Black Fox: The Awakening - 1. Chapter 1 - Reunion

Pull yourself together, you’ll be fine. You always are.

The last few moments before walking on stage were always the worst. This time wasn’t different. The tightness in my stomach started forming an hour before the show and the time slowed down to make sure I experienced every second of this smouldering torture to the fullest. My palms were wet from the cold sweat and my mind raced, unable to focus on anything other than my heartbeat and phantom pinpricks that seemed to randomly puncture my skin every few seconds for no reason. So many gigs with the boys and it wasn’t getting any easier for me at all. The only thing that did get better was the knowledge that all this would stop as soon as we started playing the first song. I just had to make it to that point without fainting and all would be fine.

The boys weren’t helping at all. Josh was sitting in the corner of the backstage room, playing scales over and over on his unplugged vintage Fender Telecaster. I found it hard to get used to this squeaky mantra. I wish he would stop and at the same time, I prayed he’d go on. I think Cayden was a little high. He was laying on the couch, hands behind his head and humming inaudible tunes through his nose, not paying attention to any of us. Mike was sitting motionlessly except for his thumb, mindlessly scrolling down his Instagram wall. I swear that only fifteen minutes ago we were chatting, joking and laughing like it was nothing. It didn’t make me feel better to know I wasn’t the only one stressing out.

An eternity later, the stage technician called us on stage. I was at my lowest low, questioning my ability to play or bring any sort of enjoyment to anyone watching me. My body felt cold and my hands were trembling so much I doubted I’d be able to play a steady rhythm without my drumsticks slipping out of my fingers.

Pull yourself together, you’ll be fine. You always are. I imagined my boyfriend speaking these words and felt a little better.

I wish he was there to say it to me himself. I wish Owen was here.

***

We left my house holding hands. I was so in love. If Owen could only know how much he meant to me. The way he supported me coming out to my mum. The sex we had. I wanted his dick to make love to me all day and all night. But most of all, I was attracted to the strong boy this dick was attached to. My boyfriend. The emotional connection we shared.

It felt weird being the one to push the boundaries. Owen was a gentleman and if we were doing things his way, it would take forever. Just for me. To make me feel special.

Luckily, I already felt special and I didn’t need him to prove it to me. I didn’t want to wait forever either. I needed him to make love to me and once he understood he had my permission, he did just that. He was rough at times but his every push was a love letter to my soul.

Just a minute after leaving my house, Owen sighed and let go of my hand.

"What?" I asked.

"Nothing… Just give me some time. I want to show you off to the whole world babe. You know that."

"So…" I suggested and extended my hand back.

"I mean it, give me some time. I don’t feel very well," Owen said.

I gave him a worried look. "What happened?"

"Nothing happened yet. But we’re about to come out to my parents in case you forgot."

"Do you think they will overreact?" I asked.

"No, I don’t think so. I mean, maybe they will, in a positive way, and that’s what I’m afraid of the most. Knowing them, they’ll make a scene and will want you to stay for dinner, ask you all sorts of questions and…"

I shrugged. "Sounds fun."

Owen slowed down for a second and looked at me as if I was mental.

"Don’t you dare be on their side if they insist on making us come out to the whole neighbourhood and force me to propose to you in the middle of the street."

I smiled reassuringly. "I’ll be on my own side, no worries," I said and I knew I was teasing him a little. That made him speed up again and I had to trot forward to catch up with him.

A few minutes later, we crossed the road next to the park. We hadn’t been there even once since the battle of the beasts. I didn’t know if I wanted to set my foot inside it ever again. In broad daylight, it looked friendly and welcoming, full of people sitting on the benches and walking their dogs. This contrast made it seem even creepier and I spaced out for a second. Then I jumped when I felt something grab my hand - of course, it was Owen. He was looking at me with worry and I realised I must’ve looked like a ghost. After all, he was reluctant to hold my hand just a minute ago. I forced a smile, took a few deep breaths and we continued walking down the pavement, holding hands like boyfriends.

I don’t think Owen knew how much it meant to me. How much I hated being in the closet and how wonderful it felt to have him near me, acknowledging me and owning me. How happy I was that it was him and no one else I could share this feeling with. I’m not gonna lie, Owen was physically perfect, at least to me. Tall, athletic blond boys like him had been my wank fantasy since I could remember and he was the best I’ve seen. Ever since I saw him on YouTube a few months ago, I was dying to see him in person. One day, I’ll have to admit to him how many times I’d seen them live in the Coventry area before I dared to approach him. And that once I did, I was kicking myself for days, pretty sure he thought I was a creep and a stalker. But now it was over and we were together, holding our hands on the way to see his parents.

The hand-holding didn’t last very long. As soon as his house emerged from around the corner, Owen let go of my hand again. I realised this whole day so far was about the two of us giving each other support and strength when it was needed. Could it be more perfect? Will I be able to give him this strength in the long run? I considered grabbing his hand again but scolded myself immediately. It’s not what he needs right now.

When we walked onto the porch, Owen stopped by the door and hesitated. He probably wanted me to say something but I only nodded with confidence. I must admit I was feeling strangely relaxed and was doing my best to show some empathy. After the conversation with Mum, I felt so light and so… invincible. Okay, the sex helped a lot. When Mum said that I had been beaming for the past few days, I knew what she meant. And the sex… Believe me… I found it really hard to feel for Owen who seemed to be in his lowest low, standing there. One more thing that I found attractive about him. He’d always try to act all manly in front of me, but his insecurities would sometimes shine through his shell… and I didn’t mind at all.

"It will be fine," I said. "At least you’ll get to tell them on your terms."

He smiled weakly. "Yeah, I guess."

He was about to turn the knob when the door suddenly opened and two police officers showed up at the door. We both jumped to the side to let them pass.

"Good morning," the taller one said and touched his hat. "I hope your arm is better, lad."

"Uhm, yes, thank you, it’s better," Owen stuttered. "And good morning."

Before we could start wondering what the hell was going on, they stepped out of the porch and continued by foot down the sidewalk. We shared puzzled looks and Owen gestured at me to come inside.

His parents were standing in the hall with stern looks on their faces.

"Hello Mr and Mrs Davies," I said, as politely as I could but I could feel a tight knot forming in my throat. Please, not trouble again.

"Hi Alex," Owen’s dad said but his tone was less cheerful than usual. "It’s good to see you."

"Did something happen?" Owen asked.

"Yes, Owen," his dad hesitated as if looking for the right words. "The driver that hit you. They caught him.

***

"They caught him?" Owen repeated once we all sat in the living room. "How did they find him?"

"The police unearthed a security camera footage that helped identify the car. They found the car yesterday morning and the owner was arrested shortly after."

"Are they sure it was him who was driving?" I asked astutely.

"Well," Owen’s mum said, "they don’t know for sure but they said there were no other driver license holders in the household so he’s the main suspect. We will be given more details after he’s interrogated and we’ll be notified about hearings."

"Oh my god…" Owen whispered. "I mean, it’s good, right?"

"Absolutely," Owen’s dad said. "While you’re eligible for state compensation, this man needs to be put in jail. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to determine if he was drunk at the time of the incident but since it was a hit and run, I think he’s facing jail time for sure. And we will be able to sue his sorry… sue him for your injury, too."

At this moment, I noticed Owen’s sister, Sarah, who’s been standing at the door for who knows how long and eavesdropping on the conversation. I think she was 12 or something and I didn’t like her nosy face. After all, we had some news to break as well.

"Anyway," Mrs Davies added, "there are no more details at this point, so don’t worry about it, boys. Go ahead and enjoy your day. As you can see, this is news to us, too."

Owen fidgeted with his fingers and gave me an insecure look, then turned back to his parents.

"Actually, before we go, there’s something we wanted to tell you," he said.

I saw his hand twitch as if he wanted to reach me. I was so ready to grab it if he wanted. But at the last moment, he retreated.

"Okay boys, go on," his dad said. "Does it have something to do with the photo from yesterday's gig? We really liked it."

The silence that followed was only disrupted by the sound of our jaws dropping to the floor.

***

So yeah, that was the second time we failed to come out that day. The photo was amazing, though. We had avoided looking at our social media on purpose but it was finally time to face it. The photographer had been at the stage behind us when he took it. Judging by the number of phone cameras pointed at us from the audience, it was just one of the very many copies. The five of us just straightened up after our bow to the audience. Owen and I were kissing. One of the stage lamps was shining behind our heads, creating a bright-red halo around us. The photo was focused on us and the crowd was just a blur.

Most pictures on the band's Instagram account had a couple of hundred likes at best. This one had ten thousand. In just a few hours. It terrified me. I looked up at Owen to find some comfort but saw only terror.

Long story short, Owen’s parents assured us about their support and asked a ton of questions about how we met and how we came out to my mum and the boys from Black Fox. Sarah kept standing in the doorway. I don’t know about Owen but it wasn’t making me very comfortable. Sure, I was hoping to progressively come out to all our friends but if she knew, that meant the whole school would know in no time before the classes even resume after the summer break. I could only thank myself for pulling off this kiss stunt. I was thankful that Owen wasn’t blaming me. At least not openly.

***

I was feeling kind of dizzy going home later that day. Sarah had quickly gotten bored and left for her room. I had stayed more to be there just for Owen as we’d talked about more or less related stuff. As good as it felt to be near my boyfriend, I was relieved when I hugged all three of them and the door closed behind me. This day has been too much already. This week has been too much, too, as was this entire month. I felt overwhelmed and my mind was unfocused.

"How was it?" Mum asked when I came back home and collapsed on the couch, sinking deep inside it.

"Well, before we could say anything they told us that they caught the driver that hit Owen."

"Oh, did they? That’s good. Did he confess?"

"I don’t know. It all happened yesterday and no one knows anything yet."

"Either way, that’s good news. But did you get a chance to come out to them?"

"Yes. It went well," I said, aware that my expression betrayed that there was more to it than the word went well could carry. "Everyone was very positive and supportive."

"Is that bad?" she asked, looking me right in the eyes.

"Okay, it’s not but… Isn’t it supposed to be an issue for most people? Aren’t they all just trying to be nice?"

She sighed. "Look. I don’t know Owen’s parents but I highly doubt it. Sure, you will meet people who aren’t okay with it sooner or later - even though I wish you wouldn’t - but as long as you boys stick to your circles of friends and family, I bet everyone will be friendly and supportive. There’s nothing strange about it. We hang out with people who share similar values and we subconsciously get rid of people who don’t."

"I’m not trying to get rid of anyone," I said, knowing exactly what her answer would be.

"I told you - subconsciously. If you feel that someone doesn’t share fundamental values you believe in, it’s really hard to be around that person in the long run. I’m not saying you should stick to your bubble and don’t come up for air, no! You’ve always been very sociable if a little shy and I don’t want you to change a single bit. What I mean is, by being yourself, you will naturally attract certain kinds of people and repel others. And that’s all good because the people who can't handle who you are - you don’t want them in your life anyway."

To repel them, I’ll have to bump into them first. She was probably right, though, but I was too exhausted to add anything of value to what she said, so I just nodded and smiled weakly. "It’s Owen’s birthday in two weeks and they’re throwing a party," I said after a minute of silence.

"That’s cool. I’m guessing that you’re invited?"

"Of course I am and you’re invited, too."

"Me? What kind of party is that?" She raised her eyebrows.

"Well, Owen said there will be a big party later this Summer but this one is more like a backyard family BBQ."

"I see. What’s the big party, though?"

"Well, they just told me today. Owen’s family are going camping just before the end of the Summer vacation. Black Fox boys and some other friends will be there, too."

"I bet you’d like to go, huh?"

I blushed and smiled shyly. "I was about to ask," I said.

"I’ll talk to Owen’s parents and we’ll see about that," she said but from her tone, I knew it was just a formality.

"So why the BBQ then?" She added.

"It feels like they just came up with this idea as an excuse to make Owen and I more… official."

"Oh my god, you poor thing," she chuckled at my embarrassment. "People will get over it soon, I promise. Let them have their fun. You two are so adorable together and they just want to celebrate you for a little bit. I’m guilty of that, too. You can tell them I will come. And oh… guess what. Your father and brother will be coming back home next weekend."

"Really?" I gave her a surprised look. "For how long?"

"From what they said, at least until the end of the summer vacation.

"Did something happen?"

"No, I don’t think so. I think their next job is here in town and they’ll be taking a short break after that."

"Then I guess they’re invited, too."

"Probably," she smiled.

"Oh my god, I have to tell them," I pushed my fingers up to cover my eyes, feeling the world’s weight more than ever.

"Guess you do. Don’t fret, though. You have the entire week to figure out how and when you want to do it."

"Yeah, but you know how Dad is."

Like I said, no point in worrying now. How about you take a nap or grab a shower and watch some TV? It’s been a long day for you, hasn’t it?"

You know me so well, Mum.

***

I was happy to avoid checking my social media for the rest of the day and by 11 pm, I was fast asleep. When I woke up, it was almost noon and I felt as if I had just come back from a trip to Mordor to destroy the Ring. But I also felt rested and my mind was working properly.

It was Monday and Mum was at work. I was happy she didn’t have that habit of saying goodbye every time she was leaving. I made some toast, turned on the TV, sat on the couch and put my feet on the coffee table, munching on my breakfast. Mum hated when I did that but she wasn’t around to kick my arse for it. I wiggled my toes with satisfaction and felt kinda good being alone.

After eating, I checked my phone and decided it’s about time to face the havoc that I’d started by kissing Owen at that gig two days ago. Unsurprisingly, I had tons of messages and friend invitations on Facebook. Many DMs were from my friends asking me what the hell was that kiss about. I didn’t reply to any of them, though. Let them wonder. I didn’t have to go to school for another six weeks. I knew I had to tell my close friends I saw daily, but for now, that could wait, too. I didn’t have so many of them anyway and we didn’t hang out as much on summer vacations.

Deep inside, I knew I went way over the line and my life would never be the same. The wild and brave side of me rejoiced. I mean the side that had decided that it was a good idea to kiss a boy in front of people and camera flashes in the first place. I was naturally good-mannered and polite, but I was aware that I secretly thrived in chaos and uncertainty. On a regular day, I would never say a mean word or refuse to do my chores, but there were times when I just wanted to watch the world burn. It’s crazy, I know.

Then I checked Instagram. Unsurprisingly, things were even worse at the epicentre. My personal profile that had almost no photos suddenly gained hundreds of new follower requests. Oh boy. Then I checked the photo added by the band profile - the one that showed me and Owen kiss. It already had almost 20k likes and countless comments. I clicked to read some of them. "OMG", "Ship," "Are you together???", "Is it fake?" were just some of the comments. I couldn’t help but smile seeing how much attention my little stunt has earned us. What was even better, I had to scroll through dozens of comments to finally spot a negative one. "Fags." As brief as unimaginative. Somehow, it gave me even more satisfaction to know that we managed to trigger some random homophobe. I felt a sudden rush of excitement. What’s happening to me?

I quit the app and dialled Owen’s number.

"Hey babe," he said.

"Hey there, what are you doing?"

"Nothing much, I was just checking our Instagram," he explained.

"Me too! Crazy, right?"

Owen hesitated. "Yeah… I don’t know what to think about it."

"I think I know… look, can you come over real quick? I need your help with something."

"Sure, what’s the matter?"

"I’ll tell you when you’re here, okay? But hurry!"

"Okay, okay, I’m coming," he said and hung up.

I put away the phone and touched my erection through my shorts. I got raging hard for some reason when reading people commenting on our kiss and all I could think was how horny I am. I quickly went to the bathroom and cleaned myself thoroughly.

When he rang the bell fifteen minutes later, I jumped to my feet and ran to open the door.

"Hey," I greeted him.

"Hey," he smiled and he was so handsome! "You’re looking very eager today."

I gave him a shy smile. I felt very eager and I didn’t bother to hide it.

"Come in," I invited him.

He was wearing black shorts and a loose, white t-shirt. One of his arms was covered by a cast with a navy-blue protector. I’d barely seen Owen without it and I was getting pretty used to it.

"Your Mum not around?" he said after peeking into the living room.

"That’s the point. Come upstairs."

This dummy didn’t figure out the nature of my request until just now and a wide grin entered his face. He still had no idea how horny I could get - and how often. I didn’t want to scare him off because from the start he seemed very gentle and respectful. I would never forgive myself if he stopped liking me because I was a perv!

I grabbed his healthy hand and led Owen up the stairs and into my room. I didn't bother closing the door. I wanted to hear in case somebody was entering the house even though it was hours before Mum usually comes home.

As soon as we were inside, I turned around and got on my toes to kiss him. Owen placed his left hand on the back of my head and pressed it gently as we made out. I ran my hands up and down his chest, enjoying the feeling of his lean torso and the effect it was having on me. A minute later, I dared to go lower and I felt his rigid stiffness hidden beneath his shorts. He pulled back from the kiss and smiled at me.

"So, about the thing you wanted me to help you with…" he started.

"Yeah, that. Get on my bed, Owen, please."

He didn't make me ask him twice. He jumped on the bed and lay on his back. I followed him immediately and without wasting any more time, I snatched his shorts off and then his boxers down to his knees.

There he was, in all his glory. It was the kind of dick I was used to seeing in some of the best porn videos. Thick, quite long, meaty and smooth. Attached not to a porn actor, but to a tender boy that I was growing to love. What's not to like? I dove in and elicited a soft moan when I licked the head for the first time. So sweet. I really wanted to swallow it all already but I decided to lick it like a lollipop for a minute or two and see his reaction. I heard a long sigh of relief when I gave it a long, slow lick from the root up to the glans which twitched, releasing a few drops of precum. I licked them hungrily and that set me off. I took it into my mouth and I almost choked when my nose touched his shaved pubic hair.

"Easy now. Don't rush it," I heard him whisper.

He couldn't make me stop even if he had two healthy gorilla arms, though. Without skipping a heartbeat, I gave him a thumbs up and started going up and down on his hard dick while gently stroking it with my other hand.

"Oh fuck, Alex, this feels so great," Owen moaned.

I felt encouraged and looked him right in the eyes, always sucking him at a moderate tempo so as to not make him cum just yet. I was way too horny to let it end like that.

"You were dreaming about my dick all morning, weren't you, boy?"

I eagerly shook my head "yes", running my tongue around his shaft as I continued to pleasure him. He moaned again.

"You like my dick, don't you?"

I nodded. Suck. Lick. Suck.

"Do you like when I talk dirty when you suck me?"

"Mhm," I mumbled in response, my mouth full of dick.

Owen's head fell back on my bed and he placed his left hand on top of my hair, motioning me to speed up. I entertained him for a few moments but I wasn't going to let him cum in my mouth today. He let out a disappointed groan when I stood up from the bed and watched me curiously as I pulled my t-shirt over my head. I didn't waste any time on doing a striptease but I turned away when I got rid of my own shorts and undies. I felt a thrill of being fully naked in front of him and I hesitated for a fraction of a second before turning back, pointing at him with my erection.

"Did I tell you you were beautiful?" He said, shamelessly checking me out from head to toe.

"Not today," I replied and I discovered my voice was low and shaky from the tension.

"You are. Very much. Come here,"

I jumped back on the bed and lay on him. He was almost fully dressed but our exposed boners touched, sending thrills up and down my spine. We kissed passionately.

It didn't last long. I broke the kiss and reached for the bottle of lube I left on the night shelf next to my phone. I knew I had to be partially in charge because of Owen's decreased mobility but I didn't complain. Instead, I grabbed his still hard dick and generously oiled it up.

Owen inhaled. "I don't know how long I can last."

"Don't you dare cum yet. I'm horny," I said as I positioned myself above his shaft, aiming it at my tunnel.

"I'll try," he promised but I could see he was shaking from the excitement.

My dick jerked up when I sat on it and my sphincter sent warning signals to my brain. It felt beyond orgasmic and I increased the pressure to make him enter me as soon as possible. I couldn't wait a single second!

There was some pain when his head entered me and we looked at each other in shock. Owen put his hand on my ribs and massaged them gently. It calmed me down and I never broke eye contact as I slowly impaled myself onto him. Owen’s mouth was open and only when I saw it did I realise that mine was open, too, as we were sharing this intimate moment. I felt so exposed and vulnerable as I was letting him inside me but that's what I wanted.

In just thirty seconds, I finally sat on him and we both chuckled.

"Damn, you are horny, babe," Owen said.

"Tell me about it. I was ready to use a cucumber if you wouldn't show up."

"Oh… then I hope I can outperform the cucumber…"

I didn't answer but started slowly fucking myself, lifting and lowering back on his pole. It started feeling amazing immediately and I moaned. My dick jerked every time he hit my prostate. I started worrying I would be the one to cum early. It felt unreal. This could grow to be my favourite position. It's hard to explain but I felt filled and complete. Owen's eyes were open wide but hazy.

I was about to speed up when my phone rang. I looked at the display. It was Mum. Great timing.

"It's Mum," I said.

"Call her back later, right?" Owen asked, a dreamy look on his face.

"No, I gotta take it."

"What???"

"She may be calling me to tell me she's coming home early."

"You've gotta be kidding me," Owen said and fell back on the bed with resignation.

"Hello?" I picked it up. Two more seconds and it would go straight to voicemail. I decided to put her on a speaker so that Owen wouldn't feel excluded.

"Hey sweetie, I'm just calling to tell you I'll be home soon."

"Oh," I gave Owen a look. "How soon?"

"In an hour l, I think. I still got to run some errands. Where are you?"

"In my room, hanging out with Owen." I winked at my boyfriend and he just rolled his eyes.

"Oh, tell him I say hi. I hope I didn't interrupt anything."

"No, Mum, we were just talking," I said and started moving my hips up and down again. "Actually I put you on a speaker so he can hear you."

Owen slapped his face with his healthy hand. "Hi Kate," he mumbled.

"Hi, Owen! I hope you're taking care of Alex," Mum said, "he was a little down last evening."

"Yes, no worries, he seems much better now," Owen said and motioned me to hang up already.

"Okay Mum, I gotta go, I will talk to you later," I said and pressed the red button.

"You're fucking crazy," Owen whispered.

"I know."

A few seconds later, Owen got over it and started cooperating, ramming his dick upwards to meet my tempo. We made love for several more minutes, grunting, groaning and sweating in the hot summer air. A few humps later, I felt I was very close. But Owen was closer. He let out a few loud moans and rammed me even harder as I felt him fill me with his juices. I grabbed my dick and a dozen strokes later, I was hit by the strongest orgasm in my memory, splashing cum all over Owen's chest, then belly, then my fingers.

I collapsed on him and embraced him tightly.

"You fucking whacko, I love you," he said.

***

Five days had passed. It was Saturday morning and I was coming back from Owen’s, feeling happy and satisfied.

We had a sleepover but I can’t say we got too much sleep. I had come to his home right after the Friday gig and I had been pretty spent but one long kiss in Owen’s bed was enough to give me 8-hours-sleep worth of energy. At that point, we were going two days without sex because of other commitments and that was enough to leave us both starved. The last time I remember looking at the clock it was 4 am and it was still before we gave each other our goodnight handjobs and third orgasms.

We talked a lot between each of them. We listened to music, sitting naked on Owen’s bed and sharing earplugs, so as not to wake up his family. We also read some comments under our kiss photo on Instagram and shared a few chuckles. He said he was getting lots and lots of messages from his friends, too, and was still learning to cope with all this. The worst thing he got was from a toxic alpha male from his class saying "you a faggot, really?" or something like that. Of course, Owen didn’t reply. It was all turning out pretty well so far and it would be a lie if I told you I disliked all the attention.

Going back home now, I felt happy and in love but there was just a pinch of nervousness caused by the fact that my dad and my brother were coming home today. The last time they were home for just a weekend, things weren't exactly pretty. And now there were these extra developments to consider regarding my private life and, ugh… Too many unknowns!

I was looking forward to cleaning my room, getting a long shower and taking my sweet time to prepare for their arrival but I was out of luck. After taking the last turn before my house, I saw my dad’s van from afar. So they were here already.

I opened the front door and there was a lively conversation coming from the living room. I peeked inside and smiled shyly at Mum, Dad and my brother Chris who were sitting there and chatting. Mum noticed me first and then they all turned their heads to me.

Dad smiled. "Alex!" he exclaimed, "Nice haircut," he added as he walked to me and gave me a firm handshake. Then I came to Chris who didn’t even stand up from his chair and gave him a fist bump. That was our usual greeting since forever, I don’t know why.

"Hey, little bro," he said.

As much as I was similar to Mum, Chris inherited most of his genes from Dad. They both were tall, had dirty blond hair, and square-shaped, handsome faces. Chris was obviously bigger than me because of the age difference but physical labour made him look even bulkier than the last time I’d seen him. I also noticed that they were both tanned from working in the sun.

"Hey, Chris," I smiled back at him. Now that I was seeing him and Dad only a few times a year, I couldn’t help but feel slightly intimidated by how much bigger and manlier he looked than I remembered. We’d had a pretty good connection back when they were still living with us. Despite our age difference - he was five years older than me - he used to hang out with me quite a lot and even let me jam with his band from time to time. But then he sold all his musical gear to buy a car and since we never called each other, I was feeling the connection was slipping away from us. Looking back, I think it all started when he had his first serious girlfriend two years ago. Somehow, things were never the same after that.

"How have you been, Alex? You look great, son!" Dad said and patted me on the back.

"Good, pretty good, Dad," I said as we both sat down.

"Mum told me you’re in a band now but she didn’t give me too many details and you know I don’t use social media… Tell me everything!"

I shot a glance at Chris. I was sure he was using social media but I couldn’t read how much he knew from his poker face. Whatever he knew, it seemed he didn’t share it with Dad, at least.

"Uhm… well, yeah, I’ve been playing with this band Black Fox for a while now," I started and proceeded to tell them how I’d always been a fan, about their drummer’s accident and how I ended up joining them. I ended the story briefly summarizing yesterday’s gig.

"Your Mum told us you were staying with the boys from the band for the night. Already partying like a rockstar, huh?" Dad chuckled.

"Yeah, haha, not really, though," I said and watched Dad and Chris giving me curious looks. This was it. My armpits got all sweaty in an instant and my voice was breaking. "I asked Mum not to tell you, sorry. I wanted to tell you myself. Well, it was, uhm, partially true because, uhm, I spent the night at Owen’s house. He’s the drummer I’m replacing until he gets better. And uh, yeah, I guess he’s my boyfriend now."

For the last sentence, I couldn’t stand their gaze anymore so instead, I just looked at my feet, nervously awaiting their reaction. Seconds passed and no one said anything. I shyly looked up just to see Chris and Mum looking at Dad. Chris had a slight, ironic smile and Mum was looking like she was losing her patience. Dad’s smile faded and he was also staring at the floor.

"Charles?" I heard Mum address her husband impatiently.

"What?" He blurted. Oh no, here we go again.

"I don’t know if you noticed, but your son just told you something very important. Won’t you say anything?"

Dad just shrugged. "What am I supposed to say? It’s not like it was unexpected."

My eyes got watery and I looked at Mum whose face was turning red with anger. I hated when they argued but I despised it when they were fighting over me.

"You’re unbelievable! Alex needs your support, not your witty comments!"

"He’s clearly doing well without my support," he answered and looked back at me. His face softened just a little when he looked into my teary eyes. I was doing my best not to cry in front of him and he wasn’t making it easier. "Look, Alex, it’s your life and it’s not my business who you let… date you. Do whatever you want. I’d always expected it to happen sooner or later but now that it did, it’s not any easier to deal with. Just don’t hold your breath waiting for me to congratulate you or something. You know what? We’ll talk later, I gotta get something from the car and take a nap. We were driving all night." He then just stood up and started to leave.

I took a deep breath to get my sobbing under control. "I’m… I’m not expecting you to congratulate me!" I stuttered. I don’t know if he even heard me because he didn’t stop for a second and a few moments later I heard the front door slam. Mum rushed after him and I was paralyzed. I wasn’t holding back tears anymore but I was too shocked to break down. I didn’t even notice when Chris stood up and knelt next to me.

"Hey, Alex. Don’t sweat it. He didn’t sleep for 30 hours, he’s not thinking straight."

"You should’ve probably waited before telling him," he continued when I did not comment. "Are you even sure about that? The gay thing? Maybe you’re still figuring it out."

That made me snap out of it. I looked at him through my bloodshot eyes. "Fuck him and fuck you too!" I shouted and rushed upstairs. I slammed the door behind me, jumped on the bed and let the tears flow.