'Pray' For This Dude

Chapter Four

Ray-

As the next morning rolled around, I got my book bag ready and made my way out the front door, but not fast enough to avoid my father. "Oh, and Son, we're getting you a suit for the ball after school so don't make any plans." I have a million church suits already, I don't understand why I need yet another, itchy, snug fit suit, but once my dad makes up his mind, there is no convincing him otherwise.

"Yeah, whatever."

"Fix your tone, or I'll fix it for you, Rayan." I rolled my eyes and I tried making my way out the door, "be a good student today son, if someone messes with you always remember, what wi-"

"Yeah what will Jesus do, okay got it, peace." It's not like I'm going to shoot heroin in the boy's bathroom or fight off some gangster ninjas in the courtyard. This school is pretty white, nothing exciting happens. I wear a cheesy uniform, that about says it all.

"Son don't peace me, I am your father."

"Sorry, bye father!" I closed the door and looked to my left. Craig's house. A faded blue color with lawn ornaments, and big round bushes planted by the porch. I wonder why I never noticed him before. We lived here for years and I had no idea he existed until I came home from boarding school and I guess that's when he came out. My dad was furious but also a little glad. He said something about this giving him excellent 'content' for the church, whatever that means. My school bus approached and as I stepped on it I saw Craig from his window, I gave him a small smile and wave then entered the bus to be greeted by some of my friends.

The bus's doors creaked open slowly, the kids all rushed out and I stepped down, I walked with some of my friends into the main building. We usually would stand in a circle in the middle of the hallway and do rap battles, but since the ball was coming up every one of my friends had somewhere to be. "Ray, I'll see you in physics, I have to go ask Cynthia to the ball."

"See you later." Since I'm a lone wolf today, I decided to go get breakfast; even though this is a rich ass school the food is still horrible.

I waited in line then grabbed a biscuit and sausage, I punched my code in then thanked the lunch lady before finding a place to sit. I sat down at the long tables by myself and plugged my headphones in listening to YG. I was relaxing, having my own little party in my head until I saw Bethany walk into the cafeteria. I hope she doesn't si-

"Hey, Ray!!" She smiled.

Shit.

I sighed then greeted her. "Hey, Beth-." She giggled and snorted, really loud and that s**t was noticeable, "You already have a nickname for me." My dad really knows how to pick them.

"Yeah, nicknames." She honestly just cut me off before I could say her full name. Bethany sat down on the chair in front of me and grabbed my hand. "I can just imagine us now, having a future together."

I'm gay, I'm gay, I'm gay, I don't like you! I just wanted to scream that out in her f*****g face. If it wasn't for the Rev.

"Uh yeah..."

"Walk me to class?" Isn't the guy supposed to ask if they can do that? "Alright, I guess."

"Come on then, throw that nasty food away. I want to show you off to my friends." She grabbed my arm, rushing me out of the cafeteria to meet up with her skanky friends, standing by the girl's restroom.

"Daniella, Patricia! Guess who's my date for the ball." She swung my body towards them. "This sexy hunk."

"Damn he's fine." I stood there rolling my eyes. Girls always call me sexy, fine, s*x on a stick, s**t like that, it gets on my nerves. I am more than just a piece of meat.

"Aww look at whittle Ray, he's getting mad that other girls are calling him sexy hehe." Oh god, kill me, please. "Um, shouldn't I walk you to class now."

"Aw, he's so worried about my education."

"Yeah..." I began to stroll away from them. "Girl he doesn't really look interested in you and he seems kind of fruity." I heard one of her friends say. Ding, Ding, Ding.

"If he isn't into me after the ball, he sure will be after a night in me."

"Nasty!" They giggled. "You know it!" She caught up with me, grabbing my hand. "Where's your class?" I asked.

"Right here." She said, leaning in, puckering up her lips. I moved back, trying to push her away. I have a soon to be boyfriend and I'm just doing my dad a favor. I'm not going to kiss this girl.

"Umm." She leaned backed, staring into my soul with her big brown eyes, "Oh, I see you're saving all this for after the ball right?" No...

"Well after the ball it's going to be me, you and no clothes. I'm handling that d**k!" She grabbed my fingers and slid two inside her mouth and licked them. Lance was right, church girls really are the freakiest and nastiest, too bad, I'm not the person who enjoys this from females. She's really wasting her talent.

"Okay bye." I pat her shoulder walking off to my class.

School finally ended and I was walking to my bus until I saw my dads' big black Ford truck. Oh, I forgot I'm going to be finding a suit for the ball. "Ray my boy!"

"Hey, dad."

"Come on skippy, we have a suit to find." I got in the truck, and put my headphones in. I don't want to hear a speech on how I should treat Bethany at the dance, or how I should get a limo or any kind of s**t like that.

My dad was listening to church music and singing along with it

"There is hope for the helpless

Rest for the weary

Love for the broken heart

There is grace and forgiveness

Mercy and healing

He'll meet you wherever you are

Cry out to Jesus, Cry out to Jesus- son, son."

"Huh?"

"We're at the suit store, come on." I got out of the car and walked in. There were all sorts of suits and they were all ugly. This wasn't the typical place I went to get suits.

"These are all your size son." I took one good look at them. "Dad I don't like any of these."

"Son, these look great though!"

"Then why don't you wear it?" I walked off looking at the other suits I could possibly wear. I stopped in my tracks when there were two small feet planted on the polished floor, I looked up at the lady standing there in a plaid uniform smiling, she looked like she was in her teens.

"You need some help?" She asked. I opened my mouth about to reject the lady until my dad interrupted. "Yes, ma'am, can you help my son look for a nice suit he might like better than the others we looked at?" He covered the side of his mouth whispering to the lady. "He's a little picky, his schools' ball coming up soon and he has to look stunning."

"Ah, yes I understand sir, right this way." My dad and I followed and she took us to the back of the store.

"Now these aren't for sale yet, but I can ring it up for y'all." My hands flowed through the black suits on the cart, they had a little flower sewed onto the pocket. I think Cj would like this one. It looks like it would be a tight fit, you know tight down there.

"I'll go try this one on." I went into the dressing room placing the suit on the hanger, while I strip into my boxers. I pulled the silk jeans up, tightening up the belt. I put the rest on and looked at myself in the mirror. It is a tight fit. Wink.

I walked out of the fitting room and the lady's mouth dropped, my dad raised an eyebrow.

"Now, I created that."

"It looks really good on you sir." Don't flatter yourself, lady, never in a million years.

"I guess this one is a yes?"

"Most certainly, Bethany is going to love the suit, Ray."

"She must be a very lucky girl."

"Sure." I changed back into my clothes and the lady put the suit in a clear bag that will keep it from not getting ruined and we walked over to the register. "Oh my, I'm going to be late for service." My dad said worriedly. The lines to check out were huge. I didn't think this place was actually busy.

"I have a lot of church suits let’s just leave this one and I can take one of those to the ball."

"Oh no son, you have to have something fresh, new, not a dirty old church suit, which reminds me, we should come back to buy you some more. You are a growing man you know."

"Yeah." I looked at my wristwatch sighing. The same person is still getting rung up. I tapped my foot impatiently, grabbing the collar of my shirt pulling it. "New register open." I pushed people out the way so I could be first. "Come on dad, I'm not the one with the money!" He jogged to the register pulling out his credit card.

"How was your time shopping here." Oh no she got him started. "Oh, it was fantastic! The brands here are just amazing."

"We have the best clothes designers." She bragged.

"Ha ha ha," my dad rubbed his stomach then swiped his card. "Thanks for shopping have a nice day." I'm glad I can get the hell out of here now.

Later that evening, I sat in the living room, flipping through a magazine while my dad made dinner. The doorbell rang and I propped myself up to answer it but my dad suggested to answering the door instead.

"Oh, well hello, little brother Crippen?"

"Hi, is Ray here?"

"Well, yes, but why are you here?"

"Obviously to hang out with Ray." As soon as I heard his voice I jumped up from my seat running to the door. "Hey, Craig," I said with the hugest smile on my face.

"Son?" My dad turns and looks at me with concerned in his eyes.

"What's up?"

"Can I talk to you in private real fast..."