grinned as he tried to unlock the door, distracted by a familiar pair of lips on his neck. They got inside and Jack switched on his bedside lamp. Before he could turn around, Ennis's arms were around his waist, pulling him close. He smiled and relaxed into the embrace, enjoying how warm Ennis felt.
"Mmm..." he moaned softly. "Ennis..." His lover kissed his neck again, making him shiver. He then turned Jack around so they could look into each other's eyes. Jack smiled widely, showing a wonderful set of dimples that Ennis couldn't resist stroking his fingers along. He slid his hands up to tangle in Jack's hair and leaned in. Their lips met, and Jack felt the world melt away until all he was aware of was Ennis. He was surprised by how much Ennis had changed over the last couple of days, and how much more confident he was with touching him.
As for Ennis, he did feel different. Everything suddenly seemed to make more sense now that he was with Jack; like he'd found exactly what he'd been looking for all his life, even if he hadn't been aware of it. But whatever it was, he was much happier now. And after Jack had confirmed that he returned his feelings and wanted to be with him, he felt assured that it was okay to let go. He knew that Jack would never judge him for anything, and that he could trust him.
They broke apart, faces shining in the moonlight. Jack sighed. "You wanna...?"
Ennis nodded, looking forward to them having sex again. "Yeah." Jack took his hand and led him to his bed, hoping that things could get a little more passionate tonight. They crawled onto the bed and gazed at each other, smiling and then kissing again. Jack's hands started on Ennis's shirt buttons, undoing them and then feeling the strong chest underneath that he'd come to love. A look into Ennis's eyes encouraged him to start on his own buttons. Ennis took a deep breath and did so, knowing that he was starting to grow hard.
They sat up and pulled their shirts off, running their hands along each other's skin and softly kissing. Jack loved the intimacy between them, and he hoped that their relationship would go from strength to strength as time went on. He looked into Ennis's eyes and went for his belt, undoing it and leaning in to kiss his neck. He then undid his own belt and they lay down again, letting their tongues play together. Jack looked into Ennis's eyes, seeking confirmation. He had an idea of what he wanted to do, but he wasn't sure if Ennis wanted it. He whispered into his lover's ear what he wanted to do. Ennis's eyes widened.
"Uh...I've never done that before..." he breathed, looking very nervous.
Jack looked surprised. "Really? Not even with a girl?" Ennis shook his head.
"No. I...I've been with girls, but...ain't never done that..." Jack stroked Ennis's cheek.
"Well, I'd be happy to show you what it's like," he said softly, kissing his jaw. "That okay?" After a few seconds, Ennis nodded. He wanted Jack to do it.
"Okay..." Jack kissed him again and straddled him, hoping that Ennis would like this.
"Just relax," he whispered, staring down into Ennis's face. He moved down the bed, anticipating what this might be like. The mischievous smile on his face sent volts through Ennis's body, and he laid his head back on the pillow, willing himself to relax. Jack reached Ennis's jeans and pulled them down, then his own. They were tossed to the floor and Jack suddenly remembered something. "Hey."
Ennis looked down at him. "Huh?"
"I'm gonna have to do this without a rubber. You sure you haven't got anything?"
Ennis nodded. "Don't think so. I'd know by now, right?" Jack thought for a moment and then nodded. If both of them were negative, and they stayed faithful to each other, he figured that there was no need for condoms at all. That was something to bear in mind. He smiled and then set to work, wrapping his mouth around Ennis's erection and making his mind go blank.
"Uhh...Jack..." he groaned, feeling like his head was splitting as he stared up at the ceiling. He'd never experienced this before, but now he could understand why other guys loved it. Jack was very talented at this. Jack smiled to himself as he carried on, holding onto Ennis's hips so he wouldn't choke on his thrusts. He looked up and saw that Ennis's hands were shaking a little; he was taken over by lust and didn't know what to do with his hands. Jack reached up and gripped them with his own, letting Ennis know that he was there. Ennis was immensely grateful to him for helping him with this.
He continued to suck and lick at him, thoroughly enjoying this. Ennis gritted his teeth and then eventually released into his mouth, hips arched. Jack had to let go of his hands to hold him down. He took it all and swallowed, surprised by the taste. He'd never experienced anything like this before.
Jack crawled up Ennis's body and lay next to him, smiling in satisfaction. Ennis looked at him.
"That was...really somethin'," he gasped out, raising a hand to Jack's cheek. Jack kissed his fingers as they neared his mouth. They ended up kissing again, Jack lying on top of Ennis. Both of them wanted to have sex properly, but there was no rush. Now that they were together, they had all the time in the world.
A couple of days later, Jack was waiting for Ennis on the bench outside his lecture building. They were due to meet Lureen in the diner for lunch, and Jack felt a sense of peace inside him that he'd never known before. He knew that he owed it to Ennis for making him happy.
Things between him and Ennis had been great over the last few days. They'd had sex a couple of times, and Ennis had even plucked up the courage to go down on Jack, which he had loved. Afterwards, they had just lain there, talking and kissing softly until they fell asleep. Both of them knew that what they had was about much more than just sex, despite their young age. To be able to have sex and then still want to be together afterwards meant something more. It meant that their feelings ran deep. They were best friends, and this carried over to the change in their relationship. Jack could see them being together for a long time.
Jack mulled this over while he waited for Ennis, listening to the sounds of the city. He liked it here, and he could see himself living here one day. Maybe he would even end up living with Ennis, and as he thought of that, he felt a warmth in his stomach. He could see a future with Ennis, where they had a place together and jobs, and a full life. It was way too soon to be discussing this, but it was something for him to think about.
He saw Ennis emerge from the building and he grinned, unable to hide his feelings. He wanted to run over into his arms and kiss him, but there were other students around. They weren't ready for other people to know yet. Ennis caught sight of him and also grinned, making his way over. They opted for a friendly punch of each other's shoulders. "Hey," said Jack, pleased to see him. They'd parted ways only a couple of hours before, but it felt like days. "You ready to go?"
Ennis nodded. "Yep. C'mon." On the way to the diner, they took a detour down an alleyway, where they kissed heavily and fondled each other through their jeans for a moment. They didn't want to appear in the diner smelling like sex, so they had to stop before they went too far. But they did enjoy having their hands and mouths on each other. They couldn't get enough of each other and wanted nothing more than to be back in their room, in bed. They didn't have any classes after lunch, so agreed to go back afterwards and make the most of it.
They walked into the diner to find Lureen waiting for them, sipping from a glass of water and picking at a salad. She smiled and waved them over, happy to see them. They joined her at her table, sitting side by side. "Hey, guys," she said, looking between them with interest. She knew that things between them were progressing swiftly, and she was happy for them. "How's it goin'?" They both went red and grinned.
"Um...all's fine," Jack said in response, thinking about everything they'd been up to lately. He wanted to spend all of his time with Ennis, but he had to remember that Lureen was his friend too, and he owed it to her to include her in this. It was the least he could do after everything she'd done for him.
This made him think of something else as they started on their lunch. He hadn't yet told Ennis about his old roommate, and how he'd come out, with disastrous results. It had been the darkest part of his life, despite the fact that it had eventually made him happier. He knew who he was now, and he was glad that he'd gotten through it in one piece. Ennis had confessed to him that he didn't know for sure whether or not he was gay, having never been in a situation like this before. Jack had told him that it didn't matter, and that he would eventually figure it out. Ennis had promised him that despite his uncertainties, he still wanted to be with him. That was all that mattered.
As they ate, they discussed their studies and things that were going on around campus. Jack's birthday was coming up and Ennis wanted to get him something special. He made a mental note to talk to Lureen alone if he got a chance.
When they left the diner, Jack paused as his cell started ringing in his pocket. Lureen and Ennis turned to look at him. "Hello? Oh, hey ma." He grinned at the other two. "Yeah, I'm fine. How are you guys? Great..." He shifted his feet a little with his free hand in his pocket. "Yeah, I did." He glanced up at Ennis. "Yeah, we're together." Ennis went red and looked away, making Lureen giggle. "He's great, ma...I'm real happy." Ennis looked back at him, his heart feeling light as a feather to hear that from Jack. "Okay. Yeah, I'll call you soon. Yep, bye." He hung up and looked at the other two. "My ma says hi."
They nodded, and then Lureen sighed. "Well, I'm gonna get over to the library. What are you guys doin'?" Ennis and Jack quickly looked at each other.
"Um...we're gonna go back...to our room..." Jack muttered, rubbing his neck. Lureen got the message and tried to hide her smirk. She was very happy for them, and it amused her how much they were acting like a pair of loved-up kids. That was what they were, after all.
"Alright. I'll see you later." She kissed them both on the cheek and left, leaving them to give each other the kind of look that made them want to be alone. With no words, they carried on down the street towards their building, eager to be alone to give free rein to their feelings and desires.
A couple of days later, the pair of them were in their room. For a change, they were sat on their own beds, their work spread out everywhere so they had room to concentrate. They would prefer to be lying in bed and concentrating on something else, but they didn't want their work to suffer.
A sleeping arrangement had been agreed between them; they would sleep in Jack's bed one night, then in Ennis's the next, alternating between the two. The beds were of a fair size, so they were comfortable. Jack would have preferred for them to have a double bed, but that was out of the question.
Jack dug around amongst his notes, looking for a dictionary and then realising he didn't have one. He sighed in frustration, and then looked up at Ennis. "Hey, Ennis?"
Ennis looked up. "Yeah?"
"You got a dictionary over there?" Jack asked, looking sheepish. Ennis found one and tossed it over to him. "Thanks..." Ennis watched him for a few moments, thinking. They had settled into their new relationship pretty well, and they were happy. But he had to admit that he was curious about last year. Jack hadn't told him much, just that he'd come out and it hadn't been easy. He could remember being told that an occupant of this room had transferred elsewhere, which had left him free to move in. He wanted to hear from Jack what had happened.
After a few more minutes, he put down his work and looked up at Jack again. "Um, Jack...can I ask you somethin'?" Jack looked up and met his eyes, seeing an uncertainty there.
"Sure. What's up?"
Ennis rubbed the back of his neck, unsure of how to approach this. "Um...I wanted to ask you about last year, when you came out..." Jack lowered his eyes; he'd half-expected this to come up.
"Alright. Come over here." He gestured Ennis over and made room for him. Ennis got up and sat next to him, wondering what he might be about to hear. He took Jack's hand and laced their fingers together, silently offering him support. Jack took a deep breath and dredged up those painful memories.
"Well...last year, my roommate was this guy named Kevin. He was a real sporty type, you know? Into football and everything, and he was really nice. We were good friends. But...after a couple of months, I started to get this crush on him. Kept thinking about him all the time, wanted to be around him. I couldn't help it. And me and Lureen were friends by then, so I ended up telling her about it."
Ennis was nodding as Jack spoke, taking in the words and hoping that he could make Jack happy.
"And...after a few more months, I was in here one night and he came in with this bottle of vodka that he'd swiped. We ended up getting drunk on the floor, talking and laughing..."
"Did you two...?" Ennis started, eyes widening. Jack shook his head in earnest. He'd never been with a guy before Ennis.
"No, we didn't. But...I ended up telling him that I had a crush on him. He sobered up pretty quickly. Jumped up and left." Ennis could remember how he'd reacted following their encounter in the locker room, and how it must have reminded Jack of what Kevin had done. He mentally kicked himself for making it harder for Jack than it already was. He promised himself that he would never hurt Jack, or cause him the kind of pain that Kevin had. He loved Jack too much to do that to him.
"Anyway...he came back a little later, and he apologised for taking off like that. He told me that he wasn't gay, but he was happy for us to stay friends. I accepted that, and we left it alone."
"So...how come he left?" Ennis asked, running his free hand along Jack's thigh in comfort. Jack sighed.
"Well...about April, things were starting to get worse. He started going out with this girl, and I got jealous. Couldn't help but act weird around him again. He confronted me about it and I confessed that I still had feelings for him. He got all pissed at me and started calling me names. Lureen was nearby, and I had to hold her back so she wouldn't kill him." Jack smiled fondly at the memory. "She warned him that if he didn't leave me alone, she'd rip his balls off."
Ennis laughed a little, caught off-guard by this. "She really say that?" He knew that Lureen could be feisty, but he couldn't picture her saying something like that. But he knew that she was very protective of Jack.
Jack nodded. "She sure did. It was kinda funny. It worked too; he stopped calling me names. And we just ignored each other until the end of the year. During the summer, I found out that he was transferring somewhere else, and that I'd be getting a new roommate." He smiled at Ennis, who squeezed his hand. "During the summer, I came out to my parents. They were worried at first, with HIV and everything...but all they needed was the facts. After that, they were supportive. Accepted me and told me that no matter what, I was still their son." Jack sighed. "So...that's that."
He looked into Ennis's eyes, feeling a little vulnerable at having revealed so much. Ennis looked at him sympathetically and shifted closer to him, slipping an arm around him. "Sorry, Jack. If I'd known how bad it was..."
Jack shook his head and put their foreheads together. "It's okay. Felt good to get it all out, and you had a right to know. I'm much happier now I've got you." He smiled up at his lover, who leaned down to kiss him gently. They kissed a few times and then lay back on Jack's bed, staring up at the ceiling. They were both happier now, and they hoped that their relationship would last.
October 12th, 2003
It was Jack's birthday, and he and Ennis were in their room, once more eating from a big bucket of chicken and watching a football game on TV. They were sitting closer together now, since they were involved, and Jack kept grabbing Ennis's hand and playfully licking the grease from his fingers. They would then kiss for a few moments and go back to the food. They had considered going out tonight and celebrating Jack's birthday, but had eventually opted to stay in. They preferred to be alone right now, because they were still in a stage where they couldn't keep their hands away from each other for long.
When the game was over, Ennis flicked the TV off and they sat up. "You ready for yer present, bud?" he asked Jack, looking back at him. Jack smiled and set the bucket aside.
"Yeah, you bet. What did you get me?" Ennis kissed him and rose up off the bed.
"You've gotta wait an' see." Jack sighed and swung his legs over the side of the bed, eager to see what his lover had bought him. Ennis retrieved the wrapped gift from his suitcase and straightened up. Jack, who had been admiring Ennis's ass as he bent over, smiled warmly at him as he came back over. Ennis sat back down next to him and handed the present over. Jack took it and started to unwrap it.
When the gift was revealed, he could only stare. It was a beautiful leather-bound diary; exactly what he'd needed but hadn't yet gotten around to buying. The initials J.T. were on the front in ornate gold lettering. He looked up at Ennis, eyes full of wonder. "Ennis..."
Ennis blushed a little, hoping that he'd done the right thing. "I, uh...Lureen said you didn't have one, so...I thought maybe I'd-" His words were cut off by Jack's mouth on his, kissing him warmly. Jack pulled away and smiled at him.
"Thanks, Ennis. I love it; it's just what I need." He ran his fingers over the lettering. "You have this done specially? Bet it wasn't cheap..."
Ennis shrugged. "Not really. But...I wanted you to have it. Wanted you to have somethin' nice..." Jack put an arm around Ennis's neck, grinning and pulling their foreheads together.
"Thank you..." He kissed Ennis again, properly this time. They kissed for a few moments, and started to feel a familiar need in their bodies. Jack pulled away a little, looking deep into Ennis's eyes. "Ennis..." They kissed again and Jack tossed his new diary onto his nightstand. The pair of them lay back onto the bed on their sides, kissing and running their hands everywhere. Ennis rolled on top of Jack and whispered in his ear what he wanted them to do. Jack was surprised but immediately interested.
"Sure thing, cowboy. C'mere..." They started to undress each other, undoing their shirts and throwing them to the floor. They helped each other out of their jeans and underwear, the feeling of each other's skin sending volts through them. They managed to get under the covers and wrapped themselves around each other, limbs entwined. Ennis pulled himself up and looked down into Jack's eyes.
"Jack...just want ya to know somethin'. I ain't ready to...do that. You know..." It was true; he loved having sex with Jack, but he just wasn't quite ready to be the one in control yet. He hoped that it wouldn't be long before he was able.
Jack brought his hands up to Ennis's face. "I know, Ennis. Don't worry about it, alright? I don't mind. I'm happy to wait, and we can do other stuff, right?" Ennis nodded and leaned down again, resting his chin on Jack's chest. He straddled Jack, legs on either side of his hips, and Jack wrapped his arms and legs around Ennis, holding onto him. Their groins were locked together and their eyes were glued together.
"You ready?" Ennis whispered, hands on either side of Jack's head on the pillow. Jack nodded, smiling up at him and feeling safe in his arms.
"Yeah. Come on, Ennis..." He rose up a little and kissed him, drawing his tongue out. Ennis began to rock his hips from side to side, feeling how hard Jack was underneath him. Jack closed his eyes in ecstasy, unable to think while they were doing this. He was trembling as he lay there, lost in the moment.
Ennis looked down at him, searching his face. The sun was starting to set and a deep red glow was flowing in through the window, making Jack's skin glow in a way that made Ennis want to put his mouth there. He kissed at Jack's neck, continuing to move with him and sensing that his release was approaching.
"Ennis..." Jack breathed, eyes closed and mouth opened. Ennis kissed him and felt him moaning into his mouth as they rocked together a little quicker. He could feel Jack shaking all over and braced himself for the eruption.
Without warning, Jack thrust up against Ennis and exploded between them, gripping onto Ennis for dear life and burying his face in his neck. Ennis wasn't far behind him and copied his movement, holding onto him as they rode it out and then collapsing onto his chest, breathing heavily.
"Damn," Jack breathed, staring up at the ceiling. They'd never done this before, but he had enjoyed it immensely. "That was..."
"I know," Ennis said into Jack's neck. He rose up off Jack's chest and kissed him softly. Jack's eyes were sparkling up at him; a sight that he'd come to love. "Happy birthday, Jack."
Jack grinned, feeling happiness and love course through him for his lover. Things were uncertain for them right now, but Jack knew that they were happy. He also knew that he loved Ennis, but he wasn't sure how to tell him, or if it might be too soon to say it. He figured that he would wait a little while, until they had been together a little longer. He didn't know that Ennis was thinking through the same predicament. They were in love, but didn't know how to tell each other.