Rainbow Boys by Alex Sanchez

arrived at the meeting Saturday, Kyle took one look at him and shook his head in disbelief.
    “Go ahead,” Nelson sighed. “Say it—I look like a poodle. Does it really look that bad? No, don’t tell me.” He sat down beside him. “A nd before you say anything, I want to apologize. I know I got a little out of line about Jason the other day.”
    “A little out of line?” Kyle shook his head. “You mean ballistic. I can’t believe you sometimes.” Nelson twirled a curl. “Neither can I. It’s not easy being me. Imagine what I have to put up with twenty-four / seven. A t least you can get away from me occasionally.” Kyle smiled and Nelson relaxed. “You really do look great without braces.” A fter the meeting Kyle asked Nelson to help him pick out perfume at the mall. “Tomorrow’s my mom’s birthday.” When they got to Kyle’s house, his parents were rushing out to dinner. His mom told Nelson she liked his curls.
    His dad stared silently at Nelson’s hair, probably thinking he’d get reprimanded if he said anything about it. “We’re going to the Millers’,” he told Kyle. “There’s some of my world-famous pot roast in case you boys get hungry.” A fter eating, Kyle and Nelson went to Kyle’s room. Nelson put a CD in the stereo. “Hey, I’ve got this awesome idea.” Kyle sat on the floor and pulled his mom’s perfume from his backpack, sniffing the box. “You’re scheming again. I can hear it in your voice.”
    “I’m not scheming. Just shut up and listen. It’s our senior year, right? Homecoming is next week. So why don’t you and I go?” Kyle’s eyebrows scrunched together. “Who would I take?”
    Nelson smiled and twirled in front of him.
    “A re you crazy?” Kyle shook his head. “No way!”
    Nelson shushed him with a wave of his hand. “Why not? Those two girls in Richmond went to the prom together. They even made a TV movie about them. It would rule, Kyle! Can you imagine? We’d be media divas.”
    “But I don’t want to be a media diva.”
    “Come on. A t least think about it.”
    Kyle continued shaking his head. “Nope.” He returned his attention to the box of perfume. “Hand me the wrapping paper.” Nelson frowned. “You know, Kyle, I often think what a boring life you’d have if it wasn’t for me.” He stood up and looked at himself in Kyle’s full-length mirror, stroking his curls. Then he remembered the Honcho magazine and pulled it out of his backpack. “Hey, look what I got.” He opened the magazine.
    Kyle laid aside the wrapping paper and fixed his attention on the photos. “Wow!” Nelson turned the page. “I’m getting hard.”
    Kyle said, “That’s fascinating.”
    Nelson wasn’t sure if Kyle meant the photo or his comment. “I always get hard looking at men. How about you?” Kyle wet his lips and swallowed. “None of your business.”
    “Kyle?” Nelson stood up. “Can I ask you something?” He pulled his shirt off over his head. “What do you think of my body?” Kyle looked up from the magazine and stared blankly. “Huh?”
    Nelson flexed his biceps. “Be honest. I mean, do you think I have a good body? I know I’m fat.”
    “You’re not fat.”
    “Not fat?” Nelson pinched the flesh surrounding his waist. “What do you call that?”
    “Skin.”
    Nelson stuck his tongue out at him.
    “Nelson, you’re not fat. You’re skinnier than I am.”
    “Then”—Nelson watched Kyle closely—“you think I have a good body? Schultz said he could get me steroids.”
    “You don’t need steroids. You have a good body.”
    Nelson danced his hands down along his naked chest, exultantly happy. “You think so? Sometimes I look in the mirror and think I’m really good looking. Then other times I think my body’s all wrong. I hate it.” Maybe Shea was right after all. If Kyle liked his body, maybe he stood a chance. He turned to face Kyle. “There’s something else I want to ask you.” He bit down on his index finger. “No.