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CHAPTER 4: Going Out

It's Sunday evening and as promised Linda has come round to get the gory details of the afternoon at the Dixon house. They are holed up in Steven's bedroom but Linda is having difficulty getting clear information from Steven.

"We're going on a date! We're going on a date!" Steven grabs Linda's hands and tries to whirl her round in a semi-dance. She does not co-operate. "Lins, Lins, Lins! We're going out and he told them he loved me and I told his father I loved him and he kissed me and we're going on a date…"

"Stop jumping around. Stand still and tell me logically." Linda says, smiling at his enthusiasm.

"I can't be logical. He said he loves me. LINS, HE SAID HE LOVES ME!" Steven looks at Linda with glitteringly happy eyes.

"In your dreams! You've finally flipped, gone stark staring mad," Linda teases.

"It's true!" he protests.

"Do you actually expect me to believe that John 'Mr Macho' Dixon not only told his parents he's gay, he also told them he has a boyfriend?" she asks in pretended disbelief.

"Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!" Steven yells almost jumping with frustration at Linda's behaviour.

"Steve stop bouncing about or I'll do you a nasty injury. Did they have a fit?"

"No! It was great." Steven calms down as he remembers the afternoon. "His father hugged him and they cried and then he asked me if I loved John."

"Just like that?"

"No Miss Exactness. He asked me when he was getting me a drink."

"Was cocktail hour before or after John said he loved you?"

"Before, Lins, before."

"But that means…"

"He understood about Johnny and me."

"Well if you must carry on like a manic puppy he was bound to suspect something."

"He worked it out before John told him." The wonder of this is still sinking in. John's father must have done some serious thinking after Prize Day.

"You'd have to blind, deaf and dumb not to. The way you two look at each other. It's soooo sick-making. Should be a law against doing that when there's other people around. Could cause an accident."

"He asked me out!"

"Of course he did dear, of course he did." Linda says soothingly, as if she's trying to calm down an hysterical child. "You've been lovers for months."

"Lins. We're going OUT."

"So?"

"Out! Out! Out! Out! Out!" It's like trying to explain something to a wilful child. Why won't she understand how important it is. "Before we always stayed in."

"In bed, in the woods, in wherever you two randy buggers could find a place," Linda says with a leer.

"Exactly."

"Exactly what?"

"We're going on a date. John and me. We're going out. To a restaurant. In public. Where everybody can see." That should make it crystal clear.

"Lots of people have lunch."

"With the town's head faggot?"

Steven's words tell Linda that it's time to stop teasing him. "Oh! That means he doesn't care any more."

"Of course he cares."

"I mean about people knowing."

"Ain't it great." Steven flashes his happiest of smiles.

"It is great." Linda really is happy for Steven. It's so good to see something turn out right for a change. "Oh I'd love to see the faces."

"Whose?"

"Everybody's. When they see dreamboat with you there'll be chins dragging on the ground, just like Desperate Kevin Grainger's." She starts to laugh at the memory. "You should've seen Kevin's face when John kissed you yesterday. I thought he'd die right there."

"What happened to him. I sort of lost track."

"The way you two were pashing on I'm not surprised. He stood there gobsmacked for about five minutes, then he turned and ran away."

"A bit more discreet than you, yelling and clapping."

"You had to be there."

"I was."

"Where I was! It was the most romantic thing I've ever seen."

"It was rather," Steven says, blushing at the memory.

"I'm surprised you two aren't out celebrating now."

"John thought he should stay home with his parents tonight. Let them get used to the idea first. His dad drove me home. John sat in the back with me and he held my hand."

"What?" That has surprised Linda.

"He held my hand in the back of the car."

"Did his father see?"

"I think so."

"Then he walked me to the door and he kissed me."

"John's father kissed you?" she can't resist teasing him some more.

"Linda, pay attention! JOHN walked me to the door and JOHN kissed me."

"Did anyone see?"

"I don't know. I didn't look to see AND NEITHER DID JOHN." His voice rises in excitement.

"Stop shouting, you'll wake the neighbours."

"You ARE the neighbours."

"I don't mean us, I mean the people on the other side of us!"

"Lins I'm so happy." That glorious smile again. When he's happy Steven smiles with his whole face, but mainly with his eyes. They glow with pure joy.

"I know babes, I know." She hugs him tightly, crying with happiness for him.

"I didn't tell you," Steven exclaims.

"What now?" Linda asks, releasing him from her hug. What new surprise has he got in store for her?

"Mum said something funny to Johnny."

"She's probably caught your madness."

"Lins, I'm serious!"

"Well?"

"She told him to make me happy."

"I love your mother."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It takes an eternity, but eventually it is tomorrow morning. Eagerly Steven comes running up to the bench in the Basingstoke Shopping Centre and looks around. He's a little disappointed to see that John's not waiting for him. The he realises it's only 11.20. Their date isn't 'til midday. He sits at waits. He's feeling very happy and a little nervous. Just what you'd expect on a first date. It's a funny thing for Steven realise that he's going on a first date with the boy he's loved for nearly two months.

"Hello Steve!"

He looks up to see Linda. He's been so caught up thinking about John that he hadn't noticed her. "Hi!"

"Where've you been?"

"What?"

"I've been waving and calling for nearly five minutes."

"Sorry Lins, I had something on my mind."

"Somebody more like." Linda looks at him with amusement in her eyes. "Honey you're a bit early aren't you? Shouldn't you preserve an air of mystery?"

"I think John knows most of my mysteries already."

"Intimately I should think. Anyway I can't stay. I've got to wash some old biddy's hair. See ya!"

Linda turns to hurry back to her shop. As she does there's a screech and thump as a bicycle and its rider hit the ground. The cyclist has narrowly avoided hitting Linda.

"Why don't you watch where you're going!" Linda yells.

"I was! That's why I'm on the ground and you aren't!" comes the quick reply. The cyclist is about Steven's age and height with dark brown hair, pale blue eyes and pale skin. He's attractive but not exactly a great beauty. He starts to stand and yelps as he puts his weight on his right leg.

"You okay?" asks Steven.

"Just a bit sore. How's my bike?"

Steven gives it a cursory check. "The chain's come off, but apart from that it's okay."

"Which is more than I can say for you," Linda says, looking at his leg which is scraped and bleeding a little. "I'll get something to clean that up." She heads over to her salon.

Steven helps the rider to the seat then stands the bike next to the bench. Using his handkerchief to keep his hands clean he reattaches the chain.

"Thanks."

"That's okay. You're lucky you didn't hit Linda. She'd do you more damage than the ground did."

"Wouldn't have blamed her. She'd have had a nasty surprise if I'd collected her."

"You didn't so that's alright."

The conversation grinds to a halt. After a minute of embarrassed silence Steven realises the cyclist is staring at him. He gives him a quizzical look. The youth blushes.

"Sorry. I know this is going to sound silly, but don't I know you from somewhere?"

"That's got to be the worst pick up line I've ever heard." Oops! Steven realises what he's said. He's been spending too much time with Linda and picked up her knack of saying things first and regretting them later.

"I don't know. How about 'Do you come here often?'" the rider asks with a grin.

"Or 'What's a nice boy like you doing in a place like this?'" Steven throws in.

"Do you get to use that one often?"

"No I'm saving it for the right occasion."

"I was being serious you know. I have seen you somewhere. Wish I could think where."

"Now let's get you cleaned up," Linda says as she comes back with a damp cloth.

"Of course!" the rider yells.

"Of course what?" Linda asks.

"I know where I've seen you. It was in the paper."

"What?" Steven cries.

"It's in the paper I got for my gran. You were getting into a car and you were driving it," he says pointing at Steven and then at Linda. "Hang on." He limps over to his bike, opens his bag and pulls out a newspaper. "Here it is."

"I'll find it," Linda says and passes the rider the cloth. As he wipes the oozing blood from his scraped leg she leafs through the newspaper.

"Here it is! Page 7? They could at least have put me on page 3!"

"I think that spot's already taken," Steven points out.

"Are you saying I'm not good enough?"

"Never! I would never say that! Never! Never! Never! I wouldn't even think it."

"Just as well."

"So what's it say?"

"It just goes on about your famous speech." She reads a bit. "Bastards!"

"What now?"

"Just some damn religious fool saying that 'This reflects sadly on the moral fibre of modern youth.' There's a good photo of you and an absolutely awful one of me."

"That's who you are! You're Steven Carter." the cyclist cries out. He's clearly impressed.

"And you are?"

"Sorry. I'm Paul Hayward." Turning the cloth inside out so she can't touch his blood, Paul gives the cloth back to Linda. "Thanks for that. It doesn't seem too bad."

"Good! I've got to get back or Dame Hilda will have a fit."

"Dame Hilda?" Steven queries.

"The old biddy who's hair I'm supposed to be working on. Got to go!" Flashing a smile at Steven and Paul she rushes back to the shop.

"Is she always in a hurry?"

"Always."

"Let's see that paper again," Paul asks and Steven passes it to him. "It's a good photo but it doesn't do you justice."

"Is that another pick up line?"

Paul blushes furiously. "No, but it is true."

"You know you've got the advantage. You've read all about me. Now you're going to have to tell me something about yourself."

"What's to tell?"

"For a start where do you live?"

"With my gran over near War Memorial Park. Do you know it?"

"He knows it very well indeed," says an amused voice from beside Steven.

"John!"

"Hi." John rests his hand on Steven's shoulder. It's a casual, friendly gesture, but for John it's a great leap forward. It's the first time he's done more in public than shake Steven's hand. They've kissed and hugged in quiet places, but this is very different, it's his first public gesture of affection. He sits down beside Steven who gives his knee a squeeze. "Who's your friend?"

"John this is Paul… Hayward?" He gives Paul a questioning look and Paul nods. "Paul this is John Dixon. Paul was just staring to tell me all about himself."

"As I said I live with my grandmother near the park. I've been there for a week now."

"Visiting?" John asks.

"No. For the last few years I've been with my uncle near Tewkesbury. He's gone to New Zealand so I've come to live with gran."

"What about your parents?" Steven asks.

"Dad died when I was a kid. Mum died a couple of years ago."

"Sorry," Steven regrets having asked a painful question.

"It's okay. I've sort of got used to it."

"What school are you going to?" John asks.

"Belvedere."

"That's my school," Steven exclaims.

"I'll share it with you. What year are you in?"

"The sixth."

"Same as me. How about you John?"

"He's off to Oxford in few months." Steven is very proud and a little sad, he's not looking forward to the separation. "Paul, there's one thing you left out."

"What's that?"

"You're gay." John's eyebrows twitch in surprise at Steven's remark.

"Well I figured I'd given that away," Paul says.

"Just like me."

"Yeah. I saw that in the paper."

"What paper?" John asks.

Paul passes him the newspaper. "It's on page seven."

John reads quickly. "Shit! Mum'll hate this."

"How's it been this morning?"

"Peculiar. Dad's been great. We had a good talk last night and this morning he seemed happy that I was having lunch with you."

"Your Mum?"

"She won't talk about it. When I said I was seeing you she just said 'Oh?' and went on about her committee meeting this afternoon. It's what she does when she's not happy about something, she doesn't talk about it. Seems like if she ignores it it'll go away." John looks like he might cry. "This time it isn't going away."

Steven slips his arm around John's shoulders and holds him tight. John takes a couple of deep breaths to calm himself down, "Enough of that. I refuse to let this get me down."

"Well there's no need to tell me where you fit in," Paul says to John. "You have got to be Steven's boyfriend."

"You're so right!" John smiles happily at Steven, all sorrow pushed aside. Steven is ashamed to have wondered whether John would admit to the relationship. There's still some residual pain from months of having to hide.

"Well since this is obviously a date I'll leave you two love birds alone."

"Hang on Paul."

"Yeah?"

"Give me your phone number. Maybe tomorrow we can show you the scenic splendours of charming Basingstoke.

"It's a date," Paul says as he scribbles his number on a piece of paper. "Fuck! I didn't mean A DATE, I meant…"

"Don't worry, I know what you meant," John says, grinning at Paul's confusion.

Numbers exchanged Paul rides off.

"Okay Steven Carter. Where are we going?"

"Well John Dixon, I rather fancy a pizza."

"Your wish is my command. Do you want to find a restaurant or get takeaway and eat somewhere quiet."

"The latter. Most definitely the latter. Let's go to the park. I know a nice secluded place by the water with overhanging boughs and loads of flowers.'

"Sounds romantic."

"Don't it though?"

They are up and heading towards Steven's favourite pizzeria when they hear a loud shout from behind them.

"What's going on here?"