L i f e too, p.16
L.I.F.E. Too, page 16
“Okay, maybe I’m a little nervous,” he said, causing Quintin to laugh.
During the flight, Rider hated to disturb Matthews in order to go to the toilet, but he couldn’t hold off any longer. Myers had fallen asleep, so Matthews shaking him awake brought a smile to Rider’s face. He also hated the toilets themselves; they were too small to turn around in and always felt claustrophobic. As he slid the door open to leave, a smile greeted. Cam pulling him around the corner and into the area normally for the cabin crew.
“Are you okay? I saw you storm off when the gate was announced. I shouted to you but you ignored me.”
“Yeah, I’m okay. I didn’t realize it was you calling my name, I thought it was Myers.”
“What? Why would Myers be shouting your name?” A confused look spread across Cam’s face.
He explained to Cam how Myers wanted to discuss his sexuality, having even tried to take Matthews’s seat to talk. Rider found it very sweet when Cam volunteered to go “talk” to Myers. Cam quickly glanced around. Shielded behind a wall from everyone’s view, he leaned forward and kissed Rider.
Cam smiled as he broke the kiss. “Hopefully, that will make being around Myers a little easier.”
Rider could still feel it on his lips as he pushed Michael out the way to get back to his chair. Cam waited a good ten minutes before heading back to his own seat.
• • •
The bus was deafening as it drove from JFK into the city, the students’ noses pressed to the windows as different people called out famous landmarks. Rider photographed the Empire State Building, the Brooklyn Bridge, and, from a distance, the Statue of Liberty using his phone. Due to the traffic, it took almost an hour to get to the hotel, everyone scrambling out and into the lobby as fast as they could. Darius checked everyone in and handed out the keys, sending all the students to their rooms. The five boys’ faces dropped as they entered their room.
“Coach McClay?” Octavius shouted out the door as the Coach headed to his own room.
“What’s wrong, Spencer?” he said, walking in and looking around as if there may be an incident happening.
“The beds?” Spencer shouted.
The room was a long rectangle with all the beds on one side of the room. Perfectly made, the sheets were tucked in so tight, Rider wasn’t sure he would be able to loosen them. The only issue was the number of beds; there were five students and only four beds. Three singles and one double, which was pushed into the corner, a window towering over it that looked over Central Park.
“What about them?” Coach shaking his head as if he didn’t understand the question.
“There is only four beds, Coach?” Cam spoke up. Spencer’s hand waved in front of him as if Coach could magically summon up an extra bed.
“Yeah? All ya only have four beds in the rooms. We were lucky to get that many, it’s hard to find hotels cheap enough that have three, let alone four. I’m sure ya will sort it out.”
Coach McClay smiled and then vanished back out the room leaving the five confused teens to decide the sleeping pattern. It was Quintin that quickly derived a plan: he and Cam would take the double bed, as then no one would have to feel awkward, hinting but not saying out loud how Myers and Spencer had a problem with Rider’s sexuality. He had also wanted Rider to be comfortable by not forcing him to sleep in a bed with another guy.
When Rider had first seen the double bed, he had hoped he and Cam could take it, but there was no way he could offer that now without the other three becoming suspicious.
“I’m taking the corner single. It will be good to have a wall to protect my back from faggots,” Octavius said.
Rider didn’t even get to defend himself; Cam and Quintin were already telling him to shut his mouth. Myers wasn’t taking any notice; he had already placed his luggage on the bed next to Spencer’s and was already unloading his clothes. His calm demeanor too natural, annoying Rider, who was still angry from the airport. Rider dropped his luggage on the remaining bed, pulling out a change of clothes and his towel.
“I’m going to jump in the shower, get that awful plane feeling off me.” Rider paused, realizing he was only directing his comments to Cam. He would have to be careful on the trip. “Does anyone need the restroom before I do?”
When no one objected, he headed into the bathroom. He placed his fresh clothes onto the towel rack and locked the door behind him. The handle of the shower squeaked as he turned it on, the water flow more powerful than it was at home. It took a few attempts at getting the temperature just right. Discarding his current clothes, he slipped into the shower, letting the water cascade onto his hair and down his shoulders. His anger for his roommates flowed down the drain with the water. His father was right; he wasn’t going to let them spoil his trip.
Once the grime from the plane had been fully removed, Rider turned, resting his forehead on the cold wall as the water splashed against his shoulders, the pressure creating a nice massaging effect. With Matthews having a wide build, Rider hadn’t wanted him to feel squashed on the plane, so he had pulled his arms together most the flight to give Quintin more room, resulting in sore shoulders now. Hearing the door to the hotel room slamming closed, Rider spun but forgot the handle was in a different height than at home, and his elbow collided with the metal part.
Fuck! Rider grabbed hold of his elbow, the skin was red, and he would possibly have a bruise, but he wasn’t cut at least. It was at that point he felt something cold by his foot. Looking down, he noticed the handle on the shower floor. Scooping it up, he tried to push it back into place with no success. He had also increased the water flow, the pressure hitting him in the face now felt a lot stronger than it had. Even the drain was struggling to accommodate the increase, the water slowly rising in the bottom of the shower.
“Cam!” Rider shouted as he burst into the room, only a towel wrapped around him. The room was empty apart from one person.
“They went to check the vending machines while you were in the shower. Anything I can help with?” Quintin said with a smile.
Rider waved the handle at Matthews while pointing at the bathroom. He was sure the words coming out his mouth weren’t English, but Quintin seemed to understand. Taking the handle and following Rider back into the bathroom, Quintin didn’t even remove his clothes, diving straight into the shower. Rider couldn’t watch, the water coming out faster than it was draining. It was close to flowing out of the shower. A number of curse words and hammering came from the cubicle as Quintin worked. Soon, water no longer burst from the shower, and Quintin’s clothes were drenched as he stepped out of the cubicle. Throwing his arms around the soaked jock, Rider thanked him.
“It’s okay, Williams. Now, I don’t need a shower,” Matthews said, grabbing one of the towels from the towel rack. “I’m going to get changed before the others get back.”
• • •
Although the evening of the Monday had been planned for free time, most of the students had decided to join Darius and Coach McClay on a visit to the Empire State Building. Rider was amazed when he reached the top, and he could see all the way across the city. The photo his phone took didn’t do the view justice. He sent the photo to Jane, Sam, and Lloyd but only received a response from Sam. Once leaving the building, he spent the evening listing to Darius explain the history of the building back at the hotel.
Rider found himself in bed a lot earlier than normal. He wasn’t sure if it was from the lack of sleep last night or the travel during the day, but he was glad to be in bed. He looked over at the double bed that was still empty. The basketball team had been dragged out by Coach McClay for late evening pizza, something that Cam refused to miss. The door to room swung open, and Rider could see the profile of the person entering, the red hair catching the light from the hallway. Rider closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep, not wanting to deal with Myers.
“Williams, you asleep?”
Rider let out a fake snore, not moving in case Myers could tell he was lying. Micheal sighed and turned, leaving Rider alone in the room again. What so important that Myers wants to talk about? Rider rotated onto his side, the light from outside still coming through the window. Sighing to himself, he closed his eyes and pushed everything out of his mind. It didn’t take long for him to drift off into slumber.
Rider could hear his name being called, the sound dulled by that of wind. Grabbing a towel and wrapping it around his waist, he stepped out of the shower cubicle onto the viewing platform of the Empire State Building. The violent wind threatening to snatch away his only sense of decency. In one of the corners stood a tall blond facing away from him. As he approached the mysterious stranger, the wind slowed, the smell of strawberries and lavender flowed across Rider’s nose. The man turned around. He must have been at least ten years older than Rider. His sandy hair was being blown around, and a smile was hidden by a rugged beard.
“Rider?”
The voice was deeper but familiar. Rider felt like he had known him for years. Standing in only a towel, Rider became very self-conscious. Looking around for his clothes, he suddenly felt warmth wrapping around himself, a familiar smell surrounding him. Looking down, he was now in clothes, the towel replaced by his jeans. The hoodie he wore every day covered his bare chest. As Rider looked up, his gaze caught the eyes of the stranger. The blue piecing his soul like they had the very first time, there was no way Rider could forget them.
“Cam?”
Cam’s smile increased, the beard still hiding the dimples that Rider loved.
“That day, I thought I had lost you.”
The older Cam pulled Rider close, his left hand sliding up the back of the hoodie and coming to a stop at the small of Rider’s back, the right hand running through his hair. Rider rose up on his toes to meet the taller jock’s lips, the beard tickling his face. Their bodies pressing hard enough for him to feel Cam’s heart beating fast. The passion in the kiss almost knocked him off his feet. He felt sad when it came to an end. Opening his eyes, the older Cam was no longer standing. The jock was kneeling, a black box in his hand.
“Rider Williams, will you marry—”
BANG! Rider scrunched his eyes closed as fast as they had opened, the light in the room making them sting. Octavius burst out of the bathroom, his voice way too loud for Rider, who was still recovering from the strange dream.
“The shower handle! Water!”
Rider’s eyes snapped open, horror spreading through him. He turned to the double bed, and Matthews’s gaze met his, a smile on the basketball captain’s face. Both of them burst out into laughter as Spencer sprinted out the room to try and find someone. He returned a couple of minutes with Mrs. Perez and a hotel worker. All three disappeared into the bathroom while Rider and Quintin tried to control their laughter.
“So, what has everyone got planned today?” quizzed Matthews as he got ready for the day.
“I’m meeting up with old friends. It’s been way too long since I was last in New York and when they found out I was coming they forced me to give up a day for them,” Cam casually said.
Rider struggled to hide the smile on his face, knowing Cam was lying.
“I’m going to the NBA store on Fifth then going to check out Rucker Park,” Spencer announced confidently, causing Matthews eyes to go wide.
“Can I get in on that?” Matthews asked, Spencer just nodding his agreement. “What about you, Williams?”
“I’m planning on going to The Met.” Rider caught the eye roll from Octavius. “Some of us actually want a bit of culture in our lives.”
Myers didn’t join in the conversation, gathering his belonging and heading out of the room before everyone else. It didn’t take long before Quintin and Spencer followed suit, leaving just Cam and Rider in the room alone.
“You’re not really going to The Met are you?” Cam said with a slight look of worry on his face.
“What do you think?” Rider threw a pillow at his boyfriend. Rider pulled on Cam’s hoodie and grabbed his backpack. “Should we get going?”
Chapter 21
Rider
A thirty-minute walk brought the duo to a gray building with a sign extremely common all across the United States. Rider was confused why Cam had dragged him across the city to a Starbucks when there was a much closer one to the hotel. His boyfriend laughed at the confused look on his face.
“This is the Starbucks I would come to after school. It’s where I use to meet up with friends and also was the first public place I came after I lost my father,” Cam said as they walked into the store.
The coffeeshop was busy, a bustle that Rider had felt since first arriving in the city. The queue stretched from the counter all the way back to the entrance of the store. Cam left his order with Rider as he disappeared in order to locate the restroom, Rider shuffling forward one person at a time. He had only made it three spaces forward before he heard the barista shouting the name Rider. In a small town like Belmont, he was the only one, but in the city, it must be a much more common name.
“Rider and Cameron?” the barista shouted.
Rider looked around confused; the chances of two people having the exact same names as him and Cam was slim. There were still seven people in front of him and no sign his boyfriend had already ordered for them. He was about to step out the line when he saw a young woman head over to the barista. Relief washed over him. He shuffled one more space forward as the woman turned and headed toward the door. He smiled at her and moved slightly to the side so she could get past, but the woman stopped right in front of him.
“I believe these are yours,” she said, a smile on her lips.
Her eyes were hidden behind sunglasses, and her blonde hair flowed over her shoulders. Rider looked down at the cups. On them were the names Rider Williams and Cameron Walker. Instinctively, he reached out for the cups; he felt like pinching himself to make sure he wasn’t still asleep.
“Oh, cool, a table by the window just opened up.” The mysterious stranger turned and started heading deeper into the store, turning back when she noticed Rider still stood motionless. “You coming?”
His feet automatically engaged, following her to a table that looked onto the busy street. Rider sat down, the stranger directly across from him. Lifting the lid of the cup that contained his name, he was greeted by hot chocolate with whipped cream, mini marshmallows, chocolate sprinkles, and a shot of caramel. This was the exact drink he was about to order. He pulled the lid of Cam’s drink, the contents again perfectly matching his boyfriend’s order.
“Don’t you love people-watching? They always reveal more about themselves when they don’t think anyone sees them.”
“Erm…I guess,” Rider said.
The stranger removed her sunglasses, setting them down on the table before looking Rider over. The sunlight caught the green of her eyes, making them appear vivid, full of chaos, but also control. A smile spread across her pink lips, her fingers tapping against the table.
“So, you’re the legendary Rider?”
“I guess…erm…no offence, but who are you?”
The answer came quick and loud but not from the lips in front of him. A voice shouted over Rider’s shoulder, almost causing him to spill his hot chocolate all over himself.
“Trish!” Cam said, smiling just behind him.
“The one and only.”
Cam dashed forward and pulled Trish into a tight hug. Rider stood also but was lost for words. He had completely forgotten Trish lived in New York. Trish was soon around the table and pulling him into a hug of his own.
“Rider, I would like you to meet Trish Athena Ducard. Trish this is—”
“Rider Williams. The amount you talk about him, how could I not know his name?”
Rider could feel the heat in his cheeks. He wasn’t aware Trish knew about him. Trish instructed them to sit. She was very interested in learning about Rider from the source himself. He wasn’t used to talking about himself but tried his best to answer all her questions. He soon found himself opening up. Trish was very easy to talk to.
“So, what’s it like to be dating this big lug then? He drag you to all his basketball matches like he did to me?” Trish asked with a laugh.
Rider started to choke on his hot chocolate. He hadn’t expected her to know about them dating, let alone ask about it outright. Cam had to pat him on the back to stop his coughing fit.
“I’m sorry, Rider. I didn’t mean to kill you!” Trish said.
“It’s okay”—cough—”I just didn’t knew you knew about us. I wasn’t sure if I should even mention it. I thought it might be a little weird.”
“Weird?” A confused look spread across Trish’s face. “CJ, how much of the truth did you tell Rider?
“Truth?” Rider asked.
He was shocked to discover Cam’s feelings for him went a lot further back than he realized. It had been Trish that convinced Cam to take that leap of faith and see where things would go. Trish even laughed when Cam explained how deafening her scream of happiness had been when he told her they were dating.
“So, you don’t hate me or are freaked out your ex is dating a guy?”
“No. You make CJ happy and that’s all that matters.” Trish smiled.
“Okay, now that everyone is on the same page, I’m going to go grab another cup of coffee. Anyone else want one?” Cam asked.
Rider and Trish had hardly touched their drinks. As Cam headed in the direction, the topic quickly changed to what he was like in New York. Rider’s favorite story was the one where the jock had asked Trish to help him dye his hair. The color he had chosen was meant to turn his head a dark sanguine color, but he hadn’t read the instructions correctly, leaving the dye on for half the required time, and Cam’s hair had ended up bright orange. Rider was still laughing at the idea when his boyfriend came back with his fresh coffee.
