Just Hit 'Send' - The High School Years
by Grasshopper
Ch. 9
The little red flag popped up in the bottom right hand corner of Danny's screen. Waiting for the screen to pop up, he thought back over today. He had gone through phases: Jordan loves me.....Why should he love me?.....He feels sorry for me...........I'm an idiot.........Does he care at all?........He's probably decided not to talk to me.........what if he doesn't talk to me......Oh, God............and then, when Jordan hadn't called all day.............Danny just waited to see what excuse Jordan would use. He was used to excuses. It was the scars. He knew that.
Jordy says: Hey Dan :) :) :)
Danny says: hey
After a short pause, Jordan typed:
Jordy says: Okay............what's wrong?
Danny says: nothing...why?
Jordy says: I can feel the vibes all the way over here........what did your imagination dream up today?
Danny says: ?????????
Jordy says: and here I changed my name for you and everything ::pout::
Danny stared at the screen. He realized it said 'Jordy' instead of 'Jordan'.
Danny says: >>smile<< Hey Jordy !
Jordy says: That's better.......tell me now..........
Danny hesitated and then decided that if he was going to be Jordy's friend, he was going to have to be honest. He deserved that.
Danny says: I was afraid you'd changed your mind :(
Jordy says: Why Danny?
Danny says: I thought maybe you saw what I really looked like, thought about what it would really BE like and maybe you..............
Jordy says: Dan?
Danny says: yeah?
Jordy says: SHUT UP !!
Danny looked at the words, grinned and answered:
Danny says: shut ! >>grin<<
Jordy says: Good ! Did you ask? Can you come over next weekend?
Danny says: Yeah, but my mom wants to talk to your mom......you know
Jordy says: yeah.......my mom says she'll call. You'll like here I think.
Danny says: remember Jordy...some things I can't do........
Jordy says: but remember what I told you? Maybe different, but there's nothing you CAN'T do, D.
Danny says: I remember
After school the next day, Jordan wandered into the kitchen and flopped into the nearest chair. "Mama?' he said casually.
"Yes punkin?" she asked, knowing her son well enough to know that he never just sat down and said her name, but just continuing to peel the carrots.
"You know I asked Danny over?" he started, unsure where this was leading but knowing he needed to say it.
"Yes?" she decided to let him talk. Sometimes, she could understand more not from what he said but from what he didn't say.
"Well, he's..........," Jordan started, trailing off.
Claire Lawrence dried her hands, picked up one of the peeled carrots and walked over to the table. Sitting down, she handed Jordan the carrot. "He's what, Jordan?"
Jordan wasn't sure how to say it. Different wasn't right. Handicapped was too cold. "He's.........he has trouble walking, Mama," he said quietly, his eyes down, fidgeting with the carrot in his hands.
Claire looked at her son, at times so awkward; at times too beautiful to believe. "And, how does this make you feel, Sweetheart?"
Jordan's head came up, his eyes crinkling at the corners, his face lighting up, "He's so brave, Mama. He has scars on his legs and he can stand up and he has these crutch things and he's really nice but he is really shy too and we went surfing and I showed him a double finger flip and he wants to come here and see Tinker and Jolene and I think I know how he can ride and.........," he stopped to take a breath.
Reaching her hand out, Claire covered her son's hand with hers. "Jordan, he's welcome here. I think the word you're searching for, the word to call him? I think it's 'Danny'.
Jordan bubbled on for a few more minutes, made her promise to call Mrs. Trainor and, grabbing a Dr Pepper out of the fridge, he grinned and was gone. Claire sat still for a minute, still feeling his hand. Remembering other times, not but a few years ago, when he had held tight to that same hand, afraid of everything, so small, so vulnerable. She remembered how he had pressed up against her at the funeral, his tiny hand clutching her skirt. He had been so angry and there hadn't been time for him.......not enough time. How he had made it through she would never know and how he had turned into this child made of sunshine and light would remain a mystery. She just knew that what Jordan really felt, what Jordan really thought.........only a precious few knew. If this boy, this Danny could make his eyes sparkle, he was welcome in their home.
Danny says: Your mom talked to my mom........It's a go !!!
Jordy says: I can't wait..........bring a bathing suit, k? We'll go to Farrell's Creek.
Danny says: ::giggle:: no surfing?
Jordy says: Nah, you nut ! Wait til you meet Tinker.
Danny says: Jordy........I don't think I can ride
Jordy says: WHAT????
Danny smiled to himself. He was actually beginning to believe maybe he COULD do some stuff.
Danny says: okay okay !!
Jordy says: Jeeesus ! You're stubborn
Danny says: Comes from lots of practice :)
Jordy says: Well, get over yourself, Trainor
Danny says: I'd like to get over you
Jordy says: huh?
Danny says: Oh god, noooooooooo not over you OVER you :p
Jordy says: woohoo !! that had me goin for a sec Um........me too OVER you
Danny says: Jordy?
Jordy says: yep?
Danny says: is it okay for me to say kinda you know like mushy stuff on here?
Jordy says: like what?
Danny says: like ::blush:: well like maybe >kiss< ???????????????????
Jordy says: No, but maybe like >>>>>KISSSSSSSSSS<<<<<<<< If I'm gonna get a kiss, I want a good one Daniel pppplllltttt
Danny says: >>>>giggle<<<< KISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
The week dragged. Jordan clumped around school, bored outside and all willy-nilly inside. His mind was spinning on how to get Danny upstairs easily, on Tinker, to the creek, on the tractor. He had already figured out how Danny could drive the Kawisaki Mule with the end of his brace.
"Earth to Jord," Griff yelled in Jordan's ear as the bell rang at the end of 7th period. "We're free and you just sit there. Move your butt, Dimwit."
Jordan stood, collected his junk, stuffed it in his pack and sighed. "It's only Thursday."
"Well, yeah. It usually does follow Wednesday," Griff kidded. He knew how excited Jordan was about Danny coming. He had offered to go pick him up but Danny's mom and dad were driving him over. That was cool ! Showed they cared. Griff wasn't sure how this was gonna end but he wanted Jordan happy and if it took Dan Trainor to keep that sparkle in his eyes, Danny was The Man !!
Jordy says: When are you gonna get here?
Danny says: Prolly around 10. I can't make them come any earlier :(
Jordy says: And it's okay if we bring you home, right?
Danny says: yeah......they just want to meet your parents K? do you think I'm a baby?
Jordy says: DAN?
Danny says: I know........SHUT UP !! >>>>>giggle<<<<<<
Jordy says: you're learning !! :)
Jordan sat for a minute. He wanted to ask this over the computer. He wanted Danny to have the choice of not answering, not like face to face. Whatever he said, Jordan would accept.
Jordy says: Dan? Can I ask you a question?
Danny says: sure, Jordy
Jordy says: The scars,Dan........the accident......what happened?
Danny's fingers froze over the keys. He could say what he had always said. He could not lie, just not tell it all. It was easier. But this was Jordan. He was learning to love Jordan. Even if it made him even less worthy, even less a whole person, he would have to tell him.
Danny says: I was running across the street.......hit by a car
Jordy says: I know......but Danny what were you running from?
Danny says: I was just running............
Jordy says: Daniel...you said, you've never told anyone the whole story, the how but never the why.........
Danny says: Jeezzzz, did you have a tape recorder?
Jordy says: no, I just remember what you said. Can you tell me?
Danny says: you won't like me anymore
Jordy says: fat chance of that.......its over, man......just bad memories........
Danny says: easy for you to say
Jordy says: No Dan...........not easy at all
Danny says: okay........this weekend.......I'll tell you but only to whisper it in your mouth like last week
Jordy says: ::sigh:: deal !
Saturday finally came. Jordan was up by 6, cleaning his room, throwing unwanted stuff under the bed. He got clean sheets and made up the bottom bunk. Surveying the damage, he decided that it would do.
"Jordan..........clean the bathroom," his mom yelled up the stairs.
"Maaamaaaa!" he bellowed, to no avail. "Gag me," he griped, as he swished the brush thingie around in the bowl. Pulling back the shower curtain, he was hit by a wave of imagery...........Danny's strong muscular shoulders, those tiny chocolate nipples that danced when he touched them, the way his back curved down into his waist and back out. Jordan stood, toilet brush in one hand, hard-on gripped in the other. He could not wait for him to get here !!
Danny was up, showered, dressed and having a fit. "Mom, Dad !! Pleasssse !!
The day is gonna be half over. Come on !!" He sat by the front door, his pack in his lap, bulging with everything he could think of that he might possibly need from computer games, to comic books, to clean clothes to his drawing pad and charcoals. He was so ready !
Laughing, Mr. Trainor opened the front door. "Okay, young man. Let's book!!"
Danny giggled at his dad's phrase. "Book? Wow, Dad."
"I'm nothing if not hip and cool," his dad smiled. He was so happy to see Danny laughing and joking. Whatever the bond was between these two boys, whatever miracle Jordan Lawrence was working, he just hoped it would continue. Danny's mom climbed into the car and they pulled out of the driveway.
"Go unlock the gate, Jordy," his dad told him. "Just leave it latched. Go now, before I have to kill you." It was quarter to 10 and no one could stand Jordan anymore. He cranked up the Mule and roared down the long drive, stopping to open the three cow gates along the way. As he neared the gate, he could see the Trainor's SUV pulling into the gateway. Stopping, he jumped out over the side roll bar and ran to the gate, grinning and waving at the tinted windows.
Mr. Trainor pulled through the gate and stopped at Jordan's bouncing self. "Hey there, Jordan."
"Hey Mr. Trainor. Mrs. Trainor. Danny !!" he tried to keep his voice even but a grin was giggling through. He could see Danny laughing in the back seat.
"Let me get the Mule out of the way and we'll go to the house. My parents can't wait to meet you." He backed up into the grass and let them past, locked the gate and followed, hopping out at each cow gate to let them through.
Stopping in front of the big house, Mr. Trainor laughed, "Some workout, Jordan, all those gates."
"Yeah," Jordan grinned. His parents were coming out the front door and it all turned into 'Hello' and 'Very glad to meet you' and 'Come on in' and then they got to the steps. Jordan had stayed behind to get Danny's stuff and pull the wheelchair from the back. He didn't help as Danny maneuvered it up the bumpy gravel path. The steps posed a different problem. Grabbing his braces, Danny lifted himself from the chair, and slowly walked to the steps.
"I don't do steps very well," he smiled, the embarrassment only showing in his eyes.
Claire took hold of Mrs. Trainor's arm and walked with her into the house, the men following behind, leaving Jordan and Danny to work out the step problem. "We moved to a house with no steps after the accident," Danny mumbled. "Sorry about this."
Hearing their parent's voices inside, Jordan reached for Danny's cheek. "Hey you. Do what you can. What you really can't, I'll do." Saying that, he put one hand under Danny's arm on the right side and Danny scooted up the three steps, with some muttering and a single giggle. Over the threshold, he entered Jordan's house. High ceilings, and an upstairs, his eyes looked way up.
Watching his face, Jordan poked him in the side. "Yep, we're going up !"
Seeing all the parents sitting down for coffee, Jordan called, "We're going upstairs." He turned around, a devilish grin on his face. "How we gonna do this? It's the only place we can be alone. You UP to it?"
"If I have to wiggle up there on my butt, I'm going," Danny grinned. He got to the bottom step and looked up at the staircase that went up 8 steps to a landing then up prolly 8 more. He sighed.
"No sighing allowed," Jordan giggled. "I have an idea." He got on Danny's right side. "Hold on to me." He slid his arm around Danny's waist tightly and supported his right side. Pressing his left leg to Danny's right, he said, "Remember three legged races?" and up they went, laughing and cursing quietly so the parents couldn't hear. "Shit, you're heavy, Dan." "You let go and you're dead."
Their parents weren't even pretending to talk. They were just watching as their two boys made it to the top step, laughing and giggling to fall in a heap on the top landing. Danny sat on the top step, looking out the high windows while Jordan scrambled down for his braces. Pulling himself up, he straightened up and looked down at his mom and dad. "Hi guys," he smiled, knowing this was more than just some steps.
Jordan opened the door to his room and welcomed Danny in. "I'm gonna shut this door. I can't wait one more minute," he groaned. Door shut, Danny hardly even in the room, Jordan found his mouth. Braced against the door, Danny let the braces slip away and reached for Jordan's neck. "Please," Danny sighed as he opened his mouth. Tongues, tasting of Dr Pepper, hot and hungry, wanting to say everything, needing to say nothing. Jordan found that he wanted to just strip off their clothes and lie down, right on the floor. It was as if the week had disappeared and they were back in Danny's bed.
"I want to hold you," Danny murmured, his voice soft and raspy. "Will we be able to?"
"I'll make sure," Jordan promised. "I want to look at you, and do that thing you like." His tongue licked at Danny's bottom lip.
Unbelievably hard, they ground into each other until Danny whimpered, "Ouch Jordy, the doorknob is in my butt."
"Lucky doorknob," Jordan breathed.
Laughter bubbled up and they broke apart. "Jordan!!! You did NOT say that!"
Danny giggled.
"Guilty," Jordan grinned. He reached down and handed Danny his braces. One last soft kiss and he spun around to let Danny survey the room.
"My room," he laughed. "My computer. My CD player. My DVD. My closet. My desk." He threw out his arms. "Make yourself at home."
Danny looked around. Everything was just as Jordy had described it.......His big Dell monster sat on the fancy computer table, the chair half turned to the room, the wallpaper, a boy doing a handstand on a skateboard. CD player, DVD, fancy entertainment center, plush blue double recliner facing the huge flat screen TV monitor. Everything was perfect. There was only one odd thing about the room...not really odd, just didn't quite fit. Along one wall, there was a rather childish looking bunk bed. The bottom bunk all smooth and freshly made up and the top bunk looking well slept in with what looked like the arm of a stuffed tiger hanging off one end. The ladder leading to the top bunk had a rather droopy old faded red bow tied to the top rung.
"Jordy? Why the bunk bed?" Danny asked.
Something flickered in Jordan's eyes and was gone. "No reason. I like little spaces and I like company." That said, he turned to the computer and turned on Daytona 5000. "Come on, if you think you can beat me, Big Man !! You may have the muscle, but I've got the speed !!"
Danny watched as Jordan evaded his question. Some of the sunshine had dimmed in Jordan's eyes for a second. He was sure he had seen it fade. Danny would do anything to get it back.
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