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- 03/07/2013
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Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you.
Flash Fiction - Second Shot - The Senior Year - 1. Chapter 1
Blake Finch massaged his temples pushing his brown hair back. “But we’re so different, Jase.”
“And?” Jason Tellerman paid the clerk and grabbed their drinks. “Why does that matter?”
“It doesn’t, it’s just that Ethan’s so…so….”
“Out?” Jason’s raised eyebrow told Blake how his friend felt.
“Yeah.” Admitting it almost made Blake feel worse. No not worse. He didn’t feel bad, just confused. “Not that it’s bad, but…well you know, I’m not.”
“No. Really?” Rolling his eyes, Jason took a sip. “Look Blake, we’ve had this discussion before. You know I’m not objective on the subject given my experience with Peter. Of course I think you should go for it.”
He wanted to explain why he couldn’t do what Jason did, but he knew how lame that sounded. Staring at his mocha, Blake admitted out loud what he knew really held him back. “I’m scared.”
“Of?”
“Everything.” Blake looked up and found Jason eyeing him. “I mean everything that could happen if I come out.”
Jason nodded, but didn’t speak. As the silence dragged on, Blake sensed Jason’s disapproval. Not that he’d said it, but it wasn’t hard to see. And that bothered him. Jason’s family and their money gave him options Blake would never have. Jason had no right to judge him. A diploma from Graydon gave Blake options after graduation. Without it, he’d end up working at a mall.
“Okay,” Jason’s voice brought Blake from his thoughts. “Let’s talk this through. We both know Coach Slewman won’t kick you off the soccer team or yank your scholarship. He had my back when I got outed: he’ll totally have yours.”
“True.” He really didn’t need to worry about his scholarship. But what if his team didn’t want him if they found out?
“And do you really think the guys will care?”
Staring at his friend and team captain, he knew the real answer. “No, you and Darryl would kick their ass.”
“Don’t forget Dean.” Jason smirked.
Blake laughed at the memory of Jason’s straight ‘little” brother reaming out the new freshmen players after they laughed at a gay comment on the first day of practice. It helped quell a bit of his angst. “No one can forget your brother.”
This time Jason’s smile threatened to split his face. “Nope, Dean’s one of a kind. So back to your problem; not school, not the team, what’s left? Your family?”
Blake stifled a snort. His family wouldn’t care. No one had an issue with his gay uncle and his partner. “C’mon you know Uncle Greg and Corey are accepted. My folks won’t kick me out.”
“I know.” Jason took a pull on his coffee, staring over the lid at Blake. “Which is why I don’t get what you’re afraid of.”
He wanted to repeat, ‘everything’, but knew it wasn’t true. So what was his problem?
Jason kept his gaze on Blake. “Do you like Ethan?”
Remembering last night, Blake smiled. “Yeah. I do.”
“So why are you mind fucking this?”
He knew the real answer. “Like I said before, we’re so different. What if we don’t work out?”
“First—” Jason held up a finger. “—Pop always said, ‘oil and water doesn’t’ apply to people.’ Differences are good to a point. You’d be bored if you dated someone who liked all the same things as you."
That made sense to Blake, but he still had doubts. Before he could respond, Jason held up another finger.
“Second, nothing’s guaranteed. There’s no way to know in advance if it will work out or not.”
Blake nodded. Everyone thought Jason and Peter would be forever and they split up for a time before getting back together.
“And third, Ethan’s a great guy. He might be a bit out, but if you told him you need some time to ease into it, I’m sure he’d understand.”
“You mean tell him to act more straight in public?”
“No, of course not.” Grabbing his cup, Jason twirled the liquid for a moment. “But he understands you’re not out. If he isn’t comfortable with that, he shouldn’t expect you to change either. The point is, talk to him. I know he likes you too.”
“Really?” Had Jason talked to Ethan already? “Did he say that?”
Jason rolled his eyes, leaving just a sliver of blue visible below his lids. “Yesterday, all he could talk about was you. Blake this. Blake that.”
He didn’t need a mirror to know how big a smile he wore. Then reality hit. “But he’s a three hour drive away.”
“Only when he’s at school. Your parents live twenty minutes away from his mom. If you guys work out, you’ll have plenty of chances to see each other.”
Staring into the dark liquid, Blake mulled Jason’s words. Part of him knew that dating Ethan–whatever form that took given the distance–would force him to come out. Ethan wouldn’t accept anything less and Blake wouldn’t ask him to.
But he also wanted something like Jason and Pete had. Someone he could get close with and spend time with. Ethan might not be that guy, but Blake hadn’t met anyone else who made him even think about coming out.
Nodding slowly, Blake twisted his lips to the side. He knew he’d never find the ‘right’ answer. “Thanks Jason.”
“You bet. Anytime you need to talk, let me know.” Smacking his hands on the table, Jason rattled their near empty cups. “I need to go for a run. You coming?”
It might help to be a little less jacked before he called Ethan. “Yeah. That sounds like a good idea.”
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Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you.
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