Just Hit 'Send' - The College Years
by Grasshopper
Ch. 2
As the weather got warmer and the jackets and sweaters started to peel off, it was voted on and approved that now was the time for a much needed Road Trip. They all needed some sun, some warm salt water and the feel of a good strong body board riding soft gulf waves.
Markie threw her duffle in the back of the Blazer, climbed in the back seat and yelled, "Get a move on. I want some sun."
"Hold your horses, Marks. I gotta shove Danny in."
Danny grinned and slung his arms around Jordan's neck as he was lifted from the chair and "shoved" in to the front seat, his mouth finding Jordan's for a second as he whispered, "I can't wait to feel the sun and the boards."
"I know, baby. We'll be there in no time." Jordan leaned into the car and nuzzled Danny's cheek.
"Guys!!!"
Jerry climbed into the back with Markie and they were ready.
"Lotion?"
"Check."
"CDs?"
"Check."
"Emergency credit cards for this EXTREME emergency?"
"Check !!"
"We're so outta here!"
Radio blastin', the 4 musketeers, headed for Panama City, singin at the top of their lungs:
"Every time I turn around
I'm lookin up, you're lookin down
Maybe somethin's wrong with you
That makes you act the way you do
Maybe I am crazy too"
"Hey, Jordan?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm hungry."
"You're always hungry, Marks." The next small town they went through, Jordan pulled into the Golden Arches and Markie hopped out with everyone's orders. "Watch the feeding frenzy, Marks," he grinned. "You don't wanna flop outta that bikini." Sticking out her tongue, Markie flipped him off and bounced toward the food.
Fries and sodas and burgers later, they pulled into the main parking lot at the beach. "We need to get a room."
"There's a Comfort Inn. Sign says 49 bucks a night. Can you guys," Markie giggled, "NOT make strange noises?"
"Who....us?" Jordan asked innocently. "Do we make noises, Dan?" Danny blushed, a grin flooding his face.
"Oh God!!......Oh God!!.......Baby......Now!!......Noooow!!........," she snorted, her voice sounding remarkably like Jordan's.
Jerry laughed, "My personal fav is "Harder!! Harder!! Oh Jordy!! Yes! Yes!!
Yessssssssssssss !!"
Markie and Jerry watched the back of Jordan's neck grow rosy red. "Once," Jerry teased, "Mrs. McCafferty's little dog could hear through the walls and when I went to get the mail, he started humping my leg. I lurked in terror from Mrs. McCafferty herself for days."
A middle finger shot up from the driver's seat. "Cram it, Jer."
Jerry sighed. "If wishes were horses..........," and looked moonily over at Markie.
"As if," she shot her tongue out.
"Ewwwww, Jer. First dogs, now horses????" Danny giggled.
"Good one, Dan," Jordan laughed.
The room was standard "2 beds to sleep in and a shower with hot water". Nothing special for 49 bucks. Throwing their gear on the beds, kicking off their trainers, pulling off jeans, swim suits underneath, they all 4 toed into flipflops and grabbed lotion, headphones, towels and body boards and headed for the beach.
As soon as Jordan parked the Blazer, Markie and Jerry piled out, grabbing the junk and heading toward the steps. "We'll get a place."
Jordan took one look at the wooden boardwalks and the steps and the distance and a tiny frown shot through his eyes, only to be flicked away, but Danny knew; he always knew. He would never be good enough.
"Let's go, Dan," Jordan smiled, "That sun's callin' our names."
"There aren't any ramps, Jordy."
"I see that, baby. We'll manage. We always do."
Danny thought back on all the times Jordan had had to help him. Had had to carry him or catch him or hold him steady. It wasn't fair. Jordan never complained.........said he loved him and kept on going. But, it wasn't fair. Just like when they made love.........Danny never ever thought of it as fucking or even having sex.......they made love. Jordan always had to compensate for Danny's failure. It wasn't fair.
As the two boys had grown into their 19 years, Jordan had gotten taller and heavier. Danny had broad shoulders, tight muscles from working the chair and the braces but he was smaller and most times it made him feel safe and protected but times like this, he hated it.
Jordan raised his hands, arms stretched toward Danny. "Here you go," he said, as he lifted the beautiful boy from his high perch in the SUV. Braces in place, Danny smiled his sweet smile and they headed for the steps.
Stairs achieved, they looked out over the wide expanse of gorgeous white sugar sand and the cool blue water of the Gulf. They could see Markie waving to them, blankets spread.
"Lean, baby," Jordan said as he reached for Danny's braces, slinging them over his shoulder by the handle straps. Danny leaned on the railing and waited.
Jordan knew just what Danny was feeling. He knew how much he hated having to be slung around like so much 'equipment'. "So, wanna go piggy back or fireman's carry?"
Danny didn't say anything. Jordan saw his bottom lip quiver.
"Dan? This is nothin'. Don't make it anything. You know how you are in the water? Let's get down there and have some fun." He wanted to kiss that pouty bottom lip but there were just too many people. "Dan?"
For Jordan, Danny sniffed back the stupid tears that clouded his eyes and
raised his arms. "Save me, big strong fireman." He giggled as Jordan grabbed him and slung him over his shoulder.
"God, Dan," Jordan groaned, teasing, "We gotta get you on a diet before you totally pork out." But Jordan felt the slightness of Danny's body, how light he truly was and smoothed his hands over the red material stretched tight across Danny's butt, the temptation to just bite making him a little crazy.
The sand was dry and light and hell to walk in. The friction from Jordan's chest was playing games on Danny's body. The sweat was running freely and by the time they made it to the towels, both boys had raging hardons.
"Good Lord," Markie shrieked. "Would you PLEASE not come out in public with me if you're gonna walk around like that?" Rolling her eyes, she shoved her shades on and lay back down to roast in the sun.
Jerry was yelling from the water. Jordan and Danny looked at each other, down then back up, giggled, and said "Water!!" Easier to get up from the sand with Danny on his back, Jordan turned and Danny grabbed his shoulders, sliding his legs around Jordan's waist. He felt Jordan grab his legs and in a few seconds, they were in the cool salt water.
The three friends played and splashed and after Jerry got the little body boards, they paddled out and rode the tame waves back in. Never long to be away from Markie, Jerry swam in to lay on the hot sand.
"He's gonna get his heart broken if he isn't careful," Danny sighed, watching his friend sit down close to the pretty little blonde.
"I don't think Marks will let that happen," Jordan answered. "She's a really good kid."
"Has she ever talked to you, Jordy? Do you know why she gets that look in her eyes sometimes, like she hurts?"
"I think it has somethin to do with her family, but she's never said and I don't wanna prod an old wound."
The sun felt so good on their backs, floating there quietly, not a care in the world. Jordan reached for Danny's hand, holding it tight. "I wish I could kiss you right now, my blue-eyed boy."
"Did I ever tell you about a fantasy I had once?" Danny asked, knowing he hadn't. "It was back when I first met you."
"Yummmmm, was I hot?" Jordan laughed.
"Oh yes, Jordy. You were playing volleyball on beach kinda like this one and you came over and put your hand out to me. I got up and we walked to the surf and everyone disappeared. I was walking, Jordy. I was almost as tall as you and we were naked........but that wasn't the thing. I was as good as you. I was as strong, as straight (Jordan raised one eyebrow and Danny giggled). You know what I mean. I kinda ummmm......I kinda came all over my bedspread." He blushed but kept his eyes locked on Jordan's.
"You belong to me, Dan. Well, maybe not 'to' me but with me. For all that your legs aren't strong, your heart is stronger than mine will ever be. You're my gravity." His hand gripped Danny's tight.
Frustrated, Danny sighed, "Why CAN'T I kiss you right now? Look over there." He pointed at the couple on a blanket not far from Markie and Jerry, the boy laying on top of the girl, rubbing himself on her. "Why can they do that and we can't even touch each other?"
Jordan had no answers. "We'll just say that PDAs are gross and we're better than that. How about that, cutie? Cause what we do when we're alone rivals anything I've ever seen in public."
Grinning that trademark lopsided Jordan grin, he pushed Danny off his board and as Danny fell into the water, he felt Jordan's hand slide down the front of his swim suit. "Arg!! Jordy" Holding onto Jordan's shoulders, he felt Jordan, slowly at first, ease up and down, stopping to rub tiny circles on the tip, his finger coming away sticky even in the salty water.
Pumping his hand harder, Jordan watched those crystal blue eyes widen and listened to the little mewing sounds that Danny always made. "Oh, Jordy."
The two days went by in a streak of suntan lotion, laughter, piles of fast food, and the joy of just being alive. They spent every minute they could on the sand and in the water. The first night, they watched cable tv and laughed as Markie piled all the chair pillows down the middle of the big bed she had to share with Jerry. "No spooning in THIS bed," she growled. Jerry looked so disappointed and had everyone laughing with his puppy dog face.
The lights out, Danny schooched over to Jordan's chest and they snuggled up, only to find that he couldn't get comfortable. "What is it?" Jordan whispered.
"I can't go to sleep."
"Why not. I've got you."
"That's exactly why." Danny wiggled his butt to show Jordan why he couldn't sleep. "How am I gonna sleep with you right there?"
"Oh."
"Yeah....Oh."
Jordan was being no help whatsoever. His hand found Danny's nipples and he danced little tap dances, making the poor boy's whole body NOT sleepy.
"Jordyyyyyyyy!"
"What?"
Danny rolled over, giggled and they lay nose to nose, toes to toes, breathing in each other's mouths, whispering.
"I so love you."
"Not as much as me."
"More."
"Okay......you love me more."
"Do not."
"WILL YOU BOTH SHUT UP!!!"
"Oops."
"Night Marks."
As they drove out of town on the way home, Jordan saw a sign: Tattoos ...$20. "Hey guys, let's do something bizarre."
"No way," Jerry huffed. "No one's putting any needle on this bod."
Danny's eyes widened and a hesitant grin spread on his face. "What? Where?"
Markie laughed, "I'm game."
Jordan parked the car, helped Dan with his braces and they crossed to the little shop.
"What can I do for you kids?"
"We kinda want uh.....tattoos."
"Sure thing. Do ya know what ya want?"
"I want a little butterfly right here," Markie pointed to her left ankle. The tattoo artist let her show him the 3 colors she wanted. After choosing lavender, coral and blue, Markie closed her eyes and didn't peek til the man said, "All done, little lady."
"Ohhhh," she squealed when her pretty little flutterby seemed to be real as it perched on her ankle. "I'll wait for you guys in the car."
"Who's next?"
"We kinda want the same thing."
"Are you with him?"
"Yes...problem?"
"Nope.....show me what you want."
Danny blushed as Jordan grinned and explained exactly what he wanted.
A couple of days later, cuddled in their own bed again, Jordan's arms holding Danny close, they giggled for the millionth time. "I CANNOT believe we did that."
"Heeheee......green for yours and blue for mine."
"But..........but............,"
"Yeah. He did get a good view of that, didn't he?"
"No one will ever see them but us."
"That's for sure. Umm.......Dan?"
"Mm Hm?"
"Can I touch your tattoo again?"
"Mmmmmmm Hmmmmmm !!"
Jordan's hand slid down Danny's body and came to rest on his sweet left cheek. Right at the dimple where the sweet trail began, was a tiny tattoo, no more than 2 inches long, written in beautiful green ink:
Property of JAL
That perfectly matched the blue one on his right cheek:
Property of DAT
Jordan now had another great reason to love spring. He'd always loved the warmer sunshine and the beach but now he loved spring because Danny could maneuver better on his braces with out the coats and sweaters. Jordan had worried himself sick every time Danny left the apartment without him and ventured into the cold and wet.
"Don't get so bent," Jerry would sigh. 'He's gotta take care of himself. He knows that. We could be in school in like Boston or somewhere else where the ice and snow would get even you down." Jerry admired Jordan for always looking out for Danny but he was a realist. What if a time came when they weren't together anymore? Danny had to learn to make it on his own. Jerry watched Jordan hand Danny his braces, settle him in the chair when the weather was really bad, grab his arm, even carry him. He knew what it was...Jordan loved Danny too much to let him ever be hurt or afraid.
"You goin out with that ugly dude again, Marks?" Danny asked?
"He is SO not ugly," she groaned, knowing none of them ever liked anyone she went out with. It was just a given the guys she picked were losers. "He's interesting."
"Yeah, right. He's a real loser."
"Ya'll are just jealous," she grinned. "I know you really want ME, Danny. Ya just don't know how to break it to Jordan."
Danny laughed, "Jordy...I'm dumping you for Markie, K?"
"K. It's been real. Oh, and Marks? He farts in his sleep."
"I so do not!"
"Do too."
Markie shook her head as Danny swatted the book Jordan was reading out of his hands and tumbled over the back of the sofa into his lap. "You are so in trouble for that."
"Um.......wanna put me in timeout?"
"Only if I can come too."
"Jeez, guys," she griped, as they giggled and Danny tickled Jordan in that weird little place above his bellybutton. "You've got a room. Go get in it."
A sharp knock on the door signaled the arrival of "the ugly dude".
"Please be nice," she shot them both a look.
"How will he know if we're not?" Danny rolled his eyes. The guy was a real jerk.
The door opened and 'ugly dude' stood waiting impatiently outside. "Come on, girl. The beer'll be all gone."
Markie could feel them both sucking back the comments. Grabbing Ugly's arm, she pulled him out the door. "See ya, guys." Turning her head, she stuck her tongue out as she closed the door.
"God, what a loser."
"She could do SO much better."
So, the pattern was established in the tiny rundown apartment on Oswego Avenue. Jordan and Danny were in their own little world, taking their classes, helping each other study and trying to stay awake after long hours of giggles and sighs and moans behind that closed door. Jerry was their friend and he made some buddies outside their world so as not to be the third wheel every time. And Markie, she kept that beautiful smile flashing and dated every single guy on campus.
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