Just Like Family - 4. Chapter 4

4 : Unprepared

"Oh my god." Mike wheezed. He laughed, whooped, celebrated and paused for breath. He explained his happiness to his dad and asked to ring up Brooke.

 

"Hello?" he heard her answer the phone.

 

"Brooke, guess what!" he exclaimed into the mouthpiece.

 

"And there goes my limited patience and my eardrums." She moaned.

 

"I kissed Adam!" he explained, ignoring her comments.

There was silence on the other end for what felt like minutes. Mike pulled the phone notepad out of the drawer of his desk and started doodling.

He was in the middle of sketching Adam's piercings when he realized Brooke was talking.

 

"-you do it?" Mike had to ask her to repeat. "I said, when did you do it?" she huffed impatiently.

 

"About ten minutes ago" he replied.

 

"Wow, are you going to date him?" she asked. Mike paused; a smile curling at his lips.

 

"Yeah, he's staying tomorrow night and we're going to go to the movies Saturday." Mike explained.

 

"Hey, you remember that tomorrow is night is the party right?" Brooke cautioned

 

"Yes I remember." Mike said dismissively. After a few brief words, they both said goodnight.

 

He waited around the living room, pondering his many thoughts flitting around his head. His dad had gone to bed whilst he was on the phone. Mike flicked through the channels, finding nothing remotely interesting. He sat down with a sandwhich at the dining table. after a few minutes a sound of a door opening echoed into the dining room.

 

"Why are you still up?" he heard Luke ask.

 

Mike shrugged his shoulders, without being able to see Lukes face. He guessed he was somewhere behind him.

 

"I don't know, I'm not tired really." He thought outloud.

The sound of cereal into a bowl reached his ears and he spun around to see Luke come over with a bowl and a carton of milk.

He pulled out a chair and the two boys ate together in silence.

 

"So you really like him?" Luke asked softly.

 

Mike smiled half-heartedly, since he kissed Adam, nothing but doubt plagued his mind. "Yeah I do." He answered. He figured if the date on Saturday didn't go well. He could stop things there.

 

"That reminds me, Erin was talking about bringing someone tomorrow. By what he was saying I think it was a girl." Mike said with a wicked grin. His eyes shining with the mischief that came with fresh gossip.

 

Luke smiled through a spoonful of cereal. He swallowed, and then commented. "I thought he loved Brooke?" he queried.

Mike shrugged sofly and pushed out from the table, shuffling to the sink.

 

"I don't know, guess we'll have to wait and see. Ok I'm off to bed big boy." Mike joked he rubbed Lukes shoulder as he went to leave he felt Luke grab his arm.

 

"Can you wait...?" he pleaded. The sudden vulnerability that laced his voice-hurt mike; pulled at his heartstrings.

 

"Hey, are you ok?" Mike asked sliding back into the seat next to him. He could see things in Luke's eyes that he hadn't seen before. Even the colour; a whirlpool of blue and pale green, seemed less assertive, it was softer.

 

Luke gently sighed and shut his eyes. Mike reached out and moved his hand slowly along Lukes arm. "I'll stay, don't worry." He assured his best friend.

 

Luke opened his eyes and smiled gratefully. "Thanks bud." He whispered hoarsely.

 

Mike knew something was going on, but from experience he knew that Luke wouldn't be sharing any time soon unless it was physically hurting him.

So he stayed by his side until they both finished.

 

"Get some sleep." Mike admonished. "I don't want you mopey tomorrow." He said half-joking.

 

Luke grinned and even though his cheeks were slightly red it still had a disarming effect. "Don't worry bout me kid." He said, pushing his door open.

 

Mike crasahed onto his bed and checked the clock on his bedside table. it read eleven o'clock..

It was the last thing he remembered seeing before sleep claimed him.

 

He stood serenly on the bank of a river. The beautiful scent of fresh air and flowers wafted through Mike's nostrils. He didn't care for anything but this moment. The scene was so gentle and perfect that he didn't notice the person standing beside him.

 

His eyes traveled from the designer shoes and along the jeans to the tailor made jacket that framed the man. His face obscured by a beanie and large aviator sunglasses.

The man lifted his hand and pointed towards the river. Mike turned back to face it and was startled to see his younger-self floating calmly in it's midst.

 

"It's getting stronger." He heard the boy echo in his head."But it still needs a little more time,"

 

Mike noticed the small bundle at his feet and picked it up. Its weight familiar, he knew what it was before he opened it.

His heart shone brightly and it beat far more happily than its predecessor did. He looked up and the boy was gone. As was the man from beside him.

 

He smiled and sat down on the soft grass dangling his feet in the water...

 

Mike woke up and bolted down the hall towards the toilet. In the process, he stood in a container full of water that sat by his bed.

 

"That's odd." Mike thought bursting into the toilet and relieving himself to the sound of someone laughing. Slowly his mind connected the dots. He felt his throat clench and the yell growing in his mouth.

 

"Don't yell, your dads still asleep." He heard Luke whisper through the door.

 

Mike rolled his eyes, flushed and opened the door forcefully. Like he had hoped, Luke stood too close and copped a smack to his jaw.

 

"Ow.." Luke moaned pitifully. Rubbing his jaw he glared at Mike, the glint in his eye betraying his true feelings. "Atleast I cleaned up your room." He offered smiling sheepishly. There was no trace of the Luke he had seen last night.

 

"What time is it?" Mike grumbled.

 

Luke shrugged in response. "it was six when I got up, but I think that was about half an hour ago." He guessed.

 

"Why did you do that?" Mike asked, pushing Luke back into the wall.

 

Luke shrugged smiling. "I don't know, I was bored and I couldnt sleep." He explained. He pointed into the kitchen. "I made you breakfast." Luke said. The both moved into the kitchen and Mike's noise was assaulted by the smell of bacon cooking slowly, and his ears were graced with the sound of sizzling eggs.

 

"Luke," Mike whispered softly. "Looks like you moving in here was a great idea after all." He joked.

Luke laughed and dished out the food for them both.

 

"I wanted to do something nice for you." He explained. Mike's eyes lowered to the heaping of food set before him and before Luke could say anything further, Mike had swallowed the whole lot.

"Did you enjoy that?" Luke snorted. To which a full-mouthed Mike nodded smiling through food stained teeth.

 

"Your such a tool." Luke laughed collecting their dishes and putting them in the sink. Mike stood a plan formulating in his mind. He followed Luke into the loungeroom, and without a second thought, he propelled himself forward spear-tackling Luke to the ground.

Pinning him down, he laughed in Luke's ear.

 

"I think I win this round." Mike said triumphantly holding him fast.

A sudden lurch hit him and in a split second, he was flipped over with Luke's face inches from his own.

 

"You were saying?" he giggled goofily. They paused for a moment, Mike struggling to get his breath back, and Luke watching his victim struggle.

 

"Are you gonna let me up." Mike asked impatiently.

 

Luke's smile faded slowly as his eyes glazed over. Mike stared at him confused, it was similar to the way he looked the night before. And he didn't like it.

 

"Lukey?" he questioned softly. Was it him, or did Luke's facer seem to get closer. "Are you okay bud?" he asked, getting no answer. Now he was definetly closer, he could hear the breath from his nose, and feel it as it hit his cheeks.

 

"Luke...."he whispered hoarsely. He knew that gaze; he had used it moments before kissing Adam.

 

He saw it moments before it happened.

Mike's heart beat rapidly, incapable of moving even an inch, even if he wanted to.

 

It was soft, so gentle and caring. Luke's lips moving over his own so gracefully.

 

Mike felt weightless.

 

There was no force or haste.

 

Mike sighed gently as Luke pulled away, and for a moment, he studied Luke's hard face. The impact of the moment that should have come; didn't. He realized Luke was sweeping down again. Mike braced himself.

 

The tender kisses becoming more comfortable to him and as Mike grew used to them, he pushed into Luke's lips. Their gentleness slowly growing more urgent, as if the moment they stopped, it would never happen again.

 

Mike hadn't even noticed that Luke's arms no longer held him down and that they cradled him cautiously. Lukes hands snaked their way up his shirt. Their warmth spreading from his fingertips and along Mike's back; tingling his skin wherever they went, while Luke's tongue slid easily into Mike's mouth.

 

Mike's common sense finally won over, and he broke apart from Luke. The hurt on Luke's face was quickly replaced with curiousity.Mike smiled reassuringly.

 

"Dad.." he whispered tilting his head toward his dad's bedroom door.

 

Luke looked over at the door slightly dazed, as if the notion of a parent or father figure was lost on him in the moment. He shifted his focus back to Mike and nodded solemnly.

 

"Sorry.." he replied. Looking down ashamed.

 

Mike instinctively shot out his hand lifting Luke's chin. "Don't be sorry!" he pleaded loudly. Luke snorted slightly and held a finger to his lips.

 

"Will you shut up." He said laughing. He slid over to Mike and rested his head on Mike's lap.

 

"What are we going to do?" he whispered puzzled by his own question. Mike gazed down at him confused.

 

"What do you mean?" he asked stupidly.

 

"I meant about this, us. your supposed to be with adam." Luke explained. Mike sighed softly.

 

"Oh." Mike remembered. "to be honest, I don't know. This wasn't what I expected when I woke up this morning." He said half-jokingly. Luke smiled up at him, before mike knew what he was doing he bent down kissing Luke again the sensation rippling through his muscles, making him want to repeat it over and over again.

 

"should I just stop doing anything with Adam?" Mike suggested. It got the seal of disapproval from Luke as quickly as it came up.

 

"No, I don't know if I'm ready for people to know about this." He said gesturing to himself and Mike. "No, just go out with him, but just so you know, I wont be happy while you do." He said seriously.

 

Mike laughed, watching Luke's head bounce with his stomach. "Don't worry; I didn't know if I liked the idea of dating Adam, or just dating. But after you..." he paused for effect. "Well, I don't think Adam even compares." He finished.

 

"Wow that was such a blatant stroking of my ego." Luke said in mock awe.

 

They held eachother for what felt like hours before the usual signs of life issued from Murray's room. Luke appraised Mike with a curious eye.

 

"What'll we tell dad?" Luke asked.

 

Mike thought about it before giving his answer. "Whatever we want to." He said smiling warmly. That was all Luke needed to hear. He held tight onto Mike's hand and turned to face Murray's door.

 

Mike couldn't help but wonder how long Luke had been holding this in. his mind flitted to when he and Luke were in the library with Cole. Why had he pushed Cole on him if he felt like this?

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the door opening.

 

Murray slowly shuffled out, looking ridiculous in the process, his body draped in a fluffy robins egg blue robe, and bunny slippers that Mike had bought him as a gag gift. He mumbled hello to the boys and walked into the kitchen.

 

"What the...." Luke muttered over his shoulder, Mike shook his head still watching the doorway.

 

"Give him a sec." Mike assured. True to his word. Murray came back slowly in the reverse and turned to face them both. His eyes slowly falling to their intertwined hands. His mouth agape and his eyes wide in shock. He lifted a hand and pointed at theirs.

 

"A lot happened." Mike explained simply.

 

"I bet it did!" Murray guffawed.

 

"Dad go get dressed, you have work remember!" Mike exclaimed.

 

Murray shook his head. "Nope, I'm not going anywhere." He said sitting down next to them.

 

Luke sidled back into Mike, his face unreadable except for his apprehension of the topic. "Um, well it happened this morning I suppose. We were just play fighting and, it happened." Mike explained.

 

Murray nodded and grinned knowlingly. The smug expression was not lost on Mike. "Whats that look for?" he demanded.

 

"I knew it would happen." He stated. Mike waited for him to continue but he didn't.

 

"How?" Mike prompted his dad.

 

"I just did, well actually, I knew that you loved him; even if you didn't know." he explained.

 

It was at that moment that he noticed that Luke had been quiet. "Lukey, you ok?" he said glancing down. Immediately he shut his mouth and quietned down.

Luke had fallen asleep on his lap and was smiling slightly.

 

"I'm happy for you." Murray said fondly, kissing Mike on the forehead. "And now as you so beautifully pointed out, I have work." By eight o'clock Murray miller had left for work and Lke showed no signs in waking up.

It pained Mike to do it, but he had no choice. He gently nudged Luke awake.

 

"Hmm?" Luke murmured, stretching his whole body. Hs toes pointed out and his hands brushing Mike's face.

His eyes cracked open to see Mike looking down at him smiling weakly but profoundly.

 

"We have to get to school." Mike said sighing. Luke sat up, his abscense from Mike's body felt wrong. He wanted to do nothing more than hold him close.

 

"I'm gonna use your dad's shower. So you can use ours." Luke said, he left the room and Mike couldn't help thinking that Luke regretted what had happened.

"Luke!" he called out, he waited in baited breath until his head popped around the corner.

 

"Whats the matter?" he asked casually.

 

"I need to know, do you still want this?" Mike asked he knew his irrational fear was showing on his face but he didn't care. He needed the reassurance.

 

He saw Luke's face soften as he bounded across the room. "I do, I have for a long time." He assured Mike holding him tightly.

 

"Thanks." Mike sniffed, unaware that he was beginning to well up in his eyes.

 

"I just thought splitting the showers would get things done quicker." Luke reasoned. Mike laughed between sniffs.

 

"Your right." He admitted.

 

They both got ready for school, and as the time got closer to leave Mike knew his time with Luke as free as this, was dwindling quickly.

 

"Ready for normality?" Luke joked, scratching at his growing stubble. For a moment he became distracted as he pulled at the length of hair along his jaw. "I should probably shave soon."

 

Mike exclaimed loudly, shaking his head furiously. "No, it makes you cuter, and the kisses better." Mike explained.

 

"Oh yeah?" Luke growled softly. Mike nodded slowly. And leant in kissing him for the last time of the day. Saviuoring the smell of his deodorant, its sweet scent lingering on his jumper as he pulled away.

 

"God, that's good." Mike moaned.

 

"Cut it out, we're getting late." Luke laughed, silently filling with pride.

 

They arrived at school with ten minutes to spare. As usual Luke had to go to his locker. And Mike to his, the walk alone left Mike to daydream about the morning. He didn't even notice when someone called his name three times in succession.

 

"Mike!" Adam yelled.

 

Mike jumped, startled as he turned to face Adam.

 

"What the hell, I've been calling your name for the last five minutes" he exclaimed.

 

Mike's daydream had been shattered as the realization that Adam was his boyfriend hit home. Adam glanced around quickly to see if anyone else was around, most people had gone to their classes. He smiled smugly and came in quicker than Mike expected. Kissing him forcefully.

He tasted so different, he was bitter. And left a strange feeling in his mouth.

Adam had seemed to enjoy it however.

 

"Can't wait till tonight." He said laughing. His eyes drifting down Mike;s body hinting at what he had in mind.

 

Mike suddenly remembered that he and Luke were throwing the moving in party. "Yeah me either." Mike lied. Adam walked off, lingering with their hands for a few moments, and ultimately breaking away.

 

Mike watched him leave, his body riddled with guilt.

 

"Jeez, make it a little less obvious." Came Erin's voice. Mike turned around to see him standing with a short girl with jagged purple hair.

 

"Hey Ez," Mike said smiling. He glanced at the girl. "Hey, I'm-"

 

"Mike, I know," she said cutting him off. "I'm Quinn" she introduced.

 

"This is who I invited to come tonight." Erin informed him.

 

Mike spied Erin and gave him what he thought was the most convincing ‘We need to talk' face.

 

"Uhm, Quinn. Can I catch up with you, I just wanna talk to Mike in private." He said apologetically. Quinn said goodbye and hurried off to her class.

 

As soon as she was out of earshot Mike broke the silence. "What about brooke!" he hissed.

 

Erin looked down grimacing. "I don't have a shot there. I' trying to be a good guy." He said. Mike let his eyes convey his disappointment in Erin. "I know ok, you think I should tell her right?"

 

"Do I need to answer that?" Mike asked sarcastically.

 

"Right, well I was talking to Cole. And he told me some of the stories he had about the times when he told people that he liked em'." He re-told some of the tales that Cole had. Shared with Erin, most of them involved emotional pain.

 

"Erin, you can't listen to other peoples experiences, you have to make your own!" Mike cried out.

 

"You sound like a bad lifetime movie." Erin commented thoughtfully. "Look, I'll think about it, but to make things clear, Quinn's just a friend. she's ridiculously random." He added as an afterthought.

"Now get to class!" he admonished.

 

Mike agreed and rushed to his art class. Mrs Bowstock didn't reprimand him too much, just as long as he submitted his final piece for grading. After he conceded to her offer. He spun around to find a seat. Cole stood waving him to the empty seat beside him.

 

"Hey, Adam told me the good news." He greeted excitedly.

 

Mike felt his guilt shock through his body again. Maybe he should just date Adam for a while, it didn't seem like Luke was ready to out himself he thought to himself.

 

"Shush, keep your voice down." Mike warned, scanning the room for any visible eavesdroppers. Cole grinned from ear to ear.

 

"Hey you psyched for tonight?" he asked

 

"Absolutely." Mike lied. He got out of any more questions when he told Cole that he had work to do.

 

Beginning with the jawline, he used charcoal for the strong lines, and the hard edge of Luke's neck and shoulders worked smoothly with the black substance. He finished the outline of the hair and face using short sharp strokes for his hair. He went to draw the facial features when an idea hit him.

 

He held up his work for Mrs Bowstock. Nothing but praise flew from her mouth, and she claimed it A+ material.

 

"The colour in his face is such a stark contrast. Where did that idea come from?" She quizzed Mike. he shrugged in answer. it just came to him. He had pulled out the pastels out of his pencilcase and used the blues and greens to create the vibrant colour that he saw moments before Luke had kissed him.

 

but now the memory was laced with his conscience. Hopefully Luke's day had started better than him.

 

 

Luke had been fantasizing about the morning, when Brooke jumped on him.

 

"Giddyap!" she cried, slapping his upper thigh. He shucked her off and watched her fall landing hard on her backside. She stood quickly, ignoring the pain that she obviously felt and glared at him.

 

"Don't get angry at me you're the one treating me like a horse!" he exclaimed rasing his hands in defense.

 

"Ya know I had some good gossip for you, but hey, whatever." She said nonchalantly.

 

Luke wasn't addicted to rumours like Mike was, but still he couldn't pass up something Brooke had heard, most of what she knew was good information.

 

"Oh c'mon, now im curious, besides you know your going to tell me anyway." He said

 

"Fine." She gave in. "I heard that in the other highschool, ya know, that catholic school?" she asked. Luke nodded egging her on "well, a guy has just came out over there, he was completely dogged by the school. His friends completely ditched him!" she exclaimed.

 

"How stupid is that. It made me furious." She finished. Luke felt sick in his stomach.

 

What if that happens to me! He shrieked in his head. So what, I am supposed to choose between Mike and my other friends? He questioned himself silently.

 

"How do I choose between that..." he muttered softly.