Lucky 14, page 3
The other members began arriving, checking out their pictures and smiling. They sat in chairs at a long table on the stage.
The festivities began about thirty minutes later.
George walked up to the mic. Roman assumed he was going to be the emcee for the night.
“Good evening, everyone and welcome to our first high school reunion. My name is George Wilson and I’ll be your host for the evening. For those of you that don’t remember, I used to be and still am your student council vice president.”
People in the audience clapped.
“In fact, I’ve been your student council vice president since the ninth grade because no one else volunteered to be it.”
Everyone laughed at his joke.
“This year’s reunion is dedicated to our illustrious football team, the Raptors, who took our school to victory and won four straight championships in a row.”
A picture of the football team appeared on the screen and people clapped and whistled.
“Our first guest speaker has a very special announcement. Let’s give a big round of applause for coach Charles Nelson.”
Coach Nelson appeared. It had been fourteen years and the man hadn’t changed a bit. And if he was still coaching, he probably still put the fear of God into his players. He began his speech. It was a long one.
Roman fought to keep himself awake.
“It gives me great pleasure to announce this year’s inductee into the Florida High School’s Hall of Fame, Lucky Number Fourteen, Roman Hill. He was the best quarterback our school ever had.”
“Huh?” The spotlight fell on Roman. His classmates were all standing and clapping, while their school song played in the background. His jersey came down from the rafters. He stood and headed for the stage. Dazed, he shook Coach Nelson’s hand.
“Congratulations, Roman,” the coach said. He handed Roman a plaque with his name on it and the dates he played for the team. Never in a million years did he expect anything like this.
“Roman’s jersey number will be retired because he was the only quarterback who along with his team took us from one championship to the next,” Coach Nelson said.
The applause was deafening. When it died down it was time for him to speak. Ad-libbing wasn’t easy. Had he known, he would have written a speech.
“Thank you, Coach Nelson. I want to thank the Florida High Schools Hall of Fame committee for bestowing this honor on me. In ninth grade I had several goals. One was winning a Heisman trophy, the second was playing on a professional football team after college and third, I wanted to play in the Super Bowl. But my life came screeching to a halt when a three-hundred-pound lineman tackled me and smashed, not only my leg but also my dreams. I could have sat around moping and getting depressed, but Coach Nelson taught me that it’s not over until it’s over. And even though I never made it to the Super Bowl, I did get the opportunity to attend the last few Super Bowls as a guest, and now I’m a sports doctor who patches up professional football players when other three-hundred-pound lineman tackle them.”
Everyone laughed at his joke.
“But even if I had made it to a professional team, I doubt I would feel prouder than I do today receiving this award. And I want to thank every member of our team that also helped bring our school to victory. This award is for all of us. Thank you once again, everyone.”
The people in the audience applauded. Some barked like a dog. He left the stage and went to his seat.
Coach Nelson left the stage and George was back up at the mic. “I hope by now you’ve figured out why we are having a fourteenth-year reunion and not a fifteenth-year reunion. And for those of you who haven’t, it was to commemorate Lucky 14, get it, fourteenth-year reunion and Lucky 14, they both have fourteen in it. So, if you haven’t got it with what I just said, please report back to high school on Monday for more training.”
Even Roman laughed. George was quite the comedian.
“Our next guest speaker left Florida to go abroad to teach kids in South Korea how to speak and read English. While there he studied dermatology and worked with some of the finest beauty experts in the world. I always knew he would go far. He had flawless skin and perfect teeth as a child, and I can say that nothing has changed except he’s gotten about an inch taller than me. Ladies and gentlemen, may I present your student council president, Doctor Sage White,” George announced.
The curtains opened and Roman’s biggest fantasy appeared dressed stylishly in a black suit and a red shirt and looking like a pop star. >From where he sat, Sage looked good.
“Hot damn,” Harrison said, only loud enough for him to hear. “Your little nemesis turned into quite the babe.”
Harrison was the only member of the football team that knew he was gay. And he’d only learned this bit of information when they both bumped into each other in a gay bar in Miami.
Roman was trying not to salivate. Ooh, mercy. Sage was always a good-looking guy, but had glammed into a gorgeous doctor. His picture joined the other student council members, and marked his seat on stage.
Roman had a flashback to the other day. The name on the glass door was Sage White, dermatologist. There couldn’t be two. Not only would they be working in the same building as each other, but they would probably be staying in the same condos as Roman, if he didn’t go back to live with his parents.
The rest of the evening was long and kind of boring. The secretary of the student council, Jude Power, and the treasurer, Gabriel St. Julian both filled the audience in on what they had been up to since they graduated. Jude was a federal employee and Gabriel was a banking officer.
Food was finally served. Besides appetizers, the student council had hired a catering service. They had watermelon and shrimp salad. This was followed by onion soup. Then fried red snapper, Spanish rice, and green beans. The food was good.
Tomorrow’s event was announced after their meal ended. It was to be held at a local beach resort, where there would be barbecue and fun in the sun.
Roman had planned to skip it, but after seeing Sage at the reunion, there was no way he was going to miss seeing him in swimming trunks.
He and the fellows went for drinks afterwards since the reunion had been a non-alcoholic event. Several of their classmates had gotten killed in a car accident the night of their graduation, and since then reunion events at the local high schools were not allowed to serve alcohol.
Roman was more of a beer person, and even he had his limits. By midnight he was in his bed wishing tomorrow would come soon.
* * * *
“Aren’t you going to speak?” Roman Hill asked Sage as he and the student council officers served food on the second day of their class reunion.
Sage lifted his gaze and his heart melted. Fourteen years later he was still infatuated with the guy who used to tease him unmercifully as a child and call him girly. “Hello, Roman. It’s nice to see you again.”
“Hey, what about me?” Harrison Brown asked him.
“Hey, Harrison,” George said before Sage could respond. “Do you want to try my sausage?”
Sage tried to keep a straight face, but ended up smiling, while a green-eyed demon raked his gaze over him. Everyone was wearing swimming trunks or shorts, except Roman, who wore athletic pants and a tank top. Sage didn’t know if he was trying to hide the scar on his leg or he just wasn’t comfortable in shorts.
“Are you the same Sage White, Dermatologist who is opening an office in the new medical center near the hospital?”
Sage raised an eyebrow. “Yes, how did you know that?”
“I saw your name on a door as I walked by.”
“Do you own the facility?” Sage asked, trying not to get swept away.
“No, I’m a sports medicine doctor.”
“You’re a doctor?” Sage asked, as if George hadn’t filled him in on everything.
“Yes, didn’t I mention that in my speech last night?”
Sage shrugged. “Sorry, I didn’t hear your speech, because I was too busy practicing mine. But congratulations on your induction into the Hall of Fame.”
“Thank you,” Roman said.
“I’ve always wanted my own office,” Sage said.
“I thought you were an English teacher?” Roman said.
“I thought you were a professional football player,” Sage said. “Apparently, things didn’t work out the way we expected.”
“I got hurt playing college football.”
“Sorry, I didn’t know. So, now you’re a sports doctor?”
Roman nodded. “I got my leg pretty banged up, so I decided to change majors in college and the rest is history. What’s your excuse?”
“I went over on a student visa to attend college to learn to be a dermatologist. To earn extra money I taught English not only elementary students but adult students as well.”
“Why didn’t you just go to school here to be a dermatologist?” Roman asked.
Sage gave him a sideways glance. “South Korea is leading the field in skin care and plastic surgery. I wanted to learn from their techniques.”
“I have an office in the medical center, too,” Harrison said. “I’m a pediatrician.”
“What a small world,” Sage said.
“Come sit with us later when you get off break,” Harrison said. “We can tell you about the place.”
“Can I come, too?” George asked.
“Are you opening an office in the medical center, Chef Wilson?” Harrison asked him.
“No, but I might come to Sage’s office for treatment one day,” George said.
“Okay, I guess you can come, too,” Harrison said.
Sage smirked. There was no way Harrison could resist such an innocent smile.
Harrison and Roman continued down the line once they got sausages and hamburgers from him and George.
“He’s still so fine,” George said to him. “Are you going to join them later?”
“We’re going to join them,” Sage said.
“Those fine legs in those shorts,” George said.
Sage chuckled. The chef still had his eyes on the handsome pediatrician.
“You need to keep your dirty hands-off Roman Hill, Sage White. He’s not into lady boys.”
Sage gazed down into the brown eyes of Deloris Evans. The cheerleader bitch glared back at him.
“Girl, this isn’t high school. I could sue you for slander,” George said.
Time had not been kind to Deloris. The ex-head cheerleader had blotchy skin, bad hair, and seemed to have gained a considerable amount of weight. She had on a short set that showed off her thunder thighs. Unlike her, he would keep the thoughts in his head and not insult her. Deloris had fancied herself in love with Roman in school. The two of them never dated, as far as Roman knew. But she and the rest of the cheerleaders did not like the members of the student council, and they had gotten into several arguments over the years. “Did the two of you get married?” Sage asked.
Deloris looked at him like she wanted to strangle him. “No. If you would have kept your ass in America, you would know this.”
Sage dropped a burger on her plate and sent her to Harrison, who put a sausage on it. He didn’t know who had pissed her off, but she lived in a fantasy world. Roman Hill wouldn’t give her the time of day even if she was the last woman on earth.
Deloris went on her way.
“I can’t believe she called us lady boys,” George said. “I’m not a boy.”
“Me either,” Sage agreed.
Harrison and Roman joined a beach volleyball game since he and George were still on food detail. Roman had a slight limp, which was barely noticeable. Sage wondered what Roman’s life would be like had he not gotten injured.
Another shift of volunteers came to take over. Sage and George finally got a chance to sit and eat. Sage didn’t want a burger, sausage or ribs. He opted for a piece of grilled chicken and vegetables.
George got the same thing. They also decided on bottled water instead of sugary sodas.
Harrison and Roman joined them later after the game ended. They were both sweaty. Sage got up and got both a bottle of water.
“Thanks,” both ex-footballers told him.
“You guys finally got a break,” Harrison said. “You should have joined the game.”
Sage chuckled sarcastically. “Apparently, you wanted your team to lose.”
George nodded in agreement. “That’s one reason I became a chef. Nothing strenuous to lift. But sweat looks good on you guys.”
Sage chuckled. George was trying so hard to get these guys to like him. Sage didn’t care one way or the other.
“What about you, Sage. Are you into sports?”
“No. I hated physical education. I only dressed out for the grade.”
George agreed with him. “Plus, I looked good in red and white.”
That was the colors of their gym uniforms, red shorts, and white T-shirts.
“I loved PE,” Roman said. “Especially the showers.”
Sage looked at him but did not comment.
Deloris and some of the other ex-cheerleaders were trying to call attention to themselves by attempting to perform cheers they use to do. Teenagers they no longer were. Some of them were okay, but most of the cheerleaders had forgotten the words to the cheers and the dances.
Some of the other football players joined Harrison and Roman at the table.
That was the clue for him and George to leave. It was time for them to help clean up.
“Have you moved back in with your parents?” Roman asked Sage before he departed.
“No, I’m renting an Airbnb until the first of the month. Then I’ll be moving into a new condo near the hospital.”
“The Roosevelt?” Roman asked.
Sage nodded. “Yes, you know it?”
Roman nodded this time. “I pass it every day. It’s a nice place. Let me know if you need any help. I have a truck.”
“Thanks. My father volunteered him and my brother Christopher to help.”
“Oh, that’s right. Your brother is Christopher White, the attorney I always see on the commercials,” Harrison said. “You two grew up in the same neighborhood, didn’t you.”
“Yes,” Roman answered.
“You can invite us to your housewarming party,” Harrison said.
“I’ll do all the cooking,” George volunteered.
No way was he going to invite these Neanderthals to his place. Roman, maybe. But only if he was on his best behavior.
* * * *
Roman kept his eyes on Sage all day to make sure no homophobes messed with him. Bad enough Deloris Evans had said what she’d said when they were in line getting food. That was one of the reasons he never gave her or her good friend Tiffany Young the time of day. And they were literally throwing themselves at his feet since they were kids. He hadn’t wanted to date them then. And he damn sure didn’t want to date them now and get to be just another baby daddy to either of them.
Deloris had been married and divorced twice since graduation.
Tiffany never married, but he’d heard rumors that she got around.
Roman had dated females before, but he was never happy, and sex was ho-hum. Of course, now he knew why. There wasn’t anything wrong with them, it was him. He wasn’t sexually attracted to females.
He had always been fascinated with Sage White, even as kids he knew Sage was different. But like a kid, he struck out against him by calling him names, when it was him who was confused about his own body. He wasn’t confused anymore. It only took one romp in the boy’s locker room with Sage and he was sure he wanted Sage in his life in the future.
“Who would know that the cutest two guys in the world would be in our graduating class?” Harrison said to Roman.
“What two cute guys?” Roman asked, still watching Sage.
“The vice-president and the president of the student council,” Harrison answered pointing.
“You think they’re cute?” Roman asked.
Harrison nodded. “And you don’t?”
“No, I agree. They are quite nice, especially the president.”
“I know you didn’t miss that apple bottom. But I’m surprised that you think he’s cute especially since the two of you never got along as kids.”
“That’s because I thought he was weird,” Roman said.
“What was so weird about him?”
“He was always so neat and clean, without a hair out of place. And his eyelashes were too long for a boy, and his lips always looked like he was wearing gloss.”
“I’m still waiting to hear the negative,” Harrison said.
“He caused my first boner,” Roman confessed.
“How?” Harrison asked.
“He appeared in my dreams one night, with this teddy bear that he had since he was one or two.”
“How could something so cute cause an erotic dream?”
“Because he wasn’t wearing anything but a smile.”
“You were fantasizing about him as a baby?”
“No, I think we were around fifteen. And I just kept looking at him.”
“Like you’re doing now?” Harrison asked.
“Let’s change the subject,” Roman said. “What do you like about the vice president?”
“Are you kidding me. He’s so gorgeous and he can cook.”
“You don’t have a problem with him being black?” Roman asked.
“No, do you?”
Roman shook his head. “No. And you’ll never starve with that one.”
“His eyes are really pretty,” Harrison said.
“I’m glad you think so since he’s been trying to get your attention since freshman year.”
“What? Really? Why didn’t someone tell me?”
“Because all of us were fourteen and you were dating Brenda Smith, and no one knew we were gay back then. I was so scared that my father would find out.”
