Are You Christian - 14. Chapter 14

Jonathon was shaking, as he got dressed, not caring that he was still dripping wet from the creek water. The sun was still intense, but a slight breeze was blowing in the forest around us. It wasn’t cold though and the wide directionless stare he had given me told me that he was scared. He also wouldn’t tell me who he thought it was or if he saw anything at all. I didn’t notice anything; we had been kissing at the time.

 

“It could’ve been a deer or something,” I said in another weak attempt to calm him.

 

“I don’t want to be sent back to that shit hole clinic,” Jonathon hissed still ignoring me. It was the first time he cussed in front of me. “Hurry up and get dressed Christian!”

 

“Ok,” I whispered. “You really need to calm down, if it was a deer you’d give yourself away anyway.”

 

“Stop telling me it was a deer,” Jonathon snapped rolling his eyes, finally looking at me. “Did you hear four foot falls in the woods?”

 

“Well no,” I said, “just two.”

 

“Then it most definitely wasn’t a four legged animal,” Jonathon countered and I glared at him.

 

“This is starting to feel like it is all my fault,” I argued shoving my boot over my foot. Mom would have to dry clean my church clothes now that we were in a hurry I had to dress still dripping as well.

 

“Well you could be a bit more understanding,” he barked shoving his shirt on, then noticed he had put it on backwards.

 

“I am ,” I said trying to help him into his shirt. Through all his frantic dressing, I had finished before him, having a lot more clothes to put on and everything. “You’re not alone though.”

 

“I don’t have your parents,” he argued, “so I technically am.”

 

“Well in that case,” I mumbled turning my back to him, I started walking over the grassy creek bank. It was a slippery ground to walk on, but I didn’t turn to see if he was following me. He hadn’t put on his shoes yet. I thought I was selfish, walking away from him right now, but he was making me mad and I didn’t want to make it worse for him. I didn’t know what those clinics were like for him and knew his Dad would send him back to another one if he found out about Jonathon not being cured of everything.

 

“Where are you going?” Jonathon asked catching up to me in a jog. I was waiting to hear a muffled splash, but he had better balance than I did.

 

“Home,” I answered, my arms still crossed. “I’m no help to you.”

 

“I can’t go home right now, I’ll go crazy,” Jonathon stammered reaching out for my arm, but I pulled away from him.

 

“You wouldn’t let me touch you, so don’t even try,” I retorted already feeling the bite leaving my voice as I spoke. I wanted to wrap him into a hug until his hands stopped trembling or his voice not be on the edge of crying. He was trying hard not to cry, but it wasn’t difficult to notice he was starting to crack. When I looked at him, his blue eyes seemed to be glassy, with unshed tears forming at the bottom of his eye lids.

 

“Sorry,” he whispered in a tight voice, and then I felt all of his weight fall onto my shoulder. It forced me to stop walking; if I had tried I would’ve fallen into the now, shallow part of the creek.

 

“It’s okay,” I offered uncrossing my arms and turning so I could hug him. He shifted some of his weight off me, but bent slightly to bury his head into my shoulder. I could hear him sniffling in my ear and his breathing go ragged.

 

“I can’t go home and face him about this again,” he shuddered into my neck, I could feel his lips brushing against me as he talked.

 

“Then come home with me until you get calmed down,” I said pulling him closer to me. We stood there for what seemed like a few minutes, him just crying on my shoulder fighting to regain control over his emotions. It made me angry, thinking how bad he had it the first time and how alone he really was. He wasn’t alone now though, even if I didn’t have much authority over what happens to him and his Dad. I wasn’t about to abandon him though and would be beside him in the car headed to whatever hell he’d be sent to next.

 

After we reached the bridge he stopped leaning on my shoulder, but walked close beside me. It would look innocent enough to anyone who saw us walking. I looked around hoping to spot the person who found us in the creek. The park was still empty though, which didn’t settle my nervousness. It made me think someone was actually out looking for us and would know about the deeper swimming spot. It brought me to think it was Matt, being Jonathon’s cousin they would’ve explored this creek as kids, growing up here. They would know where every thing good about this place was and where the other one liked to hang out at. I didn’t know how close they were now that Kate was in the picture; I had taken a lot of Jonathon’s time up as well. Secretly I was hoping it was someone we knew, but not Gavin. I didn’t want him loudly spreading what he has seen in the creek. He wouldn’t save this kind of thing to get Jonathon back for anything and I didn’t know about their past either.

 

“Who do you think it was?” He asked as we started walking on the road towards my house. It was a short walk from the park and around one curve surrounded by a reemerging forest I could see my house.

 

“I know who I don’t want it to be, that’s it,” I answered shrugging my shoulders.

 

“Matt,” he said nodding his head. “I want it to be anyone but my Dad or Matt, for sure and I know my Dad wouldn’t be at the creek.”

 

“Why Matt?” I asked looking at him. “I mean he doesn’t seem like the type to tell anybody.”

 

“You heard him in Sunday School,” Jonathon responded his eyes narrowing slightly and I thought he was about to shut me out again. “He had the worst reaction to what we are, you know.”

 

“I thought Gavin and Lacey did,” I countered trying to keep my voice calm and soothing. The last thing I wanted was for him to lose control again and start crying.

 

“Gavin is pretty relaxed and Lacey doesn’t care she just doesn’t want you to be gay,” Jonathon argued looking over at me. I was surprised to see him smirk when I rolled my eyes.

 

“Then she has a rude awakening coming to her,” I said frowning. “I should probably just tell her before she goes out and starts planning our prom or something.”

 

“No, don’t do that!” Jonathon hissed taking hold of my arm with his strong hand. It hurt slightly, but I didn’t pull away from him.

 

“I’m not,” I soothed quickly. He let go of my arm and we stepped onto my driveway. The van and Dad’s car were parked out front and I hated that they were still here. They didn’t have anyone to visit though, but I was also relieved not to see anyone else parked in the driveway. Not seeing another car though, seemed to disappoint Jonathon.

 

“I would’ve thought I would be getting this over with,” he stammered as we walked up to the front steps.

 

“Now you have to fake a smile until I get you up to my room or my mother will have you on the couch,” I whispered at the front door. “Don’t make her your lab rat, although it would be good not being me for a change.”

 

“Right,” he agreed then I saw him smiling. I could tell it was forced, only because I liked his real smile. Mom wouldn’t know the difference though so I opened the door letting him enter the living room. Dad, Mom, and Grace were in the living room. Dad had the newspaper shielding his face and Mom was reading a book to Grace, who was ignoring her and grabbing at the pages. She was really too young to be read to, but Mom thought more brain stimulation would lead to a higher intelligence. Grace had to sit still, which upset her, but Mom wouldn’t let go, not giving up on the story.

 

“Hi boys,” she greeted sounding motherly, but a little bit stressed. Then I saw her take in our appearance and when her eyebrows cocked I wanted to rush Jonathon up the stairs.

 

“Hi,” Jonathon greeted, sounding cheerful, like he was used to putting on a show for people.

 

“You two are soaking wet, what’ve you been up to?” Mom asked and Dad let the paper drop slightly to look us over himself.

 

“Looks like they’ve been jogging,” Dad said and I bit my lip to keep from laughing.

 

“I see,” Mom said putting Grace in the floor on her blanket near her toys. “Go change your clothes Christian, I’ll have to have that dry cleaned.”

 

“Ok,” I said then motioned for Jonathon to follow me up the stairs, but he shook his head. I didn’t want to leave him with them and I wondered if Mom was trying to get rid of me for a reason. The drycleaners were closed on Sunday, it would be Monday before she could take them in and I had all day to get out of my dirty dress clothes. For a brief second I thought they would give him the sex talk, so I hurried out of my clothes, not putting them on a hanger to be taken in. I left them in a pile on the floor and slipped on a pair of shorts and a t shirt.

 

When I got back down stairs, Jonathon was still standing in the middle of the living room. Grace had crawled over to him and started playing with his shoes. He was looking down at her, but Mom’s eyes were still glued on Jonathon, like she was reading his mind. I cleared my throat on the bottom stair and they all looked at me, Jonathon jumping slightly.

 

“Did you two go swimming?” Mom asked crossing her leg and resting her arms in her lap. This was how she sat when she was going to start her line of questioning.

 

“In the Creek, sorry Christian got his clothes dirty,” Jonathon answered shifting his weight nervously.

 

“I can smell the creek water on you both,” she answered smiling. “It’s why I asked, Christian is clumsy so I thought maybe he had fallen in.”

 

“Mom,” I groaned stepping further into the living room to stand beside him. “Can we go to my room now?”

 

“No stay down here and talk,” Mom said smiling. I hoped Dad would rescue us, but he was ignoring everyone still.

 

“Do you know something we don’t know?” I asked trying to keep my voice from shaking, but I was also curious to know if anyone had stopped by or asked for Jonathon while we were walking home. The person who saw us had a definite head start.

 

“Probably,” Mom answered vaguely, “I mean, I’ve went through college and am older than the both of you.”

 

“Oh,” Jonathon muttered and I could see relief spread over his face. It gave him away, which was the reason Mom started asking questions anyway. She knew one of us would lower our poker face and show her what she had already suspected. No matter how much I was used to her tactics, I still always cracked eventually. Jonathon didn’t last any time at all with her and I wondered if his own mother was like this or if he could slide by with his little white lies and false smiles.

 

“Uh huh, what did you two really do?” Mom asked, “Christian I don’t want you or Jonathon for that matter, getting into trouble.”

 

“Mom,” I huffed, “you know me better than that, and I’ve never been in trouble.”

 

“You had a lot more hobbies in Maryland,” Mom countered smiling. She had believed me, but I felt a lecture coming later about finding something to do with my spare time. Stacey would normally save me with her own dramatics, but having a boyfriend had kept her away from home.

 

“Christian is going out for football, practice starts soon,” Jonathon stated glancing in my direction. “We really do need a kicker.”

 

“Or a manager,” I countered glaring at him. He smiled then turned back to my mother.

 

“Kicker,” Jonathon argued and I saw Mom frown then shake her head. She wouldn’t want me going out for football either; she knows it’s not something that really interested me.

 

“So you two just went swimming?” Mom asked bringing the conversation back to the place I didn’t want it to go. I would’ve taken the lecture on Football and my interests instead.

 

“Yeah Mom,” I stated and she nodded her head confirming something to herself. “Then why did you two look so guilty when you walked through the door?”

 

“No reason,” I answered hoping Jonathon wouldn’t say anything. He was looking like a criminal caught in a lie and about to spill his guts. I wanted to drag him up the stairs, but doing so would only make her follow us with more questions.

 

“Christian were you two doing something adult?” Dad asked lowering the paper again with an expression I hadn’t seen before. I was surprised he had actually been listening and it caught me off guard.

 

“Like what?” I asked trying not to elbow Jonathon, who had lowered his head and started blushing. “We weren't smoking or drinking…”

 

“So you two were, you know,” Dad said pointing his finger back and forth between us, but couldn’t bring himself to say anything. He had dropped his paper open on his lap to the opinion columns, probably going to read them after they finished embarrassing the two of us.

 

“Yes,” Jonathon cracked in a slightly high pitched voice. “And we were caught by somebody.”

 

“Christian!” Mom hissed, her eyes blinking rapidly as she digested the news. I shot a weak glare at Jonathon, but he was staring at my mom.

 

“I know we shouldn’t have out there, but Mom don’t lecture us,” I huffed crossing my arms. “We’re scared that what we did will get back to Bro. David.”

 

“Damn right you should be,” Dad exploded shaking his head. “Did you not get anything from the talk we had?”

 

“Dad, you didn’t say anything about location,” I whispered feeling the heat rise in my own cheeks. I heard Jonathon stifle a laugh, even scared, if something amused him he allowed himself to forget briefly and laugh. I couldn’t do anything like that.

 

“We should just call your father,” Mom suggested getting to her feet. “Christian go get Jonathon some clean clothes.”

 

“Like he could fit into anything I own,” I argued not moving from my spot in the living room.

 

“The outfit your grandmother gave you that could fit your father,” Mom instructed, “like you’ll ever fit into it.”

 

“You said I could grow into it,” I countered taking Jonathon by the hand to lead him up the stairs. He had gone pale at the mention of calling his dad and I wanted to get him out of the room before Mom started listing the positive reasons why calling him would be a good idea. I didn’t want her convincing Jonathon of something he himself wasn’t ready for. I hated that we weren’t more careful, that I let my feelings get in the way, just like Stacey had said they would.

 

Jonathon was shaking again when we entered my bedroom. I walked over and rummaged at the back of the closet for the polo shirt and jeans that were too big for me. Jonathon was stripped down naked again when I turned to hand him the clothes. I grimaced not having any underwear that would fit him, but he just took the jeans and the shirt from me and started dressing.

 

“You can’t let her call my Dad,” he stammered pulling the shirt over his head and unbuttoning the three buttons to give himself some more room. The shirt was tight on his broad shoulders and looked good on him. I was surprised when he pulled the jeans up over his waist that they fit him. Grandma was really off on my size.

 

“I won’t,” I replied patting him on the shoulder. “You look hot.”

 

“Thanks,” he said pulling on the shirt collar. Red really brought out his blue eyes and I knew what I would be buying him for Christmas if he didn’t take the clothes home with him later.

 

“We better wash my dirty clothes so I can put them on when I go home,” Jonathon said and I showed him the way to the laundry room. I started the washer and then we walked back down the stairs. Mom had the phone in her hand and my heart skipped thinking she already called him.

 

“You didn’t call did you?” I asked in a rushed voice.

 

“Not yet,” Mom answered frowning. “Do you think he’s going to like having you the gossip of the town and him find out that way?”

 

“Mom, please, the person who saw us may not even tell anybody,” I argued still looking at the phone in her hands.

 

“Yeah and I just won the lottery,” Dad commented shooting me a look that I didn’t like. He still looked mad that our talk seemed to fail.

 

“Honey,” Mom soothed scooting over in the couch next to my Dad and patting the spot beside her. She wasn’t looking at me though so I stayed standing in my spot. Jonathon though walked over and sat down beside her. I was amazed at how motherly she was suddenly, the whole Psychiatrist part of her left as she put her arm around him and squeezed him closer to her.

 

“I’m sorry about getting Christian caught up in my mess,” Jonathon apologized and I felt my stomach twist.

 

“You don’t have to apologize,” I said shaking my head. “We’re in this together.”

 

“Why don’t you call your father and tell him, Jonathon,” Mom stated pushing the phone gently into his hand. Jonathon just let it fall into his lap as he turned to look at her a little frustrated with her.

 

“Mom he can’t, his dad sent him to therapy the last time,” I retorted walking over to Grace, who had fallen asleep in the middle of the floor and put her into her play pen for a nap.

 

“I won’t go back,” Jonathon hissed looking down at the phone still. I was afraid at what he meant by that and so was Mom. I thought she was going to drop it then and let me save Jonathon myself.

 

“If you don’t call him and he finds out then it will be worse than therapy,” Dad pointed out in his lawyer voice. I felt like I had done a crime and was about to agree to a deal to get out of a lesser charge. Jonathon seemed to be weighing his thoughts as well and had put his hand over the phone and started playing with the numbers.

 

“Your father is right, he could kick you out or send you to live with relatives, something more permanent,” Mom explained, “away from your friends and the people who support and love you.”

 

“Don’t scare him into it,” I snapped glaring at them both. “Mom we can take him in if they kick him out of the house.”

 

“We don’t have the authority,” Mom countered crossing her arms. “Not everything is an easy fix Christian, Jonathon needs to tell his father and end this whole mess you two have started.”

 

“No,” I huffed then the door opened and Stacey came into the house. We heard Adam pull out of the driveway in his car. She studied us as she started up the stairs, then turned and walked back across the living room to sit in the open chair next to the play pen Grace was still asleep in.

 

“What’s happened?” Stacey asked crossing her arms waiting to be told all about it.

 

“This doesn’t concern you Stacey,” Dad answered pointing her towards the stairs. “Give us some privacy.”

 

“Yeah right,” she said not standing to leave us.

 

“We were caught being close Stacey,” I explained quickly, thankful for once that my sister was around.

 

“See what I told you little brother?” Stacey asked not seeing the importance of us being caught by someone. “Your horniness finally got the better of you.”

 

“Stacey!” Mom screeched grabbing at her chest.

 

“What?” Stacey shrugged rolling her eyes then turned her attention back to me. “Who caught you two?”

 

“We don’t know,” Jonathon answered, “we were kissing and we heard foot steps leaving the creek bank.”

 

“It could’ve just been a deer,” Stacey offered and I shot Jonathon an amused smile, which he returned.

 

“Two foot steps, not four,” he answered in a softer tone than he had used with me earlier.

 

“Deer hop,” Stacey shrugged, “but if you’re certain.”

 

“Stacey like you have even saw a deer,” I huffed rolling my eyes. She shot me a look then Mom cleared her voice.

 

“Jonathon was about to call his father and tell him so that it won’t be a bigger mess,” Mom interrupted narrowing her eyes shooting both Stacey and I a look. We were supposed to take that look and be quiet.

 

“You’re insane if you think that will fix anything,” Stacey commented leaning forward in the chair. “Jonathon’s already had his hand caught in the cookie jar once, a second time will be worse.”

 

“Stacey,” I groaned rolling my eyes. “Cookie jar, seriously?”

 

“What?” Stacey shrugged smiling at me. I shook my head, but Jonathon was chewing on his bottom lip, blushing furiously. “He’s supposed to be miraculously cured of his gayness, right?”

 

“Yeah,” Jonathon answered looking at her.

 

“So telling your father that it didn’t stick and you’re fooling around with the new boy in town won’t be good,” Stacey explained and I was proud of her.

 

“If someone else tells him what will happen?” Mom asked trying to win the argument still.

 

“The same thing,” Stacey answered leaning back in the chair. “Why make it a losing situation right now, let Jonathon and Christian at least look for the person who snuck up on them instead of rushing off to tell his dad before we know anything.”

 

“Thanks Stacey,” I said offering her a smile. She winked at me and it had worked. Mom let out a defeated sigh and looked down at the phone as Jonathon handed it back to her.

 

“Now if you’ll excuse me I have homework to do,” Stacey sighed, “if anything else needs fixing just come get me.”

 

“Don’t get ahead of yourself,” Dad countered causing me to laugh. Stacey pretended not to hear him as she walked up the stairs. We heard her dialing her phone, probably to call Adam and neglect her homework a little while longer.

 

“Go do your homework it will be a better excuse for you to be gone all day,” Mom ordered letting out a sigh. Jonathon stood and followed me up the stairs, we both had homework to do, but he hadn’t brought his books. We also didn’t have all the same classes, but what we did get done eased our minds enough to concentrate our energy on something else. Jonathon seemed more relaxed doing homework so I wasn’t going to suggest anything else and I didn’t want to talk about it anymore either.

 

When it started getting dark Jonathon changed back into his clothes that had just gotten finished drying. Dad offered to take him home, which I was relieved. It was better than him walking in the dark and a lot better than Mom taking him. Dad would be observant enough to know if someone had told Jonathon’s Dad, but not be sneaky enough to go against our wishes and tell him anyway. Jonathon wouldn’t allow me to go with them, but I was slightly relieved when Dad got back and told me that nothing seemed to be happening. He had told Jonathon to come back to the car if something had, but now time was against us. We had to find out who saw us in the creek and prepare for the worst. It wasn’t something I looked forward to at all.