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Eighteen years old/12th Grade/January
Iwoke up to the gentlest alarm clock I’d ever heard. It was a subtle up and down scale of a piano. It was different and unique, which could also describe how I woke up. Both of us were on our right sides, and I was facing Patrick while his back was to me. My left arm was draped over his left one, and his right hand was resting against my left hand. My hard-on stretched my boxer briefs and pressed against his back. For a moment, I panicked because I didn’t want him to freak out or worry that I was hurting him. I remained still as he began to stir.
“Hollis, man, you’re going to have to shut that alarm clock off. I’m not going to climb over you to reach it.” His voice sounded groggy and sleepy.
When I realized he was awake and wasn’t freaking out at anything, I closed my eyes again.
“I think I’d like to hit the snooze button,” I admitted.
“Dude, no. We can’t. Today is your big day.” He moved out from under my arm and pushed himself up. He stretched his arm across me and turned the alarm off.
“I was comfortable, though,” I said. My eyes were still closed, but I knew he was looking at me. I could feel his eyes on me.
“I was too.” His voice was serious and sounded like he really enjoyed it. I opened my eyes and as suspected, he was staring at me.
“Were you able to sleep some more?” I asked.
“I was.”
“How did you sleep?” I was pretty sure that I hadn’t felt him being restless but wanted to check.
“I slept well. Really well, in fact.”
“Good. I’m glad.” I forced myself to sit up and rubbed my eyes.
“You didn’t have to sleep here with me.”
“I wanted to make sure you fell asleep all right.”
“Thank you.”
I nodded at him and then he made us get out of bed. While he began setting clothes out, I quickly stripped and headed to the bathroom. I was so excited about what the day would bring that I zipped through getting ready without really noticing too much of what I was doing. I wouldn’t say that I loved wearing a suit, but I liked the way this navy suit looked and fit.
I stood in front of the full-length mirror and was tying my tie when Patrick came out of the bathroom. He wore only his boxer briefs and hurried to the dresser beside the mirror. I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye. There were some scars on his body from his father and stepbrother that he’d carry for the rest of his life. From time to time I’d see them and wonder exactly what had happened.
“You look really good in your suit,” he said as he sat on the chair and quickly pulled on his socks.
“Thanks,” I said while I tried to tie the sea green tie. “Now if I could just get the damn tie right.”
Patrick and I had watched tutorial videos online on how to tie ties. We’d both practiced, and I thought I had it down, but I couldn’t get it to look right. I was starting to get frustrated because I didn’t want to look like a kid. Patrick came over and moved my hands away, then started over. His forehead was wrinkled, and his hands worked slowly while he tied my tie perfectly.
“Thanks, man. I was starting to worry that I was going to look like a kid and embarrass my folks and TCF.”
“Hey.” He clasped his hand down on my shoulder. “You could never embarrass anyone. Everyone around you is proud of your ass. Tie or no tie.”
I looked him in the eye and smiled. I had an unbelievable opportunity within my grasp. I had the overwhelming support of my family, friends, school, TCF trainers, and my karate and jiu-jitsu studios. Everyone believed in me—especially the TCF people.
“Thanks, Patrick. And I meant what I said last night about getting you a contract with my team as soon as we’ve graduated.”
“It’s okay if you can’t.”
“I can, and I will.” Without breaking eye contact with him, I reached out and took hold of his pinky finger with mine. “I pinky promise.”
For years now the pinky promise had been our thing, and it not only meant something to both of us, but it gave Patrick reassurance. I knew he needed it, and I would never promise him something that I wasn’t sure that I could deliver on. He knew when I said that phrase that I absolutely meant it.
“Come on, let’s go see what awaits us,” I said.
I checked myself out in the mirror and messed with my hair a bit while Patrick finished getting dressed. I would much rather have been in his outfit. He was able to wear jeans and a sea-green polo that had my Team Dragon logo over the left side of the chest.
