the thunder

Roger soaped under the shower now.

He wasn't in the bathroom he was supposed to be in. In the boy's room. Something had happened there. Something. Something unexpected. Something with Jeremy.

His face was bruised. He was just thankful Kelsey had let him stay.

Kelsey was beside herself when she saw what had happened when he came to her room, but he said it wasn't bad. He didn't want to believe it was that bad.

"Just don't say anything, OK." He was shook up. He was. He just didn't want to start anything up because it was not what she imagined.

"Who did this, Roger!" She demanded. "Did some of the guys do this to you just because-" She didn't want to say it, but she finally did, "Because you're gay." She just kept staring at him waiting for him to verify it. But he couldn't. It wasn't like that. Wasn't like that at all.

He shook his head, no.

"Roger, we should tell Mr. Rhoades." She squinted.

"I don't want too." He just wanted shower. He wanted to forget what happened in the bathroom with Jeremy. He didn't want to think about it.

But he couldn't even with the heat at its highest, beating down on him. Now. Now that Kelsey had left him alone. He couldn't wash it away. It wasn't going away.

What was he going to say?

Yes, there had been an altercation. Someone tried to bash his face in because...because...

Roger shuttered. He hadn't noticed Jeremy.

It was kind of funny. Not really. Roger just grimaced more.....remembering.

There Jeremy was pushing in, coming at him with his fist and then the next moment he had him against the wall, kissing him hard.

Roger had pushed him off.

"What the hell was that for?" Roger's lip was bleeding as it was. So was his nose. There was blood on Jeremy's face.

"What? You mean you didn't like that?" Jeremy just grinned like some devious sport was about to take place.

"Thats not the way works." Roger didn't know what else to say. "Just leave me alone." He looked over Jeremy's shoulder to the door wondering how he was going to get out of this. He'd just came in to brush his teeth before bed. He was just in his trusty flannel pants and barefooted and then Jeremy walked in.

"You know you liked it." Jeremy smirked wiping the blood from his face.

"No. I didn't. I don't know what you think I am, but I don't like you like that. I don't like you, any way." Roger gave him a stiff frown. His cheek was burning and probably looked like a rug burn. His eye wasn't much better.

"You think you're so goddamn haut, don't you?" Jeremy stared back at him pushing his hand against Roger's neck.

"I don't want to have this conversation with you! I don't want to have anything to do with you!" Roger gritted back, and he pushed him back as hard as he could and made a run for the door. He was going to get the hell out of there and he did.

And now he was here, hoping he never had to see Jeremy again.

He hurried to dry off and put back on his flannel pants.

"You can sleep with me then," Kelsey said as soon as he opened the bathroom door. The lights were off already.

Roger just shrugged. He doubted he could sleep at all.