Disowned
by Victor Thomas
Chapter 33
Javier
I drove eighty miles an hour, and still every mile seemed to take days. I had left town in ten minutes, and ever since, I saw mostly open fields and forest on both sides of the road. The summer had been dry and everything looked like a desert but it hardly mattered. I wasn't driving to enjoy the view. My mission was to find Kenny.
He hadn't been too specific about his whereabouts, before he hung up the call, only that he was northwest of Parsons, heading toward the Wichita area. I knew there was more than one road heading that direction, but the road I was driving on was a major four lane highway so I assumed I was on the correct road.
After leaving Parsons, I scanned the road for a gas station, or convenience store, but they were very few and far between. I just had to hope I came across something soon.
The car engine made quite a noise; and I kept glancing at the gauge to make sure it didn't overheat. So far it was fine, even better than I had expected. I couldn't say the same about myself. If something was overheating, it was my brain.
Fucking Joshua!
I found myself squeezing the steering wheel so tightly that my knuckles turned white. If I didn't find Kenny, Joshua would pay for it no matter what the consequences to me would be. Fucking asshole!
It was getting darker, and I kept scanning the road ahead of me for any sign of a gas station. I had driven northwest for another ten minutes when I saw a station on the left. Ignoring the big truck approaching from the opposite direction, I turned the steering wheel sharply to the left. The truck driver hit the brakes to avoid the collision and the sound of his horn thundered through the air.
Finding a parking space wasn't difficult. They were all empty except for one. The truck must belong to Kenny's father. At least I hoped so, because it meant that he was still here somewhere.
I got out of my car and scanned the area. There were two fuel pumps under the white canopy, and a small building. A few trash bins were placed in the shadow of two big trees, and on the other side of the parking area, an old sign welcomed customers.
"Kenny, are you here?" I whispered.
I walked between the trash bins and the building to the back. The ground sloped down behind the building. Down there was a pasture and an endless forest behind it. If he was there, it would take forever to find him.
I sighed and walked down the hill. The ground was soft, and when I got to where the pasture started, I was stopped by a barbed wire fence. Using my phone as a flashlight, I tried to search for any sign of him, but it was hopeless.
"Kenny!" I shouted.
Nobody replied.
When I turned around, I saw my own footprints in the soft ground. My energy levels rising, I checked the entire hill but didn't find any other marks there. He wasn't back here.
An electronic bell dinged when I entered the gas station. A guy wearing a baseball cap appeared from somewhere and leaned against the counter.
"Where are your restrooms?" I asked.
"Over there." He pointed to a door that looked almost like someone had taped it to the doorframe. "And it's five bucks."
I looked around and didn't see any other customers in the store. I walked over to the door and opened it. The small room was empty, and the smell was unbelievable, like nobody had cleaned it in months. I closed the door, but not quickly enough.
"Are you going to pay?" the guy behind the counter asked.
"I just wanted to check if someone was there."
The guy gave me a strange look.
"Sure, of course."
It didn't take long for me to realize that Kenny couldn't be here. The place was simply too small for any hiding places. Besides, the red truck in front of the building most likely belonged to the guy with the baseball cap.
His father must have found him, and now they are on their way toward Wichita.
My shoulders collapsed. That sick bastard had kidnapped my boyfriend, and there was nothing I could do. The game was over. I checked my phone one last time, but there were no calls from anyone.
I pushed the door to leave, when the guy behind the counter shouted at me.
"Hey, kid, if you don't have any money, the restroom is on the house."
"Thanks, but no thanks," I said.
"Sure, as you wish. Thanks for stopping and come again."
The door was already closing when an idea suddenly came to mind. I pulled my phone from my pocket and walked back in.
"Have you seen this guy today?" I asked.
He didn't even look at the screen.
"You're my first customer today."
"Are you sure he wasn't here, maybe an hour ago?"
I held the phone in front of his face.
He shrugged and sat back on his stool.
"Like I said, we've pretty much had no one in here all day."
I thanked him and rushed back to my car. I started the engine, and the headlights illuminated the darkness. There was a new spark in my eyes.
Don't worry, Kenny. I'm going to find you.
I forced myself to focus like I did before every game. Now wasn't the best time to lose hope. I would find Kenny, even if I had to drive the whole night. It would have been nice if he had a phone so he could give me better coordinates, but I would need to play with the cards I was dealt.
But how much farther ahead was the gas station I was looking for? I had already driven at least ten miles with no sign of anything except for the occasional farmhouse. Every minute I expected to see a sign of civilization but there was never anything.
"Where the fuck are you?"
No one answered, of course, but I kept driving. And then I saw it. There was a little building up ahead. It wasn't much, but enough to give me hope. I pushed the gas pedal down, expectation growing in my heart. When I got closer, I noticed it wasn't a building, but a huge familiar logo set atop a pole. Another gas station, finally.
"This must be it," I said to myself.
The closer I got, the brighter the flashing lights got into my eyes. Equally concerned and curious, I slowed to a crawl and turned into the parking lot. I had hardly managed to kill the engine when a police car with blue and red lights spinning around, approached from the opposite direction and turned into the parking area. Two officers came out of the car and joined a third standing beside the door to the station, his face a mixture of boredom and business.
Shit! I hope Kenny is okay.
I stepped out of the car and hesitated a bit. Then I realized that if I acted too sketchy, the officers would catch on to me. There was nobody else at this place, just one car besides mine, and the two police cars. My eyes scanned the building. I scanned my card and put the nozzle into my gas tank. Filling up the tank was the least suspicious thing that came to mind.
The door to the store opened, and from the corner of my eye, I noticed a big man coming out. His steps were heavy and he huffed.
"You've been looking for half an hour," the man roared. "How goddamn hard can it be to find my son?"
They're talking about Kenny!
I turned toward the sound. My eyes met with the big man who had to be Kenny's father. When one of the officers looked at me too, I turned my head quickly and focused on the nozzle. My heart began beating faster, and I tried to hide my face as much as I could. I had never met Mr. Sherman, but if he had Kenny's phone, he might have seen pictures of me.
"Sir, please calm down," the officer said. "We've done everything we can."
"Why isn't my son here then?" Mr. Sherman asked.
"Sir, we don't know for sure if he's still close by."
"Where else is there to go?"
Back home with me, I thought, satisfied they hadn't found him yet. The gas nozzle clicked, and I put it back in the pump. I tried to listen to the conversation, but the officers asked Mr. Sherman to return inside the store. I heard them talking about searching the forest.
Good luck with that.
I realized I was in front of the same problem. Outside the bright lights in the parking lot, it was pitch dark outside, and I had no idea how to find Kenny. And how could I do it alone when a group of police officers were not able to find him with their flashlights and all their other equipment.
I turned around to get into the car, letting out a gasp when I saw Kenny crouched on the ground by my feet.
"What the hell?"
I glanced over my shoulder to make sure no one had seen us.
"Quick! We need to leave," he whispered.
I opened the back door and began taking off my jacket. He climbed in, keeping his body low to the seats. I gave him a push to hurry him up.
"Lie in the floorboard," I said in a low voice. "Cover yourself with my jacket."
An officer came out and began walking toward us. I shut the back door and sat down in the driver's seat. I started the engine and was just putting it into drive when I noticed the police officer raising his hand.
"Shit! Someone's coming. Stay quiet," I whispered.
My pulse racing, I rolled down the window.
"Good evening," the officer said. "Could you please step out of the car?"
I opened the door and stepped out, preparing for the worst. Kenny's dad must have recognized me, and now the police wanted to search my car. I closed the door so the cabin light dimmed.
"Is something wrong?" I asked, feeling pale.
He pointed to the front of the car and gestured for me to come closer.
"Just wanted to let you know that one of your headlights is out."
I gasped.
"I'll get it fixed as soon as possible."
"I can't let you drive with that. It's too dark," he said. "Let's go inside and check if they can sell you a new one."
Since I had no other option, I followed him into the store. I glanced at Kenny's father, who stood up and stared at me. Except for the shape of his nose, the man looked nothing like Kenny. He was more fat than tall, and the messy stubble didn't decorate his reddish face in the best way. The little hair he had left hadn't been combed for years.
"He's not my son," Mr. Sherman grunted.
No, I'm his boyfriend. I suppressed the smile trying to grow on my face. I walked to the counter and asked for a new light bulb. After waiting for a few minutes, the clerk came back from storage with a bulb that fit my car. I paid and rushed out of the store as quickly as I could.
"Do you need help changing it?" the officer shouted after me.
"No thanks. I can handle it."
In reality, I had no clue how to change it, but the idea of the officer co m ing close to my car again wasn't something I wanted to chance. I opened the hood and used my phone as a flashlight. To my surprise, it only required a few scratches and curses before the bulb was changed.
"Let's go," I said when I finally got inside the car.
"Can I get in the front?"
I started the engine.
"Soon. Let me drive a little ways so they don't see us."
Not taking any chances, I drove several miles before I pulled over so he could switch to the front. As soon as he got to the front seat, he took hold of my head and kissed me on the lips.
"Thanks for saving me."
He flashed a broad smile.
I pulled him close to my body and hugged him gently.
"I was so worried," I whispered in his ear.
We kissed again, more passionately, if possible. The second kiss led to a third, and soon I felt his hand touching my thigh with little uncertainty where it was heading. It's target was already waiting, hard and eager, inside my jeans. I purred softly when his fingers massaged my growing bulge.
I returned the favor, and for a short moment, we enjoyed each other, both of us trying to push back the inevitable. Soon, we would drive back to Chouteau, and neither of us knew what would happen then. Reluctantly, I let go of him, and we looked at each other in the darkness of the car.
"I can't go home," he said, sadness in his voice.
"Let's drive to my house," I said. "You can stay with us."
He shook his head.
"The police are looking for me."
"Let's worry about that later."
The moon lightened the road while I drove back to Chouteau. Now and then I glanced at Kenny, who seemed even smaller than normal, sitting in the front seat, staring into the darkness. We barely spoke until we arrived at my house. Both my parent's cars were there.
"Do you think this is a good idea?" he asked.
"The best ever."
I killed the engine and gestured for him to follow me inside.
Despite the brave cover, every step up to the house brought a fresh wave of anxiety. Could the police come and get him? What if he was sent to that fucking ranch in the middle of nowhere? Trying to push those thoughts to the back of my mind, I opened the door for him, but he hesitated to go in and let me go first. The only sound in the house was the TV in the living room, turned to some news station.
"Hey," I poked my head in.
"Where have you been?" dad asked.
"I… um… it's a long story."
The expression on his face grew severe, and there was concern in his eyes. He took the remote and switched off the TV.
"Sit down."
Anxious and wondering where to start, I sat in the arm chair opposite my parents. Kenny followed me, avoiding eye contact with everybody and took the other arm chair. There was silence in the room, everybody waiting for me to explain what had happened.
"Kenny needs to stay here tonight," I blurted out.
My parent's looked at each other.
"That's fine, but is everything okay?" dad asked.
"Actually… he'll need to stay here for a couple of nights."
"Okay. Now I want to hear what is going on."
Before I could answer, Kenny cleared his throat. He explained everything that had happened, starting from the moment when his father suddenly appeared at their door in the morning. Mom sat silent and listened, but dad had a hard time hiding his emotions. His expression switched between disbelief and anger, and if he didn't have his mouth open, he was tapping the armrest with his fingers.
"Does your mother know you're back?" mom asked when he had finished.
Kenny shook his head.
"We need to fix that."
She stood up to get her phone.
"You can't call her!" I cried out.
"I think we need to tell her," Kenny said with a small voice.
I held my hands to my head. What was the point of me driving to that fucking gas station if mom and Kenny wanted to inform the bitch? The police would be here any moment, and god only knew when I would see my boyfriend again, if ever. I looked at dad, hoping he would stop this foolishness.
"Don't worry. Kenny can stay here," dad said, like he had read my mind. "We just need to let his mother know. She must be sick with worry."
"I doubt that," I muttered.
Mom gave Kenny her phone so he could enter the number. I watched her raise the phone to her ear and walk to the kitchen. I wanted to follow her to eavesdrop on the call. My car keys were still in my pocket if we needed to escape again.
She had barely spoken a minute with his mom when she raised her voice.
"He's going to stay with us, at least this weekend." She said it with a determination I had never heard in her voice. "We're more than happy to have him."
Thanks, mom.
I opened my eyes and felt the heat radiating from my sleeping boyfriend's body. My arm was wrapped around him. Gently, I moved closer so my nose touched the back of his neck. I still didn't understand how he could smell so sweet.
"Morning," I whispered in his ear.
He muttered a sleepy response and took a better position in my arms. I pushed my hip against his back. The touch of our naked bodies was electric, not that I needed any extra electricity.
"Mmm… someone's eager," he said.
I moved my hand along his chest and belly until my fingers found his erection. It responded to the touch.
"Seems that I'm not the only one."
He turned around, pushed me onto my back, and got on top of me, kissing me deeply. For a moment, we were two horny teenage boys under a big soft blanket in a locked bedroom, kissing, hugging and fondling each other. It didn't take long before I felt the tension growing in my groin, and I didn't want all this to end too soon.
"Let's take a break, okay?" I panted.
"Is my sexy boyfriend gonna shoot already?" he teased.
A flush crept across my face. I turned on my side and hugged him, holding my head against his chest. His fingers caressed my back, their soft touch sending electric pulses across my body. I had probably never been so turned on.
"Boys! Time to wake up for school!"
Mom's voice interrupted our moment.
"Coming!" I shouted back.
"Are you sure your mom wants to know that?" he whispered.
"What do you…" I noticed the smirk on his face. "Ha, ha. Very funny, smart ass."
It was still dark outside when I stood up and pulled the curtains aside. It was Monday, and school would start soon. It annoyed me less than normal, much less. And it was all because Kenny had spent the whole weekend with me. I turned and smiled at my cute boyfriend.
"Mmm… I could keep looking at that the whole day," he said.
I glanced down. He probably wasn't referring to my abs, but my erection, which was pointing straight up. I placed my hands in front of it and searched for the towel. It hung on the chair, rumpled and damp. I wrapped it around my waist.
"Do you mind if I shower first?" I asked.
"Are you sure you don't need help washing your… back?"
He had an alluring look in his blue eyes.
A wide grin grew on my face.
"Quick then, before mom and dad notice."
We sneaked out of the bedroom, dressed in nothing but our towels. The hallway was empty, and the humming sound of the coffee maker came from the kitchen. I assumed my parents were making breakfast. I pulled the bathroom door open, and it almost hit my head when mom opened it at the same time.
"Hurry up or you'll be late," she said.
"Um, yeah." I took a tighter hold of my towel. "We'll just take a quick shower."
She pressed her lips together and nodded. Then she left, and we stepped into the bathroom. As soon as I had locked the door, I turned to kiss Kenny, whose cheeks and neck were red, in a cute way though.
"Do you think she minds us showering together?" he asked.
"I don't give a shit," I said. "Besides, she's not like…"
"My mom?"
"Shit! I'm sorry. I didn't mean too…"
My words trailed off. I rubbed the back of my neck, thinking how to express myself better. Despite the awesome weekend spent together, I sensed the situation with his mom bothered him. It was understandable. It would suck big time if my parents had kicked me out of my house.
"Let's not talk about my mom," he said.
"Your wish is my command."
I took our towels, laid them on the sink and pushed him under the shower. The water streamed down on us as we hugged each other close.
He poured soap on his hands and began rubbing it on my shoulders and chest. I leaned against the wall and closed my eyes. I wished we could just stay home and make out all day. His fingers played with my abs before they touched my rock-hard erection.
"I wonder if it likes this," he murmured, as he began stroking my cock.
I groaned. I fucking loved it and fought hard to extend the pleasure. His fingers made it difficult, and despite all my efforts, the pressure in my nuts was growing. My breathing became heavy, and then I had no other choice than to shoot my load.
"Sweet fucking Jesus," I panted.
"I love you too," he said.
He wrapped his arms around me and we kissed. I had lost count of how many times we had already kissed this morning, but it didn't matter. I could have easily spent the whole day kissing him. Unfortunately, mom had other plans for me.
"Boys, you'll be late," she shouted. "And we will run out of hot water."
I opened my mouth but saw the grin on his face.
"Yeah, we're coming soon," I whispered.
After a slightly awkward breakfast, we drove to school. We arrived at the parking lot with only a few minutes before class. I found an empty space for the car and was about to open my door when Kenny cleared his throat.
"What if mom is here?" he said.
"I won't let her, or anyone else, do anything to you," I said.
My voice was brave even though I didn't know what I could do if Ms. Sherman wanted to take him away from me.
He hummed and stepped out of the car. I locked the doors and joined him on the path that led to the main entrance. To my big surprise, he offered me his hand, and we began walking toward the school hand in hand. He didn't even let go when we got closer to the building and saw a group of students lingering by the entrance.
One of them looked at us, his gaze focusing especially on our hands. Kenny greeted him merrily and opened the door for me. We entered the main hallway which was full of people talking to each other.
"Look, you don't have to do this," I said, offering to let go of his hand.
His grip got stronger.
"Mom knows. There's no reason to hide anymore," he said. "Besides, I have the hottest boyfriend in school."
"Let's make them jealous then."
I kissed him on the lips.
"Now that you have marked your territory, I need to rush to class."
I slapped him on his butt and wished him a good day. It was great to see him smiling again. If nothing else, it made him ten times cuter. I followed him with my gaze until he disappeared around a corner. Then my focus shifted to Joshua, who was putting his books into his locker.
I'm gonna fucking kill you.
Fisting my hand, I approached him, sneaking behind his back. The fucking bastard deserved a proper bashing, one that I would give him right here, right now. Nobody messed with me without punishment, not even Joshua.
He bent over to tie his perfect shoe, which must cost him an arm and a leg. I saw the opportunity to thrust the idiot against the lockers. I glared at the ass in front of me and ground my teeth. It was payback time, wasn't it?
I closed my eyes and thought of Kenny and what he would do. As much as I would have loved to beat up this asshole, the small voice inside my head told me not to. Did I want to get into trouble now that I had gotten my boyfriend back?
"You like it, don't you?" Joshua said. He had turned around and took a step toward me. "So far, anyone tasting my ass hasn't been disappointed."
"You're one big disappointment," I said. "And if you haven't heard yet, your pathetic plan didn't work."
The smirk on his face began to fade.
"What do you mean?"
The bell rang, and those few students who were still lingering in the hallway began moving toward their classes. I was in no hurry. I stared at the asshole and let him boil in his own juice. It seemed neither of us would leave before the conversation was over.
"Why?" I asked. "What sick satisfaction do you get from trying to ruin things between Kenny and me?"
He stood there, speechless. I was about to rub the back of my neck but quickly shoved my hand into the pocket of my jeans. I heard the clap of heals on the floor. It had to be Ms. Collins walking to class. Knowing she wouldn't be happy if I was late, I kept glaring at him and waited for an answer.
"Why did you call his mom?" I asked.
He laughed.
"Oops, sorry. I thought she deserved to know."
Heat flushed through my body. I pushed him against the locker.
"You're gay too. Of all people, you should know not to out anybody like that."
The smirk returned to his face, and he leaned his head closer to me so that our noses almost touched each other. Blood boiling in my veins, I fisted my hand. I was about to hit the bastard, when he suddenly kissed me.
"What the hell!" I shouted, taking two steps back.
"You want me, don't you?"
"Fucking nut case! Are you out of your mind?"
A few minutes ago, I wanted to understand the motives behind his idiotic behavior, but now I was convinced that he was simply bullying people for fun. I took my backpack and headed down the hallway heading to my class.
"Sad that the closet case couldn't date you," he shouted.
I stopped and glared at him, my eyes on fire.
"Thanks to you, Kenny had to leave his home. But we're still together. So, you failed, loser."
"He's a minor," he said. "What do you think will happen when his mom calls Social Services?"
Without saying a word, I rushed to class, muttered an apology for being late, and sat behind my desk. My brain was in overdrive, focusing on anything except what Ms. Collins was talking about. Joshua was just jealous; he had to be. Besides, what the hell did he know about what Kenny's mom would do? Or the social workers if she called them?
I leaned my head against my hands and sighed. I couldn't avoid thinking the worst case, no matter how unlikely it was.
What if Joshua is right and they take him away from me?
"Well," I said, grinning. "I would say today went well."
I slowed down to turn onto my street. We would be home soon, and I could hardly wait for the opportunity to make out with Kenny. He had rubbed my thigh the entire journey from school, and it had only increased the hunger of my body. And needless to say, it had given me a rigid boner.
He must have been doing it on purpose, first at school during lunch, and now when I was supposed to step out of the car soon. I took hold of his hand and moved it gently away from my lap. We would soon be in my bedroom, and then there would be no limits to how much he could touch me.
One last turn and I saw my house on the right. But there was something else. Two cars were parked on the street in front.
"Is that your mom's car?" I asked, even though I knew the answer.
"Yup," he said. "Do you recognize the other?"
I had no idea.
"Should we leave before they see us?"
I wished he would say yes, and then I would drive us somewhere where nobody knew us, and where we could hide until we were old enough to live our own lives. I quickly realized how naïve that idea was. Luckily, he declined the offer.
"I don't think that would help," he said. "Let's sort this out now."
"But what if they send you to your dad's ranch?"
My voice raised an octave.
"I'm not leaving you," he said slowly, with determination.
I parked the car and stepped out, his words warming my heart. My boyfriend's gaze was fixed on the front door, and he seemed calm, almost too calm. Preparing for the worst, I followed him until we came to the porch. He stepped back, looked at me, and took hold of my hand.
"Shall we do it?"
It sounded more like a statement than a question.
"Okay," I said.
My whole body was tense, but I managed to get the door open.
We walked in; actually, I felt more like he had pulled me into the house. We entered the living room, still holding hands, and faced the grand jury who would soon decide our destiny. My parents were sitting on the couch, my mom as a blank canvas, and my dad with an awkward smile on his face.
In the arm chair on the other side of the room, was Kenny's mom. She sat straight like a queen, and her eyes were as cold as ice.
"It's time to stop this foolishness." She stood up. "Kenny, we're going home now."
"Let's talk first," said a younger woman I didn't recognize.
"Mom, I'm not going anywhere," Kenny said.
He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and for a moment, the living room was silent. My mouth fell open. In my mind, I was still seeking a hiding place from her glare. She had the same white shirt and black skirt she was wearing when I had visited Kenny's house last time. Even the cross hanging from her neck looked familiar.
"Okay, young man," Ms. Sherman said. She sat down, but the conceited smirk never escaped her face. "Are you going to live with this… boy?"
"Yes!" Kenny said instantly.
She let out a laugh.
"And what then, when you breakup?"
I felt him squeezing me tighter, and I took hold of his waist behind his back. What the fuck was she talking about? As far as I knew, we were not planning to break up, and I was sure Kenny agreed with me on that.
"Boys, could you please take a seat," the mystery lady said. "I'm Melissa Norwood from Social Services."
Shivering from my cold sweat, I refused to accept what was going on. Again, Kenny had to lead the way. We sat on the couch next to my parents. There wasn't really room for us, but he pulled me so that I was sitting partly on his lap. He rested his arms on my legs and looked at the social worker.
"I'm gay, and we're dating," he said. "Mom has some serious issues with that."
"You're not like that," Ms. Sherman intervened. "It's just this boy… this whole family who has tried to manipulate you.
Ms. Norwood glanced at my parents, who were about to protest, but she raised her hand to silence them and wrote something in her notebook. I couldn't believe my eyes. Was she buying everything the wicked witch was feeding her?
"Your parents wanted you to live with your father," Ms. Norwood said. "Is it true that Javier helped you to escape the police?"
Kenny nodded.
"My son won't live with such a criminal," Ms. Sherman said, raising her voice. "He needs a proper role model in his life. And that's his father."
"You fucking bitch," I cried out. "I helped Kenny after you discarded…"
"Don't you dare talk to me like that," Ms. Sherman shouted. "You have tried to make my son a homosexual, but it ends now!"
I was about to stand up, but Kenny's hold on me tightened, keeping me from beating this bitch black and blue.
For a moment, everybody was shouting at the same time. The social worker tried in vain to get control of the situation. I heard Kenny saying how he would never move to his father's ranch, but I was probably the only one who heard it. Finally, mom raised her voice and got everybody's attention.
"Javier, I think it's better that you go to your room," she said.
"But, I'm just…" I protested.
"Go. Now!"
I did as she told me, despite the arrogant smile on Ms. Sherman's face. If the bitch won this battle, I would keep searching until I found the fucking ranch. I would save Kenny as many times as needed.
I got to my room and slammed the door. The social worker was saying something in the living room, but I took my head phones and turned the music so loud their conversation faded out. I was desperate to know what they would decide, but too afraid to listen.
Please don't let it happen. Don't take him away from me.
Not sure if I was praying, I closed my eyes. I lay on my bed and hoped if there was a god, he would listen to me. On the other hand, if it was the same god Ms. Sherman worshiped, the verdict would not be favorable. Frustrated, I opened my eyes and stared at the ceiling.
Song by song, the tightness in my chest increased. My teeth were biting marks on my lower lip, and despite my efforts to stay strong, my eyes were getting moist. When my door finally opened, I was sure it was my mom coming to tell me that Kenny had left. But it wasn't. It was my boyfriend with a shy smile on his face.
"Kenny," I cried out. "What happened?"
Without saying a word, he walked over and hugged me. Hesitantly, I wrapped my arm around him, hoping this wasn't what I feared it could be. Our cheeks were against each other, and I felt his tears running down.
"Don't say this is goodbye," I said, my voice barely louder than a whisper.
"No, it's not."
His arms squeezed me tightly.
"What did they decide?"
"Your parents will let me live her e until the situation at home settles down."
There was such lightness in my arms that I wanted to hug the entire world. Silently, I thanked god and took his head in my hands, as if I needed extra proof he was really there.
"Did your mother change her mind?"
The smile faded from his face as he shook his head.
"The social worker convinced her that it's best I finish school here."
"Are you okay?"
He thought for a moment before he answered.
"I'm okay. As long as I can be with you."
Gradually, the smiled returned to both of our faces. We were together now, for real.
Authors deserve your feedback. It's the only payment they get. If you go to the top of the page you will find the author's name. Click that and you can email the author easily.* Please take a few moments, if you liked the story, to say so.
[For those who use webmail, or whose regular email client opens when they want to use webmail instead: Please right click the author's name. A menu will open in which you can copy the email address (it goes directly to your clipboard without having the courtesy of mentioning that to you) to paste into your webmail system (Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo etc). Each browser is subtly different, each Webmail system is different, or we'd give fuller instructions here. We trust you to know how to use your own system. Note: If the email address pastes or arrives with %40 in the middle, replace that weird set of characters with an @ sign.]
* Some browsers may require a right click instead
