The Librarian – Part 4

Neither having any intention of coming out, Daniel and Peter continued their relationship throughout the winter. At 15, they had fallen victim to the hasty attraction complicated by raging hormones. Yet, both knew that their sexual pleasure was only a part of the deeper love they began feeling for each other. They remained distant at school, only sharing quick, knowing glances. Those honey sparkles still melted his soul, and Daniel’s piercing blue eyes ripped through Peter’s heart like bullets.

Being perhaps the more sensitive of the two, Daniel cherished most the intimate times they shared. Sex wasn’t the point, although they continued exploring in that regard. More often than not, they just skated together on Lake George where no one else would know anything about them. Daniel had even convinced him to wear girlie skates, and was teaching him how to do an axel. Being so popular, town authorities had recently installed some lighting around the lake and the warming house remained open until midnight. Not only that, but outside speakers had been added so that music could be played, CDs donated by other skaters.

It was mid-March, and both had agreed to meet at 10:00 on Lake George one Friday evening. They knew that Spring was arriving, along with warmer temperatures, and that their skating days were coming to an end. As he entered the warming house, Daniel wasn’t surprised at the throng of people milling about, changing footwear, talking, laughing, also determined to enjoy the last days on Lake George.

Moving his way around to find an empty place on a bench, he couldn’t see Peter, wondering if he might not be there at all. His heart began to sink, until he felt a warm hand against his own. “Come on, Daniel. Over here,” Peter said as he guided him to a vacant corner, where they sat down beside each other. There was always something electric about Peter’s touch, yet Daniel could feel that it was different tonight, but didn’t quite understand why.

They changed into their skates without saying a word, unusual for them, then skated out into the dimly-lit beauty of the lake. Loving the freedom of gliding along at slow or racing speeds, Daniel slid gracefully over the ice as he watched Peter struggle a bit, still getting used to the new girlie skates. The serrated tips that he wasn’t used to occasionally hooked the ice, causing him to trip and fall. Daniel pulled up next to him and put his left hand around his waist. “You okay, Peter?” he asked. “I guess so, but I just don’t want to fuck this up,” he replied with that exasperating frankness.

Together, they skated side-by-side over the smooth ice, Peter working up his courage to try an axel. Letting go of him, Daniel said, “you can do this, Peter. I know you can.” He watched as Peter picked up speed, made his leap and completed the axel. While not worthy of Olympic gold and nearly falling at the end, he had nonetheless done it, managing to stay on his feet. “I told you! Try another!” Daniel shouted with pride. “No, one’s enough for tonight. I don’t want to ruin my perfect record,” Peter replied as he skated away.

Something was definitely wrong. Daniel could feel it. He caught up with him and they skated together toward the pedestrian bridge that Peter had crashed into last December. “Remember that?” Daniel asked, pointing to the support post he had struck. “How could I forget?”

Passing the bridge, they slowed, and Peter stopped, stepping off the ice and falling onto his back in the snowbank where he had landed. Daniel joined him and sat on his stomach as he had done then. “Pecker-eater!” he said. “Dick-licker!” he replied. An odd silence fell over them, and Peter unexpectedly wrapped his arms around Daniel, pulling him down to his chest in a crushing embrace.