Secrets

by Victor Thomas

Chapter 5

Wyatt was just getting out of his truck as I pulled into the school parking lot. I grabbed my backpack and fell into step beside him. He looked supremely uncomfortable.

"If you don't want anyone to suspect something's up, you'd better snap out of it," I said.

"After last night?" he spat out.

"Quit acting like you're terrified of me and drop the hostility. Now!"

"Yeah, well, I have good reason to be afraid, don't I?"

"You just do as you're told and everything will be fine."

"Last night, man..."

"That was a one-time thing, Wyatt, unless you piss me off. Call it a demonstration of my power."

"I don't know if I'll ever be able to look Paxton in the face again."

He was having a good deal of trouble looking me in the eyes. He needed to get over it.

"You'd better," I warned. "You either act like nothing happened, or you will be doing it again. You want that?"

"No!"

"So, knock off the crap, Wyatt."

"What… what else are you gonna make us do?" he asked fearfully.

"If you're already asking if there will be a repeat of last night, I already told you; it won't happen again unless you cross me. I needed something on you guys beyond the drugs, and now I've got it, so chill out."

"Yeah, but what else do you want?"

"You'll find out when I want it. Until then, it's in your best interest to stay on my good side."

He nodded. Aaron Roberts and Jack Philips joined us just then, so that was the end of our discussion. Wyatt did an admirable job of pretending he was my friend and teammate, instead of my little bitch. I gave him and approving nod when our eyes finally met.

He didn't do quite so well when we passed Paxton in the hallway. Wyatt blushed and looked as if he'd just discovered he'd come to school wearing only his boxers. Paxton looked fearful and embarrassed as well. Both of them needed acting lessons. I guess I didn't need to worry about it much. It was their problem. There was no way they could tell anyone what was going on.

I surveyed my kingdom as I walked through the hallways. The girls wanted me. The boys wanted to be me. I'd vanquished my main rival and quashed another before he ever had a chance to challenge me. I even had my own personal slaves to do my bidding. If Devin was out of the picture, I'd truly have it all.

It was tempting to force my homework onto Paxton and Wyatt, but I not only had to get good grades, I had to learn the stuff. Some of it would be of actual use later on in life. I couldn't count on always having someone at my command to take care of such things for me. Besides, I wanted to be as mentally strong as I was physically. After all, it was my brains and not my brawn that had allowed me to triumph over Paxton and Wyatt.

I was feeling my oats, so when Candi Cunningham came up to me between third and fourth periods and began flirting with me, I kissed her long and hard. When I broke our kiss at last and looked up, Paxton was just passing by, and he hadn't missed the show. A lot of our classmates, but luckily no teachers, had seen Candi and me making out as well. I'd much rather have been making out with one of the guys, but she was a good kisser, and I had to think of my reputation. Besides, I reveled in the envious looks the other guys shot me. Some of them even looked pissed off because I could snag a girl with such ease, when they couldn't.

Later in the day I locked lips with Terri Whitehead. Candi saw us going at it, but didn't say anything. I think she understood that if she wanted a piece of me, she had to share. I wasn't about to tie myself down to any one person. Yeah, it gave me a reputation as a player, but what did I care?

Football practice went smoothly. I pictured myself as quarterback next season. It was just too damned bad that Devin didn't move or something so I could take over right away. I wondered if there was a way to convince him to step aside. I'd have to give that some thought.

Shayne gave me a sullen look as he handed me my towel, as if it was my fault Jack and Wyatt kicked his ass. If it was anyone's fault, it was his for checking them out too openly. He knew the score as well as anyone. If you were stupid enough to let anyone know you were a fag, then you could expect to get your ass kicked, or worse. If he had learned his lesson, he'd keep his tail tucked between his legs and his eyes to himself. He'd gotten off lucky. Jack and Wyatt had only given him a black eye and a busted lip and knocked him around pretty good. They could've done a lot more. He could've landed in the hospital.

He didn't tell Coach anything. He knew better. If he did, Jack and Wyatt would've lied through their teeth and sworn they hadn't touched him. If I'd been called in, I would've backed them up. No one took up for a fag, no one, not even the Alpha Male. There were limits to what even I could do, and standing up for a fairy like Shayne was definitely beyond the limits. I was glad he was smart enough to keep his mouth shut. If he'd narked on Jack and Wyatt, he'd have ended up in the hospital the next time, and he would've become the team punching bag for the rest of the school year.

The showers were as stimulating as ever. I nearly laughed at the way Wyatt and Paxton avoided each other's gaze. I guessed they were having a hard time dealing with what had happened to them. Paxton had always been a homophobe, and Wyatt wasn't much better. It served them right. It was good payback for what Wyatt had done to Shayne, too. I wasn't concerned with taking up for Shayne, but it was a nice bonus.

I slipped a note into Paxton's locker when no one was looking. Simple and to the point, it read, 'The Ab Crunch, 10 p.m., be there.' I was looking forward to closing time even more than my workout, and that's saying something. Life was good.

He showed up just before ten, as if avoiding our encounter as long as possible. I locked up and led him into the locker room.

"You were so good last night, I need it again," I said.

"Why don't you have Candi do it? You two were really going at it today."

"Candi does it for me plenty, and Terri, and… I could go on, but what's the point. You know how it is, I'm sure."

"Yeah, but why me and not one of them?"

"Because it keeps you in your place."

"Bryce, come on, man! I'm not queer! This is not cool!"

"If you were queer, it would be no fun making you do it, now would it? The point is that you have to do it because you're my bitch! You might as well get used to it, because you're gonna be doing it a lot."

"No, man, please!"

"You can either get on your knees, or drop your pants and bend over because one way or another, I'm gonna get off and show you who's boss."

"Please, Bryce, you're the boss, okay. I'm not challenging that."

"I know you're not. You've got five seconds to get on your knees, or I'm gonna bend you over and make you cry."

He dropped to his knees instantly and got down to business. I can't even begin to describe the immense satisfaction that comes from turning your biggest rival into your bitch. I think I got off on the power and control as much as his increasingly talented lips.

When I'd finished, he stood, looking sullen and resentful, but quite thoroughly under control.

"Are you making Wyatt do this too?" he asked.

"That's between Wyatt and me. What happens between you and me will stay just between us as well. I'm not out to publicly humiliate you."

"Just privately, huh?"

"If it suits me."

"I fucking hate you, Bryce."

"You can hate me all you want, as long as you remember you're my little bitch."

Anger flashed over his features.

"Say it."

"What?"

"Tell me you're my little bitch."

He was so infuriated it looked like his head might explode.

"Say it! Or would you rather get on your knees again. I'm good for another round."

"I'm your little bitch," he said under his breath.

"Louder!"

"I'm your little bitch!"

"There, that wasn't so bad now, was it? Just don't ever forget it."