Chapter 18: Football

A few days after the “deflowering,” Arlene sits down with Diane and her son. Like the Moores, she doesn’t want them tempted to sneak around or be caught somewhere in a car or a park. She goes on to make some kind of hateful remark about making sure that her son stays 100% straight, away from those nasty gays. Since Arlene is offering free access to Larry’s bedroom for their “after-school special” sexy times, they let her comment go unchallenged.

The next years pass quickly for Larry and Diane. His terrible experience made him mature early. He appreciated his freedom and opportunities, and most of all, his relationship with Diane. Holly and Mark, and Stina and Archie, were models to him of solid loving and long-term relationships.

He recognized that Diane’s unconventional upbringing had ramped up her sexual openness, but she had also been spoiled by her indulgent parents. They had their quarrels, and rarely even bitter fights. But then the make-up sex always calmed the waters. Both very intelligent, they blitzed through their homework so they could have more time to cuddle and make love.

Their close friendship with Barry continued. He had continued to grow and physically mature, and then he was accosted by the football coach and made into a linebacker.

One day toward the end of their tenth grade school year, they were down by their bank of lockers. (Assigned alphabetically, Mason, Milton, and Moore were close together.) Diane and Larry were playing their favorite in-school game—since they weren’t allowed to show affection physically (even kissing) while on campus. The game was competitive endearments.

“Your eyelashes are like little butterflies over crystal blue pools of fresh spring water.”

“Your curly hair is like the mantle of a Greek hero, like Leonidas of Sparta, leading the three hundred Spartans.”

Then they were interrupted by three “stoners,” greasy-haired and intoxicated losers who lacked any self-control after dosing themselves during the lunch period. Unfortunately, they were tall and wiry, and they were going after Diane in the crudest ways possible.

Larry lost his patience and began fighting with the stoners. At three on one, he didn’t have much hope but he fought with all his ability. Meanwhile, Diane leapt on the back of an attacker and tried to choke him, but she was easily shrugged off and slung across the floor, skidding to a stop several paces away. She pulled out her phone, now cracked but still working, and appealed via text for help from Barry.

Then, she had the presence of mind to start video of the altercation. It seemed like forever before Barry showed up with a buddy from the team, but on the recording later review showed only two minutes elapsed.

Barry laid out one of the idiots with a single punch, then the other two recognized their situation and fled. He knelt down beside Larry just as Diane reached him also. Larry was a mess. His lip was split, his eye was swelling, and his face didn’t look right. Later they would learn that his nose had been broken. And in those first moments they didn’t see the blood coming from his scalp.

“Lonnie, call 9-1-1, my friend needs an ambulance! And sit on that asshole so he doesn’t escape.”

“Larry, honey, can you hear me? Barry, he’s bleeding from his head! Oh, no!” She was in despair and blaming herself. Then, to her intense relief, Larry opened his eyes.

“You’re crying, Diane! Did those animals hurt you?”

“Shh. Don’t move, your head is bleeding. I’m fine, the ambulance is coming for you. Barry and Lonnie were able to come and end the fight.”

“Thanks, Barry. I guess I softened them up for you. Ow.”

“Larry, they might have bruised their fingers when they tried to break your face. Now just lie still for Diane’s sake. She’s worried about you. I’m worried about you. Listen, do you hear the sirens? Good.

“We have our hands on one of those three guys. We’ll give him to the cops. Diane, your parents are lawyers, right? CALL THEM. I’ll talk to the police. You stay with him.

“Larry, I’m going take some pictures of you, of your injuries, with my phone. And, Diane, you’ve got a cut or a scrape on your jaw.

“What? Let me up so I can kill him!”

“No, Larry, shut up. You can’t say that shit in front of the cops. I know you love her, but please, be still and stay quiet. Let me get the pictures and then let’s get you into the ambulance.”

“Diane. Diane! DIANE! Phone. Parents. Move your phone to the other ear so I can get the picture of your jaw. Fine, now I’ll do Larry’s head.”

“Mom! I’m at school. Oh, terrible! Uh, Larry got hurt trying to protect me. Hurt bad! Wait, don’t come here, we’re going in an ambulance. I’ll let you know where.

“Barry’s with us, he has one of the bullies held for the cops, and he’s taking pictures of our injuries. No, I just have a scrape. Barry, Mom says thanks, good idea. And I have video of the assholes attacking Larry, too. Yeah, really!

“Listen, tell Dad. Sorry, of course you will. But tell him that I’m OK, it’s Larry that’s been hurt. I’ll be back to you soon. I love you, bye, Mom.”

Finished with the photographing, Barry was asking Larry for his phone.

“My phone? Why.”

“I need to call your mother, dumbass, she might want to know you stumbled into some asshole’s fist and hurt yourself.”

“Kick a man when he’s down, asshole. Here, remember the unlock is ‘8448’ to get in. Look for the green icon that says ‘Mom’ which will dial her directly.”