The Team - Chap 3

[luvyalots]

Previously...Chapter 2

Disgraced football jock Dan Wilkins releases himself, having sex with his long-time girlfriend Carly. Meanwhile, his dad has the idea to have him join the Allentown Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps.

Chapter 3: Worse

?I?m looking for some guy named Dylan Parks?? Dan anxiously said to a 20ish woman behind the table. She glanced up at him and smiled warmly.

?He?s right over there,? she answered, pointing toward a large white truck. She winked. ?Welcome to the Allentown Cavaliers.?

?Thanks,? he replied, flashing her his trademark half-smile. He took in a deep breath and made his way to the truck. As he did, Dan looked around the field, surveying his new surroundings. He might as well, if this was where he was going to be the whole summer. And what he saw surprised him.

Nearby was a cluster of brass players going through their morning stretches. His football buddies and he had always traded band geek jokes whenever they passed by the high school marching band practicing, but these particular band geeks were unlike any he had ever seen. Many of the guys looked more like cross-country runners ? their lean, bronzed torsos twisted lithely as they stretched their muscles. It was as if they were athletes rather than musicians. Some of them were downright ripped!

On the other side of the field, a group of drummers performed a heart-pounding series of warm-ups. Not only were their well-sculpted arms moving in perfect unison, but the guys with the largest drums ? the big round ones that hung in front of them from a shoulder harness ? moved with ease. A couple of them were even the size of football players, the harnesses sitting comfortably on their broad shoulders.

But then, Dan noticed movement out the corner of his eye. He turned his attention to an adjacent field where a couple dozen more members ? about half girls, half guys ? were twirling brightly colored flags over and over with incredible precision. Every single guy was ridiculously fit?and every single girl was hot as hell; they were all shapely yet athletic?and apparently really good with their hands. Dan?s lip curled into a smirk, his mind racing with the possibilities, as his half-hard dick began to stir in his shorts.

He might like it here after all.

?Hey, you!? a voice suddenly called out to him. Dan jerked his head toward the truck and saw a kid who looked about 16 standing there. He was only wearing jean shorts and sneakers and held a drum against his hip. He had an attitude about him, an attitude made even more so by the fact that he was pretty muscular for his age. Well then again, so am I, he said to himself.

?Yeah?? he answered, giving the kid the same attitude back.

?You the new guy,? the kid stated curtly, placing the drum on the ground. As he stood up, he subtly flexed his abs as if he was trying to intimidate him. Dan laughed. The guy must really think highly of himself, he thought, I do the same thing. Well, two can play this game.

?Why?? he snapped, coming toward him, trying to look as big as he possibly could. He stuck his chest out ever so slightly, the fabric of his T-shirt stretching to make room for his pecs. The kid didn?t seem phased at all. Instead, he briefly looked Dan up and down, smiling enigmatically. Now that they were staring face to face, the kid look even younger than the 16 years he seemed from afar?probably more like 14.

?What sport you play?? he asked, his voice less abrasive now. Dan peered down at him quizzically. He certainly wasn?t expecting a question like that.

?Football,? he answered truthfully, wondering where this was going.

?Quarterback, right?? the kid continued, cocking his head to one side. Dan blinked. How did he?

?What?s with the twenty questions??

?You walk like a quarterback,? he went on, ignoring the retort. ?It?s obvious you love being the center of attention.? Dan jerked his head back, popping one eyebrow. ?That, and the way you were gawking at the color guard kinda tipped me off.? What was his problem?

?Yeah, I am the quarterback,? he divulged, crossing his arms in irritation.

?Varsity.? The kid made an exaggerated expression of mock awe.

?Yeah, you?re the Varsity quarterback,? he said, ?and you?re planning on spending a full eight weeks on tour with a drum corps all summer.? He pursed his lips and arched his eyebrows. ?Ok.?

?What are you trying to say??

?Hey, your business is your business,? the kid shrugged. He held out his hand for Dan to shake. ?My name?s Dylan Parks. Welcome to the truck crew.? Dan took Dylan?s hand disdainfully. He had just been bested by a 14-year-old.

?I?m Dan Wilkins,? he sneered.

?Nice ta meet ya,? Dylan grinned, all notion of animosity completely gone from his voice all of a sudden. It was as if he was satisfied with outwitting an older jock like Dan. ?You know anything about drum corps?? he asked.

?Not really,? Dan admitted. The kid let out a smart puff of air and shook his head.

?Another one,? he muttered.

?Excuse me??

?Well, at least you got muscle, unlike the other kid,? Dylan added, motioning toward the truck. Just then, as if on cue, ?the other kid? walked down the truck?s ramp?or rather, waddled would be a better term. Simply put, the boy was fat. And he wasn?t just fat; he was a total dork. His round gut tugged at his loose-fitting T-shirt, the fat on his legs quivered as he moved and a pair of glasses hid his pudgy eyes. ?Dan Wilkins, meet Evan Gamble,? he introduced the pair. ?Evan?Dan.?

?Um?hey,? Evan stammered with a gravelly voice, awkwardly sticking out a chubby arm. Dan shook it. God, it was limp. He even winced when Dan squeezed it ever so lightly.

?Hey,? Dan returned. ?You been with the team long?"

?Uh?? the kid sputtered, his mouth seemingly unable to form words. Dan waited patiently for him to spit it out. ?Well?only last weekend?I started?yeah,? he answered finally.

?Ev, grab the drum, will ya?? Dylan ordered. Evan immediately jumped into action and laboriously heaved the snare drum into his arms. ?He?s usually a little more talkative,? Dylan told Dan as the two watched Evan lug the drum back into the truck.

?Well, I wouldn?t be too outgoing if I looked like that,? Dan joked. Dylan glared at him resentfully.

?Hey, man,? he spit, ?just because he doesn?t look like you or me, doesn?t mean he isn?t cool.?

?Yo,? Dan stepped back, lifting his arms up in defense. ?I was just kidding, man.? The kid really had a chip on his shoulder, didn?t he.

?Actually,? Dylan continued, softening his voice again, ?Evan?s lost about five pounds in the last week. He?s trying hard.? He smiled and lightly slapped Dan in his abs ? hitting nothing but concrete, of course. ?You better watch out. He?ll start catching up to you by the end of the summer.? He laughed infectiously, causing Dan to chuckle with him. He watched the younger boy jog away and shook his head. Yeah, right, he thought to himself, that kid would never look anything like me.



Dan smiled in bliss as he stood, railing one of the color guard girls up against a wall. Her name was Jessie and he had literally just met her ten minutes earlier. It was wild; he had been polishing one of the big bass drums with his shirt off ? working on his tan ? when she came walking by and gave him the eye. Maybe it was how her hips moved when she walked or that fact that her tits were practically bursting out of her tube top, but almost instantly, Dan became aroused. It had been way too long ? almost a whole week ? since he had had sex and he had badly needed a fix.

The first chance they got, they had stolen away to a secluded spot hidden from the practice field and immediately began making out, her hands frisking his body, feeling every one of his perfectly carved muscles. Dan had nearly lost it right then and there when she pulled out a condom.

?Mmm,? she hummed, her hands clutching his traps as he forcefully spewed his load into her.

?You like that?? he asked her with a smirk once they were finished. She was no Carly ? no girl would ever be ? but she was definitely one of the best he had ever had. But surely, she had never had sex that amazing before in her life. Before she could answer, he leaned over and kissed her once again, practically driving his tongue down her throat. They always loved that; it was like the cherry on top, a girl told him once. He pulled away and she smiled prettily at him.

?Not bad,? she said. Dan blinked.

?What??

?I said,? Jessie repeated, giggling, ?you?re not that bad.? Dan laughed. She had to be joking; he had never had a girl who said he was anything but the best.

?What is that supposed to mean?? he countered, cocking his head playfully. She was obviously teasing him, playing hard-to-get.

?You have a great body,? she shrugged, ogling him up and down, ?a huge cock and you definitely know what you?re doing.? Dan grinned smugly. Of course I do, he thought. ?But,? she went on, her eyes flashing, ?you?re a little?rough around the edges.? Dan peered at her curiously; she wasn?t joking.

?You didn?t like it?? he said unbelievingly.

?Of course I did,? Jessie replied thoughtfully. ?Maybe I?ve just never been fucked by a guy as?strong as you are.? Dan laughed, swinging her around so that his back was against the wall now.

?Well, I do bench two??

?I don?t care how much you can bench,? she interrupted him, stopping him in his tracks. ?I?m not a football coach.?

?What are you talking about?? Jessie smiled and peered directly into his eyes.

?You?re new to drum corps and there?s a lot you have to learn yet.? She leaned in closer, slowly sliding her tongue along her upper teeth. ?We color guard girls are a completely different breed from your?? she inhaled slowly as she paused ??annoying little cheerleaders.? He gazed at her, trying to figure out if he should be offended by that comment or not when her hand wandered down his bare chest to his abs. A purr nearly came out of Dan?s throat at her touch. Her voice was low and thick?sexy. ?It?s not about the power, but about?the finesse. That?s what we like.?

?Really?? he whispered, his whole body practically buzzing in a way he had never felt before. His cock was already rock hard again. Was it the way she was talking to him? Or was it the way she was fondling his throbbing package?

?Yes,? Jessie replied, gliding her hands down toward his butt, her lips nearly touching his. ?You have to be more gentle,? she quietly instructed him.

?Move your hips slower and wider. Give those abs a bit of a workout.? As she spoke, she tenderly pressed his pelvis against hers, guiding his dick into her cunt again. Dan felt his lower back muscles slowly flexing, his stomach muscles rolling as he cock slid in and out, every inch of movement sending waves of intense pleasure through his entire body.

?Wow,? he hissed, passionately kissing her. This was sex like he had never experienced. It was like sex with Carly?but different. It felt more raw, more intense. Within seconds, he exploded into her a second time. He started to pull out, but she held him there for a few more minutes, forcing Dan to feel himself inside of her. Jessie ran her fingers through his hair, causing him to moan, and leaned forward to kiss him again. As she finally let go ? leaving him up against the wall ? she gently tugged at his bottom lip with her teeth.

?That?s how we do it,? she said with a leer. ?Welcome to drum corps.? And just like that, Jessie was gone. Dan leaned against the wall, completely breathless. What had just happened? He closed his eyes, trying to clear his mind. Had he just been seduced by a girl? Shit, he had! She had so played him?and for the first time in his life, Dan had been given a taste of his own medicine.

And somehow?he liked it!

?What the fuck are you doing way over here?? Dylan suddenly appeared from around the corner, his hands on his narrow hips liked a displeased parent.

?Just hanging out,? he answered, rapidly straightening up.

?Right,? Dylan scoffed. ?Get your ass back to the field and finish that bass drum. The drumline needs it for the run-through later.? Dan was sure he could tell what had just been going on, but he didn?t care. The kid probably was just envious he was getting pussy on his very first day. ?When are you gonna just do what you?re supposed to do,? he went on as they headed back.
?What are you talking about?? Dan argued, his voice raising slightly. ?I do everything I?m told.?

?Yeah,? the younger boy sneered, ?if it?s a hot chick asking you to pull down your pants. You?ve been here what, three hours? And you?re already screwing the color guard!?

?Oh, you?re just fucking jealous!?

?Jealous of what?? Dylan yelled, his voice now equal to Dan?s. ?I?m not the one who feels the need to pull out his cock every ten seconds!? By this time, the two had attracted the attention of most of the corps as nearly everyone was looking in their direction.

?At least I have a cock that can be pulled out!?

?Fuck you!? And Dylan suddenly charged at Dan full force, pushing him into the water table. The kid was surprisingly strong for his size as he heaved Dan?s body over the table, dumping water all over the place. Not about to be out-muscled by a 14-year-old ? especially in front of a crowd ? Dan got up and, soaking wet, ran back at Dylan. He pounced on him, straddling his slim body and punching him repeatedly in the face.

?GET OFF OF HIM!? Mr. Parks screamed as Dan felt his body being pulled off of Dylan. Still swinging, he fought to release himself from the man?s strong grip. Dylan meanwhile was being helped to his feet by one of the color guard instructors. ?What is wrong with you, boy?? Mr. Parks hollered, his eyes fierce with anger. Dan didn?t respond and instead just glared defiantly at the man. But on the inside, he felt miserable. He had screwed up at something once again and was about to get kicked off another team.



?So, uh, how did it go today?? Dan?s dad asked when he picked him up later that evening.

?Fine,? Dan answered, trying to mask his rage. He was pissed and the last thing he needed was to admit anything to his old man about it. He didn?t want to go back to that band ? or drum corps or whatever the fuck it was called ? ever again. They probably wouldn?t even let him back, especially after he nearly beat the shit out of an instructor?s son. It had been a total mismatch; Dylan had a black eye and bruises all over his face when it was finished while Dan walked away with merely a scrape from being pushed into the water table.

He glanced over at his father who was behind the wheel. What had he been thinking, thinking his jock son could fit in with those band geeks? He didn?t belong there. The whole weekend had been a disaster. Well, except for those few moments with Jessie ? that had been some of the best sex he had ever had. But he didn?t necessarily need a hot color guard chick in some stupid drum corps for that; he could get pretty much any girl he wanted.

?You going back next weekend?? his dad continued his barrage of lame father-son questions. Dan stared out the car window as they got onto the highway. He couldn?t bring himself to tell his father that he couldn?t go back. He couldn?t disappoint him again, not after the whole roids thing.

?Yeah,? he said, gazing at the mountains off in the distance, wishing he were as far away as they were.

?So I guess I?ll be driving ya again.? Dan blinked.

?Well, actually,? he started before stopping himself from letting it out of the bag.

?Well, actually, what?? Dan stabbed his tongue into his teeth, his mind racing.

?I?m, uh, actually driving with a buddy of mine,? he fibbed, avoiding his father?s eyes. Years of fibbing to teachers, coaches, girlfriends had made him an effortless liar, but it somehow seemed unfair to lie to his dad.

?Oh, really?? the man replied proudly. ?That?s my son,? he patted Dan?s back and making him squirm uncomfortably in his seat, ?always making friends so easily. You know, you got that from me.? He gave him a goofy smile.

Dan forced out one of his own. His dad always did things like that. And it certainly wasn?t making him feel any better. He was relieved when they stopped at an Old Country Buffet for dinner. At least then he could keep his mind on something else?eating.

Ever since Dan started working out hard core over a year ago, his appetite skyrocketed and Old Country Buffet was the only place that could satisfy it. All that chicken and roast beef and pork chops and pasta and dumplings and fish all lined up, waiting for him to take as much as he desired?and the best part was that he could go back for more as many times as he wanted.

He was just going up for his third plate of food when he spotted a vaguely familiar figure by the salad bar. No way, he thought. It was that fat kid from the truck crew ? what was his name ? Evan something. The last thing Dan wanted was to bump into someone from the drum corps?but Evan wasn?t a bad kid. A little dorky and a bit of a wimp, but not horrible.

Dan was just about to head back to his seat when Evan suddenly looked up at him?and nearly dropped the salad tongs. Dan laughed to himself and flashed a smile of greeting in his direction. Immediately, the kid froze. Dan bit his lip. He was probably scared shitless of him. After what he had seen earlier that day, it wasn?t surprising. I should probably say hi or something, he thought. Evan awkwardly turned back to filling his plate, obviously trying to avoid Dan?s eyes. Oh, what the hell, he thought and walked over to him.

?You?re name was Evan, right?? he began. The kid jumped and nearly dropped the tongs again.

?Uh?yeah,? Evan stammered after recovering. ?You were??

?Dan Wilkins,? he finished, not wanting him to feel more uncomfortable than he looked?if that were possible. ?Didn?t think I?d see you here,? he added. What am I saying, he said to himself. Look at the dweeb ? he probably lives in this joint.

?You eat a lot,? Evan blurted. Dan gave him an odd look before realizing what he meant. The kid was staring at his plate heaped high with protein-rich foods.

?Yeah, I guess I do,? Dan grinned. ?And this is my third helping, too.? That?s when he noticed Evan?s plate was filled with salad and fruit?not exactly the meal he?d expect from a fat kid like him to have. ?You on a diet or something?? he quipped. Evan glanced down at his own plate and instantly turned red.

?I?m?uh??

?You?re trying to lose weight,? Dan finished for him. ?I remember Dylan saying something about that.? He felt a cruelty automatically enter his eyes upon saying the other boy?s name. Evan must have noticed it because he suddenly looked scared again. ?I?m sorry about before,? Dan quickly apologized. ?I?m not usually that violent.?

?Right,? Evan muttered, still looking uncomfortable. Dan attempted to cheer him up a bit.

?So you lost like five pounds in the last week, right,? he recalled. ?That?s pretty good.?

?Thanks.? It looked like he wanted to say more, but couldn?t get the words past his throat.

?It looks like you?re eating better anyway,? Dan moved the conversation along. ?You been working out?? Evan shook his head.

?I run,? he muttered.

?With your dad or something?? Suddenly, Evan?s head drooped and he made a face as if he had just swallowed his tongue. ?What??

?I don?t have a dad anymore,? he answered so softly, Dan could barely hear him.

?Oh, sorry. They?re divorced?? The boy shook his head again.

?He?died.?

Dan?s heart fell into his stomach. Oh, shit. He didn?t know what to say. Immediately, he regretted even coming up and talking to the kid.

?I?m sorry,? he repeated, though more seriously this time. ?I didn?t know.?

?It?s alright,? Evan continued, shrugging. ?It happened when I was like a month old?it was a car accident.? An uncomfortable silence grew between them. Dan searched desperately for a change in topic.

?I, uh, should head back,? he gave up.

?Yeah,? Evan grunted and turned away. Dan headed back to his table even more upset than before. Everything he did was ending in disaster lately. He was kicked off the football team for doing steroids, got into a fight his very first weekend at drum corps and now he couldn?t even have a simple conversation without it going south.

Why do I even bother getting into things, he wondered. There is no way this weekend can get any worse.

The rest of the ride home with his dad was silent. His father had to have known that there was something wrong, but also knew it was useless trying to get his son to talk about it. When he finally got home, he once again holed himself up in his bedroom. About an hour later, his cell phone buzzed. Groaning, Dan rolled over and opened the text message. It was Carly again:

Cn we meet?

Dan sighed. He could use some good sex ? maybe show her some of the new stuff he had done with Jessie ? but somehow Carly didn?t sound like her usual self in that text.

Sure where?

The fence, she instantly answered back. Dan felt a knot in the pit of his stomach. This was going to be a serious conversation?no sex. His heart still heavy, he slipped on a T-shirt and stepped outside into the cool spring night.

The fence ? a clapboard fence separating the two properties ? had been the couple?s personal meeting spot ever since they were little kids. It was where they met, where they used to always meet together and where they shared their first kiss.

When Carly arrived, Dan immediately noticed that here eyes were puffy as if she had been crying.

?What?s wrong?? he asked. She shook her head, blinking away new tears.

?I?m sorry,? she stated weakly. Dan gave her a confused expression. Carly took in a deep breath. ?We?re moving.? Dan?s mouth dropped open in shock.

?What? Where??

?Texas,? she answered, shrugging. ?Near San Antonio.? Dan couldn?t believe what he was hearing. He could tell in her face that there was something more, something she couldn?t bear to tell him, the reason why she was crying.

?We?ll keep in touch, right?? he said, trying to keep his stoicism. Carly nodded, though she didn?t seem so sure about it.

?I?m sorry,? she repeated before giving him a hug and heading back toward her house. Dan stayed behind for a moment, his forehead against the wooden planks of the fence.

This weekend had just gotten worse.

[mlbjock]

Man you know how to drag your readers into your stories, and really add depth to your characters. Nicely done!

[sdfsdf2]

I love this story. I'm actually into my third day of band camp today and its fun seeing differences and similarities. Keep up the great work!

[tagsnola]

... Dan really SEEMS to be TRYING to get himself on track. And for all his cockiness, Dylan's defense of Evan to Dan shows he's got a heart as big as a house.

I'm just soooooooo glad I'm not a kid anymore. Thanks, luvyalots, for this reminder that youth wasn't all peaches and cream. Growing up was hard. I sure as hell wouldn't wanna go through THAT again!

- TagsNOLA

[redroger11]

Hey, you're characters are really filling out well. Very few people are ever really all black and white. So the quarterback having doubts about himself, and the Drum and Bugle corp instructors son wants to play football. Sound pretty close to real life, to me.
You're doing great.
Keep Writing.

redroger11

[diegodominica]

I am loving the intervweaving of the two stories and enjoying the bad-boy touch with Dan. Looking forward to more chapters.

[bobman]

I am really looking forward to the continuation of this series. The characters are appealing and deep and the mirrored development rocks.