Chapter 4: Just In His Underpants

‘I live there with my mum. My dad died when I was a baby.’ Starting back up from his feet, Lewis asked, ‘How do you get on with your mum?’ ‘Very well mostly,’ Seb said. ‘She’s a worrier and fusses over me a bit, so we argue occasionally, but it’s never serious and I love her to bits.’

‘That’s nice to hear,’ Lewis told him, ‘Did you consider asking your mum about your problem?’ ‘Heavens no,’ Seb said, ‘I couldn’t possibly tell mum anything like that, I’d be far too embarrassed.’ ‘How old are you?’ Lewis asked as he massaged over his cheeks once more.

‘I’m fourteen,’ Seb told him, ‘But I’ll be fifteen two months from today.’ ‘When you say you don’t like school,’ Lewis asked, ‘Is it because you struggle with all the learning, or because of the bullying?’ Seb thought for a few moments.

‘I’m certainly not clever,’ he said, ‘But I enjoy learning, even though I struggle to take things in to start with. But the bullying makes being at school a nightmare and I suppose I’ve given up making the effort.’ ‘Do the other boys know how much you struggle with lessons?’ Lewis asked.

‘Yes, they’re always poking fun at me because of it.’ Seb told him. Lewis reached his head, gave it a massage, then told him to turn over. As Seb settled onto his back, he smiled at Lewis. ‘The massage was nice,’ he said. ‘And I don’t think I’ve ever talked as much to any one person at one time as I am doing to you.’

‘That’s because you’re already succeeding in what we’re trying to achieve together,’ Lewis told him, ‘You’re starting to feel relaxed with me. I’m going to massage down your front now.’ Lewis told him. ‘Just the same as on your back, and with more questions.’

He massaged the front of his head and included a brief massage on his temples. After returning to the top of his head, Seb said, ‘Go.’ ‘Tell me about your friends,’ Lewis asked, moving down onto the front of his shoulders, ‘Boys or girls.’ ‘I don’t really have any of either,’ Seb said, sounding sad.

‘There’s a boy at school called Edward, who I get on quite well with. He’s quiet and shy like me and he gets bullied a bit too. But I’m not sure if we’d class ourselves as friends.’ ‘Does he get teased as well?’ Lewis asked. ‘No, he’s much bigger than me.’ Seb told him, then he went very red.

Lewis pretended not to notice. ‘How does Edward compare to you in height?’ Lewis asked as he reached his waist. ‘We’re pretty much the same.’ Seb told him. ‘Who looks the strongest?’ Lewis asked as he massaged over the front of his trousers.

Seb went rigid and was clearly terrified, but he didn’t speak. Lewis slowed down his massage and made it even lighter. He watched Sebs face as the fear slowly left his face, and as he started to relax Lewis moved on down the front of his legs.

‘You were frightened there,’ Lewis said, ‘Can you tell me why you didn’t call out, ‘Stop.’ Seb thought for a moment, then told him, ‘I knew that the fear I was feeling wasn’t because of you, and I desperately want to get relaxed enough to be able to share my problem with you. Also, somehow, I feel sure you would never hurt anyone.’

‘Sit up.’ Lewis said as he held his arms out. Seb did and as Lewis closed his arms around him, he put his head on Lewis’s shoulder. ‘Put your arms around me too, if you’d like to,’ Lewis told him, ‘Then we can have a proper hug.’

As they held each other, Lewis could feel him trembling. He kept hold of him until the trembling ended and a little longer before telling him to lie down again. As he did Lewis saw there were tears in his eyes. Lewis smiled at him, ‘What’s up?’ he asked.

‘Mum and I hug all the time,’ Seb told him, ‘But your hug was the first hug I’ve ever had from a man, and it felt so lovely.’ ‘Well then, we’ll have to make sure we have some more of them as we go along, won’t we?’ Lewis said smiling. ‘Yes, please.’ Seb answered, ‘That would be nice.’

Lewis returned his hands to Sebs knees and carried on massaging down his legs. ‘Can you remember my last question?’ Lewis asked as he reached his feet and started back up. ‘Yes,’ Seb assured him, ‘I have a good memory.’

Seb thought about it, then said, ‘Anyone looking at either of us seems to recognise instantly that we are weak and won’t resist or fight back.’ Moving up the front of his thighs, Lewis asked, ‘So if you both look the same and are the same height, how is Edward bigger than you?’