My name is Todd and growing up in a small town in Indiana was never easy especially for a boy who knew there was something different about him, for me well it was the fact that I found looking at guys more appealing than looking at girls. I guess at the time I knew I was gay but didn't own up to it until one day in the summer of 1998 when I was home for summer break from college a new guy moved onto my block. His name was Dexter, Dex for short.
One day I was at the local pond hanging out and swimming when he came walking out of the woods. I called him over and he introduced himself. I asked him if he wanted to hang out and he did which made me happy he was wearing these tight running shorts which made it hard to hide the fact that he was packing a large one.
I tried not to stare but it became really hard to do when he dove into the water and came back out with his short even tighter than before.
We laid back on the grass looking up at the darkening sky, he told me his family had just moved here from Nevada, that his dad had been transferred for his job, that he was there to help his family get settled while on break from his college. His parents wanted him to transfer to state college here, but he was unsure if he wanted to do that.
He hated the thought of leaving his friends and being able to go out in the desert and ride his dune buggy, he wasn't able to bring it with him here his dad told him there wouldn't be any place here to drive it. So they sold it and he had gotten the money from it.
He asked me what there was to do around here for fun, I told him not much unless you were willing to drive about 20 miles to the next town which was bigger and had more to do. Around here there was the combo bowl and skating rink, it was so lame but it was all there was.
It was getting dark but I really didn't want to go home, but Dex said he had to get going so we headed home. We got to my house and he noticed how close we were.
"Hey, I just live down the block," he said.
"That's cool maybe we could hang out sometime, I got some great video games in the basement at my house," I said hopeful he would say yes.
"That sounds great, I'll see you later," he said and headed towards his house.
A few days later I was working out in the front yard when I saw him walking towards my house. I was hopeful that he would stop by. My heart raced as he turned up the driveway and headed towards me.
"Hey man, how you doing," he said as he approached.
"Great, what are you up to?"
"Bored that's what," he sighed.
"Me too really, I just have to finish this up real quick then we can head down to my room and hang out and play those games if you want?"
"Sounds great to me you need some help with this," he said picking up the box.
"Thanks," I said.
We finished in the garage and headed into the house my mom and dad were there and I introduced them to Dex, they reminded me that it was card night at David and Melinda's. They would be gone most of the night as usual when they went over there. I told them that Dex and I were going to be hanging out in my room playing video games.
"Don't forget before you go to bed to check the doors and windows and set the alarm," my mom said.
"I know mom, no problem," I said a little aggravated especially since I have been doing it nearly every night since my sister died.
My parents left and we grabbed some sodas and headed down to my room. The basement was separated off, one side was the wash room and storage with the furnace and stuff, the other side there was a paneled false wall which made it into my room.
Opening the door we walked in and Dex looked around my room nothing special really my bed which was a queen size mattress on the floor, a black leather sofa in front of a large T.V. and stand, my dresser and built in closet, my walls filled with band posters, poison, kiss, led zeppelin.
"Wow, this is a great room man, I wish mine looked like this," he said with a smile.
"Yeah it's great I just wish my room in the dorm was this size, its really tiny but it works for now. I want to be able to move off campus next year when I can have a smaller class load and be able to work full time instead of part-time."