Autumn Ended With A Kiss - 3. Chapter 3

I gathered my things and went off for a night swim to gather my thoughts. Ever since I had that swim with Dylan, it’s the only thing that can relax me. It was after my homework of course, but I just needed some alone time. Dylan’s invitation to the wedding was surprising yet exciting yet scary.

What if his family didn’t like me or worse, what if they didn’t approve of our relationship and caused a big scene? I don’t know if I could handle that, but how could I not be there for Dylan. Then, suddenly, in my thoughts I heard footsteps. Out of the shadows came Blake and two of his flunkies.

I sighed. “What do you want now?”

“I want you to know that we don’t take kindly fags in our school, Roark. So you’d better watch your back.”

“Oh get off it, Blake. I’m not scared of you anymore.”

Blake inched his way towards me and got in my face. “Well you should be.”

With one shove I was on the ground and Blake and his goons were gone and laughing. I cut my arm on a rock. I was bleeding, not tremendously, but I was still bleeding. I couldn’t go into the lake like that so I walked back home.

I carefully walked into the house. I didn’t want my mom to see my arm and freak out. So, I tiptoed to the bathroom, turned on the water and started to clean the scratch. Then, I heard another sound of footsteps. These ones scared me more that Blake’s. They were my mother’s.

“Andrew I thought you were at the la-Hey what happened to your arm?”

“Nothing. I’m fine. It was just a little accident. Go back to whatever you were doing.” I said, hoping that she would, but knew she wouldn’t.

“What did you do?”

“I fell,” I simply stated.

“You fell? All by yourself. I find that hard to believe.”

I sighed. “Mom, I tripped okay. It was dark.”

“You took a flashlight.” she said.

“Mom, just leave me alone.”

“Someone did this too you…”

“No, mom, just go away.”

“Who was it? Was it Blake again?”

I looked at her and then dried my scratch. “No…”

“It was. Honey why do you let him bully you like that?”

“I-I don’t know. There’s really nothing else that I can do.”

“You can defend yourself.”

“Mom, Blake’s never alone and even if he was and I did stand up to him, he would just come back with his friends again and what then?”

“Oh, Honey, you shouldn’t have to go through this.”

“Well, it’s a part of life isn’t it? There are bullies and their victims.”

“I don’t want my son to be a victim.”

“It’s too late for that mom. I already am. I’ve been a victim for a while. It was different when Dylan was here. I just wish I had his courage.”

“Andy, I know you might think so, but Dylan is not Superman.”

“Oh,” I smiled. “Yes he is.”

She smiled back. “So, how is he?”

“He’s good.”

“Are you excited to go to the wedding?”

“I’m more excited to see him, but…I don’t feel like talking anymore. Can I go to my room now?”

“Okay, okay. Do you want dinner? There’s leftovers.”

“What did you make?”

“Lasagna”

“Cool, I’m starving.”

I walked over into the kitchen and served myself a plate of cold lasagna and popped it into the microwave. I took the warmed lasagna to my room. I sat at my desk going through my e-mail, eating my dinner. There was an e-mail from Dylan. Words couldn’t express how happy I was when I saw it.

Dear Handsome,

I really really really loved talking to you today and look forward to many many long conversations with you in the future.

All my love
Dylan

I didn’t really feel the need to reply. I don’t think he wrote it to get a reply. I just sat and looked at the words that he wrote and tried to imagine his voice saying them to me.

I knew what he meant that day that he told me that he would have physical pain if he was apart from me. I miss him so much that it hurts.

“Did you get an e-mail from Dylan or something?”

I turned and saw my sister, Susan, in the doorway.

“Hey, how did you know?”

“You should’ve seen your face. Anyone could’ve known. Didn’t you talk to him for like an eternity today?”

“Yeah, so what?”

“What’s so special about this guy anyways? Yeah, he was cool, but…IDK.” She certainly had a special way of talking.

“You’ll understand when you find a guy that you love as much as I love Dylan.”

“You love him?”

“Y-Yeah, of course I do.”

“How do you know?”

“I don’t know. The way I feel when I’m with him or even just think about him. I get this feeling in my core, it’s all tingly. Plus he‘s smart and, and he‘s funny…and really really hot.”

“Okay, it’s time for me to leave.”

Susan quickly left. I giggled a bit and went back to my e-mail.

* * *

“Aww, that’s so romantic. He really asked you to be his date for a wedding?”

Amanda and I sat at our lunch table, not really eating the horrible substance our high school tried to pass off as food.

“Yeah, he did.” I said. “But it’s really scary for me. I don’t want his family to freak out or something. I mean, I’m sure that most of them know that he’s gay already, but what if they freak out or something?”

“Andy, you have to go. You can’t just leave him hanging.”

“I know. It’s just that this is all new for me.”

“It’s new for him too. He came out just before you did.”

“I know that, Amanda. I don’t know why I’m so scared. I know Dylan will get me through anything.”

“Then what’s all the fuss.”

“I don’t know. Maybe I’m just looking for drama.”

“You got that right, meanwhile, I met this really cool guy yesterday at the shop. Oh, my God Andy, you should see him. He’s so cute.”

“Really, what’s his name?”

“His name is Cole Miller and he’s tall and sexy and…oh my God Andy you need to see him.”

“Well, how old is he? Does he go to our school?”

“No, he goes to the community college. He’s nineteen, almost twenty.”

“So…tell me more. What’s he look like?”

“Well, I said that he’s tall and he has really dark hair and the most wonderful green eyes.”

“Ooh, he sounds sexy. When do I get to meet him?”

“I don’t know. Hopefully before you leave for Portland.”

“Well, he sounds great. Has he asked you out on a date yet?”

“Of course. We’re going this out this Saturday. He’s taking me to a movie….H-Hey, what happened to your arm?”

“Oh, I ran into Blake last night on my way to the lake.”

“Andy, why didn’t you tell me. I’m gonna go talk to him.”

“No, Amanda, don’t. That’ll just make things worse.”

“Oh, maybe you’re right. Shit, I hate that asshole. I don’t know what I ever saw in him.”

I laughed a bit at my thought.

“What?” asked Amanda.

“Well he is kinda cute.”

Amanda giggled with me and then I guess we just shrugged it off and started talking about school and stuff like that. Our conversations were getting more and more revealing as Amanda and I began to feel more and more comfortable with each other. I began to even depend on Amanda for advice and such.

“So, what are you doing tonight?” asked Amanda.

“Well, tonight’s movie night at my house so I’m probably gonna stay in.”

“Movie night, huh? What are you guys watching?”

“Casablanca.” I said.

“Casa what?”

My eyes opened wide with amazement.

“You’ve never heard of Casablanca?”

Amanda shook her head.

“It’s only one of the greatest films ever made!”

“Sorry, can’t say I’ve heard of it.”

“Oh my God. What kind of deprived childhood have you had?”

Amanda laughed. “Is the movie really that good?”

“It’s the best. It’s funny, romantic, dramatic, sad. It even has a little bit of action. It’s everything you’d ever want in a movie.”

“Do you think I can watch it with you guys tonight?”

“I’ve got a better idea. You know how Cole is going to take you to a movie?”

“Yeah, so?”

“Well, there’s this old revival theater a couple miles outside of town. It’s called The Blue Whale. Anyway, I know the owner there. He always keeps certain movies on hand for me and Casablanca happens to be one of them. I can give him a call and he’ll play it for you whenever you want. It’ll most likely only be the two of
you anyway.”

“Oh my God that sounds so romantic. Would you really do that for me?”

“Of course.” I said, happy to help. “I’ll write down the directions and give the owner a call and ask him to play Casablanca on Saturday night at…say seven?”

“Sounds great. Oh my gosh thank you so much.” She wrapped her arms around me in a excited embrace.

“It’s such a great idea. I only wish I’d thought….wait…I know! The next time Dylan is in town…I can have my friend play An Affair to Remember!”

“Why?”

“Well, it’s the first movie we saw together. It also happens to be one of my faves. Anyway, me and Dylan saw it at one of our movie nights.”

“Do your movie nights always consist of an old movie?”

“Of course. My mom says it gives us culture. I’m not even 100% convinced that it didn’t turn me gay.” I said with a giggle.