Those Nights of My Life - 3. Chapter 3 - We Used To Drive

Over the months that followed my life was a living hell. Every night mom and dad fought I would escape to Ben's room. Every morning they would check my room, and then Ben's. I woke up every time they opened his door.

School stayed roughly the same until sports tryouts started. Quentin, around tryout times, puts on a tough guy act for everyone. He claims it was to 'weed out the wimps from joining man sports'. Ya, I don't get it either.

It was around this time when Kade would get slack for hanging out with me. “You're hanging around with the gay nerd again?” They would ask. This time though, rumors had gotten around that I would run over to his house at night.

Quentin took advantage of this for his poking fun. “Is gay boy going to come sleep in your bed tonight Kade? Are you two going to have hot sex until the sun rises?” He laughed as if he said the world's best joke.

“Go fuck yourself Wahl,” was all Kade said as we walked away. Luckily it was after school, and we could just go home without much more of an incident. “You want to go for a drive?” Kade asked me.

It was the week after Kade got his 'N' as we call it here. It's when you can drive without another driver in the car. Kade gave me rides to and from school; it was awesome. It helps that he and his parents both went halfers on a car together. It wasn't anything special, but it was a car.

“Ya sure, where to?”

Kade looked back at me. “My secret.”

Kade couldn't go anywhere too dangerous, so I hopped in the car, and we went on our way. After a few minutes, I realized where we were going. “We're going to the lake?”

“Damn, you are quick aren't you?”

I sighed. “I need to be home by six Kade.”

“Call and ask to stay out longer. I have food for us.” Kade handed me his cell phone.

I dialed my number. My mom answered. “Hello?”

“Hey, mom it's Save. Can I go out to the lake with Kade? He has food for us to eat and everything.”

“You're already on your way aren't you?” I got my quick thinking from my mom. Dad was a little slower on that part.

“Ya...”

Mom sighed. “Be back by nine and no later.”

“Thanks, mom! Love you.” I hung up and set down the phone. “It's a go!”

Kade smiled. “I got that from the 'thanks, mom'.” I rolled my eyes; he's so 'funny' sometimes.

The lake was like a half an hour drive out of town. We ended up talking about a lot of things; eventually it got to Quentin’s bugging. See, to this day I question why Kade chose to hang out with a lowly gay nerd over the jocks. He keeps telling me, “Because I love you” but I don't buy it. I think he had an ulterior motive.

It was a similar argument back then. “You've been my friend for as long as I can remember; that isn't going to change cause some asshole thinks it's funny to make fun of it.”

I sat there quiet, looking at my feet. “You kissed me last time I spent the night...”

Kade sighed. “Ya I know, I'm sorry for that.”

“I woke up with your hand in my underwear. You can't say sorry for that!” I looked at him as dead in the eye as I could.

Kade still has trouble expressing his feelings in words today, but back then I wanted to hear him say them. He had kissed me, snuggled me all night, and had his hand in my underwear when I woke up. That's not something you can't just not say anything about.

“Save...”

I shook my head. “Are you going to tell me or not?” Kade parked the car at the lake parking. We didn't say anything for a few minutes. I gave up waiting. “If you want to talk to me I'll be in the lake.”

Okay so 'in the lake' wasn't exactly accurate... My feet were in the lake though, so it wasn't really a lie either. I must have sat there for almost ten minutes by myself before Kade sat down beside me.

I didn't acknowledge he was there until he spoke. “Save... I'm going to be honest; I don't really know how to turn my thoughts into words. When I'm with you, I'm happier than any other time. Times when I feel bad, I see you and I forget all that.

“I did that stuff that night, and I meant it. I have feelings for you Save. When I kissed you, I didn't want it to stop.” His arms wrapped around me. “You're my little angel Save; I love you man.” I felt Kade's chin rest on my shoulder.

I snuggled my face into his. “Thanks for telling me Kade.” We remained like that for what felt like forever. Our peace and quiet were interrupted by my stomach rumbling. “Can we eat now?”

“Of course we can.” He got up and jogged over to the car. When he got back with a grocery bag, I was already sitting at a picnic table. “Beer sausage, your favorite.” He handed me a perfectly wrapped sandwich.

We spent hours upon hours at the lake. It was warm enough out to go into the lake in our regular clothes and dry off. The sun set over the mountains as we played and laughed.

When we finally checked the time, it was 8:45, and it was a half hour drive home. “Kade we need to go! I'm already going to be late.” I took Kade's phone as we made our way to the car. I called the house, Ben answered. “Hello?”

“Ben, it's Xavier. I'm going to be late; we lost track of time. We'll be home as soon as possible.” I frantically explained to my brother.

Ben sighed. “Mom and Dad have started fighting. I hope it's over by the time you're home. They haven't mentioned anything about it though. You should be fine if you just come inside quietly. I’ll see you in a bit.”

“Thanks, Ben.” I hung up the phone. Kade had started the car, and we were already on our way. The entire way back home my anxiety grew and grew. My parents were fighting right now... If I walked into that, I'd be screwed.

Kade sped part of the way home, and we got back at 9:10. Five minutes before the anticipated time. He parked in his driveway, and I ran over to my house forgetting to say even goodbye.

I opened the door, and there was a crash from somewhere deeper in the house. “That was my grandmothers!” Mom screamed. “That can never be replaced!”

“Neither can my father's watch!” My mom dropped something on it a few years ago. It was a complete accident, but it's a common thing for my dad to bring up during fights.

“Terrance, you know I didn't do that on purpose! You've just destroyed a one of a kind piece of art.” My dad had knocked over my great-grandma's vase that she got from Italy. It was really expensive.

“It was rotting here anyways. We really should have sold it by now.” Dad walked by the entrance way. Mom came by shortly after. “What the hell do you want now woman?”

“Excuse me!?” I closed the door, leaving the yelling and screaming on the other side. I sat on my front porch trying to calm myself down. I was close to hyperventilating and had tears rolling down my cheeks.

I heard a door slam from the other side of the street. Kade marched down his driveway and into his car. It started up as he backed out. The car stopped in front of my place.

The window slowly rolled down. Kade wore a forced smile. “Wanna go for a drive?”

“Where to?”

“Anywhere but here.” Sounded like exactly where I wanted to be.

I quickly made my down and back into his car. He drove off, not saying where to, just drove. The radio was playing as we drove. We eventually stopped for some Tim Hortons.

We made our way inside and ordered two hot chocolates and sat down at a table together. Kade looked at me. “Parents still fighting when you got home?”

I nodded. “Ya... they were screaming at each other again.”

Kade sighed. “Your situation makes mine look chumpy.” I raised my eyebrow. “Kevin basically told me that I can't go to my game this weekend because I have to look after Grant. When I tried to tell him it's the biggest game of the year, he wouldn't hear any of it. So I stormed out... now here we are.”

I had a smile on my face. He was right; it was definitely chumpy compared to mine. Equally as valid in my eyes though.

We sat there ignoring our problems for a while. Then out of nowhere Kade pressed his lips to mine. We were the only ones there, besides the workers but nonetheless. I didn't think he would have tried to pull that there.

Now, that's not to say I didn't kiss back because I most certainly did. In fact, I made it into more of a French kiss. When we separated, we both had smiles on our faces.

Kade looked at his phone. “It's 11pm; you should go home. Hang out with Ben if you have to.” I was forced to agree. I wasn't going to spend the next hour or so walking home.

Kade pulled up to my driveway. I kissed him before I got out of the car. “Wish me luck?”

“Luck!”

I would not have such luck. My mother was sitting in the living room and heard me come in. I tried to explain, but I got as far as getting home at 9, and my end of the conversation was done.

Kade and I were both grounded for undetermined amounts of time. Me though, I got a worse punishment. Cameras were placed at the front door of the house. Now if I ever tried to leave, I would set an alarm off, and my parents would be able to see me.

I stayed a lot of nights in Ben's room. He accepted it and took the floor whenever I came in during the night. Ben was the only thing that made living in the house possible during that time.

Chapter end.