***Inspired by Avril Lavigne's song "Sk8er Boi". Rated PG (it has one bad word at the beginning during the italic part). Hope you enjoy 😆
Jamie's beanie on the side ➡️
Copyright © 2014 by Gracilyn
🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶
"Hey Spencer!" a voice called from behind Spencer and his friends.
Every head turned to watch the lanky boy in the baggy clothes riding up to Spencer on a skateboard. The guys chocolate copper hair curled slightly at the ends under his dark grey Anthem beanie, one of his hazel eyes lightly hidden behind his bangs. He wore a large white t-shirt too big for his thin frame, with a pair of dark blue loose jeans that bore the marks of multiple knee slides from falls, and a pair of scuffed up black and white Vans.
In other words, he was a nobody in the eyes of the boys and girls who were decked out in brands such as Gucci and Nike, also known as Spencer and his friends. Their hair was perfect, barely moved by the light breeze passing through the high school parking lot, the clothes they wore were clean and up-to-date with the current fashion trends, and their skin was flawless with a beautiful sun-kissed tan. There was no reason for the skater boy, who's clothes were bought from a thrift shop and who's skin was pale and speckled with blemishes, to ever talk to Spencer Malone.
"Um..." The smile on the boys face dropped as he skated to a stop in front of Spencer, his gaze landing on the group of people surrounding the popular boy. Suddenly, his whole demeanour changed before Spencer's eyes. The boy who had called out to Spencer with a wide smile and confidence filled grace transformed into a shy and nervous kid once he stepped off the skateboard and held one end in his hand while tapping the other to the toe of his shoe. It was like all confidence left his body as soon as he was off of the decorated board on wheels.
"Yeah?" Spencer pushed impatiently, both curious to know what the kid wanted and also not wishing to be late for class.
With a lowered gaze, the boy spoke quietly while rubbing his forearm with his free hand, "I was wondering...um...do you...maybe, want to go on a date...with me?"
Stunned. Spencer was stunned silent with surprise at the question. He didn't really know what to say. A boy asked him out on a date? A romantic, kiss goodnight, hand holding date?
"Why don't you just get lost fag," one of Spencer's friends spat, a disgusted scowl on his face.
A hurt look flashed across the boys features, and within the space of a second it was gone, replaced with an unreadable expression. Without a word, he glanced at Spencer before dropping the skateboard and stepping on. Spencer watched, frozen, as the body just rolled away, the sound of plastic sliding against gravel crunching in his ears.
"Hey, kid!" Spencer suddenly called, surprising both himself and everyone around him.
The boy stopped, placing his foot firmly on the ground as he looked over his shoulder, waiting for Spencer to continue.
"I...I'm not gay," Spencer stated lamely, licking his suddenly dry lips.
The boy snorted and turned around, rolling towards the steps of the school again, but this time he called a final few words over his shoulder.
"And neither am I. My name's Jamie, by the way, not 'kid.'"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
How ironic life can be, Spencer thought sullenly as he remembered that day.
Five years after the day Spencer was asked out by the boy called Jamie, he sat in his apartment, alone. He was twenty-two now and just finished University. His girlfriend and high school sweetheart dumped him after he caught her cheating on him with his best friend, the same guy who first told Jamie to get lost that day in front of the school. Now, Spencer found himself friendless save for the few he made at University.
Spencer growled as he flipped through the many channels on his TV, the guide showing nothing but repeats. Finally, he settled on MTV, hoping some music would help his nerves. A music video of a chocolate copper haired young man with hazel eyes slammed a guitar and sung into the microphone as walls crumbled around him. The song was ending, the beautiful melody coming to a close as smoke like dust flew up around the guy singing his heart out. Spencer didn't know what the song was called or even what the band in the background looked like. His eyes zeroed in on the name that flashed up on the screen at the end, Jamie Sanders. A quick google search told him that the young man was a twenty-two year old musician from Spencer's home town. More digging lead him to website for the musician, pictures flashing up on the screen. Many were just photos of backstage and a few from album covers and posters, but hidden at the very end were photos from his high school years. Spencer couldn't believe his eyes when he came across a photo of the guy smiling shyly, skateboard in hand and hazel eyes looking up through thick black lashes at the camera. This was the Jamie who asked him out. This was the guy that made him question his own sexuality.
There was no hesitation as Spencer picked up his phone and dialled his friends. Each confirmed that they heard of the musician and even informed him that they were going to his concert Friday night. This was shocking news to Spencer.
That Friday night, with a bracelet around his wrist showing that he had been emitted into the bustling venue filled with hundreds of fans awaiting the arrival of one talented young man. Spencer was able to shoulder his way through the crowd and to his chosen spot near the front. Even though they were outside and the air was nippy, Spencer still felt himself beginning to sweat from the heat if the crowd as they bumped and brushed against him. Music began to play and he looked up, Jamie Sanders slamming his guitar as he started singing the opening words to his song. Spencer felt himself becoming lost in the graceful way Jamie moved across the stage, his voice strong and powerful, each chord strumming electricity through Spencer's body while each word sent another tug to his heart. Soon enough, Spencer was nodding his head and raising his hands along with every one else as the crowd roared for more. As the song came to a close, Jamie looked out with a smile as he sung the last few notes. That's when the words finally registered in Spencer's head. Each one was telling the story of how Jamie asked his first crush out, how he was rejected, and then how he was later bullied for his sexuality. He recounted the tale of how he wished for death to take him, how he tried to end his 'pitiful life I lived' so many times he still had the scars to prove it. But then the heartbreaking lyrics and sad tempo changed to an upbeat tune, Jamie's whole demeanour transforming in the blink of an eye to that if a smiling excited boy. He sung the tale of when he turned himself around, when he took his life back and was proud of who he was. Changing himself for others wasn't his problem, it was everyone else who couldn't accept him who had a problem.
Without warning, Jamie's smiling face turned towards the crowd at his feet and his and Spencer's eyes connected. The happiness that was shining in Jamie's eyes dimmed as they narrowed, familiarity coming over his features as he forced the smile to stay on his lips. Once the song came to end, Jamie's gaze snapped to the audience in front of him and he grinned toothily out at them.
"We're gonna take a break and let some of my favourite pals to entertain you guys, so please give them a warm welcome-" Spencer stopped listening, too entranced with Jamie as the young musician rushed off stage, another band filling his place.
He didn't realize what he was doing until he was standing in front of a security guard manning an entrench to backstage, the mans thick arms folded over his chest as he stared suspiciously down at Spencer.
"No unauthorized personnel backstage without a VIP pass," the big guy stated, scrutinizing Spencer as he shifted his weight.
"I-I just need to speak to Jamie, I'm his fri-"
"You're no friend of mine," the voice from on stage cut him off, the man himself coming into view behind the security guard.
The big guy only narrowed his eyes and flexed his muscles at those words, glaring even more at a very nervous Spencer.
"Jamie-"
"Save it Spencer, you had you're chance to talk to me in high school, so whatever you have to say you can just save your breath 'cause I don't want to hear it," Jamie said, once again effectively cutting him off.
Jamie turned around, ready to prepare for another song, when Spencer's next words made him freeze.
"You were right, you know? When I was said I wasn't gay and you said neither were you, you were right."
"What do you mean?" Jamie looked at him curiously.
"Life's filled with irony right now, you know? In high school, I was the popular guy everyone liked and you were the guy with few friends who asked me out, and now...now it's like the roles are reversed."
"What are you saying?"
Spencer sighed, stuffing his hands nervously in his pockets as his cheeks warmed.
"I'm saying...I'm asking if you'd give me another chance. Will you go on a date with me Jamie?"
Crossing his arms and looking away, Jamie cleared his throat.
"I don't know..."
As if a knife pierced his heart, Spencer rubbed his hand over his left pec and licked his lips, a nervous habit of his.
"I get it, I missed my chance. I'm sorry for bothering you..." he trailed off, turning around to head back into the screaming crowd in search of his friends.
Jamie stood there, watching him go, when a memory surfaced.
"Hey kid!" Jamie called, a smirk growing on his lips when Spencer stopped and looked over his shoulder. "I'm not gay."
Confusion clouded Spencer's eyes as he just stared at the smirking face of the boy who been on his mind ever since that day back in his senior year. Jamie just watched in amusement as Spencer's features melted from that of confusion to a grin.
"And neither am I," Spencer quoted, the memory of Jamie saying those exact words fresh in his mind as he once again turned away and quickly blended in with the crowd.
Jamie went back out on stage and rocked the place, both boys thinking about what was to come between them. Neither expected to find themselves in a relationship the day Jamie asked Spencer out, but here they were, skirting around questions and hiding their relationship behind closed doors. And all it took was for one boy to take a chance by asking the other out.
And for the other to say, "Yes."