Worth the Struggle - 1. Kyle's Prologue

Worth the Struggle

By DaHawk and Bndmtl

Kyle’s Prologue:

Kyle sighed, as he walked into his childhood home for what would be a final time soon, “I’m home.” Knowing his parents were home but never acknowledged his presence, to his parent's children were there to make them look proper to their friends. Making his way to his bedroom, Kyle flopped onto the bed letting his mind wander to places he has only dreamed until now, his life. Smiling to himself, he knew he was escaping this house with his secret intact.

"Kyle, you home?" Called his brother Kaleb, as he knocked on the bedroom door.

"Ya, I'm in here, you can come in Kaleb." Kyle smiled towards Kaleb, thinking how lucky he was to have such a great little brother in his life. Kaleb was the only person in his life that he had trusted his secret of being gay too, and Kaleb supported him.

"So, why you hiding up here?" Kaleb smiled towards Kyle knowing he hated being near their parents as much as he did, neither of the boys was stuck up or pompous like their parents. "You know Kyle I'm jealous of you, I am stuck here for another damn year with the craziness of our parents. Plus, once you're gone you know they are gonna focus on me and I will have to be the perfect son to keep them happy, you know how ridiculous that is going to be.... Ugh."

"I'm going to miss ya, bro, if I could take you with me I would, you know that. You have been my little shadow since you started walking, and you're the only one I can talk to about my um.... you know...." He looked at Kaleb, while almost whispering the last part with a grimace on his face. Kaleb wrapped Kyle into a warm and loving hug, that left Kyle know he had felt the same way. Pulling back from the hug Kyle got a mischievous smirk on his face and placed a hand on each side Kaleb's face and yanked him in placing a kiss on his cheek. Kaleb smiled as he wiped his cheek swearing revenge.

"Yuk, that’s so gross, god knows where your mouth has been!" Kaleb couldn't keep a straight face as the words left his mouth, laughing he punched Kyle in the arm and attempted to make a quick getaway.

Kyle laughed as he caught a fleeing Kaleb by the arm, "Umm, where do you think you're going, little bro?" He laughed as he synched the headlock around Kaleb's neck.

Kaleb had tears in his eyes as he laughed while looking at Kyle, then in a sudden change of moods his eyes dropped to the floor, "Kyle I don't know what I am going to do for the next year without you, just promise me once I graduate I get to room with you at BU next year."

"You got it, bro, I'm gonna miss you too. Sorry to leave you with the rents, if I could take you with me now I would. I know they hate me for going to school to teach music, because it doesn't have a prominent make your ass rich status, but this is my life." Kyle's eyes glistened with unshed tears as he loosened the headlock, which turned into a hug.

The summer flew by and before either of the boys knew it, Kyle was packing up his stuff and preparing to head to the University of Boston, where he will be majoring in Musical Education. Kyle knew his parents weren't happy with his choice in career path's which was well beneath his parent's economic status, but he was shocked when his parents refused to take him to college to drop him off for move-in day.

Kaleb walked into Kyle's bedroom sullenly, glancing around at the almost empty looking room. "Hey, do you need a hand taking stuff down to the car?" Kyle nodded and pointed towards some stacked boxes, and Kaleb sighed as he picked up two boxes at once, and making his way to the car which was actually a stretched limousine.

As Kaleb retreated from the room, Kyle began to worry how his parents would treat Kaleb since he wouldn't be there to take the brunt of the harsh comments. He shook his head to clear his thoughts and glanced around his boyhood room spotting a picture of Kaleb and himself from many years ago. Stowing it in the remaining boxes he grabbed the remaining possessions and headed towards the car which would carry him to his future. Placing his remaining boxes in the trunk of the car, he decided to go and say goodbye to his parents.

Walking into the parlor as his parents called their living room, Kyle's presence received no acknowledgment as if he wasn't even there. He glanced towards his Father Rudolph which has his face buried in the stocks section of the Wall Street Journal, and his Mother Penelope was studying some uppity female type magazine which almost made Kyle sick to think about. Kyle cleared his throat, "Mother, Father, I am ready to leave but I wanted to say goodbye to you before I left." He nervously stood like he was facing a firing squad, glancing between both of his parents.

Rudolph glanced beady-eyed over the top the paper, "I suppose you want more money to waste on that college, when I have had to work so hard for my money, and the best you can choose is to be a music teacher? You might as well skip such a waste and just to be a street urchin." Rudolph glanced toward Penelope for her support, with a snarl on his face.

"Kyle your father is correct you are wasting our hard-earned money to do what? Play some music to kids, it's such a waste, when we got you music lessons it was to learn the finer points of life and you managed to squander your talents. If you so much as screw up once while you're at college we will cut you off both for paying your tuition and your trust fund, so you better be very thankful your Father and I are being so supportive of you." Penelope ended the conversation dismissively with a wave of the hand.

Kyle shook his head as he was retreating toward the door, wondering what he had done to make his parents hate him this much, he was an honor roll student throughout school, he played multiple musical instruments, and played football, even though it was his Father's idea. Crawling in the backseat of the limo with Kaleb, Kyle had a pained expression on his face.

"Hey bro, I can only guess the shit they said to you, but you know it's a crock of shit. You're the best person I know, so screw them and their views." Kaleb smiled towards Kyle mischievously, "I'd ask for your nudie magazines but they have the wrong equipment in them." He roared with laughter as Kyle rolled his eyes.

"You know smartass, keep it up and I may buy a puppy to take your place in my life. Then I won't need your company, and Mom and Dad could make you into the son they always wanted, which isn't me." Kyle said with a pout knowing he was never going to be good enough to make his parents happy.

Kaleb punched Kyle in the arm as the ride continued, "You know for seventeen years, it's been you and me, but now that all changes, you are off to college while I get the royal parental treatment. You'd better swear to be there for me anytime I need you because this next year is so going to suck without you Kyle." Looking crestfallen toward Kyle, he tried his best to put on a strong front wanting his brother to know he would survive until they were able to reunite.

Pulling into the dorm parking lot, the driver got out of the limo and rounded the car opening the door. "Master Kyle, Master Kaleb, I believe we have reached your appropriated destination." Motioning towards the dormitories with a warm smile.

Kyle reflected back to when he first remembered his parents hiring James, which is an extremely well-proportioned black man which both boys thought of more as a father. Kyle got out of the limo smiling toward the driver, "James, how many times have we told you, that neither of us is Master anything. You are a man the same as us, just a much larger bodyguard type person that has been around us since we started walking, acting more like a parent than our own parent's act. So, thank you for everything you ever did for me, but do me one more favor, and watch out for Kaleb while I can't-do it please." Kyle looked towards Kaleb, with love.

After about a half an hour of trips up and down the stairs from car to dorm room, the deed of moving in had reached its completion. Sitting down on the side of Kyle's bed, the brothers sensed a mounting tension building between them. He cleared the lump in his throat while looking at Kaleb, "Bro, you know I'm only a phone call away, and if it's something that needs to be handled faster than I can get James. I will come back at Christmas, but it's only for you."

Kaleb looked into Kyle's eyes with tears openly flowing, "Kyle this is gonna be the longest year of my life. Just promise me no matter what hateful shit they say, don't cut them out of your life until I'm out of there."

Kyle pulled Kaleb into a loving brotherly hug, "I promise they're not out of my life until you are out of that house. Okay, now get outta here before you destroy my rep, it's uncool to have little brothers hanging around." He joked, not meaning one word, as a tear escaped his eyes.

"Fine!" Kaleb jerked back from the embrace, "See who sends you care packages, nobody." He laughed to his brother, but it wasn't far from the truth. "Good luck bro, I love you." Smiling over his shoulder as he headed for the door.

"Bye Kaleb, I love you too. Call me if you need to talk." Kyle said as his brother retreated with a wave closing the door.