Joseph/Russel - First Meeting.

Joseph had been a young boy the first time he had met Russel. Joseph had been new to town, invited by one of his more suspicious acquaintances he had happened to get a table text to in math class. Jim had told that Mary was to have a house party at her fancy house while her parents were on a weekend trip. Jim had leaned to tell it to George, Joseph had happened to glance his way while they talked about all the booze and smoke and chicks they were going to try to get. Jim, more on a whim and out of some fun Joseph guest, then invited him to come along. Being new and all, Jim said, it was a good opportunity to get some friends. Some cool, fun friends. Jim then said that he looked cool, that he shouldn't be forced to spend his days with those nerds. Rescue him while they still could because soon he would be branded to another clung of school society. Joseph had agreed eventually, more out of getting them to shut up before Ms. Brown caught them and gave them detention than that he actually had the wish to attend to this party. The invitation he had got slipped out of him during dinner that day, and his mother had gotten so happy that he had started to get some kind of life that he couldn't bear to stay home, locked up in his room with the sloping roof.

So that Saturday he found himself outside a big house painted in light yellow. Bay windows and the neatly front yard tolled that they probably had a huge pool on the backside. Joseph had cold feet, figuring by the gate if he should just turn around. He could here the noise, knew that there were lots of kids in there. They wouldn't know if he was missing, nobody would notice. Or care. It was just Jim that had invited him, he doubted the rest of the kids wanted him there. He was about to turn, to walk down the street and walk all the way home. It wasn't his surroundings, his type of people to hang out with. He should've get some other friends, maybe join that Chess class at Wednesdays. This didn't seem right, not fitting at all. He had just turned, his party shoes firmly pressed against the street when Jim and George drove up. A blue car with blizzards in black, and they pressed the squeaking horn that startled Joseph even though he saw the car. George leaned out from the passenger's window, screaming along to some Rolling Stones song, waving his hand so that the bear in his can rained all over. He laughed, opened the door even before Jim had the chance to stop the car, and jumped out. Hand in the air, he roared at Joseph, a big goofy smile all over his pimpled face. Jim parked at the road border, slammed the door shut, and he too screamed at Joseph. Joseph noticed how he forgot to lock his car, but he only managed a faint smile to the high spirited youngsters.

“Hey, you made it, cat! It's gonna be bitchin'!” Jim laughed, quickly walked towards Joseph. Slapped him in the back, throw an arm around his broad shoulders. “Bitchin' I'm telling ya!”

“We're already blitzed”, George sniggered, went up to Joseph's other side and threw his arm around his shoulders as well. “Now it's just the chicks and smoke thats missing, you know what I mean.” George laughed again, and they pushed Joseph with them when they started walking to the gate.

“Hopin' to get that Mary, I am. A more righteous chick you have to go far to see”, Jim said in a low voice, lips pulled up to a grin.

“She sure's a sex pot”, George agreed with a sprightly nod, taking a sip from his bear can before crunching it together and throwing it away on the trimmed lawn. “Uh, huh.”

“She has some hip friends to, Joey, don't ya worry 'bout it.” Jim squeezed his shoulder, and as soon the door had opened George and Jim went in, loudly shouting their greetings to their friends.

Joseph soon found himself alone. Jim and George had been all to exited, running around and greeting practically all of the guests that crowded in the house. He wasn't sure what to do. Once he was inside, he didn't really wish to go yet. He was still sure that nobody would notice, but he didn't want to return so early, knowing his mother would question and worry for him. He stepped deeper into the hallway when a bounce of new kids pressed through the door. He walked slowly, glancing at the fine made house and the neat decorations. He quickly looked away from the big hall way mirror, not wanting to be remained of how different he most look to this hip youngsters. His dark blue blazer and worn t-shirt in grey probably wasn't the smartest dress they've ever seen. Family portraits hung on the yellow flowery walls. A proper family, a good looking woman, a stoic man, a strong boy and a pretty daughter. He couldn't help a faint smile, wondering what those parents would say if they walked in now, to all this mess and drunk teenagers.

The music was loud, the vinyl stereo pumping out a mix of popular rock songs. That at least, Joseph could enjoy. Fingers tapped to the beat of the playing songs, slowly bobbing his head to the rhythm rocking his body. He had made his way to the large living room, found a deep green arm chair that still wasn't occupied in the far corner of the room. The sofa full of people that despite that the party hadn't been going on for so long were tangled together and making out. The sofa table full of soda cans, church keys and glasses that had fallen. Drinks that poured over the table, down onto the parquet floor. Joseph pressed his strong jaws together, lifting his gaze from the kids on the sofa to look out over the room. The boys and girls were dancing, grinding hips together, teasing, jumping, having a good time. Screamed the lyrics of the playing song, pumping their hands in the air. Laughing, sniggering, loudly talking to each other in the hot, sweat filled room. Joseph shifted in his seat, turning his neck so he could glance over at the grandfather clock. Just eleven, to early to withdraw still. He sighed, leaned his head back against the backrest. A foot risen to rest against the opposite knee, mindlessly continuing knocking his chuckles against the arm rest.

He hadn't noticed Russel approaching. He had his eyes half closed in thought, had zoomed out from the partying going about around him. His fingers yet not still, had cradled him deep in his head. He didn't notice the short, gangly body leaning against the bright color printed wall beside him. Didn't notice the fresh smoke apart from the lingering smoke of past cigarettes. He didn't know just how long Russel had watched him but his eyes snapped open at the low cut snigger that cut through his right ear. An amused, loop-sided smile greeted him and brown eyes shined with laughter.

“You look real jazzed, boy”, Russel had laughed, exhaling a breath of smoke through his nose. Joseph had seen Russel around school before. The older boy was hard not to notice, probably all of school could swear that you could hear his laugh all around the building, the strong presence tingled in the school walls and if you heard stomps of feet running after the bell had rung, it was probably Russel. Hands showed down his trashy jeans pockets, purple shirt unbuttoned and the wavy brown hair tussled, Russel again laughed at the speechless Joseph.

“I hep, though, the drink's pretty much raunchy and the foxes' too few”, Russel smiled and raised his eyebrows. Strained himself from the wall to take a step, to sit down on the arm chair of the easy chair next to Joseph. Not minding that the furniture already was occupied by a couple making out, he spread his feet apart, leaned on his elbows against his thighs. Ashed the cigarette on the ash tray on the corner table, he studied Joseph.

“You new here, huh? Haven't seen ya before, boy.” Russel took a deep breath of smoke, slowly blowing it out through parted lips. “I'm Russel. Nice to meet ya.” Russel tucks the cigarette to the corner of his mouth before stretching out his arm, took Josephs broad hand in his slimmer, shook his hand firmly.

“I'm Joseph.” A presentation said in a low, steady voice, the hint of the smile barely touching thin lips.

“Joseph, eh? Should've known that”, Russel mused, butted out his cigarette in a quick, harsh manner before slapping his hands against his thighs. “Well, Joseph, sure is lovely meetin' ya. You'll like some rum? Gonna try findin' some.” Russel didn't stay long enough to hear Joseph's answer. He rose, quickly, stumbling before finding his balance. The low heels of his boots clicking against the parquet floor when he made his way through the room. Joseph watched as he stopped by a dancing blonde girl, how he grabbed her by her waist. Twirled her around, laughing as he leaned in towards her. Whispering something in her ear, he patted her backside goodbye. Swaying his body to the beat of the music he made his way through the cluster of dancing, drunk bodies. Laughter dampened by other boys cheering and whistles and Russel had disappeared deep somewhere in the hall towards the kitchen. Joseph never got that promised rum that night.

But he did, eventually.