Friday morning – sunny and warm, gonna be hot – school break-up today. START OF SPRING BREAK. :) 
Cape Town, South Africa
Part 104
We’re gonna be going into final assembly a bit l8er, and I might not get another chance to write. I’ll try and get something to you before I leave for Nick’s [place]. As ya can imagine, everyone here is pretty amped about the break. Mark’s got a bit of a swollen lip but it’s a lot better than yesterday arvie. He and Alan were chatting to each other this morning, almost like buds. Maybe it’s just that the guys can all feel spring [in the air] or something.
Friday was like a totally cool day at school, as well as afterwards. I organized for some guys to come around to my place and swim, and have a few beers. Most of the swim team was there. Wingnut invited Sean cos there was no surf. Some of the guys went for a walk and had a smoke, including the grommets. Nobody swam naked but it was cool. It would’ve been cool to have Jumbo naked in the pool with me cos then I could’ve touched that giant dick of his. I’ve been dying to at least feel the damn thing properly. He was wearing a paira brief black Speedos, though, which did the trick for me. :) Anyway, it was just for a few hours, and when my folks got home the guys started drifting off [home].My dad got into a serious convo with Mark about meeting his dad, and how maybe his dad’s more nervous about this trip [to Joburg] than he is. Then Mark hadta jet to get ready for work. I got hold of Steph to find out if she wanted to go anywhere, and she suggested the two of us go to Corners. I asked if we could maybe go to Corners when Mark finished work, and she thought it was a cool idea. Carol was waiting for Mark at the Mall when we got there. She was looking right fucking miserable and moody. I asked Steph what was biting Carol, and Steph said it was PMS, as well as the thought of Mark disappearing for a week. Well, that would take care of any ideas Mark might have to get his end away. As it turned out, Mark was just as pissed [off] when he finished work cos there was a fuckup with his credit card payments and he earned half of what he’d counted on. SO … he and Carol decided not to go [with Steph and me to Corners]. So then I just lost it:
“We’re all going away in different fucking directions for the holidays, so this is like one of the last times we can go out together. Fuck! I’ll pay for you guys.”
*Mark* “It’s cool, Code. Carol’s not feeling so well, anyway.”
“Fuck! What a way to start the holidays.”
*Mark* “Shit happens.”
“Fuck that ‘shit happens’ crap. Every time there’s something I want to do and it doesn’t happen then I get that ‘shit happens’ crap [from you].”
*Mark* “Hey, fuck off, man. I’m not going. Carol’s feeling shitty and I need to save some money.”
“Yeah, yeah – all of a sudden.”
“Fuck you, Cody.”
“Yeah, well, I’m gonna jet. Coming babes?”
*Steph* “Where to?”
“Your place.”
*Steph* “Shit, Cody! I don’t want to spend the first night of the holidays at home. Let’s the two of us go to Corners.”
“Nah. I’m pissed off. I’m going home.”
*Mark* “Now you’re being a jerk.”
“Yeah, like always. Catchya later.”
*Mark* “Cody! Wait up.” [He said as he followed me].
I was fucking furious and mad as hell, but only at myself for having such a shit spoilt-brat attitude, and not understanding the situation. And now, to top that, I was embarrassed as well.
*Mark* “Hey, what’s up? You’re behaving like a jerk.”
“Yeah. So what’s new?”
“So you’re going to leave Steph standing here with us? Want me to check if Carol wants to go to Wipe Out for a while, and we hit there?”
“No, it’s cool. I’ll take Steph there and the two of us can play pool. If Carol’s not feeling so great then it’s probably best to let her just relax or something.”
Anyway, we all ended up at Wipe Out and having quite a cool time playing pool and joking about. Wingnut and Sean and a bunch of their buds wanted to come in and play pool but the bouncer wanted their IDs, so they couldn’t come in. Sean got a clout from the dude cos he called him a son of a bitch. [But] there was a cool vibe in the place with dudes from all over the place enjoying the first night of the [school] break. Even Carol was laughing and having a good time.
Afterwards, we took the girls home, and then Mark and I stood outside his place for ages chatting. His mom and the boyfriend were home, so Mark didn’t invite me in. We must’ve chatted for about an hour cos I remember getting home at about 3.
Saturday morning, I hadta help my dad with chores around the yard and the house. Wingnut hung over the wall to find out if I wanted to hit the surf cos it was up, but I really owed my dad so I said I’d meet them later. I went down [to the beach] quite late in the arvie and the surf was OK. We surfed until dark. Saturday night, I hit out to Steph’s place and we just chilled out with a few beers.
Sunday, I worked at a neighbor’s house, doing the garden and cleaning their yard and shit. She’s an old biddy and I like doing stuff for her. She doesn’t pay much but maybe she’s got a cute grandson hiding somewhere – hehehehe. My dad took Mark to the airport to get his flight to Johannesburg, and I felt so fucking empty watching him go. Canya believe one of the last things he told me was to stay outta trouble? Who? Me? I think it’s cos he looked so independent and HOT!! He was wearing his Levis, which show off his legs, and a t over the top. Steve phoned Sunday night to tell me to look after myself while he’s away – probably shagging every bitch in Durban.
Yesterday, I went surfing with Wingnut and Sean. Surf was small but at least it kept me busy and outta shit like Steve and Mark wanted [me to]. Nobody trusts me. Snifff! Anyway, Wingnut said he was gonna miss me, and gave me a hug before going to sleep over at Sean’s place. He told me he was gonna try and stay away from the shit [drugs].
“Try?”
“I’ll do it, Code – for you. You’re gonna be proud of me. Watch.”
“Hope so, bud. Look after yourself.”
This morning, I’m amped as hell to get moving [to see Nick]. I’ll catch up on all the stuff when I get back.
[Back from the holidays and back at school]Hiya Gary,
Exams are taking a helluva lot of our time over here but it looks like it’s all going well. Wrote our first two English papers, and I think they’ve gone well. Who knows what the guys think when they’re marking papers? Sometimes you try and think like: ‘Now what does this dude want me to write?’ But then you realize that the dude who set the paper is not the same one that’s gonna be doing the evaluation and marking.
Well, I guess you’re wanting to hear about how things are going with Mark and Wingnut, especially with Mark cos so much has been going on with him.
Mark arrived back from the hols late cos his dad delayed his flight back to Cape Town as long as possible. He had a total rave in Johannesburg – met a bunch of new friends that he went clubbing with a couple a nights, and he says he has the most amazing family up there. He says that his stepmom is about ten years younger than his dad and a looker. They’ve got two kids – a boy of ten who Mark says he will keep away from me cos he’s a blonde, swims, plays soccer: “He’s way too fucking young for you, Cody. But anyway, if you touch him you’re not gonna see any pension.” He says his sister who is seven is a real little cutie. The two of them loved him to bits, and he spent a few days with them. They were taking him everywhere and showing him off as ‘their older brother’. Mark says he could easily live in Joburg cos the sea isn’t his main thing, and there’s loads of work up there, and money to be made.
“You’re not fucking serious?”
“Hey, I’m not planning to go up there right now. OK? Stop fucking stressing, Cody. Jesus, you make me nervous when you just jump to fucking conclusions like that.”
He had a lotta opportunities to chat to his dad and they’ve really got a good thing going now. He asked his dad about why he treated Mark and his mom like that [during his time at home in Cape Town], and his dad couldn’t tell him except to say that he wasn’t very happy in those days, and he had to escape the whole situation of marriage and a kid. And now? Now he wants to make up for all the wrong he’s done in leaving Mark without a dad.
His dad said that if he came up to Joburg for a coupla years he would pay for Mark to go to college up there. Actually, he said he would pay part of Mark’s college fees in Cape Town as well [if he decided to stay here]. But now Mark’s thinking that it wouldn’t be fair to take his dad’s money and live down here. FUCK!
“So you’re thinking about going to Joburg?”
“Shut the fuck up, Cody. I never said that. I’m gonna try and work things out so I can pay for myself. I toldya that. Fucking hell, you’d swear we were lovers [because of] the way you’re going on.”
*:)*
It was good to see him again, but the thought of losing him for a year or more up in Johannesburg sucks big time, and I won’t fucking handle that. I can just hearya now [G]: ‘You’ve still got Steve and Wingnut and Steph’ – well, they’re not Mark.
One of the big highlights for us was our Valedictory Service at school this week. All our parents were there, even Mark’s mom was there. My folks were there. Besides all the grade 12 parents, the whole school was also there. This was our final assembly at school as pupils, and I could still remember last year’s ceremony. There were also a coupla special awards which were handed out. These are awards that only get handed out at the Valedictory Service, and the votes are done by the pupils in grades 10, 11 and 12. Well, the award for the person most likely to succeed went to Ross. Fucking hell, we all knew that – hehehehe.The award for the most likeable person in school went to a friend of mine – you know him. MARK! Well, I went off – totally off. This is Mark who is always putting himself down, and here he gets an award from the students telling him how well liked he is. His certificate says: ‘For being a fair prefect and an example of honor for the school’. This is Mark who called me a fag and had me beaten up. Go figure. Hehehehe.
Yeah, well, I got an award for something and the certificate read: ‘Awarded to Cody T – For Caring – and always putting others ahead of yourself.' SHUDDUP, G! I had huge fucking tears in my eyes when I got that.
The worst was still to come. A lot of awards get handed out – some of them like real disses. How Alan never got one of those is beyond me. He got an award for showing signs of promise.
After the service and the singing of the school song, the grade 12s had to walk through the hall and say goodbye to the students. Wingnut was beaming from ear to ear when Mark and I got to him.
“So Conan, now you can’t touch me anymore.”
“Says who? I can still beat you up.”
Wingnut’s eyes were full of tears, and that didn’t help my cause cos my throat had a huge lump in it. Mark’s eyes weren’t doing much better. Wingnut walked away cos I swear he woulda burst into tears if he stayed [with us]. It was so weird – saying goodbye to all the juniors that we’ve been helping through the last two years on the [swim] team. And knowing that except for coming back to write exams, this was the last time that we would be in school [and it] was like totally unreal.
I caught up with Wingnut sitting in the playground while all the excitement was still happening all around.
“Hey, you OK?”
“Yeah – ‘cept school sucks.”
“Why? Hey, Conan’s going so he won’t hassle you anymore.” I could see by his shoulders that he was sobbing, and he couldn’t hide his sniffling unless he wanted to snot all over himself. So I just sat down next to him. “It’s gonna be OK, you know. We’ll still beat you up … and you live right next door.”
“Not the same.”
“Well, not exactly.”
“Mark was helping me with boxing – you were always there to talk to.”
“He could still [help you]. Hey, I’m not happy about leaving you to go to school by yourself. I’m gonna miss this place. My whole life has gone on around school and my friends here. You’ve got loads of friends here.”
Whatever I was saying wasn’t helping him. I know how he felt. I felt the same. I was gonna miss the school and the vibe. Yeah, the studies and classes get you down but I had such a good time and made so many friends there.
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