Copyright © 2018-2024 DouglasDD. All Rights Reserved.
CHAPTER 43
CODA
SATURDAY, JULY 12
<Austin>
Just before Austin left the auditorium with William, Lorrie Bergman, Dr. Markham’s assistant, handed him a note. “It’s from Dr. Markham,” she told Austin. “He asks that you read it before dinner.”
“Thanks, I will,” Austin told her as he stuffed the note into his pants pocket. William grabbed Austin’s hand as they exited the building and the two didn’t let go as they walked the trail up the hill that was on the east side of the campus. When they reached the top they exchanged a long, deep kiss.
“Hey, how about checking what that note is about,” William said.
“Oh yeah, I forgot about it.” Austin reached into his pocket, pulled it out and read it to William. “Dear Austin, My apologies for the change in schedule for the orchestra. Until the schedule goes to press, which will be Monday, changes are not unusual in the Festival. The only thing we were guaranteed was a time and place for three rehearsals the week before, and two concerts. I am looking forward to working with you in rehearsal. You have two excellent teachers to prepare you and I know you will be ready on the 26th. Kind Regards, Donald Markham.”
Austin looked up from the note and said, “Wow, that was super nice of him to write.”
“Markham is a good dude,” William said. “He understands the importance of keeping his soloists and his orchestra happy.”
Looking back at the note, Austin thought he saw something written on the other side of the fold. “Wait, I think there’s more.” He unfolded the paper and saw a postscript. “P.S. I plan to speak with your friend Titus before dinner,” Austin read aloud. “I agree with you that he is an exceptional young violinist.”
“Awesome,” William said. “Good job of going to bat for your friend.”
“Like Grampa Gene likes to say, he earned what he got. I think he is really good.”
Oliver, Austin’s best friend at home in Bellingham, was a good violinist, but Austin knew enough to figure out that Titus could play circles around him.
“He hasn’t got it yet, all Markham said is he would talk to him. But it never hurts to have a friend help out with a little push.”
The boyfriends exchanged another long kiss. When they came up for air, Austin said, “I wish we could fuck here in the woods.”
William pulled down his zipper. “I’ve got my cock in the ready position.”
“People use this trail a lot.”
William unbuckled and pulled down his slacks and boxers, exposing his teen hardon. “Not so much on a weekend. Come on, dude, you said you wanted it.” William slowly stroked his leaking cock.
Austin didn’t need any more urging from his teen boyfriend. “Let’s at least go behind that brush.”
“Only if you waddle over there with your pants down like I’m going to do.”
“Fuck this having our pants down at our ankles shit.” William watched wide-eyed as Austin pulled his pants and briefs down. He bent over and untied his shoes, giving William a good look at his anus. He kicked off his shoes and stepped out of his pants. He was now naked from the waist down except for his socks, his tween cock throbbing with excitement.
As William took off his shirt, he detected movement down the trail. His heart rate shot up faster than its current rapid rate until he saw the two boys scurrying behind a tree were Ned and Gary. Gary stepped out from the tree, gave William a thumbs up to indicate that he and Ned would be guarding the trail, and stepped back.
Austin watched William strip naked, socks and all. Austin pulled off his socks and then suggested they may want to go to the brush.
“We’re okay,” William assured Austin. “I got a glimpse of Ned and Gary, who followed us for some reason, and Gary gave me a sign they’re going to keep anyone from coming up the trail.”
“You mean they’re going watch us?”
“Better two great friends from the Young Masters than two strangers.” William had no intention of suggesting that not fucking on the trail was an option.
“Gotcha,” Austin grinned.
“Let’s do it doggy style so you don’t have to roll in the dirt.”
“Great idea. Thanks for suggesting it.” Austin knew that William wasn’t fond of doggie style since he liked kissing and making out when they made love.
Even with Ned and Gary keeping watch, the lovers knew they had to be quick. They were both so horny they didn’t think that would be a problem. “Aren’t you embarrassed doing this in front of Ned and Gary?” Austin asked.
“No. Like I just told you, they’re our friends and are Young Masters, plus they are doing us a huge favor by keeping us out of the brush,” William responded.
“I bet they’re jerking off like crazy.”
“I’m not taking that bet because you would win it.”
“Wait!” Austin screeched. “We need lube!”
William’s answer to that was to use his finger to grease Austin’s asshole with lube he squeezed from a tube before slicking up his cock. “You were planning this, weren’t you?”
“Dude, I’ve been carrying this with me all week. I decided to be ready for anything with you the last week of camp. Now shut up and get on your hands and knees and let me plow your ass.”
Someone sitting up in one of the trees that line the trail would have seen a naked teen doggy fucking a naked pubescent boy on the trail while twenty or so feet down the trail two pubescent boys had their pants and underpants pulled down under their balls and butts as they furiously jerked their three-inch hairless cocks. Any thought they had of looking to see if anyone was coming up the trail left them as their body burned with raging hormones.
Austin, who didn’t need to hold back outdoors like he did in his bedroom, screamed and screeched loudly, each high-pitched squeal turning William on even more. William bellowed loud and long as he filled Austin’s ass with teen cum, his deep thrusts hammering against his lover’s prostate causing Austin to let out a long scream that mixed with William’s yowl in a cacophony of adolescent lust. William filled Austin’s anus at the same time Austin spontaneously erupted and squirted his clear cum into the dirt underneath him.
Down the trail, Gary spewed his watery cum onto the dusty trail while Ned shook and came dry. The four members of The Young Master Musicians had enjoyed each other’s company outdoors in the woods on a warm summer afternoon.
Ned and Gary pulled up their pants and walked up the trail as William and Austin quickly dressed. “Wowsers, that was so hot I can’t believe it,” Ned said as he and Gary reached their friends.
“Hey, thanks for being there to keep watch for us,” William said.
“I don’t think we did a good job—I mean you guys were so hot fucking naked on the trail.”
“Did you guys plan doing that?” Gary asked.
“Nope. It just kind of happened,” Austin replied.
“But I saw that William had lube or something. Where did that come from if you didn’t plan it?”
“Long story,” William said as he zipped up.
“Was Titus meeting with Doctor Markham?” Austin asked.
“Yeah, how did you know?” Ned replied.
“Long story.”
“How come you guys didn’t fuck, too?” William asked.
“Because we could at least pretend we were keeping watch if all we did was jerk off,” Gary said. “And before you ask, yes we had orgasms and yes I shot some cum on the ground.”
“And before you ask the next question, yes Titus and I plan on fucking tonight,” Ned said.
“Gee, can we watch?” William asked.
“I’m okay with it, so you gotta ask Titus.”
“What do you plan on doing?” Austin asked Gary.
“Getting to know my brother better, I hope,” Gary grinned.
“And before anybody asks THIS question, yes I’m getting hungry so let’s head back down to the school. The barbeques were being fired up when we headed for the trail, so things should be close to ready to eat by the time we get down there.” The camp spared no expense on the end of camp barbeque. It was being professionally catered. The Seattle based company handled the setup, the cooking, the serving, and the final cleanup.
The boys turned and headed down the trail for the main campus, relieved that nobody had come up the trail while they got sexy but almost wishing that they would wonder what the four of them had done up on the hill.
<Titus and Dr. Markham>
Before Dr. Markham’s assistant, Lorrie Bergman, handed Austin his note, she had gone backstage to give Titus a message. She wanted to be sure that he received it before he left the auditorium. She passed Austin and William but didn’t stop to hand Austin his note. It was more important that she talk to Titus. She saw Titus standing with Ms Zimmer at the door to the backstage waiting area. Whatever it was Titus and the camp instructor were talking about, it was a subject that kept them both smiling.
“Excuse me,” Lorrie said. “I’m Lorrie Bergman, Dr. Markham’s assistant and I have a message for Titus.”
“Good meeting you, Lorrie,” Ms Z said. “I’m Rene Zimmer, a staff keyboard instructor. Titus is all yours.”
Lorrie turned slightly to face Titus. “Beautiful job with your Mozart today,” she said to Titus. “You and Ms Zimmer worked well together.”
“Thank you,” Titus replied bashfully.
“I have a message to you from Dr. Markham. I believe you have met Dr. Markham.”
“Yes, ma’am, I have.”
“Dr. Markham would love to have a word with you before you leave the auditorium. He would like to ask you something.”
“Me?”
“You are Titus Hayden who just played in the recital competition finals, correct?”
“Y-y-yes.” Titus wondered why the Tacoma Symphony director would want to talk to him. He decided it couldn’t be anything bad, so he relaxed slightly.
“Then you are the boy he would like to see.”
Ms Z decided to stand up for the young camper. “Could you tell Titus what this is regarding?”
“Dr. Markham said he would like to be the one to tell Titus. All I can say is that it is something very positive. We believe Titus will love what we have to offer.”
“Do you mind if I accompany him?”
“Not at all, I’m sure Titus will appreciate having you there. Right Titus?”
“Yes ma’am.” Titus had no idea what this was all about, so he had no idea how to react to any of it. He decided to say yes and to follow along.
“Then let’s go meet him.”
Titus and Ms Zimmer accompanied Lorrie off the stage. Lorrie looked around for Austin as she led the way through the seating area and up to the breezeway. Just as they reached Dr. Markham, Lorrie saw Austin and William heading for the exit. She excused herself and left to hand Austin a note from Dr. Markham.
“Hello, Titus, it’s good to see you again,” Dr. Markham grinned.
Nerves kept Titus from responding, so he held out his hand as he had been taught to do at home. Dr. Markham grasped it and shook hands with the slightly built eleven-year-old. “If you have a minute, I would like to meet with you in one of the practice rooms for a couple of minutes.”
“Okay,” Titus uttered. Just as Titus, Dr. Markham, Ms Zimmer, and Lorrie, who had rejoined the group after giving Austin his note, started in the direction of the office, Ned and Gary came up to them.
“Hi, Ms Zimmer and Dr. Markham,” Gary said. “It looks like you’re taking Titus somewhere.”
“Just for a few minutes. We’re going to have a brief meeting,” Dr. Markham said.
“Okay. If you don’t find us after your meeting, we’ll see you at dinner,” Gary told Titus.
“Okay,” Titus agreed.
Gary and Ned left to find Austin and William before they went out of sight. They were disappointed Titus couldn’t join them, but as they left, they agreed that whatever was being discussed with their fellow Young Master had to be something good.
As the group headed for the school office, Gene joined them. Titus was relieved to see the man all the Young Master Musicians referred to as “Grandpa Gene” join them. While Titus liked and trusted Ms Zimmer, Grandpa Gene was almost like a real grandfather to the members of the Young Masters. Of course, he was William’s real grandfather and that relationship had become an important one for all the Young Masters.
After they entered the conference room, Dr. Markham took a seat and invited everyone else to join him, which they did. “Titus, I know you’re curious what this all about. You and Ms Zimmer are the only ones who are in the dark. I’m going to let Mr. Delacroix bring you up to date.”
Gene gave the cute little violinist one of his best smiles. “Your friends in the Young Master Musicians felt you deserved the opportunity to play as part of an orchestra in the Youth Music Festival, so they did some lobbying—Austin in particular.” Titus smiled to himself—Austin has a way of being in the middle of things, he thought.
Titus sat with his hands folded on the table and looked directly at Gene as he wondered where this talk was going to end up. “Dr. Markham and I discussed the possibility and after listening to your brilliant playing in the competition we agreed that you would fit into the Tacoma orchestra nicely.” Gene nodded at Don Markham, who took over the narrative.
“Titus, I understand you have played in the Einstein Middle School orchestra.”
“Yes, sir. I played in all three of our concerts this year,” Titus responded. “But we didn’t play anything big like a symphony or concerto and we were just part of the school concerts.”
“I understand how that works.” Dr. Markham had listened to many middle school concerts while recruiting talent for his orchestra. “I also know that Einstein has one of the best orchestra programs in the region.
“What I would like to do is invite you to play with the second violins in our two concerts at the Festival.” Titus swallowed an urge to jump up and shout. “Please understand the invitation is for the Festival only for no other reason than you live too far from Tacoma to be a regular orchestra member.”
Titus wondered why the Seattle Orchestra hadn’t made the offer since he lived just north of Seattle but elected to be happy with the offer he received. He decided to let his parents ask the questions. What Titus didn’t know, but Gene and Markham did, was that Dr. Byers, the director of the Seattle Youth Symphony, wanted nothing to do with an eleven-year-old in his orchestra, no matter how talented. He did think that if Titus continued to work on his musicianship that he had the talent to be invited for an audition in three or four years.
One other thing Dr. Markham and Gene knew that Titus didn’t, was that the Cascade Youth Symphony planned on auditioning him at the end of August. Markham felt that the orchestra would be a perfect fit for Titus, both because of its location and the younger average age of the orchestra members than the Seattle and Tacoma orchestras were looking for.
As for the Festival invitation, Don knew he would have to fill in a few chairs because of the inevitable conflicts with family vacations. As a result, he had two open second violin chairs and when Titus accepted his invitation, he would only have one to fill.
“I’ll have ask my parents,” Titus finally responded.
“I’ve already done that and they are ecstatic,” Dr. Markham told Titus. “I met them during the intermission and will send them the documents they need to sign. All I need is for you to confirm that you want to play for us at the Festival and you’re in.”
For the first time since the meeting started, Titus showed his signature grin. “Yes, I want to play. And I can’t believe I’ll be playing in the orchestra when Austin is the soloist. That is beyond awesome.”
“I think Austin will feel the same way when he hears you’ll be a part of his concert. First rehearsal will be at ten on Monday the twenty-eighth at Stadium High School in Tacoma. And don’t worry about getting there, your mother is ready to drive you to Tacoma.”
“But she has to work,” Titus pointed out.
“She says that’s what personal days are for and she will put in for the three days needed to get you to rehearsals, which will be Monday, Wednesday, and Friday in Tacoma. Saturday we will have a run-through at McCaw Hall, where we will play on Sunday and Thursday.”
“Sounds busy.”
“That’s because it is,” Dr. Markham grinned. “But don’t neglect the other things going on at the Festival, like your special Young Musicians room.”
“Young Master Musicians,” Titus corrected him, hoping he hadn’t stuck his foot in his mouth.
“How could I forget that most important of words? You and your friends, along with some new friends from the orchestra you will no doubt make, have a lot to do, which is why we are not having rehearsals between concerts. And speaking of your friends, you’re free to meet them for dinner. Congratulations on being a part of our outstanding orchestra for a week. I’ll see you on the twenty-eighth.”
Titus stood and shook the director’s hand.
“Great work, Titus,” Gene said as Titus turned to leave the room.
“Thanks Grandpa Gene and thanks for all the things you’ve done to help us,” Titus said. He walked to where Gene was sitting and gave him an awkward, but sincere hug. He then turned and dashed out the door. He couldn’t wait to tell the rest of the Young Masters about becoming part of the Tacoma Youth Symphony for a week and playing with Austin.
“Young Titus went from being a nervous wreck to a burst of energy in a hurry,” Don chuckled.
“As would you if you were him,” Gene told him.
“Absolutely. And from what I’ve heard, that was no gift—the boy is very talented. One thing I learned from his father at intermission is that he has sat in at a couple of Cascade Symphony recitals—the regular Symphony not the Youth Symphony. I find it hard to believe that Fred didn’t even give him a listen.” Don Markham was referring to Fred Byers, the Seattle Youth Symphony director.
“I am willing to bet that Titus will be playing for them in two or three years,” Gene said.
“And I’m willing to call that with my own bet—that he will be concert master of the Cascade Youth Orchestra by the time he’s in high school.”
“Good call—I’ll concede to you.”
<Jonas Freeman and James>
Jonas Freeman was one of the great living classical guitarists. Because he had nothing on his agenda for August, he wanted to have a young string musician, preferably a guitarist, stay with him and his family during the Festival. Since he normally took the month of August off from his performing and teaching schedule this was something he had done ten times, with a couple of them returning for a second year. He and his family had enjoyed their boarder every year they had one staying with them.
To vet the musician, he had worked through the top guitar and string teachers in the state. One of the teachers was Dr. Cliff Radcliffe from Western Washington University in Bellingham. He and Jonas had become good friends through the years. While Radcliffe taught strings in general, the guitar was his area of expertise.
“I have a good candidate for you,” Cliff said when Jonas called him about recommending a possible boarder. “He’s fifteen and will be a sophomore this coming school year.”
“Guitarist?” Jonas asked.
“Yes. His name is James Richards. He’s relatively new on the acoustic guitar but has been strumming the electric for a long time. He’s mostly self-taught through books and YouTube, but I’ve been working with him since he took up the acoustic guitar a little over three months ago. He’s bright, talented, and very motivated. The boy has been growing by leaps and bounds and I think he would benefit greatly from your tutelage.”
“Any chance of my coming up to meet him?”
“Give me a day and time and I’ll have him ready.”
The phone conversation had been just over three weeks ago. Jonas wasn’t surprised when the young professor arranged a meeting the weekend after the call. Jonas knew the young professor to be bright, talented, and motivated, just like the boy he was driving north to meet.
Jonas had met Cliff just after the new professor had been hired at Western. Jonas had given him master lessons on the guitar. While the violin was Cliff’s primary instrument, he had become quite proficient on the guitar.
James impressed Jonas. He was just as Cliff had described him. He finished his interview by asking James to play something for him on his guitar. James picked, “Leyenda” by Isaac Albeniz. It was one of his favorite guitar works and one he knew he played well. Jonas could tell right away that the boy was talented—a little rough around the edges, but exceptionally talented. It didn’t take long for Jonas to offer to provide James a place to stay if he decided to attend the Festival in Seattle. He also offered to give James pro bono master lessons on the guitar.
“Now that I have a place to stay, I will be there. I was hoping to go, especially since my brother should be there. Now we can make it kind of a family thing. And thanks for offering to give me master lessons.”
“I think you have a talent worthy of developing. And that Ibanez of yours is not only a beautiful looking instrument, but also a beautiful sounding one. Professor Radcliffe told me you found it at a garage sale.”
“Yes, sir, I got it for twenty dollars.”
“Amazing. You have a real treasure there and I can see you’re taking good care of it. Not to mention that the sound you got out of it was first-rate.”
James stood up when Jonas rose from his seat and handed James one of his cards, telling him to have his mother call him as soon as possible. The two shook hands and James ushered Jonas to the door. “Oh, one thing I just thought of—you live on Bainbridge Island, right?”
“That is correct,” Jonas answered. “And if your question is about paying for the ferry, for the most part you’ll be riding with me to and from Seattle. If needed, I’ll give you a youth pass to use.”
“Thank you for everything. I’m already really looking forward to the Festival.”
Jonas left the house feeling he had just discovered a gem that was ready for polishing.
Jonas thought back at that meeting with James Richards after young Austin Richards finished playing Granados. While Jonas was not an expert on the piano, he was an expert musician. He had no doubt that the young redhead was brilliant. Jonas was sitting next to Gene, who had raved about Austin at the intermission. Jonas knew that Gene Delacroix was not one to overrate a young musician. From what he had heard on the stage, Gene could have praised the boy even higher.
Jonas thought the performance of Austin and William before the intermission had been magnificent. He was amazed at William’s proficiency on the guitar considering he was playing his secondary instrument and one that he hadn’t really gotten serious about until after the camp had started.
“It’s amazing how talented Austin and his brother are musically,” Jonas said to Gene. “I know their homelife hasn’t been easy with the death of their father and their mother having to work to support the two and keep the family financially above water.”
“I know James and Austin are both appreciative of what you will be doing for James at the Festival,” Gene said.
“I think the kid is well worth the time. Which reminds me—I have an idea for something I would like to emphasize with James during his stay with me.” Jonas told Gene what he was thinking, and Gene nodded his approval after he finished.
“I think it’s a glorious idea. I take it you haven’t told James yet.”
“That is what we will be talking about after the awards are presented. And, before you ask, I have spoken to Don about it and he is enthusiastic about the idea,” Jonas said, referring to Tacoma Youth Symphony director Don Markham. “I have also received the go-ahead from James’s mother.”
“Great, since he and his orchestra are a rather important component to your plans.”
“All I need is for James to okay the idea, and I think he will. It will give the two of us something big to work on during the Festival and probably afterwards for a while.”
Their conversation was ended when Mr. Shepard came onstage and signaled for quiet. Since everyone knew he was going to announce the winners, the auditorium went quiet quickly. There were cheers for every name announced, with the loudest ovation being for Austin, the popular competition winner. Jonas and Gene cheered as loudly as anyone.
As the auditorium emptied out, James looked for Jonas. The master guitarist had asked to meet with him after the finals were over. James had sat with John during the recital in the upper tier of seats. John saw Gene walking up to the breezeway with a man he didn’t recognize.
“Hey, James, is that the guy you’re looking for with Mr. Delacroix?” John asked.
“That’s the man,” James said. “Wait for me—he said it wouldn’t take long.”
“I’ll be right here.”
James met Jonas in the breezeway. “Hi, Mr. Freeman.”
“Oh, hi James. I didn’t see you coming down, but then I wasn’t looking up. And like I keep saying, calling me Jonas works just fine for me.”
“Maybe after when I’m staying at your house, but right now I’ll make my mom happy and call you Mr. Freeman.”
“Fair enough. Let’s go up to where you came from. I want to run an idea past you regarding the Festival—it won’t take long.”
“I’ve got time.”
James and Jonas sat in two seats situated halfway up the tier. “Here is my idea.” Jonas then told James what he had on his mind.
“Wow,” James mouthed when Jonas finished explaining his idea. “That’s an awesome idea, but do you think I’m good enough?”
“You are well on your way. You have the talent. Professor Radcliffe has obviously been teaching you well. And you have a first-rate instrument. I think after we spend the time together before and during the Festival…”
“…and maybe after,” James finished.
“Yes, and maybe after. Anyway, you could easily be ready. We need to know by mid-August since Dr. Markham has to have his program ready to send in to the publisher by then.”
“What about my mom?”
“She knows and is enthusiastic about the idea. The only thing I ask of you is that this stays between you, me, your mother, Dr. Markham, and Mr. Delacroix.”
“I can’t even tell Austin?”
“You can when I give you the okay. And don’t worry, you can tell him then whether it works out or doesn’t. Fair enough?”
“Will you tell me before the Festival is over?”
“Yes, because if this works, that’s when I’ll want you to stay with me for a few days after the Festival.”
“Can I tell my friend, John? I have to tell somebody, and I know I can trust him to keep the secret.”
“Interesting. You didn’t attend the camp and yet you’ve made a friend you trust that well?”
“Yes sir, I have.”
“I understand the need to tell somebody. But make sure he knows to keep it to himself. And unless you disagree, please don’t tell William for sure.”
“It’s the end of camp,” James pointed out. “John won’t see Austin after tomorrow, if he even sees him then, and I doubt they will run into each other much at the Festival. And as for William, I understand and won’t say a word to him.”
“That works for me. Unless you have something else, I am finished.”
“Then I am, too. Thanks again for everything you’re doing for me. I never expected anything like this.”
Jonas rose from his seat. “It’s been my pleasure, James. I’ll see you in a week.”
James stood up as well. “Sunday the twentieth, mid-day train, right?”
“Correct.”
James rushed down the steps to the breezeway where he saw John waiting. He ran up to his new best friend. “Hey, John, guess what I just found out?” he asked enthusiastically.
<BBQ Time>
“There’s Titus,” Ned called out as he and his fellow Master Musicians entered the courtyard in front of the dining hall. The smells of meat on the barbeques set the digestive juices flowing. “I wonder if he made it in the orchestra.”
“Judging by the smile on his face, I would be willing to guess that he did,” William said.
“I did it!” Titus shouted as he got into one of the lines with his friends. “I’ll be playing in the Tacoma orchestra with Austin!”
“Well, Austin isn’t exactly in the orchestra,” William said.
“I know. I just wasn’t sure how to say it. Whatever, I’ll be playing my violin in the orchestra and Austin will be playing with the orchestra. How does that sound?”
“Sounds good to me.”
Before anyone else could say anything, the lines started moving. The boys grabbed paper plates and before they knew it the plates were loaded. Folding tables and chairs were set up in the dormitory courtyard. After finding two empty tables next to each other in the southeast corner of the courtyard, the boys quickly occupied them. All Young Master Musicians were sitting together for their last dinner as a group, at least at camp. The five boys were thrilled at how well the Young Master Musicians had done in the competition and talked over each other in their unbridled enthusiasm. The campers at the nearby tables looked at them and grinned. They totally understood why the boys at the corner tables were so hyper.
Just as they started to settle down so they could eat, James and John came up to the table and asked if they could sit at the Young Masters’ table.
“Sure, you can,” Gary said. “I mean, James is Austin’s brother and John is Ned’s roommate and we’re all friends, so sit on down.” The other four members of the group agreed and the two teens took a seat at the big table.
James looked at his cute little redheaded brother who seemed to be overflowing with talent. Nah, he doesn’t seem to be overflowing, he IS overflowing with talent, James thought. He wished he could tell his brother about what he and Jonas Freeman had talked about, but he had made a promise to a very important man, and he was determined to keep that secret, difficult as it would be. John could tell what James was going through and from what his new friend had told him, keeping that secret was only going to get harder when James and his brother were home.
“Where’s Steve?” James asked Gary.
“He’s eating with his roommate and two suitemates,” Gary replied, pointing to a table in the center of the courtyard.
“At least he isn’t sitting with my sister,” Ned grunted.
“Or in bed with her,” Gary grinned. Ned shot him a glare. “I was just joking, dude.”
“If you say so, but just for that you gotta let me fuck you tonight.”
“I think that can be arranged.”
“Damn, this barbeque is awesome,” Austin raved. “I got a chicken thigh and some ribs. I can’t figure out which I like the best, but I could OD on either one along with the potato salad. By the way, where’s Mom?” Austin asked James.
“She’s with the adults,” James told her. “I guess they were afraid what a bunch of wild musicians will do eating outdoors so most of them took their food into the dining hall.”
“You mean nobody is supervising us?” Ned asked mischievously. When it comes to wild musicians nobody should let the Canadians run wild, Austin thought.
“Well, if you look carefully, you can see Mrs. Morgan, Mr. Shepard, Miss Davis…, William started.
“We get the picture, William,” Gary said. Mrs. Morgan was the dining hall supervisor and Miss Davis was a teacher at the middle school who was serving as a camp staff member during the summer.
“Damn, there goes the food fight,” Ned chuckled. “Oh, well, this is too good to throw at somebody, anyway. This stuff begs to be eaten.”
After the boys finished their dinner, they grabbed dessert and continued with their chatter. The subject matter for dessert was sex instead of music. Titus, James, and John learned about the sex on the trail up the hill and were totally turned on by it. Titus wished he could have been part of it, as did the two teens. The big topic, however, was who was going to do what with whom on this last night of camp.
Ned was going to get his chance to fuck Gary. Since Titus and Austin would be performing together with the Tacoma Youth Symphony, it was decided that Austin would fuck Titus to ensure his perfect playing as a member of the orchestra. John and James were going to do whatever suited them. As the Young Masters were arranging the evening’s sexual calendar, Steve wandered over to their tables.
It was decided that he needed to find out what sex with another teen was like, so he and William paired up. “With eight of us in our two rooms, and with us being horny I wouldn’t be surprised if we swapped partners after round one,” William said.
“After what happened on the trail up the hill, I’m surprised that we’re all still horny,” Gary said.
“It comes from being great musicians,” John said. “Listening to music can make people horny and making music makes me horny…”
“…me too!” Austin said, which had Gary, Titus, Ned, and even James shouting out in agreement.
“…and I guess makes everybody horny.”
“Hey, William, doesn’t playing music make you horny?” James asked.
“No, it just makes me hornier than I already am,” William chuckled.
“What about you, Steve?” Gary asked his brother.
“Not really. I just like playing it, not making love to it,” Steve replied.
“Whatever.”
“I think it’s time for us to get back to the auditorium and listen to the adults play,” William said.
“I’d rather be going home,” Titus moaned. “A lot of guys are going home tonight.”
“Well, they are presenting awards, too,” Austin reminded him.
“And you’d miss all the fun in bed tonight,” Gary said.
“Reason number two works for me,” Titus grinned.
<Evening recital>
The campers found the evening recital to be very entertaining and even educational. The teachers and staff members often gave a bit of background on the work they were playing. Many of them, like Gene, added a nice dollop of humor to their talk.
Gene and Darrell Howard were the headliners and last performers on the program. Darrell was a violinist and professor of music at Seattle Pacific University as well as the concert master for the Seattle Symphony. He often performed as a soloist with other symphonies.
Gene and Darrell came on stage to loud applause. The campers had gotten to know and like Gene and were looking forward to hearing him play with another pro after getting a taste of him playing with John that afternoon. Gene and Darrell were long-time friends and had performed together in recital before, as well as when Gene had been a soloist with the Seattle Symphony.
The two talked about Beethoven’s “Spring” Sonata for violin and piano before playing. They threw in a couple of humorous stories involving the young Beethoven before his hearing problems became apparent. Then Gene sat at the piano, adjusted the bench, nodded to Darrell, and the two played the beautiful sonata. They finished to loud applause, cheering, and a standing ovation.
With the musical portion of the program over, Mr. Shepherd, Dr. Boardman, and Ms Zimmer presented the various camp awards. The competition finalists received frames for their certificates which would be filled in by a printer and mailed to them. They also received a document awarding them the scholarships they earned for placing in the finals. Ned, Gary, Austin, and William would also have engraved trophies mailed to them for being the top four finishers.
While the camp was not of the “everybody gets a trophy” philosophy, there were numerous awards to be earned. Ned earned two, one for best transcription and one for best original piece of music. Titus earned one for writing the best essay on the theme of “My Favorite Composer”. William received one for being the top player in the Expanding Your Horizons workshop. Every Young Master came away with an award. The awards had been voted on by campers and staff.
After the assembly ended, the Young Masters said goodnight to their parents and friends and headed to the dormitory and the suite where they would be spending their last night at camp—the suite where William, Austin, and Gary had lived.
<Final Night>
On their way to the dormitory, the Young Masters and friends were stopped by Jordan. “Hey, Jordan, what’s up?” Gary asked.
“I know you guys are off for a last night of fun, and I don’t plan on crashing the party. You guys made me plenty happy with your session in the sound room. But, I’d love to see some of you at the Festival and I wanted to trade phone numbers with a couple of you to make sure we get in contact there.”
“I thought you had some numbers,” William said.
“A couple. I want more since I figure you guys will be living all over the place and who knows who will be able to meet and not meet. Plus, there’s some guys here I don’t know and look like they’re worth meeting.” He was referring to John, James, and Steve.
“Fair enough.”
When they finished, Jordan not only had all the Young Masters’ numbers, he also had the numbers of the three teens. “I’m good. I’ll see you guys in Seattle even if it’s only to trade fist bumps,” Jordan grinned. He turned and walked back to the auditorium where he still had work to do. While he hadn’t met John and Steve, he had seen them around during camp. The boy in the group who made his cock stir was James, who he learned was Austin’s brother. It would be cool if James had red hair like his brother, but he is still totally hot, Jordan thought.
“I think Jordan likes us,” Austin told his friends.
“It’s more like Jordan is in lust with us,” William responded.
“Who can blame him? I mean, we are really sexy, right?” Gary said.
“What does a twelve-year-old know about sexy?” Steve asked.
“You should know,” Gary grinned.
By now, the boys had figured out that all the plans they had made for the night had been tossed into the trash. They were going to do what they wanted to do with whom they wanted to do it and when they felt like doing it.
Ned and Gary did follow up on what they had talked about earlier in the day and Ned enjoyed fucking Gary’s ass on Gary’s bed. Fucking a studly and experienced boy like Gary made Ned feel like he was a stud as well and had truly arrived in the world of sex.
At the same time Austin fucked Titus on the empty bed in Gary’s room. The four tweens enjoyed intense sex and their high-pitched moans and groans and sounds of final relief sounded like beautiful music.
In the other room, the teens did their thing. William and John quickly stripped and made out on William’s bed. John thought William was the best kisser he had ever made out with and had no problem bottoming for William when the time came.
On the other side of the room, Steve and James sat on Austin’s bed and took a little longer to get naked than John and William had. To start with, they slowly undressed each other quietly and chatted about what it was like having gay younger brothers.
“I want to fuck Austin’s ass badly,” James told Steve.
“After making out with Gary last night, I want to do more. Lot’s more,” Steve said.
“Too bad we couldn’t have gone into the same room as our brothers and had a four-way.”
“Damn, you are big perv—but I’m with you. But it ain’t gonna happen tonight, so it isn’t gonna happen here.”
“And we live all the way up in Bellingham while you live way down in Portland.”
“We’re all old enough to ride the train. Maybe we could work something out.” Steve unzipped James’s pants and gave his ass a shove. James got the hint and lifted his ass, allowing Steve to pull off James’s pants and boxers. Steve, who had less experience with boy-on-boy sex than his younger brother, was rock hard, his cock leaking a stream of precum.
“Aren’t you going to the Festival?” Steve asked.
“Yeah, but I thought you weren’t.”
“I wasn’t since I’m not anywhere as good as my brother, or Austin, or William or just about any pianist at camp. But then my mother said that the Festival isn’t about how good you are, it’s all about having fun with music. And in the last month I got to know my roomie, Luke, better, and, well, he invited me to stay at his place if I came to the Festival.”
“That’s really cool. Where is Gary staying?”
“He’s staying with Titus.”
The two teens were naked now and sat for a moment watching William lube John’s ass. William looked over at Steve and James and grinned. He was happy that he finally got to see Steve naked; he remembered the crush he’d had on Steve when camp started and wondered what would have come of it if he hadn’t fallen for Austin. He reminded himself that what happened between him and Austin was the best thing to not only happen to him in camp, but in just about his entire life. And that included being a soloist for a couple of orchestras. He turned his attention back to John—he was ready to fuck his friend hard.
“Did you and Luke mess around?” James asked Steve.
“Watched each other jerk off a couple of times. That’s about it. Hell, until I came in Gary’s mouth last night, I never did anything with him either except show him how to jerk off and then do it with him a few times. Last night wasn’t the first time I’d touched his dick, but the other times were just to show him what felt best when you jerked off.”
“Anyway, I’m going to the Festival, so maybe we can get together somewhere, somehow. If not, you’re right about the train.”
“What do you want to do tonight?” James asked his new friend.
“They’re fucking over there. The critters are fucking in Gary’s room. But I’m a virgin and I don’t want to get started tonight. I suppose you’re a virgin, too.”
“I’m not a virgin. I’ve had my ass fucked by my best friend Frank when I was twelve and we’ve been doing it ever since. I’ve fucked girls of the female persuasion, too. John and I have done it, too.” Steve raised his eyebrows and looked over at William plowing John’s ass when he heard that. “Look, getting your ass fucked for the first time takes preparation,” James went on, “so why don’t you just fuck me. It doesn’t take much learning to lube up your cock and shove it up a tight ass.”
“Hey, are you guys gonna do something, or are you hoping that talking about it will give you an orgasm?” William had paused his fucking to quiet the chatty pair on Austin’s bed.
“Toss me your lube—Steve is ready to fuck me,” James said.
“And lose his virginity?”
“Speaking of fuck, I say FUCK!” John groused. “Let’s ALL stop the fucking talk and do some good old country fucking!”
Which is what then happened side by side on the two beds. Steve didn’t last long and quickly filled James’s ass. It wasn’t the best fuck James had ever had, but for some reason it was one of the most enjoyable. He soon masturbated himself to a hard cum.
William went back to plowing John’s ass and soon the two teens were cumming at almost the same time. John masturbated himself to orgasm just after William filled his ass. The teens then chatted a bit, wondering who was doing what in Gary’s room.
“One way to find out is to go over to my brother’s room and find out from the source,” Steve said as he got up from Austin’s bed.
The other three boys rose in agreement and the naked teens pranced across the bathroom to Gary’s room, which was unlocked. They found Austin, Titus, Ned, and Gary naked on the two beds chattering away. The contrast between the teens with their swinging dicks and hairy crotches (John excepted) and the smooth tweens with their cocklets and hairless crotches wasn’t missed on any of them. While none of the four teens was hard, Austin and Ned were both erect.
“Are you guys finished or are you waiting to start?” John asked.
“Wouldn’t you like to know,” Austin replied.
“Hey, I was your age not long ago and I know how fast I’d cum when I did sexy stuff,” John said, the fourteen-year-old trying to sound like a wise veteran.
“You can’t say much,” Gary said. “I mean, you guys wouldn’t have come over here unless you were finished. So, yeah, we all had our cums...”
“…just like you guys did,” Austin finished.
“It looks like Austin and Ned are ready for more,” William pointed out.
“Why not?” Gary asked as he played with his flaccid cock, which was starting to spring to life. He pointed to the teens. “We’re able to do it, what about you old men? Well, except for my brother—he looks ready.” During the conversation, Steve’s cock had come to life spontaneously.
“I got an idea, let’s figure out who’s gonna sleep with who and then get to bed,” Austin suggested. “This is our last camp night, so I think we should sleep with somebody special to us if we can.”
“I think my little brother has come up with a great idea,” James said. “And, to take the pressure off him, I think he should pick William because Austin and I can sleep together tomorrow night.”
“Thanks, bro. I wouldn’t have minded us being together, but it could be a whole week before Willie and I can sleep together again.”
William wrapped James in a hug. “You’re a good dude, James. Thanks for doing that.”
“Hey, he could have picked you instead of me anyway. We’ll never know for sure, but you’re the guy he should be with tonight.”
The boys had a good idea they could pick partners without having to play musical beds. Obviously, Austin and William were going to be a pair. Ned and Titus grabbed each other to let everyone know they were taken. The two youngest members of the Young Masters had become very close.
James knew he would be with John. He and John had become good friends in the short time they had known each other. James knew deep down that if he were gay, he wouldn’t mind having John as a boyfriend. For his part, John wished James were gay so the two could become more than good friends and bed buddies and become real boyfriends.
That left the Wright brothers (yes, they got flack about that occasionally). Gary looked pleadingly at his older brother, but said, “I really want to sleep with you bad, but you don’t have to do anything if you don’t want to.”
Steve leaned close to his brother and whispered, “I wanna fuck you, bro.” Gary’s response was a full body blush.
“What did Steve say to make Gary turn red?” Ned asked.
“I don’t know, but I’m willing to bet it was something sexy,” Austin responded.
With the partners settled on, it was time to deal with taking care of pre-bed routines: washing, brushing, and pissing. Clothing wasn’t a problem since all eight boys were naked and planned on staying naked.
Ned and Titus kissed a lot and then lovingly sucked each other’s cocklets. Since both boys were dry, they were unable to enjoy any sweet cum, but did enjoy giving their friend an intense dry orgasm.
On the other bed in Gary’s room, Steve did what he had told his brother he wanted to do. Gary had lube ready and helped Steve with lubing cock and ass. Gary reminded his older brother to go easy and Steve complied. While the sex was clumsy, it was also loving. Gary squirted some light cum over his belly just before Steve shot into Gary’s ass. The brothers had never felt closer.
In the room across the bathroom John and James were totally horny for each other as they made out on William’s bed. The only thing they had to settle was who was going to be the top. John said he wanted to bottom, since he didn’t know when he’d have sex when he got home.
“I know Liam is ready to mess around with me, but it’s hard for him to be a top,” John said. Liam was John’s ten-year-old brother. “But he makes up for it by having a mega-tight ass.”
“I’m good going either way with you,” James responded. “Since William just fucked your ass, are you sure you want to take it again?”
“Yeah, I’m sure. Let’s go for it.”
“I’ll get some lube to take care of that itch you have. It will get me in shape for my brother, who I hope will have an ass as tight as yours.” John’s ass was plenty tight. Since James had just had an orgasm, he was able to give John a long workout. After he shot his load, he placed his lips around his friend’s four inches and within seconds received the gift of John’s sweet, clear cum.
<William and Austin>
William and Austin settled into Austin’s bed and they shared a long kiss until William broke it off. “I can’t believe that my brother is on the other bed fucking another guy,” Austin whispered to William. “Other than jerking off with Frank and showing me how to do it and then jerking off with me, I thought James was totally straight.”
“I guess it goes to show that nobody is totally anything—at least at our age,” William responded in a quiet voice. James and John were making enough noise that it was unlikely they could overhear the conversation. “I didn’t think there was anything gay about me, even when I was fucking Kevin, my roommate, almost every night. Since I wouldn’t be a bottom or give any blow jobs, there is no way I could be gay.”
“You know he’s going to be fucking me as soon as we get home.”
“If he enjoys fucking you half as much as I do, he’s in for the treat of a lifetime.” A loud moan from James interrupted the conversation. William looked over at his bed, watching James’ ass bounce up and down as he fucked John’s ass. “Since your brother is in the same room with you, whatever we do, if anything, is totally up to you, Aussie.”
“I don’t want to fuck but not because of him. If I can watch him, he can watch me. Our fuck on the trail was the awesomest way to have our last fuck at camp,” Austin said. “What I want to do is snuggle tight, kiss hard, hump each other so I can feel your skin touching me and then cum on each other so I can rub your cum all over me and sleep covered in it.”
“You’re a kinky boy and I love you, Aussie.”
“Not as much as I love you, Willie.”
“Let’s quit jabbering and start humping, dude.”
What happened between William and Austin was more than just humping, it was love making without penetration. It was two young adolescents receiving another lesson in love as they enjoyed touching their lover’s warm, smooth body. It was long, deep kisses, and hard cocks touching and rubbing. Both were glad they decided to go this route for the sex instead of intercourse, not that they had anything against taking it up the ass. But sometimes, different was needed and this was one of those times. That was one of their lessons in love.
When John and James finished their sex, James glanced at Austin’s bed to see what William was doing with his little brother. From the moaning and screeching and the movement of bodies he had thought for sure that William was fucking him. He was amazed to see that wasn’t the case; they were side by side, kissing and humping.
James heard Austin say, “Get up and jerk off on me.” William rose to his knees as Austin rolled on his back. William then straddled the younger boy. He started jerking off hard and fast, grunting with each stroke, his cock poised over Austin’s torso.
“I’m gonna shoot,” William cried out just before a blast of teen cum shot out of his nearly five inches of teen cock and landed on Austin’s left cheek. He fired more squirts of cum which landed on Austin’s chest and belly. “Damn, dude, for my third cum of the day that’s a pretty good load.”
“I love you, William, and thanks for doing that cuz I bet rubbing off on me would have felt better,” Austin said.
James wondered what Austin was talking about. When he saw Austin rubbing William’s first shot of cum over both of his cheeks, and then rubbing the shots on his chest around his chest, neck, and chin, James’ question was answered. My brother is turning into a real kinky dude, James thought, and I can’t wait to mess around with him. Austin then took the rest of William’s load and rubbed it on his belly, forehead, and along with the last of the cream on his nipples.
“Are you sleeping that way?” William asked.
Austin nodded and then said, “But don’t worry, I’ll take a shower tomorrow.”
“You’d better, or mom will wonder what the smell is on the ride home,” James said.
Austin turned a bright red. “James, I forgot you were here. I was, you know, just…well…what I was gonna…”
“Don’t worry about it, bro. You’re having fun doing sexy stuff. Do what makes you feel good.”
“Thanks, James,” William said. “You’re a good brother. I think you and Aussie are gonna have a ton of fun together for the next few days.”
“Aussie? You let him call you Aussie?”
“Hey, I call him Willie, so why not?” Austin responded.
“Can I call you Aussie?”
“Only if I can call you Jimmy.”
“Fair enough,” James chuckled.
The lights were soon off in the two rooms and the eight boys followed in a sound sleep. They were happy. Each boy slept with somebody important to him—somebody who had become a good friend (or a closer brother) and a special partner that night.
SUNDAY, JULY 13
At breakfast the next morning, all eight boys agreed their partner and their night were special. “I just wish Titus and me were rooming together during the Festival,” Ned said between bites of French Toast.
“I know we’ll have time together,” Titus said. “If nothing else, we can figure out ways to stay hidden from your sister. If she changes her mind and comes, that is.”
“I’ll bet you a dollar she’ll be there.”
“American or Canadian dollar?”
“Whatever you have in your pocket,” Ned replied.
“The only guys sleeping with last night’s partner are Austin and William,” John pointed out.
“Hey, me and Steve will be together for a few days,” Gary pointed out.
“I think every one of us should make it a goal to have sex with his sleeping partner sometime during the Festival,” James said.
“That works for me,” John grinned.
After a quick discussion, the boys agreed to make James’ suggestion a goal. Since they would be meeting a lot during the Festival in order to keep their Young Master Musicians room going, they would have plenty of opportunity to report on their progress, Gary reminded them.
“That’s good for some of you, but me, James, and Steve aren’t in your group,” John pointed out.
The five Young Masters glanced around the table, nodding their heads. William read their gestures and said, “I think you are now.” The nodding heads kept nodding along with murmurs of agreement. That decision ended up being fortuitous. While John was a mediocre musician, he was a master organizer. He quickly learned the proper protocols and kept the YMM room operating smoothly.
Like John, Steve was a little above average musician, but he had a knack for talking to people and would become instrumental in getting some outstanding young musicians to take part in the YMM’s recitals. As for James, he was an outstanding musician and a hard worker who was ready to take on whatever task the group needed done.
The addition of the three teens had the effect of changing what was a blip on the schedule to a must-hear event by the time their double recitals on Thursday came around.
Titus’s roommate, Carlos, stopped by the table to say hello and goodbye. He was accompanied by Natasha Havel. After the exchange of pleasantries, Carlos and Natasha went to the serving area to get their breakfasts.
“My roommate wasn’t sleeping alone last night either,” Titus told the group after Carlos got out of hearing range. “When I went in there this morning he was in bed with Natasha and he was fucking her. I found out they did it twice last night and then slept together.”
“And so they were on round three?” Gary asked.
“Yeah. They didn’t stop just because I came in the room. I don’t think anything embarrasses Carlos. Anyway, it was my room too so I undressed in front of a girl for the first time and went to shower and let them cum in private. When I came back to the room, they were sitting naked on the bed waiting for me to leave the shower and I got to see a naked girl for the first time. So, it was a pretty good morning,” Titus said.
“I guess we weren’t the only horny boys in camp last night,” John chuckled.
After finishing breakfast, the boys returned to their rooms to finish the cleanup and last-minute packing. They had agreed that before they called for the resident director to inspect their room and okay their checkout, they would all meet in Gary’s room.
While the meeting was emotional and the boys had to fight tears, no tears fell. They knew they would all be together again soon. And it would not be just the original five Young Masters, but the three newcomers as well. They agreed that the Festival would not be the same as camp because they would not be squeezed together in a small venue. But they would be together.
“Let’s plan something for the last day of the Festival,” William said.
“Now?” Gary asked.
“No, after we’re back together in Seattle.”
“And on that last day—we can all cry together,” Austin said.
Nobody argued with him. They were all pleased they would have the opportunity to be back together again. They exchanged long hugs and kisses. They sniffled but didn’t cry. They broke up to return to their rooms for check out knowing that the Bainbridge Music Camp and the friendships they developed had prepared them for the week of their lifetimes. The ending, the coda, of camp turned out to be beautiful music for the Young Master Musicians, leaving all of them ready to play an encore.
THE END
Dear Readers,
Many of you have asked if there would be a sequel to “Piano Forte”. My reply to you now is that I have prepared for one, as you no doubt figured out as you read the last chapters, including this one. I don’t know when it will come to pass because of other writing obligations. Plus, with travel opportunities opening up I plan to travel, which obviously eats into writing time.
Another factor as to when I start is that I like to have a cache of chapters before I start posting. A friend and fellow writer suggested to me a few months ago that I try the write and post system, which I did with “Piano Forte.” I learned it was not the system for me as it led to a lot of two or more-week gaps between chapter postings. I have better control over those postings if I have chapters written and edited and stacked up ready to go. So, it will take me time to get a cache made up.
That said, I would say it will be at least six months and probably not until 2022 before I start posting the sequel, which will cover the Seattle Youth Festival and maybe more. So, if you want more of William, Austin, and their friends and fellow musicians, look for “Young Master Musicians” in a few months to continue following their story.
Warm Regards and thanks for reading,
Douglas