The Dance [Mychyl Kime] - 7. Chapter 7

Jacob and I lay in each other's arms for a while afterwards, reveling in the closeness we shared, which until only today we never knew the other's feelings... feelings that ran so deep, so true, that not being able to express them was tearing us apart, both internally and with each other, always unsure how the other felt... But finally, I knew he loved me, and I could tell him I love him, and we could simply be together, safe and warm in the arms of the one we love and cherish deeply, knowing that there
was nothing that could ever come between us again...

A glance at the clock reminded me of my pressing obligation elsewhere, and that I was already late as is...

"Hun," I started, not wanting to end the moment, but at the same time unable to simply be there with him, which was all I wanted to do at the time.

"Yeah?" he answered, love throbbing in his voice. "What's up?"

"I gotta go... my mom's expecting me, and if I'm late..." I trailed off, letting his imagination conjure up the worst possible scenario.

"OK, OK, I got it... are you gonna come back over tonight?" he asked, his eyes wide and alive with happiness, locked on me.

"I'll try," I conceded, "but I won't guarantee anything... especially since I'm already late... but if you wouldn't mind, could you give me a ride? The less time I have to spend at home, after all, the more time I can spend with you..."

"OK, you convinced me," he responded, folding me into his arms and kissing me deeply, passionately... the kiss of true love, I suppose. He pulled himself together quickly, throwing on a pair of soccer shorts and a t-shirt, then helping me pull my stuff together once more, so I could rush to my house, if only to face my mother's wrath...

OK, another bit of explanation is in order. Like I said before, my mom's overly protective... treats me like I'm still a little kid, always making sure nothing happens to me and whatnot... but most of the time, I'd rather deal with that than face her wrath when I 'screw up', as she puts it... which means, I don't do exactly what she says, when she says it, how she says it. Sometimes, I think the only reason she has anything to do with me is cheap slave labor... but I digress.

We get to his car without further ado, and climb in, the car starting and in motion before I even get a chance to fasten my seatbelt.

"What's the rush, hun?" I asked jokingly, nudging him slightly with my elbow.

"Ah, nothing... it's just that, like you said, the sooner I get you there, the sooner we can be back together... and I don't want that to take a single second longer than necessary..."

"Oh, OK," I finished lamely, just as he pulled up in front of my house. I looked around quickly, making sure that no one was watching, and sneaked in a quick peck on the lips, reveling in the brief moment we shared before grabbing my stuff and jumping out of the car, promising to see him again, as soon as possible.

No sooner had I walked through the door than my mother descended upon me, fire in her eyes, her cheeks flushed with anger. "Where were you?" she demanded. "You got home after I went to bed, and I know you didn't work yesterday... you were supposed to come right home after school today to help me, and now you're strolling up, five hours late! So where the hell were you?"

"Well..." I started, trying to think of what to say... but not finding anything that made any sense. "I'm sorry, I was hanging out with Jacob, over at his house, and we sorta lost track of time..."

"Jacob? You mean Jacob Azure?" she asked, still angry.

"Yeah, mom, Jacob Azure... you know, I brought him over a couple of times before, you've met him and all..."

"Yeah, I know who you mean... he's the one with the gay brother, right?"

Oh, shit... I'm in for it now... like I said before, I know her opinion of gay people, and David was no exception to the rule... she'd told me once before never to hang out over at their house, since David is gay... and she was afraid, I think, that by hanging out with a gay boy like David, I might turn gay myself... well, if only she knew...

"I told you," she continued, as though she'd read my mind, "NEVER to go over there again... I don't want you hanging around some damn faggot... what, do you wanna wind up like one of them?"

THAT was the last straw; with the day I'd had, something was gonna blow... and I'm not just talking about me and David... or for that matter, me and Jacob. I knew better than to say what I said next, but at this point, I didn't honestly care... well, not that much, at any rate...

"You know what?" I started, a bit angry myself. "I don't really care if you don't like it. I'm gonna hang out around Jacob, and David too, if I feel like it... and you really don't have to worry about them turning your precious innocent son gay... you know why? I already am... yeah, that's right, I'm gay, and I'm in love with Jacob, and he loves me, and there isn't a thing you can do to change that... I love him, mother, and I'm going to love him, no matter what you say or do... and I'm still your son, so you have two options: love me for who I am, or kick me out of your life. I don't care which you choose. But you'd better make your choice now, and be ready to live with it..."

She backed up a couple of steps, obviously startled, trying to make some words come out but seemingly unable to say anything, given her reaction. Finally, she choked out a few words...

"Go. Get out!" she shouted, storming off to her room. "I don't ever want to see you again... not ever!"

I stood there a moment, feeling both depressed and relieved... after all, it could've gone worse, and strangely enough, I didn't actually care all that much that here I was, now motherless, abandoned by the woman who gave me life, simply because I am gay...

I went into my room, packing everything up quickly, making sure not to leave anything behind, knowing I'd never have a chance to return and get everything else, if I forgot any items now. A few minutes later, I called over to Jacob's house, as quietly as possible.

"Hello?" Jacob answered, on the other end.

"Hey, Jacob," I responded, as calmly as possible. "I've got a favor to ask, but I need to ask you in person. Can you come over quickly?"

"Why?" Jacob asked, a note of alarm in his voice. "What's wrong?"

"Oh, nothing major... just come over..." I hung up quickly, before he could say more, then moved my stuff out to the sidewalk to wait, lighting a cigarette as I went. Stress and I don't get along very well, I must confess, and there's plenty of stress to go around, right about then, given everything that was happening in my life...

Before I could even finish my cigarette, Jacob pulled up in his car, concern evident in his eyes and on his face, which only got worse when he realized that my stuff was packed and sitting on the sidewalk, right next to me.

"Hey hun," he started casually as he pulled up, getting out of the car. "So what's up? What's with all your stuff, sitting here?"

Suddenly, it all hit me, and I started crying, realizing finally that I would never come back to this house; that, in essence, my entire life would change, from here on.

"My mom," I managed to sob out. "She... she..."

"Ssh, it's OK," he stopped me, "let's get your things in the car and we can talk on the way... We can go back to my house and figure out what we're gonna do..."

"I wanna... if it's OK, I mean... I wanna live with you..."

He stopped a moment, seemingly considering the options. "Well, I want you to, but I don't know what my mom and dad would say... but hell, when are they ever home, after all? You can stay with me as long as you want... forever, even, if you want to."

We managed to get all my stuff packed into his car, then we got ourselves in, pulling away from the house I'd lived in for years... the memories in that house would be with me for my whole life, and though I'd never regret making the decision I did, I always regretted not being able to wait any longer, if for no other reason than to enjoy my last moments there, with my close friends and my family... but since that couldn't happen, I was just as happy to be with Jacob, in his life, and knowing that he wanted me there, above all else.

When we got to his house, David rushed out to help, also concerned.

"Damn," he muttered, "did she kick you out? Why?"

I told them both what had happened, both of them sympathetic towards me and concerned for me. When Jacob told David our plan for me to move in, he seemed a bit shocked... after all, I hadn't seen David since I was leaving HIS bedroom, and here I was, talking about moving in with Jacob... but he agreed that I could stay there, although I had a feeling they'd be fighting for my affections the entire time I lived there, however long that would be...

We got my stuff upstairs and moved into Jacob's room when the stress from the day finally caught up with me, and I fell asleep on Jacob's bed, both of them holding and comforting me, neither seeming to mind the other's presence in the slightest, both only concentrating on me, intent on making sure I was as comfortable and protected as they could provide...