Charlie sat on a wall, about three minutes walk from Zak's house. He glanced at his watch for the third time that minute. 8:26. If Charlie admired anything about Zak, it was his sheer commitment to performance. It was as if he were an actor playing the role of a cool guy, and had to keep his feelings, desires and sexuality bottled up inside, disguised. It was admirable, by effort if nothing else, but also sad. Zak had instructed him that, although the party was due to start at seven, no one would arrive until eight and, so as to avoid suspicions of complicity, Charlie should arrive at half eight. They had spent the intervening hour or so simply chatting and playing on the Playstation. It was strange, in this social context with Zak, who still seemed like a foreign entity when not brandishing his cock. Once more, through all the small talk and light jokes, there was still very much a sexual tension there. Every minute or so an image would appear in Charlie's head of Zak - naked, masturbating, kissing Charlie and more. He wanted to jump on Zak every now and again, before he realised where he was, and who he was. Such hypothetical dreaming was dangerous.
The blaring of music came from Zak's house as he walked around the corner. Through the large panes of glass, he could see the party was in full swing. Zak answered the door, staggering slightly, and cheered 'Charlie' before wrapping his thick arms around Charlie's neck and ushering him into the house. All around people, most of whom Charlie recognised from the year by sight, sipped drinks and talked. The tall gym rat who Charlie recognised as Casey stumbled up behind Zak, half full bottle of port in one hand, and said:
'Hey, Zak. Isn't he that little bitch who you beat the shit out of last week?'
'He is that guy, but...' Zak looked around the room at large. 'Hey everyone.' Everyone went quiet at the call of their leader. 'This is Charlie. He's a pretty cool guy. Stood up to me like no one else does. He's one of us.'
Charlie grinned self-consciously as everyone around the room muttered varied greetings to him. Ted, the English bloke, shoved a can into his hand, and bumped fists with him.
'You did well in that fight,' Ted said, thick accented. 'You should try out boxing at school. I'm the Captain.'
***
Charlie mingled throughout the night, as he was gradually brought into the social circle. The football team, all of whom he had recently studied naked, all introduced themselves. The cheerleaders too, greeted him, and the highlight undoubtedly being Marie, the girl he had earlier met eyes with, calling him 'super cute'. It wasn't quite 'handsome', Charlie thought, but it was something. He had watched as Lisa, who carried herself around the party with a flirtatious smile in a pink tube top so narrow it was practically a bra for her big round boobs, walked over and clearly flirted with Zak. In time with the music, she had pulled his top off, and though he had clearly not been into it, to save face he acted passive, and was now walking around the room bare-chested and slightly sweating. His abs glimmered.
Charlie sipped a vodka and coke as Luke, the blue haired enigma, walked up. His jeans were incredibly skinny, to such an extent that his bulge was clearly visible. He wore a deep red shirt, covered in little bits of reflective purple. It was incredible that such a non-conformist could be part of the group, and would have been equally incredible had he not been. He spoke in a clear New York accent.
'Yo, what up? Charlie right?'
'Yeah. Luke.' Charlie said without stopping himself, worried it might make him seem weird to know his name before their introduction.
'That's right.' Luke was not phased. He took out what Charlie took to be a cigarette and lit it. 'Not often that someone new comes into the circle. I believe the last one was me, a year or so ago.'
'How did you 'get in'?' Charlie asked, fingerquoting the final two words.
'Oh, you know…' Luke said. 'Same way as you did I suspect.'
Charlie stuttered. 'F-f-fighting Zak?'
'Something like that.' Luke winked, very deliberately, at Charlie, and offered him a drag of what he was smoking. Charlie took it and inhaled. He had never had a cigarette before, but had been instructed by his younger brother, rather pathetically, how to do it. Charlie immediately began to cough heavily, rasping as he keeled over.
Zak looked over from the other side of the room, where he was answering the door, and shouted.
'What's wrong Charlie?'
Luke responded. 'I don't think Charlie's ever had weed before!' The room at large laughed as Charlie recovered and tried to save face, forcing himself through two more inhalations whilst attempting to minimise the coughing. Charlie leant back against the wall, still with Luke, the room turned slightly blurry, as he saw that Zak was having a heated argument with the two people at his door. The two boys had come, provocatively dressed, in the team football shirts of the rival school. Zak squared up to the two boys, both of whom were broader and taller than he was, as some of the rest of the football team noticed and began to gather around, trying to join line with Zak. Zak, younger and smaller than some of his team, nonetheless held status, signalling them back with a raised hand. One of the uninvited guests landed the first punch on Zak, who staggered back, but ducking and dodging, hit the same person with a rising uppercut, knocking him upwards and backwards and out. The other made a lame attempt at attack, but Zak ducked behind him, initiated a chokehold, and held him at an angle in front of all the guests.
'Take your friend, and fuck off. Maybe do some training for our next match, yeah?' He forced the guy out of the door, closed and locked it, as the party at large applauded him.
Luke spoke to Charlie, feeling the effects of the joint rather profoundly. 'Physical specimen, that Zak…'
'Yeah…'
'Decent cock too,' Luke said casually.
'What?'
'Come on. I presume that why he really invited you.' Charlie was speechless, and his silence telling. 'You know, Charlie. I'm not very good at football. I'm in pretty good shape, but I don't enjoy football, or the rules, or even really the physical exercise. I keep these abs by not eating much.'
'What are you talking about?' Charlie asked, feeling the world collapse around him, socially and visually.
'The football team. That's why I'm on it. Zak hazed me. In front of the team. Made me blow him. Initiation, you know. He just enjoys the power. Me - I don't enjoy football. Honestly, I just enjoy the social stuff. The drinking. The tours. The status. The showering.' Charlie looked at him, curiously. Luke continued: 'I'm not calling you gay. I'm just saying… never mind… You're out of it anyway. I'm just saying Zak's fit, is all…'
'I'm straight.' Charlie stuttered.
'No-one's straight…' Luke said, slowly, eyeing the room. 'Everyone has their tendencies. Their types. We look alike, you know.'
Charlie looked between them. Certainly - they had similar body types. A degree of muscles, not much fat, high cheekbones. Zak had described him as a twink. Maybe Luke was a twink too. 'I think I know what you mean. You fancy Zak?'
Luke brushed his hand lightly against Charlie's cheek. 'We'll get into this later, I'm sure.'
Charlie fell back gently against the wall again, and watched as Luke walked his pert little ass away.
***
It was midnight. The remaining party guests - all the football team, six of the cheerleaders and Charlie - were gathered in an upstairs rec-room. They were sat around in a variety of chairs, many of the men topless by this stage, finishing the last of the drinks and talking. Charlie had recovered somewhat from the marijuana, but had had quite a lot more to drink. He noticed Zak, from across the room, repeatedly giving meaningful glances. It took Charlie a few minutes before it dawned on him. He looked around the circle, thinking through the plan he had come up with earlier.
'How about a game of cards?' Charlie asked in his loudest voice. The circle fell quiet.
One of the twins responded. 'There are, like eighteen of us. Far too many for cards.'
'What about another game?' Charlie asked, it going to plan.
'Drinking game?' Damon offered. 'Ring of Fire?'
'Yeah…' Charlie said, slowly. 'Or…'
Luke chimed in, sat next to Charlie. 'How about a game of truth or dare?'