Clarke and Matthew Intro

Clarke Thortnto

My name is Clarke Thortnto and I live in New York, New York. I hate it here but since I am only sixteen there is nowhere else for me to go. I hate the smell…I think that’s the worst part, exhaust and pollution are the things that constantly fill my nostrils. As I walk the streets, which I am doing now, I begin to picture how moving here was supposed to be better after the last time but for some reason it followed me.

Last year I fell in love when I lived in California, but the pictures I sent ruined my time there so we had to move. I was stupid and sent nudes which then got sent to the whole school and I was expelled. I should have known when it was the closeted varisity football captain named Chad. Why did I think a guy named Chad would be nice? I have never met a Chad who was not a complete douche but I thought this would be different. We were fooling around in secret and of course he had to be my first time which I immediately regretted. As he was down on his knees I kept thinking that I should love the person I do this with but it just felt so good.

“Clarke get home now,” as I read my phone I start to panic because this is never a good sign. Mom never texts me and when she does it’s always about something I’ve done wrong. I begin to sprint home, luckily I used to be in cross country and track so I run really fast and well. As I enter the living room I begin to fill with dread because my father is there, he hasn’t been around for years and suddenly he is sitting in the living room with my mother. “Clarke, your mother thinks that coming to stay with me for the summer would be what’s best. Maybe it will help you to forget about some of the stuff that is still going around in California.” I start to ball up my fists in anger and suddenly the words spill out. “I haven’t seen you in six years and suddenly you want me to come stay with you.” I can’t take it back and I wish I could.

I packed the car with one duffle bag because that is all the clothes I own and the drive isn’t far compared to the drive from California but it is completely silent so I slip in my earbuds and slowly drift off to sleep. I fall asleep to the sound of Sam Smith singing something about a breakup. My dad wakes me up about an hour later to ask if I want something to eat because we are stopping at McDonald’s for burgers and fries since that is what my sister and brother want. I slowly make my way out of the car and pay for my own cheeseburger and fries since the icecream machine is obviously broken like usual. I didn’t want to give my dad the power of buying my food since then he has something over me even if it is something as little as a cheeseburger and fries.

An hour and a half later we get to my dad’s house in Cape May, New Jersey right on the edge of the beach and I slowly unload my bag. “Clarke we need to go buy you trunks since you don’t own any and we live on the beach.” I want to hit him straight in the jaw but I can’t do that since it’s my dad and so I slowly turn around. “I will walk and get them myself.” Dad hands me a few crumpled bills and tells me where it is and I walk away holding the money before I slowly unfold them. Who pays fifty dollars for a pair of swim trunks? I walk into a shop and start to look in the clearance section because I never pay full price for shit and I find a pair that are my size and with the extra money I grab some blatantly inappropriate shirts and a few pairs of shorts. “Keep Calm and Fuck Off,” I thought this would catch my dad’s attention and get him to leave me alone plus it’s just funny. The cashier laughs and asks if my parents approve of me buying and I scoff, “What parents.” The guy looks down and I grab my bags and head back to the house.

Dad shows me my room and I go in and change into my shorts and a striped shirt and head to the beach to take a look around. My headphones are blaring as I catch a glimpse of a boy running before he runs straight into me. “I’m so sorry I didn’t see you there,” the boy apologizes as I stand up and gather my phone and headphones that flew out of my hand. “It’s fine I understand most people don’t.” I start to walk away and he calls after me, “My name’s Matthew, what’s yours?” “Does it really matter? I’ll never see you again.” I keep walking faster and he follows. “Are you gonna stalk me now?” Matthew walks right next to me as I walk into the local ice cream shop, “I’d like two scoops of mint chocolate chip please.” Matthew then interjects with his order and pays for both with a crumpled ten dollar bill and some loose change. I see a help wanted sign on the door and ask for an application before heading out the door and muttering a quick thank you.

“Will you tell me your name now?” I look over, “just because you paid for my ice cream doesn’t mean I owe you my name.” I slowly start to eat my ice cream while he begins to smile. “You are gonna be tough to crack aren’t you?” I cave in, “my name is Clarke,” then I throw away the paper of my cone and jog away. As I jog up the drive my dad greets me with a weird smile and tells me that his girlfriend is coming over for dinner so I should be on my best behavior.

Matthew Grey

My name is Matthew Grey and I am originally from Seattle, Washington but have lived in Cape May for about two years. My mom left my dad about six years ago and it’s just been me, my dad, and my sister ever since. I am sixteen years old and go to Ocean City High School. I have a girlfriend named Allison, but I have a huge secret that no one knows except my best friend Katie. I’m gay or at least bisexual I guess but there’s a guy named Jason that is just super hot and we have been fooling around behind the dumpster for the last few months now and he is starting to ask why I haven’t dumped her yet. I guess it’s because Allison and I have been friends since we were five and it just seems like this is how it is supposed to be and it’s easy. She has always been there for me and so I said yes when she asked if I wanted to go to a movie this one day, I didn’t really know she was asking me out until she kissed me and put her hand on my dick in the movie theater. I of course didn’t let her do anything below the belt in the theater but a few days later we actually did it and I think that’s when I knew. I guess it was nice but I didn’t get the feeling I should have.

“Hey, we still on for after school?,” I read the text slowly before responding. “Yeah, my dad isn’t home so let’s do it for real in my house.” I grab my stuff and head to the car and Jason jumps in as I back out, “nice car, did daddy get a sugar momma?” I roll my eyes, “Nah I saved up all my money at the ice cream shop and bought it last week.” The rest of the drive was in silence but I saw Jason’s bulge rise as we pulled into the driveway. He has such a nice dick and I love it but I know it’s not going anywhere even if Allison and I broke up.

We walk up the drive and head into the house and he quickly takes off his shirt and pushes me against the wall. He slides my pants off and gets on his knees and I get overwhelmed and push him away on accident. He tries to push me to my room and I follow for a minute before pulling my boxers back on. He begins pushing me onto my knees because for some reason he thinks that will get me in the mood but I begin to get mad. The car ride to drop him off was completely silent and as he got out I heard, “You’re too much of a tease for me, we are through.” I back up and head home but I know I can’t go into the house so I grab my gear and start to run.

Too much is running through my mind and I run into a boy about my age walking alone on the bridge on the wrong side. “I’m so sorry I didn’t see you there,” I muttered this as I tried to help him pick up his phone. He seemed to be in a bad mood and I thought about just walking away but there was something about him that looked interesting so I pursued it. What teenage boy doesn’t want to tell you his name? I think something bad has happened to this boy to make him this hostile. We ended up going to the ice cream shop I work at and I hushed my friend into acting like she didn’t know me and I thought by paying for his ice cream he may be a little less angry. I was wrong but he finally gave me his name before running away. I hope to see Clarke again because I feel some chemical draw towards him almost like I need to know him.

The next day when I entered work I was hoping he would come in and turn in his application and I was pleasantly surprised as he jogged in and looked so muscular. My jaw dropped as he put his shirt on, he didn’t look that ripped yesterday but I guess he was wearing a shirt the whole time so I wouldn’t know. He handed me the application and then looked up, “you again…” I tried to smile but I was still in shock from his muscles and so I just made some inaudible noise. “I couldn’t shut you up yesterday and now you won’t say anything?” I snapped back into reality and told him we would get back to him on the application and then my manager came out and said he would do the interview on the spot since we needed help for the summer.

I watched him as he talked to the manager and he played with his hair nine times throughout the whole thing and I just kept imagining my hand running through his hair while we layed in bed watching a movie or doing other things. I slowly felt my bulge become more prominent and I had to look away as he walked out the door. Katie walked up behind me, “you sure moved on quick, what’s his name.” I muttered, “Clarke, but I don’t think he likes guys.” Katie sighs, “you always choose the guys you don’t have a shot with.”

Clarke Thortnto

Sitting at that dinner was one of the worst experiences of my life. She is just so chipper and it kills me because I hate overly happy people. They make me want to punch them. She’s tall and blonde and...18. My dad is 42 and she’s 18, one year and 32 days older than me. I am 32 days from being 17 and it is honestly terrifying because on that day my mom will give me the choice on who to live with. This summer is to help me make the choice I guess but it’s not like I know my dad at all, I was ten when he left. I cried for like five minutes before I decided to never feel again. I have not gotten close to anyone since and I refuse to ever actually fall in love. Yeah, I sent pictures and fooled around but it never meant anything. I just really enjoy the thrill of being a top.

So just to clear something up, I am not fully gay...I guess I would be bisexual but I just usually like guys I guess. I’ve had a couple “girlfriends” but nothing really serious, I guess I am not the type that you take home to your parents. My piercings might throw them off and think I’m scary, apparently my eyebrow and snakebites scare people off. I also dye my hair jet black with a red streak and that also scares people even though in this society it is pretty normal to dye your hair. My style also is not “normal,” I wear the wallet chain in my ripped shorts and I guess it’s edgy and so I get weird looks from old people mainly or moms with little kids.

Boys are just easier I guess because normally they are closeted and it is just a few months and then we pretend like nothing happened. Usually it’s the football captain or baseball players which is really cliche but it’s true. Chad for example, but his girlfriend found out so he said it was a joke and sent the pictures to everyone and of course my face had to be included. I guess I looked pretty good though because numerous people wanted to sleep with me but I was so mortified that I said no to everyone. For the remainder of the year I kept my head down in the halls and when confronted by the principal I just sat in silence until he let me leave.

Anyway back to the present, Matthew works at the ice cream shop and I am kind of mad that he didn’t tell me when we were there last time. He made it seem like he was doing some random act of kindness for the weird kid. I actually felt a twinge of something before I walked in for the interview but I guess now we will be working together and I will be with him more than I’d like. Luckily there is no dress code besides the tshirt that reads “Scoops,” how original right. I didn’t tell my dad I got a job, but I thought it would be nice to keep busy while I’m here in Hell. I start there in a few hours and I am not ready for the new job training with him.