This story has not been beta read and I am not perfect, so please bear with me as I have tried to discover any mistakes on my own. This is a story about the romantic love between two teen boys (sorry no graphic images if that what you are looking for) so if you do not want to hear about male on male love, then please do not read. I would very much enjoy reading reviews and comments, but please no flames. I will respect your choice to hate life and everything in it and ask you to respect my choice not to. Please enjoy.

Dedicated to:

From the Heart (for her interest and inspiration)

And

Florian (my inspiration, best pen pal and the boys' God parent)

The boys and I would be lost without your input.

In The Arms of the Prom Angel

Study hall was never suppose to be a place for study, at least not in the mind of the young blond teenager who sat stooped over his English lit book preparing for his next period as the hum of hushed voices could be heard all around him, but he gave it no mind trying to soak in as much of the material in the book before him so he could spew it all out over the quiz he had been warned would be coming the day before by his instructor. In the past, his would have been one of the many voices in the crowd around him talking about the latest conversation or gossip that would seemly sweep the school every day, but in the past year, things had changed drastically for Jacob Summers and shifted priorities had taken control of his life. Where once study hall had been a place to gather for the latest jabber between him and his friends, he now found himself using the forty five minutes for the very purpose it had been created and placed into his day for. He was using the time to study and finding it to be a true help when it came down to crunch times such as these.

The Junior year had started very different for him than any other, at that time, he was still very much involved with caring for his boyfriend who was painfully healing in a slow process of rehab where Jacob would spend most of his after school hours of his time between the last bell and bed just sitting at Tyler's side trying to be a support for the other teen and then using the study hall time to catch up or finish any of his school work that he had ignored the night before. When Tyler was better, his time was used just for them to be a couple getting to know each other out side of a hospital room, getting driving lessons for his driver's license and going to what seemed like hundreds of doctors appointments and therapy sessions while he put most of his own needs aside for the better of his lover's. When the two were finally in school together again in the winter, things seemed to kick in for the junior year as the work load seemed to increase and the preparations for SATs became all so consuming in all of their lives. Jacob had never been a genius in any measure of the word, but he was not a slacker either and with steady concentration and a good work effort, he was able to maintain his grade point average and even fit in his cross country training for track and field after school and before meeting up with Tyler on a daily basses. So for him, what had once been a break to his studies, study hall, was now a God send to help make all the other factors of his life fit in.

He was just about finished making notes for the last paragraph that would be covered in the test following, he found writing things out helped him to remember even if he could barely read his own writing, when he thought he heard a soft voice coming from the seat to his left. At first he ignored the reaction to respond and continued with what he was doing, but a tugging came to the sleeve of his hoodie sweatshirt that he could not over look and he was forced to look over at his best gal pal, Val who was in her usual seat watching him with big eyes expecting an answer to a question he did not hear.

"You're not listening to me, are you?" She asked bobbing her dyed red head of hair with the lovely slightly rounded face. "You haven't heard a word I said in the last half hour."

"I'm a little busy here, Val," he gestured to the pages before him.

"Didn't you do your homework last night like a normal person," she inspected the notes before him. "I thought you and Tyler were going to go over the material for the Lit test together last night."

"We did," he started and then stopped himself with a shrug. "We started, but then my parents said they were going out for the night and Maria said she was done with the cleaning for the day and went to bed early, so Tyler and I were left alone in the TV room for two hours before I had to drive him home, and we just sorta made out for a while."

"A while?" She raised an eyebrow.

"The whole two hours," he nearly blushed. "But we didn't do anything my parents didn't want us doing in the house. We just kinda kissed for a while. Tyler says I'm good at it."

"Yeah I know," she gave him a slight grin reminding him of their agent history together in BT, 'Before Tyler', time.

"Well anyway," he shrugged again checking to make sure no one else was listening in on them. "We ran through some of the stuff on the ride home and on the phone after we were both in our beds, but I knew I had this time before class, so that's why I'm trying to catch up."

"Then I guess I'll let you finish, but first you have to answer my question," Val said with a determined look in her eyes.

"Okay," he studied her for a second trying to understand her intense interest in his life, "But you're going to have to rewind it for me, because my DVR is on the frits and I have no idea what the question was."

"Fine," she sighed heavily with an animated slump forward, "I was asking you if you asked him yet."

"Asked him?" Jacob was about to return to his books but gave her his full attention with a puzzled look, "ask who what?"

"Tyler," she nearly lost control and spoke loudly but pulled herself back just in time, "the junior prom in just over two weeks away," she added with a grunt. "Have you asked him to go with you yet?"

The question seemed to have caught him off guard for a minute and Jacob had to think for a minute, even running his hand through his short spiked hair on his handsomely tanned head. It was true that everyone knew that the big social event of the school year was quickly approaching, but he had never really given it much thought. It was not like he didn't want to go with Tyler on his arm, but the truth was that they were very private with their relationship and although never ashamed or trying to hide it, they remained respectful to the people around them and kept their contact and flirting to a minimum when others, with perhaps the exception of Val and Cam, were around or watching. It had never accrued to him, and for all he knew to Tyler either, that they would make some flashy show of it by showing up at the prom together as a couple, even though it was never a secret that these two were an item.

"Well no," Jacob shrugged bobbing the pen between his fingers. "I haven't really considered it."

"Well don't you think its time you gave it some thought?" She asked with a sigh and checking to make sure no one was listening. "If you haven't asked, then that mean that you haven't even thought about the tux rentals or the color of the vest or buttonhole flowers and forget about trying to rent a limo at this point," she rattled off the details from her head. "I guess you can go in with Cam, Mark, Jill and I on our ride."

"Wait a minute," he had to stop himself from laughing at her over stated concern. "It's just a stupid dance. Why do you have to make such a big deal out of it?'

"Because," she took a deep breath arching her shoulders as if readying for war, "as loving and touchy feely as you and Tyler can be together, you can be such a guy some times." She opened her notebook and began jotting some notes. "So I guess I'm going to have to be the woman for all of us."

"Okay," he shrugged this time not stopping himself from laughing. "But I'm not even sure Tyler is going to want to go to some big dance. He's pretty much normal now and all, but he still gets tired kinda easy which causes him to limp a little and his eyes still shakes when he's too nervous."

"And then there's the whole being out and proud before all our friends in the same room," Jacob shrugged loosing a little of his humor. "You know how private Tyler can be some times. He doesn't like to draw attention to himself."

"But Tyler loves you," she stopped writing and looked up to reminded him. "What person doesn't want to stand under the lights of the dance floor dancing with the person they adore to some sappy love song? It will be the perfect moment, and I am sure that Tyler wants that with you enough to overlook his fears for at least one dance."

"I guess," Jacob was a little lost in thought for the moment.

"So do you think Tyler has a tux?" She asked as she began to write again. "Living with the Hopkins and now on the fix income of the Watkins, I would think no unless you and your folks bought him one."

She waited for an answer, but when none came, "I'll call and make an appointment with that specialty shop on Main Street and call you when I have the time," she noted that down, "but what about your tux?"

"I haven't worn it since we went to Becky's sweet sixteen a year ago last month," he had to think about it. "And it was a little snug then."

"Yeah," she eyed him for a second, "and you've filled in a little since then too. Well I'm making the appointment for the two of you and they sell tuxes as well as rent them, so I guess it's up to you which you want."

"You mean you're giving me a choice in any of this?" He smirked.

"Shut up," she snapped back with a hint of a smile of her own, "or I'll take that right away too. Now for the color vest,"

"Royal or electric blue," Jacob spoke up rather quickly.

"God choice," she looked up with a hint of surprise.

"Its brings out the blue in Tyler eyes and he always looks hot in the Superman hoodie," he could not stop himself from grinning widely.

"Of course," she nodded her head briskly with a slow motion stare at him. "I think they can dye the flowers for you lapel the same color if we call ahead."

"So are we done?' He asked looking up at the clock on the wall. "I have a Lit quiz in ten minutes that I need to finish studying for."

"Sure," she continued to write in her notebook, "I'll take care of the rest of the details and fill you in as I have them done. Just remember to ask Tyler or all of this will be for nothing."

Jacob was about to returned to his book when he turned back, "Wait, why do I have to be the one to ask him? Why didn't you hound him into asking me?"

"Because," she shrugged refusing to answer further.

"Because what?" His stare was demanding. "You think of me and Tyler as having some kinda roles in our relationship and…" he was thinking out the details as he spoke, "you think of me as the guy." His mouth opened wide. "Is that what you think?"

"Not exactly," she ran her hand over the back of her neck with a hint of embarrassment. "But I guess you do seem to be the more masculine one at times."

Jacob leaned across the small space between them, "Believe me honey, no matter what information Cameron and the other are feeding you about how the gay things works, Tyler is very much all man."

"TMI Jake," she sighed with disgust. "I'm just saying that you seem to be the one he follows more than the other way around; that's all."

"Fine," he shrugged feeling that he had embarrassed her enough for one day, "I'll ask him after school when we drive home after my daily run on the track."

It was like all heck broke loose again as she gave a loud sigh of frustration. "You can't just ask him like that?" She almost gushed with red hot emotion. "This isn't your eight grade last minute fill in date for the harvest dance; this is Tyler, the love of your life we are talking about."

"Wait a minute," he smiled. "So were you even asked to the harvest dance? Is that what this is about? Because we weren't dating back then, so this is not my fault, is it?"

"Jake," she gritted her teeth. "You need to focus here. You need to ask Tyler before I have your appointment set up but it has to be romantic and a big deal for both of you. This is your first official prom. It's not the movies or dinner at the Grand Buffet, but a real big social event where you will be seen by just about everyone you know. You need to make this perfect for Tyler starting right from the invitation."

"Cameron did something stupid when he asked you, didn't he?" Jacob gave her an almost blank stare.

She rolled her eyes as she remembered back, "He mentioned going to the prom and asked if I wanted a mini bar in the room he was going to rent for us after in the same sentence; All while he was buying his quarters from the change maker at Fun World six weekends ago."

"Ewe," Jacob shrugged his nose, "We aren't going to have follow you to that room in the limo we'll be sharing, do we?"

"There's not going to be a room," she sighed. "And you are not going to blow this invitation for Tyler either. Take him out and ask him over a romantic dinner and drinks."

"Val, how many times do I have to tell you," Jacob smiled. "We are the same ages as those kids on Gossip Girl, but we don't get served or sit around drinking martinis like little adults with over dramatic libidos. Besides Tyler doesn't drink and neither do I, any more."

"I know that," she gave him an angry scowl, "And those aren't the drinks I meant. I mean just be clever and romantic about it."

"Okay," he nodded with a laugh returning to his studies. "I won't tell him about the hotel room until after he says yes." He said tossing her a wry look from the corner of his eyes as she reached across and smacked him on the back of his head.

Chapter One:

Running, running was his passion, his escape and his mistress when the love of his life was not around to sooth the beast that lay within in young heart. Even when all else had seemed to disappear in his life last summer when all hell had broken loose and it seemed for at least a few days there that no one who could stand the sight of him, running had been the one mainstay of his life that he was still able to find some joy in. Even if that joy was just running him self to the point of his complete limits and he would fall completely spent into his bed at the end of another long lonely day, the running would help wind him down so far where even the dreams were too much effort for his mind to put forward. Running was his safe place where he could be alone with his thoughts and not have to think all at the same time. It was the one safe haven from all the ills of the world and the dangers yet to be faced. Running was his friend that knew every bit of his body mind and soul, even more than he himself did. When the limits were reached, running would simply stop and Jacob would know that it was time to return to whatever semblance of a real world was still around him on any given day.

The sun was beaming hot against his tan skin as he raced around the long side of the two mile course behind the high school allowing the slightly cool May air to caress around his slim and tone body all over, under and through the thin material of the gym shorts, tank top, sneakers and anklet socks in the school colors as he made his third pass by the large set of bleachers where he knew that in the next turn about if not the one after that, Tyler would appear after his tutoring job he held while Jacob ran is laps to train for his long distance field running and the two would gather up their things after a quick change by Jacob and they would drive back to one of their homes and spend the next few hours doing homework or just being together in a number of friendly or romantic ways. It was the one part of the day that the blond bronzed creature lived for as he nearly counted the moments until they would be together again without the limits of the school bells and watchful eyes of all the other students around them, but today, he had a small knot in the pit of is stomach as he knew today would be the day he would ask the love of his live to go out on only their second official big deal of a date and he would ask Tyler to be his escort to the Junior Prom.

A chuckle almost came to his throat as he thought back to all the things the two had already been through and how trivial this seemed against the fear he felt every day sitting at his boyfriend's bedside in the hospital's ICU ward waiting against the better judgment of those in 'the know' around him who kept telling his not to expect anything more than a complete vegetable of a man to wake up if anything at all. There was always a large fear in his heart and a ball the size of a bowling pin in his very gut as he waited for hours on end praying, talking to Tyler or reading to him from whatever material was readily available until the boy finally did wake up again and the two of them began the long journey back to recovery.

The fear that wheld up inside of him the night that Tyler told him that he was falling in love with him and the realization in Jacob's heart that there was even more truth in his wanting to return the emotions feeling that if he did, he would loose the tentative reality of thin lies that he had been able to maintain all these years was far greater than the small knot in his belly at this moment, but he was still afraid on the small chance that Tyler would reject his gesture and not want to go to the prom with him. It was a small taste of the same fear that he swallowed down when he first told his father that he was indeed gay and that he knew that he was in love with Tyler, in spite of the fact that he knew his elder would be most displeased with this revelation and perhaps disown him as he had always feared one day would happen.

The first look at Tyler laying so small and so broken on that seemly large hospital bed on the cold / balmy night for him as he walked down the long corridor to the room at the end of the hall where the boy had been placed out of the way, much like the closet where he found him nearly dead a few hours earlier, to die, alone and beaten like the piece of dirt that so many people would remove from their shoes after a muddy walk in the rain. And the fear that shook him when Tyler finally did wake up in so much pain and completely relying on Jacob for comfort was far greater than this, but still, at the worst, he knew that Tyler would not reject him or push him away.

The two of them had come to depend on each other from the very day Tyler first opened his eyes and the two of them met their fears with each other always being one united unit together and whole as the lovers they were. They faced their fears together of Tyler's mother Anne wanting to pull them apart and Tyler away from him forever and the fears with each little progress he would make along the endless line of healing moves hoping the next would come along naturally and in short order to make him the nearly a whole person like he was again today. There were always fears for the two boys, but most had been together and met in kind, but today, asking Tyler to the prom was Jacob's and Jacob's alone to face.

He was sweating both from the run and his nerves when he saw the figure come up from the bleachers across the large field from the school building in the distance, and a smile came to his face as the light seemed to get that perfect ray right across his lovers soft light complexion and the large grin Tyler wore on his handsome face with the strong chin, deep dimples and striking blue eyes as the warm breeze tussled about his longish black hair with the curls circling his face with the perfect delicate framing of his angel like features. He was carrying his backpack slung over his left shoulder and was walking with barely a hint of his once pronounced limp left in the ravages of his beating nearly a year earlier by his step father that had nearly taken his life, but cemented the boys together.

Seeing Tyler crossing the field wearing his baggy jeans, white untucked tee-shirt under a blue plaid long sleeve shirt, with the sleeves rolled up a third of the way, no longer having to keep them cuffed at his wrist to hide his bruises from the home life he had escaped, and sneaker with sport sox, it was too much for Jacob to handle anymore and he cut his sprint around the track short by several yards and rushed across the newly turning green grass again towards his lover swooping his arms around him and picking up off the ground leaning back until the smaller by an inch or two boy was nearly resting on his chest in midair with his own arms flung around his neck and they kissed passionately nearly dropping to the ground only to be saved by Jacob's fast footwork and they laughed at the thought as they pulled apart with Tyler's feet returning to the earth, but never taking their arms fully away from each other and just watched the other for a few seconds.

"Wow," Tyler laughed running his fingers through Jacob's sweat soaked hair. "What was that all about?"

"Can't I be happy just to see you?" Jacob giggled catching the last of his breath. "Besides, the way the sun hit your face when you walked across the quad, I just had to get my hands on you as soon as I could."

"Well," Tyler leaned in steeling a kiss, "I'm not complaining."

Jacob pulled the darker hair boy's head closer to him and they kissed for a few more seconds not caring that the other students were not that far off who could see everything that they were doing.

"You still have the best lips I have ever tasted," Jacob grinned leaning his forehead against Tyler's. "I swear I don't need any sweets when you're around, because you are the best desert on this planet."

"Considering that neither of us will ever have any other lips in our future to compare notes with," Tyler smiled broadly, "I'll have to take your word on that."

"So," Jacob pulled back adjusting the strap of the backpack over Tyler's shoulder where it had slipped a little. "Are you ready for our dinner date tonight?"

"Yes," Tyler nodded trying to gage his boyfriend's sudden desire to go out to a nice restaurant. "I told the Watkins that you were taking me out to the Olive Garden tonight and not to hold supper, and they said since today is Friday, that it would be okay."

"Cool," Jacob could barely contain his excitement. "I know its one of your favorites and since you won't let me take you to the country club or any of the really fancy places, I'll have to settle for delicious fake Italian food."

"We have a truce," Tyler took his hand as they began to walk back towards the locker rooms, "as long as the only places I can afford to treat you are Mickey D's and Pizza Hut, you can't spring for more than the Garden or Red Lobster on me."

"You know my folks can afford more without so much as flinching," Jacob said as they walked slowly, "but if this is what you want, then we'll slum it for a while," he said the last part with a big 'I'm just kidding' grin across his face.

Reaching the doors, Jacob opened one and the two of them stepped into the large hall where the entrance to the gym was straight ahead behind a row of eight doors divided into two sets of four with a brick wall of about twenty feet between them. To the right of the gym in the hall to the north wing were the two separate entrances to the locker rooms clearly marked boys and girls and to the left was a large seating area with plenty of sunlight coming from the solarium style hall leading to the ret of the school just outside the library where there were several seats and sofas, the type with wood slats ends and tilted in canvas covered cushions that could be found in almost any doctor's office or hospital waiting room.

"So," Jacob stopped before the boy's locker room door facing Tyler. "Do you want to come in and watch me strip down and then lather up?" He tossed an eyebrow up with a whimsical grin. "I hear that I can put on a really hot show. All the critics are raving about it."

"And as the one soul critic," Tyler leaned in until there was no space between them and their bodies were touching, "I have to give the show two thumbs up, but I think it would be better if I don't sit around looking like a peeping tom in there and pass on the matinee' performance. So I am going to be across the hall over here catching up on my reading for lit class while you take another cold shower." He closed the few inches between their lips and kissed him warmly before pulling away with a grin of his own, "but I reserve the right to my own private prime time showing later."

"Oh that is so much of a given," Jacob pulled his head in again as they kissed in the empty hall as Jacob stepped back through the door and pulling himself away with a sweet smile biting his lower lip with desire and allowing his eyes to dance his goodbye to his lover who laughed with full dimples ablaze as he disappeared behind the door.

It was about ten minutes later when Tyler looked up from his reading as he heard the clamoring of several teens entering the building from the sports field through the same doors that he and Jacob had come a while earlier. He continued to read his book, 'The Adventures of Tom Sawyer' and ignored the commotion as the noise came a little closer by crossing the foyer from the outside to the gym locker rooms.

Things had been getting better for Tyler since he gotten back to school in January and even was able to carve out a notch for him self in the higher ache of high school life even when he wasn't at Jacob side. He was never the popular kid in any school he ever attended, but usually slipping in under the radar in most cases, and in some ways, it was the same here. Everyone knew about him and Jacob and their 'special' relationship, he was sure, but for the most part, he was left to himself and where he was not avoided, he was never encompassed by those around him who only sought for shallow company. This was of no concern for him, but as much as Tyler was happy to be nearly invisible, Jacob's rein as mister popularity was hanging in a tentative thin string. The blond teen pretended that his lost of the Alfa male status did not upset him, and to some degree it didn't so long as he was with Tyler, but there was still that small part of Jacob that missed the times where he was always the center of attention by the admiring masses.

At home, he now had his parents with him nearly everyday and that helped to close some of the gap where he once used the empty adulation from the kids at school to cover over in his heart, but things with the elder Summers, although getting better with the passing of time, was still polite and somewhat forced at best. The shallow claims of false love of those who once threw themselves at his feet daily was replace with the real devotion from Tyler and a solid love that could never be faked or rehearse was in his heart every minute of every day, but there was still a small part of the new complete and whole Jacob that missed the 'not so deep' and thoughtful Jake of his past that was always the center of attention and was admired by just about everyone around him, even though a small part of him always hated that false bravado. He was still one of the better known kids and the track and field star of days gone by, but by skipping football and basketball seasons to care for Tyler, the invisible glow around him seemed to tarnish and he was no longer the hero he once was. He was quickly becoming just another of the goodhearted masses in the school. The aura around Jacob was beginning to diminish as being his own, but was merging with Tyler's as a unit that was incomplete without the other to make it whole. All these factors were triggering a shift in the popular culture of the school and Jacob, putting it very simply, was no longer big man on campus; and as such, the rules of the game and the privileges that came with the title were also stripped slipped away as was the protection his notoriety once gave him and to some degree to those in his inner circle was beginning to disappear as well.

"Hey," Tyler heard a voice coming closer as a shadow began to overcast his form in the seat near the window. His left eye was close as he read in an attempt to follow up on some new therapy suggested at his last appointment by his doctor to regain some of the strength in his weaker right eye now that most of his other body functions were back to some normalcy for a boy his age after the head trauma of last summer, so he did not see the loud teens who had quieted down when they spotted him, approached. "How are you doing Ty?" The African American teenage boy in the group of four called out to him as they approached.

"Mark?" Tyler looked up from his book spotting his friend in the small crowd. "I'm doing good, how 'bout yourself?"

"Can't complain," he returned scratching his chest through the sweaty tank top he wore after finishing a game of Lacrosse with the others.

Mark had once been part of Jacob entourage with Val, Cam and Jason who stood stoically quiet next to his friend with crossed arms. He had been one of the few people at the end of year party last semester who tried to stop the larger Cameron from beating on the smaller Tyler, but like most of those once 'followers' he too had fallen away from Jacob and he now only joined them on special outings and events.

It was another strained and somewhat forced relationship between them, but at least Mark was trying to keep the friendship open, where Jason, the blond sour faced youth standing next to him with arms cross over his chest was less willing to make the effort to befriend two people he now saw as beneath him.

"So where's Jake?" Jason almost snared as the other two boys who were with them turned their faces away with a hint of a snicker in their lips.

"Jacob," Tyler corrected being sure to meet with his gaze to make sure he knew that he was not shying away from his sneers and dog earring his page in the small paper back book, "is in the locker room getting dressed."

"So you don't have to be in there to supervise or anything?" This time he did chuckle under his breath as he covered his mouth in a vein attempt to hide it.

"No," Tyler met him sneer for sneer squaring his shoulders in his seat, "Jacob knows his body parts almost as well as I do, so he doesn't need me to navigate."

"Sick," Jason spun his blond head from side to side.

"Lay off," Mark put in giving the other two drones a curt look to settle their giggles, "you're trying to get a rise out of him and Ty is smart enough not to bite, so let it go."

Jason shot him a killer look as if to warn him to remember his place as the lackey and not the leader of this new niche they had found. But after a few seconds, allowed his squared shoulders to slump a little, "Yeah whatever." He sighed checking his watch, "I have a date with Darleen in a while so I should get cleaned up and not waste my time on Queer Eye over here."

Mark waited until the other three had walked away and looked down at Tyler who had sat up straight and was watching the other carefully. "I'm sorry about that dude."

"You don't have anything to be sorry about," Tyler turned his attention back to him after they had entered the locker room. "I don't understand why you want to hang around with a bunch of jerks like that, but it's your life. I'm just hope you have the good sense not to let them influence you too much."

"They're really a bunch of good guys," he shrugged eying the door for a second. "I guess Jason is just still a little upset with everything that went down last summer. He was always one of Jacob's eager followers, so now he's just trying to find himself and maybe be a bit of a leader instead of follower for once."

"Yeah," Tyler sighed with a shrug waving his book, "But maybe being a homophobe is not the best way of going about it."

"I know," Mark sighed again, "but I promise I'll try and put a tighter leash on him for yah. Maybe I can get Darleen to help out. It's just that Jason has a lot of stuff going on in his life and at home with his folks these days, so try not to take what he says to seriously. We've been friends since third grade, so I know he is a bit of a flake, but not the freak he has been acting like lately."

"I'll take your word on that for now," they both laughed as they heard the door squeak again and Jacob came out wearing fresh jeans, a tee-shirt under gray hoodie and his sneakers with his back pack flung over his shoulder and his hair still sobbing wet and dripping down the side of his face.

The sight of his boyfriend put an instant smile on Tyler's face as he seemed to light up the room and the response from Jacob was not any less enthusiastic as their eyes met across the hall and everything else seemed to disappear for a moment.

The fact that the two boys were instantly connected did not go unnoticed by Mark either. "Geesh, you guys have got it bad for each other."

They both stopped their approaches to the other as Tyler had risen to walk across the room and they laughed at his comment. Tyler waited only a split second more and met Jacob just before wrapping his arms around his waste giving him a quick peck on the lips before returning their attention to Mark.

"I don't think you have anything to complain about," Jacob greeted him with a half handshake, finger tapping and hand sliding move for a second pulling back sharply, "after the way we found you and your girl going at it when we ran into you at the mall last week. If we called the fire department, it would have taken them at least twenty minutes to pry you two apart."

"Hey," he pointed a long slim finger, "remember the sanctity of the food court dude," he laughed, "what happens at the mall stays at the mall."

"If you say so," Jacob chuckled back.

"Hey look," Mark rubbed the back of his head a little unnerved, "I should get in there and shower off before they lock us in the building for the weekend, so you guys hang loose and I'll catch you later."

"Sure thing," they both turned as he walked away. "See you Monday."

"Sure," he grinned before stepping through the door, "and Ty, try not to let Jason rattle your chains too much, he's really a good guy."

"No problem," Tyler waved him into the locker room and then turned his attention back to Jacob pulling him into a complete hug and a small kiss.

"What was that all about?" Jacob asked when he had pulled away a little.

"What," Tyler shrugged with a grin, "I can't hug and kiss you now?"

"Not that," Jacob returned with a bit of blush, "I meant what Mark said before he left. Did I miss something between you and Jason? "Cause he didn't say anything when I passed him in the locker room."

"Nah," Tyler tried to put a smile over his slight anger at the situation, "He was just being a jerk to impress his other friends and trying to give me a hard time, but Mark talked him down and he's okay now."

"Really," Jacob turned a worried eye towards the door.

"Hey," Tyler cupped his head and turned his eyes back to his own. "It's nothing okay? Mark was just telling me that Jason has some stuff going down at his home with his parents and just letting off a little steam." He took a deep breath to give Jacob a second to absorb what he was saying. "Everything is just fine between us."

Jacob watched his lover's tender and almost sad eyes for a minute, "You would tell me, right?" He too took a deep breath, "I mean if Jason or anyone else was coming down on you?"

"Of course," Tyler followed up his promise with a kiss.

"Good," Jacob nodded allowing a few drops of water to slide down the side of his face. "Because I swear Angel, if anyone ever touched you or hurt you in any way again, I would…"

But he didn't have a chance to finish his statement as Tyler wiped the drops from his face with a warm smile and ran his thumb over Jacob's lips pressing lightly. "You would avenge me like my knight in shining armor that I know you are," he nodded slightly, "but you can sheave your sword my sweet prince, because there is no battle to be fought here. Just a scared kid spouting smack to impress his friends, that all."

It took a few seconds for Jacob to fully allow himself to understand what Tyler was telling him and even a few more minutes to accept it before pulling him in for another hug nuzzling his chin into the crook of Tyler's neck.

"Just the thought of anything happening to you…" he paused to drink in a smell of his boyfriend, "well I don't know what I would do."

"Same here," Tyler whispered into his ear as he returned the embrace rubbing the back of his neck.

After a few seconds they were able to pull away from each other where Jacob saw Tyler staring at his hair with a smirk.

"What?" He found him self laughing at the joy in his lover's eyes.

"Do you ever dry your hair when you come out of the shower?" Tyler found himself laughing running his hand through the wet mop on his head.

"Yeah, a little Jacob shrugged, "I just towel dry it a little but I like to leave the natural moisture to dry by it self so my hair doesn't become damaged. I think I read about it in one Val's teen magazines when we were still going out about how blow dryers and towels sometimes destroy the natural conditioners of the scalp."

"Wow," Tyler tussled his hair a little more, "and Cam thinks you're the guy in our relationship."

They were both laughing as Jacob began to tickle him in retaliation.

"Okay, okay," Tyler fought him off with very little effort, "I take that back. You are so He Man."

Jacob pulled him into another bear hug, "And don't you forget it," he gave him a quirky smile before kissing and releasing him.

They collected their things and walked down the hall to the front of the building where they waved and talked briefly to some of the other kids still hanging around after their afternoon activities. Tyler even took a few minutes to have a conversation with the janitor who Jacob had seen around since his first day here but did not know his name until Tyler properly introduced them. Then they walked out to the late model sedan that Jacob's parents had given him for passing his driver's exam on Valentines day and began to drive into the city center.

After driving a few miles, playing with the radio and talking about just about everything from the weather to the latest state of the national economics situation, Jacob noticed the time of the sound system's display.

"You know," he glance from the road to Tyler and then back again, "It's still kinda early. Do you want to stop in and at the comic book shop so I can buy my 'pick and holds' for this week's selection?" He saw Tyler's eyes drift from the radio to his face with a big grin. "We can check out what else is new while we are their and buy us a little time until we are maybe a little more hungry."

Tyler shifted in his seat, he wanted to lean over and hug his lover, but had resigned him self to never do anything that would interfere with Jacob's driving in any way, so instead stared at him intensely with a big grin.

"Okay," he took a deep breath, "Just for future reference here; with the exception of making out with you in a nice private place, the comic book shop will always be a good place to start any and all of our dates." He paused for the effect, "Heck if we could find a way to make out in a comic book shop that would be the perfect date in my mind."

"Alright," Jacob was laughing, "well while I try and find a way to make that happen, just shopping there and then dinner at Garden will have to do until we can get to the making out part."

"Sounds like a plan," Tyler laughed back slipping his hand onto Jacob's thigh but not to close to his private parts where it would distract his driving. It took a minute for Jacob to notice that Tyler was sitting in his seat facing him, still in his seatbelt, but staring at him with warm loving eyes mouthing the words to the sappy Air Supply song that was playing on the oldies station, 'Two Less Lonely People'.

It was at that moment that a knot came to his stomach as Jacob watched him. It was clear even beyond his little boy fears that Tyler's love for him was as deep as his love for him, but there was still that nagging little voice in that back of his head that reminded him why they were going on this special dinner, as apposed to the hundreds of other meals they had spent together, and still there was that small part of Jacob that could not help but wonder if their love was strong enough to stand the stress of the Junior Prom Night.

So instead, he gave his lover a sweet smile back as he pulled into the parking lot of the comic book shop and took a deep breath praying to God that he would make it through the next few hours and find the perfect moment to spring the question that would make or break the rest of his life.

By the time they entered the comic book store, Jacob had calm his nerve enough, perhaps entranced by all the bright colors around them and the sight of his favorite super heroes in their full regalia at every turn, that the two boys were able to spend the next hour enraptured by the joy of their shared hobby. After so many month together dealing with Tyler's rehabilitation therapy, the boys had learned a long time ago how to use almost every opportunity as a learning and training experience, and a trip to their favorite store was not out of the realm of possibilities as a training playground.

So after they made their first run through the racks searching for anything new or interesting that had been missed on Jacob's pick and hold list, it was time for a little training in helping Tyler learn to adjust his eyes quicker and more easily which in turn was making his eyes stronger and more willing to cooperate when needed. Jacob would pick something out, usually on his first trip around the shop and describe the cover to Tyler, such as "find the cover with Superman sucker punching the Green Lantern", always making sure the cover was in clear sight to be found, and then sending him on his way. If after a few minutes, the task had not been complete, he would add to his description with things like "It on an original Justice League of America number One Twenty Seven," which would help Tyler to know from the knowledge he had been acquiring these past few months, that it would be among the vintage racks and not the 'just in' selection. Once found, he will have made his next choice of the three or four items they would search for that day. Sometimes he would use the action figures or statue displays to help him be able to pick out three dimensional items as well as flat surfaces.

They both enjoyed their small treasure hunts, but Tyler was not about to let Jacob off so easy either as he would go on the many comic web sights at least once a week and do research on some of their favorite characters, he would memorize the information and then task his boyfriend to finding the items or the comic book with the story contents he was describing. He would also make sure the items were available in this store by checking their web sight or calling ahead. It was a small game that the store owner had become familiar with and would even suggest things for them to search for in their quest from time to time. The sight of the boys entering his shop always brought a smile to his wide round face and their joy was always infectious to him. The fact that Jacob had been one of his best customers for years now and in his attempt to teach Tyler the ways of the superhero world would cause him to buy even more, made the owner all the more willing to go out of his way for them.

After about an hour and a half, and a full bag of comic books, they decided to call it a day at the shop and came to the conclusion that they were now hungry enough to eat and made their way across town to the Olive Garden restaurant, gave their name to the hostess and waited about a half hour to be seated.

In the time they were waiting, Jacob's nerves seemed to be picking up again and his leg began to jitter up and down as they sat on the love seat by the front door. Tyler fought the impulse to place his hand on the jumping knee to settle it, but after watching the reactions of some of the people around them who seemed to be eyeing them suspiciously as they sat very close and had no problem leaning in to whisper into each other's ear from time to time, he chose not to at this time, but would be sure to do so at the table under the linen cloth.

Jacob was looking about the small space, about the size of a breakfast nook as he tried to find things to talk about in the very Italian decor with pictures of Italy's hillsides, most with grape orchids and bountiful rolling hills as well as the wine bottles over the bar a few yards away that were apparently there for looks and not use. After a few minutes, he almost began to ramble as Tyler listened patiently and trying to find interest in everything he said no matter how small or uninteresting. In truth, he could listen to Jacob's voice for hours on end just admiring all its subtle nuances and drinking the tones of his not yet deep, but still rich vocal chords, but he also knew his lover well enough by now to know when he was talking because he wanted to, or just speaking to fill the dead air space around them, which was more often done when he was nervous or trying to avoid saying something else hoping that by steering the conversation anywhere but where he was trying to avoid, he would fill time until the right moment came.

When the hostess finally seated them at a small booth for two near the back, they gave the waitress their orders or Raspberry Ice Tees and stuff mushrooms for an appetizer. Tyler listen intently as Jacob seemed to be lost in the menu he must have seen at least a hundred times and ordered the Chicken Marcela and just nodded his way through the questions of side dishes. When it was his turn, Tyler requested the stuffed Chicken Marcela with rice and summer vegetable medley just like he knew Jacob liked. She thanked them and then went to place their orders.

Once alone, Tyler studied Jacob carefully who was busing himself trying to unfold his napkin over his lap and reaching for the bread sticks almost dropping the water which he was able to quickly recover before it spilled too much.

"Oh crap," he cursed softly using the corner of the table cloth to sop up the small mess. "I can't believe I did that."

"It okay," Tyler said softly watching him fumble about.

"Yeah I don't need the water anyway once they bring us our drinks," Jacob said moving the small bread plate to a dry spot.

"No," Tyler reached across the table and grasped his hand that had just moved the dish. "I mean whatever it is that you are ripping your guts apart about right now, its okay."

Jacob stopped and looked across at his large understanding eyes.

"I don't know what is going on or what I said or whatever," Tyler said lower his eyes to the dish, "But you have been a complete basket case since we left the shop. So whatever it is you want to say or have to tell me, then please just say it."

"There's nothing wrong," he tried to shrug, "I mean…"

"You just ordered the Chicken Marcela with mash potatoes and broccoli," Tyler stopped him, "You always order the stuffed Chicken Marcella with rice and vegetable mix, its your favorite."

"I did?" The new knowledge seemed to snap him out of whatever stupor he was in for a moment. "I mean I like the regular Marcela, but I rather have the stuffed one," he began to search the room for his waitress but was not sure if he remembered her since he was too nervous to look up at her face the whole time.

"It's okay," Tyler wanted to laugh but was a little unnerved by Jacob's sudden change in behavior in the last hour. "I ordered the stuff one."

"You did?" Jacob stopped as his face lit up to admire yet another sweet gesture from his boyfriend. "Is that what you wanted?"

"Sure," Tyler shrugged placing a smile on his handsome face. "I figured we could always split each of our meals so we can get a little of each plate."

Jacob was at a lost for words as he watched the dark haired boy swipe a curl off his forehead. He was not sure what it was he had done to deserve such rich yet empty life before he fell asleep each night about a year ago, and now he wondered what he had done to have his fortuned reverse so greatly and how he had found the most perfect person in the world to be his mate at such a young age.

"Would that be okay?" Tyler asked after a few seconds of silence.

"That would be perfect," Jacob was about to reach across and touch his face when he saw a plate being placed between them with the stuffed mushrooms. He quickly retracted his arm and gave a sad blushed smile to his boyfriend.

After agreeing to some shredded cheese on the salad, the waitress left again and they began to dish out the food that had arrived between them. It was a busy couple of minutes for them as they occupied themselves with the task at hand until Tyler stopped before placing any more food in his mouth and looked over at Jacob with question in his eyes.

"What?" Jacob was a bit startled by his complete attention in that way.

"I can't eat until you tell me," Tyler said with a look that was almost painful to watch as if he were suppressing tears. "Did I say something wrong back at the shop to embarrass you? Is that why you are acting so strange and trying to avoid telling me whatever is on your mind?"

"Tyler," Jacob stopped and lean over the table speaking softly. "You did not embarrass me, Babe," he swallowed hard. "I'm not even sure if you would even know how to do that."

"Then what is it, Jacob?" Tyler seemed to be stifling a louder voice but spoke softly. "I mean first you make a big deal out of going out to dinner when we've been out a million time already, and now you seem so nervous you can't even focus on a simple meal, like you're hiding something that you don't know how to tell me," he paused for affect, "something you must think is going to hurt me, or you would have spilled it out already."

Jacob became increasingly silent as he picked up the napkin from his lap and neatly placed it back in the same position clearing his throat, but always avoiding eye contact with Tyler.

"Wow," Tyler sat back in his seat looking about the room for a second scrounging up his face as if suppressing a sob. "This must be really bad."

"No, no," Jacob almost jumped from his seat but stopped himself before becoming a spectacle in a room of strangers. "I don't know what you are thinking Angel, but you haven't done anything wrong, and there is nothing wrong," he closed his eyes taking a deep breath, "I can't believe I let Val talk me into making such a big thing out of this."

"Val?" Tyler repeated watching his face intently now. "What did Val tell you to tell me?" He waited only a second for an answer but continued instead, "She doesn't know anything about us Jacob. Is this another one of those 'you're the guy and I'm the girl' kinda of things?"

"In…" Jacob stuttered for a second, "In a small way, but its not what you think."

Tyler's eyes drifted to the plate with two stuffed mushrooms before him. "Okay, that was vague and unhelpful."

"I love you Tyler," Jacob said as he lifted Tyler's chin until their eyes met. "If you think I brought you here to dump you, you are so wrong that it is almost funny." He paused to make sure that Tyler was listening, "I meant it when I told you all those times that I would die without you. And I would never be stupid enough to cut off my own right arm."

"Then why are you being such a whack job?" Tyler asked about to release a tear but held it back as Jacob pulled his hand back.

"Because if I ask you what I want to ask you," Jacob lowered his eyes now, "I am not sure if your answer is not going to break my heart or even worst yet if you are going to go along with it and end up hurting yourself instead."

"Okay," Tyler raised his hands as if in defense or giving up, "That makes no sense what so ever."

"I'm sorry, Babe," Jacob lowered his head. "I'm screwing this all up like always. It was never this hard with Val."

"Jacob," Tyler sighed, "I may be new at this too, but somehow I don't think comparing note on the new lover with the old one is the best way to go."

"Sorry," Jacob could not help but smirk, "like I said, I am screwing this up."

Tyler looked down at his plate and although he was still a little confused, the lost feeling in the pit of his stomach was loosening and the mushrooms looked good. He used the fork to split one and then ate one half.

Jacob watched him closely for a few seconds and his own nerves eased for a moment knowing that Tyler was a little more at ease himself. This was not how he had planned to ask the big question that was so simple for just about every other couple in the world but them, and he gave himself a mental kick in the head knowing that he had allowed Val's paranoia make him tense and nervous over such a simple idea.

He allowed a chuckle to be released from his lips and Tyler liked the idea as he too grinned over at him and ate the other half of his mushroom. Whatever this was about, it was not as bad as either of them feared.

"So," Tyler finally spoke again slicing his second mushroom, "am I going to hear whatever this is about before the meals get here?"

"The prom," Jacob finally let the word be said out loud for the first time between them that he could remember. "It's about the prom."

Tyler's face seemed to drain for a moment again as he looked over at his boyfriend who was doing his best not to hurl up the food he had not eaten yet.

"The prom?" Tyler finally said after taking a drink from his raspberry tea to ease the dryness in his throat. "What does the prom have to do with us?"

Jacob took a drink from his glass in kind before answering, "I think we should go," he closed his eyes tight for a second. "What I mean Tyler," he took a deep cleansing breath, "will you do me the honor of being my date for the Junior Prom?"

This time Tyler did not hold back and almost broke into a full belly laugh, even drawing the attention of some of the people around them, forcing him to restrain himself. It took a minute for him to get control of himself after going from fear, to grief and now to pure giddiness in such a short period of time.

"I'm sorry, Jacob," he cleared his throat trying to make up for his lover's sad face. "I mean I was getting ready for you to tell me you hated me or something and then to hear you ask me to the prom like that and all."

Jacob had to go over the conversation for a second in his head and even found himself giggling at his own words, "Well," he cleared his throat this time, "it would be an honor."

"And I feel the same way for you asking me," Tyler reached across the table and took his hand again. "But you could have been a little less dramatic about this. What did you think I would say?"

Jacob's eyes drifted down this time, "No, I guess."

"So Val put you up to this, did she?"

"Sorta," Jacob shrugged. "I mean I knew the prom was coming, but I never gave it anything but a passing thought about going," he swallowed, "and I didn't think you would want to go."

"Well that makes two of us," Tyler agreed with a twist of his upper lip, "I mean I knew the prom was coming too, but I never considered that we would go." He thought for a second. "I mean would we even be welcomed there?"

"Val seems to think so," Jacob gave him an uneasy smile. "Our relationship is no secret to anyone at the school."

"Yeah, but we agreed to keep it low key when other people are around," Tyler added. "Wouldn't going to the prom be too 'out and proud' for us?"

"We are, aren't we?"

"Yeah," it was Tyler's turn to shrug, "but we have always been kinda low key. I don't want anyone to think that we are forcing ourselves and our relationship on them."

"Why does this have to be about anyone else?" Jacob protested squeezing his hand. "I don't want to go in there and make big show in front of everyone either, but I would like for both of us to be able to have the right to dance at our own Junior Prom."

Tyler was silent for a minute as he watched Jacob scoop some of the mushrooms onto his plate, not really because he was hungry, but he needed something to do while he waited for Tyler's next sentence.

"Not everyone likes us being so open and free with our feelings, at the school," Tyler finally spoke watching him poke at the appetizers. "I'm not really afraid of what a bunch of red necks might do, but I don't want to be some type of poster boy for gay rights either."

"You won't be," Jacob stopped what he was doing to assure him by taking his hand again. "I would never do anything that would put you at harm or embarrass you Angel, you have to know that."

Tyler looked deep into his eyes for a few seconds. "Is this something you really want?" He asked, "or is this just something that Val is putting you up to?"

Jacob used his free hand to push his plate aside and reached across for Tyler's other hand as well leaning them both over the table and only inches away from each other. "I love you Angel, and I would never risk loosing you on some stupid bet or cohesion from my friends." He took another deep breath and smiled. "It may sound stupid and maybe a little childish, but the more time I have had to think about it since Val brought it up, the more I know that I want to dance with the guy I love in the same room with all our friends and share that special stupid night all kids our age are suppose to have."

"I…" Tyler spoke softly as his eyes seemed to get sad again. "Not that I have had a whole lot of time to think about it before, but I would have never dreamed in my life that I would being going to my Junior Prom, much less with someone I am so madly in love with."

Jacob waited for a second as a smile slowly creped across his face, "So is that a yes?"

Closing his eyes for a second, Tyler opened them again slowly as a tear ran down his cheek and a smile parted his lips. "Jacob," he nearly lost his voice for a second, "I would love to be your date for the junior prom."

Unable to control himself any longer, Jacob leaned across the table, grasped Tyler's head and kissed him warmly right there in the room full of strangers with only a few heads turning to notice.

"I can't believe it," Jacob was beaming as he slipped back into his seat. "I am going to the prom with the best looking guy in school."

"No you're not," Tyler replied pulling a bread stick from the basket and shot his a cute smile, "I am."

They both laughed as the servers came with their plates, "Who had the stuffed chicken Marcella?"

"I did," they both raised their hands causing them to start giggling again.

"Why don't you just leave them both here in the middle," Jacob said as he and Tyler cleared the table for room, "and we can work it out ourselves."

The server nodded and did as instructed as the boys seemed to finally relax and enjoy the night again. They each took servings from each plate onto their smaller plates and even slipped a bite or two into he other's mouth when no one was looking while Jacob informed him of all the plans that Val had already made and when their fitting appointment was. Tyler was trying to do the math in his head about how much this would cost him, but those worries were for another time, and tonight he was with his boyfriend enjoying their meals and just having a great time.

Yet even with all the joy in his heart, Tyler could not ignore the small nagging feeling in the pit of his stomach that this was only the calm before the storm. After all, before he met Jacob, nothing ever went right or perfect for him and this was all too much of each to be true. As much as he counted on his lover and knew they would both move heaven and earth to be together, he could not shake the feeling that one day soon, his luck was going to run out and this fairytale would all disappear before his very eyes. But for now, he was going to enjoy as much of it as he could and drink in the perfection that was Jacob Summers, his friend, is lover and his soul mate.

To be continued.

A word of caution, as I already have several chapters done, this story is has not been completely written at the moment I have started posting, but I promise to try and get everything written quickly in a timely and entertaining fashion as fast as possible. I know where this story is going and how it will end, but the boys like to take their own detours along the way, so forgive me for the length of the story and the time needed to write it in the proper manner it deserves. Please enjoy and let me know what you think.