Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience.
 
 Author: Invid Fan
Title: Where Friendship Leads
Summary:Three lifelong friends.  Three teens who lived as one.  When
Bobby's father comes out, though, life changes.  True friendship, however,
never does...
Keywords: mm, mf, mmf, con, rom, first

   ****

   Where Friendship Leads By Invid Fan (c)2013

   Chapter 1

   "My Dad's moving out."

   Kevin just stopped in his tracks.  Bobby kept walking down the forest
trail, oblivious to the effect of his words.  Kevin quickly caught back up,
matching his stride to that of his oldest friend.  He looked at his face.
It was...  well, you just never saw Bobby looking like that.  All serious
and such.  His blue eyes were always so happy under that blond tangle of
hair.  Kevin replied the only way he could.

   "What?"

   "He's moving out." Bobby kicked a rock.  It bounced down the trail. 
They were wandering the woods near home, paths as much a part of them as
the boys were a part of each other.  Usually they rode through the dirt
trails, adventuring far into the well known unknown.  Today, the bikes were
parked and locked to a small tree.

   "Why?" Kevin kicked a rock as well.  It bounced a few times before
settling back on the path.  As his steps brought him to its new resting
place, he kicked it again.  This time, it bounded to the left, out of
reach.

   "He came to my room last night, talked to me.  He..." Kevin heard Bobby
sigh.  "Dad's gay."

   Kevin blinked.  He couldn't have heard that.

   "What?"

   "He said he's gay.  He's always been gay."

   Bobby's father?  Gay?  Couldn't be!

   "You're kidding!  But...  I mean...  wow."

   "Yeah.  He said Grandma and Grandpa made him go to therapy, made him get
"cured", but he can no longer deal with that crap.  So...  he told Mom, and
she said to get out."

   "Wow..."

   "Yeah."

   They walked in silence for a few minutes.  A brown squirrel stopped its
search under a maple tree, standing on its haunches to watch the boys pass.
Kevin nodded to it.  It was always good to be nice to squirrels.  You never
knew when you might need a favor done in return.

   "Your mom really told your dad to get out?"

   "That's what he said." Bobby sighed.  "Mom hasn't said anything to ME
yet.  Dad said she was going to talk to me tonight."

   "Man..."

   "Yeah." Bobby looked over at Kevin.  "Does it bother you?"

   "What?"

   "Dad being gay."

   Kevin thought about it.  Did it bother him?  He knew Mr.  Stanfield. 
Had known him since forever.  Liked him.  He was a cool dad, as much as
Mrs. Stanfield was NOT a cool mom.  Not as cool as Vicky's, that's for
sure. On the rankings, Mrs.  Miller beat Mrs.  Stanfield, but it was Mr. 
Stanfield over Mr.  Miller by a wide margin.

   "It does bother you, doesn't it," Bobby said, sadly.  Kevin shook his
head.

   "No.  It doesn't.  I mean, he's still the same dad, right?  He's not
going to act different.  Apart from, I guess, marrying a guy.  But he's the
same guy.  He's not a fag or anything."

   "I'd kill anyone who called him that!"

   "Me too!" Kevin agreed, nodding vigorously.  "He's not like the gays on
that sewing show Mom likes to watch, the ones who talk weird and move their
head and hands.  He's...  well, he's just your dad."

   "Yeah..." Bobby slowly nodded.  "Yeah.  You're right.  He is just my
Dad." He kicked another rock.  "Are there different kinds of gay people?"

   "Must be," Kevin answered.  "I mean, there's different kinds of boys,
and girls.  Especially girls.  There's some girls who are, you know, really
girls..."

   "And then there's Vicky!" They both laughed.  Kevin put a hand up, Bobby
high five-ing his friend.

   "Yeah!  So, gays must be the same way.  There's the girly ones, and the
ones like Vicky!"

   "I'm telling her you said that!"

   Kevin grinned as Bobby punched him in the shoulder, as if giving the
punch Vicky wasn't there to deliver.  His friend was happy again.  It was
going to be a good day.



   ****



   "They fought last night."

   They sat on a bench at the edge of the park playground.  Some elementary
kids were playing on the wooden fort thing that had been built last summer,
while a few girls from their school were on the swing set.  Vicky was still
away at her Grandma's.  Kevin looked at his friend, the stick in his hand
drawing Godzilla in the dirt.

   "Bad?"

   "I've never heard them fight." Bobby erased what he had drawn, moving
his stick back and forth violently between his feet.  "I don't like it. 
Mom yelled."

   "Man."

   "Yeah."

   There was silence.  Just the sound of kids yelling and playing.

   "Did your mom talk to you?"

   "Yeah.  She...  she just said her and Dad were having some problems,
that it's not my fault, and that he'd be living somewhere else for awhile."
Bobby paused.  "She never said anything about him being gay.  When I asked,
she..." he swallowed.  "She yelled at me."

   "What?" That made no sense!  Bobby nodded.

   "She yelled, then left my room and went and yelled at Dad.  That's why
they fought.  She didn't know he had talked to me.  Hadn't wanted me to
know he was gay.  I mean, why?"

   "Don't know," Kevin shrugged.  "Maybe she thinks he can be cured, still.
Like his parents did."

   "Maybe."

   Kevin sensed movement.  Looking up, he saw the girls had abandoned the
swing set, and were coming over.  He knew them, somewhat.  They were from
his school, but not his street.  Jeanie had been in a number of his classes
over the years.  The others he only knew as the girls who hung out with
Jeanie.  Jeanie herself was, well, your average cute blonde.  She had
curves now, but not enough to be able to compete once they all started high
school.  Mind you, it would be the same for him, with regard to the guys,
but he wasn't top dog now so didn't care.  Jeanie came to a stop in front
of them, her coven arrayed on either side.  She smiled.

   "Hello, Kevin!"

   There was a sing song quality in her voice Kevin had learned to distrust
over the years.  She wanted something, something she was willing to be
friendlier than normal to get.  Not that she was usually unfriendly, true.
It was just...

   Someone sat down next to him.

   Kevin turned, surprised.  At first he assumed it was Vicky.  After all,
that was her seat.  Bobby always sat down to his right, Vicky to his left.
It was the natural order of things.  But, no.  It wasn't his second oldest
friend.  It was a girl, though.  She was slender, small, although he knew
she was in his grade.  She looked like almost like an elementary kid, apart
from the bumps on her chest.  He knew her name, somewhat.  Was it Neeta? 
Needa?  Something like that.  She was Indian, at least partly, her light
brown skin and green eyes somehow exotic.  Her black hair was short and
silky, parted right down the middle.  A light blue t-shirt bared her tummy,
just a bit, as did all the girl's outfits, her dark blue shorts VERY short.

   Kevin responded as any boy would.

   "Umm..."

   "You don't mind if Nitya sits there," Jeanie asked, grinning, "do you?
She hurt her foot."

   He looked down, eyes traveling down smooth brown legs, to dainty feet
clad in sandals.  Her toenails were painted pink.  Eyes going back to her
face, Kevin saw her smiling nervously.  Why SHE was nervous, he had no
idea.

   A familiar hand touched his right shoulder.  He looked at Bobby.  His
friend's expression was annoyed, eyes firm.

   "Let's go."

   Kevin sighed.  Bobby was always like this around girls.  Apart from
Vicky, naturally, but that was different.  She was Vicky.  Apart from her,
though, Bobby didn't seem to want to have much to do with girls.  Hell, if
some boys were joking with Kevin, Bobby seemed to get a little ticked off.
Kevin had other friends, and the trio would do things with other kids all
the time, but Bobby was kind of...  well, Bobby.  This time, though, Kevin
understood perfectly.  He stood.

   "Sorry," he said, looking down at the girl, honestly sorry.  Her eyes
widened in...  was that hurt?  He shrugged awkwardly, smiling a bit.  "I am
sorry, but it hasn't been a good day."

   "Hey, what are you doing?" Jeanie put her hands on her hips, surprised
and pissed.  He ignored her, following Bobby off towards the bike racks. 
He fell in next to his friend, their strides automatically matching.

   "Where do you want to go?"

   Bobby thought for a moment.

   "The fort."

   Kevin nodded.  It was a plan.



   ****



   They had discovered it in third grade.

   The trio weren't the first children to enter the hidden fort, a ten foot
wide clearing nestled among evergreen bushes.  Nor did they think they
were. As soon as they entered that secret chamber, Vicky had commented on
all the children who must have stumbled on it before.  All the playing that
must have been done, all the friends who had shared this place.  It was
clean, and stayed clean.  The kids knew others currently used the fort,
from the footsteps in the mud after a good rain, but there was never the
odd beer bottle or candy wrapper you found elsewhere.

   Almost as if all understood the magic of the place.

   Kevin stepped through the gap in the bushes.  It was empty.  He almost
half expected Vicky to be there.  It had been four days, and he missed her.
With a shrug, he walked to the center.  The fort was roughly circular, its
floor of dirt and moss.  A large flat rock lay a bit off center in it,
jutting out of the ground about three feet.  It was large enough for one
person, under five and a half foot tall, to lay on it, or three very good
friends to rest their backs against it as they sat under the sparse leafy
canopy above.  Greenish sunlight came down, filling the fort with an
otherworldly glow.  Kevin often wondered what it would be like to spend the
night here, the moon and stars peering down.  He suspected that was when
older teens claimed it, midnight rendezvous between lovers.  He did the
same, in his dreams.

   Bobby sat down against the rock, body going limp.  Kevin plopped down
beside him, shoulder and leg against their counterpart.  He felt Bobby lean
against him.  They were silent.



   ****



   "Kevin?"

   "Yeah?"

   "We're friends, right?"

   Kevin frowned.  That didn't even deserve an answer.  He gave one anyway,
naturally.

   "Of course.  We're best friends."

   "No matter what?"

   They were on firmer ground here.

   "No matter what.  Friends forever.  Why?"

   Silence.  Getting a little annoyed, he turned to Bobby.

   "Why?"

   His friend drew his legs up, arms going around them.  His eyes seemed to
be looking at nothing.

   "I've been thinking.  Since the other day.  Since Dad...  well, told me.
I mean, thinking about if it made sense.  And it does, a bit.  Things I
hadn't really paid attention to, maybe hadn't wanted to.  It all sort of
fit, clicked, you know?  And you're right, he's still Dad.  This doesn't
change things.  But...  I started thinking of other things.  Things that
also hadn't made sense, or rather that I didn't want to make sense.  Things
that I wasn't supposed to..."

   "What?"

   "Kevin...  what would you say if I said I was gay?"

   Kevin blinked.

   "Why, is it the type of thing you're likely to say?"

   Bobby burst out laughing, Kevin following suit.  They looked at each
other, grinning.  Bobby extended his legs out again, matching his friend's.
His left hand grabbed Kevin's.

   Seconds passed.  Slowly, both their smiles faded.  Kevin felt him
squeeze his hand, those blue eyes never leaving his.  He wet his lips.

   "You're...  gay."

   "I don't know."

   "How can you not know?" It seemed, to Kevin, to be an easy thing to
test. If boobies gave you boners, not gay.  If boners gave you boners, gay.
Bobby sighed, head falling back against the rock.

   "I don't know.  I mean, there are some things I do know."

   "What?"

   "I've never liked a girl."

   Kevin blinked.  He blinked again.  Bobby had never...  his eyes widened.
Damn.  Damned if that didn't make sense.  It explained so much...

   "Not counting Vicky, naturally."

   "Oh, of course," Bobby agreed.  "Vicky is Vicky.  But I've never looked
at a girl like Jeanie and thought, 'Wow, she's hot!'."

   "How about when you look at a really hot girl?"

   "Not even then!" Bobby grinned.  His warm hand squeezed Kevin's again.
"It's like, I know they're attractive, but it doesn't mean anything."

   Kevin nodded.

   "I was like that before sixth grade.  It was like a switch was flipped."

   "Well, not mine."

   "You know," Kevin laughed, "Laura likes you.  Maybe if we let her look
REALLY hard, she can find the switch somewhere on you!"

   "Go fuck yourself!"

   "I am a good fuck!" He leaned back on the rock, grinning as his eyes
went to the sky.  It was still early afternoon, but they probably only had
an hour before they had to head back.  Someday this summer, the three of
them would have to pack lunches AND dinners and spend the entire day out
here.  That would be cool.



   ****



   They spend that hour not saying much, but saying everything.

   Bobby's hand never left his.



   ****



   Bobby wasn't at the usual meeting spot the next morning.

   It wasn't that unusual.  Parents were always interfering with the
natural order of things.  After waiting a bit, Kevin biked back down the
street, towards his friend's house.  He had only gotten half way when a
sporty blue four door came down the street towards him.  It slowed, window
lowering.  Kevin stopped next to the driver's door, feet dropping to the
ground as Mr.  Stanfield looked out at him with a worried expression.

   "Have you seen Bobby, Kevin?"

   Kevin blinked.

   "I was just coming to see what was keeping him.  He's not at home?"

   "No," Bobby's dad said, shaking his head.  "He went charging out in the
middle of breakfast." The two locked eyes, and Kevin understood.  There had
been a fight.  "Do you know where he might have gone?"

   Kevin had a pretty good idea.  He nodded.

   "Yeah.  I'll have him back later.  Or," he added, "he can sleep over. 
If, you know..."

   "That," the man said, nodding slowly, "might be best.  I'll drop a bag
off at your house."

   "Just leave it in the garage.  Don't let Pooh Bear out, though."

   "Will do.  And...  thanks, Kevin.  You're a good friend."

   "So's Bobby."



   ****



   Kevin's oldest friend was curled into a ball, crying.

   Bobby didn't cry.  He just didn't.  Not since they were five, maybe six.
Vicky had cried, though.  She cried that fall, when Mr.  Frizzybottom the
cat passed away.  Kevin, and Bobby, had known what to do then.  Kevin knew
what to do now.

   He didn't say a word.  Getting down on the ground next to his friend,
Kevin positioned himself so their heads were near each other.  Reaching
over the shaking teen, he pulled him into a hug.

   Time passed.

   Sobs became sniffles.

   Sniffles became silence.

   Slowly, Bobby's body relaxed.  His limbs uncurled, arms going around
Kevin, legs intertwining.  Their foreheads touched.

   "You OK?" Kevin asked, softly.  His friend nodded.

   "Yeah..."

   "Your dad said you can sleep over tonight."

   "I don't want to go home."

   They had never talked of running away.  Not seriously.  Of living in the
woods, yes.  Of building houses under water or up in trees, or in space,
naturally.  But never of leaving home.  For Bobby to be saying that... 
Kevin hugged him tighter.

   "You're my friend.  You're always home when you're with me."

   Bobby's eyes opened.  One of his hands came up, touching Kevin's cheek.

   "I love you," he whispered.

   Head moving slightly...  he kissed Kevin.



   ****



   A kiss.  A kiss from his dearest friend.  A kiss from one of the two
people he loved, loved in a way that transcended all uses of the word in
silly movies and books.  This was the love of friendship, of bonds with
roots so deep they could never be cut.  That it was Bobby, and not Vicky,
changed not a thing.  They were equal, in all ways, in his heart.

   Gender didn't matter.

   After all, Bobby was, well, Bobby.

   ****

   Chapter 2

   "So, what the hell happened?"

   Kevin sat against the rock, arm around Bobby.  His friend's head lay on
his chest, the rest of his body snuggled against the teen.  It felt... 
well, different, but Kevin couldn't say it was wrong.  Bobby needed him. 
He looked down at the mess of blond hair.  Somebody really should comb
that. Not him, though.  Reaching over, with his free hand, he mussed the
hair a bit more.

   "Tell me."

   Bobby sighed, moving his head against Kevin's t-shirt so he wasn't
talking directly into his chest.

   "Dad's moving out today." Kevin waited, hand leaving Bobby's hair.  "I
asked if I could help him move into the hotel, and Mom said no."

   "He's going to a hotel?"

   "For now.  He's going to try and get an apartment nearby, so I can bike
there.  Mom doesn't like that."

   "She can't keep you from seeing your dad.  There're laws about that."

   "Yeah, but...  she's Mom.  I love her, too.  I just want to see Dad,
sometimes."

   They sat in silence.

   "Maybe," Kevin suggested, "she's afraid your dad will make you gay."

   Bobby broke out laughing.  As if that had suddenly fixed everything, he
pushed himself up and slid back until he was sitting against the rock in
his accustomed place.  Their shoulders touched.  After a moment, his face
turned serious again.

   "I can't tell Mom."

   "About what?" Bobby gave Kevin a look.  "Oh, right.  No problem.  It'll
just be between the three of us."

   The idea of not telling Vicky didn't even cross Kevin's mind.  They
shared everything.  Bobby's hand reached for his.

   "You're OK with this?"

   "I think so," he said, nodding.  "It might take time to adjust, but
it'll be OK."

   "Even...  the kiss?"

   Kevin thought.  He wasn't gay.  He knew that.  He passed the boobs make
boners test quite well.  However...  he shrugged.

   "Yeah.  I'm OK with it.  As long as you stay you."



   ****



   Vicky rode her bike down Greiner with abandon.  Not reckless abandon,
no. This was calculated abandon, every move on her dirt bike reasonably
safe, no matter how it looked.  And it looked reckless.  The two lane road
had gravel shoulders, often uneven with holes, sticks, and other fun
obstacles.  She wove between them at speed, facing traffic, so she could
see the face of death.  Or, at least, the faces of the drivers marveling at
her skill.

   Same thing.

   She had been down this road many times.  It connected the neighborhood,
that multi street complex of houses they all called home, to the woods,
which they also called home.  There were other ways to get there.  Safer
ways, the ways the trio had traveled in their younger days.  But, they were
almost adults now.  About to enter High School.  The roads were their
highway.  They could handle the danger, the oncoming traffic...

   Vicky swerved again.

   Also the roadkill.  That was yucky, though.

   She had gotten back home late the night before, tired after long lines
at airports.  Staying with her Grandma in New York had been awesome, so
many things to do, relatives to meet.  The trip to Ellis Island had
especially been great, those old rooms reminding her of their forest.  She
hadn't been allowed to just explore, though.  You had to stay on the tour
path.  That sucked.  At least at the Naval Park downtown, part of the fun
was in fact trying to find the path you were supposed to take through the
ships.  Even with the repainted lines on the decks, it could be tricky.

   As a semi came at her, she saw the start of the dirt path through the
tall grass, leading to the start of the woods.  With a quick jerk of the
handlebars, she wrenched the front wheel onto it, the rest of the bike
following as metal death passed behind her.  She let the bike coast down
the slight incline, timing it so she hit the petals again just as the front
tire bottomed out.  A few more moments, swerving a bit to avoid a stick
some jerk had let fall in her way, and...

   She was home.

   Vicky let the bike slow, now that she was in the woods, her body
relaxing.  It had been too long.  Five whole days, actually closer to six.
She had heard the old saying, that you never know how much you love
something until it is gone.  That was definitely true.  She loved this
forest.

   She also loved Kevin.

   Putting her feet down, she stopped her bike at the first cross path. 
Love.  Love was silly, they had agreed.  One need only look at the various
pairings around them to see that.  The drama, the breakups and heartbreak.
Who needed that.  They had friendship.  What could be better?

   Well, kissing, for one.  And touching, and more kissing, and...  Vicky
sighed.  She had been thinking of kissing Kevin forever.  Not when they
were together, at least not much.  No, when the three of them were playing,
or just being themselves, it was the same as always.  Just a comforting...
oneness of being.  It was at night, when she was alone under the covers,
that the complications arose.  She had been touching herself for over a
year, wondering at it all.  And...  now, she saw Kevin's face when she
closed her eyes, one finger getting wetter.  Never Bobby.  Bobby was cute,
yes.  Blond, cute, with nice eyes.  But, Kevin...  his short brown hair,
part a bit to the left of center, those brown eyes, the way his lips
smiled, the bulge he got in his pants when they were at the park surrounded
by partly clothed teen girls...

   She had a body now.  A nice one.  Boobs as big as apples, brown apples
with pink stems.  A triangle of sparse black curly hair was between her
legs.  Would Kevin get a boner if he saw her nude?  Would he want to kiss
her?  Touch her?  More than touch?

   She shook her head.  It was too distracting.  She just wanted to find
her friends.  They had been gone before she woke, Kevin's phone giving her
a recording while Bobby's mom was in a right bitchy mood.  Vicky didn't
like her, and she thought the feeling might be mutual.  Or she was just
being silly.  That was always a possibility.

   The choices of where the boys could be, this early, were few.  The fort
was the obvious first place to check.  For one, she'd pass a few other
haunts on the way there.  Second, if they WEREN'T there, she could swing
around and check other places on the way to the mall, which was opening
soon.  All in all a good search pattern, one they'd used before in the past
while seeking one of their pack.  Kicking off, she set petal to the chain
and set off down the path.



   ****



   The relief at seeing two familiar bikes in the hiding spot near the fort
was almost orgasmic.  They were here.  She was here.  They would be one
again.  One from three.  Not even bothering to conceal her white bike, thus
opening their fort to possible discovery, she let it drop to the ground
noisily as she quickly walked down the faint path.  The bushes scratched
her, leaving red marks on her brown skin, the fort's guards extorting their
toll.  Finally...

   "Vicky!"

   The two boys shot to their feet, expressions of pure joy.  Her own must
have mirrored it, for they just grinned.  Opening her arms, she quickly
went forward.  They met her half way, Kevin on her right, Bobby on her
left, the boy's free arms around each other.  They stood there, foreheads
together, body's trembling.

   "I missed you guys," she whispered.  "I missed you so much."

   "Same here." Kevin squeezed her, Bobby's arm doing the same a moment
later, probably reacting to being squeezed himself.  She lifted her head.
Her friends looked blurry Laughing, she released them, hand going to her
jeans pocket for a tissue.

   "None of you had better be going anywhere for a bit," she said, wiping
her eyes.  "I don't know if I could deal." She saw Bobby's eyes were red as
well, at least a bit.  They both released her.  As one, they retreated to
the stone.  Kevin slid down with practiced grace against it, Bobby on his
right.  Vicky slid down on his left, her shoulder against his.  She looked
at them both.

   "So, what's been going on?"



   ****



   "I know a number of gay people.  Well, know of them, met them."

   Vicky picked up a reddish rock, examining the bottom to see if any worms
or other crawlies were there.  Seeing none, she walked over to the half
built dam and carefully placed it next to Bobby's rock.  The fit was good,
although some pebbles would fill in the crack better.  Even as she thought
that, Bobby was there with some good sized ones to try out.

   "Where did you meet them?" Kevin asked.  He sat on the edge of the small
stream, stripping the bark from a stick that looked a bit like a boat. 
Vicky bent down and rolled up her pant legs a bit more.

   "Oh, remember my cousin?  The one with the huge boobs?" She slid her
eyes to him, saw his widen.  She wished her shirt was tighter, so her own
boobs were more evident bent over like this.

   "Oh!  Yes!  God, they were big!"

   "She and her friends have a guy who hangs with them, who's as flaming as
a...  well, flame.  I think they do each other's nails and such."

   "Dad doesn't do that," Bobby said, frowning.  She looked at him
apologetically as she straightened.

   "I know!  I'm just saying, that's one guy I know!  Mom knows a couple
who shop at her store, too, and I've met them.  They don't have nail
polish. That I know of, at least."

   "I wonder what kind of guy Dad...  likes." Bobby stood up, examining the
dam.  Vicky moved to stand next to him, Kevin rising to join them.  Water
was starting to build up behind it.  Vicky shrugged.

   "Just ask him.  Not now, probably, but later.  Once everything's
settled."

   "Yeah," Kevin nodded.  "There's no hurry.  He'll be gay for a long
time."

   Bobby looked at Kevin for a long moment.  Vicky wondered what was going
on.  There were no secrets between them, after all, and she had a lot of
catching up to do.

   "What?" she asked.  Bobby sighed, eyes meeting hers.

   "I think I'm gay too."

   Vicky felt her mouth open.  She quickly shook her head, looking between
the two of them.

   "Really?"

   "Really," Kevin nodded.  "We haven't done the boner test, but he seems
pretty gay.  He kissed me."

   "He..." Vicky just stared at Kevin.  Bobby had...

   Well, if he was gay, should she be surprised?  She loved both of them,
and wanted to kiss Kevin.  So, Bobby loving both of them and wanting to
kiss Kevin just made sense.  Hell, in a way it just gave them yet another
thing in common.  She saw Bobby looking at her, waiting.  Waiting for her
reaction.  What was her reaction?

   She smiled, getting a relieved one in return.

   "You realize this means we're going to have to share him," Vicky said.
He nodded, smiling.  Turning to Kevin, she stepped closer.  "I have some
catching up to do." Leaning in, she kissed him.



   ****



   Kevin was quiet during lunch.

   They were at Vicky's house, tossing down salami and cheese sandwiches as
well as rehydrating generously.  Mrs.  Miller was there, having stopped
home for a quick meal herself before going back to the quilt store she ran
on Transit.  That there was, in fact, good money to be made selling
hundreds of patterns of fabric for quilts always surprised him when he
thought about it.  At the moment, though, as Vicky told the three of them
tales of her trip to New York City, his thoughts were on something even
more surprising.

   He had been kissed.

   Twice.

   By his two best friends.

   He had, yes, had thoughts about Vicky before.  How could you not.  She
was beautiful, in her tomboyish way, from her curly black hair to her dark
brown feet, especially with the breasts and curves which had appeared
between those two points in the last year or two.  Plus, she was Vicky.  To
not love Vicky would be insane.

   But, Bobby...

   It was the two kisses that were the issue.  Vicky's kiss had been
wonderful.  Incredible.  Her lips so soft, her right hand on his chest as
she leaned in, her body exciting all his senses even with that being their
only contact.

   Bobby's kiss had felt the same way.

   He wasn't gay.  Wasn't.  Did that mean anything, though?  Did the word
have any value to them?  Or...  could they just say they were who they
were, with no labels?  He loved his friends.  They...  well, they appeared
to love him too, in ways unexpected.  Did he love them that way in return?

   Was that even a question?

   "So, what are you children doing after this?"

   Mrs.  Miller's question broke Kevin out of his contemplation.  The other
two looked at him.  He was, unofficially, the leader.  Kevin had no idea
when it had developed, but it had just always been so.  When he had an
idea, they agreed instantly.  If one of them had an idea, they suggested it
to him, and went along with what he said.  It wasn't something he abused,
to say the least.  He hadn't even noticed it until his Dad had pointed it
out a few years ago, and Kevin promptly tried to ignore the information.

   It just got in the way.

   "We'll probably let Vicky trash us on the Wii for a bit, if you don't
mind.  Make up for lost time.  Bobby's going to spend the night at my house
tonight."

   "Can I go over too, Mom?  Please?"

   The look Mrs.  Miller gave her daughter was hard to decipher.  Reaching
across the kitchen table, she covered her hand.

   "Given I haven't seen you in a week, I HAD hoped we'd spend some time
together today.  Your father's off with some of the guys after work, so
we'll be on our own."

   "Yeah, but..." Kevin almost laughed at Vicky's expression.  She was
obviously playing her mother, even though they all knew this game backwards
and forwards.  He put his elbows on the table, leaning forward.

   "Mrs.  Miller, maybe the three of us can crash here Saturday night?"

   "Hey, yeah!  Mom, can we?  Please?"

   They had done it before, many times.  The basement rec room was the
perfect place for teens to crash with sleeping bags, providing privacy and
isolation yet easy for parents to check in on.  In recent years, all their
sleepovers had started to occur here.  For some reason, his and Bobby's
parents weren't comfortable with the three of them spending the night in
the same bedroom.

   "OK," she said, smiling, "we can do that.  I'll make pizza and wings."

   "Cool!  I love you, Mom!"

   "You'd better!"



   ****



   Vicky, controller in hand, watched as Kevin vanished up the basement
steps.

   "Are you OK with all this, Vicky?"

   She turned to Bobby.  Her friend looked unsure, which was so unlike him.
Sliding across the couch, erasing the void left by Kevin as he went to take
a piss, she put her arm around him, squeezing.

   "More than OK.  I'm just happy you know.  I did kind of wonder, to be
honest."

   "You did?"

   "Yeah, but then what do I know?  You just never leered at girls the way
Kevin did."

   "I noticed you leering at him," Bobby said, hugging her back.  She
smiled shyly.

   "Yeah."

   "We share him, then?"

   She nodded firmly.

   "Yup.  If he'll let us."



   ****



   News of the Stanfield's breaking up had reached Kevin's parents, even
before he called his Mom at work to ask about Bobby spending the night. 
They were more than happy to have him over, his Dad breaking out the grill.
To say Bobby, and Vicky, had grown up as if two of their own would
understate the case.  They sat on the patio eating grilled chicken and corn
on the cob, cold Pepsi washing it down.  Kevin was very proud of his
parents for not talking about the divorce.  They also didn't seem to know
the reason, which was good, or at least if they did know the reason they
were keeping it to themselves.  Either way worked for Kevin.

   After dinner, Bobby called his mother.  Kevin tried not to listen, but
couldn't help it.  There was no yelling, no crying.  Everything seemed OK.
He called his father's phone next, spending ten minutes talking to him. 
There were tears in his eyes as he hung up.

   "He's at the motel by the library, the one that rents by the week."

   "It's small," Kevin observed.  Bobby nodded.

   "Yeah.  He's taking tomorrow off work to look at a few apartments.  He
probably won't be able to get one until the end of the month."

   Kevin gave him a quick hug.

   "Let's watch some TV."



   ****



   It was well past midnight when the two abandoned the living room TV and
retired to Kevin's room.  Despite all that had happened, Kevin didn't think
twice about shedding his clothing and putting on his pajama bottoms in
front of Bobby.  He had done that all his life.  Neither did he give any
thought to the day's events as he turned off the lights, slipping under the
sheets on his side of the bed.  Bobby was already on the other side. 
Pulling the sheet up and getting comfortable on his pillow, Kevin gave a
tired sigh.

   "Good night."

   There was a moment's silence from his friend.

   "Kevin..." The mattress shifted.  Turning his head, he saw the shape of
Bobby now close to him.  The boy paused, just looking at Kevin.

   "What is it?" Kevin whispered.  The shape rose above him, then lowered.
Lips touched his.

   This was so much more than what had happened in the woods to not even be
the same act.  Before the kiss told of love, friendship, need.  This told
of...  desire.  A wet tongue licked Kevin's lips.  His mouth opened,
letting in his questing friend.  He felt a hand on the side of his face,
another on his bare chest.  Both felt electric.  His own arms raised, hands
going to the bare shoulders above him, not knowing what else to do.  He let
Bobby lead.

   Slowly, he felt the hand move down his chest.  Bobby's fingertips slid
over his skin, sending shivers through him.  They circled and meandered, as
if afraid of their final destination.  As they reached the point where the
elastic of his pajamas defended his now hard dick, Bobby broke the kiss. 
Eyes now adjusted to the darkness, Kevin looked up into his friend's eyes.
Bobby licked his lips.

   "I'm about to see how gay I am..."

   Sitting up, he pulled off the sheet, reached down, and grabbed the top
of Kevin's bottoms.  He tugged.  Not even thinking, Kevin lifted himself
up, allowing his one piece of clothing to slide down his legs.  The feeling
of the fabric leaving him was almost like a kiss itself, his skin reacting
to everything around it.

   He was nude next to his friend.

   There was a long pause.  This could be it, Kevin thought.  Bobby might
not really be gay, or just part way.  That would be OK.  They would jerk
off together or something.  Even as he thought that, a tentative hand
touched his dick.  He sucked in a breath, as light fingertips brushed over
it.  Soon they were wrapped around him, slowly moving up and down.

   Kevin had never felt anything like it.  He closed his eyes, just
reveling in the feelings shooting through him.  His hips slowly thrust up
and down, matching Bobby's rhythm.  The pleasure built, and built...

   "Gonna shoot," he whispered.  Bobby's speed increased, his hand
tightening its grip.  With a gasp, Kevin felt it start.  Felt the fluid
start its journey, up from his balls.  A moment later he spasmed.  Wetness
splattered on his chin, and chest.

   "Oh, god...  Bobby..." Wet lips touched his, and without thought Kevin
thrust his tongue upward, both hands going to his lover's head.  He felt
his cock squeezed again, another shudder of pleasure going through him. 
Bobby's lips left his, sliding downward.  He felt a tongue tentatively lick
his chin.  It licked again, cleaning it of cum.  He heard Bobby groan, his
head burying itself in Kevin's shoulder even as his body pressed against
Kevin's.  Rolling over, their arms wrapped around each other, legs
entangling.

   Without words, all was said that needed to be said.

   ****

   Chapter 3

   In the morning, Kevin and Bobby dressed slowly, shyly.  Eyes meeting,
looking away, then meeting again, grins finally appearing at the silliness
of it all.  Yes, things had changed.  But they were the same.  There was no
reason to act like something life altering had happened.

   Even if it had.

   Twice during the night they had awoken together, twice they had given
the other pleasure.  Kevin had felt nothing strange about touching his
friend, enjoying the experience of making him tremble and shake.  The last
time, he had thought Bobby was going to go down and suck him, wondering if
he, himself, would go that far in return, but both had stayed with just
their hands.  That had been enough.  Things would, eventually, go father,
he knew.

   Which was good.  After all, it was Bobby.

   His Mom was leaving as they stumbled downstairs, off to work.  She gave
last minute instructions he half listened to, nothing important that he
noticed.  Feeling ambitious, Kevin pulled down the pancake mix and looked
at the instructions.  Without needing to be asked, Bobby went to the
kitchen wall phone and called Vicky.  She was with them ten minutes later.

   "Man, I love pancakes," she told them, stacking four on her plate.  "Is
that still your grandpa's syrup?"

   "Yup.  Go easy on it," Kevin told her, frowning a bit.  "I think there's
still another bottle somewhere, but it has to last until he taps those
trees again."

   "We'll have to have eggs when we're at your place," Bobby told her,
slipping into the chair across from her and forking some sausage from the
plate Kevin was putting on the table.  "I love the way your mom scrambles
them."

   "Vicky's egg was definitely scrambled," Kevin said, getting a playful
growl from her.  She grabbed the butter dish, cutting chunks off to stick
between her layers of fractal shaped pancakes.  Kevin, taking his seat
between the two at the round kitchen table, cut slabs off the other end of
the stick.  "Any good movies opening today?"

   Vicky shook her head.

   "Naw.  Some blow-em-up thing, and two girly comedies.  All look stupid."

   "The blow-em-up didn't look that bad," Bobby said, mouth full.  "Stupid,
yeah, but it could be fun.  It's in 3D.  And, it's from the makers of The
Core.  So, you know, it should be good."

   Both looked at Kevin, awaiting his opinion.

   "We can always check it out," he said, considering.  "Wander the mall,
then go to the movie.  Maybe we'll be the only ones there."

   "That would be cool," Vicky said, grinning.  "It would be like watching
at home!"

   The three focused on their food.  Kevin was definitely proud of his
meal, not making too much of a mess around the kitchen.  Nothing that
couldn't be easily cleaned up.



   ****



   The ring of the kitchen phone brought the eating to a pause.  It was
probably some stupid recording or salesman, Kevin knew.  His parents both
had cell phones, where is where any important call would go.  If HE had a
phone, they could probably get rid of the antique.  Not that he didn't get
a kick out of it.  The white phone even had a long cord which curled like a
spring, so you could stretch it out into the next room.  He was debating
whether to stand up and answer, as opposed to waiting for the machine in
the living room to do so, when Bobby rose.  He was sitting almost under the
thing.

   "Hello."

   As Kevin and Vicky watched, his eyes widened in surprise, and confusion.

   "Um, hi, Mom." Kevin shared a glance with Vicky.  "Oh, nothing, we're
just eating breakfast.  Yeah, pancakes.  No, Mrs.  Drew left awhile ago."
There was a pause.  "Um, really?  Sure.  No, I'd like that!  Let me finish
breakfast first.  OK.  Yeah.  I will.  Bye, Mom."

   Bobby hung up, expression turning sheepish as he looked at the others.
Kevin sighed.

   "Leaving us, I assume?"

   "Yeah." Bobby sat back down, quickly cutting a hunk out of his remaining
stack of pancakes.  "Mom's meetings were canceled today, so she's taking
the day off and wants to do stuff with me."

   "That's cool," Vicky said.  He nodded, mouth full.

   "We can do the movie in a few days," Kevin agreed.  He kind of suspected
Mrs.  Stanfield hadn't really had meetings canceled, just taking the day
off, but the motives of parents were always something of a mystery.  They
finished breakfast in silence.

   "Well," Bobby said, standing, "I think I'll have to bail on helping
clean up."

   "Just like a man," Vicky said, giving him the full force of her gender
based displeasure.  He nodded happily.

   "That's me, all man." He circled around Kevin, putting a hand on his
shoulder.  "See you two later."

   "Later." Kevin watched as Bobby paused beside Vicky.  He leaned down,
whispering something in her ear.  Vicky's eyes widened, head turning to
look into his face.

   "No!"

   "Yup!  Enjoy!"



   ****



   Vicky was quiet as the two teens filled the dishwasher.

   Bobby had...  done things with Kevin the night before.  Played with him.
Jacked him off.  And Kevin had let him.

   The whole gay thing, which, really, she had only begun to think about
the previous morning, was now real.  Bobby was in love with Kevin, and
Kevin was happy to do...  sex things with Bobby.  God, that was so hot. 
She wished she had been there to watch.  Hell, been there to take part! 
Vicky suddenly remembered the sleepover at her place tomorrow night.  The
three of them, alone in her basement.  Her parents never checked on them
after 10 PM.  They could...  wow...

   "That's not a glass."

   Vicky focused on what she was doing, which had been putting a plate up
on the top where the cups went.  She smiled apologetically, shrugging.

   "Sorry!"

   "Well, I know how sleepy you are this early, so I forgive you."

   Which, of course, was a huge joke, as she was always up early and wide
awake, unless she was up late, and even then she didn't sleep in all that
long.  She gave a theatrical yawn.

   "You know, you're right.  I should take a nap!"

   "Don't let me stop you!"

   Kevin closed the door to the dishwasher.  Turning, he leaned back
against the counter.  Vicky liked the way his t-shirt was pulled a little
tight, although she still couldn't see his nipples behind the blue fabric.

   "So," he asked, hands gripping the countertop on either side behind him,
"now what?"

   Vicky knew what she wanted to do.  Wanting, and doing, was always a huge
gap for her.  If Bobby was here, she doubted she'd hesitate.  She was
always more comfortable when they were three, instead of two, or one. 
Everything was right when they were three.  As three, none could ever do
wrong in the eyes of the others.

   Kevin stood there, waiting for her.  He always waited for her.  Always.
She was the newcomer to the group, not meeting the friends until they were
two.  He had made friends with her, asking his parents to invite her to any
and all parties and activities along with Bobby.  When boys and girls began
breaking off into different cliques, he kept her with them.  Never treated
her like another boy, but neither did he treat her like some girl.  She...
to him, she knew, she was just "Vicky", and the way he said her name it
sounded like the most important title in the world.

   "I know what I want to do," she said, softly.  Kevin cocked his head
questioningly.

   "And?"

   She again wished Bobby was there.  She had kissed Kevin the day before,
with him as backup.  Bobby gave her strength.

   But, then, he WAS there.  In spirit.  Taking comfort and courage from
that, Vicky moved to stand before Kevin.

   "This." Leaning forward, she kissed him.



   ****



   Kevin closed his eyes, her lips and body lightly pressed against his.

   The difference between his two friends was, not light and day, but more
cake and ice-cream.  Both wonderful, but each with a texture and taste all
their own.  Vicky was ice-cream.  Her lips were smooth against his, tasting
of maple syrup.  His mouth opened, tongue flicking out get more of that
flavor.  It was met, tentatively, by hers.  Soft hands touched the sides of
his face, caressing his cheeks.  His own hands were at her waist, just
above her jeans.  He had meant to put them over her shirt, but as they slid
up off her pants they found themselves on soft, bare skin.  She was softer
than Bobby, but not by much.

   Vicky broke the kiss.  Her eyes stayed closed for a moment.  Kevin
opened his, regarding her with wonder.  The first kiss had been...  well,
nothing, compared to this.  Just as with Bobby, so much more had now been
said.  When she looked at him again, Vicky's eyes shined.

   "I love you, Kevin."

   "God, I love you too, Vicky." He slid a hand up her side, moving it a
bit so most of the trip was over her white top.  He brought it to the side
of her face, mirroring her hands on his.  His right hand stayed on her
waist.  She licked her lips.

   "You can love both of us?"

   He smiled.

   "I always have."



   ****



   The two teens stood in Kevin's bedroom.  Vicky regarded the unmade bed.
Her two friends had lain there hours before, nude.  She, too, was about to
lie there, nude, with Kevin.  Again, she wished Bobby was there.  It was
almost wrong to do things without him.  She found herself trembling.

   "Hey."

   Kevin's hand tenderly touched her face.  She looked at him.  His
expression was worried.  Vicky smiled, hoping he bought the facade of
bravery, but he knew her too well.  Stepping forward he hugged her.

   "It's OK, Vicky.  We don't have to." She closed her eyes, trying not to
cry.

   "But I want to," she whispered.  "I really do." And, she did.  She
wanted to be with him.  Touch him.  Be touched.  Have him...  touch her
breasts, between her legs.  Wanted...  him to fuck her.  God, she just
wanted him to do everything with her!  His arms squeezed her, mouth
whispering into her ear.

   "I think we should go slow.  It's not a race."

   She loved him.  In that moment, like in so many before, that was the
first thought to go through her mind.  She loved him for not pushing her,
for knowing her better than she knew herself.  She loved him for loving
her.

   "What do we do?" she asked, softly.  He chuckled.

   "There's a big comfy couch we can watch TV on."



   ****



   He was sitting in the den, waiting for her.  She had told him she had to
use the bathroom first.  And she had.  Looking in the mirror, getting her
courage up, Vicky had removed her shirt, paused...  and removed her bra. 
The shirt had gone back on quickly, before she lost her nerve.  Coming out
of the upstairs bathroom, she ducked into his room to hide the bra in his
bed.  If she forgot to put it back on before going home, she didn't want it
lying around the house for his parents to find.  The longer they thought
nothing was going on between the three friends, the better.

   She paused at the foot of the stairs.  Would it be the three of them? 
Both she and Bobby loved Kevin, yes, but...  her and Bobby?  Would there be
that, too?  She loved him, of course.  The idea of kissing him, and the
other stuff, did excite her.  But would he...  kiss her?

   Vicky didn't know.  It didn't seem right that he wouldn't.  The three of
them did everything together.

   Deciding to not worry about it for now, usually the best plan when the
trio was divided, she crossed the house to the den doorway.  Kevin looked
over at her, grinning.  He sat on the large sofa, right in the middle, arms
stretched out along the back.  The large TV had the Netflix menu up,
Terminator all queued and ready to go.  She grinned back.

   "Good choice!" Walking over, she plopped down next to him, pressing
against his side.  Kevin's left arm came down off the couch back, going
around her shoulders.  His hand landed on her bare arm.  The TV screen went
black as he hit the play button on the remote.  As she snuggled in closer,
he tossed the now unneeded device onto the nearby recliner.  He pulled her
closer.

   "Mmmm...  comfy."

   "This is even better." Taking his hand from her arm, Vicky moved it onto
her breast.



   ****



   Kevin gasped.  Vicky did, too.  Her bra was gone.  He was holding her
bare breast, covered only by thin fabric.  Which made it not bare,
technically, but who cared!  He squeezed.  She was soft, yet firm.  He
could feel her nipple against his palm.  Kevin moved his hand, feeling the
nipple scrape against his skin.  Vicky let out a groan...  and attacked.

   She lunged onto him, mouth going for his face, both hands grabbing for
his head.  Kevin's free hand shot between them, trying to hold her off. 
That it, in fact, landed on her other breast was either pure chance, or a
skill, until then, unknown.  Her body lay on his, held aloft by his grip on
her breasts.  All sense of reason or comprehension vanished.  Tongues
touched, lips kissed, hands grabbed and fondled.  At one point, his hands
somehow ended up UNDER her shirt, warm, smooth brown skin cupped in his tan
hands.  Her shirt vanished entirely soon after.

   Some unknown time later, as Kevin regained partial control, he found
Vicky sitting on his lap, straddling him.  She was rocking back and forth,
the feeling in his trapped dick exquisite.  Her breasts, still in his
hands, were before his face.  Dropping one hand away, he leaned forward to
take a mound into his mouth.



   ****



   Vicky let out a sound she had never thought herself capable of.

   It wasn't supposed to be this good.  It couldn't be.  She knew now why
girls got in trouble.  Why there were sluts.  Who could resist a boy who
made you feel that incredible?  That wanted?  Needed?  She rocked even more
as Kevin flicked his tongue against her nipple, let it circle the hard nub,
then flicked it again.  She could feel his dick rubbing against her pussy.
She wanted to fuck him.  Would fuck him.  Would do anything her Kevin
wanted her to.

   God...



   ****



   "...no...  stop..."

   Vicky's words were faint, unsure.  Kevin barely heard them.  But... 
hear them his did.  Both hands went to her bare arms, holding her still. 
He released her breast, head dropping back to the couch's back cushion.  It
felt like he had run a dozen laps in gym class, his breath fast and
labored. Vicky's eyes were close, her mouth open.  She trembled.

   "Are you OK?" he asked, trying to make sense of everything.  His brain
was in a fog.  Vicky nodded, slowly.

   "Y-yeah.  Yeah.  Oh, God..."

   "Did I go too far?  Oh, God, Vicky, I'm sorry..."

   "No!  No!  Oh, God, no...  it's...  I don't know WHAT it is!" She shook
her head.  eyes opening.  "I mean..."

   Not knowing what else to do, he pulled her down against him, hugging her
tight.  He fell over onto the couch, lying down with one foot still on the
floor.  She came with him, body moving so she was no longer straddling him,
instead lying on top of his body, head on his chest.  One of Kevin's hands
stroked her bare back, the other her curly black hair.

   They stayed like that for what seemed like forever.



   ****



   "Are you better?"

   Vicky did not so much hear Kevin's question, as felt it as his chest
moved under her ear.  The sound that dominated her mind was his heart,
pumping away beneath her.  His heart...

   "Yeah...  yeah, I'm OK."

   "What happened?"

   What had happened?  She snuggled against him.

   "I...  I can't explain.  It felt so good...  I was going to pop, you
know?  I've made myself do it, but...  it's like I was losing control." She
gave a laugh.  "If you kept going I probably would have felt incredible.  I
didn't WANT you to stop!  But I did!  I don't know why..."

   His hand began making small circles on her back.  It was joined by his
other hand.

   "Doesn't matter.  I love you."

   He said it as if those words said everything.  Explained all.  And... 
they did.  She felt tears coming.

   "Tomorrow," she said, softly, "when we're together...  I won't stop you.
I'll never stop you when we're together.  Either of you."

   "Do...  do you want me to stop it?  Before it goes too far?"

   "No, my Kevin...  no.  There is no too far, with you and Bobby..."

   ****

   Chapter 4



   Bobby sat on the park bench, thinking.

   He wished life wasn't so complicated.  It was summer.  School was out.
He was not supposed to have to consider serious, adult issues.  Or even
teen issues.  Damn it, they weren't even in high school yet!

   The day with his mother had been fine.  Even fun, at times.  Mom was
great.  A little serious, a little controlling, maybe, but moms were like
that.  He wouldn't expect her to be any other way.  She had taken him
shopping, to stores he liked as well as, well, others.  They'd talked. 
About Dad.  Other stuff.  Mom wasn't one to open up to him, but she tried.
He loved her for that.  Trying was all he asked.  They were done about 2
PM, and she let him go out, do whatever, before dinner.  Bobby had thought
about going over to Kevin's, but saw Vicky's bike was still there. 
Figuring they were busy...  he came here.

   He wasn't jealous.  Not of Vicky.  You couldn't be.  If nothing else,
Kevin would beat him up if there was any sign to it.  And he'd beat himself
up, too.  After all, it was Vicky.

   Bobby had no experience with love.  Looking back on his life, he
realized it was something he hadn't even seen much at home.  His parents
had...  well, he now knew why things had been how they'd been.  At the time
it was just how parents behaved.  And he couldn't blame his Mom.  It may
have been silly, or naive, to have gone into marriage thinking Dad had been
"cured", but he had played along too.  Said he was now...  straight.

   Fifteen years was a long time to string a wife along with a lie.

   There would never be lies between him, Kevin, and Vicky.  There couldn't
be.  They were always open about everything, so far as he knew.  They would
have to be more so from here on out.  One lie, and their group could
shatter.  One lie, and the foundation of his entire life would be gone. 
His parents splitting up, he could deal with.  Not well, no, but...  he
could, and would, survive.

   Breaking up with Kevin or Vicky would kill him.

   Bobby looked across the park.  Some boys he knew were playing
basketball. They wore shorts, half were shirtless.  If he was gay, that
should excite him.  He should find some of his fellow teen males cute,
sexy, at least physically.

   He didn't.

   That, he thought, was the main reason the whole gay thing had not reared
its head before now.  While, yes, looking at boobs had not given him a
boner, neither had looking at guys.  As they shopped today, he had looked
at the men around them.  Looked to see if any did anything for him.  Some
were definitely hunky.  Some he took a second look at.  Yet...

   It took a few hours for him to realize all of those looked a bit like
Kevin.

   The idea that he might not be gay, but, well, a Kevin-sexual, wasn't all
that comforting.  It just made him more confused.  More unsure of who he
was.  He'd been thinking about the problem for at least three days:
shouldn't he have the entire issue of who he was settled by now?

   Movement off to his right caught his attention.  A white bike with a
brown rider slowed as it approached the bike rack.

   Vicky.

   That was one of the features of knowing each other so well.  They seemed
to always be able to find the other, no matter where in the neighborhood
they were.  He watched as she dismounted and locked up.  Vicky was
definitely pretty.  She always wore the same jeans and t-shirts they did,
but of late they had started looking very different on her.  He also liked
her hair, the curly mass just looking perfect.  Always the same length.  He
had no idea how she did that.

   He didn't wave as she walked over.  There was never any need for that.
Bobby scooted over a bit on the bench, leaving room for her on his right.
When Kevin was there, naturally, he sat to the left of Bobby, with Vicky on
the other side of their friend.  When it was just the two of them, she sat
on his right, as if so neither took Kevin's place in the natural order of
things.  Things got funny when Kevin showed up unexpectedly, and there was
an unspoken rearranging so they ended up in the correct sitting order.

   Bobby wondered if all friendships were like this.

   Vicky smiled as she got closer.  That was good.  It meant things went
well with Kevin.  There was definitely something different about her, about
the way she looked, even though it was the same outfit she had worn at
breakfast.  She plopped down next to him.

   "Thought I'd find you here."

   "Been looking long?"

   She shook her head, stretching her legs out before her.

   "Naw.  We saw you ride by his house, so knew you were about.  I don't
have to be home for another hour or so."

   He nodded as they lapsed into silence.  Her shoulder pressed against
his.

   "We didn't do much," Vicky said, at last.  He regarded her
questioningly. She shrugged.  "Kissed.  A bit more.  Pants stayed on."

   Something about that shrug caught his attention.  Bobby looked at her
chest.  Her breasts, always nice, were different.  Better.  They looked so
round, under that white shirt.  Her nipples pressed outward, forming two
points...  his eyes widened.

   "You forgot your bra."

   Vicky's eyes widened as well, going down to her chest.

   "Damn," she growled.  "I knew I was going to forget it.  Must still be
in his room."

   "I definitely like the look," he said, grinning.  Her eyes turned to
him, questioning, her hand going to his knee.

   "You do?  Really?"

   "Yeah," he nodded, slowly.  "I do." His eyes took them in again, then
went down to her hips, legs.  "I also wish you wore shorts more."

   "That's not very gay of you." Her hand squeezed his knee.  Bobby
shrugged.

   "I don't know what I am anymore."

   He looked down in his lap.  He didn't like the bitterness in his voice.
He wasn't bitter.  What he was might be in question, but he wasn't bitter.
Wasn't...

   Vicky's left hand touched his cheek, gently moving his head to face her.
The hand on his knee moved up, caressing his thigh.

   "You're Bobby."

   Her eyes.

   Bobby just looked into those eyes.  He knew them.  Had seen them his
whole life.  Yet...

   He wet his lips, turning away from her.

   "I feel," he said, softly, "the same way that I did when I looked at
Kevin the other day.  When I took his hand for the first time since we were
little kids, and had to do it to cross the street.  It's like..."

   "Like your stomach is in a knot, like you can't think, yet all you can
think about is the person you love."

   "Yeah." He looked back at her.  Her eyes were wet.

   "I couldn't do much," Vicky said, "because it was just Kevin.  I...  I
need both of you.  Together.  I love both of you.  It's not right if we're
taking turns, doing things without one of us.  We have to be three. 
Always." He nodded, slowly.  That made sense.  That made so much sense. 
Her red lips slowly smiled, and he felt his own grin matching it.

   "I wish we were back at the fort so I could kiss you," he said.  She
laughed, looking around.

   "Yeah, me too.  I wish we were together right now, somewhere alone.  We
probably shouldn't be a couple in public, more than we have been, that is."

   He nodded.

   "Mom would really come down if she thought we were in love.  No more
sleepovers."

   "I think mine would understand," Vicky said.  "Might not like it, but
she may assume we're doing stuff anyway.  Dad, no, he'd kill you and Kevin.
Gonna have to be careful tomorrow night."

   "Yeah."

   They sat in silence for awhile.



   ****



   Vicky saw her first, coming from the soccer field.

   She knew Nitya.  Not, well, in the who a person actually is way. 
Rather, she had a few classes with her, and when asked to pass back tests
and homework could match the written name to the face.  Kevin, she knew,
was horrible at that.  Even kids they had known since kindergarden, he
sometimes forgot their names.  Very amusing, or so her and Bobby thought.
Nitya was Indian, at least in the same way Vicky was African.  Not that
Africa was a country, but neither parent had been able to give her more
details than that.  Didn't matter, anyway.  Ethnic pride was lower on her
priority list than school pride, and that was nonexistent.

   What caught Vicky's attention was the small, light brown girl pausing
next to the swing sets, looking at her and Bobby.  Nitya had stopped in her
tracks, looked around, looked back...  then started walking over.  Half
casually, half hesitantly.  Definitely interestingly.  Both teens were
looking at her as she reached them.

   "Um, hi." She smiled, nervously.  She stood before them in a light blue
and white top, with thin shoulder straps, and blue jean shorts.  Blue
flip-flops and pink painted toenails completed the outfit.  Very cute, as
was she.  Vicky thought she looked a lot better than those who tried to
look sexy (and ended up looking slutty).  Even the short black hair, parted
in the middle and curling just under the ears, was nice.  She smiled back.

   "Hi, Nitya.  What's up?"

   The girl bit her lip.

   "Um, you two are friends of Kevin Drew?"

   Vicky exchanged a glance with Bobby.  He shrugged.

   "I can't stand the guy.  How about you, Vicky?"

   "A jerk." She looked back at the now unsure teen.  "Yes, we're friends.
The only ones who can stand him, really.  Why?"

   Nitya smiled as the humor finally registered.  She hooked her small
thumbs in belt loops on her shorts, body rocking a bit.

   "Well...  see, I was wondering if you could pass a note to him."

   A note.

   This girl...  teen girl...  ATTRACTIVE teen girl...  wanted to give a
note to their Kevin.  Vicky's reaction was swift.

   She blinked.

   "Why?"

   "Um, well..." Nitya blushed, a cute blush that demolished Vicky's anger
almost before it could start.  It really would take more than a note to get
you angry at someone like this.  "See, my family's going to Darien Lake
next week, and...  they said I could take a friend, and...  I don't know
Kevin, not really, but..."

   But she wants to get her evil hands on him and do cute things to him at
the amusement park.  Evil, sexy cute things, most likely.  Something must
have shown in her face, as Nitya's eyes widened.  She took a half step
back, hands shooting out of their home in her belt loops and coming up,
palms facing the duo in an act of defense.

   "Oh!  I'm sorry!  I didn't know!  Jeanie said he wasn't seeing anyone!
Forgive me!"

   And, just like that, her anger balloon was popped once again.  Vicky
wasn't good at this jealousy stuff.

   Bobby leaned forward, grinning.  He placed a hand on Vicky's knee.

   "Naw, they're not dating.  Kevin isn't dating anyone right now." This
was, technically, true.  The trio of friends were so far beyond the idea of
dating as for the term to have no meaning.  Relief washed over the girl's
face.  "However," Bobby said, "be warned that any note you give him will be
seen by us, most likely.  Not because we read it, but because he'll show
us. We share everything."

   Nitya frowned.  Vicky did as well.  Bobby wasn't good at this either. 
His voice had...  come close to revealing the truth.  And this girl was
smart.  Her eyes looked at Bobby for a long moment, then went to Vicky. 
Vicky tried not to let anything show.  Nitya looked thoughtful.

   "Everything?"

   The two teens stayed silent, ignoring all implied in that word.  Which,
probably, confirmed it, or at least could lead to endless correct
speculation.  Nitya considered for a moment...  before reaching into her
pocket.  Out came a folded envelope.  She handed it to Vicky.

   "If you could give this to Kevin..."



   ****



   "It is summer, right?"

   Kevin looked up from the note.  They sat at the patio picnic table, the
nearby grill smoking in a way he hoped his Dad intended.  Bobby furrowed
his brow.

   "What do you mean?"

   "He means spring is when love is supposed to make people stupid." Vicky
grinned at them, Kevin returning it.  "Summer is a little late for that."

   "Yup.  Where was this letter a year ago?  Now it just complicates
things."

   "Aww...  now, if *I* was getting love letters, I'd be happy about it!"

   "Who got a love letter?"

   The three teens looked up as Kevin's Mom opened the screen door.  She
held a plate of raw hamburgers.  Kevin quickly stood.

   "Let me get that for you, Mom."

   "Thank you." Her eyebrow arched as he took the plate, turning to carry
it over to the grill.  Stepping onto the cement patio, she closed the
screen behind her.  "Are you sure you two don't want to stay for dinner? 
It's either cook all the hamburger today, or freeze what's left."

   "Yum!" Vicky said, smacking her lips.  "Food that's about to go out of
date!  My favorite!  Thanks, but Mom and Dad probably want to eat with me.
Family bonding and all that."

   "Yeah," Bobby said.  "But thanks, Mrs.  Drew."

   "I just thought I'd ask." The screen door opened again, Mr.  Drew coming
through with a plate of corn on the cob.  Kevin did not rush to help him.
As the teen stood by the smoking grill, his mother walked over behind the
sitting Vicky, placing her hands on the girl's shoulders.  "So.  Who got
the love letter?"

   "Kevin," Vicky said immediately.  Bobby nodded in happy agreement, Kevin
growling unhappily at the pair.  "Some girl's stalking him."

   "Ah," said his father, opening the grill.  A mass of smoke released into
the air.  "I had a stalker in high school.  Cute little redhead.  Very nice
figure."

   "Oh?" Kevin's mom reached up, sweeping a few strands of her curly brown
hair out of her eyes.  "A nice redhead, you say?"

   "Yup.  I was taken, of course, dating a wonderful blonde at the time,
but it was still nice to feel wanted."

   Kevin looked between his two parents.  Slowly, with large, exaggerated
steps, he moved away from his father.  Vicky and Bobby stood as well,
backing away.  Mrs.  Drew smiled.

   "Oh, Honey, you're going to feel something all right..."



   ****



   Kevin sat on his bed, love letter in hand.



   "Dear Kevin.

   You do not know me.  You have seen me walk the halls at school, or
noticed me five seats behind you in English.  But you do not know me.  I,
too, do not know you.

   But...  I want to.

   Every time I see you, my heart flutters.  Every time I hear your voice,
I want to shout for the world to become silent, so I only hear you.

   I love you.

   My family is going to Darien Lake this Wednesday.  I would like you to
come.

   Love, Nitya"



   Short.  Simple.

   Devastating.

   She had obviously wanted to give him this two days ago, at the park. 
How long had she been carrying it, on the off chance she saw him?  Stalker,
indeed!  Yet, he knew what she was going through.  For a brief period, he
had obsessed about Beth Teneson.  The note he had written to put in her
locker was probably still in his desk somewhere, undelivered.  Just as
well, given she had taken up smoking.  His fantasies about her had ended as
soon as he saw that.

   Well, that would be one way to get out of this.  Take up smoking.

   Dropping the note onto his mattress, Kevin picked up the 8th grade
yearbook.  Nitya was only in one picture.  Despite running with the popular
crowd, or at least one of the crowds, she didn't seem to be in any of the
group shots.  No clubs, no teams.  No dances.  The three of them had done
chess club, the yearbook having the photo to prove it.  He thought he
looked stupid in the picture, but it probably reflected reality.

   But this girl said she loved him.

   What confused him more was Bobby and Vicky had given him the note.  Why?
He could ask them, naturally, and would, tomorrow.  They'd even answer.  He
knew that.  But...

   Kevin shook his head.  The girl was cute.  Very cute.  The fact he was
in love with his two friends didn't change that, anymore than the fact he
had loved them while he was lusting after Beth mattered.  His teen brain
could totally separate the two.  Nitya would be actual dating.  Dating!

   Did he want to date?

   That was a good question.



   ****



   "Vicky!  Phone!"

   Vicky let out a sigh as her father held out the receiver to her.  As she
reached, he moved it back a bit.

   "You're with them all day.  Why is he calling?"

   So many ways she could answer that, none of them proven to be helpful.

   "Because you won't let me text."

   Dad paused, considered, and held the phone back out to her.  He smiled.

   "Good answer.  And, no, no texting."

   Vicky's eyes didn't roll until he had turned away and started out of the
room.  He was such a Dad.  Moving to an empty spot on the hallway wall, she
let her back fall against it.

   "Hello."

   "Hi Vicky." Kevin's voice was worried.  She straightened.

   "What's up?"

   "It's the note."

   "What about it?"

   "It would be a date."

   "Well, yeah...  oh."

   "Yeah."

   She slid down the wall, sitting on the polished wood floor.

   "And?"

   "Do you like her?"

   "I don't know here that well," she said, sighing.  "She's nice."

   "We have each other."

   "Yeah..."

   "I feel like I have to call her tonight.  One way or the other."

   "Probably should."

   "I don't know what to say."

   "What do you want to say?"

   "Yes, but..."

   "But."

   "Yeah."

   She sighed.  This is what she got for not driving away anyone who so
much as looked at Kevin or Bobby.  Her free hand went up into her hair,
fingers tangling themselves in her curls.

   "Want us to come chaperone?"

   There was a moment's silence.  Vicky frowned.

   "Kevin?"

   "What if the three of us dated her?"

   "Ha!" The laugh burst out of Vicky.  "You're kidding!"

   "No, really.  We do everything together, right?"

   The smile left her face.

   "Right."

   "So?"

   She closed her eyes.

   "Gotta think about it.  We'll talk tomorrow night."

   "What do I do tonight?"

   "Just talk to her," Vicky chuckled.  "If you can't do that, problem
solved!"

   "True.  Thanks, Vicky."

   "Anytime."

   "Love you."

   It caught her unaware.  Gripping the phone with both hands, she felt the
blush explode over her face, and neck.

   "Love you," she said, softly.  "Goodnight."

   She sat there, long after he had hung up, phone in hand.

   Saturday night could not come soon enough.

   ****

   Where Friendship Leads By Invid Fan (c)2013

   Chapter 5

   Kevin stared at the phone before him.

   His parents were in the living room, watching some show tailored to
their demographic.  He thought it had something to do with crime.  He was
in the kitchen, both the love note and his 8th grade yearbook sitting on
the round wooden table.  A picture of a very pretty girl, and her phone
number.

   He was frightened to death of both.

   This, he thought, was what happened when you stayed within your circle
of friends.  You never developed certain social skills.  Other boys
probably didn't have this problem.  They could call up girls without giving
it a second thought.  This was totally a him thing.

   Well, at least he wasn't asking her out.  He already knew she liked him.

   Deciding he had played out the drama long enough, Kevin picked up the
receiver and dialed.

   The phone rang four times.  He wasn't sure which would be worse, having
someone other than her answer, or her answering.  Voice mail, he could
safely hang up on.  On the fifth ring, there was a click, and a girl's
voice.

   "Hello?"

   "Uh, hi.  Is this Nitya?"

   "Yes..."

   "Um, hi.  This is Kevin."

   The moments silence that followed had him wondering if she knew lots of
Kevin's, and if he should clarify by giving his last name.  Then she spoke.
Her voice...  almost seemed to wrap around him.  It was soft, comforting,
inviting.

   "Hi Kevin...  I...  I wasn't sure you'd call."

   "I'm nervous as hell, but here I am."

   "Why are YOU nervous?" Her voice was honestly surprised.  Kevin laughed.

   "I've never done this before.  Calling girls and such.  I'm completely
out of my element!"

   "Same here!"

   "You don't call girls either?"

   "You know what I mean!"

   They laughed.  Nitya had a nice laugh.  A nice voice.  There was a touch
of an accent to it, Indian, he assumed.  Whatever it was, it leant a bit of
the exotic to her.  Relaxing, he pulled out a chair from the kitchen table
and sat, free hand moving the long old fashioned coiled phone cord.

   "So, you're going to Darien Lake next week?"

   "Yes...  would you like to come?" Her voice was nervous, but not
extremely so.

   "Well...  yes," he said, before she started to think he'd said 'no',
"but I'm not sure I can.  I'll have to see."

   "Your parents?"

   "Well, yeah, them, but I also have to talk things over with Vicky and
Bobby.  Haven't done that yet."

   "Oh."

   There was definitely uncertainty in her voice, which he found perfectly
understandable.  The trio's relationship was hard to understand, and
becoming more complicated all the time.  Actually, it was very simple, for
those involved.  It was outsiders who could not understand.  That was going
to be the question here: was Nitya an outsider, or would they let her in?
That option would be interesting, to say the least!

   "Don't worry about that, though.  What's your favorite ride at Darien
Lake?"



   ****



   "...so we talked for about half an hour, about nothing much."

   "Can't imagine you doing that with someone."

   Kevin tossed a small stone at Vicky, which she avoided easily, grinning.
She was confident the deck didn't have many more of those for him to use.
Hell, she didn't know how that one had gotten up there.  A squirrel must
have thought it was a nut.  With a sigh, Kevin leaned back in his chair,
Vicky doing the same.  They were nice chairs, redwood frames with large
vinyl cushions.  The deck itself was her favorite part of her home.  The
ground fell away from the back of the house, with the result that what
started as an outdoor extension of the first floor living room became a
midair deck looking out over the yard.  Someday, she was going to talk her
father into letting them wall in the area under the deck, creating a
clubhouse.  So far, he had resisted easily.  Too easily.  It wasn't fair!

   "So, anyway," Kevin continued, "I said I'd call back tomorrow and let
her know.  I also told her we could always do something else as well,
instead of Darien Lake."

   She cocked her head at her friend.

   "You like her, don't you?"

   "Yeah," he nodded.  "I do.  I mean, she's read Heinlein.  Or, at least,
she's read Moon is a Harsh Mistress.  She made a crack about if the three
of us were in a line marriage."

   "I'd say it was more circular, or at least an oval."

   "Maybe a mobius strip?"

   "Hmm...  wasn't he an artist or something?  I saw that name in the
credits for The Fifth Element."

   "Don't know.  Are mobius strips what the girl in that movie was
wearing?"

   "Oh, yeah!  She had no boobs, though."

   "Definitely not as nice as yours."

   "Thanks." She looked down.  "I need better bras.  These are getting
small."

   "You're getting big."

   "Same thing."

   The sound of the front doorbell came from inside the house.  Vicky
considered going in to answer it.  That, really, would be a silly thing to
do if you thought about it.  Someone was outside the front of the house, so
she'd be going inside to greet them and let them in so they both could come
outside onto the deck.  Maybe she should just walk around the house to get
him?  Or maybe yell for him to come out back.  Assuming it was Bobby,
naturally.  If it was a stranger, that could get awkward.

   The screen door opened, Bobby closing it behind him as he stepped onto
the deck.  Vicky smiled to him.  Wait long enough, and Mom or Dad would
solve complicated problems.

   "Hey," she said.  "How's it going?"

   "Eh." Bobby sat on one of the two remaining comfy deck chairs, facing
them on the other side of the deck.  His body almost seemed to collapse
into it, eyes closing.  Kevin sat up, face concerned.

   "You were over with your Dad?"

   "Yeah." Bobby sighed, sitting up straighter.  "I was over at the motel.
It's small.  One room, with a small fridge and stove.  He seemed OK,
though. We went out to look at apartments.  He asked my opinion on them."

   "That sounds cool," Vicky said.  She wanted to go over and hug him.  It
wasn't right, him sitting all the way over there.

   "I'm going to spend every Friday night and Saturday with him,
apparently. Which...  you know."

   "Yeah." Both Vicky and Kevin nodded, sympathetic.  Bobby shrugged.

   "The last place we went to had a pool.  I think that's the one he's
going to try and get, and he'll be able to move in at the end of next
week."

   "That's cool," Kevin said.  "Maybe we can use the pool during the week,
while he's at work."

   "I asked, and he thinks so.

   "Cool," Vicky agreed.  The whole divorce thing, really, was freaking her
out.  She didn't tell them, naturally.  It was still a low level freaking,
and Bobby was the one that needed the attention.  Still, the idea of one of
their families breaking up was horrifying.  What if her parents split up?
She didn't think it would happen, they seemed happy enough, but what if? 
She wouldn't be able to deal.  Vicky knew that.  She liked things stable.

   Just like the three of them were stable.

   Her mom appeared in the doorway, behind the screen.

   "I just put the pizza in.  You three want to eat out there, or come in?"

   One exchange of gazes settled it.

   "We'll eat out here, Mom.  Thanks."

   "Come in and get your own drinks.  I'm not your servant."



   ****



   The evening was normal.  Routine.  They ate.  They talked.  They gently
teased both parents, and were teased back.  About 8 PM, the three retreated
downstairs to the rec room, leaving the adults to enjoy the living room. 
They played video games, watched TV, played some more games.  Nothing was
said that might not be parent approved.

   That was for later.



   ****



   Vicky watched as her Mom vanished up the stairs for, most likely, the
last time.  The lights were off, the large TV giving off the only
illumination.  On it, giant ants were being driven off by army men.  The
trio sat on top of their sleeping bags, leaning back against the old couch.
The bags were aligned in a row, pointed towards the TV.  Vicky wondered
what her mom thought about the fact it was always Kevin in the middle, that
the boys were not, in fact, flanking her.  Maybe this was one of the
reasons she still accepted, and supported, the sleepovers.  Obviously, it
wasn't two teen boys out to fool around with her daughter.

   Until this week.

   Vicky had wondered, just for a moment, if all those times they were
alone and did nothing but enjoy each other's company had been moments
wasted.  If they could have been fooling around for years.  The answer, she
decided, was no.  It just...  had not been right, then.  For her and Kevin
to kiss, with Bobby not interested...  no.  No, not until it could be all
three, not just them with her, but Bobby and Kevin with each other, their
friendship could not have survived sex.

   Now...

   Kevin shifted beside her, his arm moving up over her head.  She scooted
over, half listening to the TV, half to the sound of footsteps above.  Her
mother walked through the house, doing the pre-bed checks as Kevin's arm
went around her, pulling her close.  Vicky turned slightly, raising her own
arm so Kevin's hand could slip under it, finding and cupping her breast. 
Glancing over, she saw his other hand over Bobby's flat breast.  He had the
advantage there, of not having a bra in the way, even if there was less to
grab.  She looked back at the TV as her hand found Kevin's left thigh.

   "Is there anything more romantic than giant ants?"

   "That's why lovers go on picnics." Kevin gave her breast a squeeze. 
Bobby gave a chuckle.

   "I can't understand why they haven't remade this one.  It's great."

   "Yeah.  It's not like they haven't done every other classic."

   Vicky let her hand slide up and down Kevin's leg.  Her mother's
footsteps had retreated to the other end of the house.  All was clear. 
Turning, she looked at her friend.  Kevin's face smiled in the black and
white glow from the TV.  Her heart beating stronger, she reached her left
hand over, touching his smooth, white cheek.  The contrast with her brown
skin fascinated her.  Another hand touched his face, male, fingers almost
as delicate as hers.  Kevin's eyes closed.

   "We may be underground, but I'm in heaven."

   Vicky caught Bobby's eye.  He nodded.  Shifting, Vicky moved her hand to
the back of Kevin's head, turning it towards her.  Leaning over, her lips
touched his.  It felt so good.  So right.  His tongue gently flicked at her
lips, not demanding entry, just tickling, teasing.  She answered, not sure
if her moan was audible.  His head turned away from her, Vicky's eyes
opening to see Bobby's hand bringing those lips to his.  She watched her
friends kiss for the first time.  It was not gay.  It was...  just love. 
Love.

   As the two boys parted, Bobby looked at her.  This was it.  This...

   He leaned across, Vicky's lips meeting his in front of Kevin.  They were
softer, but still those of a boy, almost a man.  She heard her friend
groan, his lips parting.  She sent her tongue in, where it was welcomed
with joy.  Two hands entwined themselves in her hair, the feeling almost
dwarfing the kiss itself.

   Her eyes opened as the two friends drew back.  Bobby's eyes were wide.

   "I...  love you, Vicky.  Fuck gay, fuck everything.  I love you.  I love
you and Kevin." Her hand went to his cheek, noting the same play of brown
on white skin.  Her other hand went back to Kevin's face.

   "We're us.  Together, we're whole.  We're one.  We're love." She wasn't
sure she was making any sense, but the two boys nodded.  Bobby's eyes
twinkled.

   "We're also overdressed."



   ****



   They ganged up on Kevin.  Bobby lifted off his shirt, stealing a few
kisses before and after it passed over his head.  Vicky was given the honor
of removing his pants.  She did the shoes first, sneakers tossed away
towards the TV.  His socks slid off easily, tube socks with blue stripes
around the top.  She was then confronted with the belt.  Belts are
designed, for the most part, to be worked by those wearing them.  That
said, it took but a moment for her to undo it, unbutton his jeans, grab the
ends of the legs, and pull.  Kevin helpfully lifted his butt, his pants
sliding off easily.

   All he wore was blue boxers.

   Vicky bit her lip.  There was bulge under those boxers.  Reaching out,
she ran her hand over it.  There were ridges, a shaft.  Bobby was next to
her, whispering.

   "Just take it off."

   She nodded.  Yeah.  Just take it off.  Her hands went to the elastic
waist band.  She pulled.

   Her hands paused as Kevin's dick came free.  It was big.  Well over four
inches.  The top looked like a red mushroom, with a hole in the center. 
The shaft curled upward, pointing back towards his head, with a long
upraised line running its length facing her.  Even as she stared, her hands
again continued their removal of clothing.  Soon the underwear was off,
tossed in the direction of the socks.  Kevin sat there on his sleeping bag,
back against the couch.  Nude.  His eyes were on her.

   "Touch it," Bobby whispered.  "Like this." His own hand reached out,
gently caressing the shaft, moving up to run his fingers over the bulbous
head.  Vicky slowly reached her right hand over.  Fingers touched the head.
It was soft.  Warm.  They traced over it, feeling the little tiny ridges,
almost like finger prints.  Bobby's hand was on the shaft, gripping it,
pumping slowly.  He removed it, her own hand sliding down to take its
place. Smooth hot skin slid over a hard, veined core.  She could feel hard
ridges under Kevin's skin.  Below his dick, his balls hung there, faint
brown hair covering them.  Her other hand gently touched them.  Kevin
hummed in pleasure.

   "I like that, Vicky."

   She liked it, too.  She pumped, slowly, feeling Kevin's hips almost
moving to match her stroke.  Bobby's lips kissed her cheek.

   "Dare you to kiss it."

   She turned to him, eyebrow raised.

   "I dare YOU."

   Their eyes locked.  She saw uncertainty there.  To love Kevin, kiss
Kevin, even touch Kevin, was one thing.  Here was the next test.  His body
shifted, laying out on the ground, head above Kevin's waist.  Vicky held
the shaft, hand still.  Bobby hesitated, just for a moment...  then dropped
his head forward.  His lips touched the top of the dick.

   Kevin gasped.  Bobby slowly placed kisses all over the head.  His tongue
flicked out, licking.  Vicky shuddered.  It was so...  hot!  Sexy!  She let
go, Bobby's hand taking her place.  Suddenly he took the whole head into
his mouth.  Kevin let out a quiet moan.  Bobby's head bobbed a few times,
eyes closed.  As he came up off of it, his lips gave a final kiss to the
tip.  He looked at Vicky.

   "Your turn."

   Vicky laid down, copying Bobby.  He held the shaft as her head found
itself over the now wet dick.

   You hear about sex acts.  You joke about them.  Accuse people of doing
them, all without understanding what, exactly, they entail.

   She was about to give a blow job.

   Except, she wasn't.  Vicky looked down at her friend's, her lover's,
dick.  This was not a blow job.  Not the act others their age claimed to or
denied having done.  This was different.  Everything the three of them did
was different.  Not better, or more moral, but...  different.

   Eyes closed, she kissed it.



   ****



   Bobby never felt as much love for his friends as he did now.  If it had
just been him and Kevin, he wasn't sure if he could have done all this. 
Wasn't sure if he could have had the confidence to be who he thought he
was. But, seeing Vicky take Kevin's cock into her mouth, knowing that they
were in this together, made it all seem right.

   "My turn," he said, hand tangled in her hair.  She rose up, red lips
releasing the now very hard shaft.  Her eyes turned to him, wide with
excitement.

   "Wow," she whispered.  Kevin's hand went to both of their heads, their
friend chuckling.

   "That's my line.  I'm gonna shoot soon."

   "Shoot?" Vicky looked at Kevin, questioningly, as Bobby once again took
his dick into his mouth.  There was no describing the taste, or texture. 
It was...  what it was, and it was wonderful.  His tongue swirled,
following every lead Kevin's body have him, every moan directing him as to
what to do.  His friend's hand suddenly clenched in his hair.

   "Gonna shoot!"

   Bobby pulled his head off, hand going to the shaft to keep pumping.  He
aimed it as straight up as the hard curved cock could be.  Vicky's hand
wrapped around his.

   Kevin gasped as white sperm shot up into the air.  Vicky let out a
"wow!", two more pulses shooting up as their joined hands continued to
pump. Knowing better than to keep going, Bobby slowed Vicky, their hands
continuing to grip Kevin as they came to a rest.

   "That," she said, breathing hard, "is cool." Turning to Bobby, her
beautiful face burst into a grin.  "Your turn!"



   ****



   Bobby felt, and tasted, different than Kevin.  The texture was
different, her swirling tongue running over different bumps and ridges as
Vicky bobbed her head.  It felt so....  right.  So intimate.  She could do
this for hours.

   A hand touched her cheek.  Knowing Kevin was waiting, she reluctantly
raised up, releasing Bobby.  Opening her eyes, she saw Kevin drop his mouth
back down.  He move differently than Bobby, slower, more gentle.  One hand
came over, and she took it.  Kevin would never do this for anyone but
Bobby. She squeezed, reassuringly, telling him she accepted him, accepted
both of them, for who they were.  If they had been one before, if the world
would not understand their bond as it had been, what were they now?

   "Gonna shoot," Bobby whimpered.  Kevin's head kept bobbing, hand
squeezing Vicky's harder.  Was he gonna...  wow!  His movement suddenly
stopped, eyes closed as Bobby gasped.  Vicky watched, fascinated, as her
friend seemed to drink everything Bobby shot out.

   "That's so sexy," she said, shaking her head.  Her body was on fire.  As
Kevin lifted off, her hands went to the hem of her shirt.

   "My turn."



   ****



   Vicky was laid out on Kevin's sleeping bag, her brown skinned body
exposed to her friends.  Four white hands ran over her, exploring,
pleasuring, in the glow of the now silent TV.  Bobby gently squeezed a
breast.

   "Lick it," she moaned.  He did, lowering his lips as his hand moved to
her other breast.  His tongue flicked at a nipple so hard she thought it
would fall off.  Two more hands spread her legs.  She shifted them, feeling
fingers slide up her inner thigh, to her slit.  "God!" Fingers explored her
wetness, ran around the outside of her lips, found the upper nub.  "There!
There!" She tried to be quiet, clenching her teeth.  A third hand slid
between her legs.  Her entire body stiffened.

   So good...  so good, with both her friend.  Both her loves.  As if
sensing more would be too much, their hands moved to her legs, petting,
caressing, leaving trails of wetness.  Bobby released her breast.  She
looked up at them, eyes only half seeing.  Saw them looking back with love,
wonder.  Between Kevin's legs, she saw his dick hard once again.  She
spread her legs wide, eyes meeting his.

   "Put it in me."

   Her love never hesitated.  Bobby moved to sit at her side, hands taking
hers as if to comfort and reassure her.  Kevin moved over her, positioning
himself between her legs.  She felt him.  Felt his hard cock against her
wet opening.  Her free hand went up, touching his face as his eyes looked
down with wonder, love.

   As if they were born to fit together, Kevin slid into her.

   She was filled.  Completely.  Every ridge of his cock, every inch of
him, pressed against her innermost being.  She heard herself whimper, could
not help but moan as he began moving.  Her legs rose up behind him, holding
him in her.  Love...  this was love...  pulling his head down, she kissed
him, a fierce kiss.  His thrusts got faster, her moans keeping pace.  He
suddenly stopped...  and she felt it.  Felt the pulse.  Felt the wetness.
Felt his love.

   Her legs fell back to the sleeping bag.  Kevin, shaking, pulled out,
moving away.  Bobby took his place.  Vicky welcomed him with a smile, felt
him against her.  Again, she was filled, her legs coming once again up to
hug her love as he moved in her.  Bobby's eyes were wide, amazed.  Bringing
his head down, her kiss was tender, loving.  As he, too, sent his wetness
up into her body, another round of pleasure accompanied it.

   Kevin's hand caressed her cheek.

   "We love you, Vicky..."

   ****

   Chapter 6



   Vicky woke into darkness.

   It should not have been completely dark.  There were lights in the
basement, even when every light was turned off.  The DVD player, for one,
always gave off a bit of light.  At times, it seemed abnormally bright,
when the eye was expecting darkness.  So, why was she now...

   Ah.  She had rolled over in the night, part of Kevin's sleeping bag
covering her eyes.

   Rolling her body to the left, the familiar scene of her darkened
basement came into view.  Ceiling.  That light with the fan that never
worked.

   How she felt was not familiar.

   There was a slight ache between her legs.  A wetness.

   She had had sex.

   Slowly, she sat up, looking around the room.  Kevin and Bobby were fast
asleep in their sleeping bags.  More on them than in them, really, as the
night was warm, even down here, and they all slept in their clothes.  Not
changing into pajamas was one of the rules, as if the boys saw her
undressed, the parental thinking probably went, they'd be unable to control
their hormonal urges.

   As if such urges needed more than the smile of a loved one to get them
going.

   Vicky slipped out of her sleeping bag, standing.  She wore her t-shirt
from the previous day, panties and jeans.  Her bra, socks and shoes were
somewhere in the pile near the TV.  The wetness in her panties shifted, a
somewhat uncomfortable feeling.  Bare feet moving carefully, she made her
way to the stairs.



   ****



   Pulling off her panties while sitting on the toilet, the problem was
obvious.  While sperm was designed to squirt inward, swimming hard up into
her body, quite a few of them were obviously either lazy or cowards as
they'd slowly come back out.  Vicky grabbed some toilet paper, wiping.  She
examined herself as she did.  Her cherry had vanished some time ago, during
a tree climbing adventure when she dropped down onto a branch.  There was a
redness, though, her body's reaction to its first penetration.  She closed
her eyes, remembering.  They'd do it again.  Often.  Not all the time, no.
And they'd be careful.  But a whole new world was now open to them.

   Standing and flushing, she regarded her panties.  It would be best to
not let mom find them in this condition.  As she washed her hands, she used
the water to rinse them somewhat.  These would be tossed in the hamper in
her room, and she'd get some fresh ones to wear before going back
downstairs.  Her mom would be no where the wiser.

   Vicky looked at herself in the mirror.  Did she look any different?  Was
there any sign that she was no longer a little girl?  That she was a woman,
with lovers?

   She hoped not.



   ****



   The boys were awake and sitting up as she descended the stairs once
again.  Each moved apart a bit, in unspoken invitation.  Vicky slid down
between them, feeling like a Vicky sandwich.  This, she thought, must be
how Kevin always feels.  The two boys put their arms around her, her own
slipping behind the two of them.

   It felt nice.

   Right.

   "You OK?" Kevin asked.  His voice was soft, concerned.  Bobby echoed it,
squeezing her.  She nodded.

   "Yeah.  You guys just filled me so much, it was overflowing."

   "Is that good or bad?"

   "I'm not complaining!" She grinned at each of them, planting a quick
kiss on their lips.  "I just now know there's going to be some after sex
cleanup to do.  They don't mention that in sex ed."

   Kevin's face suddenly froze.  Vicky frowned.

   "What is it?"

   "Condoms."

   "Wha...  oh." Sex.  Babies.  God, she was stupid!  And, hadn't her Mom
said she wasn't going to have her daughter become the stereotypical
pregnant Black teen?  She closed her eyes.  "Fuck."

   "Yeah." They hugged her, tight.  She loved them.  Whatever happened, she
knew they'd be by her side.

   "I have to tell Mom," she said, softy.  "I can't deal with this alone."

   They nodded, understanding it wasn't a slight against them.  They
weren't women, not even Bobby.  Bobby reached over, touching her cheek.

   "Want us to go with you?"

   "No," she said, shaking her head.  "Stay down here.  I'll go wake her."

   They each gave her a kiss, tender, loving.  She almost cried.  How could
love lead to unhappiness?  It wasn't fair!  She stood quickly, before she
talked herself into not going, before the three of them thought about it
some more and convinced themselves they could deal with this on their own.
No.  They needed Mom.  Not the other parents, certainly not her Dad.  But,
Mom...  Mom would understand.

   She walked quietly up the stairs, down the hall.  Her parent's door was
slightly ajar, as they often left it.  She paused outside.  What could she
say?  The truth, yes, but how?  And how much?  Probably all of it.  Pain
now, to prevent pain later.  Wasn't that what Mom had always told her?  And
Mom knew best.  Always.

   Slowly, she pushed the door open.  Dad was snoring slightly, as he
always did.  He was a heavy sleeper.  Mom, thought, she...

   The sheets on the large king sized bed shifted.  In the light of the
digital clock, Vicky saw her Mother raise her head up.  Vicky stayed
silent. Her Mom glanced at Dad for a moment, then gently slid across the
sheet.  Her feet swung off onto the wooden floor, legs bare.  All of her
was bare, Vicky realized.  Mom quickly grabbed a light robe, slipping it on
as she walked towards her daughter.  Vicky stepped back into the darkened
hallway.  Her Mother followed her out, tying the sash around her robe
before closing the door behind her.  The two women regarded each other.

   "What is it," her Mom asked, voice tired, but awake.  Vicky hung her
head.

   "The three of us...  we..."

   Her Mom's eyes widened, hand going to Vicky's chin, raising up her face.

   "Did they hurt you, Baby?"

   She shook her head, hard, dislodging her Mom's hand.

   "No!  It was wonderful!  But..." She bit her lip.  "We didn't use
anything.  I'm scared.  We're scared."

   Her Mom sighed.  She didn't yell.  Didn't curse.  Her face didn't fill
with anger.  She just...  sighed.  Mom's hands reached out, taking Vicky's
shoulders and drawing her daughter in for a hug.  Vicky's head found itself
between her mom's breasts.  They were warm, comforting.

   "It's OK," her mother whispered.  "They're awake downstairs?" Vicky
nodded.  "OK.  Let's go down and talk."



   ****



   Kevin watched Mrs.  Miller as she sat on the floor in front of their
sleeping bags.  Her legs were crossed, robe strategically placed to cover
anything that should not be seen.  He had not looked down there as she got
down onto the floor, her robe parting a bit, being polite about it.  You
didn't look at your friend's mom as if she were a sexy woman, even if she
was.  It just wasn't done.

   Mrs.  Miller had stayed quiet as the three told her all that had
happened in the past week.  He had always liked Vicky's mom.  That she was
like a grown up Vicky had helped, naturally, as how could you not like
Vicky.  Plus, she had always been the most lenient of the parents.  Mr. 
Miller was strict, but fair.  His own parents were sort of in between, not
letting you get away with things but giving you room to back up and do the
right thing before getting pissed.

   Vicky went silent, all eyes on her mother.  Mrs.  Miller took a deep
breath.

   "We should have talked, Vicky.  It's my fault." She shook her head.  "I
mean, I knew this was going to happen, eventually, if you three stayed
friends like this, so I should have either stepped in or made sure you were
ready."

   "We should have used condoms," Bobby said.  Mrs.  Miller looked at him,
eyebrow raised.

   "Hell yes, you should have used condoms.  I'm not excusing you two for
that, and, Vicky, you should have said no if there was no birth control. 
I've raised you better than that."

   "I know, Mom," she said, voice miserable.  "And we even knew this was
going to happen tonight." Kevin pulled her close for a hug.  They may be in
trouble, but he wasn't going to let her feel like she was alone.

   "It's my fault," Bobby said, glumly.  "If I hadn't kissed Kevin..."

   OK, that was just stupid.  Kevin lightly punched his oldest friend's
arm.

   "Yes.  You being gay started this.  You're going to have to stop that."

   The three broke out laughing.  Vicky reached over him, adding her own
punch to Bobby's arm.  Bobby retaliated, kicking Kevin's leg.  His attempt
to get at Vicky was blocked by Kevin, the girl sticking her tongue out at
him in reply.  Kevin almost commented on what she could do with that
tongue, before remembering who was in the room.  They all seemed to become
aware of that as well, quickly calming down and sitting up straight.  Kevin
looked at Vicky's mom.

   "So, what do we do, Mrs.  Miller?  I can't tell my parents."

   "And I am NOT telling mine," Bobby agreed.  Kevin this time put his hand
on his friend's knee in sympathy, Vicky reaching over to add her hand.  Her
mom sighed.

   "Well, first, no more sex for awhile.  I know I can't stop you, or split
you up, but let's go slow.  Vicky, we're taking you to the doctor Monday.
I'll call Gretchen and see if we can get you in.  I know your cycle, and
you should be OK this time, but we have to discuss options.  Boys..." Her
expression became firm.  "What I don't hear about, I don't care about. 
Make it into college with Vicky not pregnant, and I'll lobby for the three
of you to share an apartment.  Deal?"

   It was more than a deal.



   ****



   The three walked across the field in their Sunday best.

   Church had been odd.  Kevin had sat next to his parents, listening to a
sermon about God, as the sermons usually were.  Once there was one about
football, but that turned out to be about God as well.  Kevin wasn't sure
it was right for a Minister to try and trick them like that.  Today,
though, it had been the usual reading of a few verses, then attempts to
link them to modern life.  Sitting there, having committed what had to be a
sin, had made him nervous.  Not telling his parents had to be an even
larger sin.  And, of course, Bobby was living a major sin.  So was he, if
you wanted to be technical about it, but Kevin didn't consider himself gay.
No.  Which, in a way, made Bobby not gay, as the two only did things with
each other, and if Kevin wasn't gay for doing them then the same had to
apply to his friend.

   Well.  That solved one sin.

   "Did your mom tell you anything more?" Bobby asked Vicky.  She shook her
head.

   "Nope.  Dad was around a lot.  I think she said everything last night."

   "Are you sorry we did it?"

   Vicky stopped, her house just visible up ahead.  Kevin and Bobby turned
to look at her.  She looked beautiful, standing in the tall grass in her
white, sleeveless dress.  The top of the steeple was poked up over the
treetops behind her.  Slowly, she shook her head.

   "No.  I'm not sorry."

   "Good," Kevin said.  Reaching out, he took her hand.  His other hand
went to Bobby.  Someone might see them, but fuck it.  Today...  today, he
wanted to tell the world they were lovers.



   ****



   A dozen paces later, the three released each other's hands.  That was
enough flaunting.



   ****



   Nitya sat out on the lounge chair, reading.

   She had never heard of Ann McCaffery until the other day.  Well, that
wasn't quite true.  She had seen the name on the bookshelf, both at the
library and in the book store.  It just hadn't registered, or stuck.  None
of her favorite authors were in the 'M's, so there was no accidentally
picking up of one of her books and looking at it.  Kevin, though, had
mentioned her, as an example an old science fiction writer with lots of
female characters.  So, she was giving the first book a try.

   With luck, that wasn't too stalker-ish.

   Nitya made friends easily.  The first year here had been good, a gaggle
of classmates adopting her as one of their own almost from the first day
she entered the school.  And, she liked them.  But, the popular crowd
wasn't really who she was.  She considered herself more the quiet type,
intellectual.  Not that her friends weren't!  God, no!  That was a
stereotype she'd defend them against all day, even for two days!  They were
smart, but just applied it to different areas.  Well, apart from Tiffany.
She was NOT smart.  Not dumb, either, but definitely not smart.

   Kevin was smart.

   She had known that from the few classes she shared with him.  In
English, especially.  Sitting in the back, she had watched him stand and
read Shakespeare, or something he had written.  She had seen the books he
had with him, science fiction books that she herself had enjoyed.  That was
the one bad thing about iPads, like hers.  You could not tell what book
someone was reading.  Which, naturally, could be good, if you were reading
a stupid book like that Window Shades of Gray one or whatever it was.  Not
that she read stuff like that.  No.  Of course not.  And neither did Kevin.

   He also was very, very, cute.

   Putting her iPad down in her lap, Nitya reached over for her lemonade.
The ice was mostly melted, but Mom made it stronger so it didn't taste
watered down when that happened.  Mom always thought ahead like that.  Dad,
too.  She wished they had the summer off, like she did.  You'd think, since
they worked at the university, they would, but, no.  The research kept
going year round.  They were here now, though, for the weekend, and even
though they were inside and she was out here, she still felt better knowing
they were around.

   And, of course, they both had Wednesday off so they all could go to
Darien Lake.

   God, she hoped he could go.  Nitya could picture it, the two of them
walking among the rides.  Maybe...  holding hands.  She blushed.  Her
friends, with boyfriends, talked about lots of stuff, but Nitya thought
holding hands was the best.  She had done it with a boy down in Georgia,
last year, but he had turned out to be an idiot.  And a jerk.  And a two
timing asshole.

   Kevin was none of those.

   Her body suddenly shivered.  Looking up, she saw a cloud pass over the
sun.  Stupid cloud.  How dare it come between her and the nice, warm sun.
It seemed to be moving fast, though.  If she just waited...  ah, yes.  It
was now past, the sun once again free to shine down on her skin with its
warmth.

   It felt so good...

   Her phone rang.

   Nitya reached over to pick it up.  She didn't recognize the number, or
the ringtone.  She had her phone set up to have a different song for
everyone in her address book.  When she got Kevin's number Friday night,
when he called, she had spent an hour afterwards agonizing over what song
to give him.

   She had finally settled on "The Love Shack", for now.

   "Hello?"

   "Hi, Nitya."

   It was Kevin.  She closed her eyes.  Kevin.  She rubbed her bare
shoulders down into the lounge cushion, like settling down into her bed. 
The phone pressed harder against her ear.

   "Hi Kevin!"

   "Hi," he said, laughing.  "Or did I already cover that?"

   "Oh, you can say it again, if you want!" Her face couldn't help but
smile.

   "That's good!  Having a fun Sunday?"

   "Naw, just reading."

   "That's cool.  We're just home from an exciting morning at Church."

   "Home with your parents?"

   "Oh, no, they're still there, doing the after service coffee and such.
We came home to Vicky's house early."

   We.  The three of them.  Kevin was calling her...  while he was at
another girl's house.  While he was WITH that other girl, her sitting next
to him, with no adults around.

   And he did not seem to think anything of it.

   "So.  What do your husband and wife think of you going to Darien Lake
with me?" She hoped she didn't sound at all bitter.  She wasn't.  No.  He
had explained how close the three of them were.  That, well, she would be
dealing with all of them, or none of them.  Still...

   "Actually, they're wondering if they can come along."

   Come along.  Vicky coming along on HER date with Kevin!  Who the hell
WAS this boy, to think any girl would agree to that?

   "You're kidding!"

   "Nope!  Actually, are you free this evening?"

   "What?" That just came out.  Nitya shook her head.  "Sorry.  Wait. 
What?"

   "If you're free, maybe about 7-ish, we can get together and talk.  Maybe
at the sled run at the park?"

   "Sled run?"

   "The thing that looks like a huge slide."

   Oh.  That's what that thing was.  She had wondered, but never bothered
to ask her friends what, exactly, it was.  It made sense.  The girls had
considered themselves too old to go out sledding, so hadn't gone to the
park that winter, Nitya's first up north.  She got the feeling Kevin and
his friends had no such worries about being too old for fun.

   "Umm...  I think so."

   "Good!  I think we have a lot to talk about."

   That, she thought, was quite an understatement.

   ****

   Chapter 7



   The exact function, or name, of the thing was unknown.

   It was old, that was certain.  Older than the oldest teen who had ever
played on it as a kid.  Metal pipes, freshly painted, wooden planks old and
smooth.  They called it the Sled Run, or sometimes Sled Hill, as that's
what they used it for in winter.  In the summer, they just climbed it, ran
down the long, wide wooden slide at unsafe speeds or tried to climb up the
incline.  The covered area up top was large, a good place to rest and talk
with friends out of the sun, with a nice view of the playground.

   Whatever it was, the trio had made it one of their homes.

   Some elementary kids had been playing on the thing when they arrived,
yelling, screaming as kids did.  Kevin, Bobby and Vicky did not chase them
off, so much as simply make their way to the top and stake their claim.  A
few hard looks later, and the noise followed the youngsters off in the
direction of the wooden fort/jungle gym thing.

   They talked.

   "I think," Vicky said, jean covered knees drawn up to her chin, "Mom is
going to start to try to find things for me to do for the rest of the
summer.  Keep us out of trouble.  I heard her talking with Dad."

   "That sucks," Bobby said.  She nodded.

   "Yeah, but it makes sense.  The more time we're just hanging around, the
more chance we'll get bored, and decide to have some REAL fun.  Plus, you
know, we do often spend time bitching there's nothing to do."

   "Yeah," Kevin nodded.  "My parents have said the same thing.  But, you
know, it's already almost the end of July.  Only a month left.  I think we
can keep our freedom for that month, if we try."

   "True," Vicky admitted.  "I'm just saying, they might try."

   "If Dad gets that apartment," Bobby said, "I say we just spend the rest
of the summer swimming.  There will be others around, so despite Kevin
being driven insane by my sexy body, we won't be tempted."

   "Guy gets ONE blow job, and look what happens!  Jesus!"

   "Where?!  Is he here?" Vicky swing her head around wildly.  The two boys
laughed.  It was an old joke, but they were often the best.  As she turned
back to them, she saw a pink bike coming down the path, with a brown rider.

   Nitya.

   "She's here."

   The bike was nice.  A ten speed, perfectly fit to her small frame.  The
three of them had one speed dirt bikes, bought when they were younger. 
Vicky's seat and handlebars were raised about as much as they could be. 
Their parents weren't hurting for money, but they weren't getting the teens
new bikes while the old ones were still useable.  It's almost like they had
gotten together and discussed that issue, as well as a few others.

   Stupid parents, knowing each other and such.

   The newcomer looked at the three bikes laying on the nearby grass, eyes
raising up.  Kevin lifted his arm to wave.  Vicky thought Nitya looked a
bit...  annoyed.  And well she should be.  Vicky wondered if she and Bobby,
with a day (and last night) to think about it, were trying to drive the
girl away.  Take Kevin her letter, tell him to call, then convince him to
make so many demands that she gives up.  That was very possible, and didn't
make her feel good about herself.  Vicky considered herself a good person,
not mean, or selfish.  Certainly not one to play emotional games.

   Those could have no winner.

   "Hi, Nitya!"

   Kevin's voice was cheerful as the female teen's head popped up over the
wooden floor.  She was taking the stairs slowly, eyes looking the three
over uncertainly.  She was dressed similarly to two days ago, shorts and a
shirt cut to show off a bit of her light brown tummy.  There were sneakers
this time instead of sandals, the better to ride a bike most likely.  Kevin
rose as she mounted the final step, Vicky and Bobby following his lead. 
Vicky leaned back against the metal pipe railing.  Nitya's eyes were on
her, probably noting how her shoulder pressed against Kevin.  Vicky dropped
her eyes a bit.

   "So," Nitya said, "what's up?" She found the short stretch of pipe
railing on the left side of the slide, leaning back against it as she faced
them.  Her dark eyes were on Kevin.

   "It's our fault," Bobby said, voice on the miserable side.  Kevin looked
at him, surprised, Vicky leaning over to give him a similar look.  She had
been about to say that.  Their friend gave Nitya a rueful look.  "My fault,
at least, probably Vicky's, too."

   "How's that?" the newcomer asked.  Her stance had relaxed somewhat,
whatever anger there had been leaving.  Bobby sighed.

   "We...  well, none of us have had to deal with any of this before."

   "Any of what?"

   "Any of having someone say they liked one of us."

   The girl blinked.  Again, her eyes went to Vicky, who shrugged in
agreement.

   "He's right.  Nobody has ever asked me out, or Bobby.  Kevin is the
first, and we honestly don't know how to handle it."

   "I can't believe that," Nitya said, shaking her head.  "I mean, you're
beautiful, Vicky!"

   "Maybe," she replied, smiling, "but I also hang out with two guys, so
everyone assumes I'm taken.  Which, well, I am, we all are, but still.  I
know that hasn't stopped guys from asking other girls."

   "So, why did you..."

   "Partly just to see what Kevin would do," Bobby said.  "You know,
embarrass him a bit."

   "And we now know he likes you." Vicky ignored Kevin's raised eyebrow,
continuing to talk as if he wasn't there.  "Really likes you. 
Disgustingly, ickingly likes you."

   "So we don't know what to do.  I mean," Bobby said, "Vicky and I don't
know you that well, but we like you, and anyone Kevin likes we're probably
going to like just as much, once we get to know you."

   "If you date him...  you really have to date all of us."

   "Because," Nitya said, softly, "you do everything together?  Even...?"

   Vicky looked around.  The sun was low in the sky, they were in shadow
for the most part.  Nobody was watching.  Turning to Kevin, she gently
kissed his cheek.  After a pause, Bobby kissed his other cheek.  Nitya's
eyes almost exploded.

   "Everything," Vicky said.



   ****



   "Everything."

   The three friends sat across from her as the summer shadows lengthened.
Bobby sat to the left of Kevin, Vicky to the right, their shoulders
touching.  Kevin...  he, and them...  both of them...

   What did she think of that?

   She had fallen for Kevin not long after her first day at this school.  A
few of the girls with lockers around hers had adopted her, shown her around
school, the neighborhood.  Invited her to sit with them at lunch.  She had
been with them, eating, doing much more listening than talking, when there
was a commotion.  A sixth grade girl had tripped, her lunch flying onto the
floor.  All around her laughed.

   Except for one.  A brown haired boy, thin, had stood up from his chair.
Coming over, he helped the girl to her feet.  Told her to get back in the
lunch line, see if she could get something else from the lunch ladies. 
Smiled at the twelve year old, before retreating back to his chair, and
friends.

   Nitya fell in love with that smile.  With the boy who had helped without
thinking.  She had watched him all year, silently.  Her new friends, once
they realized, did their best to try and hook them up, but she refused most
of it.  Not until the summer had she decided to accept aid.  Decided to
seriously go after him.

   Now...  now, she had him.  The real him.

   Her eyes went to his.  Those eyes.  The same eyes.  The same smile. 
Jealous.  That's what she was.  Jealous of those two friends who sat next
to him.  She wanted Kevin.  Wanted to sit by his side.  Hold his hand. 
Kiss him.  Have him hold her...

   "I like you," she said, softly.  "I like you, Kevin.  I want to be your
girlfriend." And she didn't want to share.  That's what she wanted to say.
Nitya did not want to share him with anyone.  She was going to say it. 
Tell him.  Tell them.  Make him choose.  Or just stand up and leave.  Yeah.
She didn't need this.  It was one thing to read about this stuff in a book,
line marriages and other impossible things, but she did not want...

   "Nitya." Vicky's voice was almost pleading.  She looked at the brown
skinned girl.  Vicky...  had slid over, away from Kevin.  There was a gap.
A small gap.  Room enough for a slim girl to sit, shoulders pressed against
both Kevin and Vicky.  Their eyes met.  "Sit over here," Vicky said. 
"Please?  Give us a chance."

   A chance.

   Date...  all of them.

   Would she?  Could she?

   "No."



   ****



   Kevin watched the small teen peddle away into the darkening park.  His
two friends, two lovers, held both his hand.  It was not possible for a
third person to join their hand to his.  Not possible for another to join
their tribe.  It was just them.  Just...

   "I'm sorry," Bobby sighed.  Kevin felt his oldest friend squeeze his
hand.  Vicky did likewise.  "Blame us.  We should have stayed quiet.  Just
let you two..."

   "Let us what?" Kevin frowned at his friend.  "Isn't it better to know
now, rather than later?  I'm not leaving you two for someone, so if they
can't accept you, there's no point."

   Nobody else had ever said they loved him, though.  Nobody had ever come
to him.  Asked him out.

   He liked her...



   ****



   Bobby had never hunted teen girls before.

   They were a foreign species, to be sure.  One he had ignored as best he
could, in the few years classmates had slowly changed from nice preteens
into bedazzled, big breasted creatures.  Now, though, he had to enter their
world.  Follow their trail into the unknown, into dangers unforeseen.

   Bobby was wandering the mall.

   Oh, the mall, itself, was well known territory.  The trio had their
usual haunts, stores they'd stop in, the game store, book store, the place
with the dirty cards and novelty gifts (he had no idea how the place hadn't
been shut down!).  However, never had he looked into the dozens of clothing
stores.  The places full of fake, or at least fake looking, jewelry.  Those
large enough to not be fully explorable from the entranceway, he actually
went into.  A single male, in a world of women.

   God, they must think he was gay, or a pervert.

   He found his prey at the opposite end of the mall from where he had
entered, naturally.  Six girls, classmates.  Jeanie and her coven.  Nitya
was NOT with them.  That was good, probably.  Bobby didn't have to deal
with her.  However, the thought of WHY she might not be with her friends
depressed him.  With no idea, still, of what he was doing, or what he was
going to say, he walked over.

   Karen noticed him first, eyes widening.  The redhead had formed a bit of
a crush on the blond boy in sixth grade, or at least it had seemed like
that to him.  She had tried to be around him, very annoyingly.  Whatever
the reason, he had NOT been interested.  Still wasn't.  She said something
to the others.  As one, they turned from the clothing rack, as did their
breasts.  All wore tops which were very tight, arms and bellies bare. 
Jeanie frowned.

   "I think you're in the wrong store."

   There were giggles at that.  It was true.  Whatever his sexuality, this
kind of gaudy stuff did nothing for him.  No effeminate cross dresser was
he.  Still, as long as he wasn't trying to impress them...

   "But I was told they had my size here."

   A dozen eyes widened.  Bobby smiled.  Let them wonder.  He looked them
over.

   "Nitya's not here?"

   "No," Jeanie said, mouth forming a firm frown.  Or pout, although it was
a bit too sincere for a pout.  "She's home, crying, thanks to your friend.
We're going over later."

   Bobby closed his eyes.  Damn.

   "It's my fault," he said, shaking his head.  "Don't blame Kevin."

   "She blames him," Tawny said, malice dripping from her voice, "so we
blame him.  What a jerk."

   "Yeah," the others agreed.  Jeanie folded her arms over her bosom.

   "Poor Nitya poured her heart out to your friend, and he led her along
for days before saying no!  Nobody does that to our friend!"

   "Yeah!  He broke her heart!"

   That was, definitely, one way to look at it.  Probably an accurate one,
applying to both Nitya and Kevin.

   "Like I said, it's my fault.  I need to talk to her."

   "Then talk to her.  Nothing's stopping you."

   "Apart from not having her number, address, or knowing if she'd even
listen.  Yup, nothing stopping me."

   Jeanie blinked.  The anger in his voice seemed to have registered.  The
blond regarded him for a long moment.

   "Come with us."



   ****



   Bobby's dislike of girls was growing stronger.

   They sat in a half circle behind him, glowering.  All tan limbs and half
hidden boobs.  He sat on a footstool in the middle of her living room,
exposed.  Before him...  Nitya.  She sat in the middle of the leather
couch, hands clenched in her lap.  Jeanie was at her side, eyes hard when
they fell on him, soft and supportive as they dropped to the slight teen.
She had an arm around her.

   "Go on," Jeanie said to him.  "Talk to her.  Make it right."

   God.  This wasn't what he wanted.  This wasn't the way to help Kevin. 
He wished Vicky was here.  She'd know what to say.  Maybe he should have
waited until Tuesday, when she'd be free.  But that would be cutting it too
close.  Time was running out...

   "He wants to go out with you, Nitya."

   Her head bowed, eyes staying firmly in her lap.  Jeanie almost growled.

   "Then he shouldn't have said 'no'!"

   He ignored her, focusing on Nitya.

   "It's me and Vicky's fault.  We didn't mean to scare you away.  We... 
we just wanted to be honest.  I'm sorry.  Everything we said was true, but
we want you to give him a chance.  Give us a chance."

   There was another sarcastic comment from behind him.  To his left, he
saw Nitya's younger sister and her friend watching, wide eyed.  God.  He
wasn't helping.  He was just making things worse.  For all of them.

   "I'm sorry, Nitya." He stood.  She looked so small, sitting there. 
So... helpless.  So...

   So pretty.

   Bobby took a step forward, going down to one knee on the thick carpet.
Nitya looked up into his eyes, surprised.  Gently, he touched her clenched
hands.  Her eyes widened.

   "Call him.  We'll back off.  Just..." Words failed him.  He had done his
best, however bad that was.  Bobby gave her hands a squeeze, releasing her
as he stood.  Stupid.  He was so stupid...

   "Wait."

   Her voice was soft.  He stood his ground for a moment, before dropping
back down onto one knee.  Nitya's head lifted.  Her eyes were red.

   "You love him."

   "Yes."

   The word came out without hesitation.  Only when a half dozen female
gasps came from around him did Bobby realize what he had done.  Yet there
was no other way that question could be answered.  No other way he would
EVER answer it.  If this led to rumors, more, then...

   Then so be it.

   Nitya nodded.  Her face reddened.  The room was silent, all awaiting
her. Bobby, unsure, reached his hand out again, placing it back on hers. 
Her skin was soft.  Warm.  Smooth.

   "Jeanie," she asked, eyes not moving from Bobby, "you're still going
Wednesday as well?"

   "Yeah..." Her voice was unsure, now.  Nitya nodded.

   "Can Bobby and Vicky ride up with your family, then?"

   **** Chapter 8



   Kevin's first date story was not as dramatic or funny as his father's,
but he was sure he could twist it into an entertaining tale for his future
children.

   Dad, given half an opening, liked to tell the tale of the first date he
ever had.  Dad had shown up at the girl's house, all nervous and such.  The
father had let him in, told him his daughter would be down in a bit, then
invited teen Dad down into the basement.  There, he had shown him a gun
case.  The man had looked at the case, then at Dad.

   "I hope we have an understanding here."

   From other stories his Dad told, the threat had not done much to temper
his teen activities.

   Kevin, on the other hand, spent the first hour of his first date trapped
in a car with the girl's family.  There was no escape from the innocent,
and not so, questions from Nitya's father and mother.  So, too, did he
suffer teasing from Nitya's younger sister and her friend on the long drive
to Darien Lake.  Sibling teasing, which he and his friends had never
experienced, could be cruel, annoying.  It was tempered a bit by the fact
the sister was, indeed, as cute as Nitya, and so was her girlfriend.  Kevin
assumed she was a friend who was a girl, and the two sixth graders were not
on a date like they were, but he wasn't going to rule it out.  One never
knew with this younger generation.

   Sitting next to Nitya for the whole ride had been stressful as well. 
Despite her calling and re-inviting him on this trip, he wasn't sure where
he stood.  The bucket seats of the van meant he wasn't sitting right next
to her.  There was no physical contact.  For all he knew, that would be the
rule for the entire date.



   ****



   The moment he exited the van in the parking lot, Nitya took his left
hand.  It was soft, warm, small.  Nothing like Vicky's, or Bobby's.  Her
mother looked over, gaze traveling down to where the two teens were joined.
Her pretty face turned away, a hint of a smile showing.  That had to be a
good sign.

   "Oooo, are you two in looove?"

   OK.  That was it.  Now that they were out of the car, Kevin felt more at
ease.  He turned to the two pre-teens.

   "When you get out of elementary school, you'll understand."

   "Hey!"

   Nitya did not look back at her sister, but he felt her squeeze his hand.
The day was getting better.



   ****



   "OK, kids.  Your Mom and I trust you, her more than me.  Go off, meet us
back here at the fountain at...  well, noon, and we'll see about lunch. 
Kevin, assume I can see you with my daughter at all times."

   "Yes Sir!"

   "Dad!"

   With a grin, before Nitya's indignant protest could lead to delays,
Kevin dragged her off.  Her slender body offered almost no resistance, legs
struggling to keep up as he moved them around a few larger groups of park
goers.  Vicky's body was solid, strong.  Able to hold its own, at least for
a few moments, before his larger male mass won out.  There was no
comparison.

   Nor should there be.  Kevin slowed to a walk, letting her catch up. 
Nitya was beautiful the way she was.  That she was not Vicky was not a
flaw. It was...  a welcome feature.

   "Where are you dragging me?" Her voice was annoyed, but teasingly so. 
His steps slowed even more, allowing her to pull slightly ahead.

   "I'm not dragging you, you're dragging me.  Where are we going?"

   Nitya's eyes twinkled, hand yanking his.

   "The Viper!"



   ****



   Nitya was a screamer.

   It only took the first drop to discover that.  Even as he gave a yell of
glee as the car began to barrel down the metal track, Nitya let go a yowl
the likes of which he had never heard.  Her hands were white as they
gripped the restraining bar, eyes wide with fear.  It continued all the way
through the double loop that marked the midpoint, lessening a bit at the
final twisted track.  Only at the final strait away did she quiet.  Kevin
looked at her, worry and amusement battling on his face.  Worry won out.

   "You OK?"

   She looked at him, the car slowly entering into the end building.

   "Let's go again!"



   ****



   "It wasn't always three of us.  I mean, up until third grade Sally and
Sean lived next to Bobby, before they moved.  Nathan lived across from me
starting in 1st, but moved in 6th grade.  That's when we really got tight.
The gang was now a trio, and the thought of losing anyone else horrified
us. Know what I mean?"

   Nitya nodded, sipping her pop.  Behind her, he could see and hear
another train whip by on the distant Mind Eraser.  The Viper rolled on
behind him.  They'd gone on it three more times, before taking a break by
playing a round of miniature golf under the coaster.  Now they sat outside
the Campfire Grill, waiting.  Their friends were somewhere in the park now.

   "This is my third school," Nitya said.  "Mom and Dad SAY this job will
last, that we're here to stay, but they said that last time, too."

   "That's gotta be rough."

   "Yeah.  But, Cindy moved away as well, so if I had stayed I'd be out a
best friend anyway, although I'd still have my other friends." She paused.
"The friends here are good, though!"

   "Yeah," he laughed, "Jeanie's not bad.  You fell in with a good crowd."

   "And I'm falling in with a better one." Her hand reached over.  It was
cold and wet from her drink, yet made his hand burn.  Kevin knew the grin
on his face had to look ridiculous, but there was little he could do.

   "Well, if you fall too far, we'll try and catch you.  Or, at least I
will.  I don't trust that Bobby or Vicky.  They're mean."

   She was about to reply when his head turned, an 8th sense kicking in. 
The still thin crowd parted in front of Raccoon Rally.  There, heading
towards them, were his friends.  And her friends.  Bobby and Vicky were
surrounded by Jeanie's coven, almost like a protective shell.  Even from
this distance, he could see Vicky was amused, while Bobby...  well, wasn't.
Their gaze found his at the same time, path altering slightly.

   He felt a squeeze on his hand.

   "Time to share you, I guess."

   "I'm sorry." He looked at her.  Those dark eyes looked back.

   "I'm going to try, Kevin.  Really.  Even if...  well, at least we'll be
friends."

   "Friend is a much more serious thing than Girlfriend, to be honest."



   ****



   Kevin could not help but grin.  Bobby's eyes were wide in mock terror as
the group approached.

   "I'm surrounded by girls!  Help!"

   "Aww..." Vicky reached over, hand patting Bobby's shoulder.  "Don't
worry.  I'll protect you from the evil females!"

   "Well, you've been doing a bad job so far!" His eyes turned to Kevin,
pleading.  Laughing, Kevin rose, as did Nitya.  Walking up to them, he
motioned with his hands to the grinning and giggling teen girls.

   "Shoo!  Shoo!  You've had your fun, now let us have ours!"

   "And what kind of fun would THAT be?" Jeanie smirked at him.

   "None of your business!"



   ****



   They walked the park.

   What had been nice, before, now felt...  right.  Bobby was at his side,
where he should be.  Nitya walked to his left.  Vicky, the choice
uncommented on, walked on the other side of Bobby.  This, too, felt right.
Nitya was not coming between the two friends.  To all they passed, it
looked like two couples enjoying a summer day.

   "The girls said they'd keep me a secret," Bobby said, softly.  "For as
long as we needed.  I...  I don't want to come out.  Not now."

   "Neither of us need that," Kevin agreed.  Feeling it was the right thing
to do, his hand took Bobby's for a moment, squeezed, then released it. 
Bobby smiled.

   "Someday, though.  And, I'm kind of glad they know."

   "They're good friends," Nitya agreed.  "We should all hang out."

   "Maybe," Vicky said, voice uncertain.  "I'm not willing to share these
two TOO much.  That one still has a crush on you, Bobby."

   "She does?  God.  I don't need that."

   "Crushes are a pain," Kevin agreed.  "No good ever comes from them."

   "I agree," Nitya nodded.  Her hand squeezed his.



   ****



   After a lunch that made the teens extremely glad there were two parents
there to pay for it, the four found themselves changing positions as they
walked back and forth between the Ride of Steel and Predator roller
coasters.  Nitya flanked Kevin on his right, Bobby and Vicky over on the
other side of her.  Kevin walked between the two girls, Bobby alternating
between the left and right ends.  A couple times they even broke into
pairs, Kevin holding Vicky's hand as Bobby got to feel Nitya's smaller one.

   None of it felt wrong.



   ****



   The Ferris wheel came to a stop at the top, the four looking out at the
view.  It supposedly had been the largest in the country, bought from some
world's fair, when the park had gotten it years ago.  Kevin could easily
believe that.  The whole world spread out around them, like some model
train set inhabited by ants.  His eye, though, was drawn to what lay beyond
the colorful oasis.  Darien Lake was still surrounded by farms, forest, out
here in the middle of nowhere.  The noise and excitement of the park was
fun, a welcome change of pace, but the quiet of the woods was still home.
He heard Bobby sigh.

   "We'll have to take you to our spots," the blonde boy said, looking
across to the slim girl.  "In the woods."

   "You'll like it," Vicky said.  "The stream, the trees..."

   "It sounds wonderful."

   "You're wonderful," Bobby said, a slight blush on his cheek.  Vicky
looked at him in shock, then began singing.

   "Bobby and Nitya, sitting in a tree!"

   "It's not a tree," Kevin corrected.  Vicky growled at him.

   "Well, what would rhyme with 'Ferris wheel'?"

   "It's not like 'tree' and 'k.i.s.s.i.n.g' rhyme to begin with, so that's
not an excuse!"

   "Yes, it damned well is!"

   "You're full of excuses!"

   "And you're full of it!"

   Bobby just shook his head.

   "I hate lovers quarrels."



   ****



   The two groups stood at the entrance to the park.  Nitya and Jeanie's
parents introduced themselves, while the teens said their goodbyes.

   "Tomorrow, then," Vicky said, giving Nitya a quick hug.  "We'll meet you
at the park at nine, then go to the woods."

   "Can't wait!"

   "Wear jeans, though, kay?"

   "Sure!"

   Vicky watched as Kevin and Nitya rejoined her family, began the long
trek to their car.  It was going to work.  The day had shown her that. 
Nitya would not divide them.  She...

   With a shock, Vicky realized she wanted to know what the girl's lips
tasted like.



   ****



   Nitya walked Kevin to his front door, a reversal of normal first date
procedure if ever there was one.  The van sat in the driveway, idling, her
family probably watching every move with amusement.  Kevin didn't care.  He
might not be in love, yet, but he had to be well on the way there.

   "Tomorrow," he said, taking her hand.  Her smile echoed every emotion he
was feeling.

   "Tomorrow."

   Tomorrow.  Tomorrow...  and the tomorrow after.  A thousand tomorrows.

   Time enough to see where this friendship would lead.

   ****

   The End

   ****

   Edited by SciFi Nut

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