This post is based on a true story. However, some instances have been changed to protect the identity of some people involved in the story.
I can’t believe I’m two years shy of my 20 year high school reunion. It seems like yesterday that I was walking the hallways of Sidney Lanier High School, laughing with my friend Chanel as we were heading to AP English class to recite that damn Canterburry Tales monologues.
Thanks to Facebook, I no longer have to wait until my class reunion to catch up with former classmates. Parenthood, marriage, and keeping in contact with old cliques appear to be the norm for them. Former high school kings, queens, and rulers are now parents(and some, grandparents) or on the verge of getting divorced from their high school sweethearts.
As I continued to browse The Book of Faces and mentally ask, “Whatever happened to so and so?,” I came across two interesting profiles of two men who shaped my high school years. My heart literally skipped a beat like it was the late, great Whitney Houston dancing. One profile was of my secret high school boyfriend and the other, my high school crush who I would later found out had a crush on me too.
Was I thotting and bopping in high school? Absolutely not. I wasn’t even popular nor was that my goal. I was on my Pinky and the Brain shit: my goal was to conquer the world. I wrote for and eventually became editor of our high school newspaper, held leadership roles in almost every organization I was member of, with the ambition to become the next Puff Daddy and Russell Simmons. My thought process: why play for the team, when you can own the team. My anti-popular stance, however, attracted the popular kids to me. That’s how got involved in a secret relationship with one of the popular boys, who we will call Bangladesh(not the music producer).
Like all the popular students at Lanier, Bangladesh was in the marching band. Similar to being in a HBCU marching band, being in a high school marching band in a majority black school was the shit to do. Not only was Bangladesh in the band, he was also apart of several high school fraternities including Kudos and the Kappa League(aka Baby Nupes). Some people would say that Bangladesh favors a dark skinned, heavyset version of Usher if you squint your eye just a tad bit.
Bangladesh and I met while we writing for our high school newspaper. At first, I wasn’t a fan of him nor the bitches(aka his friends) that he rolled with because they were very pretentious. Their world revolved around on who had the newest Honda Accord and Tommy Hilfiger, who received the most accolades at their latest teen fraternity meeting, etc. However, the more Bangladesh and I interacted, the more we became cool and eventually hung out after school. One of those after school hangouts would change our budding friendship.
This particular hangout, Bangladesh pulled out a Mr. Marcus porn tape. As we were observing Mr. Marcus dicking down some broad in the video, Bangladesh began to ask me several sexual questions, “How often do you beat your meat?” “Do you have any porn tapes?” “What kinda underwear do I have on?”
Sensing that I was uncomfortable, Bangladesh began to kiss me like Larry Fishburne kissed Angela Bassett in What’s Love Got To Do With It when they were on stage. He whispered in my ear, “I’m not a fag or no shit like that but I’m attracted to you.” He placed his hand on my erection and said, “Based on how hard your dick is, you’re attracted to me too.” I don’t have to tell you what happened next.
Over the next few months, Bangladesh and I’s after school hangouts involved us “fooling around.” We fooled around so much that we almost got caught by our parents and his girlfriend on different occasions (Yeah, I failed to mention that Bangladesh had a girlfriend). Even though we almost got caught, we continue to fool around until one session eventually ended our relationship and friendship.
This session was different from the rest because Bangladesh revealed his true intentions. We were doing our normal teenage freaking, when he asked my thoughts on his friends Khashief, Elias, and some other nigga I can’t remember. Back story: Khashief and I had a rivalry based on one thing: We favored it each as the old folks say. We looked so much alike to the point where people thought we were brothers. It also didn’t help that we stay across the street from each other and attended the same college prep programs.
Back to the original story, Bangladesh tells me that his friends, some other band members, and a couple of football players would get together on Saturday nights for an exclusive “boys” party. “We get together all the time just to get busy,” he says. “Get busy?,” I asked.
“Yeah,” he says as he humped the air, “Get busy. We’ve been trying to recruit you since we know you get down.” In case you’re as clueless as the boardgame or Porsha Williams, some of the popular boys high school were not only gay but we’re apparently having DL teenage gay sex parties. Bangladesh goes on to say, “You would love to play with Khashief’s big dick. I told him about how I taught you how to suck dick. He wants both of us to suck him off!”
Not only was I embarrassed but I was devastated. Embarrassed because my classmates found out that I was gay. Devastated because I believed that Bangladesh like and cared about me. How could he pimped me out like that? Teenage me would never participate in such debauchery and fornication. However, adult me would’ve not only been down for the debauchery and fornication, but would’ve probably been the organizer. #ATLOrgy.
The last time I saw Bangladesh in person was in 2004. At the time, he was living with frat brother in Atlanta and was about to get married to his college girlfriend. I don’t remember how we found each other but I agreed to meet up with him. We were no longer teenage boys, but grown ass men. We met up for drinks and he apologized for what happened in high school. Did we fool around for old times sakes? Yes. He was no longer a heavy set, dark skinned version of Usher, he was now dark skinned muscular version and I wanted some of us his “confessions.”
Cut to 2017. Based on his Facebook page, he did the ultimate thing that every closeted gay man in Montgomery, Alabama does: gain weight, have kids, marry an extra-plus size woman, and become a Baptist church pastor. He’s now double heavy set, darskinned version of Usher if you squint your eyes in the sunlight on a foggy day.
Was Bangladesh my first love? Not by a long shot. However Bangladesh taught me to question people’s intentions especially if they all of a sudden begin to have interest in you.
Stay tuned for part 2 about my high school crush.
Did you have a secret relationship in high school or college? How did it end and what was the impact on your life? Share your story below.