Disowned
by Victor Thomas
Chapter 28
Kenny
I heard my name and ran over to the counter to get my drink. I thanked the cute barista and returned to my seat beside Javier. Two days had passed since he had come to my room, and life was getting back to it's normal routine. Across the table, Chris and Hannah were checking their phones.
"Some people are ridiculously social," I said, rolling my eyes.
Javier hit the table with his fist, trying to get their attention.
"Earth calling."
"I'm not a guy," Hannah said, without raising her gaze from the screen. "I can multitask."
"I would rather focus on one thing at a time," Javier said.
He placed his arm around my shoulder and smiled at me.
My smiled wavered, and I pressed my lips together in a slight grimace. As much as I hadn't wanted it, the sinking feeling in my stomach began to grow. My mind began processing different scenarios that could go wrong. What if mom finds out about us?
"Aww," Chris said. "Look at the lovebirds."
"Leave them alone," Hannah said, slapping his thigh.
Chris raised his hands.
"I'm just glad they're together again."
My friends talking about our relationship made me blush, and my muscles tensed. Javier probably noticed it because he pulled me closer to him. He was hot, in more than just one way, which made it impossible for me not to smile. As my body began to relax, I even let myself lean against him.
"What on earth happened?" Chris asked. "I've never seen Kenny so miserable."
"Uh… it's a…"
I drew myself up.
Javier took his arm off my shoulder.
"Should we tell them."
"Joshua blackmailed me," I said slowly.
I stared at the table in front of me and felt Javier's hand patting my thigh. it encouraged me, and I finally raised my gaze. Both Chris and Hannah looked at me, Hannah with a lot of empathy in her face. Chris looked confused.
"What did he do?" Chris asked.
"He threatened to tell mom I'm… gay," I said in a low voice.
"Holy fuck!" he cried out. "The guy is a fucking asshole."
The other customers turned their heads, and both Hannah and me gestured for him to keep his voice down. My best friend looked like he was ready to stand up and go searching for Joshua. And if he got his hands on him, the end result wouldn't be nice. My eyes were soft, filled with an inner glow when I looked at my friend who was so eager to defend me. It was just that he, after almost being kicked off the football team, needed no more troubles.
"Let's talk about something else." I tried to change the subject. "How's it going with you two?"
"Good," he glanced at Hannah, "but how do you know he won't tell your mom?"
I sighed.
"It's all okay. He promised. Javier talked to him."
"And you believed him?"
I shrugged, but the comment triggered an uncomfortable stirring in my stomach. Of course, I had thought about it, but what else could I do. As far as I knew, the best strategy was to avoid the asshole and hope he would find some other target. The last thing I needed was Chris annoying him more, however good his intentions would be.
Under the table, Javier moved his hand up my thigh until his pinkie found it's target. I suppressed the smile trying to grow on my face. What was going on in my jeans I couldn't suppress.
"Man, you can't be so naïve. We need to…" Chris began, but Hannah interrupted him.
"Honey, maybe it's better if we let Kenny handle that situation," she said.
"Yeah. He's a big boy," Javier said, joining the conversation with a broad grin on his face.
I tried to keep from blushing. I leaned forward to pick up my drink and shifted my position before Chris and Hannah could notice what was going on in my crotch. Javier didn't give up, but rested his head on my shoulder, and soon his fingers found their way to my lap.
"You're so sweet," Hannah said.
Chris turned to her and whispered so loudly everybody could hear it.
"Perhaps we should leave them alone."
"I have an idea." She looked at Javier and me, her eyes sparkling. "We don't have school tomorrow. Why don't we go see a movie?"
"Uh… I think… I would rather stay here," I said.
I hoped the others didn't notice as I moved Javier's hand away. When I sat my drink down on the table, from the corner of my eye, I noticed how he was holding his laugh.
We spent an hour talking mostly about school stuff. Chris was especially enthusiastic about how our history teacher had lost his temper already on his second day when the boys at the back of the room kept talking to each other. He would have also talked about football with Javier, but Hannah, luckily, interrupted him every time he tried to lead the discussion in that direction.
I leaned against Javier on the soft bench. We were in the farthest corner of the coffee house and most of the other customers had left already. When the employees began cleaning the tables, Hannah stood up.
"Oh, dear, I almost forgot," she said. "I need a new shirt for the dinner tomorrow."
"Seriously? It's just a dinner with my parents," Chris said.
"Go help her choose a pretty one," I said to Chris, looking at my boyfriend. "We should leave too."
We left the coffee shop and after a quick goodbye, Hannah and Chris headed toward Macy's. Javier and I walked through the mall toward the doors to the parking lot. On impulse, I took hold of his hand.
"Wow. This is unexpected," he said.
I could read from his face that he was clearly pleased. His cute dimples appeared on his cheeks and his brown eyes smiled. Had I been any braver, I would have kissed him, but walking hand in hand in an almost empty mall was a big enough deal. Not all knights were born to kill dragons, but I was determined not to lose my prince again.
"I don't mind what others think," I said. "Well, at least not much."
He laughed.
"It's not like they haven't seen a gay couple before."
He called us a couple.
In the parking lot, the fall weather showed it's most charming side. It was dark already, raining a little, and I felt the wind against my face. We hastened to my car, but when we got there, I was suddenly in no hurry to drive home.
"So, how is it with your mom?"
His face was serious.
I shrugged.
"She's barely spoken to me since we ran out on her the other night."
"Really?"
"Yeah. It's kind of creepy."
"Does she know about us?"
It was another question I had been thinking a lot lately. There was something in the way she looked at me that troubled me. I wasn't sure if I saw more concern or something else in her face. Whatever it was, I wished it would go away soon.
"She might suspect something," I finally admitted. "Did you talk to Joshua yet?"
"He'll keep his mouth shut," he said. "I'm pretty sure."
"That's reassuring."
He pulled me into a hug.
"We'll be fine. He lost the game."
My boyfriend's arms around me gave me new hope. Even if she found out, I would still have him. I was so lucky to have such a hot boyfriend. If she couldn't bear me dating him, it was her problem. This was my life, not hers.
We arrived back home less than an hour later. I pulled up in front of his house and we sat in the car for a few minutes, talking and making out.
"I gotta go," I said at last. "See you tomorrow."
He planted one last kiss on my mouth.
"Definitely."
I started my car engine. One more time I waved at him and drove away with a broad smile on my face. Had I known what was waiting for me at home, I probably wouldn't be smiling. Unfortunately, at the time, I didn't know.
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