Was it stupid of Ellis to hope he would also be the last?
ELLIS GNAWED
on his lower lip as he waited for his best friend to answer the phone.
“El!”
“Hey, Matt.”
“Is this about Dale?”
“How’d you know?”
“Call me Miss Esmeralda, psychic extraordinaire.”
“Oooh, look at who’s been studying his French.”
“So, has he pulled his head out of his ass yet? Are you two friends again?”
“Not exactly.”
“What happened? Did he at least apologize? Because you can’t take him back if he doesn’t.”
“Yeah, he did. He also broke up with Stephanie.”
“He did
what
? Why?”
Ellis couldn’t have stopped the smile from blooming on his lips even if he’d wanted to—and he didn’t. “Because he has a boyfriend now.”
“No way! You got into Dale Stephens’s pants?”
“No! Well, apart from the whole porn-hand job thing, but I never actually touched him. No, we just got together. That’s it.”
“Really? No ass groping? Maybe a little blowjob?”
“No, Matt. Not everyone is a sex fiend like you.”
“I am not a sex fiend! I just have a healthy sex drive.”
“Sure, sure.”
“I’m not the one with a boyfriend, a straight one at that. Hey, you managed to turn a straight guy gay!”
“No, Matt. He’s bi.”
“Huh. Well, come on. What happened?”
“I DON’T
know what you’re talking about, Anna.”
“Puh-lease. Something’s up with you. I know it.”
“Me?” Ellis put on his most innocent expression. He was having so much fun teasing Anna, the girl who knew every gossiped rumor—except this one.
She narrowed her eyes at him and leaned against the locker behind her. Ellis grabbed what he needed from his, taking advantage of the rare moment of silence.
“You look happy.”
“What, I usually don’t?”
“Not like this. You look especially happy.”
Ellis smirked and closed his locker. Anna walked next to him down the hallway, her face still scrunched as she tried to read him. “Does one of your favorite authors have a new book out?” Ellis shook his head. “A movie?” Another shake. “A video game?”
“You know I don’t have the time to play.”
“Bullshit. But it’s not that anyway. Umm. Got a nice review for one of your stories?”
“A few, yeah.”
Someone passed next to Ellis, too close. A hard shoulder nailed him, and he stumbled, almost falling before Anna’s hands steadied him. He scowled at Mark, but Mark only smirked back as he walked away.
“Okay?” Ellis nodded at Anna, and she went on as if nothing had happened. “I’m not sure what else it can be.”
Ellis decided he could throw her a bone. “Dale and I talked.”
Her face lit up. “That’s great! He’s going to need a friend, you know? I heard he and Stephanie broke up.”
Ellis put his bag on the desk and settled in the seat. Anna took the seat next to him. “Jeez, it happened only yesterday, and you already know about it?”
“Facebook. You know how it goes. How do
you
know?”
“I told you we talked.”
“Is it true he did the dumping?”
Ellis nodded. “Yeah.”
“Why? They looked so good together. Of course, there’s the thing that happened that night, but….” Anna’s eyes went wide, and she gaped at Ellis. “You didn’t!”
Ellis grinned. “Didn’t what? And keep your voice down, for Christ’s sake.”
Anna was practically bouncing in her seat. “Did you, El? Is it what I think it is? Did it happen? Really?”
“I’d have to know what you think it is to answer.”
Anna leaned closer. “Do you have a boyfriend?” It came out way louder than Ellis would’ve liked. “Shhh! Keep it down, Anna!”
She held her hands up while Ellis looked around the room, but she snagged his attention before he could see if someone had heard. “Sorry, sorry. So? Do you?”
“Yeah, yeah. I do.”
Anna squealed and clapped. “Anna!” Ellis hissed. Several people in the room were looking at them now. Ellis’s stomach sank when he saw Mark was one of them. He was sitting a few desks away, and he looked angry enough to reduce Ellis to pieces only with his glare. “Shit, do you think Mark heard what we said?”
Anna looked his way. “I don’t know, El. We whispered the important parts, right? He can’t have heard from there.” She didn’t look convinced, though, and it wasn’t making Ellis feel better.
As bad as Mark usually was, he didn’t normally try to burn a hole in Ellis’s head with his eyes. Ellis could have sworn he actually felt the glare, almost like a touch, and it gave him the creeps. “I hope so. He’ll kill me if he finds out.”
“Why should he?”
“You know how he is. It’s not like he needs a reason to bully me, and you’ve seen how angry he looks right now.”
Anna patted his arm as the teacher came in and closed the door. “You just have to stick with your—” She leaned closer. “—boyfriend.”
Chapter Ten
“WHEN IS
Dad coming?”
Dale’s mother looked from the inside of the fridge for a moment. “He said to be ready by ten. Can you please check Alicia too? She packed her bag last night, but make sure she’s dressed and ready to go.”
“Sure. Uh, Mom?”
“Yes?”
“Do you think I could talk with you and Dad when he gets here?”
Dale’s mom closed the fridge door. “Is something wrong?”
“No, not wrong. I have something to tell both of you, and I thought it would be easier to do it together instead of twice.”
“But everything’s all right?”
“Yeah, don’t worry.”
Dale put his empty cereal bowl in the dishwasher and went to his room to get his bag ready. It was his dad’s weekend, so Alicia and Dale would sleep over at his apartment that evening. Dale would have rather spent the first Saturday evening since they’d gotten together with Ellis, but he also wanted to see his dad. Dale knew his father would let him go out if he asked, but since this weekend was the one where both him and Ellis were coming out to their families, they’d decided to skip it. It was only two days anyway—but Dale already missed his boyfriend.
They’d been together only a handful of days, but it felt so right. It had felt that way ever since they’d become friends. Dale had known Ellis was special since the beginning, but he never thought Ellis would end up being his first boyfriend. It still felt weird to think that word, let alone say it aloud.
“Boyfriend,” Dale said to his empty room. He wasn’t sure what he’d expected, but nothing changed, or rather, everything had changed since he’d kissed Ellis. It had taken only that kiss for Dale to realize he was in love with the guy.
Dale quickly pushed what he needed for the weekend in his bag and showered before dressing and checking on his sister. “You ready?”
Alicia was sitting on her bed, reading. She was already dressed and packed, her bag next to the door. Her shoes were missing, but Dale could see them next to her bag, ready to put on.
“Yes.”
“You’re staying here for a bit, though. I have to talk to Mom and Dad.”
She gave Dale a curious glance, but she nodded without asking. “I’ll finish this book, so I don’t have to bring it with me.”
“That way you can bring a new one.”
“Yes.”
Dale smiled and resisted the urge to ruffle her hair. The last time he’d tried, she said she was too old for it.
The bell rang and startled Dale. Jesus, he’d thought he’d still have a bit of time to rehearse what he was going to say or something. Not that thinking about it had actually done him any good until now, but still. He felt totally unprepared.
Dale took a deep breath and hoped at least his dad would take it well. “I’m going, Al. I’ll call you when I’m done, or Dad will come and get you.”
“Sure.” Alicia didn’t even look up from her book. Dale kissed the top of her head and went to meet his dad. He could hear his parents talking even before seeing them. “And you don’t know what it’s about?”
“No, he didn’t say anything. Do you think something is wrong?”
“He told you he’s fine. Don’t fret. You’ll find out soon enough.”
God, Dale loved his dad.
He entered the living room and smiled at his parents. “Hi, Dad.”
“Hey, kid. Your mother told me you need to talk to us. Is the living room okay?”
“Yeah.”
Dale sat on the couch and tried not to squirm. He watched as his mom sat beside him and his father in the armchair, and wished Ellis or Seth could’ve been there to support him. He couldn’t seem to stop his leg from bouncing, and his palms were damp.
“So, what is it?” Mom asked.
“I, well. This isn’t easy for me, but—” Dale took a deep breath and let it out slowly. There was no point in delaying this. “I’m bi.”
He waited for their reactions, his eyes on his hands.
“What do you mean, bi?” Mom asked. Disbelief colored her words, and Dale knew she’d understood exactly what he’d said. She just didn’t want to believe it.
“Bisexual. I like both girls and boys.”
Dale heard his father move and looked up when he crouched in front of him. “You know it doesn’t change anything, right? I love you anyway. I don’t care if you’re straight, bi, gay, or anything in the middle. You’re my son, period.”
Dale pressed his lips together and nodded. His dad leaned forward and hugged him. It wasn’t something that happened often, but Dale was grateful for it right now. He needed the reassurance his dad was okay with it, that he still looked at Dale the same way.
Dad patted Dale’s back and moved away. He rose from his crouch and perched on the coffee table instead of going back to the armchair, and Dale was glad for the silent support. He risked a glance to the side.
Mom was looking at him with a frown, and Dale’s stomach sank. She wasn’t taking it well, and he hadn’t even told her about Ellis yet.
A hand squeezed his knee, and Dale looked at his dad. He was looking back at him and smiling, so Dale steeled himself and went on. “So, I told you this because, well, I have a boyfriend.”
“That’s good, Dale. I assume things are pretty serious if you’re telling us. You don’t usually talk about your, er, partners.” Dale was more than grateful Dad hadn’t mentioned Stephanie, because both him and Mom had met her.
“Yeah. It’s new, but it feels right.”
“What about your girlfriend?” Mom asked. Dale saw his father scowl at her, but he hadn’t expected anything different. He’d tried to keep his hopes low, and he’d apparently been right.
“I broke up with Stephanie.”
“When? You went out with her last week.”
“Uh, on Tuesday.”
“And you already have a boyfriend? After three days? Dale, are you sure about this? Maybe Stephanie wasn’t right for you, but there are plenty of girls who—”
“Mom, I broke up with her because I’m in love with Ellis.” Dale knew it was true, but jeez, he’d barely admitted it to himself, and now here he was, telling his parents. “I’ve been in love with him for a while, and it wasn’t fair to Stephanie.”
“But why a boy?”
“Why did you fall in love with me all those years ago?” Dad asked her.
“But you’re a man!”
“So? It doesn’t matter. I’m sure Ellis is a nice guy. Dale wouldn’t have fallen in love with him if he weren’t.”
“How can you take this as if it’s nothing?”
Dale looked at his shoes and let his parents yell it out. It hurt that his mom couldn’t seem to accept it, though he’d known it was a possibility. He hadn’t wanted to think about it, but he’d known.
He didn’t want to disappoint her, but he loved Ellis, and his dad was right. Ellis was worth it, and Dale was worth it too. There wasn’t a good reason to hide the truth from his family.
A hand clamped on Dale’s shoulder. He looked at his father, happy to see understanding in his eyes. “I’ll go get Alicia. You, well, say good-bye to your mother. She’ll have the weekend to think it over. She’ll be fine.”
Dale wanted to believe him, but she wasn’t even looking at him. It made him feel so bad, like he’d done something horribly wrong, like he was somehow defective for wanting to be with Ellis. It was the first time he was in love, and his mother made him feel like it was something dirty. Even though he knew it wasn’t, it still made him want to take the words back.
“Mom? I’m sorry.”
She sighed heavily. “I don’t understand, Dale. You’ve had girlfriends since you were fourteen. I’ve never heard you talk about guys that way. How is it possible for you to change so suddenly?”
“I haven’t changed, Mom. I’ve known I was bi since I was twelve. I didn’t tell you because I was scared you’d react like this. It’s never been a problem because I’ve never really liked a guy until now.”
“You like this guy.”
“I’m in love with him.”
Dale’s mom looked at him as if she were trying to read him. He didn’t know what she found, but she shook her head and looked away. “Give me some time to get used to this. As long as you’re sure about what you’re telling me.”
“I am.”
“You know it’ll complicate your life.”
“I know you don’t want me to be hurt, but I’m sure. I wouldn’t have told you if I weren’t. Besides, Ellis and I talked, and we’re going to keep it down at school, at least for now.”
They both looked at the door when there was a knock. Dale’s father peeked in. “Ready?”
“Yeah.” Dale got up from the couch and hesitated, but in the end, he leaned down and hugged his mother. She opened her arms, and hope flared in him. Maybe she really just had to think about it. “Thanks, Mom.”
When they separated her eyes were shining, and her smile was wobbly, but she was trying. “I’ll see you Sunday night.”
“ARE CONNOR
and Damien coming over for dinner?”
“No idea. Damien probably, but I don’t know about Connor.”
Ellis nibbled at his lower lip. He wanted to get his coming out out of the way and tell his entire family together. He didn’t want to have to explain why he wanted Connor to come have dinner at home, though. “Can you call him and ask him to come?”
Mom arched a brow. “Why don’t you call him yourself if you want to see him?”