Pack Up Your Troubles In Your Old Kit Bag

Jason stood leaning on the side of his slightly battered red jeep. It had been second hand as a present for his sixteenth birthday after he had passed his test. He was parked up in Kim’s driveway waiting as Tommy and Zack loaded up the bags in the trunk. He couldn’t help but chuckle as Billy just looked on in awe at Kim’s bulging case, bight pink of course. After all these years it still managed to surprise them all how much Kim could pack. For the most part, none of it suitable for where they would be going. They all knew, Kim included, that she wouldn’t wear half of it, but, she liked to be prepared just in case the occasion ever arose where she would need one of her numerous items.

He watched silently as if from the side lines as they all laughed and joked about giving each other little digs and shoves and smiles as the cheery banter flowed freely. The golden sun rays illuminated his face drenching him in a warm glow. He looked up to the sky, a smile across his face, and sighed lightly. The cool morning air was refreshing and inside he felt… free. A few days away would do him good. Recently he’d felt restricted and snowed under with a mass of thought, commitments and expectations. There was just too much going on in both his mind and his life and he was glad to have this time to clear his head.

Trinni couldn’t help but smile when she watched his peaceful face basking in the early morning sun. She hadn’t seen him so relaxed and peaceful in a long time. He had “come out” to them not long before Tommy turned up on the scene and despite seeming to have a weight lifted off his shoulders he always had an air of caution when around them. It was as if he was scared that they might all turn on him in the briefest of instants. As if he thought that if he blinked they may all change in the nanosecond and hate him. It was only now she realised that, even though it appeared they all replied heavily upon him, he relied upon them in return just as much. She remembered vividly the night he had told them all.

“Guys, I, erm, I have something to tell you.” The group – Jason, Billy, Kim, Zack and Trinni – were spending a late night out on the beach watching the sun set on the horizon.

“Shoot man.” Zack said tossing a pebble across the sand.

There was a frightened look in Jason’s eyes, a look which said he was scared to be abandoned by what he was about to say. He seemed unnervingly anxious.

“I, erm, well… I… I’m gay.” The last part of his sentence came out so fast he barely had time to breathe. The others stopped in shock for a moment and turned to him. Unsure as to whether they heard him correctly.

“You’re…” Bill didn’t even utter the word, despite being the first one of the group to find their voices.

Jason just nodded afraid of what was to come, “If you guys want nothing more to do with me I understand. Let me just get one thing clear though, I love all you guys like family and I would never do anything to hurt you. Especially you guys, Billy, Zack. I’d never hit on you or try and kiss you or anything weird like that. That would be just as weird as hitting on Kim or Trinni! However, I do understand if you want to yell at me, hit me…” he could barely force himself to say the next part and his voice became noticeably smaller, “Hate me.”

Zack was the first one to answer, taking on a serious side for a change. He knew he did not have to converse with the group to know their thoughts on the matter. This was Jason their best friend and big bro. Nothing had changed, apart from the fact they wouldn’t try to set him up with girls any more.

He was still Jason.

Their Jason.

“Jase, man, we love you like a Bro and nothing will ever change that. You could be a freaking four headed, purple-spotted, slimy alien and we’d still love you to the ends of the earth. You prefering guys don’t matter to us. We love you for who you are. You’re still the cool big brother who we all come to with a problem. Still the same guy who threatened to knock Bulk and Skull of the edge of the universe if they ever laid a finger on Bill. Still the same Jase who stood up to that Jock who was trying to force Kim into things. Still the same Jase who sat with Trinni all night after she broke her arm and we’d fallen asleep but she was too scared to because we were on the tenth floor of the hospital with a window view. Still the same Jase who would stay up all night and force me to cram for a big test when all I could do was keep waffling on about was Angela. To us you are still are, and always will be, Jason Lee Scott, big brother, leader and best friend.”

They all embraced him in a tight, reassuring hug, allowing him to feel their love for him. As long as he was happy they didn’t care. Jason could be gay, straight, upside down or turned inside out and he’d always be Jason - no matter what.

Trinni was brought out from her quiet reverie as she head playful bickering banter emerging from Kim and Zack’s lips.

“I called shotgun”

“No, I did!”

Kim was stood her hands firmly on her hips with Zack opposing her. God he must be feeling brave, Trinni thought, to disagree with Kim this early in the morning; or just very stupid.

Jason just shook his head wearily and wondered where Tommy had skulked off to. They had finished packing up the jeep and were now just arguing over seating arrangements. Hearing a slight clearing of the throat behind him, from inside the car he turned and came face to face with Tommy sitting in the front passenger’s seat on the right hand side. Jason couldn’t help but chuckle as they shared a mischievous grin.

“Oh guys,” he called over his shoulder, “I think someone may have beaten you to it!”

Kim and Zack snapped their heads round to see what he meant. Zack just laughed as Kim gave a mock scowl and slumped huffily to the back seat.

“That’s not fair.” She pouted.

“It was the only way to stop you two bickering; besides I know your taste in music Kim and I doubt anyone could cope the entire journey with you in charge of the stereo.”

Expertly Tommy ducted to miss the apple Kim lobbed at his head. Instead he picked it up off the dashboard and took a bite into it grinning happily. Glad to feel like part of the group at last.

Trinni, Zack and Billy all piled into the back along with Kim. It was going to be a tight squeeze but out of the lot of the possible combinations that was the one which would end up with most room for everyone involved. There had never been any question of anyone other than Jason driving, despite Tommy and Trinni being able to drive too and this being his car; he still would have stood no chance being cramped up in the back with three others.  He simply bore too much muscle for that!

The journey was pleasant and relaxed, Zack inducing a sing-along from time to time and Billy telling them a few facts about the places they passed; Trinni interpreting anything which he could not convey without the help of techno-babble. Kim told them some of the latest gossip to emerge from school. The juiciest being about Jason and Kim supposedly planning on having some wild, passionate alcohol-fuelled fling during this trip. Jason had laughed so hard at that Tommy had to lean across and take the wheel to stop them all careering off the road! Needless to say Jason hadn’t flaunted his sexuality around school. He’d seen how hard life could be, despite Angel Grove being quite a liberal place, for the openly gay students. The guys more so than the girls. Also, during the ride, they learnt a little bit more about Tommy and his life back in L.A. Kim had been adamant he answer her questions since he had stolen the front seat from her so, in a mix of being kind and being rather glad they had taken an interest, he obliged as fully as he could.

He had gone to high school back there. No he hadn’t been expelled for breaking a teacher’s nose; this rumour had come courtesy of Kim’s cheerleader friends. Yes he liked Angel grove. Yes, he’d lived in a rather rough part hence the reason his fighting style had a rather street edge to it. Yes, he still had friends there, even if they were few and far between. No, he barely kept in contact with them since the move. Then it was time for the question he had been dreading.

“So you got a girl back in L.A? Or were you more the player type and dated quite a lot of pretty young things?” Zack’s tone was teasing but the question was real. Jason noticed his friend suddenly become rather tense next to him as if uncomfortable with that certain topic of conversation.

“Well, I, I had a few girlfriends, nothing serious though,” He failed to mention the few boyfriends too part though. Nothing ever went anywhere, no kissing or anything, just a few dates. These were very accepting people but he was still extremely uncertain his self. He didn’t want to have to explain the missed up emotions in his head to a bunch of people he barely knew. Despite knowing they were the best friends he’d ever have, he still felt a little uncomfortable delving that much into his personal life.

The gang discussed this a little bit further before getting bored and moving onto other topics of conversation. Jason was glad the question of his love life, or lack thereof never came under scrutiny as he still hadn’t told Tommy of his sexual orientation. It was stupid but people always assume someone is straight unless told otherwise, so Jason always felt a need to tell those he cared about. His parents had been very accepting, so had his friends but Tommy was another matter. He was a great friend, there was no doubting that, but he was from the back streets of L.A. Life there wasn’t so welcoming as in Angel Grove and he had no idea of the experiences or prejudices this guy may have come up against or been brought up with.

Jason had been mulling over this for quite some time when he eventually came to a clearing in the secluded area of the forest. Just in front of them was a small, log cabin with a veranda encircling the building. It look quite big considering it was just a holiday home, but, then again Kim’s family never did anything by halves. He pulled up outside the quaint little house and turned to smile at Tommy. It was quite dark now and he was the only other one who had managed to stay awake for the entire duration of the journey.

“You take Kim and Billy, I take Trinni and Zack, we both get one calm one and one crazy one each, deal?”

Tommy nodded and began to wake up his friends; that was something he’d later end up regretting. The muttered curse words he received from Kim did give him a small bit of amusement but the hyperactivity she exhibited was not something he was prepared for. It was only intensified by Zack’s heightened energy after being cooped up for so long.

Kim and Zack bounded into the house with all their pent up energy flowing freely. They were closely followed by Billy and Trinni as Jason and Tommy hung back. They weren’t particularly bothered where they slept so allowed the others to just slot them into some room. Trinni and Kim took a room to the back of the cabin with twin beds whilst Billy and Zack took one to the right with bunk beds. Zack taking the top bed of course.

Jason and Tommy dragged their bags into the last available room since they had been left to share. Unfortunately, they hadn’t realised just how much sharing would be done. As they stood in shock looking around their room Kim poked her head round the door,

“Oh, guys, I’m so sorry I forgot about the double. If you want Trinni and I can swap.”

Looking at each other suspiciously they tried not to show their discomfort, neither wanting it read into. Clearing their throats in an almost vain attempt at being butch and masculine both men declined and assured her it wouldn’t be a problem. They were both grown men, they could share a duvet… and the double bed which came with it.